I open my eyes and pull the pillow off of my head, then roll over and glare at Stuart. He’s on his back, mouth wide open, still snoring at the top of his lungs, even though the sun is blasting through our open patio door. When I got back to the room last night, Stuart was already asleep, on the covers in his boxer shorts, snoring like he was chopping wood. But I hadn’t expected that he’d be doing it all night, so I hadn’t slept a wink. Truth be told, I probably would have slept anyway, because all I could do was lay there and think about Anya. What we had done, and what else I wanted to do to her. It was consuming me.

The last thing I had expected to do when I got here was end up being with anyone, let alone Anya. And I certainly didn’t expect for things to go as far as they did, but once I started kissing her, all of the old instincts took over, and it was like we were teenagers again. As far as I am concerned, she could come in this room right now, as me to run away with her, and I’d do it without a second thought.

I get out of bed, sick of listening to Stuart and his noisy nose, and wander out into the kitchen to make some coffee. I’m almost surprised to find Grill at the island in the center of the room, mixing together some disgusting green drink in the smoothie. I feel the urge to turn on my heel and leave, but he looks up from the smoothie at me, and nods.

“Morning, man. Can I interest you in one of my special bulk-up breakfasts?”

I hesitate in the doorway and raise an eyebrow at him. “What’s in it?”

“Everything a growing boy needs: kale, spinach, eggs, protein powder made from organic farm-raised beef, some apples, and a hearty dose of love.”

I gag. “Did you say there is… cow juice in that?” I have to put my hand over my mouth to keep from throwing up all over the kitchen floor. “No thanks, dude. I think I’ll stick with coffee.”

I cross over to the cappuccino machine and start making myself a latte, as Grill grinds up his smoothie from hell behind me. I know the cameras are watching us, and I don’t want to give them anything to get excited about, so I try to just ignore him. But once the blender stops spinning, I hear him chuckle.

“You’re never going to come out of this on top, you know that man, right? She’s mine. I’m going to win her.”

I slide my cup into the steamer and fire it up, trying to avoid conversation with noise. But I can feel him just standing there, waiting for me to stop, and I know I can’t steam my milk forever. I turn it off, take my latte, and start for the door off the kitchen that leads out to the pool. But before I do, I turn back to Grill, and make sure he’s looking right at me.

“Despite what you think, Reynolds, Anya isn’t a prize to be won. She isn’t a trophy for you to add to your collection. If you are lucky enough to have her pick you, so be it. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to let you talk about Anya like that. So, I recommend that you don’t do it again in my presence.”

I don’t give him a chance to answer. I turn around and walk out to the pool, where Max is swimming laps, in a tiny little bathing suit and goggles. I can’t help but roll my eyes as I sit down on the lounger next to the pool. The guy has got balls, I think as I watch him back stroke. Jeez, and I can almost see them.

When he gets to the edge of the pool, he breaks the surface and takes off his goggles, then wipes his wet hair from his eyes. “You’re up early.”

“You’re swimming. I’m not going to have to jump in there and save your ass, am I?” I ask as I sip my coffee.

“No,” he answers with a laugh. “I can swim in a pool, jackass. I just don’t do so well in the ocean. You didn’t answer my question.”

“You didn’t ask me a question,” I say with a chuckle.

“Okay, fine, why are you up so early?”

I sigh, glancing back toward my bedroom window, where I think I can almost still hear Stuart snoring. “My roommate isn’t exactly a quiet sleeper. I’m not sure I ever drifted off last night.”

“And it didn’t have anything to do with Anya coming in looking like she’d been hit by a wave, and you sneaking in through the side door ten minutes later?”

I wave a hand at him to keep it down. “Alright, Miss Marple. Take it down a notch. What do you know about it?”

“Alex and I were watching a movie, and we saw you two creeping around after Carrie had gone to bed.”

I clear my throat, and lower my voice. “Speaking of sneaking around. Is there something you need to tell me? About you and Alex?”

Max ducks down under the water, then pops back up and shakes his head. “Nope. Not unless you’re going to tell me what you and Anya did last night.”

“Nope.”

We don’t have time to continue, because Oscar and Alex come out from the entrance by the bedrooms, half-asleep and laughing about something.

“What are you two chuckling about?” Max calls over to them.

Oscar points back in the direction of the bedrooms. “You can’t hear that? It sounds like Stuart is going to shake the paintings off the walls. How did you sleep with that in the same room, Daniel?”

I shrug. “I didn’t.”

A few seconds later, Carrie walks up, yawning and stretching. “You guys sleep okay?”

Everyone nods yes except me, and then they look at me and laugh. Carrie glances in the direction of the bedrooms and scowls. “Maybe we can give him his own room. In Bermuda. Anyway, I’m about to go wake up Anya, and then we’re heading out for one of our first excursions.”

“And where exactly are we going?” Grill asks as he walks out on to the patio, drinking his horrifying beef drink.

“A glass-bottom boat booze cruise. Drinking and acting like jerks is encouraged, though not required. Of course, it’s up to you how you want to come across on camera. But consider it a “meet-and-greet” where the only girl you’re meeting is Anya. We’ll be out there all day, so make sure you pack plenty of the sunscreen we provided you. We’ll have water on the boat. Be ready to head out in about an hour.” She yawns again and heads back inside for Anya, leaving everyone but Stuart on the patio, looking at each other nervously.

“So, she wants us to act out? Get hammered and be assholes to each other?” Alex asks, looking nervously at the ground. “I don’t actually drink all that much, do a few drinks in the hot sun and I’ll just fall asleep. Doesn’t seem like interesting TV.”

“You lightweight jerk-offs can do whatever you want. If Carrie says to do something, I’m going to do it. Especially if it means I get to stick around longer. Plus, I’m going to get my fill of free alcohol while I can. Coach doesn’t like us drinking on season.” Grill sucks down the last of the smoothie, then tosses the glass into the pool. The rest of us groan, and Max swims over to fetch it, then sets it on the side as he shakes his head.

“Do you think Carrie will be mad if I use the opportunity to take some notes for my research? I’m sure the marine life here is simply stunning,” Oscar says as he reaches into his pocket for a notebook. I can’t help but laugh at him.

“Yes, Oscar. I’m positive Carrie will throw you over the side of the boat if you spend the whole day looking at fish and completely ignoring Anya and the cameras. I have a feeling she’s already pretty peeved about the choices Anya made about who got to stay.”

“You mean, everyone but me?” Grill answers with a self-satisfied smirk.

“I mean, you unbelievable dickhead, that Carrie wants drama. And with the exception of you being an unbelievable dickhead, the rest of us all get along pretty well and have no intention of doing anything to hurt or objectify Anya. Unless I’m speaking out of turn?”

All of the other guys agree with me, but Grill just shrugs. “Whatever. You guys want to act like this is some quest to be the most virtuous loser, knock yourself out. But that’s not why I’m here. Now, excuse me while I go get ready to steal your girl.” The last sentence was directed at me, and it’s clear he’s trying to bait me, but I let it go, knowing damn well he’s not worth it.

As soon as Grill walks out, Stuart comes sauntering out of the house with a sleepy grin. “Morning, lads! My my, that was possibly the best night’s sleep of my life! How did you all sleep?”

I didn’t think it was possible for four men to roll their eyes in perfect unison, but that is precisely what happens.