I stretched out on the beach towel, closing my eyes as the sun stroked my body with its warm gaze. The roll of the ocean soothed my ears with its gentle lullaby. Eyes closed, I groped with my hand and found the tropical drink perched on a mound of hot sand.

I could get used to this.

There were perks to having a rich boyfriend, like the access to one of the most exclusive, private beaches in Bora Bora: unlimited drinks, beachside service, and the gentle sound of the waves. I opened my eyes, and a bright sky burned my eyeballs. I sat up and watched Luke swimming through the ocean waves, his arms rising and water droplets glittering from them like diamonds.

A smile crept over my face as I watched his arms crash through the waves. He deserved to have a moment of levity after everything that happened.

He needed to get away from it all.

Luke reconciled with his father. He told me he went to the hospice after we broke up and they had a heart to heart. After his father died, Luke only received a meager five hundred thousand with a note:

After all these years, I realized I loved the money more than my family. It’s too much for one person. I do not want to change the man you’ve become. I love you, Luke. -Dad

Luke’s father had given a similar portion to his uncle, who did not waste time in uttering how disappointed he was. The rest of his fortune was given to charities and other businesses. Luke had already raged and grieved over the money.

He may not have believed in the message his father wrote, but I did. My eyes teared up under the blazing sun as I recalled the words of his father's last farewell.

I hastily wiped the wetness from my eyes as Luke emerged from the water, his board trailing behind him.

Damn.

There was nothing like watching the beads of water roll down his broad chest, which sparkled in the sunlight. Every time I looked at him, there was still that swooping sensation of joy and disbelief.

Dripping, he sat down next to me and leaned over. Water from his hair pelted my face, but I didn’t mind because the heat baked my skin. He blocked out the sun and smiled as his soaking head hovered over mine.

 “Come here.”

I allowed him to pull me upright into his chilly embrace, sparks exploding underneath my skin as he swept his arm around my back. His wet lips touched mine, and I wrapped my hands around his damp head to deepen the kiss. When he pulled away, my heart was flip-flopping in my chest.

“We don’t take enough vacations.”

“We’ve only been together six months.”

He made a sound at the back of his throat. My lips were still tingling from his kiss.

It had been six amazing months. I found a job as a copy editor at a small publisher in the city. It paid little, but it was a start. Luke usually picked me up after work to take me out to dinner. Six months was enough to know I was in love. Hell, after the first month of dating I had a good feeling about him.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

I curled my fingers into his hair, suddenly shy. “This feels like a dream.”

“Which part?”

"You. The beach. All of it. But especially you."

“I’m nothing special.”

I blew out air through my nose. “Says the VP of the biggest hotel chain in the world.”

“That’s just a job.”

“You’re the one on the tabloids.”

He shook his head. “Trust me, Jess. You’re the extraordinary one.”

“What did I do?”

“You made me fall in love with you.” He inched forward as my heart clenched.

My face burned with the intensity of his stare.

He loved me.

No man had ever said that to me. It was hard to describe what it felt like—incredible joy swelled in my chest followed by fear.

The fear it would all go away.

But I knew that I felt the same about him—I probably loved him after the first week of dating him. Staying at his house already felt like home.

I spent a lot of nights at his place, but I hadn’t abandoned my apartment, yet. I wasn’t ready to move in with him. Besides, there was still Natalie.

I frowned as I thought of her. She split up with Ben, her longtime college sweetheart and fiancé. Natalie spent a lot of her days with a box of tissues nearby. I felt bad because things were going so well for me.

“You’re thinking about her again, aren’t you?”

“I can’t help it. She’s all alone.”

“She’s not alone. She has a very supportive family.”

I nodded. “Can’t you set her up with one of your friends?”

He sighed and shook his head. “I can try.”

I held him tightly against my chest. “Thanks. I love you.”

His lips, soft against my cheek, raised a thrill inside me. I melted into his touch, bewildered by my love for him. I could never understand how he made me feel so complete. Luke helped me mend the hole in my heart. I didn’t think I would ever be afraid of anything again.

“I love you, too.”

* * *