The sun is warm and shining bright over the resort. Hundreds of people mill around, some swimming in the turquoise waters, some lounging, like me, and others having drinks at one of the many surrounding bars.

Mia chose the Grand Park Royal resort specifically because, from the lounge area of the hotel pool, you can look out over the Mexican Caribbean that’s only a good fifteen to twenty feet further, so we have a killer view of miles of open sea and clear blue skies.

Though we woke around ten, Nate and I didn’t make it down until around noon. Once showered, we decided on room service for brunch instead of going to the dining area with everyone.

After we ate, we dressed in our swimsuits which, naturally, distracted the both of us. So we had some fun with the balcony doors open before redressing and joining the group.

Alyssa plops down in the lounger next to me, covering her face with a large sun hat. “Ugh…hangover from hell,” she grumbles.

“Nate fed me Excedrin and a Bloody Mary for breakfast.”

“You know, you came along at the perfect time for him. He needed someone to straighten him out before he headed to college. If not, he’d have a baby and Chlamydia by the first semester.”

I pop one eye open, laughing, finding her grinning at me with the hat still lying over her eyes.

I shift my seat so my back is inclined and my legs are stretched in front of me. My eyes find Nate across the pool. His hat is turned backward and his trunks hang enticingly low. He’s laughing with the guys, a beer in his left hand while using his right to tell a story.

“You love him.”

I turn back to Alyssa. “Yeah, I do.”

She places her hat back on her head and mirrors my position on her lounger. Her eyes find the boys and she takes her time ogling each one. When her face turns sour, I turn to see Liv and her minions slink up to the bar where the boys are.

My lips purse. “It really is too bad she’s such a bitch.”

“Right.”

“Her body is bangin’.”

“Your tits are so much better, though.”

Laughing, I swing my legs over the side of my chair. “But her legs…God damn. They’re like half her body.”

“True, but her face is only pretty with all that hooker makeup.”

I stand, pulling the hair tie of my high ponytail tighter. “So I win, then?” I grin.

She looks me over in my white bikini.

The bottoms are low, with the skinniest of strings that lays just below my hip bones, connecting the front fabric to the back. The double-D top cuts down to my breastbone with a small gold pendant in the center and wraps around, hooking like a bra would, while the triangle top ties around my neck. I’ve been tanning recently, so I knew the white would be a nice contrast against my skin.

“Girl…” she draws out slowly, licking her lips seductively, “I’d fuck you any day over her.”

I laugh hard, bending down to snatch my sunglasses off the floor. “I’m ready for something strong. You want?”

She leans back, closing her eyes. “Nah, I’m good for now. I still haven’t been able to eat.” She brushes me away with a sweep of her hand.

I decide to walk to the bar closest to me. I hop onto the bar stool under the bungalow-style overhead and order a shot of Jack.

“Make that two.”

I look to my left, finding Jarrod stepping up next to me.

I can’t help but notice his body, him being shirtless and all.

He’s hard and defined in the right places. Mix all that with his green eyes and blond hair, it’s no wonder he’s a popular piece of meat. It does nothing for me, though.

He smirks, knowing I was looking. “Hey, Lolli.”

I roll my eyes behind my glasses and place my elbows on the countertop.

“How you feeling today?” He sits on the stool next to me.

“I’m good, actually.” I turn to him. “You?”

He thanks the bartender when he sets our shots in front of us. “I’m good. Didn’t drink much last night.” He lifts his drink.

I hesitate for a moment, then lift mine, clinking glasses with his.

The dark liquor burns on the way down, but the sweet aftertaste soothes it enough.

“You want another?” Jarrod tilts his head.

I nod.

He orders us both another round. “So, it’s your birthday tomorrow, huh?”

I blow out a breath. “Yes, sir.” I raise a brow at him. “How’d you know?”

“Mia has a big mouth.” He grins and we both laugh.

“That she does.” This time, I raise my glass to him.

His eyes freeze on me for a moment, then he turns and grabs his shot.

We cheers and throw ’em back.

I go to push off the counter but he reaches for me, gently wrapping his fingers around my elbow.

I look from his hand to his face.

He smiles softly. “Thanks for this, Lolli. I didn’t mean for things to get weird between us.”

I drop myself back into the seat and he releases my arm. “Don’t worry about it.”

“No really.” He looks away, then turns back to me. “I shouldn’t have gotten so upset about you and Nate. It’s not like we’d been dating and then it happened. I guess I just didn’t expect it, that’s all.”

Damn Nate and his bringing out my emotions because now I feel kind of bad, and I don’t like it.

“Two more and a Jack and Coke, please,” I order and shift toward Jarrod. “It was kind of shitty how it went down, though. Sorry about all that. I had no idea Nate was gonna go full on ‘me Tarzan, you Jane’ on me that day.” We both laugh. “If I had, I would have suggested a different place to eat.”

Jarrod stops laughing and looks over at me. I turn to my shot, realizing maybe I shouldn’t have said that.

I can see his eyes rake over my body out of the corner of my eye, watching me as I down my shot.

When I turn to look at him, he grabs his, smirking into the glass before he tosses it back.

Spinning the chair around, I push my glasses onto my head, and look out over the water, laughing when I see Mia jump onto Parker’s shoulders, a bright smile on her face as she tries her best to dunk him.

“Looks like they’re having fun.”

I nod, biting my nail.

I jump slightly when Jarrod’s hand wraps around my wrist, pulling it from my mouth.

“Don’t do that,” he whispers, his eyes locking onto mine. He quickly looks away. “Man.”

“What?”

He sighs, and looks back at me. “Your eyes can really put a guy on his ass, that’s all.”

“Well, stay on your damn feet, Hollins,” I disregard his comment with a laugh. “You’re too damn heavy for me to pick back up.”

He laughs too, but it doesn’t sound all that genuine.

Hopping off the stool, I clutch the bar to keep from falling, the effects of the alcohol stalling my reflexes momentarily.

Jarrod’s hand grabs my hip to steady me and I quickly pull away.

“Catch you later, Hollins.” Picking up my drink, I wave it at him.

He watches me the whole time, probably even after I turn around and walk off.

Nate spots me from across the water and winks, turning back to the conversation with his boys.

Once in the warm pool, I dip down to my shoulders, careful to keep my drink high above the water, and walk toward Parker and Mia.

He spots me instantly and smiles, wrestling free of Mia’s grasp.

“Hey.”

“Getting the party started?” He grabs my wrist and brings my straw to his mouth for a quick drink.

“Yep.” I laugh, offering Mia some.

“No thanks. I’m gonna go get something. Catch you guys later,” she says, making her way out of the pool.

“So, what’s the plan for tonight, Lolli Bear?” Parker asks, lifting me into a cradle position in his arms and spinning in circles.

I lay my head back and throw my hand out, letting the water create a wave over my palm. “Not sure exactly. Dinner, drinking, and dancing, I think. Per Mia, it doesn’t matter what we do as long as we’re out when the clock strikes midnight.”

“Well, anything special you want to do today?” he asks, setting me on my feet, a big smile on his boy next door face. “I could take you on a hike or something?”

I smile at my friend. “I ever tell you, you look like Paul Walker?”

He laughs, dipping his head back to wet his hair, then runs his fingers through the thick blond tufts. “I thought I looked like your grandpa?” he teases.

“I said you remind me of my grandpa, ass, not that you looked like him.” I hit him in the chest. “Seriously, though, you look like you just stepped out of Fast and the Furious, ready to take a ride.”

“You want to go for a ride, Lolli Bear?” There’s a wicked gleam his eyes, so I jump back, thrusting my hand out.

“Oh, no you don’t.” I wiggle my cup. “I have a drink in my hand.”

He steps closer, so my palm is flat against his pecs. “You better down that thing then.”

I narrow my eyes and his grin grows.

Groaning, I down the drink, tossing the plastic cup to the side, and try to dodge him, but he’s quicker and has me spun around and over his shoulder in seconds.

I kick my feet, laughing hysterically, trying to get free. When he makes it to the steps of the pool, he clasps my thighs tight so I can’t wiggle.

“Don’t try to get free or you might fall and get hurt,” he laughs and starts jogging away from the resort pool.

“You are so dead!” I shout, still trying to control my laughter.

Nate catches my eye on our way past, and stands, but we’re out of sight before I can see anything else.

I see the sand, then the water, where Parker’s dunking us both into the warm Caribbean. He doesn’t let go when we come up for air; just walks further into the water, laughing.

He shifts my body, holding in a cradle position so I sprawl out like I did in the pool, and he takes the cue, spinning me around, only slower this time.

“Man, Hero,” I gaze up at the orange-streaked sky. “This is nice.”

“Yeah,” he rasps. “It is.”

I glance at him, finding him looking down at me.

He smiles.

“Can I have my girl back now, Baylor?”

Parker spins around to see Nate making his way into the water, and the sight of him makes my mouth water.

Parker sets me on the floor and kisses my temple. “See you guys in a bit.”

I nod, sinking down to my shoulders, waiting for Nate to come to me.

He hands his drink off to Parker on his way, smacking his shoulder in thanks.

Nate smirks and dips all the way under the water, coming up once he has my legs wrapped in his arms.

He lifts me out of the water and I slide down his body until I wrap my legs around his waist, water beads rolling down his face.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” I lean forward, running my tongue across his lips.

“Whiskey?” he grins.

I nod, grinding into him in response.

“I thought it was the tequila that made your clothes come off,” he teases, his hands rubbing up and down my thighs.

I shake my head. “Nope. It’s you.”

His eyes dilate. “Me, huh?” He slides his hands into my bottoms, cupping my ass roughly.

I nod.

He walks us further into the water, sliding me back and forth against his dick.

“Handsome,” I roll my hips into him. “Take me to my room.”

“No.”

I pull back, raising a brow. “No?”

“Nuh-uh.” He stops walking when his shoulders are submerged, his hand coming between us to pull himself from his trunks.

I gasp, clutching his neck tighter, and look around. While there isn’t anyone around us, there are people on the shoreline.

“Someone will see.”

“I would never let anyone see you.” He kisses my shoulder, my neck, my ear.

“But the water is clear.” I grin.

“We’ll have to be discreet.”

“But-”

He pulls back, narrowing his lust-filled eyes at me. “When I want, where I want…remember?” He raises a cocky eyebrow at me.

All I can do is nod. I love him like this, all bossy and sexy and shit.

His fingers slip under my suit and find their way inside me. He groans instantly, and my head tucks into the crook of his neck. “Damn, baby. I can feel how ready you are, even in the water.” He teases me with his fingers and thumb, giving me no choice but to roll my body against his hand. “You ready for me?”

“Yes,” I pant into his wet skin.

In one fluid motion, he slides into me, wrapping his arms around my back to pull me as close as possible.

I moan into his neck.

“There you go, baby,” he coos into my ear, one hand coming down to guide my hips in slow, rotating movements. “Nice and slow.”

“Mmm… ” My hands leave his neck to rub on his biceps, loving the way they flex under my touch.

He lowers us further into the water, so only a sliver of our necks and heads are bobbing on top.

Apparently, Nate is no longer concerned with discreet, because he fists my hair and brings my mouth to his, kissing me hard and deep. Groaning, as he bruises my ass with his grip and bounces my body against his.

He swells inside me and I know he’s about to burst like I am. He starts to lift my hips, but I lock my legs tighter around his back, grinding down hard, not letting him pull out.

We come together, moaning and biting at each other’s mouths.

He pulls my bottom lip between his teeth, his body shuddering against mine. “You’re so fucking perfect.”

“Right back atcha.” My legs fall from his and he catches my sated body in his arms.

Smiling, he kisses my forehead, and starts walking back to shore.

“That’s what vacations are made of.” I grin, winking up at him.

“Just wait. After midnight tonight,” he kisses my lips quickly, “I’ll show you what birthdays are made of.”

“After midnight,” I muse, closing my eyes, letting him carry me through the water. “Sounds perfect.”

Nate sits by the poolside bar, chatting with a few guys I don’t know.

As soon as he sees me walking up, he gives me his goofy drunken grin.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” I laugh, saying hello to his new friends. “I’m gonna start getting ready. We leave in about two hours.”

He nods, pulling me in for a quick kiss. “Alright. I’ll head up in an hour or so. Meet me at my room and we’ll walk down together?”

“Okay.” I make a dash for it, happy he isn’t insisting on walking me. This way, he won’t distract me with his naked body in the shower, and we won’t be late for once.

I bump into Mia on my way to the elevator.

“Hey!” She smiles brightly. “I put a new dress on hold at the little shop just outside the hotel. I’m running to grab it really quick. Wanna come?”

“I’m actually going to start getting ready before Nate comes up,” I laugh. “Meet you downstairs at seven?”

“Yep!” She smiles and bounces away.

Right when I step into the elevator, a hand slips through to stop the doors from closing, and Jarrod stumbles in, laughing.

“Almost missed it.” He smiles.

“Yep.” I press the number twelve and the doors close again. “You on twelve too?”

“Yeah.” He nods, pulling his phone from his pocket to check the time.

“You coming out with us tonight?” I ask him, leaning against the wall.

“Yeah, I’ll be there, but a little later.” He smiles. “Gotta sleep off this buzz and refresh for another one.”

“Sleep sounds nice.”

The door dings open and he motions for me to go first.

Neither of us speak as we make our way down the hall toward our rooms, but when I stop at my door, he grabs the door handle in one hand and places the other on my back. I look up at him, confused, and he smiles down at me.

“Just in case I miss the midnight mark.” He leans down and places his lips to my jaw quickly. “Happy Birthday, Lolli.”

I shrug him off and smile to be polite, mentally deciding Jarrod Hollins is trouble. “Thanks,” I mumble, then squeeze inside, not looking back when I shut the door behind me.