I’m counting the seconds in my head until Alexander catches up to me. I get to fifteen when his arms wrap around my waist from behind and he carries me into deeper water. “I can’t get enough of you.”

“I don’t want you to.” Turning in his arms, I wrap myself around him and feel him throb.

Moaning into his mouth as he seals our lips together, I slip my hand between us and shove the front of his shorts over his erection. He tugs his mouth free and pants with my hand wrapped around him. “I’m going to come.”

“Inside me. Alexander now.” He moves my bikini panties to the side and thrusts up into me. The minute he’s inside he holds my hips down and I pulsate with an amazing release. Alexander groans and grunts as his penis twitches and empties in my warmth.

It’s difficult to move, plus I’m sure others enjoying the water know exactly what we’re doing. I don’t care. How can I, when I’m with this man?

“I can’t feel my legs,” Alexander admits, his large hands on my naked bottom.

“Don’t move. I want you to stay inside of me.” I lift my head and his eyes blaze into mine.

“Give me a minute.” He drops his forehead into the crook of my neck, so I slide my fingers into his hair and massage his scalp. He trembles in my arms and I realize he’s laughing.

When he lifts his head, his eyes are full of amusement and he grins so wide. “I can’t believe I have my cock inside of you in full view of anyone who cares to look.”

Tightening my inner muscles around him, Alexander hisses between his teeth. “You’re incorrigible.”

“Hmm … don’t let go.” I lean backwards into the water so it’s as though I’m lying on top of it. My legs are tightly hooked over Alexander’s waist while we’re connected through our arousal.

Alexander watches me through hooded eyes, so I slowly reach up and tease him. I move the cups of my bikini top to the sides, my firm breasts sway as the water caresses over them.

Beneath the water he slowly moves me on him. He feels amazing and glides against my sensitive spot each time. His eyes stay fixated on my breasts, hardening my nipples to tightly aroused peaks.

We’re both so close to release when I’m suddenly in Alexander’s arms and his mouth suckles at a breast. My nails dig into his shoulders as a powerful orgasm rocks my world. Alexander catches my shouts with his mouth, and I catch his grunts and curses with mine when he comes.

I stay wrapped around him for a long time until I feel him sliding out of me and putting my bikini bottoms back into place, and I’m presuming his swim shorts. He then keeps one arm around my waist as he relaxes on his back with me on top of him, as though he’s a float. Resting my head on his chest, I sigh and slowly stretch out with him, helping to keep us afloat.

“I love you,” I whisper. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to explain to you how happy I am that you’re here for the full month with me.”

“I love you too.” He kisses my lips as he moves to stand us on the ocean floor now we’re in shallower water. “I just hope you think that when our parents are here next week.”

“What?” I stare at him in surprise. “I mean I know they planned on coming over while we’re here, but I didn’t know it would be next week.”

Alexander grins and slings an arm over my shoulder, leading me out of the ocean. “It will be good having them here, although I don’t think we’ll get away with doing,” he glances to the ocean and smirks when he meets my gaze, “that while they’re around.”

I blush and chuckling, hide my face against his chest. “I’m so brave here in Florence. I never would have suggested that back home.”

“I love both versions of you Rachel, so don’t be embarrassed.” He cups my face, his eyes intense as they bore into mine. “Never be embarrassed for being anything but yourself with me.” He grins. “Because I promise that my dirty mind will have already come up with a lot more ways to bring out your naughty side.”

“Good.” I reach up and quickly kiss him before pulling my cover up on. “I’m hungry.”

My comment garners a heated glance from Alexander, so I amend, “My stomach is hungry for food.” As if to prove my point, it lets out a loud grumble.

“Let’s go to the beach front restaurant.” He nods in the direction we’d come from earlier. The tables are spread out on a patio with white tablecloths. A single flower sits in a fine vase at the center of the table with lovely wine goblets upturned at the place settings.

A young girl greets us as we enter via the steps up from the slightly rocky beach area. We’re made to feel welcome and immediately receive a basket of freshly made yeast rolls. I inhale and my mouth waters. A small dish of olive oil arrives, and we tear off bits of bread and dip it into the flavored oil.

I close my eyes to appreciate the finest bread I’ve ever tasted. The flavor of Italian herbs and maybe a hint of garlic hits my taste buds and I moan in delight.

“Good, right?” Alexander comments.

When I open my eyes and focus on my boyfriend, he’s frozen with a hand of bread halfway to his mouth. I raise a brow. “Problem?”

He clears his throat and moves around in his chair before he quickly shoves the bread into his mouth. “No problem,” he mutters.

I smirk and watch him as I purposely moan around another mouth of bread and flavored oil. His eyes become heated as they drop to my mouth. A dirty laugh bursts out of my mouth. “No problem, huh? Are the sounds of pleasure coming out of my mouth turning you on?” I ask him the question as innocently as possible.

He probably wants to strangle me right now.

“I’m making a decision,” he says.

“Interesting.” I smirk. “Carry on.”

“I’m not going to make love to you unless we’re in a bed. No hanky-panky in the ocean or any dark alleys. Bed or nothing else.” He grins popping a piece of bread into his mouth. He slowly eats and washes it down with a sip of white wine. “I need to assure you that I want you for more than your body, and at the moment I seem to have you riding me more than anything else.”

“Is that a complaint?” I ask, narrowing my gaze.

“Hell no! I love every single minute of being with you. I just want to see as much of Florence that we can while we’re here without constantly wanting you naked.”

“We’re adults. I’m sure we’ll manage.”

“We’re adults and we’ve just had sex twice in the ocean … in public.”

My blush heats my cheeks rapidly as the waitress behind Alexander turns tail and runs back inside toward the small bar.

“What?” Alexander asks, turning to look behind him, but of course she’s already gone.

“We’re going to get kicked out,” I grumble, but ruin it with a giggle. “The waitress was standing behind you when you said about sex and the ocean.”

He pauses and groans. “You bring out the excitement in me. Besides, I love you. What more can I say?”

I study him, from the light tan he has, and the flex of his biceps as he moves. His handsome face is still youthful and makes him look younger than twenty-eight. The way his eyes sparkle when he looks at me sends warmth straight to my heart.

Quietly and with a serious expression on my face, I say, “I love you with all my heart, Alexander McKenzie.”

He’s caught off guard by my declaration. I don’t think it’s really the words I’ve spoken, as I’ve said them before, but I think it’s the way I spoke them.

It takes Alexander a few minutes to get himself under control and when he is, he straightens out of his chair and in one large stride he’s stood next to me, he drops to one knee at the side of my chair. He places one hand on my thigh and holds a ring in the other.

Tears form on my lashes at what I think he’s about to do. He smiles and rubs my knee. “I had this fastened to the inside of my pocket, so I wouldn’t lose it in the ocean.” He offers a nervous smile. “I’ve carried it around with me for a long time. Even before Charlotte’s wedding.”

“Oh, Alexander.” I cover my mouth, tears falling from my eyes at what he’s telling me.

“I love you Rachel. I have done for years. Once you’re finished at college and you’re ready, I’d be honored if you’d let me be your husband. I want everything with you, but nothing as much as I want you to be my wife.” He swallows, nervously. “I love you.”

Being with Alexander, it’s something I’ve never had to think about, and I don’t need to think about my answer now either, I fling myself into his arms. He pulls us to our feet and holds me tightly in his embrace.

“Yes, Alexander. I’d be so proud to be your wife, and to call you my husband.”

My lips find his and it isn’t until a throat being cleared interrupts us that we gently pull apart and Alexander slips the ring onto my finger. He kisses the ring and smiles.

“Congratulations! I am the owner and your meal will be on the house,” the man then speaks rapidly in Italian, giving orders to the servers as he rushes away.

I turn and wink at my handsome fiancé. “You do know how sexy it is to be wearing your ring, right?”

Alexander gives me such a filthy look that I’m not sure how we’ll get through the meal.