Sefina stared at them as they sat in their counseling session the next day. She had her pen poised as she glanced from Anna and then back to Michael.

“Well, you two are particularly quiet today,” she said. Her smile felt forced as if she could feel the tension emanating from them but didn’t want to come out and say it.

Truth was, he hadn’t really spoken to Anna since they’d kissed the night before. He’d gone into the hut and went straight to bed, sleeping restlessly on the couch. Anna had come in around ten and fell asleep pretty fast after that.

They managed to avoid each other all morning, picking activities that didn’t require two people. Sitting by her during their counseling session was the first time they’d been next to each other since he’d had her wrapped in his arms.

“We, um. . .” Michael glanced over at her and widened his eyes. Her body was turned, and she had her leg crossed away from him.

He’d hurt her. Bad.

He hated leaving her like he did. It just about ripped his heart from his chest. But there was no way he could lead her on as he had. Plus, he’d lied straight to her face. He hadn’t expected her to ask him if he was in a relationship. And when she did, he panicked. He wished he could fix this without hurting anyone.

Sefina tapped the pad of paper with a pen. "Let's start with something easy. When was the last time you two had sex?"

Michael just about choked on his tongue. Even though he had been expecting this question he hadn't thought that she would be so straightforward about it. As he sat there staring at her, he couldn't quite form the answer in his mind.

"We don’t—I mean, we only believe in sex for procreation," Anna said in a speed that could rival NASCAR.

Sophia stared at them and then turn back to her pad of paper. She wrote a few things down and the silence in the room felt as palpable as humidity in the summer. When she finally looked up she had an intense look.

"I don't want to step on anyone's personal beliefs, but sex in a marriage is extremely important."

Michael cleared his throat and shifted on his seat. He didn't want to be thinking about a physical relationship with Anna at this moment. Even though his body desperately wanted to reach over and wrap her in his arms, that wasn't a road he wanted to go down again. He wasn't good enough for her, and he never would be.

When he glanced over at Anna, her cheeks were so red that it looked like she was about to burst into flames. Seeing her reaction made him feel a bit better. Although he hoped her reaction had nothing to do with the thought of a physical relationship with him, and everything to do with the fact that they were discussing it with the resort’s therapist.

“I was an idiot last night,” he blurted out. Anything to get this conversation off the topic it was on.

Anna’s eyebrows rose as she stared at him.

“In bed?” Sefina asked as she clicked on her pen and continued writing.

“What? No.” Heat raced to his cheeks. Was that the only thing Sefina talked about?

“Okay. So, what was the fight about?” Sefina asked as she glanced from Anna and then back to Michael.

"I hurt Anna. I pushed her away." When he glanced over in Anna’s direction, he saw that her gaze was focused on her clasped hands in her lap.

"And why would you do that?" Sefina asked.

"Because I'm not ready for any relationship." The words tasted like vomit on his tongue. This was the last thing he wanted to say. If anything, he wanted to confess his feelings to Anna. But that was selfish, and he couldn’t be selfish. Not when he had made so many ridiculous mistakes in the past.

Sefina's eyebrows rose. "Then why did you get married?" Her gaze had turned icy as she studied him.

He didn't blame Sefina’s reaction. Only a jerk would get married just to turn around and back away. He was being a coward, taking the easy way out. And from the intensity of Anna’s kiss last night, he seemed to be winning her over which scared him.

He lost count of the number of times that he had done that with a woman. And even though he had decided to give up the dating life, he couldn't let Anna fall for him. She needed to know the real him. The one he been trying to hide since he got here.

Just as he opened his lips to speak, a knock sounded on the door. Sefina glanced over at it and then down to her watch. “Who would disturb. . .” She muttered under her breath as she set the pad of paper and pen next to her and stood.

She walked over to the door and opened it.

“Hey, Sefina.”

The voice grated on Michael’s nerves. Javier. Great.

“What do you need? I’m in the middle of a session,” Sefina said with annoyance clinging to her words.

“I think this is pretty important. Especially for this couple. I’ve brought someone with me,” Javier said.

“Who are you?” Sefina asked.

“Daisy.”

Michael’s blood ran cold. What was Daisy doing here? When he’d called her and left her a message telling her that he was going to the resort with McKenna, he didn’t expect her to follow him.

“And why are you here?” Sefina kept her body wedged in between the opening, but Michael could see the top of Daisy’s blonde hair.

“Cause that’s my fiancé in there.” Her New Yorker twang hung in the air as Anna turned to stare at him.

Wishing a giant hole would swallow him, Michael sat, staring at the rug underneath his feet.

“I’m not sure I’m following you,” Sefina said.

“Is Michael Jones in there?”

“Yes.”

“He’s my fiancé.”

Sefina moved away from the door, and Daisy stepped in. When she saw him, she squealed and headed straight toward him. Before he could stop her, she plopped down on his lap and wrapped her arms around him, practically suffocating him with her arms and perfume.

When she leaned back, she pressed her lips to his. Michael finally got a hold of her and pulled her away.

“Daisy, geez,” he said. He could feel Anna’s stare on him, but he was too chicken to look.

Daisy grinned down at him. “I’m happy I found you. I got your message and have been in hot pursuit since.” She reached out and tapped her finger on the tip of his nose.

Having had enough of this reunion, he shifted and slid her onto the couch next to him. “I didn’t suggest that you come here,” he said.

Daisy pushed out her bottom lip. “Well, when your fiancé says he’s going to Bora Bora, you get on a plane and follow him.” She scooted closer and leaned her head against his shoulder.

Too afraid to look over at Anna, Michael kept his gaze forward. Sefina had come back over and was sitting on her chair, looking very confused.

When he met her gaze, she opened her lips as if she were about to start saying something but then closed them again.

After a few seconds, Daisy straightened. It seemed like she finally realized that they weren’t the only ones in the room.

“Who are these people?” she asked, staring from Anna and then over to Sefina.

Michael sat up and cleared his throat. It was time. He’d been spending so much energy avoiding this exact encounter that he might as well embrace it now.

“This is our marriage counselor, Sefina Lopez.”

Sefina gave her a smile and nodded her head.

“And I’m Anna. Michael’s old friend and fake wife.” Anna came into view as she reached out her hand.

“Anna,” Daisy said as she shook her hand. “Fake wife?”

“It was for his sister McKenna. We’re here to help her fix her marriage. We’re aren’t actually married. We’re just faking it.”

“And that?” Daisy motioned toward the ring on Anna’s finger.

“Fake. Well, the diamond is real, but the meaning is fake.”

“So, you’re not married?” Sefina asked, leaning forward as if she’d finally regained her composure enough to make coherent sentences.

“No. Not at all. Michael is just a friend.”

He tried not to wince at the word friend. Even though he knew it was true, and that it was best for everyone involved if they just went back to friends, there was a part of him that realized that things could never return to normal.

They’d kissed and it caused feelings that he’d never had before. They’d talked and laughed. They’d shared too much together. But that wasn’t important. Right now, he needed to pull away. All he did was hurt Anna. It was evident in the pained expression she was trying so hard to hide.

“This is interesting,” Sefina said as she glanced down at her pad of paper. “I’ve never had something like this happen in all my years of being a therapist, I mean.” Her laugh came out squeaky. “You hear about these things from other therapists, but you never think it can happen to you.”

Her laugh died down to a chuckle. “You two really had me fooled. I would have guessed that you were married. In love, even.”

At the mention of love, Michael’s body tensed. Love Anna? That four-letter word sank around him and settled in his chest. His heart squeezed. He loved Anna. Loved her more deeply that he’d ever loved anything in his entire life.

And he had to let her go.

That thought caused his stomach to twist. He didn’t want to let her go. He wanted to put Daisy on the next plane out of here and focus his attention on Anna. To spend time with her during the day and hold her at night. To be the person who loved her fully.

A high-pitched laugh pulled him from his thoughts. Daisy was shaking as she glanced from Michael and then over to Anna.

“Michael love her?” She slapped her knee. “Oh, that’s a hoot.” She turned and snuggled her head-on Michael’s shoulder. “He only has eyes for me, huh, sweetheart.”

Michael swallowed back the words he wanted to speak. The ones that told Daisy to get out. Instead, he shoved them to the back of his mind and forced a smile. “Yes, of course.”

Fearing what Anna’s gaze would do to him, he kept his eyes forward, focusing on Sefina. She raised her eyebrows. “Is this true?” she asked.

Michael nodded. “We were only here to help my sister. I’m engaged to Daisy.” He brought up his arm and rested it around Daisy’s waist.

“Oh, Mikey-poo. I love you, too.” She reached out and sandwiched his face between her hands and brought her lips to meet his.

Despite the fact that his mind was screaming at him to pull away, he closed his eyes and forced himself to forget his feelings for Anna and focus on Daisy. But Anna was a part of him. And he feared he was never going to be able to let her go.

“I think that’s my cue.” Anna’s voice cut into his thoughts.

He pulled back from Daisy to see her stand. As if she sensed his gaze, she turned around. “I’m really happy for you, Michael.” Her voice trailed off as she made her way to the door and out into the lobby.

As he watched her slip around the corner, his heart began to pound. He couldn’t leave things this way. He had to talk to Anna. It was the least he could do.

He pushed Daisy onto the couch next to him and stood. “I’ll be right back,” he said, not waiting for anyone to answer him. In a matter of seconds, he was outside, racing after Anna.

“Wait!” he called out, reaching to grab her elbow.

Anna had her head down and was speed walking around the building.

“Anna, wait,” he said, pulling gently on her arm to get her to stop.

“What, Michael?” she asked as she slowed, but didn’t turn around.

When he felt confident that she wasn’t going to take off again, he dropped his hand and pushed it through his hair. Why had he raced after her again?

If he were kind, he would have just let her walk away. It kept her safe from him. But, instead of doing what was right for Anna, he was following her. Trying to explain to her what he’d done. Force her back into his life.

But she was standing here, he might as well continue. “I’m sorry.”

She sighed and glanced up at him. “For what? For lying to me and failing to tell me that you have a fiancée. Or for kissing me when you were engaged to someone else.”

Just hearing what he’d done made his stomach churn. He really was a terrible person. She deserved so much better than him. “For it all.”

Her eyebrows rose as if she hadn’t expected him to say that. “So, it was all a lie.” She folded her arms as she studied him.

“Yes—well, no. Parts were a lie.”

“Okay. What parts?”

He dropped her gaze as he studied the sidewalk. “Anna, I. . .” How much did he tell her? Did he confess his feelings to her? Part of him wanted to. But no good would come from it. So he blew out his breath and gathered his wits.

“You know what I think it was? I think it was this place. It has a way of captivating you. Drawing you in and mesmerizing you. If I’m honest”—he dug into the sidewalk with his toe—“I’m meant to be with Daisy.”

She was quiet, so he waited a moment before he glanced over at her. She was studying him with a stony expression on her face. “So that’s it, huh? That’s what this whole trip has meant to you.” She scoffed and turned. “Good to know.”

She took a few steps forward and then turned. “I’ll gather my things and leave the love hut to you and your actual love.” She pulled off the ring and held it out. He extended his hand and she dropped it onto his palm. “This marriage is officially over.” Then she turned and left.

This time, Michael let her go. He watched as she disappeared around the building. They were done. He needed to let her move on. A relationship with him only ended in heartbreak, and her heart was one he’d never forgive himself if he broke. He loved her too much to do that.