Free Friends Wanting Benefits by Luke Young Page A

locker room, but also feeling horrible because George had never once done that to her in the shower. In fact, she couldn't remember a time they were actually in the shower together. Letting out a tired sigh, she pressed the button for the elevator.

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    The moment she opened the cabin door, the odor smacked her in the face like a wet towel and she gagged. "George..." she covered her mouth and coughed, "… are you in here?"
    "Yes, I'm in the bathroom," he called back, "But don't come in!"
    "Are you... Are you okay?" She held her breath and dry heaved then rushed to the sliding glass door and ripped it open. Stepping out into the fresh air, she took a much-needed deep breath.
    He called out, "Aren't you sick too?"
    "What?"
    "We ate the same thing last night. Aren't you sick too?"
    Hesitantly, she moved a little closer to the room while maintaining her position on the balcony and yelled back, "No, I feel okay."
    The blasting, sucking roar of the cruise ship toilet filled the air and when it finally ended, he said loudly, "I'll be right out."
    She stepped out to the railing and gazed at the calm water as the ship cut through the ocean at high speed. Moments later George appeared next to her and took a deep breath. "Oh my God, that was awful."
    "You poor thing. You want some Pepto or something?"
    "Already drank half the bottle." He frowned. "Hey, sorry about our swim."
    "That's okay." She shook her head and sighed. "Don't worry about it."
    His eyes widened. "Did you hear about that whole hooded man thing?"
    "Um, yeah, I heard a little about it," she replied sheepishly.
    He scoffed. "I was in the locker room bathroom when it was all happening right outside the door."
    "Really? Huh? That's um—"
    "Yeah, I didn't hear anything or see anyone. They interviewed me, but I really couldn't tell them anything. Did you see the guy?"
    "Um-hmm." She shook her head no.
    "Well, you'd better be careful going in the locker room alone."
    "Yeah, I will."
    "The security guy said a passenger saw the same man a couple days ago too. He said they had some really clear security footage and that they were definitely going to catch the bastard."
    "Hmm." Shrugging, Jillian put a white-knuckle grip on railing as sweat poured off her brow. "Yeah, I hope they…"
    George turned to her wearing a concerned expression. "Are you okay?"
    "What?"
    "You're so pale and your face is all wet."
    She ran her hand over her forehead and sighed. "Yeah, I, uh, suddenly I don't feel so good."
    "That's exactly how it started with me. You'd better go lie down."
    "All right." Stepping slowly into the room, she smelled the lingering odor of George's bathroom problems and dry heaved again. Flopping down on the mattress, she clutched a pillow to her face and struggled to breathe through it.

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    After a surprisingly good night's sleep, Jillian woke refreshed and ready to put the events of the previous day behind her. George's problems seemed to be behind him as well— no pun intended— and the couple headed out of their cabin for breakfast.
    Walking toward the dining room everything seemed normal aboard the luxury ship— just another day at sea as they glided toward their next beautiful port of call. As they waited in the short line to be seated she said, "Maybe we should take that swim today."
    "Sounds good."
    Led by a waiter, they followed four other couples toward a large table and took their seats. After receiving menus and exchanging the customary introductions all around, Jillian took a deep breath, comforted that no one recognized her as author Jaclyn West. She just wasn't in the mood to discuss that whole thing.
    After placing their orders, small pockets of the group of ten began separate conversations. Jillian and George exchanged polite smiles with one another before he pulled out his iPhone. Jillian glanced all around the table and an elderly man sitting across from her looked familiar, but she just couldn't place him. He wore a loud blue and red