Honeymoon Hoax Backfires

"I still think this is a huge disaster waiting to happen."

"Well I'm gonna remember that, and rub it in your face when it's all over and done with. You'll be all like: waaagh, why can't I stay! Why can't it go on forever! Like the big baby you are."

"Hey now, don't count your holiday chickens before they hatch. I — and this is the important part — I reluctantly agree to go with you. But I stand by what I just said. It's risky."

"Yeah sure whatever," Alicia begrudgingly agreed with his concerns, "but that adds to the excitement, doesn't it?"

Jake groaned. She's not gonna let this slide is she?

"I guess."

"Great!" Alicia jumped for joy, clapping her hands. With her brother on board, she'd actually be able to take the trip and spend an entire month in paradise. An entire god-damn month! All they needed to do was keep their mouths shut about their actual relationship.

"We don't have to hold hands...or kiss do we?"

"Absolutely not!"

Week 1, Day 3:

Three days in and they'd been successfully faking being a newlywed couple, enjoying the accommodations provided. The single master bedroom was a thorny issue, leaving them to take turns bunking on the couch. Neither were open to the idea of sharing a bed. The circumstances enabling their vacation were already far too intimate for either fox to ignore, or press further. Adding another layer of awkwardness wasn't in their best interests if they were to stay sane maintaining their lie for a whole month. So far no-one had discovered the truth about their relationship, the pair spent enough time together each day to compensate for individual activities, brooking no suspicion.

Alicia and Jake were currently sharing a round of drinks at the Isla Cabana Bar, their favourite haunt on the island. Alicia wore a low-cut sundress while Jake went shirtless, wearing only a pair of swimming trunks. Another beautifully sunny day in paradise accompanied the deceptive duo.

"What's the plan for today?" asked Alicia, nibbling on the lime in her cocktail.

"Dunno. You still going for a swim on the South Beach later?"

"Yeah. I've heard it has some pretty dope coral reefs nearby. They have guides who can lead you to the best spots underwater."

"Hey that sounds cool. I might join you, if that's okay?"

"I thought you weren't the keenest swimmer."

"I...I'm not, but what you've described sounds kinda like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Mark my words, I'd be kicking myself if I didn't try to venture outside my comfort zone on this trip."

"That's the spirit!" she cheered as she slapped him on the back, almost causing him to spit out his drink, "I knew this vacation would grow on ya."

"Excuse me," a refined masculine voice addressed them, "are you...Jake and Alicia Newell?"

Jake shuddered. Oh no, we've been found out. Their fun and games were over.

Shit shit shit shit shit...

His mind entered fight-or-flight mode. So consumed with panic Jake was he could barely hear anything outside his own head. The world had been drowned out 'midst the pounding headache of his anxiety stampeding through his mind. Time slowed, one second stretching out to infinity. Muffled voices tried to burrow through to his consciousness, barely audible, yet he could hear Alicia address whomever had spoken.

No! Don't engage, you'll land us in even deeper shit!

"That's us, yes."

Alicia, clearly not experiencing a panic attack like her unfortunate brother, swivelled 'round in her stool to face the newcomer. She was confronted with the sight of a tall, well-groomed lion. In keeping with the climate, he wore swimming trunks and a short-sleeved t-shirt. Bare-pawed, and with a towel draped over his shoulder, he cut an impressive figure. If he didn't have that tell-tale right-handed ear-piercing Alicia would be first in line to chat him up. Such a pity. He was handsome, and soft-spoken.

"Hello to the both of you. I'm Matt. I work here at the Starlight Isles. I...uhm...is he alright?" he asked pointing to Jake, the fox's ears flicking nervously as he faced towards the bar.

"Oh he's fine. Bit twitchy. He does this sometimes." Alicia went and tapped her brother on the shoulder. "Hey, Jakey-boy, you there?"

"Hmmpf...ah...yes—yes, sorry. Sorry," he joined Alicia and Matt, pushing the fear of discovery to the back of his mind. "I was day-dreaming!" Taking a moment to catch his breath, he shook the lion's paw.

"I apologise. I didn't mean to startle anyone."

"I'm fine, really!" Jake waved away Matt's concern, leaving the attendant to carry on the conversation.

"Well, I hope you are both enjoying your honeymoon. I wanted to check up on things now that you've been here a couple days."

"Simply divine," Alicia purred.

"Yeah, I gotta admit, this place is great."

"I'm happy to hear it. Now, I have you two down for some assigned activities during your time here." He produced a branded notebook. The two foxes glanced at each other, confused. Matt paid no heed to their consternation as he flicked through the pages. "We have a photo shoot scheduled for today, as part of the deluxe package. It's a private location, so you needn't be concerned about peeping Toms. We'll provide the swimsuits..."

He paused for a moment, hemming and hawing to himself.

"What's your trip code...CB-367, isn't it?"

"Uh, yeah, that's it alright," Alicia stammered. She watched him note the code down.

"Wonderful, then I'll be seeing you at two o'clock for the shoot. I'll come to your room to pick you both up. Will need you to clean up first, have a shower or a bath. Look your best. Sound good, huh?"

Jake and Alicia shared a nervous look. Fortunately, Matt hadn't been paying enough attention to pick up on their apprehension. Nobody spoke aloud, but between the two foxes they both knew they had to play along. They just hoped it wouldn't get...weird.

* * *

"Beautiful, beautiful. Now Jake, could you put your arm around your darling wife for this next one?"

Jake followed Matt's instruction and held his sister, placing a paw on her waist as she rested her head on his shoulder. Matt snapped a couple more pictures. It took every ounce of strength for the pair to keep a straight face, and avoid screaming bloody murder at what they were doing.

"Alicia, could you budge over a little closer to your husband."

She nodded, and pressed herself against him. Her breathing grew shallow. They had been put into all kinds of sexy poses, and Matt was capturing every single sinful scene on his camera. The clicking noise of the shutter irritated her, a tinny commotion that made her skin crawl. Herself and Jake steadfastly played the part of the shy young couple, excited to have their picture taken. Played it expertly. This was a long con after all.

At Matt's request she turned to face Jake, hugging his waist, pressing her stomach against his. Her breasts squashed against his chest, causing him to blush; her form-fitting bikini threatened to pop. Her butt pinched the thin G-string bottoms she was wearing. Did it have to be so revealing?

C'mon Alicia, her naughty side teased, live a little. Forget he's your bro.

Ooh, that tiny devil whispered into her ear such licentious words. What wouldn't she give to unlearn that troublesome fact? Wait...what!? That's not like her, not like her at all!

You don't even have to do anything serious, just play pretend.

Those words. Play pretend. Those soothing words. Oh how her thoughts teased, filling the space left when her worry melted away.

Jake suffered a similar temptation. The soft, cushiony feel of his sister's form against his. The allure of her revealing swimwear. The constant gaze levelled upon him by the mechanical eye of Matt's camera. Pressure, damned pressure! He was reaching his breaking point. The tight speedos he wore helped little, snugly supporting his bulge, applying faint pressure to his loins. Beneath them his sheath tightened, coaxing what meagre feelings of pleasure this moment could offer — if only she weren't Alicia. If only. Guilt would never have factored into this palpable mix of emotion.

They changed pose, this time closer than ever before. Face-to-face, staring into each other's eyes. Jake leaned forward, Alicia reclined back in his arms. Their sensualised attire, their inhibitions breaking down; the entire situation betrayed them. Something was off. Both of them felt it. They were seeing each other in an altogether different light. Their thoughts were of each other, with nary a mention of family. It started slow, unnoticeable. A mild shift in opinion. This morning everything was normal, everything was okay. Now...they weren't so sure. Were they always this close? No...yes? Stumbling drunkenly past a tipping point in their lives? No, they reassured themselves, this was normal. This was how things were. How things should be. How they always had been, they just never noticed.

And like that, everything changed...

Alicia froze in her brother's arms. She felt his chest shake with each breath, his face flushing red with embarrassment. Deep crimson hues clearly visible in the fur-less flesh of their vulpine ears. His jaw was shut tight, any harder and he'd be grinding his teeth. This was getting too...intimate. Too real. They needed to bail.

Jake could tell she was uncomfortable. "A couple more, then we can leave," he whispered. Surely Matt was running out of film by now? He felt her soft fur mesh with his own, tickling his torso. The lion remained oblivious to their distress, content to take picture after picture. He wasn't the most astute person they'd ever met. Were they that convincing? Or he was looking at them another way.

Matt was talking, but his words were lost on them. They were the only beings of importance in the universe right now. The lion watched the transformation unfold. In their faces. In their eyes. In their very souls it could be seen. He'd been photographing a perky, upbeat couple. They came across as kind, likeable, quick with a joke. His brief meeting with Alicia and Jake told him as much. They looked so right for each other. And now they were free to express themselves, to reveal their innermost feelings. Matt enjoyed seeing true love blossom and flourish among the guests here. Watching them step off the plane and enter into a world of passion, adventure, and carefree fulfilment. People like that were rare but they existed. Less pleasant were the rich, the facetious, the superficial. Gold-diggers. Marriages of convenience. The empty-headed. The fake. God, they were a chore to deal with! Always nagging, always making demands of the staff — sometimes exorbitantly so. He knew where that attitude came from. After all, you'd have to be wealthy to even consider spending a day here. That's what made the two in front of him so special. They were from humbler stock. True love, in his eyes. They deserved to win this honeymoon.

"Guys, you're doing brilliantly," he said, "I'm...I'm awestruck at how well you can hold a pose. Ready for the big finale? Yes? No?" He waited for them to nod. "Excellent! I want you to hold there, right as you are, that's perfect...now...move your heads closer. Get those muzzles as close as you can...wait...back up a little...yes, good! Keep your cute foxy noses right beside one another, like you're just about to kiss. Yeah, like that. Beautiful. Beautiful."

Following his direction, they came closer. And closer...

"Listen guys, I know it's a helluva nerve-wracking thing to be photographed like this. You're not models, it's not something you're used to. If you wanna like actually kiss, that's great. If you don't, also fine. But please please please...and I say this from the bottom of my heart...hold that pose."

They obeyed, freezing in place, in perfect recreation of a man sweeping his woman off her feet. Their breathing stopped. One second.

Snap, snap, snap.

Two seconds.

Snap, snap, snap.

Three seconds. Jake was about to pass out.

A voice screamed inside his head: now or never!

He opened his mouth a tiny amount. His paw rested on the small of her back, above the curve of her ass. Another cradled her head. They locked lips. The kiss was intense.

Had Alicia been told this is how her vacation with Jake would turn out, she'd have laughed you out of the room. Well then, who's laughing now?

Snap.

Another photo to commemorate the moment.

Snap.

Minds crying out in unison. Bodies shaking.

Snap.

Emboldened — and on autopilot — Jake pressed his luck. He mashed his lips against hers with fury unseen in any civilised creature. Those sopping, smacking, slurping masses of flesh bordering a jawline sculpted by the divine. He was surprised at his own eagerness. The dance of their muzzles proceeded heartily, conducted by the snap, snap, snap of Matt's camera shutter. Brother...sister...what did those words mean anyway?

Alicia sensed his hand sliding cautiously down from her lower back, and settling on the vixen's ass. Lightly squeezing, Jake manoeuvred his free paw around the curve of her glorious behind. A peach of just the right size to excite him. To Alicia, he massaged her with just the right amount of roughness to excite. Lips locked, they kept on going. She gripped handfuls of his back-fat (what little there was on his well-exercised body). He continued stroking, cupping her behind. She found purchase by grabbing his neck scruff to steady her balance. Together, they gently ran their paws through the other's silky, fine-haired fur.

Matt stood in rapturous awe. With one last push of the button he captured the final photograph, of Alicia and Jake bound in an intense, passionate kiss. They leapt out from the image, a vision of sexual desire straight out of a boudoir catalogue.

He called for them to stop. Their work was done.

Never once had they broken character. So spectacularly convincing their performance as husband and wife they had Matt completely fooled. Though, it had stopped being a 'performance' a while ago. The genie was out of the bottle, never to be put back in, no matter how much effort one expended.

What happened? Their minds raced. What did we just...?

To protect their sanity, they ignored the bad feelings. The unpleasant realisation. That was now part of the aether of their collective subconscious. It'll never bother them again. Let it cry all it wanted, a frightened and wounded hound calling for its owner. Too bad. No-one wanted this animal in their midst. Neither wanted to claim ownership, content to leave it languishing in the darkest corners of their recollection. A non-fact.

Why now?

There was a shred of doubt left. Always would be. Come on, they ordered, push that shit down, deep down. If they didn't think about it, it wasn't a problem. They could do all sorts of things to take their mind off of it, they were at a luxury resort in the tropics for God's sake! What couldn't they do? Let's have them drink and dance and swim and dive and run and laugh and roar and scream and shout and leap and smash and...and...and chase cars...dig holes...fight wild animals...who knows? Something. Anything to distract.

* * *

When they were suitably calm, they approached Matt, feigning gratitude for his handling of the photo shoot. The lion was a perfect gentleman about the whole affair. What's more, he offered to show them around some parts of the island resort they hadn't seen after his shift was finished. Their prayers were answered. Here was an offer too great to refuse, that filled that need for distraction they had been craving since the end of the shoot. Matt was starting to grow on them.

The evening came. After changing clothes they met Matt at one of the island's smokehouses. The air was heavy with the aroma of cured meat and fish, leaving visitors salivating. Returning after dark for a meal was certainly an option for the three. Matt intended present his favourite sights and sounds of the Starlight Isles to this buoyant young couple. Guests typically spent their time in the man-made sections of the resort, but there was a whole world beyond the beaten track, waiting for those willing to seek it out.

They toured the island, absorbing each breathtaking vista in turn. The sheer cliff face of the southernmost point; a place Jake had briefly glimpsed during his hiking trips with some of the husbands. Smooth-pebbled beaches circling a clear blue lagoon, bursting with corals and multicoloured fish. They watched divers descend and frolic amongst the sea-life, guides leading groups of hand-holding couples through nature's bounty. Alicia wanted to go swimming at all the best spots, and this one piqued her interest; oh, she was definitely booking an outing now. Matt evidently had a knack for finding the prettiest waters.

The West side of the island was largely uninhabited, and that allowed wildlife to flourish. Strolling through life-filled forests; hearing the call of tropical birds they let their new friend guide them around. Sunlight pierced the wooded canopy, thin shafts of radiant yellow shone through to the undergrowth. The paths were dusty, and rocky, but well-maintained. This used to be a popular attraction, Matt had explained, until the mini-safari opened on another island (worth a trip, he noted). It retained its charm even if the resort complex had since outgrown it.

Matt brought them further North, hugging the seafront and showing off his knowledge of the land. Standing stones, left by the islands original inhabitants — now long extinct — dotted the landscape as they emerged from the lush forest. He explained the lifestyle of early Polynesian settlers, pieced together from what scant records existed. How they spoke. How they lived. How they loved. There was something pleasant...something idyllic about those people's lives. Alone on an island in the middle of a vast ocean. Focusing on the simple things: hearth and home. There was sailing, fishing, and festivals; a functioning micro-society, long, long ago. It did not last. When Europeans found the island chain it had been deserted, no doubt lost to some ancient strife among the inhabitants. The carved standing stones they left behind piqued Jake's interest, seeing their works survive to this day — it pleased his inner artist.

They were not finished yet. More to see. More to do. But the day soon came to a close and Matt brought them full circle, the sight of beach-side condos just over the next hill. He could always meet up with the Newells tomorrow, or the day after. He loved talking to them, engaging them in conversation as they explored. A break from the monotony of serving the very rich. He'd be sad to see them go. Still, he wasn't here to fraternise with every doe-eyed couple who set foot on the Starlight Isles. He could afford to indulge himself occasionally — but the lion had work in the morning. Being a member of staff had its ups and downs, unfortunately.

Once their circuit of the whole island (one of several the resort complex spanned) was complete, the three seasoned wanderers chatted over dinner 'till late in the night, sharing stories and funny anecdotes. Jake and Alicia were ever-vigilant in keeping their secret, even as they drank the night away. Matt was more than happy to cater to them. Sharing a round of fancy cocktails in hollowed-out coconuts. He had a disarming personality that meshed well with the foxes' own. Maybe it was his way with words, or maybe it was something else, but they felt calm in his presence. Loose. Relaxed. Inhibition seemed like a dirty word, their erotic encounter earlier in the day being proof of that.