We are all smiles after Stacy’s positive response. Michael and Dean keep cracking jokes, teasing each other and me. I play along, seemingly having fun too, but deep down, I can’t help feeling concerned about the future. Laura may be manipulative and possessive, but she’s also smart. She may figure out my little plan. In case she does, I’ll be out of options. And, unfortunately for my friends and me, we would have to abandon this island. A vacation is worth nothing if you can’t relax, and I wouldn’t be able to do so with Laura out there, somewhere, waiting to pounce.

Despite this mess, however, I catch myself thinking about the blonde my plan depends upon to work. I already knew about her incredible looks, but seeing her in a bikini was an even bigger shock for me. That sexy image made me change my mind about giving into her the other day. Sex with her might have been amazing, but somewhere more comfortable and with a little more light would render it mind-blowing.

Those curves on a bed, pale candlelight, maybe white lingerie, although it’s not necessary. Damn… That’s the very definition of ‘hot.’

Maybe I should have rejected her advances, for one very simple reason: I have no idea if getting her into bed is possible anymore. To do that, Stacy will have to agree to my crazy idea about dating Michael, Dean, and me. I can’t tell if she’s willing to complicate her life, even for a few days. In my heart, I hope she does, but that’s entirely up to her. Should she not, spending a night with her will remain a dream.

I drive back south on that warm, early-August night, with the desire to rid myself of Laura, once and for all. What I come across constitutes my idea of heaven. The beach isn’t so crowded; in fact, there can’t be more than twenty people around. A handful of them are in the water. Two, young girls are playing with a ball very near the surf. Tantalizing scents from the nearby tavern rush into my nostrils. Some men are guzzling beer, when roaring laughter drowns out the sound of the waves.

Taking my clothes off, I saunter off towards the sea. Unlike my first visit here, I’m not as enthusiastic to jump into the water. Instead, I prefer a calmer approach, letting the sea embrace me, one step at a time. Once I’m deep enough, I bend and dive my head in, wet coolness relieving the tension in my muscles. A strong current rolls me around as I emerge. Facing the shore, I notice a small, blue Honda rolling down the road. The fading daylight reveals the driver’s identity. It’s none other than Stacy Dexter.

Sexy and kind; that’s a nice combination.

Understanding that I should welcome her, I decide to leave the water. Still, I haven’t covered more than five yards, when I discover that she’s got something else in mind. She is wearing a red cover-up over her red bikini bottom, and a white, loose t-shirt. Setting her brown beach bug on the sand, she gets rid of the shirt, offering me her beautiful smile. Once she’s free of her cover-up, she strides off towards me, her feminine figure drawing the attention of a few people at the tavern.

“You could have waited for me to get out of the water,” I complain, the tips of my toes brushing the rocky seabed.

“I’ve been driving for more than three hours,” Stacy points out, her waist disappearing under the water. “I’m desperate for a swim.”

A deep breath later, she leaps forward and dives in headfirst, leaving me wondering why it took her so long to get there. Nevertheless, it doesn’t change the fact that she is there, willing to help me out in my hour of need. Stacy emerges, numerous strands of her golden hair stuck to her skin as I marvel at her fine features.

“I took the freeway,” she explains, pushing her hair back from her face. “A couple of locals I talked to yesterday suggested I avoid the county road as much as possible, because it’s too dangerous.”

“Well, the freeway added another fifty miles to your trip,” I declare, glancing out at the shore first and then back at her. “Thanks a lot for doing this.”

“Don’t mention it,” Stacy rolls her shoulders, her smile staying on. “Besides, it was a good chance for me to visit the south. It’s beautiful down here. So, what’s your ex’s story? Let me guess. She freaked out when you broke up with her?”

“I’m afraid it’s a lot more complicated than that,” I say, my voice bass-deep. “You see, I didn’t just date Laura. We were engaged. She bailed on me on our wedding day. She left me a letter, saying she got cold feet.”

“Holy God,” she whispers, blinking slowly. “You got left at the altar?”

“Yeah,” I confirm. “I came down here again, a couple of days ago. I suspect she’s watching the place somehow, because one of her goons handed me over a note from her.”

“Then, let’s give her something to watch,” Stacy suggests, reaching her hands out to my shoulders. She jumps onto me, taking me completely by surprise. Before I know it, she is pushing me down below the surface. The sea storms into my nostrils and my mouth. Feeling rocks on the heels of my feet, I propel myself straight back up. “I’m so sorry!” she says, her voice filled with panic as I cough up water.

“A warning would have been useful. It’s too deep here,” I retort, stunned by her gesture. “What were you thinking?”

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe kissing you?” her voice taking on a sarcastic tone, her body floating inches away from mine. “Do you think she’s going to buy we’re a hot couple if she sees us acting like best buddies or something?”

“No,” I murmur, leaning towards her. I curl my arms around her waist, loving the playfulness in her eyes. A gentle push sends her upwards, exposing her lower back as her exaggerated scream tears the stillness of the night. Stacy angles her lips, a moment before her body crashes into mine. She cups my cheek and wraps her free arm around my neck, delicious saltiness filling my mouth. Drops of water are flowing off her forehead and onto my cheekbones, the feel of her warm breath bringing a sense of calmness into my heart. Even though this is supposed to be a sham, her body language suggests that it’s anything but that. Stacy clings to me, and within moments, she confirms my initial belief. I feel her long legs going around my hips as I slide my hand up her back. I ease back, ending the kiss while I enjoy the sensation of her amazing body in my embrace.

“This wasn’t pretend, was it?” I rasp out as she caresses my cheek.

“Okay Mr. Cool, you got me,” Stacy confesses with a sweet chuckle. “I wanted to kiss you. Is that so bad?”

“You’re one crazy girl,” I comment, loosening my hold around her. She parts her lips, ready to offer me a rebuttal, but then, I catch something out of the corner of my eye. A black Mercedes is on the shore, facing the uphill road, its wheels very close to the sand. The driver is standing beside the vehicle, whereas Laura is already crossing the beach.

“Here we go,” I whisper, fixing my gaze on her.

“Let’s kiss again,” Stacy suggests, her voice stinking with enthusiasm. “I bet that’s going to send her over the edge.”

“Just hold my hand,” I urge as she slides down my body. Whatever feeling made my heart race earlier, has now evaporated. In its stead is a mix of anticipation and eagerness to put my past behind me. Because that’s what Laura is to me: the Past; Over and Done; A has-been. I don’t know what fate has in store for me, but that woman is not coming back into my life. She lost the right to be part of it when she stood me up at the altar.

“Nice try,” she scoffs, putting her hands together as she halts over Stacy’s beach bag. “You almost had me there; Almost.”

“Don’t you have better things to do than watch this beach all day long?” I ask her, my voice riddled with sarcasm as I close the distance between us.

“Send your bimbo away,” Laura groans, tossing a fierce glare over at Stacy. “We need to talk.”

“Bimbo?!” huffs out Stacy, half amused, half annoyed. “I’m not the one who lets someone else drive my two-hundred thousand dollar car.”

“Stacy’s not going anywhere,” I grumble, my tone of voice becoming stiff. “And there’s nothing to talk about. Suck it up, Laura. It’s all over.”

Letting out a malicious grunt, she lifts up her arm to slap me. I thrust my hand up, waves of anger beginning to course through my system. I grab her wrist and squeeze, taking a short step towards her.

“Pathetic,” I taunt, utter contempt darkening my eyes. “Go ahead. Try again. There are about twenty witnesses here. I only need one to tell the cops you assaulted me. How would you like to spend the night in a cell?”

“You fool,” Laura snarls, yanking her wrist out of my grasp. “You’re going to pay for this.”

At that, she turns around and starts heading back in the direction from which she came. Part of me is desperate to shove her into that fancy car and scream at her for being such a pain in the ass. After all, it’s a fair punishment, not to mention it would help me vent. Still, my feet stay bolted to the ground. Her goon doesn’t scare me. Neither do the locals, but they’ve been good to me so far. Doing what I have in mind would be a sign of disrespect, and I do wish to come back down here soon. The Benz revs into life, its rear tires spinning and kicking up dust and gravel. The strong smell of exhaust fumes is still lingering in the air, when I hear Stacy’s voice.

“Typical rich bitch,” scoffs Stacy, her eyes still on the fading taillights. “Too spoiled to take ‘no’ for an answer. I’m surprised you even dated her.”

“She wasn’t always like that,” I claim, bitterness sending my voice down an octave. “She changed after her father passed away last year. He raised her. Her mother died when she was just nine. After her dad’s death, she assumed command of ‘Webstar,’ his software development company.”

“She must be doing a good job,” Stacy presumes, turning to face me. “That car is ridiculously expensive.”

“How did you know how much it costs?” I wonder, recalling her nasty remark about Laura.

“Its front tires are narrower than the rear, and the rims at the front are a size smaller than the ones at the back,” Her response comes much faster than I expect. “I’m a huge car enthusiast. Mercedes only do that to their high-end models. This isn’t your typical E Class or S Class. That is a C 63 AMG. It’s faster than most Ferrari’s.”

“I’m impressed,” I let out a short giggle, nodding at the same time. “Anyway, this didn’t go as well as I’d hoped, but thank you. You’ve been a lot of help.”

“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry I came between you and your friends,” Stacy says in a sweet sounding voice, releasing my hand. “I never meant to mess you up.”

“That’s exactly what I’ve been meaning to discuss with you,” I state, my pulse rising yet again. “We talked about it the other day. Believe it or not, we want to keep seeing you, until our vacation is over.”

“Y-you…” she stutters, her jaw dropping wide open. “You what?”

“It’s unusual, I know,” I lower my voice, maintaining eye contact with her. “But we like you; we all like you a lot. You don’t have to answer right away. Go back to Falasarna, sleep on it.”

“Hold on just a minute,” Stacy lifts up her hands, palms facing me. “You guys are…” she falters, “...okay dating the same woman?”

“We’ve never done it before, but yeah,” I admit with a nod. “This was my idea, so, if your answer is ‘yes,’ I’m going out with you first. Now, there’s a nice bar over in Falasarna, called the ‘Blue Owl.’ It’s a couple hundred yards from the beach. I’ll be there waiting for you tomorrow night at nine. Thanks again. Have a good night.”

Finishing my sentence, I lean in and lay a soft kiss on her cheek. I brush past her, leaving a shocked Stacy in absolute silence. I do consider staying for a few more minutes; I need an answer. Yet, it’s a notion I quickly reject. My question is not what I’d call “ordinary,” As a matter of fact; it may be the weirdest thing I’ve ever asked anybody. Stacy needs these twenty-four hours to decide. Furthermore, even if she did accept right there and then, neither of us was in a condition to go out. I can feel salt sticking to my skin, and shorts and a sleeveless tee are not suited for a date. So, I drive off, in the hope that she and I will see each other again very soon.