The Long Corruption Ch. 05

Three months had changed the penthouse in ways Jeanie still sometimes noticed by accident. Not the layout or the marble floors or even the towering windows overlooking the city. Those things had felt unreal from the beginning and still did some mornings when she woke before sunrise, wandering barefoot into the kitchen half asleep.

What had changed was how she felt about her place inside it. The apartment no longer felt like somewhere she was simply staying. It felt, almost, like somewhere she belonged.

The morning light filtered in through the kitchen window, casting a pale gold across the marble floors. Jeanie moved about the kitchen with variations of the same routines she'd had back home. Variations that had become second nature over the last three months. Her bare feet made almost no sound on the cool stone as she prepared James's coffee just as he preferred. Black and strong, and served in the same ceramic mug he always seemed to favor.

She had begun to learn the little rituals of his life through close observation. The way he liked his cufflinks laid out beside his watch. The moods that were best met with silence. The looks that meant he wanted her nearby. Which phone calls irritated him and which acquaintances he respected. Even the signals that hinted at whether he wanted her before dinner versus after, or perhaps even both. These things pleased him, and pleasing him had become the central part of her days in some ways.

She paused at the counter wearing one of his oversized dress shirts with the sleeves rolled to her forearms and only the middle three buttons fastened. The hem skimmed the tops of her thighs. Three months ago she would have tugged it down nervously, feeling her cheeks burn. Now she barely thought about how much she revealed. The fabric gaped enticingly at her chest, offering glimpses of soft, rounded skin, and she no longer bothered with how much it shifted when she moved.

Warmth prickled faintly up her neck anyway. She wondered, sometimes, what her mother would think if she could see her now. Standing barefoot and barely dressed, just as happy to wear her husband's shirt as she was in one of her own.

She carried the cup toward his office. The door stood partially open and James sat behind the desk, reading through something on his tablet. His expression was calm and unreadable in the way it almost always was when he was working. His ability to focus the way he did always made her stomach flutter.

"You're staring again," he said without looking up.

Jeanie blinked. "What?"

"My coffee?"

"Oh." A small, embarrassed smile lightly curved her lips at being caught admiring him. "Sorry."

She stepped inside the large space and set the mug beside him. James finally glanced up at her. His eyes ran over her. The loose shirt, her bare legs, the sleep-tousled hair falling over one of her slender shoulders. His gaze wasn't lustful exactly. Just that quiet, appraising look she had come to recognize from him.

"You're up early," he observed.

"I heard you making calls," she said softly. "I wanted to see if there was anything I could do for you."

There was nothing more than a faint nod.

Signs of his approval beyond the small gestures were still rarely more than that. When she first arrived, she would stand there awkwardly afterward, unsure whether to leave or keep talking. Now she automatically stepped behind his chair, brushing her fingers over his shoulders lightly before leaving them to rest there.

James leaned slightly back into the contact while continuing to read.

"I laid out your gray suit," she murmured eventually.

"Did you now?" he asked, swiping his tablet to view another page. "Is it one of the grays by chance?"

"Mhm. And a charcoal tie. I always think those look really nice together on you."

"The Tom Ford?"

"Yes."

Another small nod of approval. It should not have pleased her as much as it did. But it undeniably did. The adaptation to his life had happened so gradually she barely noticed it anymore.

By the time Jeanie wandered back toward the bedroom to get dressed, ten minutes had passed while she stood behind him with barely a conversation.

Jeanie slipped back into the master bedroom and drifted across the plush carpet in the walk-in closet. She came to a stop in the large room and let the oversized shirt slide from her shoulders to fall crumpled at her feet. For a moment she stood naked in the cool air, crisscrossing her arms lightly over her breasts out of a lingering habit.

The closet was a testament to how much her life had changed. Rows of garments hung in a careful order. There were silks and soft knits and tailored pieces that clung in ways her old farm dresses would've never been allowed to. Jeanie reached for her tennis whites of a short pleated skirt, and a fitted athletic top. She stepped into the skirt first, giving it little tugs to turn it until it sat just right before smoothing it over her hips. The fabric always felt cool against her skin. Another thing that three months ago would've had her staring at herself in disbelief, and certainly trying to pull the hem down again and again. Now she simply turned once, checking how it sat.

It was short, yes. Much shorter than anything she would have imagined for herself back then, but it fit the club and James had never objected. She pulled on the top, adjusting the straps so they sat neatly on her shoulders. Turning in front of the mirror, she noted how the outfit moved with her. Practical for tennis.

A noise came from the closet door behind her.

Carmen swept in carrying a garment bag. Her movements were as graceful and precise as ever as she hung the bag on a staging hook and let her gaze drift over Jeanie with mild interest.

"You're heading out for another day of tennis, I see," Carmen said. She moved closer and reached out to adjust one of the straps on Jeanie's top, settling it properly. "Don't you just look the part these days."

Jeanie offered a small, polite smile. "Thank you. The girls are expecting me soon."

"You've adapted to your little friend group's style quite naturally," she observed, keeping her tone smooth and conversational. "Though, I suppose if you spend enough time with them, they're bound to be an influence on you," Carmen continued before making a tsk sound with her tongue. "Even if it means parading around like this."

There was a warmth that washed over Jeanie's neck and chest. She suddenly felt conscious of every inch of bare skin showing. Nearly the entire length of her legs were exposed beneath the skirt, as well as a narrow band of her abdomen between her skirt and top. Then there was the way her breasts moved beneath the lightweight fabric when she breathed. Shame prickled through her, familiar and uncomfortable. She told herself it was acceptable, because this was what James seemed to prefer. This was how she felt like she fit into his world.

"I... This is what all the women seem to wear there," Jeanie murmured, lowering her eyes. "James doesn't seem to mind."

"Of course it is, sweetie." Carmen's lips curved in a faint, elegant smile. "And you do look very put-together. I'm sure he doesn't mind at all." She picked at a piece of lint right above Jeanie's belly button before running her fingers under the elastic hem to set in place. "Though I do wonder how long you'll keep telling yourself this is all just for him."

Jeanie frowned, unsure of what exactly Carmen was implying with her statement. Lifting her eyes to Carmen's face, she opened her mouth to speak, but Carmen spoke first.

"You should wear the white visor too. It just looks so adorable on you," she added, turning and heading out of the closet. "Enjoy your morning, dear."

"I will. Thank you, Carmen," Jeanie called after her as the door closed, leaving her alone.

Jeanie let out a deep sigh and stepped in front of the mirror. It felt as if there was always a suggestion of something more beneath her words. Jeanie wasn't entirely sure how she felt about that. Aubrey, Mina, and Talia no longer felt like just other women who were her age who lived in the building. They felt like her friends. The club no longer felt intimidating, either. Even the clothes that had once made her self-conscious had become part of her norm.

Perhaps that was all Carmen meant. The thought eased some of her uncertainty, though not completely.

She tugged the hem of the skirt down by a fraction of an inch, then stopped herself.

James is okay with this, she thought, repeating the quiet mantra that had carried her through so many small surrenders. It's what he wants to see his wife in.

Jeanie combed her fingers through her hair, slipped on the white visor, and prepared to head out to meet Aubrey, Mina, and Talia. Trying, as always, not to think too much about the things Carmen said.

She gave one last glance at her reflection, ran her hands down the front of the tennis skirt, then stepped out of the closet. James was in the bedroom, adjusting his cufflinks with the focused precision she had come to admire.

She crossed to his side, rising onto her toes to plant a soft kiss on his cheek. "I'm heading down to meet the girls," she said softly with a smile. "I don't think I'll be more than a few hours."

James turned his head slightly, placing a hand at her waist for a brief moment. He returned the kiss, brushing his lips against hers. "I have some meetings I need to attend, so don't rush on my account. Enjoy yourself," he said. There was a low timbre in his voice, carrying the quiet approval she lived for.

Jeanie smiled, looking up at him earnestly, then stepped back. James walked her toward the foyer, resting his hand lightly across the narrow band of exposed skin of her back as they moved through the penthouse. There was nothing overt in the simple gesture, but it still made her heart skip a beat and her chest grow warmer.

At the door she paused, giving him one more appreciative look. "I'll see you when you get back, then."

He nodded, opening the door for her. Jeanie slipped out and the sound of the latch catching rang out behind her as she headed for the elevator.

James turned back toward his study to review a few last documents before heading out for the day as well.

Carmen appeared from the opposite hallway just as he reached the living area. She hurried her pace, moving gracefully as she caught up to him. She had her tablet in one hand and a fresh cup of coffee in the other, having found his cup empty on his desk while he was dressing.

"The morning brief is ready when you are," she said smoothly, falling into lockstep beside him. Her eyes flicked over his half-dressed state, the open collar of his shirt with the tie hanging undone, and the suit pants not yet paired with the jacket. A faint smile touched her lips at the sight of his partially unbuttoned shirt.

James continued toward the study without breaking his stride. Carmen followed him inside, closing the heavy door behind them once they entered. She set the coffee on his desk and placed the tablet beside it.

He stepped to the side of his desk, picking up a file and lifting the coffee for a sip. Carmen closed the last two feet between them. Her fingers rose to finish buttoning the shirt he had only half done. Her fingers were nimble and well-practiced, reflecting years of familiarity with his clothes.

When the last button was secured, her hands slid lower where his pants sat partially open, with only the zipper of his fly closed. The belt hung loose, and the button remained undone. She began tucking the shirt neatly into the back of his trousers, working her way to the front. Unzipping the fly to finish, she tucked the shirt and smoothed out the front. As her fingers brushed over his flaccid member, James made a low groan in the back of his throat.

Carmen's lips curved into a private smile. Without glancing up at his face, she sank gracefully to her knees on the hard floor in front of him. Nothing was rushed as she moved at a fluid and unhurried pace. It was the rhythm of years' worth of routine between them, reflecting the kind of continuity that needed no words.

James set the file down and leaned back against the edge of the large desk, watching her as Carmen lowered herself to her knees. A moment later, she had freed him and took his soft length into her mouth with the effortless familiarity of someone who had done this countless times. Her pace was measured, almost reverent, moving her tongue as she sucked and tugged with her lips, coaxing him to harden in the wet warmth of her mouth.

James exhaled slowly, resting one hand on the back of her head. His fingers intertwined through her perfectly styled hair with no regard for the effort she had spent on it. He balled his fist in it with the habitual possession of a long-held routine. Carmen felt the subtle weight of it, the claim his grip signaled, and hummed softly around him in response. The vibration drew another groan from his chest.

She worked him with patient skill, taking more of him as he swelled between her tongue and the roof of her mouth. Her cheeks hollowed out from the suction each time she drew her head back and then slurped him back in. The familiar taste of his skin and his arousal filled her senses. This was where she still belonged, even if it were limited to these stolen moments. She'd use them to remind them both of how long they had moved in sync.

James's fingers tightened slightly in her hair as he began to thicken fully. "I have a busy day," he muttered. His tone was rough with growing arousal. His hips gave a small, reflexive push forward. "Don't take too long."

He said the words evenly, almost offhanded, but Carmen knew the undertone. She responded immediately, increasing her pace and sucking harder. Moving faster along his length, her hand stroked the base with a tight grip and in practiced rhythm with her mouth. Her other hand rested on his thigh, feeling the muscles tense beneath the fine wool of his trousers. She channeled all of her efforts into what she was doing, using every trick she had perfected over the years. Her tongue swirled beneath the head, swallowing so her throat applied pressure around him as she took his entire length when he was fully hard. The one thing she remained mindful of was her saliva, not wanting to get carried away and soil the front of his slacks.

James's breathing grew heavier. After some time, his hand began guiding her, setting the tempo he wanted. Carmen gave herself over completely, closing her eyes as she focused only on him, on the way his shaft swelled and twitched in her mouth, and his thigh flexed under her hand. She focused on the low grunts he allowed himself accompanied the familiar signals against her tongue that told her he was getting close.

When he finally came, he let out a restrained groan, his fist tightening in her hair as the back of his fingers pressed firmly against the back of her head. He held her in place while his essence rushed down her throat. Carmen swallowed every drop without hesitation, prepared to stay there until he began to soften. She rested her forehead lightly against his abdomen until he was done, savoring the moment.

Only then did she pull back, dry him, and carefully tuck him away before refastening his trousers with steady hands. She rose gracefully, smoothing her skirt and wiping the corner of her mouth with a delicate touch.

James lifted his chin as Carmen finished what she had started, flipping one end of the tie over the other. "Confirm my dinner reservations for tonight," he said, his voice steady as if nothing had happened.

"Already done," Carmen replied, slipping the knot into place.

She adjusted the front of his shirt until all of the wrinkles were smoothed out after tucking it into his pants and turned toward the office door. "I'll have the car ready in ten. I assume your jacket is still in the bedroom?"

James nodded even as she walked away, and could no longer see him. Carmen left him to finish preparing, noting the taste of him still lingering on her tongue as she returned to her own tasks before they left.

The café terrace overlooked a quiet corner of the large city park. Jeanie sat at a shaded table with the three girls, cooling off from their match. Her tennis skirt had been swapped out for a soft, pale yellow sundress that skimmed her thighs and did little to hide the flush that still adorned her chest after their matches. She sipped her iced latte, listening more than speaking.

Talia was in the middle of a story, leaning forward with the bold, unfiltered energy she never made any attempt to temper. Her dark hair was pulled up in a tight ponytail that sat high on the back of her head, and she gestured with her fork as she spoke.

"-so there I am, trying to keep a straight face while this man is literally laid out on the bench in the locker room after our session, telling me how he's never tasted anything better," Talia said, letting out a salacious little laugh. "Like, honey, I know. But the most ridiculous part? His wife was waiting for him at the juice bar the entire time. At one point when I was squatting over him, I felt like I had to remind him because of how long he was taking. I swear he just moaned."

Aubrey let out a bright, scandalized giggle, covering her mouth with one hand. "Talia, I can't believe how terrible you are. What did you do?"

"Basically, what I just said I told him," Talia shrugged, spearing a piece of avocado toast she had cut off. "I told him to be a good boy and hurry up and finish what he started. Once I was done, I made sure to leave as fast as I could. I wasn't going to wait any longer for someone else to come in and find us. Optics, ladies. If he's going to take his time leaving, I'm not going to be the one caught with him in there after I'm done."

Mina, ever the quiet observer, slowly stirred her matcha. She may have kept it suppressed, but there was a small smile at the corner of her lips all the same. "You're playing with fire. One of these days someone's going to catch you, considering all the public places where you do these things. But I will give you credit... The fact that you get them to do these things and the way you control the narrative is impressive."

Aubrey leaned in, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Seriously, Talia, I don't know how you can finish at all, much less give him shit for how long it's taking. The risk alone would give me a heart attack. Hell, I'd be constantly looking over my shoulder. There's no way I could relax enough to get off."

Jeanie listened quietly, fingering the condensation building on the side of her glass of iced latte. Back home, she had occasionally overheard the boys telling crude stories at lunch or on the bus. The girls sometimes shared more careful versions among themselves when no adults were around. But always in hushed tones and muffled giggles, while glancing over their shoulders. Those stories were only shared in whispered fragments of conversations she was never invited into because everyone knew her father had a temper and sheltered her.

They were never like this, though. Never spoken so openly and casually, in the middle of a sunlit café terrace where anyone might overhear you.

A quiet discomfort settled in her stomach. The part that stood out the most for her was that the man in Talia's story had a wife waiting for him. Jeanie tried not to picture James in that position, with another woman while she waited somewhere trusting and unaware. The thought made her stomach twist in a strange, unsettled way.

She hesitated, then spoke softly, her voice carrying no judgment but seeking more understanding than anything else. "Talia... how are you okay with it? Knowing he's married, I mean."

The table quieted for a moment. Talia looked at her, showing no signs of offense, but considering the question seriously. She took a sip of her mimosa, licking her lips, then pursing them before answering.

"It's not that I don't care," Talia said, toning down her usual bravado for something more thoughtful. "But you have to look at it from my position. That man made his choice the second he approached me. Well before he followed me into the locker room. His wife isn't my responsibility. I didn't make any vows to her. He did. So, I'm not the one breaking anything. He is. I just happened to be the focus of his attention when he decided to act on his whims."

She shrugged lightly, though her eyes stayed sharp.

"Men like that are going to find someone regardless," Talia continued. "Yes, it could be argued that I'm still morally culpable, but their marriage is not my concern. At least with me, it's... almost transactional. It ends when we both walk away satisfied. He doesn't have my number, so at least he's not going to be sneaking off to another room to carry on some illicit affair."

Aubrey nodded along, but Mina watched Jeanie with quiet interest, as if measuring how she was going to react to Talia's justification.

Jeanie lowered her gaze to her drink, turning the words over in her mind. There was a cold kind of sense to it. A transactional logic that felt very different from what she was taught growing up, where duty and fidelity were spoken of like unbreakable things by both of her parents. Yet part of her understood why that type of clarity might appeal to some people. One thing Talia didn't do was pretend. There were no quiet disappointments hidden behind polite smiles of rejection. Everything was honest, for better or worse.

Still, the image of James with someone else lingered. No matter how much she tried to shake it, the thought was unrelenting and unwelcome.

"I see," Jeanie said softly, offering a polite nod. "That makes sense, I suppose. It's just... very different from how I was raised is all."

Talia grinned, reaching across the table to squeeze her arm. "That's why you have us, farm girl. Because you were never raised at all. We'll make sure you know how to survive this world with that sweet heart of yours."

Jeanie managed a polite little chuckle and glanced from Talia's hand to her face. She hoped it sounded natural.

Mina's persistent eyes narrowed slightly, studying her. "Is something wrong, Jeanie?"

Jeanie blinked, pulled from her thoughts by being questioned directly. "No, of course not," she replied honestly. "I don't mind what Talia does. I was just curious, that's all."

Mina didn't look entirely convinced. She set her spoon down with a quiet clink. "That's not what I meant. Is it James?"

Jeanie's brow furrowed just a little. She shook her head, but swallowed.

Mina paused, then ventured carefully, "Hmm... Carmen?"

Jeanie shook her head again, quicker this time, looking to Mina as if she were silently asking her to let it go.

Mina leaned back into her chair with a thoughtful expression. "I wouldn't blame you if Carmen did bother you. I don't believe that woman knows the meaning of boundaries. Everything with her feels... calculated. You know what I mean? Like she only sees things in terms of how they'll affect her personally. The way she moves when she's around other people, it's like... I don't know, it's like she gauges everyone by what value they have to her."

Aubrey nodded sympathetically, though she kept her tone light. "She does have that energy, huh? Like she's waiting for people to trip up so she can swoop in."

Jeanie offered a small, grateful smile, but said nothing more.

With her not engaging, the conversation mercifully moved on. Aubrey steered them toward safer ground with a funny story about her parents' latest attempt to set her up with their friend's son, the future doctor, but the tension in Jeanie's chest didn't abate nearly as fast. Mina's words about Carmen had landed closer than she wanted to admit.

She sipped her latte, wishing the cool sweetness on her tongue would displace the bitterness she tasted after the conversation. What once sounded like idle gossip often carried undertones and implications she couldn't ignore. The more time she spent with them, the more she recognized the gaps her father had left in her understanding, and the less certain she was that filling them would bring her any peace.

She still had hours before James would likely be home. Time enough, perhaps, to push the uncomfortable thoughts aside and enjoy her time with her friends outside the penthouse.

Aubrey finished her story with a dramatic sigh. "Anyway, the point is I had agreed to give the guy a shot. So now I'd been seeing this guy for a couple weeks, and he all of a sudden asked me to go with him to Aspen next month. Like, really? Next month? That's longer out than what we've been dating right now. He wants to make it just the two of us for a long weekend. And of course he made it sound all romantic, but if it's not ski season, why would I even want to go to Aspen? You want a romantic weekend, take me somewhere with a private beach that I can wear a bikini. But not cold with no snow."

Talia raised an eyebrow, smirking at her friend. "You're gonna go, aren't you?"

"Maybe. I'm thinking about it," Aubrey said, laughing at herself. "I mean... he did say it was a five-star resort."

"That's terrible!" Jeanie exclaimed with a small embarrassed laugh on behalf of her friend.

Mina tilted her head. "Didn't you say he was still studying to be a doctor?"

"Yeah, but it sounds like his parents pay for everything without question."

Talia pursed her lips and shook her head. "My parents tried setting me up with some guy last month who actually grew up in Aspen. I guess he was some friend's son who apparently has a 'promising future.' They even sent me his LinkedIn. I think they expect him to take over his dad's company."

Jeanie looked up from her latte, surprised. "Don't they know about Greg?"

Talia burst out laughing, nearly choking on her mimosa. "Oh, of course they know. Not all the details, but they know about him. I swear, I think that's exactly why they keep trying so hard to find me someone more 'age appropriate.' They're convinced if they throw enough trust-fund babies at me, I'll magically forget about him and what I've got going for me with our arrangement."

Aubrey grinned and shook her head. "Your mom still hasn't met him, right?"

"God no! And she never will if I can help it. She'd have a coronary if she saw his wedding ring." Talia shook her head, still smiling. "But, whatever. It works for us. I get my condo and tons of freedom. And in return, he gets some arm candy to show off, along with some of the best sex of his life. As far as my parents are concerned, we're just dating and don't live together, but they don't like that he's basically their age."

Mina chuckled softly. "Mine just send passive-aggressive texts about how I should be 'expanding my social circle.' As if I don't already have enough people in my life."

"Yeah, but I don't think they like that we're the main part of that social circle," Aubrey laughed, pointing a finger between herself and Talia.

Jeanie smiled at Aubrey's comment, leaning forward a little. "So what did you tell the Aspen guy, Aubrey?"

"I told him I'd think about it. Like I said, it's only been a couple of weeks, so I didn't want to seem too eager, but... I kind of want to go, just because."

Talia nudged her with her elbow, taking the last bite of her avocado toast. "Live a little. Worst case, you get a free trip. They have some really nice spas there."

The four of them laughed easily as the conversation bounced from Aubrey's potential trip to Talia's latest parental ambush and then to Mina complaining about a terrible book club she'd let a guy drag her into.

The afternoon light had softened into a warm evening glow as the sun dropped lower on the horizon by the time Jeanie returned home, since James had told her not to hurry. She changed into a light cream-colored, satin lounge set that was slippery to the touch, and went about her rituals before James came home. Bustling around and straightening up the pillows, pouring James's whiskey to give it time to open up, and preparing a small charcuterie plate with the cheeses and meats for him to pick at if he wished.

When the door opened, she was there to greet him, rising onto her toes for a kiss.

"Welcome home," she said softly, brushing her hands under the shoulders of his jacket. "How was your day?"

James let out a long breath through his nose as he shrugged out of the suit coat. "Long." His hand rested at her waist as she greeted him before he moved into the living room and loosened his tie. Jeanie fetched his drink and the charcuterie, then followed. She handed the glass to him, setting the plate of food on a side table, and stayed close by taking a seat beside him on the sofa.

James took a sip, eyed the glass, then glanced at her. "We'll be leaving for Hawaiʻi in a couple of days," he said. "There's not much rain this time of year and it should be in the eighties. You'll want to pack appropriately."

Jeanie's eyes brightened with a hint of surprise. "Hawaiʻi?" She smiled. "I've never been, but it's always looked beautiful on TV."

James's hand found her leg, resting it warmly on her thigh as he hummed. "Hmmm. I'm sure you'll find it quite nice." He gave her leg a gentle squeeze. "The water's warm, and the views are excellent."

Jeanie leaned into him slightly, pleased by the idea. "I'll have to start figuring out what to pack. Should I bring the white bikini I showed you last month, or...?"

He shrugged one shoulder, tilting his head. "I'll leave that to you. I'm sure you know what's appropriate by this point."

"Yes, James." She hesitated, then added softly, "I'm glad we're going. It'll be nice to have time with you away from the city."

James turned his head to look at her properly with a flat expression. He set his glass down and pulled her closer, lifting her into his lap so she was seated across his thighs. Jeanie went willingly, resting against his chest with an arm around his broad shoulders and a soft sigh of contentment.

His hand rested on her hip, stroking her side with his thumb as it slipped beneath the hem of her top to caress the warm skin it found. "You've been doing good lately," he murmured, continuing to stroke her just above the waistband of her lounge pants. "I've noticed."

Jeanie felt the warmth creep up from her neck at the idea of him noticing the little things. She pressed her face into the side of his neck, breathing in the scent of his cologne. "I try," she whispered. "I don't want to be a burden for you."

James hummed in approval, sliding his other hand high up her thigh. She basked in the moment of him holding her in his lap. She shifted her arms so she could rest her elbow on the back of the couch, her head on her hand, while she watched the side of his face. He was staring out one of the large windows when her other hand came up to stroke his chest over his shirt.

As she did, he turned to look at her, then leaned in for a kiss. It was unhurried, and Jeanie melted into it. Lifting her head to better meet him. Her fingers rested lightly against his jaw as she kissed him back with soft, earnest devotion.

His grip tightened on her upper thigh. When the kiss deepened, Jeanie felt the familiar shift in him. She'd come to know it as a quiet hunger rising beneath the surface. She willingly gave herself over to it.

James held the kiss, opening his mouth slightly in expectation of her tongue. After what felt like minutes, he stood without a word, lifting Jeanie in his arms as if she weighed nothing. She let out a sigh from how she felt whenever she was in his arms like this, instinctively wrapping her own around his neck. Looking into his face, she caught sight of the untouched charcuterie board in her periphery.

A small pang of guilt flickered through her. Guilt that it would now sit there until someone else cleared it away. She also hated wasting things, but James was already carrying her through the penthouse toward the bedroom. Then the thought dissolved under his gaze as his eyes caught hers.

He nudged the bedroom door open the rest of the way with his shoulder and carried her to the large bed, atop the crisp white linens. James lowered her onto her back, following her onto the mattress to cover her body with his. There was a weight to him tonight, a focused intensity that felt different from his typical energy when he took her to bed before dinner.

Kissing her again, James slid a hand up under her top to cup her breast. His thumb brushed across her nipple, where it instantly responded to his touch. Gasping softly into his mouth, his other hand found the waistband of her pants, pulling them down to her knees along with her panties as she lifted her hips to help him. Settling them back down on top of the comforter, she lifted one leg, pulling it free of her pants as he held them, then the other. Her heart beat faster as cool air touched her bare skin and the softness of the bedding cushioned her from below.

He rose briefly to bring himself up on his knees between her legs. He pulled his tie free the rest of the way, slowly, letting the silk whisp through his collar before tossing it in the direction of a nearby chair. Next came the cufflinks, which he unfastened, and carelessly tossed onto the nightstand with a soft metallic clink. Jeanie watched from the mattress, dazed and absently trailing her hands over her own body. One palm drifted down her stomach, the other cupping the firm flesh of her breast through the thin satin of her top. Her fingers brushed over her already tight nipple from his earlier attention as she drank in the sight of him.

He unbuttoned his dress shirt methodically as she watched, revealing the white tank-style undershirt beneath. The crisp white shirt slid off his broad shoulders and was tossed aside. Then he reached behind his neck, gripping the neck of the undershirt up and over his head. Jeanie's breath always caught at the sight of his bare torso coming into view. The firm planes of his chest that gave way to the defined ridges of his abdomen, where the muscles flexed subtly when he moved. Her hands continued their slow, absent exploration of her own curves, pressing her thighs together as a warmth gathered in her lower belly.

James's hands began to reach for his belt. However, before he could undo it, Jeanie sat up, gripping his hips where he knelt between her spread thighs. Looking up into his eyes, she brushed his hands away, taking over. Her fingers worked the buckle open with care, then moved to his fly, slowly drawing the zipper down as she smiled up at him, watching his expression. Her gaze stayed locked on his, biting her bottom lip and dropping her attention lower as she pushed his suit pants and boxer-briefs down over his hips and firm ass.

His large, hard member sprang free. The thick and reddish-purple head brushed against her cheek as she leaned forward and freed him. Jeanie licked her lips, eyeing the sight before her. She pushed the fabric the rest of the way down his thighs, and James lifted one knee, then the other, helping her slide his pants and underwear down to his calves. He reached back and pulled them off his feet along with his socks, while her delicate hand wrapped around his thick shaft, stroking him. She could feel the heat and girth of him pulse against her palm as she let her hand take the now familiar but no less tantalizing journey.

With his clothes finally gone, James reached for her top. Jeanie lifted her arms obediently, letting him swiftly pull the light fabric up and off her body. Her breasts came free, revealing her nipples that were tight and flushed. He tossed the top aside to join the pile of his clothes and looked down at her with eyes that were dark and filled with intent.

James didn't hesitate. He pushed her back onto the bed, covering her with his body once more. Repositioning his weight, he gripped her with one hand and guided himself so his shaft was between her parted lips. Sawing his length back and forth, he coated the underside of his erection in her readily seeping fluids, spreading them over her as much as him. Catching the head at her entrance, in a single, steady thrust he pushed inside her, burying himself to the hilt.

Jeanie gasped sharply at the sudden, deep intrusion, fully arching her back off the mattress as her head pressed into the pillow beneath. James groaned and buried his face in her neck before biting her shoulder. He didn't ease her into it tonight. He took her with powerful strokes that pressed her firmly into the bed with every forward thrust of his hips. Each impact felt like he was using her body to prove he was still in here and in control.

Jeanie clung to him, wrapping her legs around his waist as she took everything he gave. His grunts and groans filled her ears, mingling with her own soft, helpless moans. James's hand slid under her ass, digging his fingers into the ample meat and tilting her hips up so he could drive even deeper.

The change still wasn't enough for what he wanted, and he shifted his weight, catching the back of one of her knees. He pushed it up toward her chest and held it between his arm and his body so she couldn't move. The new angle opened her wider, letting him sink even deeper with every brutal thrust. Jeanie cried out a raw and broken sound as the head of his cock plunged deep, hitting a spot inside her that made her eyes squeeze shut. The stretch bordered on too much, and the slap of his hips against her rang out loudly in the quiet bedroom. Each impact sent her breasts bouncing.

"Ungh," James grunted with his face buried against her neck yet again. He drove into her harder, and Jeanie's fingers dug into his back, scraping her nails across his skin as she tried to hold on. Every thrust came with enough force to knock the air from her lungs. She felt small, pinned beneath him and thoroughly used. Part of her felt shameful from how achingly wet she was at the way he used her.

James kept her folded for several punishing minutes, occasionally grinding deep inside her on the inward push, before he suddenly pulled back, giving himself room with only the head still notched in her. Jeanie whimpered at the near loss, but he rolled her onto her side before she could react any more than the brief sound that had escaped. He moved, rising onto his knees. He pushed her bottom leg straight down between his knees and bent her upper leg high, spreading her open. His hands gripped her exposed hip hard, digging into the muscle and bone at the top of her thigh. He yanked her back onto his cock as his hips surged forward.

Jeanie moaned loudly, biting a clump of the comforter at the mixture of discomfort that came with the pleasure of how he took her. The new position let him hit different spots as he repeatedly pulled her against him like this. James fucked her relentlessly, snapping his hips forward with bruising force.

The whole thing felt obscene to Jeanie. His balls dragged up and down her thigh, and his grip on her hips was almost painful as he pulled her back to meet him. Jeanie's mouth fell open, releasing the comforter as her eyes started to roll back, lost in the raw intensity of being taken like she was.

James's own breathing began to grow ragged. Low grunts escaped him with every deep plunge. One hand left her hip to capture the top bouncing breast, using his fingers roughly as they closed around the pliant orb. When he caught her nipple between his fingers and pinched, Jeanie's whole body jerked hard. A broken cry escaped from her throat as pleasure slammed into her like a wave that was sharp and overwhelming.

He never relented. He fucked her through it, pistoning his hips with a raw, animalistic need that drove his thick cock into her clenching pussy again and again. Jeanie shook violently beneath him when her orgasm crashed over her in powerful spasms. Her pussy squeezed desperately, quivering and pulsing around him as she came hard.

Only then did James's rhythm finally falter. With one last deep thrust, he pulled out of her abruptly and quickly rolled her onto her back again. Rising up on his knees between her spread thighs, he wrapped a hand around his glistening cock, stroking himself in one hand while the other gripped the base of his shaft in a firm grip.

Jeanie, dazed and trembling, instinctively reached up and held her breasts together for him, pressing the soft mounds inward. James's eyes looked down on her intently, with blown out pupils. Then, with a deep, guttural groan, he came.

The first powerful rope of his seed shot out as she watched the head swell and his lower hand release its grip. It came with enough force that she felt the impact on the underside of her breasts. More thick, hot streaks quickly followed, painting across her stomach in messy lines that were thick enough to start running in rivulets as her stomach rose and fell with each gasp of breath. Jeanie moaned softly, watching as he kept stroking, forcing out more.

He eventually dropped his hips, dragging the swollen head of his cock between her lips and pressed his shaft down firmly between her swollen labia. Sawing back and forth again, his hand pushed the underside of his shaft against her sensitive clit and mound. The action forced any last drops of his cum to pulse out directly onto her pussy, coating her folds and dripping down over her swollen clit.

Jeanie shivered at the warmth of it, releasing her breasts to trail her fingers through the markings of his territory. The streaks gathered in pools on her stomach, and then thinner lines running down her sides. When James was satisfied that the last of his seed had been expelled, he slowly rubbed the head through the mess he'd made, smearing it over her mound and between her lips.

Finally, he let out one last moan and released himself. He looked down at her with dark satisfaction in his eyes before shuffling to her side and lowering himself onto his back. He raised an arm over his head, taking a deep breath.

Jeanie lay there with her chest still rising and falling rapidly, feeling the warm remnants of him cooling on her skin. Her body hummed in the aftershocks, but her mind was a quiet swirl of shame and devotion. The way James reacted to her always elated her, but even now, there was still the whisper of her church voice that persisted.

The loud clank of something heavy striking the kitchen counter interrupted the moment. Jeanie glanced in the direction of the clatter. When the sound of the kitchen sink running followed, she slipped from the bed and quietly crossed the room on shaky legs. She gently closed the door, making sure the latch didn't make any noise as she released the handle.

James watched her from the bed, one eyebrow slightly raised. "Still uncomfortable with her possibly hearing after all this time?" he asked.

Jeanie shrugged abashedly as she turned toward the bathroom. "It's your house," she said simply, knowing his stance on the matter.

"It's our house," he corrected her.

Jeanie flashed a shy smile at him before disappearing through the doorframe.

A brief flash of the brunch conversation drifted through her mind. Mina's thoughts about Carmen and the way the girls spoke about various boundaries. Jeanie hesitated, turning off the hot water and wringing out a washcloth.

"Why does she need to live here?" she asked tentatively. "You pay her so well... I would think she would want her own place and could afford it. Even in this building, if something were available. I know it wouldn't be the penthouse, but still."

James didn't bother to look over at her. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, collecting his cufflinks. "It's just the way it's been," he said matter-of-factly. "And it's convenient. I don't have to call her or wait for her to come over when I need something handled quickly."

Jeanie nodded slowly, saying nothing more. She understood the logic. Still, there was a part of her that wished it could just be the two of them in their home. Without the constant presence of anyone else, or watchful eyes. But she didn't push. She simply rinsed what she could from the now soiled cloth and wiped away the last of what remained on her skin.

James stood and carried his cufflinks to put them away as Jeanie picked up their clothes off the floor, setting them in the closet to be cleaned. Stepping to his dresser, he pulled on a pair of comfortable pants he wore around the house, and nothing else. As Jeanie emerged from the closet, he held out his hand to her. "Come on."

Jeanie took it, slipping on the button-down shirt he'd been wearing over her bare body before following him out of the bedroom. The penthouse lights had been dimmed to their evening setting, casting a softer glow throughout. In the kitchen, Carmen stood at the counter in a silk robe, assembling a small plate of fruit, cheese, and crackers for herself.

James led Jeanie straight to the kitchen island. "I'm famished," he said simply.

"Of course," Carmen replied smoothly, already stepping aside to make room. Her eyes flicked over Jeanie's disheveled hair and the oversized shirt that barely reached mid-thigh, but she said nothing about it. "Do you need any more room?"

"No thank you," Jeanie said, moving behind the expansive counter to begin preparing a simple dinner for her and James. It was nothing fancy, but it was one of the meals she had learned he liked. She worked quietly, listening as James and Carmen spoke.

"I've made the flight reservations to Lanai for Thursday morning," Carmen said, slicing a few strawberries onto her plate. "Unfortunately, with everything going on, the room you prefer isn't available. I'm sorry. But I have arranged a private car service from the airfield. I've also notified the resort of your preferences for the stay."

James nodded, leaning against the counter beside Jeanie. "Good. Make sure the meetings I'll need to have with his representatives are scheduled for no later than Thursday afternoon. I don't want them dragging into the weekend."

"Already handled," Carmen replied instantly. "I'll have all the documents for your joint ventures ready for you to review by tomorrow. I should be able to field some of those meetings in your stead. I don't see any reason you need to bother with some of them."

Jeanie's chopping of some vegetables stuttered upon hearing what Carmen said. It landed uneasily in her stomach. She had assumed, for no reason that it was just her and James.

She glanced up, trying to seem as if it were nothing. "Carmen... you're coming with us to Hawaiʻi?"

Carmen glanced over at her with a raised eyebrow and a slightly incredulous look, as if the question surprised her. "Of course I am. There's arrangements that I'll need to address, and James will likely be busy himself." She gave a shake of her head. "Besides, it would be improper for me not to attend."

Jeanie nodded slowly, turning back to the cutting board. "Right, of course," she murmured.

"Is that an issue?" Carmen asked.

"Huh? No. I just... didn't realize."

The kitchen fell into a silence, broken only by the steady rhythm of their knives. Carmen finished delicately arranging her plate, then turned toward the breakfast nook carrying her light supper. When she turned, the silk robe opened as her body twisted. It happened so fast Jeanie wasn't entirely sure she had seen it correctly. The front of the robe gaped open enough to reveal the bare curve of Carmen's breast before the fabric settled back into place.

Jeanie's cheeks flushed. She quickly looked back down at the vegetables, focusing on her task. She'd never paid close enough attention to Carmen before to know if that was typical for her. She turned her head ever so slightly, glancing at her legs beneath the robe, then looked down at her own state of dress, feeling even more exposed than Carmen, with it being only a shirt of James's rather than a robe.

Carmen casually sat in one of the chairs at the small table, crossing her legs as she cracked the seal of her sparkling water. "The weather forecast for the island looks excellent," she said, and took a sip of her drink as James nodded his agreement. "Should be in the low eighties during the day with pleasant evenings. Would you like me to pack some clothes for you again?" she asked, looking at Jeanie.

Jeanie's cheeks turned pink, remembering the items that were packed for her honeymoon and the beach. "Mm-mm," she hummed back softly. "I can manage, thank you."

James leaned against the counter beside her, watching her work. "Good," he said, patting her butt under his shirt. "Maybe bring some of your own clothes." Pushing off the counter, he moved to the table and sat across from Carmen.

Carmen let out an unamused hum, plucking a strawberry off her fork with her teeth. "Look at her taking charge of things. Your little bride has become so independent." The sweetness in her voice didn't match the expression she had as she looked at James. "You'll like Lanai. It's quiet. Very private. You should find it easy to relax and enjoy the resort while you lay out by the pool. Or whatever you'll do to keep yourself occupied."

Brushing aside the comment, Jeanie carefully plated some chicken and rice along with some vegetables, setting James's plate in front of him. "Is it anything like where we went for our honeymoon?"

James took a bite, chewing as he considered the question. "It's different," he replied. "The island of Lanai is more secluded, but the resort where we're staying is bigger. So there may be more guests."

Jeanie nodded, trying to picture the differences. "I'm looking forward to it."

The next afternoon, Jeanie sat cross-legged on the plush carpet, surrounded by open suitcases and scattered clothing. When Mina stepped into the doorway, Jeanie popped up immediately.

"Hey!" she said, giving her friend a big hug. "I didn't even hear you."

"Carmen let me in," Mina replied as the two of them sat amongst the piles of clothes.

"I'm really glad you called," Jeanie said, smiling as she sorted through a stack of tops she'd pulled from a drawer. "I was starting to stress about packing, because I have no idea what's appropriate for somewhere like this. I didn't want Carmen packing for me again after the last time. It's nice to have company, though."

"I can only imagine what that would've looked like," Mina replied, picking up and stretching out a dress that looked impossibly small before setting it aside.

"Well, thanks for coming over," Jeanie sighed.

Mina grinned, holding up a slinky slip dress. "Happy to help. Jeez, this closet is basically a playground, isn't it?" She glanced around at the rows of garments and let out a low whistle. "Do you even own any clothes that come to your knees anymore? Or did all of those just get burned to make room for... these doll clothes?"

Jeanie giggled, feeling her cheeks flush. "I still have a couple longer ones," she replied, not wanting to sound defensive, but a little embarrassed. "But... they don't really get worn much these days. James just seems to like things that are a bit more... fitted. And I like to make him happy."

Mina laughed warmly, reaching over and lightly pinching at Jeanie's butt. "I bet he does," she said, smiling as Jeanie laughed and swatted at her hand. "Can't blame the man." She tossed the slip dress into a "maybe" pile she was starting. "So Hawaii? That's pretty cool, huh? Have you ever been?"

Jeanie shook her head, wrinkling her nose at a white cover-up, then folding it and setting it aside. "Uh-uh, never. Although, I've barely been anywhere, honestly. I certainly didn't expect to be going to Hawaii all of a sudden, but James told me last night that we're going in a couple of days. I thought it was just going to be the two of us, but then when they were talking at dinner, I found out Carmen is coming too."

Mina paused with a folded pair of shorts in her hands. "Huh... isn't that weird?"

Jeanie shrugged lightly, trying to sound casual as she reached for another top. "Well, I guess they have some business to take care of while we're there. I don't know. I wasn't really part of the discussion."

Mina nodded slowly, setting the shorts into the suitcase. "What part of Hawaii are you going to again?"

"Lanai," Jeanie replied. "They said it's nice, and James said it's even more secluded than the little island we went to for our honeymoon."

Mina let out a thoughtful hum.

"Have you been there?"

"Mmm," Mina hummed her yes. "Lanai is extremely private. There's almost no one that lives there, so it's super exclusive. I'm just surprised they'd have actual business out there. It's not exactly a commercial hub or anything." She glanced at Jeanie with mild curiosity. "Then again, I guess I don't really know what James does, so maybe it makes more sense than I realize?" She said the last sentence more like a question than a statement.

Jeanie folded another wrap, placing this one neatly beside the swimsuits. "Most of the time, I feel like I don't really know either. Carmen made it sound like she needs to be there to handle arrangements for him, and that it would be 'improper' for her not to go." She gave a small, uncertain smile. "I'm still getting used to how things work with his... schedule. Truthfully, I don't know everything he does. I know he sold off most of his business after his dad passed. From what I do understand, most of what he does is things that are more personal to him."

"Hmm. I haven't really heard much either." Mina reached for a stack of silky tops, sorting through them. "Ugh," she grunted suddenly, "and the water... God, it's beautiful out there. It could be a really nice trip, even with her there." She held up a coral-colored dress, turning it and wondering how it would fit. "I bet this one looks amazing with your skin tone. You have to bring it."

Jeanie took the dress and added it to the suitcase, resting it carefully amidst the pile.

"Thank you. I'd still probably be going through my wraps. There's no way I'm wearing all of this."

Mina smiled, then leaned back on her hands, surveying the piles around them. "You know what? I'm jealous. All these beautiful pieces and I've barely seen you wear any of them." She reached over and plucked a sleek black one-piece swimsuit from a nearby stack that, while minimal, looked like it would still cover all the important parts. "This one is stunning. Mind if I try it on real quick? I'm curious how something like this would look on me."

Jeanie dropped what she was holding to see, then giggled softly, waving her hands at her. "Of course. Go ahead."

Mina stood and grabbed the hem of her top before pausing to glance. A bashful smile crossed her lips. Picking up the subtle hint, Jeanie politely covered her eyes with one hand. Mina slipped out of her clothes, glancing over her shoulder to make sure Jeanie still wasn't looking.

As she stepped into the swimsuit, Mina started to lose her balance and made a squealing noise of surprise as one of the straps tangled in her leg. Jeanie instinctively looked over to make sure she was okay.

For a brief second, she caught Mina fully nude.

She was slender and a little taller than average, with a fit, understated athletic build. Her perky B-cup breasts sat high and firm on her chest, capped by light tan-colored nipples. Her waist was narrow, flowing into gently rounded hips and a petite but noticeably tight, rounded backside. Her legs were long and toned without being overly muscular. She could almost be described as a willowy build. There was an elegant grace to her naked form. Something composed and quietly beautiful.

When Mina lifted her leg to make another attempt to step into the swimsuit, Jeanie got an unintentional glimpse of her vagina from behind. She quickly looked away again, feeling her cheeks go red.

Mina finally adjusted the swimsuit in place and turned in front of the mirror. "Not bad," she said, brushing her hands over her hips. "I don't usually wear anything this bold, but really, it still covers more than my bikinis."

The black one-piece was daringly sleek, sporting ultra-high-cut legs that rose dramatically over her hips, creating long, elegant lines that made her slender legs appear even longer. There were cutouts along the sides revealing stretches of skin that rippled over her ribs and down to her waist, while the front plunged deep between her perky breasts, reaching to her belly button. The back was little more than a thin strip of fabric that dipped between the tight, rounded cheeks of her petite ass, extending just to the sides to cover the valley.

Jeanie laughed softly, still a little flushed as she watched her friend turn and run her fingers under the narrow strip that did little more than cover the cleft of her butt. "It looks really good on you."

"You think so?" Mina asked, turning to face Jeanie with a self-conscious smile. She placed her hands on her hips, shifting her weight to one leg as she looked down her body. The movement made the cutouts shift slightly, highlighting the subtle athletic tone of her slender frame as her exposed obliques flexed at her narrow waist.

Jeanie nodded. "It really does. It's... striking on you. Bold, like you said, but elegant. You've definitely worn more revealing bikinis at the pool. But this one looks... sexy in a way your bikinis don't."

Mina laughed shyly, turning around to peel the swimsuit off so she could slip back into her clothes while Jeanie turned back to her piles of clothing instead of covering her eyes.

"You should definitely pack that one. James won't be able to keep his hands off you." She handed the swimsuit back to Jeanie with a playful wink.

Jeanie looked at the swimsuit in her hands, then held it back out to her. "No, you should keep it."

Mina shook her head. "I couldn't."

"Of course you can," Jeanie insisted gently, extending her hands further toward her friend. "I have plenty. I've never even worn that one."

"No. I have plenty too and that's a designer piece. I'm sure it cost a fortune," Mina said, pushing Jeanie's hands back with a reluctant smile.

"Please?" Jeanie said quietly but sincerely. "I want you to have it. As a thank you for... Well, just because. You've been a good friend to me, but that's not why. It'd just make me happy."

Mina hesitated, taking in Jeanie's earnest expression. Finally, she let out a sigh and smiled, accepting the swimsuit.

"You're too sweet for your own good, you know that?" Mina said as the warmth of her smile broke out across the rest of her face. "Alright... I'll take it. But only because you're insisting. Thank you, Jeanie."

Jeanie's face lit up with a genuine, pleased smile. "Thank you. But now you have to actually wear it, because it really does look beautiful on you."

Mina folded the swimsuit carefully and set it aside to take it home with her later. The two continued packing, discussing the guy Mina was seeing, who talked her into joining the book club.

The following morning, a sleek black town car glided smoothly through traffic. Jeanie sat between James and Carmen in the spacious backseat, feeling oddly small despite the luxury surrounding her. James was absorbed in his phone, scrolling and reading. Carmen sat on her other side, equally occupied with her own device and occasionally murmuring something about schedules and confirmations.

Jeanie folded her hands in her lap, watching the city blur past the tinted windows. The silence between the three of them felt heavier than usual. After a few minutes, she spoke softly.

"Do we need to pick up our tickets somewhere?" she asked, glancing between them.

James didn't look up from his screen. "You don't need one."

Jeanie blinked. "Oh." She hesitated, then tried again. "Well... what time does our flight leave?"

"Once we board," James replied absently, typing something out on his phone.

Jeanie frowned slightly, confused. She had always understood flights to have specific, posted times. That was how it had worked when they flew for their honeymoon. Before she could ask for clarification, Carmen let out a quiet snort of amusement, smirking as she shook her head without looking away from her phone.

The car turned off the main highway and approached a discreet, gated entrance rather than the bustling main terminals Jeanie remembered from their previous trip. Security was minimal and courteous. The driver was clearly expected. Just a quick exchange at the gate and they were waved through without delay.

Instead of the chaotic energy of crowded terminals, long security lines, and endless gates, they pulled up directly onto the tarmac beside a sleek, gleaming private jet. Ground crew in crisp uniforms waited attentively. One man opened the car door while another quickly unloaded their luggage.

Jeanie stepped out, and the warm breeze caught the hem of her light sundress. She watched as their bags were swiftly carried up the stairs into the aircraft. She saw no flashing of tickets or exchanging boarding passes. There was no announcement or waiting area. Just professional efficiency and deference.

James finally slipped his phone into his pocket and placed a hand at the small of her back, guiding her toward the stairs. Carmen followed a step behind, hoisting her satchel higher up her shoulder.

Jeanie climbed the steps, and the reality of this world still felt slightly unreal. She glanced back once at the ordinary airport terminals that were visible in the distance, then stepped inside the luxurious cabin. Suddenly she was surrounded by soft leather seats, polished wood, and an atmosphere of complete privacy.

She took a seat next to the window, and James sat across from her in an opposite-facing chair. Carmen took the seat across the aisle, facing the same direction as her. She quickly pulled out her laptop as if this were simply another workday, and tossed the satchel onto the seat across from her.

Jeanie looked out at the tarmac, a quiet mixture of wonder and unease settling in her chest. This trip already felt different from their honeymoon. And they hadn't even left the ground yet.

The interior of the jet was more like an elegant living room than any plane she had ever imagined. There was soft lighting, wide, comfortable seats, and even a small bar area toward the back. Everything smelled faintly of leather and fresh linen. Her fingers traced the buttery surface of the armrest, while she looked around with wide eyes, taking it all in.

James watched her for a moment, then chuckled quietly. "You look like you've never seen a plane before."

"I haven't seen one like this," Jeanie clarified, inspecting everything around her in awe. "It's... so much nicer than what we flew on before."

James's smile lingered. "Lanai doesn't have an airport that can handle the larger jets we flew on last time. This is the only practical way to get there comfortably, without island-hopping and connecting on small planes."

Jeanie turned to him, her eyes bright with wonder. "Have you taken planes like this before?"

"Many times," he replied casually. "The company used to have a couple, but I sold them along with most of the other assets after my father passed."

Jeanie's mouth fell open slightly. "You... owned more than one?"

James nodded, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. "This one is chartered. It's more practical since I don't need to fly as often."

She sat back in her seat, genuinely flabbergasted, trying to wrap her mind around the idea that her husband had once owned something this extravagant. Before she could respond, James glanced across the aisle and gave Carmen a small, subtle gesture with his hand, a clear dismissal.

Carmen's lips pursed together for a brief second. She let out a quiet huff, closing her laptop with a snap and gathering her things. "I'll be in the back if you need anything," she said coolly, rising from her seat and moving further down the cabin without another word.

Once Carmen had settled out of immediate earshot, James leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked at Jeanie. The cabin felt noticeably more private with just the two of them.

Jeanie glanced toward the direction Carmen had gone, then back at James. She didn't comment on Carmen's departure, though the shift in atmosphere was impossible to ignore.

"You seem like you have something on your mind," James said, his voice low. "If you have a question, just ask it."

Jeanie knitted her brow, trying to figure out what her question was exactly, then spoke softly. "You sold the company after your father passed... right?" She paused, choosing her words carefully. "So, what exactly is it that you do now? I know you still handle some real estate things, like my parents' farm, but... you seem to work an awful lot."

James studied her for a moment with his unreadable expression. He leaned back in his seat, resting a hand on his thigh.

"Correct. I sold the majority of the operational business," he confirmed. "But I kept certain assets. It's mostly investments. Properties. Some interests in developments that were already in motion." He shrugged lightly. "I don't truly run anything day-to-day anymore. I mostly review deals, make decisions on where money goes, and occasionally step in when I believe something needs my personal attention. It's not as much as it used to be... but it can be a lot at times, all the same."

Jeanie nodded slowly, taking it in. "So you still have a lot of... responsibilities."

"I do," he replied simply. His focus remained on her face. "Does that bother you?"

She shook her head quickly. "No. I just... I want to understand it more. Sometimes it feels like there's this whole part of your life I don't really know anything about."

James reached across the space between them and rested his hand on her knee, stroking the smooth skin it rested on. "You don't need to worry about any of that stuff," he said promptly. "It's just my work. You focus on being my wife. The rest... others handle."

Jeanie felt the familiar mix of comfort and unease at his words. She placed her hand over his, squeezing gently. "I know," she whispered. "I just like knowing more about you."

James regarded her for a long moment, as the jet engines began to build around them. "Carmen handles most of that side of things," he said evenly. "She's been doing it for years. But if you want to know more, you only have to ask."

Jeanie's voice dropped, wishing she was better at channeling Mina's calm, measured way of drawing information out without pressure. "I thought I just did," she muttered, meeting his eyes.

James let out a slow sigh as the plane began to taxi.

"You did," he said, tilting his head in thought. "Like I said, I broke off parts of the company and kept a number of the more valuable assets when I sold the rest. Prime commercial real estate. Private equity stakes. I move capital where I see opportunity, whether that's funding projects, acquiring properties, or taking positions in companies that generate strong returns. I don't run any of those businesses on a day-to-day basis. I have people for that. My job is reviewing opportunities, monitoring performance, and deciding where money goes. When necessary, I step in when something isn't going in the direction I believe it should, or if it's necessary to protect or grow an investment."

Jeanie tilted her head slightly, thinking of her father's endless and often disastrous attempts at "investing." "Kind of like what my dad tried to do?" she asked carefully.

James scoffed, a short, dismissive sound. "Not even close. Your father threw money at things he didn't understand, chasing quick wins and listening to bad advice. What I do takes far more planning. I invest in things I understand, and in people who know they'll be held accountable for the results." His tone was matter-of-fact, almost bored. "There's a difference between gambling and strategy."

Jeanie nodded slowly, hearing the sharp distinction to James. She was quiet for a moment, watching the hangers in the distance drift past the window as the plane lined up on the runway.

"If you knew my father was so bad with money..." she began softly, tilting her head, "why would you help him by buying the farm? It hasn't really produced anything in so long."

James chuckled. It was a low, dry sound that held little humor. He considered her for a long moment, pulling his hand back from her leg to rest his elbow on his knee, before answering.

"I'm not sure you're ready for that answer, Jeanie."

Jeanie's eyes narrowed slightly. She chewed on the inside of her lower lip, a small defiance rising in her chest. The plane was beginning its takeoff roll, pressing her back into her seat, but she kept her gaze on him.

"I am," she said quietly but firmly, before looking out the window again to watch the ground speed past then fall away.

James watched her as the jet accelerated down the runway and lifted smoothly into the air. Only once they had gained some altitude and made their initial turn on departure did he speak again.

"I didn't," he said simply.

Jeanie glanced back at him, unsure what he meant. "Didn't what?" she asked, then returned her attention out the window.

"I didn't help your father."

She regarded him fully now, furrowing her brow in confusion. "But... you bought the farm, didn't you?"

James leaned forward, elbows on his knees, looking directly at her. His voice was calm, almost conversational, as if explaining something basic.

"I bought the land, yes. But not to help him. Your father has been bleeding money from my father and me for decades, because mine always had hope for him. No matter how many bad investments and poor decisions he made, my father continued to support him. Everything he did with our money was nothing more than a bad bet. He came to me because he was desperate once again. The difference was that this time, I saw an opportunity in it for me. That land sits in the path of future development. A new highway expansion is coming, and once that bill passes, the value will increase significantly.

"I'm not buying your family's failing farm out of charity, Jeanie. I'm investing the future of the dirt underneath it. I'll let him continue to live there for now, paying rent if he can manage it, but I'm already breaking up the rest of it to sell off portions, or develop it myself if the right partner comes along. He thinks he's getting a lifeline, but he's not. He sold me the future he never understood he was sitting on, for the dream of a feed store he hoped he could just let other people run while he sat back and collected a check."

Jeanie stared at him, everything James just told her sinking in slowly. She pictured her father's hopeful face the day he told her mother about the deal he'd made. The skepticism in her mother's eyes that was followed by relief after her father told her it was for the best. The way they had both spoken about James like he was giving them a new lease on life.

Her upbringing told her she should feel something. Something akin to outrage or betrayal on behalf of her family. Or at the very least, guilt for marrying the man who did it to them. But as she searched inside herself, she found... very little.

There was no burning anger. No righteous horror. Just a strange, hollow acceptance.

She looked down at her hands in her lap, twisting her fingers together. "So... you took advantage of him," she said quietly, almost testing the words.

James didn't flinch. "No. I don't believe I did. I was very clear with him about what the terms were, and all he could see was the short-term hopes of what will become yet another failed prospect. Because what he still doesn't know how to run a business, even if he manages to help get that place going. He approached me, and I offered him what he was asking for, but on the clear condition that it would be the last time. That's different from charity, and very different from being taken advantage of. He had choices. He chose this one because he can never see past what his hand can reach right now."

Jeanie remained silent for several seconds, staring out the window at the endless blue sky above the deep blue ocean, while the coast fell further and further behind. The girl she used to be would have been horrified. The dutiful daughter would have felt shame for not defending her family. But the woman sitting here now, who was wearing James's ring, living in his world, she felt something very different. Almost like relief that the pieces were finally fitting together, even if the picture wasn't pretty.

She didn't know what that said about her.

James watched her carefully, interlacing his fingers as he did. The silence stretched on, comfortable for him, heavy for her.

"You haven't said anything since telling me I took advantage of Bob. And now that you've heard all that, how do you feel about what I said?" he eventually asked calmly.

Jeanie turned her head to look at him. She opened her mouth, then closed it again, searching for the right words. Her fingers tightened slightly in her lap.

"I do understand," she said softly, almost to herself. "I get what it means for my parents... and why it makes sense for you." She paused, her face scrunching slightly as she interpreted her thoughts. "I can also see how my father... how he brought this on himself." Another small hesitation. "But I guess I'm waiting to feel something about it. Anger, maybe. Or sadness. And it just... isn't there. I don't know why."

James studied her face. His expression was unreadable, and he didn't rush to fill the silence.

Jeanie let out a shaky breath. "I don't think I know how to put it. It's like you go by rules I never learned," she admitted softly, barely above a whisper. She paused, searching for the right way to say the rest. "My father... he was the only... guide," she said, the word guide sounding almost like a question, "I ever really had until you. And now I'm starting to realize that maybe... maybe I was right when I felt like his way never seemed to work right. And it was so different than everyone else I knew back home. So, I don't know, it just makes me question what I knew even more."

James was quiet, holding her attention as he listened to her talk.

"Good," he said simply.

Jeanie looked up at him, surprised by the single word.

"There's nothing wrong with that," he continued, calm but firm. "There's no point in holding onto everything your father tried to teach you growing up. He's just as bad at getting what he wants from people as he is at managing his money. Always has been. You don't need to keep clinging to the examples he set. It'll never serve you well."

Jeanie let the words settle over her. There was no cruelty in James's voice, only the blunt honesty she'd learned to expect from him. She nodded faintly, ignoring the tightness in her chest, and lowered her eyes.

"Maybe not," she said softly enough that it could barely be heard over the engines.

She wasn't defending her father. She wasn't even sure she wanted to. Yet hearing James dismiss him so completely left her unexpectedly uneasy.

"He's still my dad, though," she said, almost to herself.

The rest of the flight passed in a kind of quiet wonder for Jeanie. The private jet was nothing like the commercial flight they had taken on their honeymoon, even if that had been first class. There were no constant announcements or shuffling strangers. Instead, she was able to stretch out, sip cool water from a real glass, and even walk around the cabin when she wanted.

James worked quietly for a while, then dozed. Carmen stayed in the back. Jeanie spent a lot of the flight simply watching the clouds, marveling at how different this all felt from the nervous, armrest-gripping experience of her first time flying.

When they began their descent, the view took her breath away. Lanai appeared below like, something completely unexpected, set in turquoise water. She was prepared for an island of green, covered in palm trees. Yet it was mostly rugged red earth, with the only deep green hills right at its center, and long stretches of empty, rock coastline. And unlike the busy, sprawling airports she had seen before, their plane touched down on a simple airstrip with only a handful of other aircraft visible. There were no crowds or chaos, just warm island air when the cabin door finally opened.

A simple private car waited near where the jet came to rest. James guided her into the back seat with a hand at her lower back while their luggage was loaded. Carmen slipped into the front passenger seat without a word. As they pulled away from the airfield, Jeanie pressed her forehead to the window, taking in the narrow roads lined with red dirt.

The drive to the resort wound through a landscape of open fields. It wasn't until they started to make their way down a long, winding road that dropped downhill toward the resort before she started to see the water. Jeanie remained mostly silent, absorbing the beauty of it all, but her mind kept drifting back to the conversation on the plane. The new understanding of her father and her husband was still settling in.

The resort finally appeared ahead. It was elegant, with low-slung buildings nestled against the coastline, surrounded by manicured grounds and swaying palms. It looked like something out of a dream.

James's hand found her thigh again, giving it a light squeeze as the car slowed.

"Welcome to Lanai," he said simply.

The car wound along the final stretch of road, and Jeanie's eyes widened as the entrance to the resort came into view. Stunning was the only word that came to mind.

The buildings were nestled back from the coastline, surrounded by lush tropical gardens and gently swaying palms. The ocean stretched out beyond them in brilliant shades of turquoise to deep blue, so clear and inviting that it almost didn't seem real. Everything felt serene and perfectly tended, making her breath catch.

She sat a little straighter, taking it all in. This was so much more refined than where they had gone before. That place had felt like an adventure. This felt like stepping into a world that was almost too beautiful to be ordinary.

"It's... really lovely," she said softly, a small, genuine smile forming on her lips.

As the car pulled up to the resort entrance, Carmen was tapping away on her phone, handling the check-in remotely. A manager in a crisp suit stepped forward to greet them personally when they reached the hotel entrance.

"Mr. Addams, welcome back," he said with a respectful nod. "Everything is ready per the request that was sent."

James gave a brief nod in return. Carmen finished on her phone and slipped it into her bag as they were led through the open-air lobby. Jeanie walked quietly beside James, admiring the elegant lobby and sweeping ocean views. Where he had taken her last time was a collection of beautiful but quaint bungalows, whereas this was a much larger luxurious hotel.

They were shown to their suite, a spacious residence that overlooked the ocean. Carmen stepped inside with them, glancing around once before speaking.

"Hopefully this room is sufficient, given the short notice and the lack of availability," she noted to James.

James gave a small grunt of acknowledgment. Carmen began to walk through the rooms, checking that everything was in order.

Jeanie stood near the center of the living area, looking around. The space was stunning, with high ceilings and wide glass doors that opened to a private lanai and direct ocean views. She walked slowly toward the glass. Her mind drifted back to Carmen's comment about his preferred room not being available. If this was the replacement... what must their usual suite look like? The suite they were in felt as if it were nearly the size of her parents' house.

James moved past her, loosening his shirt. "There's a dresser and closet in the bedroom where you can unpack," he said over his shoulder, moving toward the room's bar to grab a bottle of water. "We have time before dinner."

Jeanie nodded, smiling brightly at her surroundings. "Do you think we'll have time to explore the island tomorrow?"

"Everything appears to be in order," Carmen said, emerging from one of the bedrooms with her usual composed efficiency. She handed a folded bill to the waiting bellhop, thanked him, and waited until the suite door closed behind him before turning back to them. "Just so you're aware, no, we won't have much time tomorrow. We'll need to leave by about eleven fifteen. The house is less than a mile away, so it's a short drive, but I'd rather not have us rushed."

Jeanie had been standing near the windows, still caught between the beauty of the room and the strange feeling of being somewhere so far removed from anything familiar. At Carmen's words, she turned slightly, her expression taking on slightly confused look. "Leave for what?"

The question created a small pause in the room. Carmen looked at Jeanie first, then to James. The movement was subtle, but impossible to miss. Her eyebrows lifted a fraction, showing the first crack that Jeanie had seen in her usual polish, as a flicker of self-reproach crossed her features. She had assumed James surely told his wife the purpose of the trip, and the realization that he hadn't told her felt like an uncharacteristic misstep on her part.

James sat near the small table with a bottle of water in his hand. He met Carmen's look with a calm, expectant gaze that was the same look he gave her when something had been overlooked in arrangements. He took a drink, then set the bottle down, clearly waiting for her to correct the oversight the way she always did with everyone else.

Carmen recovered almost immediately. "The services, dear," she said, clearing her throat and regaining her composure as she looked back to Jeanie. "We're attending the service for a long-standing business associate tomorrow. And afterward, James has business to attend to, clearing up matters regarding a joint venture the two had. So, we'll need to be ready early enough to arrive properly, and stay until he's taken care of any matters to his satisfaction."

Jeanie stared at her, taking a moment to comprehend what exactly Carmen was referring to. "A funeral?" she asked, looking from Carmen to James. "I didn't know there was a funeral. I thought we were just coming here for a vacation."

Another look passed between Carmen and James, this one smaller and sharper. Carmen's mouth tightened, though only for an instant, and Jeanie had the uncomfortable sense that she had exposed something she was not supposed to notice. James, however, did not seem troubled by it. He leaned back slightly in his chair.

"Not a funeral, but a memorial at their house. It was a last-minute arrangement," Carmen said. "He was a longtime associate of James's father and then James himself. There are certain obligations attached to that kind of relationship, particularly with the estate involved."

Jeanie nodded because it seemed like the proper thing to do, but her thoughts were already drifting elsewhere. She thought of the clothes in her suitcase, the dresses Mina had helped select, the outfits picked for dinners, beaches, and evenings with her husband. She had packed for a vacation. But she had not packed for grief, or propriety, or standing beside James in front of people who had known his family for years.

The suite, which had seemed beautiful only seconds earlier, suddenly felt too closed in around her. As though the windows and polished surfaces were all closing in.

"I don't have anything to wear," she said, and the worry in her voice embarrassed her almost as soon as she heard it. "I didn't bring anything for a funeral. I didn't know I was supposed to."

Carmen turned to look at her. "Well, what do you have?"

Jeanie hesitated, feeling the warmth rush into her cheeks. "A couple of evening dresses... but nothing appropriate for that. The rest is mostly skirts and tops, bikinis, things like that."

Carmen let out a soft sigh, as though it carried a trace of exasperation. "I knew I should have helped you pack." She paused, then continued in her usual polished tone, "I'll see if the resort has anything suitable. If not, I can go into town and find something."

Jeanie looked at her with a pang of anxiety. "Do you think they'll have anything here? The town looked really small when we flew in."

Carmen gave a small, tight smile. "It is, but we'll have to find something, now won't we?"

James continued on, moving his suitcase to the other room during the exchange without comment as if he expected them to figure out a solution. Jeanie stood there feeling suddenly very young and unprepared. She had come here ready for warm beaches and some time with her husband. Now she realized she was about to attend a memorial for a man she knew nothing about.

"If I knew, I would've brought something," she repeated apologetically to James. "I swear."

James glanced at her briefly as he set his suitcase down, his expression unchanging. "It's fine," he said simply, treating the matter as though it were of little consequence. "You gave permission to Carmen to handle it."

Carmen gave a small, composed nod. "I'll go see what options, if any, the resort has." Then she turned and crossed the room and slipped out of the villa, closing the door behind her.

The room felt oddly heavier without Carmen, leaving Jeanie feeling exposed for not knowing this crucial bit of information. She stood awkwardly for a moment before stepping closer to James. She reached out and lightly touched his arm.

"I'm sorry for your loss," she said softly, meaning it even though she didn't know the man or his exact relationship to her husband. "Who was he? If you don't mind me asking."

James paused what he was doing and looked down at her. He was quiet for a second, then shrugged.

"An old associate of my father's," he replied. "They started working together when the company was still new. He was one of the first people my father started collaborating with. We did a lot of real estate deals together over the years, and then he mostly retired for the island life a while back."

Jeanie nodded, her fingers resting lightly on his arm. "Were you close?"

James gave a short, dry sound that wasn't quite a laugh. "Close enough for business. He was a good man. Reliable." He looked at her for a moment longer, then added, "And I'm fine. You don't need to worry."

Jeanie lowered her eyes, accepting the boundary. "Yes, James."

She wanted to ask more. Things like how long they had known each other, what kind of man he was, and why he mattered enough to come all this way, but she could tell James was finished with that particular conversation. Instead, she simply stepped in and rested her head against his chest for a moment, offering what little comfort she knew how to give.

James's hand came up to rest on her back, but there was no tension in his body, no grief she could feel beneath the surface. He held her there for a moment, almost absently, then spoke in his usual even tone.

"It's not a great personal loss," he said, as if commenting on the weather. "He lived a long time and had a full life. We'll attend the service tomorrow, I'll handle the necessary matters I need to, and then we can stay through the weekend."

Jeanie stayed pressed against him, listening and nodding. His hand moved to stroke along her spine, yet it felt like distant comfort for her. More of a habit than tenderness.

"There are some good things to do around here," he continued, as though the funeral were simply another appointment on the schedule. "The snorkeling is supposed to be excellent if you want to do that. We'll have time once the business is finished."

Jeanie nodded against his chest again. There was no sorrow in his voice, just practicality. She wondered if that was how he saw most things. As transactions and arrangements. All things that simply needed to be handled.

"I don't know that I'm a strong enough swimmer for snorkeling," she whispered. "But some kind of a hike could be nice. We don't have green like this back home."

James made a hum of acknowledgment. His hand lingered on her back a moment longer, then he stepped away, turning toward the bedroom to finish getting settled.

A short while later, his phone rang. He answered it with a curt greeting, listened for a moment, then stood to cross the room and give her a kiss on the top of her head. "I need to go down to the lounge. Someone I planned to speak with tomorrow is already here and has some free time."

Jeanie nodded. "Of course. I'm just gonna relax for a bit."

James left without further comment, the door closing softly behind him.

Jeanie took the opportunity to put a few last items away, carefully hanging her bright sundresses and light cover-ups she had brought. Each piece started to look more out of place than the last in the elegant closet. Not to mention the memorial in the coming day. When she ran out of things to fold, she wandered out onto the private lanai.

The warm ocean breeze rushed over her skin. She stepped up to the railing and looked out. Below her was a beautiful pool of shimmering water under the late afternoon sun. Further down, the resort's other pool came into view. It was a lush, lagoon-style oasis shaded by towering palms with a cascading waterfall. She'd seen on a pamphlet that it was a more secluded, adults-only pool nestled among dramatic lava rock formations.

A few women were sunbathing on loungers near the water's edge, relaxed under the golden light. A short, white-sand beach sat down a path toward the water, bracketed by more lava rock to either side of it. She wondered if one might spot spinner dolphins playing just offshore if they watched long enough.

Jeanie rested her forearms on the railing, feeling a longing stir in her chest. She wondered if she would even get any real time at the pool or beach during this trip. James's schedule always seemed so full. Maybe, if things went well enough tomorrow, they could spend an afternoon together by the water. She pictured him beside her, relaxed for once and watching her in one of the swimsuits she had packed. The thought made her cheeks warm.

The ocean seemed as if it stretched out endlessly before her, with the gentle waves rolling up onto the beach. It was breathtaking. Peaceful in a way that almost felt unreal compared to the city she'd become accustomed to. For a little while she simply stood there, letting the breeze tug at her hair and listening to the distant sounds of the coast.

Nearly forty minutes had passed since James left before there was a soft knock at the door.

When Jeanie opened it, Carmen stood there holding a plastic bag.

"I found something," Carmen said, stepping inside. She worked the flimsy plastic up and pulled out the dress. It was a vibrant tropical print of rich blues and greens with bold red and orange hibiscus flowers. The style was a fitted wrap dress with a deep V-neckline.

Jeanie's stomach dropped. "Is that... for tomorrow?"

Carmen hung the dress on the closet door. "It was the best option I could find on short notice. You have to remember, this is a small island. There's only about three thousand people who live here. They don't exactly keep a wide selection of mourning attire on hand. And Hawaiians traditionally don't wear black for funerals anyway."

Jeanie stared at the dress. When she tried it on a few minutes later, the dress hugged her figure closely. The wrap style accentuated her waist and the deep V-neckline showed a generous amount of cleavage. Additionally, the nature of the wrap left a slit on the left side that revealed most of her thigh with even the smallest movement. Thankfully, the hem fell to the middle of her calves, at least at the back. It was undeniably pretty, but it felt far too cheerful and revealing for a funeral.

She tugged at the slit self-consciously, trying to pinch the fabric together. "It's... very light," she said uncertainly. "And the neckline is quite, um, open."

Carmen looked her over with an appraising eye. "It still covers more of you than half the things you wear these days," she replied pointedly, reaching out to fuss with the dress. "Look, it even covers your shoulders. Given the circumstances, it's the best we're going to do on this island."

Jeanie turned to stand in front of the mirror, watching how the dress moved with her. The vibrant floral pattern and the way it clung to her curves made her feel exposed. But as Carmen had put it, there weren't any other real options.

She swallowed and gave a small, reluctant nod. "I suppose this will have to do."

Carmen's smile was polite. "Good. Then I can finally go take care of some things for myself."

Having received a call from James letting her know they had dinner reservations, Jeanie changed into one of the outfits she brought. It was a form-fitting coral dress that hugged her curves and fell just above mid-thigh. She made her way down to the oceanfront restaurant, appreciating the warm evening breeze drifting over her bare legs.

James was seated at a private table overlooking the water, and when he saw her approaching, he stood as his gaze moved over her appreciatively. Jeanie leaned in and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek before sliding into the chair beside him.

"You look nice," he said appreciatively.

They had only been seated for about a minute when Jeanie asked, "Did you have a productive day?"

James nodded in her direction, taking a drink of his water. "Productive enough," he replied, picking up his menu and scanning it casually. "Did you get settled in your room?"

"Yes," she replied, smoothing her dress over her thighs. "It's very beautiful."

James turned a page in the menu. "And the dress situation for tomorrow? Did Carmen find you something?"

At that exact moment, Carmen appeared beside the table, looking polished in a sleek black off-the-shoulder satin top with delicate lace trim along the neckline and sheer long sleeves, showing a generous amount of cleavage. She wore it paired with tailored white wide-legged pants that accentuated her figure. She slipped into the seat to Jeanie's side, across from James.

"We did," Carmen said smoothly, as if she had been waiting for the cue. "We settled on something more local. It should be fine given we're not on the mainland."

James simply nodded, and Jeanie glanced at James, then Carmen before picking up her menu. The waiter brought a round of drinks and appetizers that James had already ordered. As soon as the man stepped away, James's hand moved to her leg beneath the table, sliding high up her thigh. His palm rested warmly on her bare skin, just short of where the dress ended. Jeanie's breath caught for a brief second, then eased into a silent sigh of contentment. After months together, she had grown used to these small claims of ownership, and more than that, she had come to crave them. It felt like a private reassurance that he still wanted her. Still desired her even in the middle of what he was dealing with.

She parted her legs just slightly, making room for his hand. James's fingers responded immediately, stroking against the soft inner skin of her thigh. The motion may have been subtle to anyone watching, but Jeanie felt every pass, each one sending a spark traveling up her leg and a shiver down her spine.

Carmen sipped her wine across the table, perfectly composed. "The service is being held at his house, which is just down the street as I'm sure you remember," she said. "As I mentioned earlier, I've arranged transportation, unless you'd prefer to walk. I'd estimate it's only about a fifteen-minute walk. Probably less."

James nodded once more, rubbing his thumb over the top of Jeanie's thigh. "A car is fine."

Jeanie shifted slightly in her seat, pressing her legs together and trapping his finger for a moment. She savored the warmth and the sensation of his hand on her leg. It felt like a quiet reminder that she was his, even though it seemed as if they were only pretending to be civilized. It made her feel wanted. Desired. Needed.

Carmen glanced up at James, then back to her menu. "Did everything go well with your meeting earlier?"

"Fine," James replied, turning to Carmen. "One less thing to deal with tomorrow. I was able to wrap up what I needed with Jacobs today. He's going to continue to move forward with the development they'd committed to."

Carmen asked for a few more details about the specifics, setting down her menu to nod and type notes into her phone. Jeanie tried to follow the conversation, but most of her attention remained on the consistent, possessive warmth of James's hand between her thighs where it had drifted higher. Every little stroke sent a warm flutter through her belly. She crossed her ankles, squeezing her legs together again, silently encouraging him.

James's lips curved faintly while he continued to talk to Carmen, the barest hint of a smirk as he picked up his whiskey with his free hand. He gave her thigh a firm, appreciative squeeze before resuming the teasing strokes.

The first half of dinner passed as so many others had, with James and Carmen discussing the details of things he was working on. Eventually the conversation shifted to include Jeanie and the island. Jeanie contributed softly when spoken to, but inside she was warm and flushed, hyper-aware of every movement of James's fingers against her skin.

By the time their main courses arrived, she was quietly aching for more, even as she kept her expression pleasant and demure. Carmen remained detached at the table, either unaware of what was happening or at least pretending to be, despite the fact that it wasn't even covered by the linen tablecloth.

Jeanie took a sip of her wine, letting the warmth spread through her.

James's fingers had grown more daring, slipping higher to reach beneath the short hem of her dress until they brushed her bare sex. She wasn't wearing panties. She had mostly stopped wearing any shortly after their honeymoon, deciding it's what he seemed to prefer. A contented sigh escaped her as two of his fingers dipped down to the start of her slick folds.

Sensing the growing risk, Jeanie reached for her linen napkin and draped it casually over his hand and her lap, trying to provide at least some semblance of modesty. James didn't even glance down. Instead, he removed his hand, grabbing the napkin, and wedging the coarse fabric underneath her, creating a sort of barrier between her and her dress while his fingers continued their manipulations of her sex.

Accepting his lack of concern for cover, Jeanie parted her thighs a little more, welcoming him. His fingertips found her swollen clit and began lightly stroking it back and forth without applying any pressure, then moving in tiny circles. It didn't take long for the pressure to build, rapidly becoming warm and insistent. She kept her posture straight, smiling politely when Carmen mentioned something about the schedule, but her hand closest to James gripped the edge of the table. Her breathing grew shallow, and when she wasn't chewing her food, she chewed on her lips, trying desperately to stay quiet.

The orgasm crept up on her quickly. Jeanie's thighs trembled as she fought her body's urges to jerk and quiver. It was quiet but intense, and completely inappropriate for the setting. Her insides clenched hard around nothing as her sex pulsed against James's fingers, and she fought to keep her expression neutral. A tiny, stifled whimper slipped out, quickly masked by another sip of wine. Her whole body was flushed hot as the waves rolled through her, leaving her breathless and trembling at the public dinner table.

James didn't stop right away. He kept his fingers moving until she was ready to pull his hand away because of the sensitivity. Only when she began to tense up did he palm her soaked mound possessively, while simply holding it.

Then, with a casualness she only associated with James, he used the napkin to wipe her clean between her thighs. He used the same napkin to wipe his own fingers next, then simply tossed the used linen onto the edge of the table as though it were nothing.

Jeanie sat very still, willing her pounding heart to slow down while the flush on her cheeks and chest refused to fade. She had just cum on James's hand at the dinner table, while Carmen talked to them. A mild sense of shame rooted in her upbringing burned hot inside her, but so did the deep, secret satisfaction of knowing how easily he could make her forget all of that.

A few minutes later, the waiter approached to check on them.

"Is there anything else I can bring you this evening?" he asked politely, beginning to clear a couple of empty plates.

Jeanie watched, feeling the warmth rush back into her cheeks, when he picked up the discarded napkin along with the dishes and carried them away. James gave Jeanie's thigh one final, appreciative squeeze before withdrawing his hand entirely. He picked up his whiskey, downing what was left in a final swig.

As he rose from the table, James stepped behind Jeanie, pulling her chair out for her. When she stood and stepped out from between the chair and the table, James shrugged off his suit coat and draped it over her shoulders without a word.

"Thank you," she told him as she pulled it closer around herself. As the evening grew darker, it had begun to feel cool in the dress.

The three of them crossed through the lobby on the way to their rooms.

"I'll meet you both here in the lobby at 11:15 tomorrow," Carmen said evenly. "The car will be waiting. Unless you need me for anything before then?"

James shook his head. "That should be fine."

Carmen nodded and peeled off toward her own suite with a polite, "Goodnight."

Jeanie tucked against James's side, guiding his arm around her waist. The ability to lean into him helped hide how unsteady she still felt.

When they reached their suite, James held open the door for her to step inside. Moving to the bedroom, she slipped out of his coat and hung it carefully on the hook. As she turned, she caught her reflection in the large dressing mirror.

There was the unmistakable damp spot on the back of her dress. The evidence of what James had done to her at the dinner table where her arousal had soaked through. The napkin had only done so much. The realization that that was why James had given her the coat sent a fresh feeling of shyness rushing through her, heating her cheeks.

For a moment, she felt exposed and almost mortified, but the feeling didn't last long. The idea of James covering her urged her arousal to take its place at the thought of how easily he had made her cum at the table. How she had willingly parted her legs for him in the middle of a restaurant with other guests surrounding them. Her nipples tightened under the thin fabric of her dress. She turned slowly, taking in the sight of herself in the mirror, then glanced over her shoulder at James.

He was watching her, leaning against the bedroom doorframe. Jeanie met his eyes in the reflection. She reached behind herself and slowly unzipped the dress. The fabric parted, and she shrugged her shoulders, working the garment down her body. She stepped out of it wearing nothing underneath.

She turned to face him fully, feeling her pulse start to race like it had not long before, and walked toward him with a little extra sway in her hips. When she reached him, she placed her hands on his chest and rose onto her toes. Kissing him softly, her mouth parted so that her tongue could play against his lips.

"I want you," she whispered, pulling back to look him in the eye. Her fingers began unbuttoning his shirt, slowly popping the buttons free of the eyelets. "Please, James."

Her mouth found his once more and he pushed off the door frame to stand up straight.

James kissed her back deeply, resting a hand at the top of her butt while the other slid down to cup it. Jeanie pressed herself against him, her bare breasts brushing his chest as soon as she worked the last buttons of his shirt open. She pushed the shirt off his shoulders, letting her hands explore the warmth of his skin and the firm muscles of his torso.

When he walked her backward toward the bed, she went willingly, but turned and gently guided him down first. James willingly sat on the edge of the mattress. Jeanie climbed onto his lap, straddling him, her knees sinking into the bed on either side of his hips. She kissed him again, rolling her hips as she did.

James's hands settled on her waist as she rocked against him. Jeanie reached between them, unfastening his belt and zipper with trembling fingers after all that had already happened. She freed him, wrapping her hand around his impressive girth even when mostly flaccid. Stroking him slowly, she savored the way he twitched and swelled in her palm.

"Feel good?" James asked as he watched her.

Jeanie nodded, quirking her mouth to one side. "Yes... I love to feel how you get hard for me." She kept stroking him, her grip growing firmer as he thickened. "I've been wet since dinner... thinking about this."

James made a sound of approval and slid a hand underneath her thighs from behind, finding her lips parted for him, and stroking them. "You're soaked," he murmured. "Is all that from dinner?"

Jeanie's breath caught. She nodded again, clearing her throat lightly. "Yes... and then seeing my dress in the mirror. I couldn't help it. You've touched me at dinner before, but never like that. And Carmen was at the table, not to mention everyone else around."

She rose up on her knees, using her hand to aim and position him at her entrance. Then she slowly sank down onto the thick head. A contented moan escaped her as she felt herself stretch from how thick he was. It took a couple of tries before he was fully inside, and once he was, she paused, savoring the fullness deep inside. Her hips began rolling in sensual circles, keeping him seated.

James leaned back slightly, resting his hands on her thighs while he looked down at her in his lap. "How does that feel?" he asked.

"So good," Jeanie breathed out with a shaky voice. She braced her hands on his shoulders and moved a little faster, lifting and sinking onto him. "You always feel so good inside me, James... I love it."

He thrust up to meet her as much as he could from his position, limited to rolling his hips to pull back and push forward. "Tell me more," he said gruffly. "Tell me how much you've come to love it."

Jeanie whimpered, rolling her hips more purposefully as her thighs flexed to lift her. "I do love it," she admitted again between gasps. "I love how thick you are... how much I have to stretch to take you every time. It feels so good..."

James's grip tightened on her hips, making small adjustments to her pace or angle as she rode him. "Keep going," he told her. "That's not all, is it?"

Jeanie's breath trembled and her eyes fluttered to peek at him before shutting again. She alternated between grinding her pelvis against his, taking him as far as she could, and lifting her hips at different angles to feel him touch every sensitive spot she could find.

"It's not just thick, but also so long..." she whispered. "I can feel it throbbing inside me when I get the angle right." She tilted her hips back, the angle causing her to feel even tighter as if to illustrate her claims.

Her hands tightened on his shoulders and she lifted herself up again before sinking back down, letting out another needy sound. James watched her intently, moving his hand to grab her hips.

"Does it feel better than my fingers at dinner?" he asked, focused on the little twitches in her face and mouth.

Jeanie nodded hard enough it caused her hair to fall around her face. "Much better," she gasped. "Your fingers were exciting and made me so desperate... but having you inside me is always what I really want. I kept squeezing my thighs together, but it wasn't the same only having your hand there and not all of you."

She leaned forward, pressing her breasts against his chest and moving faster, rocking her hips with more urgency. Her lips brushed his ear.

"I love how deep you feel like you are inside," she whimpered. "Every time you push into me, it feels like my body can't take any more."

Placing one of his hands on the mattress behind him, James exhaled sharply and thrust up to meet her. Jeanie gasped, tightening her grip on his shoulders even more.

"Tell me where you feel me most," he said, voice low and steady.

"Right here," she moaned quietly and looked down, reaching between them to press her fingers halfway to her bellybutton. "It's so deep... I think I can almost feel you in my stomach. It's always worth how sore I feel after."

She kissed him before he could ask anything else, messy and eager, then pulled back to look him in the eyes as she continued riding him.

"I get wet just from the thought of you, James," she whispered, almost embarrassed by how honest she was being. "Even now... Can you hear it, James? I'm always afraid she's gonna hear me when you leave our door open at home."

James's available hand slid to her ass, helping her move with more force. Jeanie let out a grunt the next time he pushed up into her forcefully, then took another breath to keep talking. It took more and more effort to focus as the pleasure built.

"I don't want to stop... I could stay like this all night, just feeling you inside me."

Without warning, James wrapped his arms around her and stood up from the bed, keeping himself buried deep inside her. Jeanie let out a surprised gasp, instinctively wrapping her legs tighter around his waist. The sudden tilt of her hips made him press even deeper, as her legs held on and her hands clung to his shoulders. Her breath came out hard against his neck.

He carried her a few steps and pressed her back against one of the cool walls. The contrast between the smooth, cool surface and the heat of his body made her shiver. James adjusted his grip, holding her up easily as he began thrusting in the new position. He slowed the pace back down, but each stroke was powerful, driving her against the wall.

Jeanie's back arched, her head hitting the wall with a thump as she moaned softly. "Oh... Yes, James..." Her legs readjusted to drive her heels into his flexing glutes. "You feel so strong like this... I can barely breathe."

He leaned in, placing his mouth close to her ear. "You like being fucked against the wall?"

"Yes," she whispered, her voice cracking on the word. She clung to him, digging her nails lightly into his shoulders. "I feel so light with how you can just hold me up... You know I'm yours to use however you want."

James made a hungry moan and drove into her harder, and the sound of their bodies slapping together rang out in the suite. Jeanie's breasts bounced as he picked up the pace, repeatedly jolting her body. She was trapped between him and the wall, loving it. She kissed him desperately, pausing just long enough to whimper her requests against his lips.

"Don't stop," she pleaded softly, overcome with pleasure. "I love it... I love how strong you are. How small you make me feel."

James answered by bracing one foot a half step forward, hitting a spot that made her gasp in surprise and clench around his overwhelming member. He kept her pinned, thrusting so she felt every inch of him as she whispered for more.

Jeanie's head turned side to side against the wall. Her shoulder blades pulled together, pushing her breasts forward as the pleasure started to build toward a tipping point inside her. She released her grip on his shoulders and slid her hands between them, cupping her own breasts. Her fingers immediately went to the sensitive nipples, pinching and pulling. As the sensation built, her grip on the hard nubs increased with it.

James's eyes darkened as he watched her touch herself. "That's it," he murmured. His voice was rough from his own arousal, coupled with the efforts of what they were doing.

Jeanie moaned softly, rolling her nipples between her fingers while he continued driving into her. "I don't know why, but I like it when you watch me," she breathed. "I'm so close..."

Her body tensed, thighs squeezing around his waist. James began to thrust as hard as he could, driving in until their bodies stopped him from going any deeper. His breathing grew more labored, pushing her right to the edge.

When he finally came, it was with a guttural groan, burying himself deep inside her as he pulsed uncontrollably. The feeling of him filling her tipped Jeanie over with him. Her orgasm crashed through her in strong, shuddering waves. She cried out softly, clinging to him desperately with her arms and legs as her body trembled and clenched around his cock.

She pressed her face into his neck, biting and panting against his skin while the pleasure surged through both of them. Her fingers dug into his back, holding him as close as she possibly could.

They stayed like that, panting with her pressed against the wall, with the sweat making their chests slip over each other. Jeanie kissed along his neck and jaw as her body started to relax, savoring the feeling of having him inside her.

Eventually James carried her back to the bed and Jeanie giggled as he knee-walked to be able to roll onto his back with her still on top of him. Once he was settled, Jeanie wiggled into a comfortable spot on top of him, resting her head on his chest, satisfied with the feeling of keeping him held inside for now.

They spent most of the night tangled together in bed in various positions. Jeanie eventually fell asleep with her head on James's shoulder, watching his chest expand as he breathed, and listening to the satisfied noises he made and the small praises he offered her.

The next morning, Jeanie stood naked in front of the bathroom mirror, carefully applying her makeup. She had already dried and styled her hair into loose, elegant waves. Everything she did this morning felt intentional, almost as though she were trying to look polished to compensate for the dress. Trying to appear respectable, like she belonged at her husband's side today.

From the bedroom, she could hear the tapping of James's laptop keys. He had been up for a while, working.

Jeanie set down her mascara and raised her voice enough for him to hear her from the other room. "Hey, James? How long did you say you've known, uh... Mr. Harlan?"

The sound of his typing stopped. "Since I was a boy," he answered. "He and my father started working together when I was still pretty young. He was around a lot during that time of my life."

Jeanie picked up her lipstick, slowly turning the dial at the base. She thought about that for a moment. A man who had known James since childhood. Someone who had watched him grow up in that world. She wondered what that would've looked like, seeing a young James and whether or not he played like the boys she knew growing up.

"So how close was he with your family?" she asked, genuinely curious. "I mean, like... did he come to holidays or things like that?"

She heard his chair creak from the other room. "Not holidays, no. But he was at the house quite often. I know my father trusted him. That was rare. But like I told you yesterday, he was the first person my father started doing big deals with." He was quiet for a second, then added in a more conversational tone, "He did teach me how to read a balance sheet when I was fourteen. Told me that if I was going to inherit the company one day, I needed to stop thinking like all the other kids around me."

Jeanie smiled faintly at the image, blotting her lipstick. It was one of the lengthier answers James had given her about his past in a long time. She liked these small glimpses into his life before she knew him. They made him feel more real to her and less like this was all an illusion that would come to an end one day.

She leaned closer to the mirror, blending her blush. A slightly deeper question slipped out without thinking about it. "Did losing him... does it make you think about your father more?"

The typing that had resumed while she'd worked on her makeup stopped completely this time. It took a moment for James to answer. "A little, I suppose. Richard was one of the last people in my life who was around for those early days. When it was just my father and a handful of people who believed in what he was capable of doing." He paused. "It's strange how quickly the world forgets people."

Jeanie stood there, naked in the bathroom, feeling a little sad at the words he said. She could hear the faint trace of something different underneath his calm tone. It wasn't sadness, never that, but a kind of acknowledgment of the world. It made her chest tighten a little at his viewpoint. She wanted to say more, to ask what his younger days had really been like, but she knew better than to push too far. Especially when they were about to be with people he did business with.

Instead, she turned toward the door, even though she couldn't see him. "I'm glad you had people in your life."

James made a hum of acknowledgment from the other room. Then the typing resumed a moment later.

Jeanie turned back to the mirror for a couple of last touches and reached for the floral dress she'd placed on the hook. She still felt uneasy about wearing it today, but at least she understood a little more why they had come, even if she wished she knew sooner.

She plucked the dress off the hanger, and moved in front of the floor-length mirror in the bedroom where natural light poured in through the open patio doors. Glancing at James, who had his back to her and was typing away at a table, she stepped into it and slid her arms through the cap sleeves. She wrapped the material around, noticing how lightweight the material was and that it felt almost slippery against her skin. As she adjusted the wrap and tied the sash at her waist, the dress fell into place around her.

It looked exactly as she assumed it would when she saw Carmen pull it out the day before.

The deep V-neckline plunged between her breasts, showing far more cleavage than felt decent for the services. The part in the wrap along her left leg widened with even the smallest shift of her weight onto her right foot, revealing most of the smooth skin of her thigh. But what got her the most was how the bright red hibiscus flowers and blue-green leaves stood out vividly against the cream background. It was cheerful. It was summery at the very least, and entirely wrong for the occasion.

Jeanie turned in front of the mirrors, studying herself from different angles. The fabric moved fluidly with her body, highlighting all the places that made her feel most exposed in such a bright dress. She played with where the fabric came together at her thigh, trying to see if there was a way she could make it stay closed without looking odd, but felt like even a safety pin would make it feel that much more awkward in how it'd disrupt the material when she walked.

Her cheeks burned.

What would my mother think if she saw what I was going to be wearing...? she thought, a wave of mortification washing over her. Mother would be horrified. Like, truly, deeply horrified. And father... Jeanie could almost hear the disappointment in his voice, the way he used to get huffy and stern before marching her out to the shed with his belt. Decent girls don't dress like harlots, especially not for the dead, he'd have probably said, she thought.

She stood there for several seconds, staring at the woman in the mirror. The girl who once wore simple, unflattering cotton dresses to church every Sunday, while listening to sermons that preached things like modesty was next to godliness, was now standing in a luxurious suite wearing something so bright and revealing she might as well have been naked as far as how scandalous all of them would've considered her dress.

And yet... she stood there coming to terms with it.

Jeanie ran her hands down the front of the dress, adjusting the neckline for as much modesty as possible. She told herself it was because there were no other options. Because Carmen had tried to find something else in the hotel as well as in town. It was clear at least some of the other guests weren't just anyone, but business partners for James. And he needed her to be presentable today.

But the other voice in the back of her mind whispered something else, because she had grown accustomed to wearing things like this. That part of her liked how the dress felt against her skin, how it made her look... desirable. The venue was the issue, not the dress.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and turned away from the mirror.

James sat facing away from her, seated at the small table by the window, typing on his laptop. Jeanie cleared her throat softly.

"James?" she asked, quietly. "Do I, uh... look okay?"

He stopped typing and turned in his chair. His eyes moved over her body, taking in the dress from head to toe. For some time, he said nothing. Jeanie stood still under his appraising attention, fighting the urge to fidget with the dress or cover her chest with her hands.

"You look fine," he finally said evenly. He let his eyes drift over her once more before meeting hers. "It's not exactly what I pictured when I was told 'local,' but it'll be fine."

Jeanie nodded, though the knot in her stomach didn't lessen any. "I know. I just... I keep thinking about how it looks. It's so bright and shows a lot." She glanced down at herself, then back up at him. "I don't want to embarrass you today."

James stood and walked over to her. He stopped just in front of her, close enough that she had to tip her head up slightly to look at him. One of his hands came up to adjust the neckline of her dress. When it ran down the front, his fingers brushed the swell of her breast as he adjusted the fabric.

"You won't embarrass me," he said in a low voice. His hand found her waist, coming to rest over her hip. "You look stunning."

The simple comment sent a conflicted flutter through her. Jeanie searched his face, looking for any sign of disapproval, but found only his usual calm certainty. She pressed lightly into his hand, drawing comfort from it even as the dress felt wrong for the day ahead.

"Thank you," she whispered.

James gave her hip a squeeze before letting go. "Finish getting ready. It's nearly time to leave."

Jeanie nodded and turned back toward the mirror, checking the dress one last time. The girl from the farm was still in there somewhere, quietly mortified. But the woman standing there now with the ring James gave her was learning to live with the discomfort.

She reached for the earrings she'd put on the dresser, telling herself again that everything would be fine.

They met Carmen at the hotel entrance where an open-top jeep waited for them. The short drive to the private residence would take only a few minutes.

Carmen stood waiting with her usual polished composure. She wore a sophisticated black peplum dress with long sleeves, a classic boat neckline, and a tailored fit that accentuated her figure. The peplum waist added a stylish touch while keeping the overall look appropriately somber and elegant. Her dark hair was pulled back into a sleek bun sitting low at the back of her head, and her striking features were highlighted with subtle, flawless makeup. She looked professional, refined, and completely at ease in the role she always played.

Jeanie felt a fresh wave of self-consciousness as she approached in her bright floral wrap dress. The contrast between Carmen's elegant, appropriate black attire and her own summery outfit was stark.

James placed his hand at Jeanie's back, urging her forward. "Let's go."

Carmen gave them both a polite nod, her eyes flicking briefly over Jeanie's dress. "The car is ready whenever you are."

The open-top jeep made the short journey feel even more exposed as the wind pulled at her dress. The residence was less than a mile away, so the drive was mercifully short along a quiet coastal road. Still, it was long enough for Jeanie to regret the dress with every gust.

She sat carefully in the back beside James, pressing her thighs tightly together and using both hands to hold the dress closed. Even then, the lightweight fabric fluttered and threatened to fly open, flashing far too much of her leg. The deep V-neckline flapped as well, forcing her to adjust it repeatedly. She felt ridiculous, like a bright, fluttering flag in the middle of something solemn.

James rested a calming hand on her knee, but said nothing. Carmen sat in the front passenger seat, perfectly still, showcasing how her sleek black dress as unaffected by the wind.

Jeanie kept her gaze fixed on the passing scenery of the dramatic coastline. There was the occasional glimpse of private estates tucked behind gates. The ride was mercifully short. Before she felt truly ready, the jeep slowed and turned into a private driveway leading to a large oceanfront home.

As they came to a stop, Jeanie quickly fidgeted with the dress one final time. James rounded the jeep, taking her hand, and Carmen followed as they walked to the open front door. The home was beautiful. It sat on a bluff that offered sweeping views of the ocean, and inside, the large living area had been arranged for the memorial.

Rows of chairs faced a simple table holding a large framed photograph of an older man with a kind but serious face. Soft Hawaiian music played tastefully in the background, and the scent of plumeria leis filled the room, mixing with the salt air drifting through the open doors.

There were perhaps forty people in attendance, consisting of mostly older couples and a few middle-aged or younger. The mood was subdued but not overly so. It had the air of a respectful gathering of people who had known the man for decades. Jeanie felt every eye move to her when they entered. Or at least, it seemed that way.

She kept her hand in James's, trying to walk with feigned dignity. But the bright dress felt impossibly loud among everyone else. The fabric fluttered with every step revealing her thigh no matter how careful she tried to be. She fought the constant urge to tug at the dress or adjust the deep neckline.

Most of the women wore tasteful black or dark navy dresses. They appeared modest and elegant, and more importantly, appropriate for the occasion. Only one other woman, perhaps in her early to mid-thirties, who wore anything remotely colorful. It was a flowing maxi dress in soft coral and cream tones with a more subtle floral pattern. Even then, it offered far more coverage than Jeanie's, with long sleeves and a hem that brushed the floor. The woman looked comfortable and at ease. Jeanie envied her.

She could feel the older female guests' eyes on her. Some were discreet glances, but others openly lingered for far longer. Jeanie's cheeks stayed warm the entire time. She imagined what they must be thinking. If they saw her as far too young, too flashy, and too inappropriate for this type of gathering. Everything that said she didn't belong here.

James guided her to a seat near the front. Carmen sat on his other side, composed and comfortable. Jeanie sat mindfully, pressing her knees together to hold the two ends of the wrap in an attempt to keep the dress from parting too widely, and crossing her ankles. It only helped a little.

Several people spoke, one of whom was his son. He gave a warm, slightly humorous remembrance of his father's stubbornness in business. An older colleague told a story about a series of deals they closed in the nineties that had seemed impossible at the time. James sat, listening quietly with his unreadable expression. Jeanie's eyebrows lifted when it was his turn to speak briefly, not realizing he was going to.

He stood and offered a short, respectful tribute, mentioning Richard Harlan's sharp mind and reliability in the early days of his father's company. He spoke with calm authority, and Jeanie watched him with pride. However, the way he presented himself only made her feel even more painfully out of place beside him.

Through it all, she remained hyper-aware of herself. Whenever she shifted in her seat, it felt as if she had to fight against the dress and another wave of self-consciousness would wash over her. It took everything not to fidget and simply clasp her hands tightly in her lap. Her mother's voice echoed in her head again and again, lecturing about modesty, about respect for the dead, about not drawing attention to oneself. She stole occasional glances at the older women, wondering if they disapproved as much as she feared.

When the service concluded and people began mingling, James leaned into her. "I'll most likely be a while longer," he said quietly.

Jeanie smiled sweetly. A few minutes later, he excused himself to speak with some of the other men in the study. She did her best to mingle, but she didn't know any of the other guests or anything about their lives, so she eventually wandered outside onto the wide lanai.

The ocean breeze flipped the hem of her dress as she stepped out. Jeanie held the fabric down with one hand, feeling painfully exposed in the bright floral wrap. She found a quiet spot near the railing and tried to steady her breathing.

A pleasant voice spoke beside her a moment later.

"That dress looks exquisite on you."

Jeanie turned to find the younger woman in the bright dress smiling at her. The colorful maxi dress looked light and airy as it caught the breeze off the water. Her blonde hair fell perfectly straight, catching the wind as well, and her expression was warm and inviting.

"Thank you," Jeanie said softly, managing a shy smile. "Yours is beautiful too." She glanced down at herself, holding the two ends where the wrap met. "I feel a little... underdressed for today."

The woman chuckled lightly and waved a dismissive hand. "Oh please. You have to let that kind of shit go around these people. There will always be something they're going to judge you for. Besides, trust me, Richard would've appreciated seeing a pretty young woman like you in that dress." She gave Jeanie a playful wink and a smirk. "He always had a weakness for beauty."

Jeanie blushed but couldn't help smiling a little bigger at the woman's easy confidence. "I'm Jeanie, by the way."

"Nicole," the woman replied, extending her hand. They shook hands and Nicole leaned casually against the railing beside her. "I saw you're here with James. My husband is one of the only other younger guys here. He's inside there somewhere, probably trying to not make a fool of himself."

They fell into comfortable conversation about the island, the beautiful setting, and how pleasant the service had felt. Jeanie found herself relaxing slightly in Nicole's effervescent presence.

After a few minutes, Jeanie asked, "Did your husband do a lot of business with Mr. Harlan?"

Nicole let out a scoff that was followed by a bright laugh. "Oh honey, no. My husband can barely sit through a conversation without checking his fantasy football scores. He's just so damn nice to look at, though, so," she shrugged and grinned, "I keep him around. I'm the one who did business with Richard. We partnered on a couple of deals over the last several years. He was sharp as a tack. Old school in more ways than just business, but if you could get past the occasional misogynistic comment, he respected women who could hold their own at the conference table."

Jeanie nodded, listening to what she had to say. Before she could ask another question, she noticed an older woman from inside staring at them on the lanai with a disapproving frown. The woman's gaze flicked from Jeanie's low-cut, bright dress to Nicole's figure-hugging one, clearly unimpressed by the pair.

Nicole caught the woman's stare too. Without missing a beat, she leaned back against the railing, arching her back slightly so her breasts pressed prominently against the fabric of her tight dress. She stared right back at the older woman with a calm, almost challenging smile until the woman looked away with a roll of her eyes.

Jeanie's eyes widened slightly at her brazen display. "She was... staring at us because of these dresses. That doesn't bother you?"

Nicole chuckled, holding her confident pose as she continued to lean against the rail, and glanced over at Jeanie. "They're not judging because they have a problem with the way we're dressed, sweetheart. They're just worried about what their husbands are thinking about when they look at us." She gave Jeanie a knowing little smirk. "Who cares if they stare. Fuck 'em. Some people always need something to talk about. If it wasn't our dresses, it'd be something else."

Jeanie let out a surprised little laugh, both shocked and amused by Nicole's attitude. She felt a flicker of admiration for how easily the other woman wore her confidence, but the greater part of her still wanted to shrink away from the attention. For her, every breeze was a reminder of her dress.

Nicole tilted her head, studying her with mild curiosity. "So tell me, what's James like when you two are alone? I've only ever seen him in business mode for ages. He's always so composed."

Jeanie blinked, a soft flush coloring her cheeks at the sudden change in the conversation. She smiled shyly, glancing down at her hands. "He's... mostly quiet at home, except more relaxed, for sure. He doesn't say a lot, but when he does, it always feels so important." She hesitated, then softly added, "Mostly he makes me feel safe. Ever since he first took me out, I've felt like I belong with him."

Nicole's smile widened. "That's sweet. Does he talk about the future with you? Plans, that sort of thing?"

Jeanie nodded, feeling a small warmth at the thought. "Sometimes. Not in great detail, but he talks about places he thinks I'd enjoy, or places it'd be good for me to see..." She saw Nicole let out a small breath through her nose as if amused by something, and Jeanie found herself trailing off. Realizing she was sharing more than she usually would with someone she'd just met, she paused. Still, Nicole seemed so open and kind.

Nicole arched an eyebrow, quirking her mouth to the side and smirking. "Have you gotten used to sharing him yet?"

Jeanie blinked. "Sharing him?"

Nicole chuckled softly and looked in toward the house. "With the business. With his schedule. With... everyone who wants a piece of him." Jeanie followed her gaze, seeing Carmen in the house talking to a group of people. "I can only imagine how many meetings you must get dragged into. Does he work a lot? I mean, he's in a meeting right now, while his beautiful wife is left to fend off... these vultures." She gestured playfully toward the guests inside.

Jeanie smiled, though the comment made her shift uncomfortably again. "He does work quite a bit," she admitted. "But he's good about making time for us when he can. I understand he's busy, though. It's okay."

Nicole glanced over at her, then turned to lean on her forearms against the railing and looked out over the water. "Hmm. So much for the retired life, I guess. But, I suppose men like James don't slow down easily. You must have a lot of time to yourself. If they're anything like they were when I worked with them, I wouldn't be surprised if Carmen still spends just as much time with him as you do."

Jeanie opened her mouth to reply, a small frown forming as she tried to find a polite way to respond. "Well, Carmen is very-"

"Yes, I'm still very much involved," Carmen said smoothly, stepping onto the lanai with precision timing. Her voice was pleasant, almost warm even, but there was a sharp edge beneath the polish. "If anything, I'd say I look after his affairs more than I used to."

Nicole slowly turned, putting on an elegant smile, seemingly unsurprised by Carmen's sudden appearance. "Carmen. Still creeping around corners and hiding in the shadows, I see."

"Mph," Carmen lightly snorted with a single chuckle, coming to stand beside Jeanie. "Perhaps it could appear that way to certain people. Especially when those people have a habit of inserting themselves where they're no longer welcome."

Nicole let out a short, amused laugh. "Of course you're still holding onto old grudges. How tiresome. I was simply getting to know the woman who was able to reel in James. No need to get territorial."

Carmen's smile remained perfectly in place. "Hmm. Though I seem to remember you had quite the talent for 'getting to know' people while you plotted to undermine their deals. Though, I suppose some habits are hard to break."

Nicole's eyes sparkled with challenge, but her voice stayed sweet. "You and I both know what was really going on. But look at me now. All of that is ancient history, darling. Some of us don't live in the past. Besides, I was only trying to protect my own interests. You, of all people, should be able to understand that."

Jeanie stood between them, blinking in quiet confusion and catching Nicole glance in her direction after her last statement. She hadn't expected this undercurrent of tension. She glanced at Carmen, then back at Nicole. Her discomfort with the bright dress was momentarily overshadowed by the slightly cryptic exchange.

Carmen's hand took a firm hold on Jeanie's arm. "Come along, dear. James may still be a while yet, and there's a few people to meet before we leave." She gave Nicole one last polite nod, eyeing her from head to toe before speaking. "Always a pleasure."

Nicole simply smiled in return and sweetly said, "Give my regards to James."

As Carmen guided Jeanie back inside, Jeanie felt her grip start to loosen ever so slightly. The dress fluttered around her thighs with each step, but her mind was now spinning with new questions, too distracted to notice.

She waited until they were a little further away before speaking softly. "What was that all about?"

Carmen's expression remained unfazed. "Nothing to concern yourself with, dear. Just somebody who used to work for the company years ago. She started a couple of years before James came on board to work for his father. But Nicole has always been very good at looking out for Nicole." Her eyes briefly flicked to Jeanie. "Some people never really change. I would suggest you keep your distance from her."

Jeanie nodded slowly, though the explanation only left her with more questions. When one of the guests they passed glanced over her dress, she reached for it instinctively as they rejoined the small crowd.

Carmen was quickly drawn into conversation with an older couple near the refreshment table. Jeanie hovered nearby at first, smiling politely when spoken to, but the discussion soon turned to quarterly returns, potential acquisitions, and the shifting tolerances of various markets. The words went over her head. She was familiar with the tone from listening to James, but the details seemed meaningless without understanding. She stood there, quietly mirroring the facial expressions of others, feeling more and more like an ornament in the bright print with nothing to contribute to the conversations.

Eventually, Carmen was pulled deeper into the conversation by another guest. Jeanie took a small step back, then another, until she found herself on the edge of the clusters of people. No one seemed to notice her drifting away.

She wandered slowly through the room while several older women glanced at her again, their expressions polite but unmistakably appraising. She felt painfully visible the longer she was alone. A splash of color in a sea of dark, tasteful clothing.

Near the open doors leading back to the lanai, a small cluster of men were deep in discussions about stock valuations and development timelines. One of them laughed about a recent "hostile" acquisition that had apparently been anything but. Jeanie lingered for a moment, trying to look interested, but every conversation felt like another language. She understood almost none of it, and the few words she did catch only reminded her how far removed she was from this world.

A tightness wrapped around her chest like a band. She didn't belong here. Not really. Not in this dress, not in these conversations, and not among these people who had known James's circle for longer than she could remember.

She glanced around for Carmen or James, but James was nowhere to be found and Carmen was still occupied. Rather than wait awkwardly, Jeanie quietly slipped through the house toward where the front door sat open. Once outside, she continued down the driveway that led to the road that would take her back to the resort. The walk was short, and the fresh air felt like a relief after being in that house. She would text James once she reached the resort. For now, she just needed a moment to breathe.

Jeanie let herself back into the quiet of their suite and closed the door behind her. She changed into a plush robe, then curled up on the sofa near the open doors of the lanai, listening to the distant waves rolling in like a metronome. An hour passed before she heard the electronic lock click.

James stepped inside, loosening his tie as he let the door swing shut behind him. He looked calm, as if the day had gone as expected.

"Hey," Jeanie said, sitting up on the sofa. "How was everything?"

James hung his suit coat on the hook by the door, then undid his cufflinks and rolled up the shirtsleeves as he walked further into the room. "It was fine," he replied. "I got about as much done as I could ask for at something like that. Richard's wife appreciated the turnout. Although, a few of the conversations did run longer than I anticipated." He paused for a moment as he took off his shoes. "You left early."

Jeanie nodded. "I did. But I texted you so you'd know. I felt... out of place. I tried to at least listen to some of the conversations, but eventually I felt like if anyone asked me anything, I'd just look like a fool."

"That's your choice," he said, then glanced over at her. "But if you believe it was just the conversations, I think you're lying to yourself."

"What do you mean?" she asked, clutching the robe closed at the memory of how the dress felt.

James replaced his cufflinks in their case. "You sure the dress didn't have anything to do with it? You didn't seem comfortable in it since you put it on."

Jeanie nodded slowly, relieved by the lack of judgment in his voice. "I wasn't," she admitted. "The dress... didn't feel right. I felt disrespectful because of how bright it was. Everyone else was in black."

James studied her for a moment, eyeing her posture as she spoke before he simply asked, "Then why'd you wear it?"

Jeanie hesitated, choosing her words carefully, not knowing how to answer. "Because I didn't have anything else. So when Carmen found it on short notice and she said it was all that they had in town... I didn't want to make a fuss or seem ungrateful after she went through the trouble."

James exhaled slowly through his nose, but he didn't snap. Instead, he just looked at her with what felt like disappointment, making her feel incredibly small.

"In town," he repeated, and she looked at him, trying to understand what he was saying. "That was the limit you accepted? Carmen told you a small island store was out of options, and you just stopped making any effort?"

Jeanie felt her cheeks begin to warm under his stare. "Yes... I thought there was only one town on the island."

"So because you didn't want to be difficult, you chose to spend hours being uncomfortable, shrinking into the background at an event that mattered to me. You're my wife, Jeanie. When you're uncomfortable, or when something isn't right, you need to speak up and use your voice. Defaulting to being silent doesn't help anyone."

She looked down at her hands, feeling her neck grow warm. "I'm sorry. I just didn't want to cause trouble. Carmen was already helping, and I thought-"

"Carmen's primary focus is almost always efficiency," James cut in calmly, his voice dropping slightly. "If there's something here that technically works, and you don't object, she's going to mark the problem as solved and move on. But the jet could've had one or both of you in Maui in twenty minutes. A personal shopper could have met you at a hangar with five suitable options at your request."

He shook his head slowly, looking down at her. "You accepted the very first obstacle you ran into and treated it like a wall. A minor logistical problem dictated how you presented yourself today because you were too hesitant to say what you actually needed."

The sheer scale of her own narrow perspective hit her all at once. She had spent the entirety of the day trapped in the limitations of her old life, completely forgetting that the rules around her had changed.

"I never would've thought of any of that," she admitted softly.

James nodded patiently. "And why would you?"

She looked up at him.

"You've never had access to those kinds of resources before. Nobody should've expected you to think that way." The answer eased some of the sting from her embarrassment. There was no criticism in his voice, only simple acknowledgment of where she had come from. "But now you do," he continued. "You're not expected to know what every option is. But what you need to stop doing is assuming there isn't one."

Jeanie sat quietly, searching his eyes as he talked to her. Back home, there had always been limits. Sometimes they came in the form of things that cost too much, or maybe stores that didn't carry what you needed, like the dress. However, more often than not, her father's answer was no before she could even finish asking a question. She was taught to accept what was available and learned to make do with it because there wasn't much alternative.

Jeanie let out a deep breath. The clinical accuracy of his words left her with absolutely no excuses to hide behind, yet the total certainty in his voice sent a sudden, unbidden shudder of butterflies straight to her center.

"And if I'm wrong about what I think should be reasonable?" she whispered, searching his eyes.

"Then I'll tell you," James said with a quiet shrug. "Most mistakes can be fixed, but doing nothing, or just enduring a bad situation, will nearly always create more problems than making a wrong decision will. You can learn from a mistake. You can't learn from hiding."

"Couldn't it be argued that choosing to hide is a choice?" she asked tentatively.

He stood up to his full height, looking down at her where she sat curled on the cushion. The room fell completely quiet, save for the distant sound of the surf outside the lanai doors. The weight of his gaze felt heavy.

"Stand up," James commanded quietly.

Jeanie blinked, her heart giving a sudden leap into her throat. "What?" She suddenly wished she hadn't asked about hiding.

"I said 'Stand up.' Go put the dress back on," he said. His voice was calm but carried an unyielding authority that left no room for negotiation. "I want you to put it on, walk out here, and stand in front of the mirror. We're going to look at exactly what you wore today, and you're going to tell me what you were thinking when you walked out that door."

The embarrassment she'd previously felt instantly returned tenfold. It sat hot and sharp in her belly, but beneath her robe, her body went entirely soft and enticingly warm at the thought of him looking at her in that way. Her breath caught in her throat as she stood up and crossed the room, trembling slightly as she approached the vibrant floral dress. She didn't feel the panic of being yelled at, but she felt completely unmoored. Exposed by his coming critique, yet desperately and perhaps even helplessly, eager to step back into the dress and surrender to whatever direction he was about to give her.

The silk of her robe fell to the carpet as she shrugged it free, her skin instantly breaking into tiny goosebumps. Her hands were also unsteady as she reached for the tropical wrap dress, sliding her arms back into the sleeves and tying it closed at her waist.

It felt entirely different this time. Without the frantic thoughts of what strangers were going to see in that environment, she appreciated the feel of the garment against her skin. She carefully adjusted everything until it sat the way it was designed to, sighing at the sight of how the front halves didn't meet until below her sternum. It left the inner curves of her breasts completely visible for anyone to see.

James had followed her from the main room into the bedroom. He was standing by the full-length mirror near the wardrobe, waiting for her expectantly.

"Come here," he said quietly, gesturing for her.

Jeanie stepped forward until she was standing directly in front of the mirror, staring back at her reflection. In the light of the suite, the vivid green and coral print looked incredibly striking. The only thing she was missing was her jewelry and her heels, but that didn't keep the asymmetrical slit from parting and exposing her leg. But remembering the looks provoked by the sheer loudness of the print made her chest tighten.

James stepped up behind her. He didn't touch her. He simply looked over her shoulder into the glass, studying the image of his wife.

"Now look at yourself," he murmured. "Tell me what you see."

Jeanie swallowed, feeling how dry her throat suddenly was. "I see the same thing I already said. Someone who looked completely out of place, while everyone else was wearing dark colors. I tried to listen and be a part of the conversations, James, but I couldn't follow what they were talking about. I didn't know what most of what they were saying even meant. Everyone was just talking about business... and then I looked down at these bright colors and I felt terrible. Like I was going to make you look bad because I'm your wife."

"This is Hawaii, Jeanie," James said smoothly, dropping his voice as much as hers had gone up. "I'd guess half his family arrived on the island in Aloha prints and probably put them right back on as soon as they left the memorial. I understand it's not what they wore to the memorial, but I promise, the colors weren't the insult you think they were. What stood out wasn't the dress, but your energy."

Jeanie blinked, looking at his reflection in the glass. "My energy?"

"Just listen to what you're saying. You spent the entire afternoon shying away from everyone," James noted, locking eyes with hers in the mirror. "You were uncomfortable because you didn't fit in and you couldn't follow the room, so you treated the dress like a target on your back. You assumed everyone was judging you just because of what you wore, and I wouldn't be surprised if you were making judgments about them, for any other number of reasons. But instead of standing your ground and trying to learn about the people in the room as my wife, you closed yourself off, hid in the back, and then ran away."

A hot, prickling flush crept up her neck and into her cheeks. He was right. She had judged them, and her immediate instinct when she felt lost in the conversation was to blame the dress and what she didn't know. Her insecurities took over and she fled.

"I felt like I didn't belong," she whispered with a trembling voice. "I didn't know what else to do."

"You belong wherever you choose to be," James said flatly. His tone was entirely level but carried an unyielding weight. "You have to choose to own the space. When you isolate yourself because you're intimidated by a conversation, you let the room dictate your value. Yes, by our standards, the dress is non-traditional. It draws the eye. But if you walk into a room with your chin up, holding yourself like you have every right to be there no matter what, the bright colors look like confidence. It's when you slink around trying to be invisible that it looks like a mistake."

He stepped a fraction closer. Jeanie could feel his warmth radiating against her bare back, though he still hadn't touched her.

"If you don't want to feel that way, never let a little social friction drive you out of a room," he murmured, his gaze moving to her heaving chest in the mirror. "You defaulted to playing the role of being the helpless girl who doesn't know any better. Over the past few years, I've gotten a glimpse of what you've endured, Jeanie, and I don't think you're helpless. So if you don't want to be, then you need to stand up and own the eyes on you. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she choked out, feeling her heart thud at the expectation he was putting on her.

The harsh accuracy of his words completely stripped away any argument she would've made. Instead of scolding her for being scandalous, he had exposed her deepest insecurity. Her fear of not measuring up to his world. Yet, the intense certainty with which he said you belong sent another unbidden wave of butterflies through her belly. The deep embarrassment of her social failure was rapidly fusing with a desperate need to earn his approval. To prove she could be the woman he described.

James reached out, firmly placing his large hands on her waist atop the vibrant floral offender. Staring into the reflection of her eyes, his left hand drifted to the tie of the dress, pulling the knot loose, painfully slow.

"Good," he whispered, when his mouth was near her ear. "Now turn around."

Jeanie turned slowly within his grip, her bare feet pivoting on the smooth flooring. With the knot no longer tied, the overlapping panels were draped loosely across her front. It exposed the olive skin of her stomach and the rapid, uneven rise of her chest as she tried to keep her breathing even.

Instinctively, her chin dropped. The thought of how her father would've reacted to how she handled the day brought the cold, familiar phantom of his disapproval rushing back. She could almost smell the kitchen she'd have to march through on her way to the shed and feel the anticipation of the belt. Her shoulders suddenly braced for a blow even though James had never struck her. Locking her focus onto the patterns in the flooring, she waited for the fallout of her choices.

James didn't strike her. Instead, his thumb and forefinger caught her chin, gripping it firmly as he tilted her face upward to look at him.

"You're looking at the ground, Jeanie," he murmured, holding her gaze.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Her breathing had gone ragged. She looked at him with her now wide, wet eyes searching his face. James didn't look angry. He didn't even look upset. He seemed entirely composed, just as he'd sounded this entire time. The assessing calm that always made her feel as though he could see straight through whatever thin defenses she tried to hold onto, pierced into her. Telling her what she was feeling wasn't shared by him.

His eyes held hers for a long moment before drifting downward, tracing over the open front of the dress. The loose panels had slipped farther apart when he tilted her head up, baring the soft inner curves of her breasts, the flat plane of her stomach, and then to the smooth skin lower still. Jeanie felt his gaze like a touch, a shiver running through her while goosebumps broke out on her arms.

"Now that you've told me what you saw in the mirror," he said quietly, running his thumb along her jaw until he cupped the side of her neck, "tell me what you think the other people there saw today. The men. The women. Even the older women, set in their ways."

Warmth rushed across Jeanie's chest and up her neck. She swallowed, acutely aware of how open the dress hung, barely concealing anything of importance. "They saw... someone who didn't belong," she answered in a whisper. "The older women looked at me with disapproval. I saw their eyes going straight to my dress, and how it showed my thigh no matter how much I tried to be mindful of it. The men... some of the older ones were more polite, but I still caught them glancing at my legs and chest. One of the younger gentlemen didn't even try to hide it when he stared right at my chest."

James's hand at her neck pushed the dress along her shoulder, drawing one panel of the dress farther aside until her left breast was fully exposed to the cool air. His palm cupped the rounded flesh, placing a thumb over the tightening nipple. Jeanie's breath stuttered as he pushed the hardening bundle of nerves back and forth.

"And how did it feel," he murmured, voice steady and intimate, "standing there while you believed they were all looking? Knowing that as my wife, you were drawing every eye in the room?"

She shook her head quickly out of instinct to deny her feelings, even as her nipple grew harder under his touch. "It was mortifying. I wanted to cover myself. I hated that they were staring."

His fingers pinched her rubbery nub lightly, sending a spark that raced lower. Jeanie bit her lip to stifle a whimper. James watched her reaction closely, then let his other hand drift between her legs, finding her already unquestionably slick. Two fingers stroked along her folds before pressing between them with an unhurried intent.

"You say you hated it," he said calmly, curling his fingers to dip them inside her on the next pass between her labia. "But the way your body's responding as you talk about it tells a different story. Be honest with me, Jeanie. Did part of you like knowing they could see how your breasts moved in that dress? How the part of the dress showed your thighs? Did it make you wet, feeling their eyes on what belongs to me?"

A broken sound escaped her. "No... James, please." The words dissolved into a soft moan as his two fingers thrust beyond her entrance. A shame burned through her that was hot and familiar, twisting with the growing fire between her legs. She wanted to refuse it. To deny the truth he was pulling out of her, but her hips rocked helplessly against his hand. The mirror stood behind her, and she almost wished she was facing it so she could see how she looked. Her dress was splayed open, leaving her flushed and exposed, James's hand working between her thighs while he remained fully dressed.

James withdrew his fingers, leaving her feeling vacant and unsatisfied. He stepped aside, holding an arm out. "On the bed," he said. "And don't take off the dress."

Jeanie obeyed, taking the several steps on unsteady legs and lying back on top of the comforter. The dress partially bunched beneath her, framing her naked body like an offering. James undressed, never taking his eyes off her. Her eyes reciprocated, watching him as his hard member came into sight.

He climbed onto the bed, the mattress dipping under his weight. With one knee, he nudged her thighs wider. Jeanie took a deep breath as he settled between them, feeling his warmth against her inner thighs. His cock dragged along her slippery mound, coating himself in her arousal with a drawn-out push and pull of his hips. After several passes, he moved back far enough that the head caught at her entrance.

"James..." she whispered in response to the feeling of the thick head pressing against her. Her hands moved to grip his shoulders, absently pressing tiny crescents into his shoulders with her nails. "I'm sorry they all saw me this way for the first time... wearing something I wasn't comfortable in. Did I really look like I wanted it?"

He answered by pushing forward, breaching her with the blunt head of his erection and stretching her open with only the first inch. Jeanie gasped sharply at the searing warmth of him partially inside her. Her back arched off the bed as her entrance spasmed and clenched, trying to draw him in. The feeling of him inside was so overwhelming this evening. She wasn't sure if that was because her arousal was bringing a new level of sensitivity, or if he was so turned on it had driven him to be harder and thicker than usual. Either way, it was as if she felt every ridge and every vein as he patiently worked his way deeper until his hips met hers, burying himself to the hilt.

When she felt his pubic bone press against her clit, a long, satisfied moan poured from her slack mouth. The fullness made her toes curl and her thighs tremble around his waist.

"James..." she breathed again. Her fingers flexed against his shoulders, scratching her nails over his skin as the images of people staring at her came back. "They all saw more of me than they should there. The older women just staring... the men stealing glances when I sat down. One tried to look up my dress when I crossed my legs and it fell open over my thighs. I don't know how much he could see. It had to be almost everything that's only supposed to be for you."

James stayed buried deep inside her, only grinding and giving her time to adjust. His breath was warm against her neck when he lowered himself to kiss it. He shifted his hips some more, grinding and pressing even deeper for only a second before easing back along her inner walls.

"They saw a beautiful woman in a striking dress," he muttered. One hand slid under her knee, lifting it higher along his side, opening her further. "They only got a glimpse of what I get to have. What I get to feel." He thrust forward again, pulling another soft moan from her lips. "And all of this is mine, isn't it?"

Jeanie whimpered, nodding her response. The memory of sitting there on the hard chair burned while people spoke and glanced at the bright fabric parting high on her leg. Her awareness of the eyes drifting over her. "Yes," she agreed, the word fracturing into a moan as he drove back into her when she spoke. Her pussy spasmed around his thick length, squeezing him involuntarily. "It feels so wrong... but I keep thinking about how they were seeing parts of me that only you touch. The only man that's ever seen me naked. It made me so wet, James. I hated feeling like that there, but I- Ungh! I couldn't stop it."

He groaned at her words. His next thrust came hard, forcing the strained sound out of her as the head of his cock pushed through her sensitive walls. Jeanie's back bowed off the bed, her pressing breasts up against his chest with tight nipples, aching from the friction.

James kept going with long, slower strokes that left her instantly missing every inch as he withdrew, then the forceful push back inside. Each time he bottomed out, it came with the sound of his pelvis smacking into her groin. Jeanie's thighs trembled, but this time from the effort of her heels digging into the backs of his legs as she tried to pull him even closer.

"Tell me," he said quietly, lips brushing her ear. His hand slid between them, thumb finding her swollen clit and circling slowly. "When that man looked up your dress... what did you feel?"

Jeanie's breath stuttered, her hips jerking up to meet his thrust. "Electricity," she gasped. "Right here." She reached down, pressing her fingers over his where he was reaching between them to work her clit. "Like everyone could see how my body reacts when you look at me. Like they were trying to steal this tiny piece of what's yours... and it made me wish you weren't in the middle of a meeting. That we could find somewhere to go and be alone, but still hear all of them talking."

James made a grunting sound of approval and sped up his pace just slightly, snapping his hips forward with more force. The bed shifted slightly beneath them. Jeanie's moans grew breathier and less controlled. She let out increasingly louder, needy sounds each time he filled her to her limits. Her inner walls fluttered and clenched around him, coating his shaft when more of her fluids gushed at his reaction to what she said.

He shifted suddenly, hooking her other leg to pull it higher so both her knees were nearly at her chest. The new angle had her folded in half with her feet near his head. Jeanie cried out, a raw sound as the head of his cock relentlessly battered against her cervix. Her hands clutched at his biceps, gripping hard as her body was jolted under each powerful thrust.

"Oh-James-yes-right-there-" she barely managed to get out between the poundings. Sweat coated her skin. The dress was a tangled mess beneath her that pulled at her shoulders, the vibrant print grew increasingly damp where they came together. Every punishing stroke seemed to push fresh arousal out around his length, seeping down to soak the fabric and the comforter.

He leaned over her, bracing a hand beside her head and using the other to stroke her clit between their bodies. His eyes were focused on her face. "I don't care that they got a glimpse, Jeanie. I get all of you. Every moan and every drop that comes out of you is meant only for me."

The way he claimed her, combined with the relentless raking of the crown of his head and the pressure on her clit, sent her into a spiral. Jeanie's mouth fell open in a silent cry as a small orgasm washed over her. Her pussy spasmed hard around him with rhythmic pulses as the words sank into her. Jeanie whimpered, her pussy fluttering hard around his thick cock as it claimed him for its own. She nodded frantically, trying to press her hips up to take him deeper.

"Yes... only for you," she quickly gasped, once she caught a breath. "They saw hints... but they'll never know how I sound when you're this deep. How wet I get just from knowing it's you inside me."

James fucked her through the brief orgasm, snapping his hips forward faster and harder, as he sought out his own. His fingertips never stopped their efforts on her swollen clit, either. Jeanie's head began to thrash against the pillow, mouth open on soft, desperate cries. The shame of the memorial, the stares, the bright dress- it was all a twisted knot inside her, feeding the tension inside her that was still building, nearly ready to snap.

And it did. The increasing force of his thrusts brought a second, far more powerful orgasm right behind the first. It hit hard, and the muscles in Jeanie's neck seemed to seize up, pressing her head into the mattress as her back bowed so sharply her shoulders hovered off the bed. A choked sob of pleasure broke from her throat as her pussy spasmed violently.

A fresh gush of her fluids flooded around him as her thighs shook in toe-curling spasms, and wave after wave crashed through her. She clenched so hard it was as if her body was trying to expel him, but James drove into her repeatedly. Fucking her against every pulsing contraction.

Only then did his rhythm falter. With a deep, guttural groan, he buried himself as deep as he could under his weight, hips jerking as he came. Jeanie felt every thick spurt searing the walls deep inside, filling her until it began to leak out around his cock with each shallow thrust that followed.

She held him locked inside her, breathing hard. Jeanie's legs lacked the energy to do anything other than quiver where he had them pinned to her chest. Everything about her body felt limp and overly sensitive, as little aftershocks rippled through her. James's head sagged above her, between her feet. It took all the effort she had, but she bent her neck, reaching to pull him closer as she craned up for a kiss.

After a long moment he eased out of her with a wet sound that made her flush anew. Jeanie lay there in the ruined floral dress, skin flushed and covered with his sweat and hers, feeling his release slowly leaking from her swollen, well-fucked sex.

James helped ease her legs down, after holding them the way he had for so long, under so much strain. "Next time something isn't right, you speak up. Understood?"

"Yes," she whispered, turning into his touch when his hand turned her face toward his. Her fingers moved to stroke his chest. The word came out soft but committed, laced with the undertone of what she still felt pulsing between her legs.

James watched her with a dark satisfaction flickering in his eyes. He eased his weight off her completely, and stood beside the bed. His cock no longer stood upright, but still looked thick and heavy where it hung between his thighs, glistening with their combined fluids.

"Now come here." He said it like a command. Even though it was quiet, it came out calm but absolute. "I want you to use the dress to clean me up."

Jeanie's breath caught. She slipped off the bed on shaky legs, the dress trailing behind her. Without hesitation she sank to her knees in front of him, feeling the satisfying ache in her hips from the way he'd held her. Then she slipped her arms out of the shoulder caps, shrugging it off entirely. Now naked, she brought the dress around and used the flimsy material to gently wipe the length of his softening member.

She worked with careful reverence, pulling the skin tight to clean it as best she could, stroking along the thick, partially swollen shaft and the sensitive head. Her eyes moved to his. He was focused on her wiping away every trace of the mixture of their cum. The intimate act of caring for him while he watched sent warmth spreading through her.

When he was clean, she folded the soiled section of the dress over on itself and wiped between her own thighs, collecting more of the thick, warm evidence of him that still continued to leak from her. It smeared over the fabric of the dress, soiling it as she continued to roll it and wipe herself. When she was done, it carried the mingled scent of them both.

James extended his hand once she finally pulled it from between her legs.

Jeanie blinked, looking at his hand while she sat on her knees, trying to decipher what he wanted. After a second, she held up the crumpled dress and placed it into his hand.

He turned toward a small wastebasket near the dresser, and she watched the bright floral fabric dangle from his fingers. Jeanie flinched, wanting to reach for the dress, and made a small, involuntary sound in her throat. It came out as a soft whimper of protest.

James paused, glancing back at her, and lifting one eyebrow slightly. "I thought you said you didn't like the dress."

Jeanie looked up at him and chewing on her lips with her brow furrowed, trying to process what she was feeling. Her voice came out quiet, almost shy. "I... I, um..." she tried to start, her face scrunching up a little. "I don't know. I guess I didn't because it felt wrong for today." She swallowed, her eyes bouncing between him and the dress. "But now... it just makes me think of you. Of this. Not what happened earlier at the service. Just... us. What we just did."

James studied her for a long moment, the dress still hanging from his hand. The corner of his mouth twitched into the faintest hint of something pleased. He unfurled the dress, folded it a couple of times, almost thoughtfully, then set it aside on the dresser instead of dropping it into the trash.

"Get up," he said, stepping back over and extending his hand to help her.

The next morning quickly turned into late morning, as James took a few more meetings. Jeanie decided that being in Hawaii, she wanted to take some time for fresh air and sunlight. She changed into a simple white bikini with thin, string straps. She'd chosen this particular bikini for the narrow design when she was tanning. The strings were tied so they'd stay below the waistline of her clothes, while the narrow band of cloth sat low in the front and back. The top covered no more than what was necessary to be considered decent. It was one of the more revealing pieces she had brought, but it was only intended for a day beside the pool, not in it.

She slipped on a light cover-up and made her way down to the pool that was exclusively for adults. It was peaceful, with a grotto and waterfalls over rocks. Jeanie looked around for a good spot of sunshine that wasn't being blocked by palms, grabbed a towel from a nearby stand.

When her gaze drifted across the water, it stopped on a woman who was bent over one of the loungers, adjusting the pillow rest. Her entire backside was on display and was strikingly full and round. There was only a small, black triangle of material exposed at the top where it emerged from between her cheeks, then transitioned to clear straps that ran over her hips. The suit was even smaller than her own, and left almost nothing to the imagination.

Jeanie paused, thinking of sitting near her so maybe she wouldn't stand out so much herself. Then, just as she started to take a step in her direction, the woman straightened and turned.

Jeanie's breath caught. It was Carmen. She noticed Jeanie at the same moment. A small smirk curved her lips as their eyes met, but then she continued on with what she was doing. She sat down and settled back onto the lounger, stretching out under the sun. Once comfortable, she ran her fingers under the edges of the narrow gusset, carefully adjusting the fabric so it was snug against her mound before relaxing.

Jeanie stood frozen for a second, feeling the warmth rise into her cheeks. She wasn't entirely sure how, but the adjustment seemed to make the already-minimal swimsuit appear even more revealing. She mostly saw Carmen in professional attire or evening wear. Even her clothing here at the resort had been on the conservative side. Obviously she'd seen her around the penthouse before getting dressed, even in her robe, like just the other day. But even then, Carmen was typically covered up.

This version of her was something else entirely. She could see more of her sun-kissed skin than just a flash through an open robe. All of her voluptuous curves were on full display. The top matched how small the bottoms were, and looked like it was designed to do nothing more than cover the nipples, leaving almost all of her large breasts exposed. And with Carmen lying back, Jeanie could see how they held their prominent shape, not quite settling the way she would have expected for their size.

It made her think of what her friends had told her months ago and their certainty that Carmen's breasts were fake. Looking at her now, Jeanie could see what they meant.

Realizing she was essentially staring, Jeanie tore her eyes away, choosing a lounger a respectful distance from her. Peeling off her wrap, she spread out her towel. For a while she tried to focus on the sun and peaceful surroundings, but her eyes would inexplicably drift back to Carmen. At one point, when Jeanie got up to cool off in the pool, she saw Carmen turning over onto her stomach, pulling the tiny black thong between her cheeks.

The image stayed with her even as she swam a few laps and returned to her lounger. Carmen was striking in a way Jeanie had never fully realized before.

Some time later, James appeared. He sat on the edge of her lounger, planting a hand on the other side of her body so he was leaning slightly over her.

"Enjoying the morning?" he asked pleasantly.

Jeanie smiled up at him, shading her eyes from the sun. "I am. The sun feels nice. Do you think we might be able to do something together after your calls?"

James shifted his weight, resting a hand on her hip. "What are you thinking?"

"Anything, really," she said softly. "Maybe spend some time by the water or take a walk on the beach? I'd just be happy to have some time with you. We haven't had much since we got here."

He nodded, considering it. "We can do that. Maybe we could go see another part of the island. There's some-"

He broke of when Carmen abruptly stood up from her lounger, where she had been lying close enough to be in earshot. She gathered her things, stuffing the few items she'd brought into a bag, then clasped it under her arm.

As she approached them, presumably to head back inside, James glanced up. "Leaving already?"

Carmen gave a defiant shrug. "Might as well. I have a few things I need to take care of."

James studied her for a moment, then nodded.

"Carmen, before you go, have they identified an authorized representative for Richard's interests yet?"

Carmen paused, glanced at Jeanie, then shook her head and shifted her bag. "Not officially. Legal says that from what they've found, there are disagreements among the heirs regarding who should be handling certain decisions. And the estate's attorneys are warning them to be cautious until everything is settled."

James frowned slightly. "How long do they expect that to take?"

"No one's willing to give a firm timeline."

He was quiet for a moment before looking out over the pool. "Review the operating agreement again. If this begins to drag on too long, I want to know exactly what options we have."

"Understood."

"Out of respect for Richard, I'd rather not force the issue. We spent a lot of years together for that." His expression hardened slightly and his lips pinched tight. "But I'm not going to let a probate dispute put everything on hold indefinitely because his family can't come to terms," he said after a deep breath.

Carmen nodded. "I'll have legal put together a summary of the available remedies."

"Good."

Carmen nodded once. "I'll relay the message to legal. Anything else?"

James shook his head. "That should cover it for now."

Carmen turned to leave. As she passed close by their lounger, Jeanie glanced up, getting a clear look at her from the front. Standing upright, Carmen's breasts looked far more natural beneath the small black triangles of fabric than she had been lying down. The sun glinted off the clear straps of her bottoms when she walked, drawing Jeanie's attention to how much more exposed they made her look. With no obvious strap, it left an uninterrupted view of the smooth curve of her hips. At a glance, it gave the illusion that she wasn't wearing anything.

Jeanie followed the sound of Carmen as she walked behind the lounger. She turned her head slightly to watch her go, unable to keep her eyes from going straight to the thin strip of material that covered her mound. It disappeared between her cheeks before reappearing at the top of the curve of her butt. Without realizing she was doing it, her hand slid onto James's leg, and she turned back to look at him.

James's brow had the faintest crease as he watched Carmen walk away. Jeanie's fingers tightened a little on his thigh. Something flickered in his expression before he turned his attention back to her, giving her hip a squeeze in return.

"I shouldn't be that much longer," he said. "Then I'll be yours for the rest of the afternoon."

Jeanie nodded, smiling. When he leaned down to kiss her, her hand slipped farther up his thigh with the movement of his body, inching just under the leg of his shorts. James held the kiss for a moment, then stood.

"I'll find you when I'm done," he told her.

Once James's call had wrapped up, he was knocking on the door to Carmen's suite only a few minutes later.

"Who is it?" her voice called out from inside.

"Me," James replied.

A couple of seconds later, the door popped open a few inches before starting to close again. James caught it, pushed it open the rest of the way, and stepped inside. As he did, he saw Carmen walking away from him, completely naked, working a towel through her hair as she turned to round the corner into the bathroom. He stepped further into the suite, opened the minifridge, and grabbed a bottle of water.

"I just got off the phone," he said in the direction she'd disappeared. "I'm pretty sure we've finally agreed to terms with the future northeast parcel of the Dalton farm. From here on, it should be more of a formality."

Carmen's voice drifted back from the bathroom. "I suppose that's one good thing that's come out of this weekend then. Does that mean the expansion is finally approved?"

"It should be final any day," James replied, twisting the cap off the bottle and taking a long swig.

Carmen stepped back around the corner, still nude, and casually rubbing a touch of foundation along her jawline with her fingertips. "I'll call right away to have the survey updated and to begin drafting any needed contracts."

James leaned against the wall. "You don't need to do it today. Why don't you head back home tomorrow, and you can take care of it on Monday?"

There was an instant shift in her. Carmen's hand paused in the middle of a sweeping motion, and she turned her head slightly, lifting an eyebrow. "I'm sorry?"

"I'm going to take the next weekend with Jeanie," he said, matter-of-factly. "There isn't much for her here, so I've decided, we're going to head over to Honolulu. There are more things I think she'd enjoy there. You can fly with us to there tomorrow, and then catch a flight home."

Carmen was quiet, but James saw the muscles in her jaw tighten briefly before she took a deep breath. As neutrally as possible, she resumed blending the foundation and turned back into the bathroom to wash her hands. "Of course," she said smoothly, though there was the faintest edge beneath the words. "I'll book my flight. I'm sure the little wifey will love the museums and all of the culture."

James let out a single snort and took another drink from the bottle of water. Carmen emerged from the bathroom a moment later, and James watched as she passed him, walking over to the dresser. The usual sway of her hips was more subdued, and her walk was tense.

"Just make sure to keep me updated on the other items," he told her, watching her bend over, exposing herself in the process.

"Goes without saying," Carmen replied almost tersely, stepping into a pair of panties and sliding them up her legs.

Taking one last drink, James capped the water bottle, throwing it into the trash on his way to the front door.

Jeanie stood and covered her white bikini with her wrap. Next, she gathered her things and started back toward their suite, figuring James had to be close to finishing his call.

Starting to turn toward their room from the lobby, she saw James coming down one of the halls instead. He was walking from the direction Carmen had gone the night before. When he spotted her, the hint of a smile crossed his face.

He closed the distance and leaned down without a word, catching her mouth in a drawn-out kiss. Jeanie rose onto her toes to meet him. When he pulled back, she licked her lips, tasting only him, though her eyes searched his.

James rested a hand on her waist. "I was just on my way out to the pool to find out. Feel like getting out for a bit? There's some good trails up in the greener part of the island. Nothing too strenuous."

She nodded, a small smile touching her own lips. "Just the two of us?"

"Of course."

Her smile grew when there was no hesitation, hearing him say it with certainty. "I'd like that."

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and turned them both toward the stairs, heading up to their suite. He pulled her gently against his side as they walked. The warmth of his body and the casual possessiveness of the gesture felt good. If James had just come from Carmen's suite, he gave no sign of it now. He was simply here, with her.

They changed quickly, Jeanie slipping into a ribbed tank top, shorts, and comfortable sneakers, and James into a simple shirt and fresh pair of relaxed shorts. The trail they chose wound upward through pine forests and open ridges, offering sprawling views of the island's red earth and distant ocean. Jeanie walked beside him, breathing in the clean air, stopping whenever something caught her eye. A twisted tree, or a glimpse of a deer in the distance, even a bright bird flitting through the branches. James didn't rush her, waiting patiently and occasionally pointing out a detail or answering her questions about the island.

After the hike, they headed into the small town. It was modest, with a handful of shops, a general store, and a few local eateries. Jeanie wandered the short main street with him, looking in windows and stepping into a couple of stores. She bought a small bag of macadamia nuts and a simple shell bracelet from a woman selling handmade jewelry inside one of the shops. She caught James amusedly watching her as she examined everything with genuine interest.

They had dinner at one of the small restaurants, where she recognized the names of some dishes. The food was simple, but it tasted good after a day outside in the heat. Jeanie took her time eating, enjoying the atmosphere of somewhere so different than where she had spent all but the most recent period of her life. James sat, picking at the food more than eating it, sharing answers to the little questions Jeanie asked.

Back in their suite later that evening, Jeanie was brushing her hair in front of the mirror when James came up behind her. He rested his hands on her hips and looked at her reflection.

"I should probably tell you," he said. "I've made arrangements to head over to Oahu tomorrow. There's more to do there that I figure you'll probably enjoy. We'll stay in Honolulu, so there's restaurants and shops. There's also some nightlife if you'd like to see what that's like. I thought you might enjoy a change of scenery. This place is nice, but I'm not sure it's what you were expecting when you heard Hawaii. There's only one real beach here, which I know isn't what you picture when you think of an island."

Jeanie turned to face him, surprised by the news. "Wait, really? That sounds like fun."

"Good," he told her, dropping his hands lower on her back.

"I honestly thought we'd be heading home after the funeral once I heard that was what we were here for. Not that I don't like this place, because I do, but no, when I pictured Hawaii, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind. It's beautiful, but it's so... quiet and a lot less green than I had imagined."

James looked amused.

"That is kind of the point of this island, to be fair. Most people come here for exactly that."

"I liked the town," she said, feeling the need to clarify so she didn't seem ungrateful. "It was cute. I just mean... when I thought about going to Hawaii, I guess I thought about beaches and restaurants and all the stuff you see in commercials. Not... this. No offense," she finished with an apologetic look.

"It's fine," James replied. "We can't stay long, though, because I have some things to attend to back home. But I figured we could spend a day and a half in Honolulu, or even some other parts of Oahu if you wanted. Every island has a different feel, so some other time we can see what you think of Maui. As for tomorrow, you can pick what you want to do there."

She leaned into him, tilting her head up for a kiss before resting her cheek against his chest. The idea of leaving Lanai felt like a type of relief in its own small way.

"Thank you," she murmured.

Carmen automatically retreated to the rear section of the cabin when they boarded, isolating herself completely. Jeanie had been hyper-aware of her since the pool and had watched her walk down the aisle. She had traded her resort wear for comfortable black slacks and a lightweight cream blouse. Her movements had seemed overly rigid since they had met in the lobby that morning. Now, the moment Carmen sat down, she pulled out her tablet and disappeared into her work without saying a word.

Inside the main cabin, the silence was heavy. James sat at the workspace, focused on his laptop, while Jeanie took the rear-facing seat opposite him. She sat looking out the window, absently tracing the handmade shell bracelet she'd bought the afternoon before. The dry ridges of Lanai gave way to water, and faster than she'd expected, they reached the towering green peaks of Oahu. The flight was shorter than Jeanie imagined, taking less time than it took to travel even a few miles when traffic was heavy back home.

When the jet's tires chirped to a stop in Honolulu, Carmen was the first to stand, gathering her designer travel bag. James stood when she approached, watching her walk down the short aisle.

"Have everything you need for the flight home?" James asked.

Carmen's face remained entirely neutral, but her eyes briefly slid from James to fix on Jeanie for only a second. Her lips curved into what Jeanie saw as a forced smile.

"Yes. I have everything, thank you," Carmen said, before focusing more squarely on the young woman. "Have a wonderful day in the city, Jeanie. Make sure James takes you to the Bishop Museum. Assuming you enjoy history, of course. I'm sure you'll love all of the historical culture here."

Jeanie felt the heat prickle in the tips of her ears. The last few months had taught her enough about Carmen that it didn't sound like a real recommendation. It felt like a quiet jab at her lack of exposure to the world compared to Carmen.

"Thank you, Carmen," Jeanie replied, tightening her grip on her armrest. "I'll keep that in mind."

Carmen's smile thinned, and she turned her head to give James a crisp nod. "James."

"Monday, Carmen," he replied, turning back toward his workspace.

While James wrapped up what he was working on, Jeanie watched Carmen walk down the steps and cross the sun-baked tarmac through the oval window. Her walk was still tense with her shoulders pulled back tightly as she approached the airport shuttle.

James stepped into the aisle. When Jeanie rose, his large hand directed her to exit the plane.

"Come on," he said as if the exchange with Carmen had never happened. "Our car is waiting."

The town car merged onto the freeway and bypassed the crowded tourist high-rises of Waikiki entirely. It continued east, cruising past the dark volcanic shoulder of Diamond Head until the noise of the dense city started to thin out.

The resort he had chosen was hidden away in an exclusive residential enclave of private beach lagoons and gated estates. Jeanie stood by the open door that led to the private patio of their first floor oceanfront suite. Outside, palm trees swayed gently over the rolling water.

James joined her on the patio, stepping out with a cup of coffee in his hand. He stood beside her, scanning the water before looking at her directly.

"We have the whole day," James said, putting an arm around her to hold her hip. "Any idea what you'd like to spend it doing?"

Jeanie cocked her head back to look up at him, resting her hand on the railing. "I don't really know," she admitted softly. "I don't know what there is to do here."

James took a sip of his coffee, looking back out over the water. "We could take a boat out toward the reef if you want, or we can go into the city to look around." He paused, narrowing his eyes briefly before an amused smirk touched the corner of his mouth. "Or, you can do a dolphin encounter if you'd like to get in the water with them."

Jeanie's eyes widened, her hands letting go off the railing. "Dolphins? Real ones?"

"Yes, real ones," James chuckled at her sudden excitement. "From the sound of it, I'll assume that's what you want to do."

"Yes," she said, smiling and nodding emphatically. "I've only ever seen them on television."

"Go ahead and get changed, then," he said, his tone carrying that familiar authority that said he'd make it happen without question. "I'll have them set it up for as soon as possible, so you still have time for other things."

The experience that afternoon was unlike anything Jeanie could have imagined back on the farm. Within roughly an hour, she was standing in the waist-deep, sun-warmed water of the lagoon. It was crystalline and separated from the rougher currents of the open ocean, allowing for perfectly calm water.

When the trainer guided one of the sleek, gray creatures toward her, Jeanie couldn't help the squeal that came out of her. Even as she tensed up, wanting to pull away, she extended her hand, running her fingers along the dolphin's wet, incredibly soft skin. The animal clicked and whistled, nudging gently against her palm, and Jeanie's body relaxed as she looked up at James with an expression of pure, unfiltered amazement. He hadn't gotten into the water, but he stood close by, watching her with a quiet satisfaction.

Afterward, they walked the beach, taking in the views from little outcroppings that jutted into the water, and watching the waves break far out in the distance. On the resort grounds, they wandered past the deeper ponds where large green sea turtles swam under the footbridges. Everywhere she looked, the property felt pristine and deeply private, like a sanctuary designed specifically to keep the outside world at bay.

By the time they returned to the suite, the intense midday heat had begun to give way to a warm, gold-tinted late afternoon light. James poured a glass of chilled white wine for her and a scotch for himself, stepping back out onto the lanai where the afternoon breeze felt cool in the shade.

Jeanie joined him, leaning back against the railing as she looked up at James.

James took another sip and looked down at her. "Now that we've done all of that, what are you leaning toward for tonight?"

Jeanie remembered the way the city looked as they flew in and turned her head to look down the shoreline.

"I was thinking... dinner and dancing might be exciting," she said softly, her face conveying her uncertainty as she looked back to him. "If that's okay with you. I don't really know if dancing is something you do. But it always sounded fun, and Aubrey mentioned that there was a rooftop club here. I haven't been to anything like that before."

James listened, and by the time she was done, he was nodding his agreement.

"Dinner and dancing it is then," he said, setting his glass down on a small table on the patio. He stepped closer, crowding her space against the railing until he was close enough to step between her feet. He reached out, placing his hands on her hips. "I have a couple of ideas I think you'll like. If you want to shower and get ready, I'll arrange for a car for the night and take a shower myself."

Inside the bedroom, Jeanie undressed to shower, feeling like she definitely needed a shower after being in the lagoon with the dolphins, not to mention sweating in the afternoon sun along the beach. When she stepped out of the water, she went straight for the outfit Talia had picked out months ago. That first day she went shopping with her, and a club seemed like the most appropriate place to wear it.

She slid into the stretchy, black mini-dress first. The fabric was pulled tight, hugging her so that it accentuated her hips and the roundness of her butt just as Talia had promised. Next came the deep purple, long-sleeved sheer top. Jeanie pulled the translucent fabric over her head, adjusting the delicate black floral embroidery across her shoulders.

She stood in front of the vanity mirror to do her hair, but as she caught her reflection under the warm lights, she was quickly distracted.

The built-in bandeau meant to cover her breasts was pulled incredibly taut across her chest. It kept her modest in a technical sense, but the thin fabric was stretched so tight that the distinct, round shadows and outlines of her nipples were still mildly visible when the light hit her at just the right angle. Her heart gave a sudden, heavy thud against her ribs. She reached for her cosmetics bag, feeling the warmth wash across her cheeks when she realized she had completely forgotten to pack the adhesive covers Talia had mentioned. The stickies were still sitting in a drawer back home.

Jeanie stared at her reflection. Turning to see from different angles so she could determine just how bad it was, the cropped hem of the sheer top was pushed up by the curve of her hips, letting her bellybutton peek out between her top and skirt. A not entirely unpleasant ache built in her lower belly as she assessed herself. She considered her appearance, thinking back to what James had seemed to enjoy her wearing when they were on their honeymoon. She remembered what he'd said to her two days before in Lanai.

Taking a deep breath, she turned away from the mirror and added a pair of strappy, high heels that flexed her calves. Fully dressed, she brushed her hair out one last time so the loose waves fell over her shoulders and applied a final touch of mascara and lip gloss. When she looked at herself, she didn't see the timid farm girl, regardless of the voice that still spoke to her on occasion.

When she walked into the room James was sitting in, he was dressed in a white, button down shirt and light khaki slacks. He turned from the bar at the sound of her heels clicking when she walked toward him.

His eyes slowly raked over her, starting at her face. His gaze drifted down the sheer purple sleeves, lingering on the tight bandeau where the distinct shape of her nipples pressed visibly against the thin fabric. Eventually they slid down the short skirt to appreciate her legs, exposed from a little above mid-thigh.

Jeanie stopped a few feet away. She lifted her arms out to her sides for a second, offering him the full view, then let them fall back to her sides.

"What do you think?" she asked softly. "Am I dressed okay for tonight?"

James stood and took the few steps toward her. He brushed the back of his knuckles across the bare skin of her stomach just beneath where the hem of the sheer top insisted on settling, then placed his palm on the warm skin when he reached her side.

He looked at her for another moment, then nodded. It was barely enough for her to even catch.

"If this is what you want to wear," he said, slipping his thumb just underneath the bottom of her top along her ribs, "then it's fine with me."

Jeanie felt the warmth of his hand and smiled, nodding back at him. Then he leaned down and briefly kissed her before stepping away.

James reached for his phone on the counter. "Let's go. Our car should be here any moment."

Jeanie fell into lockstep with James on their way to the lobby, her hip bumping into his as he kept an arm around her. Every so many steps, she had to pull the dress down as her thighs pushed it higher, only stopping with in snagged on the curve of her butt. She looked up at James, grinning excitedly at the prospect of experience her first club tonight.

Their ride was an SUV, and she crossed her legs carefully as she climbed in. James rested his hand high on her thigh, emphasizing just how little of her legs the dress covered. In some ways, the buildings and palm trees felt familiar, reminding her of her new home with James, but everything else felt foreign and exhilarating as the scenery whipped past the windows. Jeanie watched the neighborhoods of Honolulu go by with a mix of nerves and excitement building in her stomach.

Arriving at the restaurant, it was set along a beachfront and was a mix of tables inside and a large patio that stopped just short of the sand. There were dim lights strung above the tables that overlooked the water where the sun was setting. When they were led to their table outside, Jeanie felt the familiar sensation of eyes on her, yet made it a point to walk beside James without tugging at her hem.

Once seated, James ordered for them both. The server brought out the first plates, and Jeanie looked down at the beautifully arranged dishes with genuine curiosity.

"Try the poke," James said, nodding toward the cubed raw tuna glistening with sesame oil, green onions, and chili. "I think you'll appreciate it."

Jeanie picked up her chopsticks, something she'd grown more comfortable with over the last few months, and took a small bite. The tuna melted on her tongue, tasting a pop of chili and sesame. She let out a brief hum of approval.

"It's really good," she said, straightening up and smiling a little as she took another bite. "I've never had anything like it."

James gave a nod of satisfaction and took a bite of his own. After a few minutes, he looked up at her.

"So, what do you think of Honolulu so far? Compared to Lanai."

Jeanie considered the question while picking up another piece of tuna. "It's... a lot different, like you said. The best way I can describe it is that it's a lot more alive." She glanced out toward the increasingly dark water and the distant lights of the city. "Lanai felt... I guess just private. I mean it was beautiful, don't get me wrong, but almost like it was a different world. Here it feels like there's more happening. And a lot more energy. I really like it." She smiled softly. "It makes me want to see more. Mm, and I think we have more beach in front of our room than I saw on that entire island did from what I could tell."

James watched her, smiling slightly at her enthusiasm. "Then I'm glad you're enjoying it. Sorry we won't have much time here, but I wasn't really planning for a vacation."

"It's okay," Jeanie said, even as her gaze flicked past him. "I really appreciate that you brought me at all."

At a table behind and slightly to the side of James, an Asian man was openly staring at her chest. The memory of what she had seen in the hotel mirror flashed through her mind, but she had assumed the lower lighting of the restaurant patio would've masked it. He leaned toward his friend across from him, whispering something without taking his eyes off her.

His buddy turned in his seat to get a better look. The moment his eyes landed on her, he realized Jeanie was looking straight back at him. She couldn't help the smirk that crossed her lips when she saw that he knew he'd been caught.

Even his friend openly laughed at him when the second man had flushed instantly and whipped back around, covering his face with one hand in embarrassment. The first man's gaze bounced between Jeanie's face and his friend, and he laughed even more under his breath, saying something in a language she didn't understand.

Jeanie felt a warm flush spread up from her neck, slightly concerned that her nipples might even be more visible because of her body's sudden reaction to what just happened. She shifted in her seat and slid her foot under the table until it brushed against James's calf. Slowly, she ran the side of her foot up along his leg.

James noticed the change in her energy and raised an eyebrow slightly. "Something interesting behind me?"

Jeanie took another bite of poke, grinning at James for a fleeting second. "Not anymore." Her foot caressed his leg for another pass before resting it on the floor. "At least, nothing new."

An amused snort escaped James.

"Finish your food," he said calmly, pointing at it with his chopsticks. The faint smirk on his face told her he wasn't displeased. "About tonight, I'm guessing I know which place your friend was talking about and it isn't too far away."

Jeanie smiled and took another bite, feeling the familiar sensation of people looking at her like this while James sat across from her. She asked James about how often he'd come to Hawaii, curious how he knew where the place. About all the things to do if there were time. All the while, her foot occasionally found its way back to his leg beneath the tablecloth.

When they finished the various courses, James paid and they stood to leave. Jeanie took one of his hands in both of hers, holding it as she walked in front of him. After a couple of glasses of wine through dinner, each step she took came with a little more force than they previously had before dinner. They sent little shockwaves through her body and caused her hips to swing more than they normally did.

In the car, James pulled her closer on the seat. She grabbed his arm and put it around her shoulders as she moved in.

"I take it you enjoyed dinner," he said.

"I did," Jeanie replied, resting her head on his shoulder. "The poke was better than I expected. It didn't taste like any tuna I've ever had before."

James snickered his approval, squeezing her shoulder. "Good. I'm glad you tried something new, even if you weren't sure about it."

The car weaved through town toward Waikiki and pulled up to a tall building. James guided her through the lobby to the elevators. When the doors opened onto the rooftop, the music washed over them. Jeanie's eyes grew wide seeing the glittering sprawl of the city and the ocean beyond.

After walking around to take in all of the different views, James led her to a high table near the railing. He looked her over again, and she could see the way he was taking in the sheer purple top clinging to her breasts and how the short black dress accentuated her hips.

"You look stunning," he said with a hint of hunger in his voice.

Jeanie felt a rush of pleasure at hearing those words. She stepped closer and moved between his legs. After taking his hands and placing them on her hips, where he seemed to like holding her when they were in public, she rested her own hands lightly on his chest. He held her there for a few minutes while they talked, but slowly drifted down over her butt to settle his palms on the backs of her thighs. He toyed with the bottom of her skirt with his thumbs.

They ordered drinks, and she swayed to the music between his legs, enjoying the energy as the place began to fill. When it was busy enough that James no longer wanted to wait for the waitress, he went to the bar himself, leaving Jeanie to wait at the table. The rooftop had filled with laughter, conversations, and a large crowd that had gathered on the dance floor.

When he returned, Jeanie took her drink and sipped, feeling the contrast of the cool liquid hitting her tongue and the mild burn that followed as it went down her throat. The energy of the place was infectious. She found herself dancing and bobbing to the music while seated at their table.

James watched her for a moment, then set his drink down and took her hand. "You look like you want to dance."

She managed to smile and nod in her excitement.

On the dance floor, she let herself get swept up in the crowd. The music moved through her. She pressed back against James, moving to the beat. She had only ever danced in her room before, but with everyone around her dancing, she just let her body move, doing what felt natural.

Jeanie could feel him hardening against her backside as they danced, but instead of shying away, she pushed into it, letting her body respond openly. Her nipples tightened against the sheer fabric, too wrapped up to consider them becoming more visible under the dancing lights. She focused on James, mostly oblivious to the attention from others, men and women both. But when she did notice, it only served to feed the thrum between her legs.

James moved with her. When someone accidentally bumped into her, the contact naturally increased her awareness of the other people around. She caught someone openly staring. A woman near the bar let her gaze linger. Two men at a table nearby didn't make any attempts to be subtle. Jeanie felt the tingles rise in her body, but she leaned in, rolling her hips a little slower with to the music. Moving a little more deliberately against James.

Later, when the dance floor had grown crowded and she needed to cool off, they retreated to their table. James leaned close to her ear, telling her, "I'll get us another round."

Jeanie nodded, fanning herself. The number of people had grown to the point that more were crowded around their table.

The minutes passed, with James at the overwhelmed bar. When he returned, he handed her a fresh drink.

"So how many times were you asked to dance while I was gone?" he joked.

Jeanie giggled and scrunched her nose. "Three."

James let out a laugh. That rare, understated sound she loved. "I was just joking, but that's it, huh?"

She shrugged, grinning, then chewed her lip before adding, "Yeah... but one was a girl, so does that count?"

James raised an eyebrow at her, then shook his head with his faint smile. He leaned in and kissed her. Jeanie parted her lips enough for just the tip of her tongue to play against his. He allowed it for a few seconds, then pulled away.

They stayed at the table for a little while longer, finishing their drinks. The style of music began to change as the night went on. Jeanie kept James close, enjoying the touch of him even if it was just the brush of his leg against hers. Eventually she stood and took his hand.

"Can we dance some more?"

After some time dancing, Jeanie turned so her back was sliding against his chest, feeling the pulsing beat of the bass vibrate through her body. She leaned into him, rolling her hips like she'd seen others do in shows and movies, then with more intention as the alcohol brought tingles to her lips. James's hands eventually landed on her waist. The sheer purple top clung to her damp skin as she moved, and the short black dress crept higher on her thighs as she continued to grind against him.

She turned her head to the side, brushing her cheek on his shoulder, and that's when she saw a woman a few feet away was dancing with a guy but clearly watching Jeanie. Jeanie could see her eyes trailing down her body, watching the way the dress rode up and the way her nipples pressed visibly against the sheer fabric. The woman didn't look away when their eyes met. Her response was an appreciative smirk while pressing against her own partner a little harder.

Jeanie's breath stuttered for a second. The warmth she'd already been feeling in her core flared up a little more. Instinctively, she pressed her ass back more firmly into James, tilting back and forth as she moved with the music. The friction of the tight fabric of her dress against his pants caused the tight material to inch higher, bringing the hem dangerously close to exposing the curve of her ass. She held the woman's gaze for another second before seeing her dance partner watching her too. When he saw her looking, though, he turned away, a quiet thrill that coursed through her.

The memory of Lanai flashed through her mind in that moment. The memory of James taking her in the bright floral dress. The way shame and desire had twisted together until she couldn't tell them apart when he'd exposed her in their room and made her tell him how she felt about others seeing her. Tonight was no different.

Seeing the woman reaching behind her toward the man's crotch, she turned against James to face him, pressing her chest flush against his so her tight nipples dragged against him through the thin fabric as her top bunched up even more under the friction. Her hand slid down between their bodies, palming the hard length of his cock through his slacks, slowly stroking him a couple of times as they continued to move to the beat.

James let her continue for a few seconds, then his hand came down in a sharp, firm swat that caught her right at the bottom edge of her dress. It struck the bare skin on the back of her thigh just below the hitched-up hem.

Jeanie jumped with a small yelp, snapping her head up to look at him. Her eyes were wide from the shock after being lost in her own world, but a fresh flush rushed across her cheeks from the public correction. She quickly tugged her dress back down with both hands, though her heart was hammering and the warmth between her legs had only grown.

James met her gaze, one eyebrow slightly arched as if asking what she thought she was doing. Although he didn't say anything, the look in his eyes made the tension deep inside her kick up another notch.

She bit her lip, breathing a little harder, then pressed closer to him again. This time she kept her hands on his chest, but her hips continued to move, sometimes against him, but with more deliberate care when they were. She'd occasionally glance over to see if the couple was still there. The thrill of being watched and the lingering sensation from James's hand left her feeling a confusing mix of shame and desire.

They danced for a few more songs, but eventually Jeanie started leaning on him more.

"My feet are starting to hurt," she admitted, stretching up to talk into his ear over the music. She gave a sheepish smile. "These heels were probably a bad idea for dancing for this long."

James hummed, sliding his hand down to rest on her butt. "Are you ready to go?"

Jeanie nodded, furrowing her brow and pursing her lips. "Yeah. I think so."

James nodded back. Jeanie stretched up again, giving him a quick peck in thanks for everything.

Several others joined them in the elevator, and when they stepped out the front of the building, the night felt significantly cooler without the crowd of people around. The others that had been on the elevator with them scattered in various directions, walking to their next destinations.

James checked his phone as they stepped onto the sidewalk. "Driver should be here in a few minutes," he said.

Jeanie stood beside him, feeling loose and warm from the dancing and drinks. The buzz of everything coursed through her. Several feet away, a beautiful woman in a short, slinky black dress leaned against the building, glanced up at them, and then went back to scrolling on her phone. She had long blonde hair and striking features that were highlighted by what Jeanie saw as perfect makeup. The confidence she stood there with this late at night on her own made Jeanie notice her immediately.

Jeanie tilted her head to the side, watching her for a second. "She looks like she's been waiting a while," she said quietly to James. Before he could respond, Jeanie raised her voice. "Excuse me! Do you need a ride somewhere? Our car should be here any minute. It's late out, so we could take you somewhere if you'd like."

James tried to cut in. "Jeanie-"

The woman looked up with what almost seemed like surprise to Jeanie, then smiled as she pushed off the wall and walked over. Up close she was even more striking, with full, velvety red lips and sultry, blue eyes that flicked appraisingly between them.

"That's really sweet of you," she said, offering Jeanie a polite smile. "I'd love that. My ride's running late and my feet could use a break." She gave Jeanie a slow once-over, her smile deepening. "You look incredible tonight, by the way. That outfit is doing amazing things for you."

Jeanie blushed but smiled back, flattered. "Thank you. It's been a fun night."

The woman stepped a little closer, glancing to James's blank face, and then back to Jeanie's more welcoming smile. "You two make a really nice couple. Though I have to say... judging by your glow and how damp your hair is, it looks like you must've been having a good time up there. Or maybe you two were hiding away by yourselves somewhere?" Her eyes flicked to James with a smirk for a second before returning to Jeanie who was blushing at the comment, clearly giving her more of her attention. "Never seen you around here. I'd remember a face like yours. Just in town on vacation?"

James's hand tightened slightly on Jeanie's waist, but Jeanie didn't catch the hint. She laughed softly. "Yeah, we're just here for the night, so he took me out dancing. I guess you must live here, huh? Were you just up there, too?"

The attractive young woman's smile turned playful. "Something like that. I've been working, trying to find a, um... Well, let's just say someone to dance with. The night's still young." She gave a wink and licked her lips, then shifted her weight, so her hip popped slightly as she stole a glance of Jeanie's figure. "How about you two? You looking for another dance partner for tonight?"

Jeanie blinked, tilting her head with genuine confusion. They had just left the club and the woman didn't seem like she was dressed for work. At least not any job she could think of. "Well, I hope work wasn't too bad, but we were just heading back to our hotel actually. It was really good meeting you, though." She smiled warmly, glancing over the woman. "You seem like you know the city pretty well. Do you work somewhere around here?"

The woman let out a soft, throaty laugh, clearly amused. She stepped a little closer, her eyes drifting over Jeanie's body again with open appreciation. "You're adorable. Yeah, I know my way around. And I'm very good at showing people a good time." Her gaze flicked to James once more, assessing him, before returning to Jeanie. "I don't get to entertain such pretty girls very often, though. Or even such attractive couples."

James's hand tightened slightly on Jeanie's waist once more. Jeanie only leaned into his side a little more, too caught up in her conversation.

"That's really sweet," she said earnestly. "We've had such a nice night already. It was actually the first time I've ever been someplace like this. It was... a lot of fun."

The woman's smile was playful and patient. "A beautiful girl like you? I bet it was." She tilted her head, letting her eyes linger on the way the sheer top clung to Jeanie's chest. "If you want to try anything else new tonight, I can be really good company."

Jeanie's cheeks warmed at the compliment, though she didn't fully understand the offer. She opened her mouth to respond when James finally spoke, calmly cutting her off.

"Thanks for the offer, but we're not interested," he said simply, giving the woman a polite nod. "Honey, our car should be pulling up any second."

Jeanie turned back to the blonde with a look of concern. "I'm sorry, I don't remember if you said. Did you need a ride somewhere?"

"She doesn't need a ride, Jeanie," James told her, before the woman could answer. "She's a prostitute. She's walking the area, looking for clients. That's what she meant by 'working' and 'finding someone to dance with.'" His tone lacked judgment, simply explaining the situation to Jeanie.

Jeanie's mouth fell open slightly, genuine shock crossing her face. She stared at him, processing, then turned to the other woman again. "Oh... I didn't- I had no idea."

The blonde smiled and shrugged, completely unbothered by his bluntness. "No worries, honey. Occupational hazard. You two have a good night."

Jeanie stood stunned, her mouth slightly agape as she tried to reconcile the woman standing in front of her with what James had just said. "I really didn't know," she repeated softly, almost apologetically. "You're so beautiful and so nice. I hope you... find someone good tonight."

The woman let out a warm, genuine laugh. "You're too sweet for your own good. Don't worry about me. I do just fine." She gave Jeanie one last appreciative once-over, then nodded politely to James. "You've got yourself a cute one there. Enjoy the rest of your night," she finished. Then, winking at James, she blew Jeanie a kiss before walking back over to where she had been leaning against the wall when they came outside.

James gently steered her toward the curb as the SUV pulled up. He opened the rear door and tried to guide her in, but she turned to talk to the woman once more. James slid into the back, pulling her in after him, effectively cutting Jeanie off before she could talk. Once she was seated, he reached over her and closed the door before settling in behind the driver.

Jeanie slid in close to him, reeling at her own surprise. She turned her head to look at James with a mixture of shock and curiosity.

"I didn't expect those types of women to look like her," she said quietly. "Or be that nice. I mean, she was talking to us like a normal person. And complimented my dress." Jeanie glanced down at herself, then back up at him.

"They're not all like that," he replied. "But they do tend to be a bit more upscale here."

She felt the warmth of his hand on her thigh as he glanced out the window. Jeanie scooted against him as close as she could, and leaned in to place a featherlight kiss on the side of his neck. Then another just below his jaw with just the slightest hint of suction, creating a soft kissing sound for a fraction of a second.

"She thought I was cute," she said with a grin, sliding her hand up his chest and flicking the buttons of his shirt. "And she said that my outfit was doing amazing things for me."

James chuckled and turned toward her. Jeanie took the opportunity to catch his lips with her own, kissing him.

The memory of everything on the dance floor surged through her. It was more than just the attention. It was the way she had felt James's body respond while it happened. She kissed him harder, pressing her body into his side. When her hand drifted lower, coming to rest on his leg, it brushed over the front of his slacks.

James's hand left her leg as he shifted slightly in his seat. Jeanie's breath caught when she suddenly felt the thick length of his hard-on fill her palm when he guided her hand to it. Breaking the kiss, she glanced nervously toward the back of the driver's head in the seat directly in front of them, then back at James. Her eyes were wide, but her fingers tentatively curled around him, taking the hint.

It wasn't long before she felt his hand on the back of her head. Glancing up from his lap, he looked her directly in the eyes as he nodded toward his groin.

"James..." she breathed, barely loud enough for him to hear only inches away. Her heart hammered. Being watched while dancing was one thing. But what he was signaling in the back of a car with someone driving felt far more exposed. In their time since being married, she had done that briefly for him before, but only a handful of times, and never like this.

James didn't say anything. He simply looked at her with his dark eyes, and the expectation in his gaze was enough to tell her everything.

Jeanie swallowed hard. Her cheeks burned as she silently slid down in the spacious seat, careful not to bump the driver's seat. She kept her body as low as she could, hiding below the view of the mirror as much as possible. The SUV's engine hummed steadily along with the tires on the road beneath them, but every small movement felt dangerously loud in the vehicle's cabin.

James cracked the window, allowing a little more noise in for cover.

"Do you need me to turn down the air some more, sir?" the driver asked, reaching for the controls.

"No thank you," James replied. "The temperature is fine. I simply wanted some fresh air."

Taking a deep breath as they spoke, she leaned in, planting a hesitant kiss to the head of his erection before parting her lips and taking him into her mouth. He was already rock hard and warm in her hand. The spongy crown filled her mouth. Jeanie's eyes had gone from looking up at him to fluttering closed as she began to move. Using slow, cautious strokes of her lips and tongue, she desperately tried to stay quiet. The wet sounds seemed impossibly loud to her own ears, even when muffled by the road and wind.

James's hand swept her hair out of her face and held it at the back of her head, resting there to give himself a better view. His thigh flexed under her palm where she braced herself on his leg. Jeanie worked him with care, sucking softly and swirling her tongue around the sensitive head, while being sure to not make any slurping noises. She kept her lips sealed tight, running her tongue along the underside of him as she chased her mouth with her hand. She used enough pressure that the skin moved under grip more than she slid over it. It didn't seem to matter, though. She could taste the faintly salty drops as they seeped onto her tongue from his slit. To her, it was all proof of how much he had wanted her since the night began.

She moved slightly faster, only as much as she felt the position and silence would allow. Bobbing her head in shallow movements, she tried to keep control of herself so she didn't get too carried away. Yet, she knew the clock was ticking because the resort wasn't very far. Every second felt like a blink. Her jaw was starting to ache, never having built up the stamina for this, but she didn't stop. She focused on trying to finish him before they arrived. She needed to. Why else would he have her be doing this now? It would be a first for her, having him finish in her mouth and tasting him like that.

James's breathing grew heavier. She cautiously slipped to the floor of the large vehicle and felt his fingers tighten in her hair. Then an involuntary grunt escaped him.

Jeanie's heart hammered in her chest, but she didn't stop.

From the front seat, she heard the driver's polite voice. "Everything alright back there, sir? Do you need anything?"

For his part, James's voice was impressively steady with only the faintest roughness to it. Nothing anyone who didn't know him would notice. "No, we're fine. Just noticed how close we are. That's all."

"Ah. Yes, sir," the driver replied. "We should be there in just a few minutes."

The casual exchange while she had James's cock moving in and out of her mouth sent a violent shudder through her entire body. Warmth flooded between her legs so intensely she had to press her thighs together to quell the throbbing. The risk of what she was doing, while they carried out a seemingly normal conversation above her, with her face in her husband's lap as she serviced him, pushed her to a new height. Her own arousal was seeping through her panties and onto the calf of the leg folded beneath her.

James's hand urged her head into a constant rhythm. She redoubled her efforts, sucking as hard as she felt she safely could without making any noises, and took him just short of the point where he would make her gag. Her eyes watered with the effort to remain quiet when the tip occasionally nudged the back of her throat.

When he came, it was sudden and powerful. She didn't know what to expect the sensation to be in her mouth. It came in thick, hot pulses that rapidly flooded her mouth, splattering against the roof and coating her tongue. Jeanie's eyes widened as she tried to swallow, but there was too much. She coughed sharply around him, a muffled, wet sound that she tried to cover as best she could. Her eyes watered as she looked up at James, still sucking and swallowing as fast as her throat would allow. The rest spilled over her fingers where she gripped the base.

James glanced up toward the driver for the briefest moment when she'd coughed.

Jeanie pulled off just enough to gasp against his thigh. "I had more to drink tonight than I realized..." she croaked through a cough. "I'm fine."

James unwrapped her hair from his fist, ensuring it fell down her back. Glancing out the window, he quickly tucked himself away and helped her back up onto the seat just as the SUV circled to the main resort entrance.

He stepped out as fast as the driver, blocking him from coming around the door. Handing the driver a tip, James thanked him and asked a few questions, giving Jeanie a chance to compose herself. Jeanie looked around, then grabbed a few tissues from a package she saw on the center console. She wiped her hands and the corners of her mouth as best she could in a rush. Feeling as cleaned up as she reasonably could, she adjusted her skirt to tug it down her thighs when she stepped out.

James glanced over at her and offered his hand with a knowing smirk. Jeanie took it, interlacing her fingers with his as they started walking toward the entrance of the resort. Her legs were still a little unsteady, even though her heart was finally starting to slow down.

Registering the lasting taste of him on her tongue, she glanced back over her shoulder when they were halfway across the walkway, and dabbed at the corner of her mouth again. The driver was just getting back into the SUV, closing his door. The reality of what she had just done with him so close hit her all at once.

James gave her hand a gentle tug. "Jeanie."

She did a quick double-take between James and the driver, expecting some sort of reaction from him, then snapped her head forward again and forcing herself to walk normally. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire as she glanced up at him. James was looking straight ahead, but she could feel the amusement radiating off him in the way he held her hand.

Jeanie's mind was spinning. I just did that.

The driver had been closer than she ever would've imagined she'd allow. Not across the room. Not even on the other side of the car. But directly in front of her, separated by little more than the seat itself. She had taken James into her mouth, sucked him, and for the first time, swallowed as much as she could, all while in the car with someone.

The risk and sheer daring of it rocked her core. It was no wonder her legs felt shaky. The sense of everything left her feeling dizzy. At the same time, a strange sense of pride flickered through the shock. She had pushed past the initial hesitation. And even more excitingly for her, she had finished him before they reached the hotel.

Finished him... the taste... it hadn't been horrible like the girls back home used to whisper about while making gagging noises. She had never been a part of those conversations, so she didn't really know what to expect. Now that she did, it wasn't sweet or anything, but it wasn't repulsive either.

Maybe it was their boyfriends' diets, she thought innocently. James always seemed to eat well. He was healthy and clean. That must be why it wasn't so bad.

The realization made her want to hide her face against his arm, but she didn't. She simply squeezed his hand a little tighter, keeping pace with him as they walked through the hotel lobby.

James glanced down at her. "You alright?"

Jeanie nodded quickly, barely glancing up. "Mm-hm."

"You sure?" he asked, but the smile in his voice was obvious.

Jeanie felt the blood rush to her face, unable to keep her own smile at bay. "Yup... More than alright."

The private jet cruised through the sky, leaving Hawaii behind them. The sun dropped lower on the horizon behind them. Jeanie sat curled up in the plush leather seat beside the window, watching the endless stretch of ocean and broken clouds far below.

After a long stretch while James flipped through things on his tablet, she turned her head toward him. He was sitting in the seat across from her, and she saw his eyes flicking between the tablet and out the window.

"James?" she asked softly.

He looked over at her, giving her his attention.

"Did you, uh..." She paused, pursing her mouth, like she was trying to decide exactly what her question was. "Did you always know what kind of wife you wanted before you met me?"

James took a moment, studying her as she squirmed slightly in her seat. His fingers tapped once against the armrest before he finally spoke.

"I knew what I didn't want."

Jeanie tilted her head slightly and shook it, almost imperceptibly. "What do you mean?"

He readjusted in his seat, turning more toward her. "The easiest way to put it is that I didn't want someone who already had their mind made up about everything. I also didn't want someone who'd fight me on every little thing or try to change who I am." He said it so matter-of-factly. "I wanted someone who was capable of growing with me."

Jeanie listened to what he was saying, then looked back out the window. She was quiet for a few seconds before asking, "Is that why you chose me? Because I don't really have much experience with things, so I wasn't like that?"

James met her eyes when she turned back to him.

"Because you were open," he restated it. "You listened. And more importantly, you tried something when I'd suggest them."

Jeanie felt a little warmth in her cheeks and looked down at her lap. She pulled her legs under her a little tighter, resting a hand on top of them.

"And now?" she asked quietly, looking up at him with her head still dropped. "Now that we've been married for a little bit, is that what you still want?"

"Of course."

She licked and pulled in her top lip, chewing on it as her brow became slightly furrowed.

"But... I feel like I've changed a lot already," she said, glancing up at him again. "You don't think I'm too different from when you first took me out?"

James looked at her thoughtfully, and his expression softened ever so slightly.

"No," he said simply. "You're not too different. I'd be disappointed if you hadn't changed."

Jeanie's eyes lifted to meet his.

He leaned back in his seat more comfortably. "People are supposed to change, Jeanie. There's no growth if you don't. And you were so sheltered, and you've been exposed to more new things in the last several months than most people experience in years. New places. New people. New expectations. Why would I expect you to be exactly the same?"

She chewed her lip some more, glancing out the window as more clouds turned to orange.

"I guess I just..." She looked down at her hands. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm becoming somebody completely different."

James shook his head. "No. You're still you, but I don't think you ever knew who you really were. You don't have the same limitations that had been put on you as you did back home, is all. The interesting thing about you was that, those limitations never felt like they defined you. They didn't seem to skew your view of the world. They simply held you back from having a view of your own. To your credit, I never saw you as carrying baggage from it."

That answer drew her eyes back to him.

"The things I like about you aren't new, Jeanie," he continued. "You were curious when I met you. You were thoughtful. You cared what people thought of you - probably more than you should have. And you wanted to do well at things, even when you weren't sure how to do something at all." A sheepish smile crept into the corners of his lips. "You just have more confidence now."

Jeanie felt the familiar warmth spread through her chest. "So you're not worried about me changing too much?"

"If I thought that was possible, I wouldn't have married you." James looked at her as though the question itself was strange.

"I guess, but you can't know everything," Jeanie said, smiling into her lap.

"No, but I can have a pretty good idea," he replied.

"And if you're wrong?"

"Then I'll deal with it." He shrugged as he answered, as if the challenge didn't faze him.

Jeanie's lips parted slightly, preparing to speak, then gave a shy chuckle as her cheeks turned red, darting her eyes to the sunset. Taking a moment, she finally turned her head and looked at him more directly.

She rolled both of her lips in between her teeth and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before opening them again, then asked softly, "And what about last night? At the club... I, um- I didn't mean to get that carried away. And I swear, when I packed that top, I thought it covered me better than it did."

James raised his eyebrows, questioningly. "Did you hear me complain about any of it?"

Jeanie shook her head. "No... but... you did give me a smack almost on my butt at one point."

He shrugged a shoulder dismissively. "That wasn't about what you were wearing. Or even what people could see." He leaned his head to the side, looking at her appreciatively. "It was about where your focus was. But for the record... I enjoyed seeing that much of you, and how comfortable you were with it."

Jeanie's smile widened even more as the color in her cheeks spread, suddenly feeling a little bashful. She glanced out the window again. The clouds were turning soft shades of golds and reddish-orange, with deeper purples ahead of them as the sun sank lower behind them. She readjusted in her seat, then looked over her shoulder toward the direction of the cockpit. After a quick check, she turned back to James with a big, playful grin.

In a quick jerking motion, she yanked her shirt up, flashing him her bare breasts.

James's eyes dropped immediately. He smiled, taking in the sight of her firm breasts capped by the slightly darker nipples.

Jeanie held the pose for a few seconds, feeling her cheeks light on fire, but clearly enjoying his reaction. Having given him plenty of time, she pulled the top back down and laughed softly when his eyes came back up to hers.

For a moment they just looked at each other. Jeanie felt the butterflies in her stomach and the familiar tension building deep inside from the look in his eyes.

"Let me see them again," he told her with an air of lightness she rarely heard from him.

Jeanie grinned and shook her head hard enough to make her hair dance. "Uh-uh."

James lifted a single eyebrow. "No? Why not?"

She motioned with her eyes and a tilt of her head toward the front of the cabin, where the attendant had previously come from. "What if she comes back here?"

James gave a small, reassuring shake of his head. "She won't come back here."

"How do you know?" Jeanie asked quietly as her hands drifted back to the bottom of her shirt again.

He gave a dismissive look with a shrug. "You didn't notice before that they didn't come unless someone pushed the button?"

"No. I just thought it was time for them to come check on us," she confessed.

James shook his head. "No. We're alone back here."

Jeanie held his gaze for another second while her tongue wet her lips. A second later, a smile crossed them that didn't have the same playfulness she had earlier. The blush that had barely started to subside suddenly began creeping back up her neck.

"...'K." She whispered, the single syllable carrying the weight of so much more.

This time was a much more provocative reveal. She slowly lifted the bottom of her shirt, pulling it higher, watching his face as she did. She didn't stop until she held it just beneath her collarbone, fully baring her breasts to him in the dim light of the plane and the fading sunlight from outside. Her nipples were growing harder as she sat exposed, visibly aroused by the game she was playing.

James simply looked, taking in the sight and letting the moment drag out as she sat under his gaze.

"They are beautiful," he complimented her.

Jeanie's breath caught. The praise, simple as it was, brought a warmth rushing through her, causing her thighs to clamp together. She was ready to stay there, letting him look as long as he wanted, while her nipples tightened to hard nubs that caused them to ache.

"Come here," he murmured.

Jeanie managed to suppress the moan that almost slipped out, and unfolded her legs from the seat. Keeping her shirt up, she stood and moved to him. He pulled her down sideways across his lap so her back rested against the wall of the plane and her legs draped over his thighs. The position left her half-reclined and open. James pushed her shirt up from where it had started to drop as she got settled, bunching it over the top of her breasts.

Jeanie clamped it with her arms to hold it in place, allowing his hand to cup the breast furthest from him, running his thumb over the soft skin until he found the taut edge of her areola. Jeanie shivered, no longer able to keep the noises in.

He took his time stroking and teasing her, rolling her nipples between his fingers until he made her squirm in his lap. Jeanie's head pressed back against the wall as he leaned down and took the closer nipple into his mouth, sucking it between his teeth. Her back arched, pushing her chest toward him in offering.

The hand left her breast to slide up her thigh, pushing the flowing skirt higher until he had raised it near her hips. His fingers found her mound, stroking her slowly through her panties before pulling the gusset aside. Jeanie gasped, parting her legs wider to give him access as one of his fingers slipped between her lips.

"James..." she whispered, trembling in response to his touch.

The plane hit a gentle pocket of turbulence, a soft bump that made her arms reach out. They clutched the seat behind James's head and the wood trim ledge that ran along the wall between the seats.

Jeanie whimpered at the unpredictable element she couldn't control.

The bump had also caused James to release her nipple and sit up a little straighter. Gathering her growing wetness on his finger, he slowly ran it back and forth between flushed labia, dipping his fingertip into her entrance to spread what he found up to her clit. Stroking that sensitive pearl of pink with his index finger, he used his thumb and ring finger to separate her puffy lips and expose her.

Parting them, he looked down at her sex. It was completely open to him, revealing how flushed and glistening she was in the dimmed light of the cabin. The sight made him smile. Jeanie's thin inner lips were slick, coated in her lubricant, and her clit peeked out from its hood under his finger. The clenches of her opening seeking more were visible as her entrance narrowed and relaxed.

"Fuck, Jeanie," he murmured. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of looking at you."

Her hips twitched helplessly when a throb surged between her legs from hearing him say that while staring where he was. The movement caused his fingers to lose their fragile grip on the slippery skin, and his ring finger ended up at the welcoming hole. The contact drew a soft, broken moan from her throat, and she looked down to see what little she could from her angle.

James took advantage of the placement of his finger, leaving his forefinger on her clit while sliding the other finger inside her. Pulling it out, he moved it aside and inserted his middle finger in its place. With both coated in her fluids, he slid the two digits inside her the next time he plunged in. Applying pressure to the front wall, his thumb moved to continue what his other finger had been doing to her clit.

Jeanie's head fell back against the curved wall of the cabin again, gripping the trim ledge for balance. The combination of his fingers stretching her and the unpredictable little bumps from the turbulence made everything feel unexpected and more intense. Each small jolt of the plane pushed his fingers into different spots, sending shivers racing up her spine.

James looked over and watched her face intently, drinking in every reaction that came in the form of a gasp or twitch of her mouth. He spread his fingers with just enough force to spread her further, then pressed back in deep and held them inside her for several seconds. His free hand held her in place on his lap, his arm reaching from underneath so his fingers brushed the side of her far breast. At the same time, he used the two fingers, slowly thrusting between her legs.

"I can feel you starting to drip off my knuckles," he said quietly, with just the slightest edge to his voice. "Does doing this thirty thousand feet up turn you on?"

Jeanie turned her head to look out the window and nodded frantically, biting her lip to keep from crying out as he wiggled his fingers inside her. "Yes... God, yes. It feels so... so wrong."

He chuckled and lifted with his arm, curling her slightly toward him so he could lean in and suck the further nipple into his mouth. His fingers between her legs kept their devastatingly slow pace. Even the engine noise didn't fully hide the sound they were making as her juices seeped over them. Jeanie's thighs trembled, rolling her hips in a desperate attempt for him to get deeper.

"You're going to ruin my pants at this rate," he said breathily.

Jeanie moaned and looked into James's eyes, seeing the hint of a smile in them. Supported by James's arm under her, she let go of the ledge trim, and reached down where his hand was. Her fingers brushed over her sensitive skin, finding his fingers where they penetrated her. The amount of her wetness that coated them was obscene.

She gasped softly as she felt how slick his fingers were, how easily they slid between her own to push inside of her soaked entrance with slow thrusts. Her brain reeled when more seeped out the next time she clenched at him. Moving her hand along the bottom of his, it coated his knuckles, down toward his wrist.

She pulled her hand back slowly. Thick, clear strands of her arousal now stretched between her fingers. Jeanie stared at the glistening mess as she spread them before noticing James looking between her face and her hand. She hesitated, then tentatively lifted her hand closer to James, shyly offering it as if testing whether this was too much.

James didn't react immediately. It only took a second before she lost her nerve, starting to lower her hand with a flush of embarrassment.

"Wait," he said quietly. "Give it here."

Jeanie froze, then lifted her hand back up the inch it had dropped. James leaned in, locking his eyes on hers, and took two of her messy fingers into his mouth. His tongue moved around them, then pressed between. He slowly cleaned her arousal off her with sensual laps.

Jeanie's eyes fluttered closed and a strangled moan slipped from her throat. The dual sensations were overwhelming. His fingers thrust deep inside her pussy, pushing up into sensitive that sensitive rougher spot just inside, and now his warm, wet mouth was also sucking gently on her fingers. Her inner walls quivered around his probing digits, fluttering in waves as she felt the clenching expel more of her fluids to coat him. The contrast between the way he'd stretch his fingers inside her and the intimate way he tasted her on his tongue made her tremble in his lap.

Jeanie was breathing hard between parted lips. She looked almost dazed as she stared at him. He sucked a little harder, swirled his tongue one last time to get the last traces of her, then slowly released her. His eyes never left her face.

"You taste good," he said quietly. He twisted his fingers deep inside her, then curved them to drag along her inner walls while withdrawing them. It left her feeling empty and aching, but watched as he brought his fingers to her mouth this time. Her lips were still slightly separated, and he traced her lower lip.

"Open."

Jeanie didn't hesitate to part them further and took his fingers into her mouth. The taste brought the only memory she had of tasting herself, sitting on her bed back home. She sucked gently and her eyes fluttered again, looking at him half-lidded. Her tongue swirled just as his had done to her.

James watched her with satisfaction. When he finally pulled his fingers from her mouth, he replaced them with his lips, kissing her deeply.

"You're going to cum for me before we land," he whispered, pulling back. "But it's not going to be on my hand."

Jeanie nodded breathlessly, her chest heaving as she reached between them. She shifted in his lap to make room so her fingers could fumble with the button and zipper from the awkward angle. But she was determined. James lifted his hips and adjusted his slacks to help her free his erection. It took effort to work the thick, hard length through the fly of his pants.

Once it was exposed to the open air, she wrapped her hand around him fully, stroking it. Peering along her side, the sight of his flushed and rigid member protruding from the soft fabric of his open slacks made her mouth water. The memory of its taste caused her pussy to clench at the emptiness.

James sank down in the seat a little, adjusting their positions. She planted one foot on the floor and the heel of the other on the edge of the seat beside his thigh. Lifting to make room for his hand, she felt it reach between them, moving under her ass. The hand supporting her back moved to her hip, while the other guided his cock so the thick head nudged against her soaked entrance. She arched, bracing the weight of her upper body on her hands and improving the angle as he rubbed it slowly up and down her slit, coating himself in her gushing fluids.

Jeanie repositioned both hands on the narrow ledge that ran along the curved wall of the cabin. Her fingers found purchase, and she began to sink down onto him. The feeling of him stretching her was exquisite as she lowered herself down his length. A shaky moan slipped from her as she took him inch after inch, until her butt was seated against his thighs.

She started to ride him, half-reclined and sideways in his lap, using the ledge for leverage. Her hips began to find their rhythm, rising and falling as she tilted her hips, playing with the angle. One of her hands accidentally flipped open a small hinged cover on the ledge. She barely registered it beyond holding onto it tightly, using the newly found grip to support herself as she took him as deep as she could from this angle.

The position of her arched back left her chest thrust upwards. Breasts proudly exposed to him as she rode the length of his shaft. Jeanie closed her eyes, focusing on the sensations, and letting her head tilt backward to rest against the curved wall as she lost herself in the feelings of him deep inside her.

Minutes passed like that. A languid pace that had Jeanie so lost in it, slack-jawed and breathing through slightly parted lips, that she didn't hear the cabin door open.

The attendant had stepped in quietly, carrying a small tray of water and snacks. She barely made it five feet into the cabin before she froze.

The way she jumped grabbed James's attention out of the corner of his eye. They flicked up and met the woman's shocked gaze over the seat in front of them. The attendant's mouth fell open for a split second, and then she quickly averted her eyes, turned on her heel, and retreated behind the sliding door without a word.

Jeanie remained oblivious to everything except the way her body felt, as her closed eyes while riding him. James waited until the door had been shut for several seconds before speaking, keeping his voice calm and low.

"I think it's only right to tell you that the attendant just saw us."

Jeanie's eyes snapped open. Her hips fell into his lap and stopped. "What?"

"The attendant," he murmured, buried in her as deep as possible with her full weight pressing down on him. "She came in a moment ago and saw you like this."

Jeanie's head snapped toward the front of the cabin, shock written across her face. Her walls clenched hard around him when her stomach dropped, and she turned to look at James. "You said... you said they wouldn't come back unless we called them."

James gave an indifferent shrug and glanced down at her hand. "You must have hit the call button at some point."

Jeanie's head whipped around to follow his gaze. Twisting her torso, her butt lifted a little so she could turn enough to look down at where her hand was holding onto the open cover on the ledge. With a startled sound, she yanked her hand away, pushed the lid closed, and pressed down on it so it didn't open again.

For a few seconds she was frozen, processing what she'd accidentally done as her cheeks burned with embarrassment. James started moving again, lifting her a little more with the hand under her hips. They were shallow thrusts that she barely registered. The gentle rock of the plane and the steady push of his cock inside her gradually pulled her focus back, unable to ignore the feeling of his large erection moving inside her.

She was still tense, but James didn't rush her. He kept the pace unhurried, rolling his hips in strokes that dragged against her sensitive insides while his arm helped to lift and lower her an inch. His other hand slid up her stomach, cupping her breast where he found and circled her nipple before taking it between his thumb and finger.

Jeanie shivered. The embarrassment sat with her, but it was slowly easing, twisting and mixing with the deep, aching pleasure of the flare of his crown pressing against her as he moved. Her walls fluttered around his length when another small pocket of turbulence jostled them.

She let out a shaky breath and began to move with him. Her movements were tentative at first, nothing more than a small roll of her hips, then another as she made eye contact with him. James hummed his approval, caressing from one breast to the other, lightly stroking the sensitive skin.

"That's it," he muttered appreciatively. "Just let go."

Jeanie's eyes fluttered, partially closing again. She relaxed into the sensations, leaning back into the curved wall like she had been. Mindful of her hands now, she started to push against the ledge again. Her hips deliberately started meeting his thrusts, gradually increasing the pace. The wet, intimate sounds of their bodies joining ramped up to the levels they had been before the interruption, but she made no attempt to silence them.

Her breathing quickened. She looked down her body, wishing her position allowed her to see the thick length of his cock disappearing inside her. The mental image, combined with the nagging knowledge that the attendant had seen her bare-chested and lost in pleasure, sent a wave of confusion through her.

Jeanie's movements grew more frantic. She tilted her hips each time she sat flush in his lap, stirring him against her insides to hit new spots. A needy moan slipped out.

Only then, when she was fully lost in riding him with a steady smack of her ass against his pelvis, did she speak. It came out breathy, trembling with arousal and the lingering shock.

"How much- do you think- she saw?"

James's hand tightened at her hip, pulling her down harder onto his cock while the other took hold of a nipple. He watched her body. Her face.

"Not much," he said, and there was a growing tension in his voice. "She didn't make it that far in before she realized. She saw your face... probably your breasts at the most. But she turned around pretty quickly."

Jeanie whimpered at the thought of it, her pussy clenching hard around him. For some reason, the confession only made her move faster, dropping down onto him with less control as the embarrassment and thrill twisted together inside her.

James groaned, thrusting up to meet her. "You like that she saw you, don't you?"

Jeanie shook her head slightly, not wanting to think in that moment. "I don't... I don't know." She looked at him as he rose to meet her ass several times, but her eyes were far away. "Do I?"

James's hand moved from her breast to the curve where her ribs dipped to her stomach, then settled over her abs as they flexed from the effort of rolling her hips.

"Only you can answer that. What'd you feel when I told you she saw?"

Jeanie shook her head some more, constantly moving her hips. "I was... I was embarrassed," she admitted breathlessly. "When you told me... I felt so embarrassed."

James's hand trailed further down her stomach, moving to her clit. "Do you still feel embarrassed?"

"Yes," she whispered and her eyes fluttered. But even as she said it, her walls rippled around him again. She licked her lips, knitting her brow slightly as her eyes drifted closed for a moment. "But..."

He kept meeting her hips, using his hand to work her clit in a matching rhythm and watching her face. "But what?"

Jeanie's breath hitched. She opened her eyes again, heavy-lidded and dark with lust. "I don't know," she breathed.

"Yes you do."

Jeanie tried to focus, but her body was making it difficult. The feeling of James was making it difficult. "Maybe... excitement?"

James smiled slightly at her admission. "Why?"

She looked at him, feeling her cheeks flush, but her pace had increased. Jeanie took him as deep as the position allowed, wishing it was more. "I guess... I'm wond- wondering how we looked to her. What I looked like sitting on you like this with my shirt pushed up, and my breasts bouncing while you-" She swallowed hard, the choice of the word that was coming to mind was rare on her tongue, but feeling exactly right in the moment. "While you fuck me."

The word seemed to flip a switch in both of them. James's grip tightened and he drove up into her harder, making the slap against her ass even louder. Jeanie openly moaned as the force shook her breasts with every thrust. She planted a hand higher up the wall to brace herself.

It was as if her confession enticed James to drive into her with relentless strokes that made her whole body jolt. The plane's random turbulence only added to the chaos, each small bump reminding her of where they were as he took her. Jeanie's head pressed against the wall, unable to stop the cries spilling out of her, slack-jawed. The pleasure wound tighter in her core.

When her orgasm hit, it surged through her violently. Her head turned to the side, and she cried out as her thighs shook. Trying to support her weight while her pussy spasmed hard around his cock. Her hand groped at the wall, looking for leverage to push down against him. To grind down on him through the onslaught of sensations.

James followed right behind her. With a strained groan, he gripped her hip in one hand and pushed down on her clit as if attempting to press her into his lap with the other. His own orgasm shot through his cock, flooding her depths with each pulse sending more of his thick, hot seed splashing against her cervix. Jeanie kept grinding against him, welcoming everything he had to give, her body trembling with aftershocks. She opened her eyes. When she glanced toward the window, the sunset was gone. Jeanie turned back to look at James.

Once their bodies finally started to relax, her arms wrapped around her husband's neck, leaning in to kiss him. The kiss was as languid as how the sex had started. It was as languid as how they had started, unhurried as their tongues gently sought the other out. She was grateful when James held her close, stroking up and down her bare back with one hand while the other rested possessively on her hip. He was content to keep her seated on his softening cock.

When they broke their kiss, Jeanie rested her forehead in the crook of his neck. The cabin seemed unusually quiet after the sounds they had been making, apart from the steady drone of the engines.

She let out a soft, almost disbelieving laugh against his neck.

"Oh my god, did I really just say that?" she whispered.

"You did," he murmured.

"Does that..." she began, but trailed off, not sure what she was asking. "Should I be-"

James cut her off, readjusting his hold on her. "I wouldn't give any of it too much thought right now. Whatever you're asking yourself, you wouldn't be the first. And ultimately, it doesn't mean anything."