The ache between my thighs the next morning matched the ache in my heart when I opened my eyes to my empty bed. It wasn't that Dorian had escaped in the middle of the night. No, I left his room of my own volition before things had gotten weird. I was sure that something major had changed between us, but I was still feeling confused and anxious about what the morning would bring. It was just easier to face the morning alone.

But that didn't stop the loneliness from spreading through my limbs like cold, oozing molasses. I held my blanket close to my chest, even though the air-conditioning wasn't up far enough to warrant it. I just needed to hold something for a moment.

I missed Mikala. Whenever I was sad, I'd cuddle her in my arms. She always made me grateful to be alive. Because no matter what kind of shit I'd had to put up with in the past, I always had my baby girl.

But today I didn't have her. And I didn't have Dorian. What I did have was a fluffy white duvet, which served as a poor substitute. I grabbed my phone from the bedside table and called Gwynne.

“Hello?”

“Hey, it's Briana.”

“Oh hey, Briana.” Her voice instantly took on a sunnier tone. “How's it going?”

“Good. I was wondering if I could talk to Mikala for a bit?”

“Absolutely.”

There was some shuffling as the phone was passed over, then my daughter's voice came through. “Mommy! I miss you so much.”

“I miss you too, baby.” My eyes stung, and I felt absolutely ridiculous. I just missed her so much. I'd never been away from her for more than a full weekend, and even then, she'd at least been in the same city. “How's Disney?”

“You wouldn’t believe it!” she cried. “There's so many people, and everyone's smiling, and I got to hug Winnie the Pooh, and Mrs. Averill got me an ice-cream that had pineapple in it, and I wasn't sure I was going to like it, but now it's my favorite thing in the whole wide world.”

Even missing her couldn't stop me from smiling at her excitement. “Your favorite in the world, huh?”

“Except you, Mommy,” she informed me, her voice taking on that serious tone that only a precocious child could manage. “But you're not a thing.”

I laughed. She told me that I was her favorite thing in the whole wide world not long ago, and I'd reminded her that I was a person, not a thing. Apparently, it had stuck.

“I'm so glad to hear you're having fun, baby.”

“I'm having so much fun! I miss you a lot though. Mrs. Averill said it's normal.”

I made a mental note to buy a thank you gift for Gwynne. “It is normal, but that doesn't make it any easier. I miss you too, like crazy.”

“I miss you more.”

“No, I miss you more.”

“I miss you more times infinity, no take backs!” she declared.

“Well, I guess I can't fight that,” I said, my heart squeezing. “Be a good girl for Gwynne, and I'll make you that pineapple ice cream thing when you get home. Then you'll have a bit of Disney whenever you want it.”

“Really?” She let out a squeal. “I can't wait!”

I swallowed hard against the lump in my throat. “I can’t wait either. I’ll see you soon.”

I didn’t feel much better after getting off the phone. Instead of feeling comforted, I just ached more. Talking with Mikala reminded me of why this little infatuation with Dorian was misguided. Last night had made me feel things that I hadn’t felt in a long time, and never that strongly. I wasn’t sure it would be so easy to say goodbye to him when this trip was over, even though it was inevitable. And I knew he couldn’t possibly feel the same, which only made it worse.

I needed to stop thinking about last night, so I decided to get up and get dressed instead. Then I listened to my grumbling stomach and headed down for breakfast. There was nothing pancakes and bacon couldn't fix.

Except when I walked into the dining hall, I saw something that even the world's best breakfast couldn't help.

Dorian, in all his dark-haired, chiseled-jaw glory was sitting alone at one of the tables in the dining room. I considered turning around and going back to my room. I could always order room service. Just as I began to turn, he saw me and stood, gesturing for me to join him. I gulped hard and walked over.

“Good morning,” he greeted, eyeing me cautiously. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah, totally. Slept like a lamb. Out like a light.”

I stopped myself before the babbling got really embarrassing and eyed the approaching waiter. I ordered my breakfast, trying not to feel self-conscious about how intently Dorian was staring at me. He was looking at me differently than he had yesterday, right? Or was I just imagining things?

“Why do I get the feeling you feel a little awkward about us having sex?”

I nearly spat out the water in my mouth. He chuckled as he watched me cover my mouth and managed to swallow the liquid threatening to burst from me.

“I’m not feeling awkward,” I squeaked.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it.

“Relax, darling. You’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about.” He grinned wickedly. “You were sensational.”

Okay, that wasn't exactly what I'd been looking for, but I couldn't deny that knowing he'd enjoyed himself eased some of my anxiety.

“As were you,” I said carefully. I half-expected him not to bring it up, the same way we hadn’t talked about the kiss on the beach. I couldn't be frustrated that he was treating this as an uncomplicated sexual encounter simply because I felt something.

“So, what are we going to do today?” Dorian asked, reaching out to butter another piece of his toast. “I was thinking about going down to the beach to try out the surf. What do you think?”

I couldn’t picture Dorian surfing. It was worth possibly making an ass out of myself to see. I was just glad that he was talking about we instead of him. “I’ve never surfed before, but I’m game to try.”

He took a bite of his toast, smiling. “I’ll teach you.”

Before the conversation could go much further, Enzo entered the dining room, saw us, and took an abrupt turn to go sit at another table. Dorian observed him with a scowl.

“I don’t want to pry…”

“But what the hell is his problem?” Dorian filled in. “Good question.”

He left it at that, so I presumed he didn’t know. I just hoped it didn’t have anything to do with me. The last thing Earl would have wanted me to do while I was here was cause a rift between the brothers. That wouldn’t give them warm fuzzies when they thought about the casino.

But, then again, when had I done something on this trip just because Earl would’ve wanted me to? He would be ecstatic, no doubt, to learn I’d slept with Dorian. But I hadn’t even considered Earl or the casino at all when I made that choice. That had been all me. In fact, I couldn’t remember even thinking about the Rock Bay since I arrived. It was like I’d forgotten what brought me here in the first place.

Besides, this couldn't be about me anyway. Sure, Enzo had essentially propositioned me the first night here, but he'd been drunk. He’d invited me here to be Dorian's date, after all.

I needed to stop thinking about Enzo and focus on having fun. I doubted I'd ever get back to Hawaii, so I was going to take advantage of the rest of my trip.

Which, apparently, meant I was going surfing.

* * *

On my third wipe-out, I was ready to give up altogether. I’d always been tenacious with activities I enjoyed, but I was finding it hard to enjoy being bitch-slapped by the ocean over and over again.

“I can’t do it,” I said to Dorian, scowling at the waves. “Why don’t I just go watch from the beach?”

He paddled over to me from where he’d been safely watching my latest attempt to stand. He looked like he belonged on the beach. His dark hair, tousled by the salty water, his beaming grin, the way the wetsuit showed off athletic build. He was born for this.

I, on the other hand, felt like a penguin on a surfboard. And that was being generous.

“You’re so close,” he told me with an encouraging smile. “You can’t give up now. I won’t allow it.”

“Oh, you won’t, won’t you?” I laughed.

“No, I won’t.” His eyes were dancing with amusement at my expense. “Now get back out there.”

It was hardly a pep talk, but seeing him enjoying himself so much was enough to get me going. I'd observed enough to know that his mild-mannered personality didn't mean he was laid-back. His intensity just boiled under the surface, always held in tight control. Knowing I could crack that control to get a genuine reaction meant more to me than it should.

I forced the thoughts aside as I paddled back out and waited for a baby wave to come by. Conscious of Dorian’s eyes on me, I concentrated hard on the instructions he’d given me. I paddled. I paddled harder. And then, arms burning like hell, I pushed myself up to a standing position.

And just like that, I was surfing.

Or at least I was until I completely lost my footing and went tumbling into the surf.

The water swallowed me up, currents pushing me down...down... I kicked toward the surface. Or was it the bottom? Being under water, it was incredibly difficult to figure out which way was up. Where was I?

A bright flare of panic went through me, mingling with the disorientation until I could feel it taking over. I knew if it did, I'd be lost...

A strong hand wrapped around my arm and tugged me. Dorian. Even though I couldn't see him, I knew it was him, and the knowledge pushed away the fear.

We surfaced, and I inhaled, then coughed up the little bit of water that I'd inhaled in my panic. One arm held me around my waist while his other hand pushed the hair back from my face. The gesture warmed, me and I forgot why I'd been scared at all.

I started to laugh, the sound rough from the salt water. “I can't believe I just wiped out like that on the smallest wave the world has ever seen.”

His handsome face, first pinched with worry, shifted into a relieved smile. The arm around my waist tightened, telling me how scared he'd been. I ran my hands through his hair, my fingers lingering on his cheek a moment longer than necessary.

“I'm going to have to keep my eye on you, aren't I?” His gaze was warm.

“Apparently.” I shook my head, not wanting the mood to get too serious. “Who knew surfing was so hard?”

He laughed again, reluctantly releasing me so I could use my ankle leash to pull over my board. Once I had mine, he got his, then we both headed to shore. I'd had enough of surfing for now. Maybe I'd try it another time. Maybe I wouldn't. But I'd never forget today, though not because of my new experience. I'd remember it because, even if I'd eventually been able to figure it out on my own, Dorian had saved me. He'd pulled me to the surface before I could drown, and that was something I'd never had before.

I was more used to the men in my life being the ones to hold me under.

* * *

After a delightful Monday and most of Tuesday spent doing the sorts of touristy things that Dorian never would have indulged in if he'd been alone, Tuesday evening promised another unique experience. A double date with Enzo and his wife, Elina. I'd seen her around and made polite small talk, but I hadn't really gotten a chance to know her. She seemed nice enough, but I'd been around enough women to know that sometimes the ones who put up the sweetest expressions were the fiercest underneath.

Things started off well, with me discovering that Elina was just as quiet and kind as she seemed. I had to coax answers from her at first, but once she relaxed a bit, the conversation between us flowed easily, giving Enzo and Dorian a chance to figure out whatever was going on between the two of them.

The more I talked to her, the worse I felt about how much Enzo had flirted with me, and even though I never reciprocated in any way other than the sort of harmless teasing I would've done with just about anyone, I felt guilty. After all, I knew that the brothers had prostitutes with them in Vegas. And Enzo had shown up outside my door when we first arrived here. I wanted to reassure her that I had no intention of doing anything with her husband, but I didn't know how to do that without alerting her to what had been going on in the first place.

My initial indifference toward Enzo in any way that wasn't work related morphed into a dislike that only grew throughout the evening. I didn't understand how any man could treat someone like Elina with the blatant disregard Enzo showed. By the end of the meal, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to accommodate any requests he made during return trips to Vegas since I'd always be thinking about his lovely wife sitting at home alone while he enjoyed himself with hookers and alcohol.

I was almost relieved when several of the cousins showed up and took the table next to us. Even Charisma and Kenny were a welcome distraction to the new problem I'd discovered about the position I wanted.

I wasn't an idiot. I knew married men picked up prostitutes as much as unmarried ones, especially in Vegas, and I knew that if I was moved into this job permanently, I'd almost certainly be contacting some of the escort services on behalf of hotel patrons. I'd seen plenty of men with rings playing craps with a woman on their lap and had never really given their wives much thought.

But this wife had a face now. And I liked her.

I put those thoughts firmly in the box labeled To Think About Back Home and drained my champagne. There was no point in getting worked up if I didn't know for certain that I had the job.

I said goodnight to Elina as she left, then pasted on a half-honest smile and turned to the conversation the others were having. Fortunately, Kenny and Charisma seemed determined to monopolize it, even for just a while, and I didn't have to do much of anything but smile and nod. After a while, however, my jaw began to ache, and I'd reached the limits of my boredom.

“I'll be back,” I said quietly as I got to my feet. Dorian nodded to show he'd heard me but didn't say anything.

I was halfway to the restroom when I remembered that I needed to call Mikala to tell her goodnight. The problem with jet lag was, when it was over, you completely forgot that everyone else wasn't in the same time zone as you. I didn't really need to use the restroom for anything more than an excuse for a few minutes of quiet, so I decided that my time was better spent talking to my daughter, so I headed back to the table to grab my phone.

In the short time I'd been gone, Enzo and Dorian had apparently moved from talking to their cousins to having a hushed discussion that looked more than a little heated. My instincts told me to go back to my original plan, but my curiosity was stronger. I slipped around one of the partitions so I could approach from the side without being seen.

As soon as I was close enough to hear what the brothers were saying, I wished I hadn't.

“Yeah? And how do you think she'd feel about you if she knew that besides just getting her to Hawaii, getting her on her back was also part of the bet?” Enzo sneered.

Dorian's voice was hushed but full of venom. “How do you think you would feel if I broke your nose?”

I froze, my stomach churning. Surely they weren't talking about me. They couldn't be. Even if Dorian didn't feel anything but physical attraction for me, he wouldn't have done something like that.

“Wouldn't matter,” Enzo slurred, clearly two sheets to the wind. “It's not like pretty princess Briana is going to sleep with me anyway. So I guess that means you win.”

I backed away, nearly running into a waiter before I turned on my heel and made a speedy exit. I needed some air. I needed all the air. I didn't care that my purse and phone were back at the table. No one would steal them while everyone was still there. I'd go back in a bit, once I calmed down and could fake my way through an excuse.

After all, I'd faked my way through more unpleasant situations.

I made it to the lobby before somebody stopped me. A hand on my arm had me spinning around, thinking it would be Dorian. But it wasn't.

“Kenny.” I frowned as Dorian and Enzo's cousin leered at me, his hand still on my arm. I shook him off as gently as I could manage in my current state. “I don't really have time–”

“Hey, relax baby.” He took a step closer, royal blue eyes slipping down my body. “I saw you book it out of the restaurant. Wanted to see if you needed...” He brushed the back of his hand down my arm. “Comforting.”

I took a step back, repressing a shudder of disgust. It wasn't that he was unattractive, but he was the sort of guy who made my skin crawl. “I needed some air,” I said. “And to be alone.”

“How much would it take to make you change your mind about that?” He licked his lips. “Still the same rate?”

My pulse began to pound as something played at the edges of my memory. Those eyes...that curving, cruel mouth...

Suddenly, a flash of him. Naked. On top of me.

Inside me.

Oh god.

I backed away, stumbling. Screw the air. I needed to get to my room. Without saying another word, I made a beeline for the elevators and stabbed my finger against the button. I didn't let out a sound until the doors closed with me inside the elevator. Alone. I could barely recognize the noise I made, a cross between a whimper and a sob.

How had I not realized earlier? Kenny had been one of my clients. One of the first men who'd...and, even though the memories were hazy, I was almost certain he'd visited me more than once. I'd desperately tried to forget everything that happened in those few years. It was the only way I could stay sane. And I'd been getting by fine. Sure, Elroy liked to make comments to remind me, but just seeing him was enough to do that. Since I'd been at Rock Bay, no one from my past had found me.

I'd never expected to be confronted by it here. Especially not like this.

I was in my room before I remembered that I left my purse on the table downstairs. Dorian would notice I was missing soon. He'd probably come up to see if something was wrong. He'd at least drop off my phone.

And when he did, what then?

Was I supposed to say something? Let him know that I knew about the bet? Pretend I hadn't overheard their conversation and that things hadn't changed between us? And what about Kendall? He hadn't told Dorian anything yet, but that didn't mean he wouldn't. Should I tell Dorian first? Or had Dorian known all along, and that was why he and Enzo hadn't thought twice about betting on fucking me?

Right now, I wasn't sure which of those questions offered the worst possible answer, but I did know that no matter what, my carefree vacation was over.