I shake my head at his dumb ass.

Taking the elevator back down to the lobby, I decide to grab a drink from the cabana until they’re out of the room.

I blow out a breath of frustration.

Finding a seat at the bar, I order my usual and watch the people around me. Looking out at the water, I think about all the stuff I still want to do on this trip—jet skiing, snorkeling, parasailing. Lord knows I’m not risking Dylan in the water again. I’d love to do them with River, but now I’m overanalyzing everything I said to her and wondering if I pushed too hard.

I’ve never had to convince a girl to be with me, but maybe that’s why I’m so damn intrigued by her. She’s more than just a chase, and I know it would only be for the week, but fuck if she hasn’t consumed my mind since day one. But why wouldn’t she? Beautiful, intelligent, compassionate about her work. She’s the whole damn package.

And as long as I take my own advice and keep to the rules, what could possibly go wrong?

The sun has long set, but I walk down to the beach anyway. Lights from the hotel illuminate the beach just enough so I can see where I’m going. These views are stunning—something I’ll sure miss. Sitting on the white sand, I find it so peaceful out here. Most of the tourists are barhopping by now, but some of the hotel guests are still partying by the pool.

I stare out at the water for almost an hour before finally getting up to head back to my room. Adjusting my cap, I spin around and gasp when I see River standing there.

“Hi,” she says softly, tucking her hair behind her ears. She’s not wearing the sundress she was earlier but seeing her in leggings and the oversized sweater is pretty freaking adorable.

“Hey.” I take a step toward her. “What are you doing here?”

She blinks and lowers her eyes before looking up at me. She’s nervous.

“I was looking for you.”

Smiling wide, I reply, “Well, you found me.”

She swallows before inhaling a deep breath. “I was thinking you could maybe help me out with something.”

Confused, I furrow my brows and nod. “Sure.”

My eyes are drawn to her lips as she licks them. “What you said has me thinking that this trip is really a once-in-a-lifetime vacation for me, mostly because I work a lot and don’t travel much, but it’s made me realize I should take full advantage of it while I can.”

So far, I’m liking where this is going. “Okay?”

“So maybe you could help me accomplish a vacation bucket list?”

I tilt my head, encouraging her to continue.

“I’ve never had a one-night stand with a stranger I met on vacation, so I can mark that off.”

“Glad to have helped.” I chuckle.

“But maybe we could add more. Sex in a public place, skinny-dipping, sex on the beach, a threesome.”

“A threesome?” My eyes widen, shocked.

“Kidding!” She laughs, her smile reaching her eyes. “Well, just about the threesome. Not about the other stuff.”

Taking another step, I close the gap between us and cup her cheeks. “I’d be honored to help you fulfill a vacation bucket list, but on one condition.”

“What’s that?” Her big green eyes look up into mine, making me smile at how beautiful they are.

“I get to take you out. Sex with you is great, no doubt, but let’s make the most of this bucket list. Let’s go on adventures and experience as much as we can with each other. What do you think?”

“I think you have yourself a deal, cowboy.”

Grinning, I pull her lips to mine and devour her mouth. I slip my tongue inside and kiss her the way I’ve wanted to all damn day.

I reach down and grab her hand, leading her off the beach.

“Where are we going?”

“About to mark an item off that list.” I look over my shoulder and wink.

Luckily, there’s a little convenience store near the hotel, and when we step inside, I lead us directly down the aisle where the condoms are stored.

“A twenty-four pack, really?” She chuckles when I grab the largest box.

I press her against my chest and lean my mouth down to her ear. “Darlin’, I plan to fuck you against every possible surface, which means I need to stock up.” I wink, and she blushes. After I pay, I lead her back toward the beach.

Since it’s dark out and the hotel lights only hit certain areas on the sand, I look for a shady spot and walk us down to one of the empty lifeguard huts.

“Turn around,” I order, unbuttoning my jeans. She wraps her hands around a post and looks over her shoulder at me.

Fingering her leggings and panties, I pull them down to her ankles. “From now on, dresses or skirts only.”

She nods, grinning.

I grab a condom from the box and slide it over my erection that’s been hard since the moment she agreed to this arrangement of ours. Aligning our bodies, I grip her hips and pull them toward me. Dipping my head down, I taste her neck and kiss along her jawline.

“Spread your legs, River,” I growl, and she immediately obliges.

Grabbing my cock, I position it against her and thrust inside. Her head falls back against my shoulder as I pull out and push back inside deeper.

“Oh my God,” she whimpers, her eyes sealing shut. I remind her to hold the post and keep her legs spread wide.

I wrap my hand around her throat, keeping her head tilted back so I can watch the pleasure on her face. It turns me the fuck on as I keep up the pace and fuck her hard.

“Christ, River,” I growl in her ear. “You’re so tight from this angle.”

She moans, and I tighten my grip on her. The beach is empty, but the cabana bar isn’t that far away. Luckily, the music will drown us out, but knowing anyone could see or hear us has me pounding into her deeper and faster.

“Shit, Alex,” she groans, struggling to catch her breath. I can tell she’s close, so I slide my hand down and rub circles on her clit.

“Come on my cock, baby. I wanna feel how tight that pussy gets,” I encourage.

Within moments, her entire body is shaking as she rides out her climax. She tightens around my throbbing cock, making it impossible to hold back my own release.

“Fuck,” I mutter against the flesh of her neck. “River.”

We’re both panting as we come down from the high, my cock still deep inside her.

“That was really fucking hot.” She breaks the silence with a satisfied smile on her face.

“You have no idea,” I tell her, pulling out to dispose of the condom.

I kiss her shoulder before spinning her around and taking her mouth.

“You feel way too good. At this rate, I’m not sure I’ll ever get enough,” I tell her honestly, which also scares the shit out of me. I’ve never felt like that before, but I don’t allow myself to dwell on it now.

“You have seven days to give me your best, cowboy,” she teases, licking her swollen lips. “Let’s not put them to waste.”

I all but haul River up to my room and text Dylan to stay the fuck out tonight before I’m slamming back into her sweet body. This time, she’s bent over the chair that overlooks the beach. My hand is wrapped in her hair while I pound into her over and over again until she screams out my name. I know I’ll have dreams of her voice when I’m back home, but for now, I’m bottling it all up.

We fall asleep a tangle of arms and legs and wake the next morning when a loud knock disrupts us.

“I think Dylan wants his bed back,” River says in a sleepy voice, laughing.

“Yeah, he’s gonna be pissed knowing we fucked on it.” I chuckle, tilting her chin up so I can give her a quick kiss before I look for my clothes.

“Hold the fuck on,” I shout at his persistent knocking. I slip on my jeans before opening the door for him. “Are you on fire or something?”

He barges in within seconds, looking like he’s just escaped prison.

“Jessica,” he offers as I close the door. “She’s like a vulture, yet I can’t stop sleeping with her.” He turns toward me, his face all flushed. “What the fuck is wrong with me?”

He starts undressing, but I clear my throat and nod my head over to River.

“Oh, shit.” He pulls his jeans back up. “Hey, River.”

She tightens her grip on the sheets pulled against her chest. “Hey, Dylan.”

He turns toward me with a wicked grin plastered on his face. “Guess you had a good night after all.”

“Sure the hell did.” I slap a hand on his shoulder, giving him an obvious signal to get the hell out. “Go back to Jessica’s room.”

He shrugs my hand off and winces. “I swear to God, that girl has no off button.”

“You like her,” I tell him, knowing it’s obvious. Dylan wouldn’t screw around with a chick he didn’t at least like a little. He’s just not willing to admit it.

“I’m getting in the shower,” he says, walking to the bathroom, dismissing my statement. He looks over his shoulder and adds, “And get the hell out of my bed, you motherfucker.”

Grabbing some clothes, River and I head out and walk to her room where we can shower and get ready. Since we were so rudely awakened, we take advantage and mark another bucket item off her list—morning shower sex.

“Want to go parasailing today?” I ask over breakfast. Her friend, Natalie, is spending the day with her boyfriend, so I finally get River all to myself.

Her eyes light up as she talks around a mouthful of food. “Yes! I’ve been wanting to try it!”

Over the weekend, River and I do a handful of water activities as well as lounge on the beach and find new and fun places to have sex.

I can’t deny how happy I am being around her and being able to experience all this new stuff with her. Not only is she willing to be spontaneous and adventurous with me, but she’s also fun as hell. I love hearing her laugh and squeal with excitement when we try something different. She’s also in great shape and keeps up with everything I throw at her.

By Tuesday morning, the strong realization that we only have days left haunts me. I push those thoughts away, not wanting to ruin the time we do have. We spent all morning in my bed, ordered room service and showered, then spent all afternoon in her bed. Dylan’s still pretending he can’t stand Jessica, yet we still switch rooms so they can have their privacy.

“We’ve successfully checked eleven things off the vacation bucket list,” River tells me over dessert. We finally left her room and went to dinner.

“Oh yeah? What’s left?” I ask, taking a bite of our strawberry cheesecake.

She looks up at me and grins mischievously. “Skinny-dipping.”

Taking the final bite, I leave some cash on the table and grab her hand.

“What are you doing?” she whisper-shouts as I lead her through the restaurant and out the door.

“Condoms,” I say, smiling at her over my shoulder.

Once we’ve restocked, I lead us to the beach. The sun has just set, and there’s only a handful of people left lounging on the sand.

“Take off your clothes,” I order.

She looks around, a blush rising to her cheeks. “Are you sure we won’t get caught?”

I kick off my shoes, pull off my shirt then my shorts. “No.” I smirk. “Hurry.”

Quickly, she removes her sandals and sundress, standing in only her panties and bra.

“I’m nervous.” She bites her lip, contemplating on removing the rest.

“It looks like you’re wearing a swimsuit,” I tell her, appreciating the way her undergarments hug the curves of her body. “But it’s called skinny-dipping, not swimsuit-dipping.”

She chuckles, looking over her shoulder once more.

“Want me to help?” I arch a brow.

I’m on my knees before she can respond and slide my fingers into her lacy panties. Luckily, we’re near a palm tree and can use it as a shield for now.

“What are you doing?” she squeals when I slide a finger inside her.

“Helping you relax.” Once her panties are removed, I spread her legs and press a flat tongue along her slit. She whimpers, fisting her hands in my hair as I coax an orgasm out of her. She doesn’t disappoint and gives me exactly what I want. “That’s it, baby.”

I stand, wrapping an arm around her waist and pressing her to my chest. My hand cups her cheek, and I kiss her. “Ready now?”

Sated, she nods. I step back, giving her room to remove her bra. I remove the last of my clothing, my hat and boxers, and soon we’re both standing naked.

“On three,” I say, grabbing her hand and facing her. I start counting, and on three, we run from the edge of the beach all the way into the cool water. Hearing her laugh as we make our way is music to my ears. I love hearing her sweet laugh.

I wrap my arms around her waist, so we’re chest to chest. Pressing my lips down to hers, I hold her face as I kiss the fuck out of her. My tongue slides inside, and when we walk deeper into the water, she wraps her legs around my waist making it easy to carry her.

“I’m going to miss this,” she admits as our lips part briefly.

“What’s that?” I coax, hoping she’ll say what I’m thinking.

“The ocean and beach.” She smiles looking up at me. “And you.”

My lips twist up into a smirk, happy that she’s enjoying our time together as much as I am. I bend down and kiss her once more. “Me too.”

We swim farther into the water until it’s to our chests and no one can tell we’re naked.

“So how was your first skinny-dipping experience?”

“I’d give it an eight out of ten,” she teases. After every new adventure we’ve done, I’ve asked her, and she’d rank it.

“What’d make it a ten?” I ask, moving us closer together.

She purses her lips as if she’s thinking about it. I watch as she looks around, eyeing the beach to see if we’re still alone.

I feel her hand slide down my stomach until she firmly grips my length in her palm. “River,” I warn, knowing we don’t have a condom way out here. She’s going to get me all worked up without being able to do anything about it.

“Shh…” She shushes me with a devil grin. She steps closer before giving me a wink and sinking down into the water.

“What the hell?” I ask, though she can’t hear me now. But it doesn’t matter because the moment I feel her mouth wrapped around my cock, I know exactly what she’s doing. The water is usually clear, but without the sunlight, I can only see the top of her head.

“Oh my God,” I groan, arching my back and hips. “Fuck, River.” I fist her hair in the water and help control her movements. She bobs her head up and down, sliding her tongue along the vein of my shaft. Who knew a blow job could feel this fucking good under water?

She stands up, slicking her hair back and catches her breath. Before I can say anything, she sinks back into the water, and I feel her stroke my dick between her breasts. Oh, fucking hell. The girl has great fucking tits, too. I only wish I could see the way she looks right now.

Switching between her mouth and breasts, she works me up so goddamn good, I know I can’t hold back much longer. When she stands up to take another deep breath, I stop her and plant her back on her feet.

“We have to go. Right now.” I grab her hand and lead us to our clothes.

“Why?”

I look at her over my shoulder, and she laughs as soon as she sees my pained expression.

“Got it,” she says.

Once we’re dressed, we waste no time and head straight to her room. Within seconds of entering, I have her flat on her back on the bed. I devour her pussy as she wraps her thighs around my neck. Fuck, I love the way she tastes. So damn sweet.

“Alex,” she pleads, kneading her fingers into my arms as I insert two fingers inside her tight body. “More.”

I love the way she begs for me. It encourages me to increase the pace until I feel her climax on my tongue, and when she does—I fucking lose it. Ripping off my jeans, I grab her ankles and place them on top of my shoulders as I slam into her. She cries out as I thrust deeper and harder, and when I feel my own release building, I quickly pull out and stroke my cock till I come on her stomach.

“Shit,” I mutter, as I collapse on the bed next to her.

“What?” She’s panting, trying to catch her breath.

“I forgot to put on a condom.” I face her, brushing my hand along her cheek. “I lose all control around you, River.” Which is the damn truth. I know the deal we made and how this isn’t anything more than a vacation fling, but that doesn’t stop the swelling in my chest anytime I think about her.

She gives me a small smile, completely sated and relaxed. “Well, I’m on the pill and take it religiously,” she tells me, easing my nerves “And after my last boyfriend cheated on me, I got myself checked out and was clean.”

“I’ve always used a condom,” I tell her. “I’m clean.”

“Good, then we don’t have anything to worry about.” She smiles, looking up at the ceiling as her eyes flutter closed.

Once we’re cleaned up and dressed, we lie in bed. “So what kind of dumbass would cheat on you?” We talked about some personal stuff, but mostly, we’ve treaded carefully. I think both knowing this is only a short-term thing, we’ve been trying to prevent getting too close. However, I can’t imagine any guy stupid enough to cheat on a girl like River.

She groans, biting her lip. “Technically, I was the mistress.”

My brows shoot up. “Wow.”

“Yeah, I know. Then once I left him, he banged my roommate.”

“You’re kidding.” I couldn’t believe the audacity.

“I wish. He completely blindsided me. Split personalities or something, because I didn’t see it coming.”

“Which I bet made it that much harder when you found out, huh?” I hold her tighter, pissed that any guy would put her through that much pain.

“Oh, yeah. Hence this trip.” She sighs.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s not your fault.” Shrugging, she snuggles closer to my chest and wraps her arm around me.

“Well, I’m sorry it happened to you. Send him my way, and I’ll give him a genuine Texas ass kicking.” I grin, though I’m serious. Assholes like him deserve it.

“He’s not worth it,” she says, confidently. Her strength is admirable, but I hate to think how he made her feel.

“I’m going to think of it as a blessing,” I tell her, matter-of-factly. She looks up at me puzzled. “His stupidity led you to me.” I tuck a piece of wild hair behind her ear. “You wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him.”

She nods. “You’re right.” Smiling, she holds her fist up as if she’s making a pretend toast. “To Asshole: for being a cheating dirtbag and putting me in the arms of the sweetest and sexiest cowboy I’ve ever laid eyes on!” I hold a fist up to hers, and we bump them together.

“Good riddance, Asshole!” I wrap my arm around her body and press my weight on top of her.

Giggling, she gazes up into my eyes. “I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate.”