I fake pouted and watched his perfectly peachy bottom head into the bathroom.
Maybe he was right and it was time for a little fun.
Within the hour, we were both dressed and in the lobby, ready for our nonsexual fun. Everyone looked so happy and relaxed, and I realized it had been a while since I’d left London. Years more than that since I’d been away on a holiday that wasn’t about meeting donors for the charity.
Maybe my father knew exactly what he was doing when he gave Tristan and I this trip.
“We’re too late for Chichen Itza today,” Tristan said as he came back from the concierge desk. “And I wasn’t sure whether or not mountain biking was your jam.”
I grimaced. “No, it’s most definitely not my jam, my marmalade, or my chocolate spread.”
“Chocolate spread?” He raised his eyebrows in a suggestive pulse. “Now that gives me some ideas.” I elbowed him in the ribs. “You’re cute when you’re grumpy.”
“You’re not cute if you make me go mountain biking.”
He shook his head, slung his arms around my shoulders, and guided me out into the Mexican sunshine. “I have something much more fun planned. “You have a swimsuit under your dress, right?”
We headed toward the ocean, silky sand slipping between our toes. Tristan led me to the jetty that stretched out into aqua-blue ocean.
“What do you think. Can you handle it?” he asked as we got to the water’s edge.
“Handle what?”
He pointed toward a couple of pedalos that were tied to the timber piles.
“I’ve never been in one before. Is it fun?”
He shrugged. “No clue. Let’s find out.”
An employee of the hotel appeared and untied a bright yellow pedalo. “Your paddleboat, miss.” He helped me in from the jetty. “You know where you’re going?” he asked.
“Yup, we got it,” Tristan replied like he was a master pedalo rider.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“Just going to explore the coastline for a bit and enjoy the sunshine. Is that okay?”
I shrugged. “At least my body will have a chance to recover from thirty-six hours in bed with you.”
“We don’t have to talk if it makes you feel any better.”
I laughed. “You know how to make a girl happy.”
“So many years wasted on building an armory of seduction techniques when all I needed to do was shut my mouth.”
We pedaled out from the jetty. Tristan steered us across the bay to where there were some rocks jutting out into the water.
“It’s really beautiful here.” The green water, bright blue sky, white sand—it triggered something in me. “It’s like how we’re programmed to find puppies cute. It’s the same with this place. It would be impossible to find anyone who didn’t think this place was glorious.”
I glanced across at him, his aviators covering those pale blue eyes, his tanned skin that looked even more golden than usual against the white of his t-shirt and the glare of the sun. He looked like he belonged here, in a place where no one could say anything other than how beautiful, how relaxing, how completely glorious he was.
“What are you looking at?” he asked, his gaze straight ahead.
“You,” I replied. “You think we can have sex on a pedalo?”
We were just about to reach the rocks and Tristan nodded past them. “I’ve got a better place.”
Behind the rocks was a small secluded cove that sheltered a white sand beach.
“You knew this was here?” I asked as we peddled closer to the shore.
“They told me back at the hotel.”
“Wait, is that—oh my gosh, Tristan, did you arrange this?” To the side of the cove, under the shade of a collection of palm trees, was a low table covered with a pink-and-green tablecloth.
“I may have mentioned we were going to stop by.”
I glanced over at him and I could tell by his shy smile that he was happy he’d surprised me.
As we got nearer the shore, Tristan jumped out of the pedalo and pulled me onto the beach. A waiter sprang into action, ran over and grabbed the rope, and wrapped it round a rock that protruded from the water. Tristan rounded the pedalo and scooped me out of the contraption and carried me to dry land.
“It’s like you’re my knight in shining armor. Or swimming trunks.” I pressed my lips against his jaw. “How romantic.”
We both took a seat overlooking the ocean as the waiter poured us drinks, uncovered platters of food, and then called a speedboat to come and collect him. We were left with a radio and strict instructions to use it if we needed anything at all.
“This is amazing,” I said. “You arranged all this?”
“It’s very peaceful. And I need you to regain your strength.”
I circled the back of his neck with my fingers. “Same,” I said. “But it would be a shame not to take advantage of such a secluded spot.” I reached under his t-shirt and stroked my hand down his abs.