Author’s Notes: This is the first installment in the Sofia and Alex series. Enjoy!
A special thanks to DyannBridges for her editing, patience and above all, words of encouragement!
Prologue – Resentment
“Dammit Alex, you always do this,” Sofia exclaimed. “We made plans with them weeks ago. It’s Sarah’s birthday and they’re expecting us!”
“I know, but I can’t help it, babe. I have a work thing on Saturday. I have to meet with an important client,” Alex countered.
“That’s bullshit, you’re going golfing. Again!”
“Baby, it’s an important client and there really is nothing…”
Sofia cut him off mid sentence, “Forget it, Alex. I’m sick of hearing excuses. It would be really nice if you could put me first for once, instead of your stupid clients!” She stormed out of their bedroom and slammed the door behind her.
Alex was full of excuses! If she made dinner plans, he would cancel at the last minute because he was working late. If she wanted to go on a vacation, it was the busy season at work and he couldn’t get away. But the excuse he used that infuriated her more than any was when he had a ‘golf meeting’ with an important client. That seemed to take precedence over everything! She knew he loved the stupid game and would use any excuse to justify getting a round in, whenever he could.
Even though she was frustrated by Alex’s inattention to their marriage, Sofia still felt as strongly towards him today, as she did when they first fell in love. They met while she was studying to be a physiotherapist and he, a committed, but not so boring accountant at the University of British Columbia. They were a perfect match. Attractive, active and fully dedicated to their future careers. Their romance was a whirlwind. Within a year of graduating, they married in Sofia’s hometown of Kelowna.
Now, after almost seven years of marriage, and still in their early thirties, they were in the middle of a rough patch. Sofia worked part time at a local sports physiology clinic, but that was really to maintain her independence. She certainly didn’t need to work given how much money Alex earned.
Alex however, was consumed with work! There was no question his dedication and perseverance had paid off. He had already made partner and would likely end up running the company one day. The problem with that commitment to his work, was it prevented him from spending more time with his wife. There was always some pressing issue or client meeting that took precedence over her plans.
Long gone were the days of going out for dinner, attending a play or even watching a game together. Hell, he didn’t even have time to go golfing with her. Not that she really enjoyed the game, but she was happy to play, if it meant she could spend time with her husband.
She was happy for their mutual accomplishments, but couldn’t help but wonder at what cost had the success come. Alex’s time away left her feeling lonely and wondering what to do with her days. To make matters worse, their sex life was almost nonexistent. She couldn’t recall the last time they had made love. Any pleasure she got these days seemed to be alone with the help of her vibrator!
Sofia knew that a drastic change needed to happen or their marriage wouldn’t survive much longer. Desperate, she was determined to come up with a way to bring some much-needed love back into their lives.
Chapter 1 – Ultimatum
The following Monday, Sofia decided it was time to do something about her problem. As soon as Alex left for work, she picked up the phone to call her dearest friend and confidante, Arwa.
Arwa was a mother figure to Sofia. Two years ago, Sofia’s mother was killed by a drunk driver. At a time when she felt her life was being ripped apart and shredded, Arwa was a rock. Alex, bless his heart, tried to be there for her, but he didn’t truly understand her pain. Arwa was the one who held her while she cried, or listened when she needed to rail against the world.
Born in Morocco, Arwa emigrated to Canada with her family when she was eleven. She grew up and went to school in British Columbia. Although Arwa was a kind soul, nurturing and compassionate, there was no mistake that she was also the matriarch of the family. Her husband Sayed made few decisions without first running it by Arwa for her input.
Sayed was a few years older than his wife. Born in Egypt and schooled in the UK, he met Arwa when she was visiting relatives in London. One of her cousins was a schoolmate of Sayed’s and the two met by chance at a local pub. He was enchanted by the beautiful young woman. He loved how she would grab a small lock of hair to wrap around a finger, as she listened intently to his stories.
At the end of the evening, Sayed decided he couldn’t just let her walk out of his life with just a small hope he might see her again some day. He mustered up all his courage and asked if she would meet him early the next morning for a coffee before she returned to Canada. Arwa smiled and placed her soft hand on his and explained that she already had breakfast plans with her Aunt and Uncle. She did ask that he write her and she would look forward to hearing from him when she returned home.
Sayed was head over heels in love and knew that Arwa was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. So, at first he did write to her. In fact, he wrote to her often. Ultimately, though he knew that may never lead to marriage and so instead he made the bold move of relocating to Canada. After a year and a half of courting, Arwa finally accepted his proposal and agreed to marry her persistent suitor.
Now happily married for over thirty years, the Youssef’s still owned the accounting firm they had started together. With Sayed’s drive and Arwa’s family contacts, it was now a successful multi-million-dollar business. The couple were well-established and extremely influential within their community and they owned a fabulous home in the upscale Shaughnessy neighborhood of Vancouver.
Arwa and Sayed’s greatest sorrow was they were never able to have children. In the seven years that Alex had worked for them, the Youssef’s had become very close to the young couple and now thought of them like their own children.
“Morning Arwa, it’s Sofia.”
“Sofia! Good morning, love. You’re not working today?”
“No, not until Wednesday. I called to ask for your help, Arwa. It’s about Alex.”
“Alex? What’s wrong with Alex, is he okay?”
“Yes, he’s fine, Arwa. It’s just that… Well, we’re having some problems in our marriage. I need some advice. And maybe your help.” Just hearing the genuine concern in Arwa’s voice had caused Sofia to choke up a little.
“Of course, my dear! You know Sayed and I will always do whatever we can for both of you.”
Sofia continued explaining, “Alex never puts time aside for us, Arwa. When he’s not working, he’s golfing, or worse he’s out golfing with clients. When we do have plans, he constantly breaks them for some work-related thing. There’s always something that comes up, or some excuse and he never has time for me. We hardly do anything together, any more.”
“Ah, I see. It was the same when Sayed and I were young. He was so busy trying to get the company off the ground that he never had time for the two of us. Believe me, I wanted to kick him out on his behind on more than one occasion! It sounds like you are having the same problem. Have you thought about what you are going to do? Do you need my help with something?”
“I just wish we could take a vacation. It may not solve all our problems, but I hoped if we could get away from here and spend a week or two with just each other, we could reconnect. But every time I mention it, Alex says he can’t and that he is too busy with work.”
“Well, that can be easily taken care of. I can phone that husband of mine and tell him to make sure Alex gets the time off! And I do agree with you. Some time away from here, for just the two of you will do wonders for your relationship! Have you thought about where you want to go?”
“No. Honestly, at this point, I didn’t think he would take the time off, so I haven’t even looked into it.”
“You know you are always welcome to use our home in the Bahamas. I’ve told you both before that it’s empty most of the time and you should go stay there!”
“The Bahamas? That would be incredible, Arwa. Can we really do this? How can I ever thank you?”
“Never mind saying thanks — you know how much we love you and if we can help in any way, it’s our pleasure. Now, I am going to call Sayed to make sure Alex’s schedule is clear. You start looking at flights and don’t worry about anything else. Leave the rest of the planning to me!”
When Arwa got off the phone with Sofia, she immediately called her husband.
“Arwa! How is your day going, my love?” In the middle of reviewing an account, Sayed lifted his thick, black-rimmed glasses as he addressed his wife, with his typical effusive greeting.
“Never mind how my day is going! Why are you overworking young Alex?”
“I don’t understand, my dear. Alex is like my son. I would never…”
Arwa did not allow him to finish, “He and Sofia need a holiday. You have been working him too hard and it is causing problems for him and Sofia. I want you to clear time in his schedule and then they are going to go stay at our home in the Bahamas.”
Knowing this was not an argument he was going to win, he replied in his soft, gentle voice, “Of course, my dear. I will look at his schedule right away and make sure he has a full week clear next month!”
“Two weeks, Sayed! Not one week, two weeks!”
“Yes, yes. Two weeks, my dear, that’s what I meant.” Now in a hurry to hang up, the portly man said “Goodbye, my love,” before disconnecting.
“Al’ama,” cursed Sayed, under his breath. What had that donkey done to get him in so much trouble with his wife!
Alex was home earlier than usual that day. Sofia was preparing dinner when he walked through the door. Instead of his usual pleasant greeting he scowled at Sofia as he kicked off his shoes and dropped his briefcase by the door.
“Hi darling,” Sofia purposely ignored his foul mood, as she greeted him. “You’re home early. How was your day?”
Alex furrowed his eyebrows, glared at his wife and said, “Seriously? How did my day go? You know, how my fucking day went! I can’t believe you called Sayed!”
Sofia brushed aside his irritation. Alex was mild-mannered most of the time, and rarely showed emotion. Sofia figured he would eventually calm down if she didn’t feed into his anger.
“Sayed? Hmmm, I did speak to Arwa this morning, so she must have called Sayed, afterwards. We had a wonderful conversation. She offered us the use of their home in the Bahamas. Isn’t that great, darling?”
“Oh, I’m so glad the two of you had such a wonderful talk about me. So now you know what’s best for my workload, do you? I’m quite capable of managing my own affairs, Sofia. I don’t need you going around my back to my boss to force me to take time off!”
Sofia ignored his comments as she started putting the salad together for dinner. She instead continued to tell him of her call with Arwa.
“Arwa told me all about their villa in the Bahamas, Alex. It sounds incredible, darling. Oh, and it looks like there is a two-week period in the beginning of March when we can go. I already looked at flights and they’re very reasonable at that time of year.”
“Well, don’t get too far ahead of yourself. I’ve still got to clear my schedule and something big could still come up.”
Sofia could see that his displeasure was already fading. His ears and neck were losing the telltale redness that typically accompanied his anger. His posture was less aggressive and he looked resigned to the fact that he had no choice but to go on vacation with his wife.
“Of course things could change, darling. But I’m sure Sayed will help make sure nothing interferes with our plans. Why don’t you get changed? Dinner’s almost ready.”
That night, for the first time in a very long time, Sofia could feel her husband’s gaze upon her as they readied for bed. When she had stripped down to just her silk underpants, Alex spoke, “You look beautiful, babe. I think I may just be married to the most beautiful woman in the world.”
Sofia looked at Alex and could see his boxers had started to tent. “Oh, I think you’re pretty handsome too, my love.”
She slipped off her panties and walked towards him, a look of longing and desire coming over her. She felt a wetness between her legs that had been absent for far too long.
Sofia wrapped her arms around him to pull him closer. She kissed him and moaned “Mmmm… it’s been too long. Make love to me, Alex.”
Their love-making was torrid. Alex’s thrusts were matched by Sofia with an urgency that neither had experienced in a long time. Very quickly, Alex’s climax neared. Sofia’s own breathing got heavier and her moans kept tempo with each of his thrusts. They were both almost there and when her orgasm came it was followed immediately by her husband’s.
Alex kissed Sofia once more before rolling over.
“I love you, darling,” said Sofia. Alex, already half asleep, murmured “I love you…”
Chapter 2 – Tranquility
The trip from Vancouver to Great Exuma is long. With no direct flights, it takes eighteen hours to reach the tiny airport in George Town. Fortunately, the drive from the airport to Grand Isle Resort is just a fifteen-minute journey. The brief ride accentuated the small island’s beauty. The road to the resort took them alongside the ocean and the views were breathtaking. They could see the sparkling blue water on their right, and the island’s lush fauna on their left.
They arrived on a Sunday morning, and when their taxi pulled up to the resort, the doorman was already waiting and immediately opened the taxi’s door and welcomed them. A bellhop took their luggage from the trunk and Alex informed him which residence to drop their bags in. The doorman then directed them to the reception desk where he said they would help the couple get settled in.
“Wow, this place is incredible, babe,” said Alex, when they entered the Yousef’s luxurious 2-bedroom suite.
They saw their luggage had already been deposited in the living room. The bellhop said “The owners made arrangements to have the fridge and cupboards stocked with provisions. If there’s anything else you need, they will be happy to help you at reception. And of course, the concierge can assist if you would like to book any of the resort’s amenities.”
“Great, thank you” Alex replied and started to look around the home. Sofia caught his attention and nodded toward the bellhop.
“Oh right,” Alex replied and pulled out his wallet. He pulled out a five-dollar bill and this time Sofia slowly nodded no. Alex added another five and handed it to the bellhop, and added “Uhm, thanks again,” and showed him out the door.
Alex walked around the large living room and gazed out the expansive windows looking out on the vibrant, blue ocean. The view was breathtaking. The sun was shining brightly and he could feel its warmth penetrating the glass. He shook his head and said “I can’t believe that Sayed and Arwa own this place!”
“I know darling, and it’s all ours for the next two weeks!” Sofia replied, excitedly. “Do you want to hit the beach club? Arwa says there’s an infinity pool that looks out over the ocean!”
They rummaged through their luggage and quickly changed into their swimsuits before heading out, in search of the resort’s pool. After getting turned around a few times, they finally found the beach club. Snuggled up next to the beach, there were two pools surrounded by a magnificent coral-stone patio, and plenty of cabanas and daybeds. Sofia found them a couple of unoccupied chaise lounges next to the pool.
Alex watched his wife remove her coverup and spread out her towel. He thought about how incredibly beautiful she really was. Sofia was tall and graceful with a lean, athletic build. Her flowing chestnut brown hair always got just the right amount of curls in the heat and her icy blue eyes sparkled. Not surprisingly, she looked absolutely stunning in her bikini.
Removing his polo shirt, Alex took stock of his own appearance. Although he was reasonably fit, lately he had been too busy to exercise. His belly had begun to spread just a little above his swim trunks. He could stand to lose a few pounds and he should probably eat healthier.
Alex swept his hand through his thick brown hair, a habit he developed once he let the top grow long last summer. Well, he thought, he could always try to get a few more rounds of golf in. Maybe the added walking would help him shed the extra weight he had gained.
Occasionally, Sofia would get up from her lounge and take a quick dip to cool off in the pool. When she returned to her lounge, she attracted a lot of attention from the many husbands and boyfriends at the pool.
Sofia was pleased. This was exactly what she hoped the trip would be. The resort was magnificent. They had ordered cocktails and Alex seemed happy as he sipped his beer. She was content to relax and enjoy the warmth of the sun on her flawless skin.
Alex, on the other hand, was getting fidgety. “Babe,” he said, “they have some cabanas over there. I’m going to check at the front desk to see how we can reserve one. I’ll be back soon.”
“Ok, darling. Try not to be gone too long, I like having you here with me. Oh, if you see the attendant can you ask him to bring me another spritzer?”
“Will do. See you soon.”
Alex headed off, not exactly sure of the way to the lobby. Noticing the attendant, he stopped to give him Sofia’s request for a spritzer and asked for directions back to the lobby. Continuing on, Alex found the lobby, spied the concierge and waited as he finished up with an elderly couple.
When the other guests left, the concierge nodded to Alex and smiled. “Good afternoon, sir. How might I help you today?”
“Hi, I’m Alex,” he replied. “My wife and I are staying in the Youssef residence.”
“Ah yes, Mr. Sayed. He and his wife are such wonderful guests. I am Cyrus, the resort’s concierge. What can I do for you, sir?”
“Well Cyrus, I wanted to inquire about booking a cabana. Are you the right person to speak to?” Alex asked.
“Of course, that’s why I’m here, sir” Cyrus replied. “Would you like to book one for tomorrow? I’m afraid they are all taken for today.”
Alex thought, “Hmmm, let me ask you something, Cyrus. Can you make arrangements for me to get in some rounds of golf, next door? Maybe find me a group looking for a fourth? Morning would be best.”
“Leave it to me, sir. It shouldn’t be a problem. What day did you wish to play?”
“See if you can find me a game for Monday and Tuesday. That will give me time to figure out when I can get away to play later in the week.” He reached into his wallet and pulled out a tip that he was sure Sofia would have been impressed by. He passed it to Cyrus and thanked him for his help.
As he turned to walk away, Cyrus spoke up “Mr. Alex, the cabana?”
“Oh right. Uhmm, just reserve one for the whole two weeks. Thanks, Cyrus!”
When Alex returned to his wife, he was very pleased with the plans he’d made. Sofia was still lying in the sun on her lounger. Alex noticed that her spritzer glass was still full and wondered if she had ordered another while he was gone. If so, it would be her fourth.
As he settled into his own lounge, Alex said to his wife “Good news babe, I booked us a cabana. We’ve got it for the entire two weeks!”
“Two weeks? Won’t that be expensive, darling? And what if we go into town or to the beach? We won’t be using it, but we’ll still have to pay for it.”
Alex hadn’t even considered the cost. He was too busy thinking about being able to get in a few rounds of golf.
“Uhmm, well I thought if we just reserved it for the entire stay, it would be easier than trying to juggle bookings around the days we might want it.”
“That’s very considerate of you, darling. Thank you.”
Alex had the attendant bring him another beer and started to read a novel he had bought at the airport to read on the plane. Normally, he only read business journals or perused the news, so he was surprised he had found the book so interesting. He was now anxious to see how it would end.
“Darling?” Sofia startled Alex. He had apparently nodded off while reading. So much for wanting to see how it ended, he thought!
“Yes babe?”
“Can you put some sunscreen on my back, love?”
Alex stood and accepted the tube from her outstretched hand. Looking down, he saw Sofia had removed her bikini top. She was lying on her stomach, and although breasts could not be seen, he was still surprised by his normally reserved wife’s boldness. As he went about slowly applying the lotion generously to her back, Alex found himself getting aroused by the feel of her smooth skin.
Working his way farther down her back, he was now applying sunscreen just along the edge of her bikini bottoms. Feeling adventurous, Alex took a quick look around and when he confirmed no one was paying attention to them, he slipped his hand under her bikini and playfully squeezed her firm cheek.
“Alex!” Sofia squealed and slapped at his hand. “People are watching!” She laughed as she said it, and it was clear she enjoyed his naughty gesture.
Alex laughed and returned to his own lounge to continue reading his book.
Half an hour later, Sofia did something that shocked Alex. Obviously wanting to ensure her front also got some sun, she flipped over onto her back and in doing so, exposed her breasts for all to see. Sofia’s spontaneous display of public nudity was totally unexpected. Alex continued to be pleasantly surprised by his wife’s coquettish behaviour.
When she reached for her tube of sunscreen and began applying it all over her body, Alex couldn’t help but stare. He watched intently as Sofia applied the lotion into her skin and when slowly began rubbing it onto her firm, pink-tipped breasts, he felt his cock lurch in his pants!
As the sun began to drop, Sofia replaced her top. The young couple decided to head back to their suite, so they would have plenty of time to shower and get ready for dinner at Palapa Grill, the resort’s restaurant.
The restaurant was open air and they were shown to a table with a beautiful view overlooking the Emerald Bay. Once seated, they ordered cocktails to start with and Sofia decided on the Sesame Seared Tuna, while Alex selected the Miso Snapper. They decided to share a bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 2018 with their entrées.
During dinner Sofia thought about all the attention she received that day at the pool. She was very aware that her near-nudity had elicited the stares of several strangers and she found it quite thrilling. Even now, just thinking about it, was getting her aroused and she flirted with her husband throughout the evening. She was looking forward to being back in the room with Alex and getting him into their bed.
They stayed in the restaurant, nursing their drinks while watching the breathtaking sunset. When they arrived back at their suite, Sofia kissed her husband passionately. She said, “I’m going to get ready for bed, darling. I’ll be out in a few minutes.” Sofia brushed her teeth, put on her new, cotton-satin romper that she had bought just for the trip and then dabbed a bit of perfume behind her ears.
When Sofia entered the bedroom, she had every intention of making passionate love to her husband. Instead, she was disheartened to find Alex already fast asleep on his side of the bed. Sofia didn’t know whether to cry or scream with frustration!
While Sofia was still sleeping, Alex ate a light breakfast in their suite’s kitchen. The Yousef’s had made sure the kitchen was fully stocked. They even had his favourite cereal and the lactose-free milk he preferred. After breakfast, he cleaned up his dishes and headed down to the lobby, in search of Cyrus.
As he approached the concierge’s station, a voice rang out, “Mr. Alex, over here.”
Alex turned to see Cyrus approaching from the reception desk, behind him. He replied. “Good morning Cyrus. I was wondering how you made out with finding me a game of golf to play today?”
Cyrus looked at him with concern and replied, “I instructed the front desk to notify you yesterday. They said they left a message on the machine. Did you not get it?” His dark eyes darted towards the front desk and he glared angrily at the staff. Apparently, he thought they had not passed the message along.
“Oh, uhmm… I’m sorry, I guess I forgot to check the machine last night.”
Cyrus seemed relieved to hear that the resort staff had not forgotten to pass his message on. “Do not worry, Mr. Alex. It happens.” Cyrus pulled up his sleeve to glance at his watch. “I did get you into a game today, but you are scheduled to tee off in 35 minutes.”
“35 minutes? Ok, I can make it. I need to hurry back to the suite to get my clubs, though. Oh, and I’ll need to tell Sofia. Thanks, and sorry for the confusion Cyrus!”
“You’re very welcome, Mr. Alex. By the way, you are golfing with Mr. Bancroft and his colleagues today, sir.”
“Oh right, good to know. Thanks again, Cyrus.”
As Alex dashed off, he thought to himself that Cyrus must think he’s some kind of idiot, forgetting things all the time!
When he got back to the room, Sofia was up and having her breakfast. Alex was disappointed – he was hoping she was still sleeping so he could just leave her a note and sneak out.
“Uhm, hey babe, you’re up early. What are your plans for the day?” Alex asked.
“Hmm, I’m still a little tired from all that travel yesterday.” Sofia answered, after she finished a mouthful of her yogurt and berries. “I thought it would be nice to spend the morning at the pool and maybe after lunch we could check out the beach.”
“About that. I, uh… well, I was invited to join a group of guys to play golf this morning. In fact, we’re teeing off in 30 minutes, so I really need to grab my clubs and run. But I’ll be back to meet you for lunch, babe. I promise.”
Sofia lowered her spoon from her mouth and stared at her husband in disbelief. “You’re going golfing? Seriously, we haven’t even been here a full day and you’re ditching me so you can play golf with some strangers?”
“It’s not like that, babe. I was in the lobby, talking to a guy and it just kind of came up. And we’re here for two weeks. We have lots of time to do things together. Tomorrow, babe, we can do whatever you want, tomorrow.”
Looking at his watch, Alex cursed, “Shit. I really gotta go.”
As he grabbed his bags, Alex looked at his angry wife. “I’ll make it up to you, babe. I promise.”
Sofia left the rest of her breakfast uneaten and entered the bedroom to get ready for the day. Rummaging through the suits she had brought with her, she selected the sexiest one she owned. A white two-piece, it was a little snug up top, but that wouldn’t matter as she planned on ditching the top when she got to the pool. She threw on her cover-up, grabbed her novel and left.
Arriving at the pool, Sofia wasn’t sure how the cabana reservations worked, so she approached one of the attendants to inquire.
“Good morning,” she said. “My husband reserved one of the cabanas, but I’m not sure which one I should use. Can you help me?”
“Of course, ma’am,” the handsome young Bahamian answered. “What is your name?”
“I’m Sofia. But it will be under my husband’s name, Canet. Alex Canet.”
“I will check right away, ma’am.”
When he returned, he walked Sofia to a cabana overlooking the pool and the vast bay beyond. It was beautiful. Before leaving, the attendant asked her, “Can I get you something, ma’am. Perhaps a mimosa? It’s very refreshing on a wonderful day such as this.”
Sofia’s immediate thought was it’s much too early to start drinking and was about to answer no. But then she thought about Alex ditching her, and instead answered, “Why not? Yes please, I will have a mimosa! What did you say your name was?”
“I’m Samuel, ma’am. I will get your order right away.”
“Thank you, Samuel.”
As she covered her lounge with a towel, Sofia quickly looked around before discreetly removing her bikini top. She then quickly lay down on her stomach to hide her breasts from view.
Sofia turned onto her back about thirty minutes later to tan her front. Now her bare breasts were on display for all to see. Within moments of her flipping over, Samuel came by to see if she needed another drink. She wondered if he was on his regular rounds or if he purposely came over to sneak a peek. His gaze certainly seemed fixed on her naked breasts. She stayed uncovered, enjoying his gaze, as she asked him to bring her another mimosa.
Samuel regularly attended to Sofia, particularly when she was tanning her front and he could see her breasts. On one trip Sofia began a conversation with him. She found out he was 19 and was working at the resort to earn extra money for college. Standing well over 1.9 metres, Samuel was rail thin, although he did seem to be more muscular than just skinny. He had a beautiful smile, and despite having to deal with the public all day, he was actually somewhat shy.
Sofia found herself drawn to Samuel and as they chatted, her mind began to wander. She wondered if was a good lover, or even if he might still be a virgin. With naughty thoughts running through her head, Sofia had absentmindedly switched from applying sunscreen to her breasts to the act of teasing her nipples.
When she realized what she was doing, she stopped and quickly looked about to see if anyone had noticed. Fortunately, the cabana provided protection from prying eyes. Except for Samuel.
As Sofia looked at the young Bahamian, she knew right away he had been watching her every move. His eyes were still fixated on her breasts and his mouth hung partly open. But more telling was the bulge in Samuel’s pants. He was wearing crisp linen slacks and along the thigh of his left leg, she could see the outline of his very long penis.
Straining in the tight confines, the dark hue of his shaft was clearly visible under the thin white fabric. Either he wasn’t wearing underwear, or his penis had slipped out of it, and snaked its way down his leg. Sofia could see it stretched halfway down his thigh. She had never imagined that a penis could be so big! She was transfixed by the sight before her and it was making her very hot.
Sofia verified no one was watching and then she traced her fingers back to her breasts once more. She began to rub and pull her nipples and when she imagined Samuel biting them, she twisted them to the point it made her squirm! She brought her hand up her mouth and when she returned to her nipples to began teasing them with her wet fingers, she saw Samuel’s shaft lurch wildly in his pants.
Samuel was coming! Oh my god, thought Sofia. She had made the young man come just by playing with her breasts! Every few seconds, his penis jumped as it released more of his hot seed and the wet stain on his trousers continued to spread.
Looking at his face, she could see Samuel was panicked and very embarrassed. He had began to look over his shoulder, expecting to be caught. He tried to cover himself by holding the service tray flat in front of his pants. He then looked like he was about to bolt.
Not wanting him to get in trouble, Sofia quickly took charge.
“”Samuel!” Sofia said with authority and the young man looked down with terror at the hotel guest he had just come in front of.
“Samuel, I need you to listen to me, okay? You’re not in trouble, but you need to let me help you. Now come into the cabana so you can sit beside me on the chaise.”
Samuel did as he was told, and was soon sitting on the far end of the chaise, farthest away from the cabana opening and the other guests.
“Are you wearing underwear, Samuel?”
“Of course, ma’am.”
“You need to reorganize yourself. Tuck your, uhm penis back into your underwear.”
Samuel stuck his hand down the front of his pants and fumbled so he tried to do as he was told. Unfortunately, his penis was still semi-erect and he was having no luck straightening himself out.
Again, Sofia took charge. “Undo your pants Samuel, there’s not enough room when they’re still fastened.”
Once his pants were unfastened, Sofia wasted no time reaching her hand in and grabbing his large penis. As she worked to shift it from where it was lying on his thigh, to a more presentable position in his underwear, she couldn’t believe how magnificent his cock felt. It was heavy and every bit as large as she had imagined. He had shaved the entire pubic area and he felt wonderfully smooth and hot.
When she had him presentable, she removed her hand from his pants and her fingers were now sticky with his seed. The incident was making her very horny and she wanted nothing more than to pull his penis out of his pants so she could see it and taste it. She was wet just thinking about it.
Realizing how precarious their situation still was, common sense took over and she told Samuel to refasten his pants and stand. When he did, she saw that they had indeed solved the problem of his massive shaft being visible down his pant leg, however there was still the problem of his stained pant leg.
Knowing they couldn’t possibly dry his pants, Sofia instead grabbed her mimosa and poured the remainder over the stain. It completely soaked his thigh with the orange drink and obscured any appearance of his recent orgasm.
“When you go back Samuel, tell your bosses that a guest accidentally spilled her drink on you. Nobody will suspect anything different has happened. Do you understand?”
“Yes ma’am. I’m sorry this happened ma’am. And thank you for not reporting it, ma’am.”
“Oh Samuel, I would never want to see you get in trouble. Now this is our secret and you mustn’t tell anyone, okay?”
“No ma’am, I’ll never tell anyone.”
Sofia believed him. He certainly knew he could lose his job over the incident and would probably be very embarrassed if his friends or colleagues found out he came in his pants while looking at a semi-nude woman.
When Alex showed up just before noon, Sofia had been tanning for about four hours. She had also had three mimosas and was no longer angry.
“Hello darling,” she said as he came up beside her. “How was your game? Did you win?”
“Uhm, yeah,” he stumbled with his words. “I mean, yes I won and it was a good game. It’s a beautiful course. It was designed by Greg Norman and the locals claim it’s the best course in the Caribbean!”
Alex was once again surprised to see his lovely wife lying out here in just her bikini bottoms. Of course, she had done it yesterday, but that was when he was here. Today she was by herself and almost naked. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.
The next time Samuel came by, Sofia saw he was wearing a new pair of pants. Samuel asked Sofia and Alex if they would like anything from the bar, Sofia piped in before her husband could answer. “That’s okay Samuel, we’re going to go for lunch now. But we’ll be back in about an hour.”
She stood and got her bikini top from her bag, fastened it and then put on a lightweight cotton khaftān. As she put on her sandals and began to stand, she looked at Alex, who was still in his lounger, and asked, “Coming, love?”
Alex, still shocked by his wife’s bold behaviour, sat dumbfounded for a moment, before replying, “Uhm yeah, let’s go have some lunch.” and hurried to catch up to her.
They sat down for a relaxing lunch at Palapa. They took their time and shared a salad and margherita pizza accompanied by a bottle of Sacred Hill Riflemans Chardonnay 2019. All through their meal, Alex regaled Sofia with tales of his triumphant round of golf.
When they arrived back at the pool, there were a couple of chaise lounges set up directly in front of their cabana. Although not occupied at the moment, there were towels and other personal items on the lounges. Back in their cabana, Sofia settled into her own chaise lounge, and promptly removed her bikini top and began reapplying her sunscreen.
About an hour later, a couple approached the two empty chaise lounges. The gentleman apologized for the intrusion and asked if they should move. Alex nodded no before adding, “They aren’t in the way, please make yourselves comfortable.” The couple thanked him and settled in.
Alex noticed that with the strangers’ arrival, Sofia had discreetly flipped over onto her stomach to hide her naked breasts.
Their neighbours introduced themselves as Anne and François Duris and said they were at the resort on vacation from Marseille, France. The couple looked to be in their late fifties, with François perhaps being a few years older.
François was not particularly tall and he was sporting just a bit of middle-aged spread, however he was devilishly handsome with unkempt hair that was just starting to grey. He had a squarish jaw with a five o’clock shadow, but his most startling feature was his intense black eyes that appeared to be permanently squinting.
Anne on the other hand, was taller than her husband, with a graceful build. Where François had begun to succumb to age, Anne was the opposite. She had the slim lines of a woman half her age, and aside from some very fine lines at the corners of her eyes, her skin was flawless. Her blonde, wavy, shoulder-length hair complimented her extraordinary hazel eyes.
They were both well-tanned, and made a very attractive couple. They radiated an air of nonchalance, but obviously were beau monde and accustomed to a life of leisure.
Alex smiled at the couple and said, “It’s very nice to meet you both.” He gestured to Sofia. “This is my wife Sofia, and I’m Alex – we’re here on vacation from Vancouver, Canada!”
Sofia, lifted and slightly turned towards their guests, so she could say hi. Her movement bared her breast and allowed her nipple to be seen. François’ eyes were drawn to her breast and Sofia’s cheeks flushed, when she realized where he was looking. Alex wondered if her reaction was from excitement or embarrassment. Still flushed, Sofia reached for her top and fastened it to cover her nakedness.
Despite their awkward introduction, the two couples quickly fell into easy conversation. The afternoon was quickly passing by and every time Samuel came by, a fresh round of cocktails was ordered.
Sofia and Alex learned François was a film director, writer and producer, while Anne owned her own travel agency. One of the perks of her job was to visit holiday destinations all over the world, so she could recommend the ones she liked to clients. They had come to the Bahamas to check out the resort, for that reason.
As the women talked about travel, François and Alex discussed work, politics and eventually their mutual love of golf. Alex mentioned that he had a reservation for the following morning and invited François to join him. François readily accepted and they agreed to meet in the lobby the next morning. Alex suggested they not tell their wives of their plans until they were alone, later that evening.
Before departing for the day, Sofia and Anne agreed they would all meet up for breakfast the next morning and then spend the rest of the day at the pool together.
Chapter 3 – Strife
The following morning, Alex was getting dressed when he noticed Sofia stirring in bed. She smiled at him as she brushed the hair from her eyes, and cooed to him, “Hey handsome, why don’t you get those clothes off and come back to bed with me?”
She seductively peeled back the covers, revealing her nude body to her husband. After a night dreaming of Samuel and his very large penis, she was quite horny and eager to make love to her husband. “Well, see anything you like, sailor?”
Alex took in his wife’s beauty and for a brief moment, he contemplated saying to hell with golf so he could jump into bed with her.
“I can’t babe. I promised François I’d meet him at 8 o’clock.”
Sofia looked at him with confusion and asked, “François? Why are you meeting François at eight?” She then noticed he was dressed in his golfing gear.
“You’re playing again? Today? What the fuck happened to ‘tomorrow, babe, we’ll do whatever you want tomorrow.’ God Alex, you are such an asshole!”
Sofia rarely swore, and she usually gave him a hard time when he cursed. Alex knew she was pretty upset as he tried to bluff his way out of trouble.
“Babe, I thought you knew. We were right beside you guys when François asked me to play today. I thought you and Anne heard us talking and were both okay with the plan. We all arranged to meet up for lunch at Palapa when we returned from our game. We’re going to spend the afternoon together at the pool.”
“Bullshit. The plan was for us to meet at Palapa’s for BREAKFAST and spend the DAY together at the pool.”
“Babe, I’m sorry if it got mixed up, but François asked me, and we were all getting along so well. I figured it would be a good chance to make some new friends. I really thought you heard us making plans.”
Alex’s voice had taken on a pleading tone as he approached the bed. He leaned in to kiss her, and said, “I’m sorry babe. I’ve got to get going.”
Sofia moved out of his reach and sighed, “Whatever. Just go and do your own thing. Maybe that’s what I’ll start doing, too.”
As Alex retreated from his wife. “That’s a good idea, babe. Why don ‘t you book a spa day or see if Anne wants to go sightseeing. It’ll be fun.” He was smiling now, thinking he had smoothed things over as he opened the door to leave.
“Bye, babe. See you at lunch.”
Sofia walked to Palapa to meet Anne at 9 o’clock as they all had originally planned. Still upset, she saw Anne smiling and waving at her from a nearby table. “Sofia. Over here!”
As she approached the table, Anne could see her new friend was upset. Although the younger woman was wearing her sunglasses, Anne thought Sofia had been crying. “Ma chérie,” she remarked. “What is wrong? You look so sad.”
“I’m okay,” replied Sofia, as she forced herself to smile.
“You are not okay, you’ve been crying! Sit down. What has happened?
“Nothing that doesn’t happen all the time. My husband ditched me again to go golfing. He does it all the time, especially lately. It’s one of the reasons we came on this vacation. We’re supposed to be fixing our marriage. I hoped we would bring some romance back into it. But all he’s interested in is work and golf. He never makes any time for us!” She was starting to tear up again.
“Ah, I see now. Let’s get our coffees to go and head over to the cabana. It will be more private and you can tell me what happened. Oui?”
Sofia nodded yes, and Anne went to talk to the waiter. She rejoined Sofia, put her arm around her shoulder to steer her out of the restaurant. “Come, let’s go. They will bring la pâtisserie, fruit and cafés to the cabana. We can talk there. You can tell me everything.”
The two women spent the entire morning talking about Alex and Sofia’s relationship. Anne mostly listened while her young friend talked. Usually reserved around strangers, Sofia quickly bonded with Anne. She was telling her details of her life that she wasn’t sure she would even share with Arwa!
Once she had finished pouring her heart out and crying until she felt like she couldn’t produce another tear, Sofia slumped back onto her lounge and said, “So what should I do, Anne? Before coming here, I was even thinking about divorce!”
“Divorce! No, bien sûr. Maybe you could have an affair, but never a divorce!” Anne giggled at the shocked expression on Sofia’s face.
“Don’t look so surprised, ma chérie. You have just spent two hours telling me your problems and it’s obvious that your biggest regret is the absence of romance! Ecoutez, Alex is a good man. He works hard. Okay, maybe too hard, oui? But he adores you. It is obvious by the way he looks at you and how you talk about him. Divorce won’t fix this. You need to find romance, se faire baiser. Someone to fuck.”
Before Sofia could protest, Anne held up her hand and continued. “Now I will share my story. I will tell you about my relationship with François. About why it works so well for us. You and I are not too different, Sofia.”
Anne went on to explain that before her and François had children, they had their own marital problems. François’ career was underway, and success meant everything to him. He worked nonstop, always so busy trying to get his name out there. He took every job he could and it kept him away from home for long periods of time. Anne was lonely and she was considering leaving him. She knew he was a good man and that one day he would make an excellent father. But she was just so unhappy! Would she always feel this lonely?
At that time in their lives, they had just moved from Paris to Marseille and she had started working at a travel agency. Her boss was soon sending her out to destinations all over Europe to assess resorts and because François was so busy, she mostly went by herself.
It was on a trip to Crete, when she was seriously considering divorce, that she had her first affair. She hadn’t planned to. It had started as harmless flirting at a hotel bar with a good-looking Australian guy, who was there on vacation.
She ended up having sex with him that night in her room. Their lovemaking was red-hot, however almost as soon as they finished, he got up and got dressed. When she told him there was no need to rush out, he revealed he was married and that his wife would be expecting him. She was back in their room, recovering from drinking too much that day at the pool, but would be suspicious if he was gone too long.
When they said their goodbyes and he left, she realized something. She didn’t feel bad, at all. In fact, she felt exceptional! The brief sex-filled encounter with the handsome, well-built man had lifted her mood. She was full of joy and she felt liberated.
When she returned to Marseille, she was apprehensive about seeing François. She worried guilt would give her away, or she wouldn’t be able to forgive herself for being unfaithful. But when she came home and saw him, she didn’t feel that way at all. She still loved François as much as ever. In fact, they made love on the living room floor as soon as she walked through the door!
That was the moment she realized that the liberated change she felt, also had a positive affect on her husband. She had developed this newfound freedom and it left her feeling sexually charged; François picked up on her raw energy and was in perfect tune with her desire.
To this day, most of her business trips usually ended up with her finding a lover to enjoy a fling with. When she returned to François, their passion increased ten-fold. Most times, it was as though they couldn’t get enough of each other. Even flirting with a handsome client at work, or a good-looking waiter at a café, would lead to an intense night of sex with François.
Anne reiterated that she never had prolonged affairs and she had never taken a lover in Marseille. Her marriage was too important and she would never want to humiliate or hurt François. She wasn’t looking for love, only sex and it was only to add a little mystery to her life or to fill the occasional void when hers and François’ sex life was lagging.
Sofia was both shocked and aroused by Anne’s lurid tales of infidelity. She thought of her own encounter with Samuel the day before and considered telling Anne, but instead peppered her with a litany of questions. “How long have you been having these affairs? Do you ever sleep with these men again? How many lovers have you had?”
Her questions were followed by a declaration, “Oh my god Anne, it’s all so exciting, but I don’t think I could ever do that to Alex!”
Anne smiled at her young friend, “Oh, ma chérie. I am not doing anything to my husband, I am doing it for me and for our marriage. I love François! Doesn’t he seem happy to you? Don’t I seem happy to you?”
“Well, yes, I suppose so, but I just don’t think I could ever cheat on Alex.”
“I understand you feel that way, but then, these things are different in France. You see, we believe that sex and love are two separate things. Love does not always require sexual fidelity. And you can certainly have sex without love, can’t you? I truly believe that sex outside of marriage can actually improve the marriage. And for François and I, it has done that!”
“Anyway, that’s enough for today. I see the men are back and from the cocky look on their faces, they must have won. Knowing my husband, I’m sure they bet on winning their silly game. Perhaps they made enough money to buy us some lunch!” Anne waved at the men as they approached. “Bonjour,” she shouted. “Hurry, we are starving and you are going to buy us lunch!”
The two couples enjoyed lunch, while sharing a couple of bottles of very refreshing Medici Ermete Concerto Lambrusco Reggiano. Sofia and Anne found out that the men had indeed won their game. They had been paired with a couple of business men from Oregon who thought themselves to be very good golfers.
So confident were the strangers, that they challenged François and Alex to wager on the outcome to which François readily accepted. While François and their opponents were all good golfers and of equal skill, Alex was vastly superior. Having attended university on a golf scholarship, he was good enough to have considered trying out for the tour. He thoroughly humbled the other men.
After lunch, the four friends headed back to the cabana to enjoy the afternoon by the pool. Alex and François mostly talked golf, while Anne regaled Sofia with stories of all the places she had travelled to.
François soon caught the attention of their attendant, Samuel and ordered a round of cocktails. The wine she had drunk over lunch, coupled with the Piña Coladas that François had ordered for all of them, had made Sofia noticeably more outgoing.
She was soon giggling and once again removed her bikini top, much to François’ pleasure. Her voice was somewhat slurred, as she declared “I can’t have tan lines, can I?” Alex was a bit jealous of the attention his wife was receiving from François, until Anne quickly followed Sofia’s lead, stating, “when in Rome…” and removed her own top.
Alex was quick to admire Anne’s near nudity. Although she was in her late fifties and had given birth to two children, Alex thought she looked exquisite. Her breasts were fabulously firm and he couldn’t help but wonder if they were natural or the work of an extremely talented plastic surgeon.
At some point, all the wine and cocktails caught up to Alex and Anne. Each had drifted off and were fast asleep in their respective lounges. Sofia was lying on her stomach in her lounge, although she was not asleep. François had moved from his lounge and was now sitting in a chair in front of the cabana with his back to the pool.
His chair stood at Sofia’s feet and he was looking in her direction. She could sense François’ stare and turned around to look over her shoulder and was thrilled to find his gaze focused squarely on her behind and crotch.
Her eyes were filled with excitement and her cheeks flushed. Feeling very daring, she spread her legs just a little wider. She smiled at him, knowing he was certainly enjoying the view. When she saw Samuel had stopped and was standing right behind François, she closed her legs. Although she had shared a steamy encounter with the young Bahamian the day before, she did not want François to think she was an exhibitionist who exposed herself for all to see.
Samuel looked guiltily at the group and then asked if they were ready for another round of cocktails.
François turned to see Samuel standing behind him and knew the waiter’s presence had interrupted his enjoyment with Sofia. He was disappointed and curtly replied, “No, it looks like everyone has probably had enough for the day, Samuel.”
They all decided to have dinner together that night, and François suggested they go off resort and head into George Town. After cleaning up, they all met in the lobby and with Cyrus’ recommendation, they shared a taxi to the Tropic Breeze Beach Bar and Grill. The restaurant was a fun spot, located on the north shore of the island with beautiful views of the ocean.
When they arrived, the sun was just setting and you could see the gentle evening breeze rustling through the palm trees. The scene looked like one you would find on a postcard. They had a wonderful time laughing, chatting and dancing. Eventually, they all called it a night, shared a taxi back to the resort, and wished each other a good night before going their own way.
As soon as they got to their room, Sofia was on such a high from the fun evening and a few drinks, that she pulled Alex roughly onto the plush bed and said to him “make love to me Alex. I want you to make love to me now.”
Alex laughed awkwardly as he rose from the bed. “Oh babe, it’s been such a long day, I’m tired and a bit drunk. Rain check?” He walked into the bathroom and she soon heard the water running while Alex brushed his teeth and prepared for bed.
As Alex gently snored, soundly asleep, Sofia found herself lying wide awake with a burning unmet desire. When she finally drifted off, she fantasized about fucking François.
In spite of her poor night’s sleep, Sofia woke up early. She was dressed for the beach, and ready to go when she shook Alex in an attempt to wake him.
“Come on Alex, it’s time to get up,” she said. “I want to grab breakfast and then we can go to the beach and swim in the ocean. Maybe we can even try kayaking or paddle boarding!”
Alex groaned and covered his eyes with his forearm to block the sun when Sofia opened the curtains. His head was pounding from the too many drinks he had the day before.
“Babe” he complained, “can’t we go later?” “I have a headache and need to sleep some more. Why don’t we go after lunch?”
Sofia wasn’t very sympathetic. “I think it’s more like you’re hungover! And no, I don’t want to hang around in this room all day.”
“Well, why don’t you go eat and then head over to the pool. I’ll take a couple of aspirin, sleep some more and then I can meet you after lunch?”
Sofia went to the fridge, grabbed a bottle of water and then rummaged around in her purse before pulling out a bottle of Tylenol. She handed them to Alex, gave him a kiss on the cheek and said “Take these, get some rest and then come meet me. And I will probably be at the beach and who knows what kind of trouble I will get into without you there to protect me!”
“Uh huh. Maybe François can protect you… although maybe he’s the one you need protecting from.”
Sofia looked at Alex oddly, blew him a kiss and then headed out the door with “I love you, darling. Sleep well.”
Sofia didn’t see her friends at the pool. She considered going to the cabana, but really wanted to avoid Samuel. Although she was attracted to him, she wasn’t sure how she wanted to proceed with him. Instead, she decided to head to the beach. When she arrived, she stopped to take in the scene before her. It was breathtaking! The sun hung low on the horizon, casting out its warm rays. The golden sand felt warm between her toes and stretched out alongside the gently rolling surf.
Finding a nice spot, she laid out her beach towel and removed her cover-up so she could enjoy the sun and work on her tan. The beach was much more crowded than the pool area and she was feeling a bit too self conscious to remove her top.
When she started to get hot, she decided to take a swim in the serene, inviting ocean. Sofia leisurely strode into the surf and when it reached her waist, dove in. Crystal clear heaven! She swam out further into the sea working up a good pace. When she finally turned to swim back to shore, she felt her heart pounding and was enjoying how alive she felt. When she finally reached the sandy bottom and stood to exit the warm water, she noticed kayaks and paddle boards set up by a kiosk.
Sofia had wanted to try paddle boarding and she pondered about whether to give it a try. She would have felt more comfortable doing so, if Alex were with her. As she was deciding, a man approached her from the direction of the kiosk and asked, “Do you want to try them out?”
Sofia answered “I haven’t decided.” Initially, her attention was more focused on the paddle boards, but when he spoke to her, she turned towards him. “I’ve never tried paddle boarding before.”
Sofia noticed just how beautiful this man was. Dirty blonde sun kissed hair. The most dazzling blue eyes she had ever seen. A mischievous grin. Sofia guessed he was probably a few years younger than her. Wearing just his boarding shorts, she got a complete look at his tall, rugged body. Six pack abs, strong broad shoulders and those arms! Who wouldn’t want to be held against that powerful chest, wrapped in the safety and pleasure of those arms…
“That’s no problem. I can show you how. I’m Liam, by the way. I work for the resort.”
“Oh, hi. I’m Sofia. I guess I could try. I’ve always wanted to learn.”
There’s no time like the present, Sofia. C’mon, let’s get you fitted into a life jacket and pick out a board for you.”
When they reached the kiosk, Liam handed her a jacket and said, “This should fit.”
Sofia looked down at herself. “I’m just wearing my bikini, is that okay?”
“I’d say it’s more than okay. You’re going to be in the water.” He laughed. “Look, don’t overthink it, Sofia. It’s pretty easy, and if you fall off, I’ll be there to catch you. And if I miss, the water will catch you. You’ll be fine, I promise.”
Sofia laughed with him. “I guess you’re right, if I fall, I’ll get wet.” She then blushed. “Or you’ll catch me.”
For the next few hours, Liam helped Sofia learn to paddle board. He was so patient and caring with her. She could sense she had his full attention and it felt so good to have someone completely focused on her and her needs. In that moment, she realized how much she had missed that kind of adoration in her life and how desperately she wanted to feel it again.
Sofia was learning fast, but she did fall and she did get wet. And one time Liam did catch her.
They were in waist deep water, when she stood up too quick and the board tipped. Liam probably would’ve just let her hit the water, but with where he was standing, she would have landed right on top of him. So, he caught her and she ended up right in his strong embrace. One muscular arm was around her back and the other was firmly under her bottom. Sofia’s own arms grabbed around his neck to steady herself. They both laughed and when they stopped laughing, their faces were inches apart.
Both were tempted to close the distance, their mouths curious, and eager to find each other. They hesitated until Sofia pulled back. “Uhmm, thanks for catching me, Liam.”
The moment had passed, and Liam reluctantly lowered the beautiful woman into the surf, “What can I say, true to my word.”
Sofia laughed. “Yeah right, it was either catch me or get flattened!”
“Well, there may have been a touch of self-preservation in my actions.”
“I guess I should be getting back. I’m supposed to be meeting my husband for lunch. I had a lot of fun today Liam. I’m sorry I monopolized all your time, though.”
“Oh, believe me, I didn’t mind at all. Most days I’m dealing with hyper kids or overweight tourists who end up getting wedged into a kayak and it takes two of us to get them out!” Liam smiled at her, “I’m usually here every day, Sofia. I’ll be more than happy to give you more lessons.”
“I will probably take you up on your offer. Especially if my husband ditches me again to go golfing.”
Liam smiled at that, as Sofia reached for and quickly squeezed his hand and said, “Uhm, okay Liam. I hope I see you soon.”