She knew that the bed was empty before she opened her eyes. Panic set in, then she realized where they were. He’d probably gone for an early swim or something.

She found pajamas in her suitcase, just shorts and a tank top and went off to find him. She found French toast in the oven and fixed a plate, piling on some syrup and cheese before she settled at the table on the patio. It could seat ten people easily, but it was just her this morning.

The French toast was delicious, and she was savoring the last of it as she spotted him jogging back toward the house over the beach.

Relief flooded her veins. She didn’t really think he’d abandon her here and she'd even checked to make sure his car was still here, but he’d pulled more than one disappearing act on her. Things had changed, sure, but she'd still needed to convince herself. He pulled her into a sweaty hug, but she didn't care. She wanted him as close to her as she could have him. She inhaled his musk and felt the butterflies go wild in her stomach.

“You like the French toast?” he asked as he pulled away from her. “You said no full-time housekeeper, so I made it myself.” He gave her a lopsided grin, proud of himself at her cleaned plate.

“Seriously? That was amazing, baby!” She threw her arms around his sweaty neck and he pulled her into a deep kiss.

“Glad you liked it! I’m gonna go get cleaned up. Marco would have my ass if I slack, but how about you think about something we can do today. I’m happy with anything, as long as it doesn’t involve us leaving this house.” He gave her another quick kiss and winked over his shoulders as he entered the sliding doors to the bedroom.

She made herself comfortable in one of the loungers under the roof of the patio after clearing her plate.

She relaxed to the sound of the ocean and the seagulls, when she heard the bedroom doors sliding open again.

“You’ve given some thought to what you wanna do today, yeah?” His voice permeated every cell of her relaxed being. “Sure, I’m gonna go clean up too, then we’ll go swimming.” I should’ve just showered with him, she thought as she hit the bathroom, but she hadn’t thought about it, delicious French toast and all.

She showered quickly and left her hair loose as she pulled on her bikini and a sundress. She found Rhys already in the pool, recently chosen pants, shirt and underwear in a heap next to the pool. He turned to find her staring at the heap of clothes and her mind grasping at what was happening. He’d put up the umbrella that covered the pool. “Care to join me, love?” There it was again, his offhand pet name that he’d only called her once before but had her stomach in knots.

“Climb in with your bikini, we can get rid of the bottoms once you’re in. If anyone happens to walk by, they won’t see anything.”

A delicious shiver ran up her spine as she did what he suggested. The water was warm, enough to cool you down but not cold at all.

He stared at her, swam up and cradled her body on his lap on the step that surrounded the pool. Then his eyes were far away, staring over the ocean.

“You asked me once what touring was like, you remember?”

“Of course I do. You’ve been to some of the most exotic and beautiful places in the world, Rhys. Of course I want to know what that’s like.”

He answered without looking her in the eye, still engrossed by the ocean. “We have. Been to those places, I mean. But we’ve never gotten to experience them. Not really. We only ever see the inside of hotels. Once or twice we’ve managed to sneak out and see some of the sights. And of course we see the road from the airport, to wherever we’re playing, to the hotel. But that’s about it. The fans and the press make it difficult for us to see more.” His eyes were still over the ocean.

“We’re fucking lucky. Don’t ever doubt it, coming from where we did, to see as much of the world as we have.” He continued, kissing her neck every now and then, but still not with her. Not really. “But it all kind of blends into one. Landscapes, stadiums, time zones… After a while it doesn’t matter. The only thing that differs is the name of the place Jett yells when the show starts.”

He finally hoisted her completely up to him again, fixing his gaze to hers. “That must sound fucked up, huh? Really fucking spoiled! For guys who’ve come from where we were, to travel the world and then bitch about it.” He sounded bitter, but sincere. Like he hated himself for thinking this way.

“It doesn’t, Rhys. It must be really fucking frustrating, having your dreams come true, travel the world, but not being able to ever really experience anything. Being in the most amazing places on earth, but being confined to a hotel or a dressing room. I’ve only had a little taste of your life so far, baby, but I know it’s harder than it seems. You never have to apologize for that. Not for feeling what you feel.”

He rest his head on her chest, her legs clamped against his waist.

“That’s why it had to be you, Serena. You see me - hell, all of us - for the flawed, fucked up creatures we are and you still haven’t bolted. Who I am hasn’t scared you away, especially now…”

She kissed him with everything she had. “I’m not going anywhere until you tell me to, baby,” she whispered and his hips rubbed against her and his fingers started playing with her nipples. Eventually, he slipped her bikini bottoms off to join his clothes on the heap and he drove her crazy with his fingers. She came apart in the pool before he replaced his fingers with his rock hard cock and rocked them to oblivion again.