“Yes, father,” Ethan began.

  “What did he say?”

  “He’s refusing to take meetings anymore.”

  “Damn it, Son, I don’t want to lose this account.”

  “I know. I’ve tried. He is talking about buying a place out here.”

  “Staying on the damn island. For Christ’s sake.” He paused and then spoke again. “If you didn’t meet with Mr. Willard why did you stay another night?” his father asked annoyed.

  “Unfinished business,” Ethan said with a smile, once again looking toward the bathroom.

  “Oh, for crying out loud,” Mr. Webster said with exacerbation and Ethan could hear his father’s disapproval. “I hope you used a damn condom. I don’t want some island girl coming to the states claiming you fathered her child.”

  “She’s from New York so calm down, and besides, I’m a grown man who…”

  “Who works for me,” his father retorted, cutting his son off. “I will not have our company, or our family name brought down by an illegitimate child. Who is this girl anyway?”

  Ethan ran his hand up the back of his neck. He had no real answer for his father. Although he and Summer had talked extensively, he really didn’t know anything about what she did for a living, who her family was or any of the other things that would matter to his father.

  “What’s her name? If you are considering pursuing this woman let me run a background check on her,” his father stated, interrupting Ethan’s thoughts.

  “If I decide to pursue this relationship back in New York I don’t need your approval or permission or…” Ethan stuttered out frustrated.

  “Ethan, calm down. I have every right to be concerned. What if she is after our money? Have you forgotten about Marina so soon? Well, I haven’t!” his father stated incensed.

  Ethan winced at the mention of Marina. He had been engaged to her for only a few months when he found out that she was trying to steal his money, well, more specifically, the family’s money. It was a huge ordeal and something that his father made sure to mention anytime he showed any interest in a woman for anything more than recreational purposes.

  “Son, take a couple of days, enjoy this woman and then let it go. The other option is we do a check on her, make sure she is someone legitimate. Alright?” his father said coolly.

  “Yeah, of course. I’ll call you when I get back,” Ethan said right before hanging up.

  Ethan leaned back, rubbing his fingers against his temples. This was a mess. He glanced at his computer again. He liked Summer. He wanted to pursue her. He looked toward the bathroom and then sat up straight, typing her name into the laptop’s search engine. Google came back with a long list of Summer O’Neal’s including what looked like close to twenty Facebook accounts. He perused for a moment and then clicked on the page that had her picture as an icon. He scrolled through her wall and saw several pictures of her and her friend Zoe from here on the island. He looked again toward the door and could hear movement. He turned back to the computer and clicked on photos.

  “SHIT!” he fumed, standing up.

  The album was entitled, Annual Webster Christmas Party. The cover was a picture of Summer all dolled up in a stunning black dress, raising her glass in a toast. Ethan clicked on the album, seeing numerous pictures from the party this past year. Ethan was infuriated. She worked for them, which meant that she knew exactly who he was, and yet she acted as if it was just a coincidence that she was in the Bahamas at the same time he was. His hands went to his head. Everything she said and did was a lie, a setup, a trap to ensnare him. He could almost hear his father saying I told you so.

  “Ethan, how’s this, is it helicopter suitable?” Summer asked spinning.

  Ethan whipped his head around to look at her. The lines on his face hard, his brows furrowed as his eyes grew dark and menacing. Summer stopped mid spin when she saw the expression on his face. He looked upset, extremely upset, frightening even.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked wearily.

  He sneered and faced his laptop, turning it to her. She tore her eyes away from his livid face to see that he had her Facebook page open and that he was looking at the album from last year’s Christmas party. Her heart dropped into her stomach and she could feel the tears already forming. She should have said something sooner.

  “I can explain,” she said meekly as she approached him, touching his chest gently.

  He pushed her away from him and then brought his hands to his hair as she stumbled back. He was filled with rage. He had been played. She wasn’t interested in him at all. She was just like all the other women he had ever met and if he had pursued her she would have turned out just like Marina had.

  “Ethan, please, let me explain,” Summer pleaded.

  Ethan sneered at her. “You’re just like all of them.” He brought his face close to hers, in a manner that scared her. “You’re just another gold digging whore.”

  Summer started crying, shaking her head. “No, Ethan, that’s not what I want.”

  “RIGHT!” he yelled and yanked her towards the door. “Get the hell out of here.”

  She turned at the door, and saw him spin around, showing his back to her. He grabbed one of the plants on the table and threw it across the room as he paced the floor. She watched until he eventually walked down the hall and slammed the door closed to the bathroom. She dropped her head and then took a deep breath, wiping her tears before walking back inside to grab her purse lying on the counter. Summer held her head high as she made her way to the front of the resort and called a cab.

  “It’ll be okay,” she thought to herself.

  The cab ride to Surfer’s Ridge was the longest ride of her life. She was lost in thought. She had not expected the anger that had come from Ethan. She knew she should have been honest with him from the get go. That she should have told him earlier so that they could talk about it versus him finding out on his own. His words stung though. She didn’t want Ethan for his money, she wanted him for him and now it was over before it truly began.

  “Ma’am,” the cabbie said, trying to get her attention.

  Summer blinked several times, realizing where she was. She reached in her purse, paying him. She hoped that Zoe would be there, so they could talk. As she entered their hotel room it was eerily quiet. She glanced around and could see Zoe’s laptop still sitting on the table. She then saw a note on the counter. She walked over and picked it up.

  Dear Summer,

  Oh, my God! I can’t believe I’m doing this but I’m taking your advice and spending the next three days with Masen. I hope you understand. I can’t wait to tell you all about it. He’s amazing. Hope you and Ethan are having a great time too!

  Love you,

  Zoe

  Summer sighed and sat down on one of the chairs, bringing her head between her knees. She couldn’t call Zoe. There was no way she would take away from what she had with Masen. She sat up straight and then stood. She decided at that moment that she would give Ethan some time to cool off and then she would call him and hopefully he would give her a chance to explain. Either way, this was going to be a long three days for her.

  12 Lighthouse Beach

  M asen stared at his equipment on the table, debating on whether he should bring anything or not. He generally traveled with two primary cameras. His Leica S and his Nikon AW110. The Nikon was great for certain situations, like taking pictures underwater while the Leica he used for pretty much everything else. His Leica was his baby and he treated it as such. He probably took better care of it then his surfboard, which was saying a lot. Picking it up, he inspected the various parts, something he meticulously did daily, even when the camera wasn’t in use. He thought for a moment on his plans for the day. He had decided to take Zoe to Lighthouse Beach, a place he had already shot, so technically he didn’t need either of his cameras, but he had a strong desire to bring them anyway.

  Lighthouse Beach was one of his favorite spots on the island. It was also a two-hour drive, so they needed to head out soon. He glanced toward the bathroom where she was showering. Waking up with her had been surreal and the sex they had even better. There was a feeling of normalcy with the situation as if this was the way it should be. He breathed in deeply at that thought. He was definitely in uncharted territory. He shook his head, surprised at himself, before proceeding to pack both of his cameras and all his gear into the vehicle.

  “Masen?” Zoe called out, walking into the empty living room. She looked around perplexed. “Where is he?” she muttered to herself.

  Before she could process this further he strode through the front door, running his hand through the hair that was falling in his face. Zoe involuntarily sighed at the sight of him. He was wearing a pair of board shorts and a white tank top undershirt with the same flip-flops he wore the night before. He smirked that all knowing smirk as he approached her, kissing her deeply.

  “We should leave,” he murmured against her lips.

  “Where are we going?” she asked, trying her best to contain her desire for him.

  “I’m taking you to a place called Lighthouse Beach. It’s on the southern tip of the island.” He pecked her lips once more and then laughed as he slapped her ass, which looked exceptional in her jean shorts. “Now go grab your suit, baby. I want to show you something amazing.”

  “Okay,” Zoe whispered.

  She ran into the bedroom to her bag while he went to grab the two water jugs, the only things left to pack in the car. Masen knew that there weren’t a lot of places to stop once they got to the beach, so he had packed a few things, mostly snacks as they could stop at Sammy’s and pick up something with more sustenance, which is what he had done when he had gone there last week.

  “I’m ready,” Zoe stated as she stuffed her suit in her little bag. She looked curiously at the jugs of water he was holding. “Are we going to be gone awhile?”

  He laughed and held both containers in one hand as he put his arm around her with the other. When Masen was working he tended to wander until something spoke to him, which meant he was used to being gone for long periods of time and as such he always brought plenty of supplies less he starve, or worse, become dehydrated.

  “It’s a day trip but there aren’t any spots where I’m taking you to get water.”

  “Oh, okay.”

  The sun shone brightly as they stepped out of the cabin. It was the perfect day to spend at the beach. He loved where he was taking her and was excited to see what she thought of it as well. He flipped on his shades and helped her in the car before jumping in the driver’s seat, ready to get the day started. As he pulled on to the main road, he glanced at her, reaching for her hand, which she gave him readily. Bringing it to his lips, he kissed it softly, grinning as she drew her lip in her mouth.

  “You’re gonna love it!”

  She nodded and smiled, thinking that what she would love is having him all to herself. She didn’t care what they were going to do, as long as it gave her more time in his company.

  “I’m sure I will,” she finally said, enraptured.

  As Masen drove down the winding road toward the beach, Zoe could feel her excitement growing exponentially. She wasn’t sure what exactly he had in store for her, but she couldn’t wait to find out. She had resisted the urge to call Summer and tell her about Masen, not wanting to jinx herself. She would have to fill her in on all the details when she got back.

  They had driven for close to two hours before stopping at a place called Sammy’s to pick up sandwiches and fruit. At that point Zoe had to quash her insecurities as she noticed every woman in the place watching Masen. She reminded herself that he was with her, not them. They then hopped back in his car and drove for another thirty minutes. She glanced around as he pulled into a parking lot of sorts.

  “Have you ever been snorkeling?”

  “No,” she replied hesitantly.

  He smiled and then turned toward the sounds coming from the shore, pointing out toward it. “There is this amazing cove that I need to take you to.” He turned and saw her unease. “Don’t worry, baby. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  Without realizing, she smiled. She wasn’t sure why. Was it that he kept calling her baby, something that made her feel special, as if they were a real couple versus two people having some island fling? Or was it his extraordinary beauty that made it difficult not to smile in his presence? Or perhaps it was simply that she felt oddly safe with him, inherently she knew he would indeed protect her.

  “Come on. It will be fun.”

  He kissed her lightly and then abruptly got out of the car like some high school senior trying to impress the new girl. Masen opened the door for Zoe and then proceeded to open the trunk. He first rummaged through his camera bag and withdrew his Nikon. His go to camera when he thought he would be anywhere near water. As he grabbed their snorkeling gear, he winked at her and snapped a picture, smiling as she scrunched her nose in frustration.

  “That’s very adorable,” he kissed her crinkled skin and laughed as she rolled her eyes.

  “I don’t like having my picture taken,” Zoe stated uneasily.

  He laughed again, holding up his camera and taking another one. “Get used to it, baby.”

  She shook her head slightly but still smiled as he led her to the path that would lead to the shore. The path itself was a little difficult but that didn’t stop Masen from taking pictures of her every chance he could get. Zoe tried to ignore him in that sense, captivated by where she was. She was in awe of everything and Masen was in awe of her. The beach was beautiful, the almost pink sand seemed magical, and the clear water of the ocean was breathtaking. She had never seen anything as beautiful as this. She stopped and inspected the shells lying in the sand while Masen continued to take pictures of her. After picking up a few of the shells, small reminders of the exceptional day she was sure to have with him, he led her to a dock where there was a small row boat awaiting them.

  “After you,” he said motioning for her to enter the boat.

  “This is, umm, seaworthy, isn’t it?” Zoe questioned.

  Masen laughed. “Get in the boat, you silly girl.”

  Zoe gingerly stepped inside as the boat rocked just slightly. Just as it steadied Masen stepped in and it rocked again. She gripped the rails and held on tight, looking back and forth from one side of the boat to the other. He smiled at her as he stepped past her and set their gear down. He picked up the oars and took a seat, admiring her and taking delight in the fact that he would be doing something with her that she had never done before. That pleased him more than he thought it should.

  “Zoe,” he called to her. “Look at me, baby.” She looked up. “I promise this will be amazing. Trust me, okay?”

  Zoe blushed, remembering him saying the exact same thing the night before as they made love against the railing. He started rowing and she stared as the muscles in his arms flexed. He motioned his head toward the water and Zoe broke her eyes away from him. As handsome as Masen was she couldn’t believe how incredible the sight before her was. You could see everything. The fish swimming about as if no one was around, the algae swaying with the current, and the vibrant plant life that looked like something one could only dream of. It didn’t seem like anything you’d find in real life. Her fingers skimmed the cool water, imagining what it would be like to actually be under there. She chuckled as a thought crossed her mind.

  “What’s funny?” he asked curiously.

  She glanced his way and grinned. “We’re gonna be swimming with the fishes,” she said with a slight giggle. “Get it, swimming with the fishes,” she reemphasized, wagging her brows. “You know, like those mob guys in the movies always say.”

  He laughed and shook his head. “Yeah, I get it, but I don’t think mob guys really say stuff like that.”

  She shrugged and giggled again before looking back to the water. He rowed a little while longer until he got to an area that was surrounded by an unusual rock formation. Once there, he stopped and started pulling out equipment, going over what to do, outlining where they were going to go. He made everything sound so easy.

  “Alright, baby, change into your suit,” he said nonchalantly.

  Zoe looked around and then back at him. She stared at him like he had lost his mind or something, wanting her to strip out in the open. As she continued to stare, he laughed and stood up, dropping his shorts, underwear and all, before pulling his shirt over his head unceremoniously. He stood in front of her stark naked, his manhood lying limply against his thigh. Without forethought, she reached out and started stroking him, feeling him come to life in her hand.

  “That feels good, but,” he trailed off and stepped back some.

  “But what?”

  “I didn’t think to bring any condoms on the boat,” he said with a slight arch of his brow.

  “Who said we need a condom,” she replied mischievously.

  Zoe scooted in front of him and wrapped her mouth around him, before he had a chance to stop her. Sneaking a peek at him and seeing his hooded eyes slowly start to close, she felt empowered. She had a feeling that he had stripped before her to get a rise from her, well it did, but she could also tell that he was not anticipating this sort of reaction. She moved her mouth along his length, letting her tongue sweep over his pulsing ridges. Masen let out a loud groan that emanated from deep within him as his hands moved to her face.

  “Zoe,” his tongue passed over his lips as he felt his body come alive for her.

  Zoe took this as a sign that he liked what she was doing. She continued her quest, letting her mouth and tongue explore him. His hand moved from her face to her hair, where he began fisting it as his moans and gasps became louder. He was getting close. She could tell. He felt his knees start to buckle as she drew out his orgasm. She continued what she was doing until he let out a strangled whimper. He pulled back from her, dropping to his knees in the boat. Zoe rose with a look of satisfaction on her face as she slowly stripped in front of him, changing into her bathing suit like he had requested earlier.