Emma came up out of the water and hugged him, whispering in his ear, “We needed that. I’m so happy.”

“Yes, we did,” he said, holding her tight. “I had no idea we were missing that. When I saw you with Antonio, something inside me broke. I’ve been struggling with these feelings all day, not knowing what to do. The girls were giving me all this advice, but nothing felt right. Then when I thought he was kissing you, it was the last straw for me.”

“It’s going to take more than this to get us back on track, but I know this is where we need to be,” she said. “I just want to mean more to you than anyone else in the entire world. It’s not something I could’ve ordered you to do. You had to see it—and want it—for yourself. But I’m glad you did. You’re all I want.”

He bobbed down in the water, still holding on to her. “You’re all I want, too. I never meant to be pigheaded about this, but I didn’t get it. Like I said, these feelings are new to me. I did a lot of thinking on the way back from dinner. That’s why I was late. In the end, losing you is not an option. I will keep fighting for you, whatever it takes.”

“You were never going to lose me.” She assured him with a lingering kiss. “We were just stalled. I admit I enjoyed the attention Antonio poured on, even invited it, but only because it made me feel appreciated. I felt coveted, and women need to feel that sometimes. We need that reassurance—or at least I do. Knowing that I’m the one who turned you on that much a few moments ago, and that you can’t live without me, makes me feel happy.”

“If you ask me, Antonio appreciated you too much,” Pete growled. “But if he hadn’t, I might still be knocking my head against the wall trying to figure this out.”

They heard splashes behind them, and Pete turned them around.

Mallory and Charlotte were giggling as they half-swam, half-splashed over.

“I see you lovebirds are back on track,” Mallory said, stopping a few feet from them, then sinking back in the water, kicking out her feet and arms.

Both girls were totally naked, as usual.

“That was some hella good sex, boys and girls,” Charlotte said. “I applaud your gangster efforts.”

“Did you watch us the entire time?” Emma asked, her arms still around Pete’s neck.

“Nah,” Charlotte said. “It was too hard to see in the dark, but by the sounds of it, you got the goods more than a few times. You drove Cheri nearly out of her mind. Her boobs were heaving like I’ve never seen before. We had Frankie and Jay double-time her so she’d shut up already.”

“I have no idea why Antonio invites them,” Mallory said, shaking her head. “They are the epitome of low-class.”

“He’s amused by her extra-large breasts,” Charlotte answered, “and the fact she’ll do anything—and I mean anything—to get her fix. I’m saying a Dirty Sanchez is not out of the question for her.”

“Gross!” Mallory gasped. “Everyone has to draw a line somewhere. Mine is way before that. I do have some morals, even if they’re sometimes hard to find.”

“I don’t know what a Dirty Sanchez is,” Emma commented. “And from the sounds of it, I don’t think I want to know.”

“No, no, you don’t,” Mallory agreed. “It’s disgusting, and if I had to guess, totally made-up. I don’t know of one person in the entire world who would say okay to anything that has to do with shit during sex. And I mean actual shit. Even for all of Cheri’s bravado, I don’t think she’d do it.”

“Well, ladies,” Pete said, clearing his throat, “on that note, I’m going to take my beautiful wife home for the evening. We plan to stay holed up for a while, ordering room service and having great sex, so don’t be alarmed when you don’t see us. I’m sure we’ll resurface eventually.”

Pete swept Emma out of the water without looking back.

She held on to him, kicking out her feet and giggling as he carried her to their villa.

* * *

Emma stretched out in bed. She was relaxed and content. It was one o’clock in the afternoon. It’d been three days since they’d seen anyone else for more than a passing moment. They’d ordered all their meals in, and other than going out on the beach in front of their villa, or taking a few runs, they hadn’t ventured farther than their deck. Their pool had been amazing. Emma could float in there all day long, as it had shade from a few palm trees.

The past few days had been exactly what Emma had needed and hoped for on this trip. A full reconnection of body and soul. She felt rejuvenated.

This morning she’d gone on an early morning run. She had been out the door before sunrise, and by the time she arrived back to the villa, Pete had been up and ready for some fun. They’d spent the better part of the morning having sex, and then she’d taken a nap.

“I’m going to be so spoiled now,” Emma said, rolling over, bringing her hands over her head to stretch. “I’m not going to be able to re-adapt to normal life. All I’m going to want is for you to feed me chocolate-covered fruit and massage my back for hours at a time.”

Pete strode toward her as he towel-dried his hair. “I’m ready to give you another treatment as soon as you’re up for it.” He gyrated his hips, displaying his prominent erection. “This one will massage you on the inside.”

“I can’t believe how often you’re hard,” Emma said with wonder in her voice. “What’s gotten into you? It’s like you’ve morphed into a sex machine.”

Pete crawled onto the bed with her, grinning as he tossed the towel to the floor. “You’ve gotten into me, or is it I’ve gotten into you?” He placed his lips on her bare stomach. “You’re so enticing I can’t get enough.” He nipped her stomach.

She swatted his shoulder. “Now I know you’re making things up!” She laughed. “You just like sex. Plain and simple.”

“I love sex, but sex with you is driving me insane.” He moved up her body and took a pert nipple into his mouth. “It’s like when we just met. I can’t get enough.”

“Me either.” She wound her hands into his hair, loving the feel and the texture of it. He had thick blond hair that curled at his neck. It’d always been a turn-on for her. “Remember when we holed up in your apartment for an entire week? That was pure bliss.”

“I remember that all too well,” he murmured, taking the other nipple in his mouth as Emma groaned. “That’s when I realized how incredibly flexible you are.” He chuckled. “My dick couldn’t get enough. But I knew I was never going to let you go after our week together. I was already figuring out how I was going to propose.”

“I knew I was going to marry you, too.”

Pete propped himself up on an elbow, gazing down at her, his eyes heated. “I’m sorry we stumbled, but I want to make sure the rest of our years together are amazing like this. We’ll just have to make sure we keep finding our way back to this feeling and talking about it when things feel off.”

“I agree—”

The glass door to their bedroom suddenly slid open, and Mallory, followed by Charlotte, tumbled in. They were both dressed in sheer bathing suit cover-ups with nothing on underneath.

“Okay, kiddies, I’m officially here to tell you your self-appointed hibernation is over!” Mallory announced as she draped herself on the bed. “The yacht hasn’t been the same without you, and I’m bored out of my mind. They really need to advertise this place to singles.”

Emma giggled as she pulled a sheet around her and Pete. She wasn’t being modest, she just wanted privacy. “I don’t know,” Emma answered. “We’re having a pretty good time alone. The only thing missing for me is my junk food and a ballet barre so I can stretch my aching muscles and get in a good workout.”

“They have a small convenience store here,” Mallory said. “They can deliver whatever you want, sans the barre. But that’s beside the point! We miss you guys. And it’s my last night. I fly out with the dawn tomorrow morning.”