IT WAS TEN on the dot when I stepped out of the Rosemont to see Lucas’s truck idling a few feet away. Wearing a pair of Aviators and a lazy grin, and with one arm on the wheel and the other slung over the passenger seat, Lucas looked every bit the part of a sexy islander-slash-chauffeur. He lowered his sunglasses, and his eyes roamed over me. “I see you take orders well.”

I hopped inside the truck and slammed the door shut. “Surprised?”

“Pleasantly,” he said, his grin turning sinful. “Though you look like a proper tourist in that getup.”

“Hey, it was either this or another suit.” I hadn’t planned on a beach day while I was here, thinking this would be a quick work trip, so I’d had to go to one of the souvenir shops down the street that morning to purchase something casual. I’d come away with a pair of overpriced flip-flops, shorts, and the salmon-colored Savannah t-shirt I sported, among other things.

“Ah, that reminds me.” Lucas pulled a brightly colored pair of swim trunks out of the beach bag in the rear floorboard and tossed them in my lap. “Figured you didn’t bring any, and you might need ’em.”

“That’s okay. I’ll just go bare.”

Lucas slammed on the brakes and whipped his head around.

“Or I could wear these.” I pulled up my shirt and lowered the waistband of my shorts to reveal the blue swim trunks underneath.

He shook his head. “You fucker. It’s not nice to tease,” he said, heading out to the street, and I smiled at his reaction. As we crossed back over the bridge to South Haven, I watched him out of the corner of my eye, trying not to be blatant about it. He seemed more at ease today, singing along softly to U2 with the windows down and the wind blowing through his hair. I also noticed how the tank top he wore showcased his suntanned skin and powerful arms, the same arms that had been wrapped around me last night.

As Lucas took us in the direction of the east side of the island, I said, “Aren’t the beaches back the other way?”

“Yup.”

“So this isn’t part two of last night that you’ve got planned.”

“Nope. Well…not exactly the way you’re thinking.”

I peered out my window. “Planning on dumping my body in the marsh?”

“Not planning on it…”

“Then you’re taking us to swim with the crocs?”

“Alligators,” he corrected. “And I didn’t say you’d be swimming with them, but by all means.” Lucas turned into a driveway, and I stared at the prodigious house before us. Compared to the other Southern-style mansions built up along the marsh, this one looked completely out of place, with its sleek modern lines and glass walls that reflected the sun in a way that, even being see-through, made it look inaccessible.

I whistled in admiration. “Damn. Who does this belong to?”

“Friend of mine. But that’s not where we’re going.” Lucas drove past the garage big enough to house at least a half-dozen cars and toward the marsh where a large pontoon boat was anchored to a dock. After putting the truck in park, he popped open his door. “Let’s go.”

“Go?” I asked, as Lucas grabbed the bag and a cooler from the back seat and headed down the dock. “Hold on. Are we stealing your friend’s boat?”

Lucas pursed his lips. “Stealing is such a negative word.”

“What would you call it?”

“Since I fully plan to return it, I’d call it borrowing. Don’t worry; he doesn’t mind.” Lucas climbed into the boat and dropped the cooler on the deck. Then he looked up to where I still stood on the dock. “Better hurry and get in before he changes his mind.”

Glancing at the name of the boat scrawled across the back, I laughed. “Hard and Full of Seamen.”

“Complete perv, obviously. Come on.”

Against my better judgment, I climbed aboard and looked back at the immense house, waiting for someone to run out and threaten us. Growing up around rich bastards like my father, I knew those types like the back of my hand, and there was no way in hell they’d let a boat this extravagant out of their sight.

When Lucas stood up and caught the direction of my stare, he laughed. “Oh, live a little. Just think how fast this baby’ll get up to once the cops start chasing us.”

I shook my head. “You’re trouble, you know that?”

I thought he’d laugh again at my comment, but as he went about untying the boat from the dock, his forehead scrunched up. “Yes, I do.” He then went over to the other side and lifted the anchor.

“Can I help?” I asked.

“Yes, actually. Take your clothes off.”

Laughing, I shook my head. “I meant with getting the boat ready to go.”

“That’s part of it. Can’t set sail until we drop trou. Those are the rules.”

“Damn. Not even any foreplay this time,” I joked, grabbing the back of my shirt and pulling it over my head. Lucas visibly swallowed as his eyes roved over my chest, stomach, and arms, and, without looking away, he reached down to fumble inside his bag.

“I need you over here,” Lucas said, pulling out a small bottle, and I froze for a second, thinking it was a bottle of lube. But as he poured the contents into his hand, I realized like a dumbass that it was only sunscreen.

Shows where your mind is, Davenport.

Lucas licked his lips, never taking his eyes off me, as I went to stand in front of him. “Can’t have you get burned on my watch,” he said, rubbing the lotion between his hands before sliding them over my shoulders. They were strong and a little rough, proof he worked with his hands, as they massaged the sunscreen into my skin, never letting me forget that it was a man touching me, feeling his way down my chest and abs.

“That feels good,” I said, and Lucas smiled as I enjoyed the way he took his time, making sure he got every inch. A couple of times he dipped his fingertips just under the band of my shorts, but he removed them quickly, teasing me juuust enough to have my dick reacting—and it had definitely taken notice.

“There,” Lucas said when he finished, his lips hovering only inches away from mine. He angled his head, and I thought he’d kiss me, but then he faked me out and backed away, grinning as he wiped off the leftover sunscreen on a towel.

He drove us down the marsh, winding around the tall grass and pointing out houses of note, owned by old classmates or teachers, as well as a couple of celebrity vacation homes. It was a warm and sunny spring day, and several boaters were out enjoying it, fishing and sunning themselves and waving as we passed. Lucas didn’t slow down until we’d passed them all, and then he stopped the boat in the middle of an extensive clearing away from any other residences. The fact that he wanted privacy wasn’t lost on me, and as he walked over to where I sat, he grinned.

“I’ve got a long pole, just for you,” he said, as he unbuttoned his shorts and kicked them off. “Stand up.”

My eyes grew wide at the implication, and as I got up from the long bench that ran along the side of the boat, he came closer, and when he was only inches away, he ran his hand down my side, starting at my ribs and working his way down over my hips, then farther, until—

He flipped open the top of the bench and pulled out a fishing pole.

“It’s a bit thin, so it may not be what you’re used to, but I think you can catch something with this,” Lucas said, winking at me as he handed me the pole, and I cursed.

“You’re not right.”

“Oh, I’m all kinds of right, but you don’t think I’d take advantage of you without letting you catch us dinner first, do you?” He took out another pole and a tackle box, and then shut the top. “I didn’t think you’d want to get your hands dirty, so no worms for you. Do you prefer the red or yellow grub-tailed jigs?”

“Uh… I’ve never done this before, so I’ll take your word on what’s good.”

Lucas looked up. “Seriously?”

“My father wasn’t exactly the bonding type, and I was too busy with sports.” I shrugged. “Guess you’ll have to give me another first.”

Lucas’s eyes darkened and he bit his lip as a growl came from his throat.

“You like that?” I asked, holding out my pole so he could put the bait on. “Being my first?”

He looked down at the way his shorts had spiked behind the zipper. “I think you know the answer to that.”

“Good. Just one thing.” When he lifted a brow in question, I said, “Don’t go easy on me.”