Page 34 of Pursuing Desire

“Yeah, I’m just in a mood. Trouble sleeping,” I admit.

Jess waves her hand at me, beaconing me to come. “That’s too bad. I had a great night. That bed is so comfortable. Anyway, let’s go get you fed and then out into the sunshine. You’ll feel much better.”

I stand up but don’t immediately make a move toward the door. An impatient Jess rushes over to me, curls bouncing in her exuberance, and hooks her arm through mine. She propels my reluctant body through the doorway and outside our hotel suite.

She’s still semi-forcing me as we get to the elevator. I start laughing. “Okay, okay, I’m coming. You sure are pushy,” I say jokingly.

“Not pushy. Just ready to go see Destin. I’ve never been here before. And we don’t have to be back here until this evening, when we’ll have dinner with the other contestants.”

“I don’t know how much of Destin we’re going to be able to see since we can’t spend any money.”

We step into the elevator, and Jess pushes the button for the lobby. “We don’t have to spend money to have fun, silly. You’ll see.”

“Hmm,” I say. “I’m not so sure of that.”

“I don’t want to waste our day sitting down for a long meal. Let’s grab a burger at the poolside grill and then head out. Okay?”

“Fine by me,” I agree.

I feel my mood begin to lighten at her excitement. It’s not her fault that I’m lusting after her like a horny college kid, so I might as well stop acting like an ass and enjoy the day with her. Besides, she’s making an effort to get along with me, so I should probably do the same.

Jess and I grab our burgers and cold drinks downstairs and head out into the sunshine.

Jess takes a sip of her soda while waiting for me to unlock the car door. “There’s an outdoor market I’d like to see. It’s not too far from here, if that’s okay with you?” she asks.

“I’m just here for the ride. Wherever you want to go is fine by me,” I tell her between bites of my burger.

Jess takes out her phone and begins mapping our destination as I pull out of the parking lot. It only takes twenty minutes to get to the market. We shove down the remainder of our burgers before getting out of the car and heading toward the market.

We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day. The gentle breeze cools my warm skin as we make the short walk from the parking lot to the shopping area. Colorfully clad tourists are meandering throughout the walkway, checking out the vendor booths that have been set up alongside the water.

Jess quickly gravitates toward a booth that features handmade jewelry. “Oh, Dax. Just look at this!” She gently lifts a necklace from a mannequin’s neck. Resting on the silver chain is a small glass turtle pendant. The small crystals on the turtle sparkle in the sun, reflecting in Jess’s eyes as she gazes adoringly at it.

“Cute.”

“Cute? No, it’s so adorable. I love sea turtles. They’re so beautiful.”

An older lady steps behind the table. “You should try it on. I know it’ll look just lovely on you. And look, I have a matching bracelet.”

Disappointment flashes in Jess’s eyes. “I would. Unfortunately, I can’t buy this right now.” She reaches out to the mannequin to return the necklace to its rightful place.

Not ready to give up, the lady implores, “I can sell it to you for just one hundred and fifty dollars, and can give you a discount if you buy the bracelet, too. I take cash or cards.”

Jess shakes her head. “No, thank you. It’s beautiful, but I can’t buy it right now. I collect sea turtle figures, and I’ve never seen anything quite like this one. You have beautiful jewelry here.”

The lady beams with pride. “I’m so glad you like them. No worries. Come back if you change your mind.”

As we’re walking away, the lady rushes up to me and slips a card in my hand. “In case your lady changes her mind,” she whispers.

I slip the card into my pocket without looking and steer Jess toward a booth with paintings. I feel her disappointment over the necklace and hate that I can’t just buy the damn thing for her. If a cheap little turtle will make her happy, I’d be more than willing to get it for her. The dumb rules of the show won’t allow it, though.

We look through the booth displaying paintings of the ocean, dolphins, fish, and turtles before moving on. Jess doesn’t let the disappointment over the necklace keep her down. Before long, she’s smiling again and pulling me everywhere. Her excitement is contagious, and I find I’m enjoying myself.

The day has heated up significantly, and Jess’s face is flushed. We were given a small budget for food today. When I spot a little ice cream shop, I urge Jess to stop. Luckily, it doesn’t take any prodding, and she happily goes into the shop with me.

Besides us, there aren’t any other customers in the shop. The one lone employee is a boy of about eighteen and he seems more interested in his phone than us. He glances up when we walk in then quickly dismisses us without a greeting.

The shop is colorful and fun. The walls are a pale pink and there are several small tables scattered around. Most impressive is the massive selection of ice cream and toppings.