middle of pulling Blair up onto the smaller boat, still tied to the side of the main one. All eyes are on me as I float closer to the turtle, extending my hand so my fingers brush against its rough shell; a chorus of 'oo's' and 'aahs' follow as the group focus on my new friend. With a smooth brush of its flippers, it dips under the water and circles me, before re-surfacing again. I shoot an excited look back at the others, awestruck by its confident nature.
I catch a glimpse of Carlos waving one arm in the air to get my attention while he holds my camera in his other hand; I don't have to force a smile for the picture, I'm already grinning from ear to ear as it cruises in front of me, allowing me to stroke it again.
"Perfect" Carlos speaks from the deck, holding up the camera, just as the turtle gets bored and ducks down deeper, before swimming away.
"That was amazing" I gush, paddling back in, John has waited on the smaller vessel to help me up and looks suitably impressed by my experience. As he pulls me out of the water all he can utter is "Wow".
"Wow indeed" I agree, clambering up the ladder with much more ease than the first time, eager to see the photo Carlos took.
He was right, it is perfect, I was close enough for him to zoom in and capture an image of the two of us which fills the screen; I'm grinning like a maniac, my hand on the top of the turtles shell and its little face is peering straight at the camera.
"I can't believe that just happened!" I admit, joining Blair in an excited jump up and down on the spot.
"You're so lucky, they're meant to be really timid, you hardly ever get to see them, let alone up close!" she explains the magnitude of my encounter.
Carlos puts his arm around me, kissing the side of my head, "It must have known how special you are" he says, earning him a soppy look from Blair.
"You guys are so cute" she says as we all head to the bow of the boat to soak in the last of the sun.
We stay, lounging around, until we are dry and the sun has nearly completed it's descent below the horizon; the view of the sunset never gets old here. The interchanging colours streaking across the sky as the golden sun slips out of sight, is nothing short of mesmerising; watching it while wrapped up in Carlos's arms, on a boat, so that each pastel stroke dances on the water, reflecting it's beauty two fold, is just a dream come true.
I love Blair and John, but I have to admit that such a romantic scene could only be improved upon if we were alone and able to make love, right here under the glow of the majestic heavens.
Eventually the air cools, so that even Carlos's warm embrace is not enough to keep me from shivering, "I think it's about time I put some more clothes on" I succumb to needing more than a bikini and body heat.
Blair agrees and we head below deck to search for the clothes which were strewn off earlier in the day.
We throw on our light summer clothing, which does nothing to insulate us from the cold night air, I wish I had had the forethought to bring a jumper, but I guess when we left this morning I had not inclination that we would end up on a boat, well into the evening.
The boat rumbles to life beneath our feet and we feel the pull as it slowly chugs forward, coming back on deck we find the boys in the cabin, Carlos at the wheel, guiding the boat back to its mooring point. Positioning myself between Carlos and the wheel, I take a seat on his lap, placing my hands over his, "Hold it steady" he whispers in my ear, whipping his hands out from under mine and wrapping them round my waist, leaving me as captain of the ship.
"What should I do?" I ask panicked, I've never steered a boat before and I don't know how comfortable I am being in charge of one so expensive, what if I crash it? His brother and sister would just love that!
"Just go straight, don't worry I won't let anything bad happen" he soothes and I know he'll always look after me.