One thing I’d always been good at was knowing how to leave a party right before the fight broke out, especially this one. Hint: My mother arrived.

Renee walked into the bar as if it were hers, as if the entire island was created at her bidding. I stood there silently and watched her welcome the group to her island like she was Mr. Roarke from a bad remake of Fantasy Island.

Smiles, everyone! Smiles! And air-kisses all around!

Yep. Time to leave. Hayden hurried back to the table. I took it a little slower so I…didn’t spill my beer. Right.

When my unexcited steps brought me back to the table, I accepted Renee’s brief and fairly cold hug. Didn’t even have to put down my drinks. I mean, yes, she and I had a moment of understanding a while ago, and yes, she was trying to be more human, but she still had a long way to go.

When she took someone else’s seat right next to Andi, I leaned closer to my brother and whispered, “The longer I’m around her, the more likely you’ll have to find a new best man, one who hasn’t been arrested. So can Lane and I be excused, please?”

He sighed, nodded solemnly, and went to take the seat on his fiancée’s other side.

I grabbed Lane. “Sorry, everyone. We won’t be able to do dinner because we need to go…somewhere else. But we’ll definitely see you all later.”

Lane looked at me with disappointed understanding. As soon as we were out of earshot, she asked, “Are you going to be able to make it through an entire weekend?”

“As long as I pace myself. And by pace, I mean lots of sex breaks and time on the beach. Or a combination of the two.”

“How about we start with the beach and see what happens?”

I could handle that. The sun wouldn’t set for another couple of hours. Plenty of time to get her horny and not enough time for her to get so sunburnt she wouldn’t let me touch her.

---

The resort’s private beach was a little less secluded than I would have liked, but it was practically empty. Mostly because the resort was so exclusive, we’d just left a quarter of the guests in the bar talking.

Only one other group was enjoying the sun, a family of three. Mom and Dad seemed to have had lots and lots of practice ignoring each other. High quality apathy over there. And their kid? Yeah, I recognized the look on his face. Puberty had just grabbed him by the balls, and all he wanted to do was go home and be neglected there, like normal. At least he’d have his computer, online porn, and a door he could lock there. I’d worn that look a lot growing up.

“I could get used to this.” Laney stretched out on the beach blanket, her legs freshly slathered with sunscreen by yours truly. It was a tough job, especially on her upper thighs, but…

“Me, too.” I crawled around behind her to get her back and sides, and as much of her breasts as I could before she swatted my hands away. “Seeing you covered in my cream…”

“Ugh. There’s a teenager over there, Carson.” She grabbed the sunscreen from me and scooted away. “I think you’ve had about enough of that.”

“Not even close, babe.” I reached for her, swiping at air as she moved out of fondling distance.

“Let’s go for a walk.” She stood, brushed off her ass, and held out her hand to pull me up. Since it was for resort guests only, and most of them kept their thieving exclusively for their businesses at home, we didn’t have to worry about our stuff.

We held hands as we walked into the water, just deep enough to get our ankles wet. The ocean was fucking gorgeous here, but the water was so warm, it didn't feel like a break from the sun. In fact, it was so close to body temperature, and the waves were so tiny, it felt pretty much like our bathtub at home. Other than the people watching us here. Hmm…wonder if Lane would be up to trying that when we got back.

Lane pulled me deeper until the water was about waist-high. She slipped her hands around my neck and jumped into my arms. I gratefully caught her under her ass, and she wrapped her legs around me.

“Am I too heavy?”

“Not at all. But if a shark comes along, you know I’m going to drop you and run for it, right?”

“Of course,” she said, smiling. “No problem—I can handle a shark.”

“What if it’s a big shark?”

“Depends who’s measuring.” Laughing, she ground her hips on mine, and my big shark woke right up. “Men always seem to think things are larger than they actually are.”

“You’ve never complained before.”

“I complain all the time, just not about that.”

“I’ve never heard you complain. You must be doing it wrong. Try whining more next time so I know.”

“Like this?” she asked in a high, nasal voice, her nose and upper lip rising and making her look as close to unattractive as possible.

“That’d do it.” I tried kissing her, but with her mouth contorted like that, I got more teeth than lip. Pina Colada-flavored.

She pulled away. “What were you talking to your brother about at the bar earlier?”

“Do you always think about my brother while we’re kissing?”

“Jealous?” she asked. The brat. “Or do you just not want to answer the question?”

“Always, and no. I’d rather make out than talk about Hayden.”

“Then answer quick so we can get back to it.”

I sighed. “Fine.” I spoke faster than an auctioneer on speed. “He planned a surprise wedding gift for Andi back home. I’m helping him with it.” Done speaking, I leaned in for my prize.

“Really?” Pulling away, she did that girlie inhalation that lifted her breasts up beautifully, as well as her brow and the corners of her mouth. Like she was the world’s most perfect marionette or something. “How romantic! What is it?”

I shook my head. “If I tell you, it won’t be a surprise.” I would’ve zipped my lips if my hands weren’t happy where they were—cupping her ass so nicely. Good thing the water was deep enough to cover us or the thirteen-year-old kid staring at us from shore would’ve gotten quite a show.

“The surprise is for Andi, not me. So spill.”

As much as I liked to tease her, she’d find out eventually. “Promise you won’t say anything.”

“I promise.”

“Promise me that if you break said promise, you will let me do every deviant thing I can imagine to you while saying, ‘Please, sir, may I have some more?’ Complete with the English accent.”

She stared at me for a minute, stunned or maybe trying to figure out what deviant thing I could be referring to that we hadn’t already tried.

“Promise,” she said finally, in an English accent.

“That’s my girl.” I kind of hoped she told someone. Then I could spank her. Screw it, I was going to spank her whether she told anyone or not.

“It really worries me when you laugh like that.”

Oops. “Okay but remember your promise—no blabbing to the girls.”

“Is that the only thing you think women do when there are no men around? Talk about the men who aren’t around?”

“Of course, not. You also do your nails, practice kissing, and have pillow fights. At least that’s what I’d like to think you’re doing. Okay, tell you what, you don’t ruin my fantasy, and I’ll tell you what Hayden is giving Andi for a wedding gift.”

“Deal,” she said, rolling her eyes. “By the way, we also discuss orgasms.”

“Awesome.” I could definitely work that into my fantasy. She nudged me when I got so lost in my daydream I forgot my end of the deal. “Right. Hayden is smartening up their place. Smartening, meaning adding a thousand gadgets that automatically do shit for you, not smartening up the place like cleaning and adding a couple throw pillows. Andi will be able to dim the lights, heat up the bed, and put on music to set the mood without lifting a finger.”

Her jaw dropped as I spoke and excitement filled her eyes. “I’ve heard of that stuff. It’s so cool! Did they get the fridge that will tell you if you’re out of comfort food without you having to open the door?”

I nodded. “Warming toilet seat, shower that’s programmed to be the perfect temperature and vacuuming robot thing, too. Basically, everything the Jetsons had, except the flying car. I think he’s saving that for their five-year anniversary.”

“Wow.” She took a deep breath of longing. “That’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard of.”

“Yeah? If you want a smart house, we can smarten up our place.”

“It’d be cool, but that’s not the point. It’s perfect because Hayden is creating a home just for them. He’s taking something Andi already loves—the house she grew up in—and making it even better by adding something else she loves—technology. If it was for anyone else, the gadgets would be cool and fun, but for Andi, it’ll be a constant reminder of how well her husband understands her. That’s why it’s perfect. Do you know what I mean?”

"No. Maybe after we get back to the city, I can ask Hayden and Andi’s smart house to explain it to me."

Actually, I did understand. I just wished I didn't. Because now I had proof I needed to come up with something equally amazing for her. No, more amazing for her. Damn it. The longer I waited to make things official, the more potential pitfalls showed up. What would be perfect to her? I couldn’t wait anymore. I had to figure this out.

Now.