Page 24 of Pursuing Desire

He opens it and pulls out a card. He reads it quietly to himself, then says, “We’ve won ten thousand dollars, two nights in a suite at a five-star resort in Destin, and a romantic dinner for two at an exclusive restaurant.”

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh. This is so exciting. Thank you,” she says to Anne-Marie.

Anne-Marie turns to the camera. “I’m so excited for Dax and Jess. What an adorable and thoroughly wet couple. Now, Jess, Dax, I have something else for you.” She hands Jess a pair of dice. “I would like for you to roll these dice. At the very end of the game, we’ll explain what they mean. Just know that the higher the roll, the better for you.”

Jess and I look at each other. “Go ahead, Jess,” I say encouragingly.

She turns to the table next to her and drops the dice. Two sixes.

Anne-Marie claps gleefully for the camera. “This is one lucky couple. Not only did they earn the top prize for the first challenge, but they also rolled a twelve. Amazing work, you two. Now, I see another couple is coming up the ladder, so we’ll say goodbye to you for now.”

We wait for the second couple to get onto the boat before heading back down into the water. We swim over to our boat and climb back in. We are both exhausted from the adrenaline and the swim.

Now that we have a brief moment alone with no cameras and the race on pause, I feel like we can try to relax a bit.

“We did it, Jess. We got first place.”

Jess is pacing in her excitement. “It’s unbelievable. I hoped, but I didn’t think we’d be first.”

“What do you think about the dice?” I ask her.

Confusion mars her brow. “No idea. It can only mean good things, though. I’m not worried. It’s likely more money at the end of the competition.”

“Well, it’s not as though we can control what we roll. So, I guess it doesn’t matter,” I say.

Jess pushes her dripping hair out of her face and flops onto the seat behind her. “True.”

“How about we head to the hotel? I could use a nice, hot shower. How about you?”

She purposely wrings out her sopping-wet shirt. “I kinda feel like we just had a shower. But yes, let’s go. I’m dying to see this hotel.”

I try to keep my eyes on her face and not her semi-transparent wet t-shirt. “I like that plan,” I agree.

Within seconds, we are headed back to shore. Once we drop off the boat, we hop back in the car and are on our way to the hotel.

And I’m fighting a hard-on the entire damn way. She’s just sitting next to me, all innocent, while her nipples poke at the fabric of her shirt.

“Can you believe we won first place? I’m still in disbelief,” Jess says.

The car slows down as we come to a traffic light. “I’m not surprised. I don’t think we could’ve gone any quicker. We only made necessary stops. Though, second place was only a few minutes behind us, so we have some serious competition.”

“You’re not worried about having a little competition, are you?” she asks.

“Hell no. I thrive on it.”

She laughs. “I thought so. You seem the type.”

“And what type is that?”

She gives me a little side-eye. “You know what I mean. You’re used to always being in control, being on top.”

I flash a little half smile in her direction. “There are times when I don’t mind being on the bottom. I actually like it. A lot.”

She rolls her eyes at me. “Do you have to make everything into a sexual comment?”

“Not everything. But, admittedly, it’s kinda hard to focus when you’re sitting next to me in a tight wet t-shirt.”

She gasps and looks down. I see her neck turning an adorable shade of pink and just when I’m certain she’s going to cross her arms over her chest, she twists her body in my direction.