"We already knew," Bethany's mom responded softly. "We fully support what's happening between the two of you and have seen changes in each of you that leave us breathless. We can't speak for Matt, but we knew this moment was coming."

Bethany tucked herself into Damon's side, some part of her wanting to disappear as tears began to streak down her face.

"I love you both, and you know that. I figured something was up the night you treated me like the fucking pool boy and sent me to fetch shit left and right so you could make out while I was gone." Matt laughed loudly, everyone else joining in but Bethany.

"Are you sure you're not disappointed?" Bethany spoke up, her voice broken with emotion.

"No, baby. I couldn't be more proud of the woman you're becoming. Damon is family by marriage, and the way you two look at each other thrills me as your mom."

Bethany moved away from Damon and walked to her mom, slipping into the warmth of her hug and letting herself cry a little. Kent patted her back and pulled her into a warm hug too.

"We are going to have to change your title from intern though. The uprising has begun at work thanks to the lovely upgrade you got." Kent laughed, and Bethany joined him.

"There has been an uprising since day one. Damon has every female in that place in fits, especially the interns." Bethany moved back to Damon's side, slipping back into his arms as Erica spoke up.

"Yeah, but it doesn't matter who wants his attention. It's you who has it."

"You're the only woman that has it, now and forever." He kissed the tip of her nose and looked back toward the crowd. "Okay ... Let's plan this trip out and get to looking at ads. I love all this sharing shit, but making money and drinking mai tais is a close second."

"Did you mean what you said tonight?" Bethany moved through the water to stand in front of Damon, her fingers sliding across the silky skin of his chest. His eyes captivated her, the hunger and need, the lust and desire burning her.

"Come here." He reached out and pulled her flush against him. "I know you've been through a lot lately, and I'm proud of you. At your age, I would have put my hand through a wall and given up on everything."

"No, you wouldn't have." Bethany smiled, but the expression faded as Damon pinned her with truth.

"I have a lot of healing to do because of what happened with my mother. I'll share all of it with you on the trip, when we're away from all these familiar things." He glanced back at the house. The strong muscles of his chest and neck flexed, the reminder of his strength sending tendrils of pleasure through the center of her. "I grew up in this house. I found her cheating on Dad here."

"I know, baby." Bethany reached up and touched his cheek, turning him back toward her. "We can talk about it when you're ready. I'm here no matter how long it takes you to heal."

He took her hand in his, turning to kiss her palm sensually. "I know you are. I can feel it for the first time in my life. Scares the shit out of me, but I'm ready."

She moved closer, lifting her legs and wrapping them around his waist. "We'll take it slow."

"No ... Let’s dive in deep. It's not our style to tiptoe into anything. Let's lay ourselves bare and trust without reservation. Jump off that cliff with me, and let's work together to hold each other above the waves as they come. I'll support you in anything you want to do, just don't ever lie to me. If you get tired of me or need something emotionally or sexually that I'm not giving you ... You come to me. I'm your man, and I want to know what you need. Promise me that you'll talk to me if something comes up."

"Nothing is going to come up. You leave me feeling like my soul is on fire and my panties are a torrential waste." She laughed and pulled up, brushing her lips across his.

"That's today, baby. I'm asking for forever. Ten years from now you might not feel that way. I want you to promise me here, tonight, that you'll speak up. I don't want to invest my whole heart and be left broken years from now." He touched the side of her face softly, the man staring at her revealing a new layer to her.

"I promise you that I will always be straightforward and honest. If something comes up or I'm feeling lonely, angry, upset ... Whatever, I'll talk to you. I want us to work. I know that without a doubt. I need you in my life, Damon." She rolled her hips, the thick press of his erection sparking to life just how much she needed him. "I want you inside of me."

"I need to be inside of you, baby." He pressed his lips to the side of her neck, his teeth digging in slightly as she groaned. Everyone had left or gone to bed, and it was just the two of them. The moonlight cast a blue shadow across the pool, making everything feel so much more dramatic.

Damon tugged at her bottoms, forcing Bethany to move back a little until he pulled them off. He worked his shorts over his hips, letting them float to the surface behind him as he pulled her against him again. His fingers gripped tightly onto her ass, and he tugged her down, his body filling hers with a few hard thrusts.

"Oh God," she groaned, her lips finding his as he pressed himself deeper inside of her warmth. He kissed and licked at her mouth as he rolled his hips, his rhythm slow and deep. She dug her fingers into the strong muscles of his back and lifted up to foster the delicious friction he worked into her. He broke the kiss and pulled her hair back a little with one hand as he forced her to look up at him.

"I need you too. I want you more than I imagined possible. Tell me you'll be mine, Beth. Tell me forever sounds good to you, baby." He drove back into her, tightening his hand in her hair. The pleasure-pain forced her near the edge of exploding as she panted softly.

"Forever. Anything less isn't enough."

"Forever isn't enough for me." He licked her throat, sucking softly on the curve of her chin as he slid his hand from cupping her ass to press against the tightness of her opening. "I want to taste you and touch you everywhere. I want to take you to new heights mentally, emotionally, physically. I don't want there to be a place on you that isn't branded by me."

"Yes ... Fuck yes, I need that, Damon." She pressed back, letting his finger slip into her as he began to fuck her faster. She screamed as the orgasm rolled through her, arching her back and taking in every sweet sensation he caused to pulse through her.

"That's it, baby girl. Ride all of it. Fuck yourself against me. Anything you want, Beth. All yours, baby." He worked her fast and hard, his own orgasm lifting a loud, sexy sound off his lips as he pumped into her a few more times.

"God, you're so good ... So fucking sexy." Bethany reached up and touched his face as he slid his finger out of her, but kept her locked around his waist, still buried deep inside of her.

"You haven't seen anything yet." He winked and chuckled.

"Keeping the goods hidden?"

"Yep. Making sure you were the one." He leaned in and brushed his lips across hers, nipping at her mouth carefully.

"I assume you've come to that conclusion?" She smiled and held onto the sexy man in front of her tightly.

"I love you. I'm sorry I couldn't say it before. It scared me, and I'm not used to feeling so fucking exposed, but I won't deny you the words that I hope my actions scream. I love you, baby." He leaned in and kissed her with a fiery passion. She matched it, rolling her hips and bleeding into the kiss all of the worry and fear, the need and desire that he caused over the last few weeks. He pulled back. His soft panting was so far beyond hot that she moaned at the sound of it, tightening her body around his.

"You want more, sexy girl?" He wagged his eyebrows and rolled his hips, pressing deeper into her.

"Always ... I need more of you."

"You love me?" he asked and squeezed her ass tightly before beginning his next assault.

"Forever. Jamaica is going to be fun."

“You think so, hmm?”

“Will you be there?” She smiled and pulled him down for another kiss.

There was no need to respond. He’d be wherever she was or so she hoped.