The morning sun bathed the yacht in gold as it sliced through the turquoise waves. Chloe stretched out on a lounge chair, catching some sun in her modest bathing suit. Not wanting to show too much skin around Zach, the guy Maya had been seeing for about 6 months now. She'd met him plenty of times but hadn't had much time around him other than in passing when she and Maya were meeting up.
Chloe initially hesitated to join Maya on this trip - a spur-of-the-moment invitation that promised sun, sea, and a break from the writer's block that had plagued her the last month or so. She was on deadline with her publisher, but Maya had convinced her a week at sea could help spark some creativity again.
"Come on, Chloe!" Maya called from the railing, slipping off her bikini top with casual confidence. "You've got the whole ocean out here, and you're hiding under that cover-up like we're at a church picnic."
Chloe laughed nervously. "I'm fine, really. This is plenty of sun for me."
Maya strutted over, hands on her hips, her bare skin glowing in the sunlight.
"Nope. I refuse to let you sit there like a shy little wallflower. We're miles from anyone. Trust me, no one's judging." She tugged at Chloe's cover-up playfully, her grin infectious. "Live a little."
"Fine, fine!" Chloe relented, peeling the cover-up over her head and hesitantly untying her bikini top. Her cheeks burned as she lay back, exposing herself to the open air.
The breeze was cool against her skin, the sunlight warm, and the freedom... intoxicating. Maya cheered in victory and plopped down beside her, passing over a drink as they basked in the glow of the morning.
As the hours passed, the ladies had settled into an easy rhythm of laughter, Maya summoning Zach to reapply sunscreen to every inch of her bare skin, Chloe insisting she could reapply her own, and sharing stories that ranged from ridiculous to deeply personal. As the trio spent the better part of the afternoon together, Chloe thought to herself that Zach was different than she expected.
Maya's previous boyfriends, or really flings, were more aloof and just lacking. Zach was the complete opposite. He had this magnetic personality and a natural charisma, and his grin was simply infectious paired with his pale, enthralling eyes.
The trio had spent much of the afternoon together, laughing as Zach helped Maya up from a particularly ungraceful fall into the water after an embarrassingly botched dive attempt. Chloe couldn't help but notice the ease with which they touched each other. A subtle graze here, a lingering brush there. And how Maya leaned into him like she trusted him completely. Chloe thought to herself on multiple occasions how she wished she had someone she felt that way with.
But then. There were times when Zach would disappear throughout the day. Each time, he'd retreat to the wheelhouse, closing the door behind him to take calls over the radio. Maya would tease him about his "workaholic tendencies" even on vacation, but Chloe could swear that each time he would return, there was a certain tightness in his jaw, a seriousness in his eyes that he would quickly mask. She just chalked it up to him dealing with unexpected issues with work.
As the hours passed and it was nearing dinner, the sun hung low on the horizon, painting the sky with streaks of orange and pink. It seriously looked like something painted by Monet, Chloe thought to herself.
She had already gone and changed into a flowery, light sundress. The feel of the fabric against her sun-kissed skin felt electric as she continued to bathe in the endless sexual energy between Maya and Zach. All day her companions radiated sex and an absolute carefree allure, with Zach's commanding presence amplified by the isolation of the ocean.
But tonight, there was something different about Maya. She was being even more flirtatious than usual, her eyes always lingering on him, her touches lingered just a little longer, a little more suggestive. Every time she passed by him, she'd trail her fingers across his back or lean in to whisper something in his ear, her lips brushing against his skin.
Even as Zach grilled steaks no more than 10 feet away, Chloe's gaze would always find him any time Maya would casually stroll by and run a seductive finger along his shoulder or give his sculpted ass a playful pat. Each time would just add more and more electricity throughout her body. Each time, even when she tried to force her gaze away from them and failed, she could feel a rush of warmth and slickness between her legs.
It was an unusual situation for her. Here, she was borderline lusting over her best friend's boyfriend--not really him specifically, but the way every single moment would play out. She would sometimes lose herself to random thoughts of her being with someone who was so ridiculously hot and passionate for her the way they were with each other. Her mind was wandering to those places, which was what was really turning her dry bush into an Amazonian rainforest.
As they sat down to eat, the conversation was light, punctuated by laughter and easy banter. At one point, Maya reached across the table, playfully stealing a bite of steak from Zach's plate, her fingers lingering on his lips as she fed him the piece. Zach chuckled, his blue eyes darkening with a flicker of something Chloe couldn't quite place--something intimate, something raw.
Chloe felt a strange, electric tingle pass through her. She wasn't sure if it was the wine or the way the evening air seemed to carry a certain charge, but her body was reacting in ways that surprised her. Her skin was warm, her breath just a little quicker, and there was a slow, steady ache building low in her abdomen.
As Maya leaned in to kiss Zach's neck, Chloe averted her eyes, feeling a rush of heat rise to her cheeks. She knew Maya and Zach had a playful, passionate relationship, but being in such close quarters with them, watching their intimacy unfold in real-time, was doing something to her. She could feel the pulse of her own desire stirring in a way it hadn't in a long time. It was unexpected, and Chloe wasn't sure how to process it. She could feel the faint throb between her legs, the way her body seemed to hum with energy as if attuned to the chemistry between her friends.
After dinner, Maya poured each of them another glass of wine, but Chloe only took a few sips before setting hers aside. The air was getting cooler, and though the night was still beautiful, she felt a little overwhelmed by the intensity of the day--the sun, the wine, the closeness of it all.
"I think I'm going to call it a night," Chloe said, trying to keep her voice casual. She could feel the tension in her body, a knot of nerves, and something else she couldn't quite name. She needed a little space, a little time to herself.
Maya looked up, her expression softening. "You sure? It's early still. We could watch the stars."
Chloe smiled, but it felt forced. "I'm good, really. I'm just a little tired. I might get some writing done."
Zach gave her a slight nod, his eyes lingering on her a beat too long, and Chloe felt another jolt of heat in her stomach. She needed to get out of there before the atmosphere swallowed her whole.
"Okay," Maya said, shrugging. "We'll see you in the morning, then."
Chloe offered them both a quick smile before retreating to her cabin, her heart pounding in her chest as she closed the door behind her. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the rush of emotions swirling inside her, but it wasn't working. The heat, the energy, the pulse of desire--it was all still there, just beneath the surface, simmering.
She changed into a loose, comfortable tank top and shorts, then opened her laptop at the small desk by the porthole. She stared at the blank screen for what felt like ages, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. But the words wouldn't come. Her mind was too packed--too full of the way Zach's hands had moved over Maya's skin, the way Maya's lips had brushed against his neck, the way Chloe had felt a pull toward something she couldn't quite define.
After nearly an hour of frustrated typing and deleting, Chloe gave up with a sigh. Maybe some fresh air would help clear her head. She could take a walk on the deck, look at the stars, and try to shake off whatever strange tension had settled into her body.
Quietly, she slipped out of her cabin, making her way barefoot along the deck. The night was turning slightly chilly, the air heavy with the scent of saltwater, and the stars overhead twinkled against the vast, inky sky. It should have been calming, peaceful even. But as Chloe rounded the corner of the boat, her breath caught in her throat.
That was when she heard them.
Low murmurs and the soft rustle of movement drew her toward the bow of the boat. Chloe froze as she rounded the corner. There, against the railing, was Maya--her body pressed flush against Zach's as he gripped her hips. His broad shoulders obscured her view of Maya's face, but the low, breathy moans drifting through the air left no doubt as to what was happening.
Chloe's heart thundered as she watched. Zach's hands moved with possessive precision, his fingers digging into Maya's skin as he thrust into her from behind. Maya's hands gripped the railing, her blonde hair cascading like a golden waterfall in the dim light. The sight was raw and primal, and Chloe couldn't look away.
She pressed herself against the wall, her breath catching in her throat. A part of her screamed to leave, to give them privacy. But another part--a darker, hungrier part--kept her rooted to the spot. Her pulse hammered as she watched the intimate rhythm of their bodies, the soft, wet sounds blending with the whisper of the ocean. The tension between them wasn't just sexual; it was something sharper, something dangerous.
And then, just as Zach's movements stilled and his head dipped close to Maya's ear, Chloe heard the words that turned her blood to ice.
"The cartel needed me to tie up loose ends," he whispered, his voice low and almost tender. "And you bringing your friend created a huge one."
Before Maya could respond, he grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her over the railing. Chloe's scream tore from her throat as Maya's body plunged into the dark water below. The splash echoed in the stillness, and for a moment, silence reigned.