Maria smoothed her palms over her yellow dress and ambled toward Mitch, who waited on the beach. The cool evening air caressed her ocean kissed legs. "What do you need to talk about or do you enjoy ruining my potential..."

A grin snaked across his face. "Was that you trying to hook up?" He howled in laughter.

She hunched her shoulders and glanced at her toes.

"You looked like you were being stalked by a lion."

She groaned. "You're screwing with me." She turned on her heel, wondering if Nyan Min would still be interested, but Mitch caught her arm. Her stupid body responded to it with butterflies.

"No, I have a reason." He released her and searched his pocket. "My phone's been ringing at strange hours, international calls from someone you may be avoiding."

The blood drained from her face. "How?"

"You used my phone to call him."

"Arrg, sorry." Maria dug her feet in the sand and gazed at the water. Every breath was heavier than the last. While she'd wanted Mitch's opinion, she had never intended for Adrian to harass Mitch.

Mitch placed his hand on the small of her back, and his eyes reflected the crescent moon. "What happened?"

She waited, matching her breathing to the waves' ebb and flow. "He broke up with Kelsey, moved out, and offered me a flight to Canada."

"He's too late for that."

"I know!" Maria walked over to a log resting in the sand near the deserted restaurants, and Mitch followed suit. "It never ends."

"So end it."

"I thought I did!" Maria plunked onto the log.

Mitch lowered himself beside her and stretched out his long, tanned legs. "You two had that in common."

Maria hugged her knees to her chest. It had been crazy to try to repair their broken relationship months ago. She had made it much worse.

"Call him, reject his offer, and tell him you've moved on. Can't change the past, but you can change the present."

"Moved on?" Maria straightened and turned to face him. "According to you, I'm more like an antelope than a flirt. He'll never believe me."

Mitch chuckled then brushed a sandy hand against her cheek until it reached her chin. She willed herself not to tremble.

"If that's your obstacle, let me help," he whispered, even though they were alone.

He glanced at her lips, then in her eyes, but moved no closer. In the moonlight, his lips were pink and sun-chapped, appearing softer each second. As her breaths and heartbeat sped up, heat spread like sauna steam from his hand through her chest and to her abdomen. He waited without making another move.

After he'd chased other women, she hadn't expected this. It should have turned her off, but the attention from someone desirable who left a prettier woman to resolve Maria's relationship problems made her feel like someone's priority again. But as Emma said, it was only a kiss and wouldn't be long-term, Mitch's specialty.

"O-okay," Maria said.

Mitch's breath tickled her skin moments before his lips pressed against hers. His stubble tickling her sensitive skin became a distant memory as his hands and hungry kisses overwhelmed her like a tidal wave. Every earlier touch felt microscopic. She threaded her fingers through his long hair, stiff from saltwater. As she ran her palms over his defined pecks, he smiled beneath her kisses. Man, were his chest and abs sexy. He nipped at her bottom lip, and a moan escaped her.

After he pulled away, her skin went as cold as an arctic wind. What had she done wrong?

"The phone call should be easier now."

How the hell could he remember that? Her brain hardly processed anything beyond the incredible kiss. Did she bore him compared to the many other women he'd experienced?

"Do I have to?"

Mitch laughed, but it differed from earlier, a blend of amusement and endearment. As he traced his fingers over the contour of her cheek, she couldn't take her eyes off his lips. This would be a problem.

"Yes, as much as I'd rather make you moan again and again." Mitch's words made shivers travel down her spine. The tiniest twitch of his lips confirmed he'd noticed. "The phone needs to stop ringing. Our post-call activities are up to you."

She refocused her distracted mind and sat up straighter on the log. If she didn't control her feelings, she'd be in trouble. Mitch wanted her tonight, but tomorrow he could run off with some other woman. Her heart and impulses had led her astray with Adrian, and she couldn't risk the pain again. "You're right."

After Mitch handed her the phone, she found Adrian's number. She hesitated as the uneasiness in her stomach grew. It would only worsen the longer she waited, so she hit call. As the phone rang twice, she exhaled.

"Ria?" The voice grated at her skin. How had she enjoyed it?

"Yeah."

"Did you—are you—God, I miss you."

Maria massaged her forehead. Mitch's hands explored her tight shoulders, his thumbs pressed deep into her sore muscles. She tensed before he smoothed out the knots, and she relaxed.

"Ria?"

Adrian could suffer a few more seconds of silence. Mitch leaned forward to whisper in her free ear, "Don't let him get to you."

Adrian was not the one affecting her.

"Listen, I'm calling because you need to stop: the massa—I mean—messages, the calls, the crazy gestures to show you care."

"You're coming home?" The optimism in his voice chipped at her broken heart. As much as he'd hurt her, she didn't want to reciprocate the agony.

"No, I will finish my year teaching. It's fun, and I've met great people."

"A year is a long time apart."

Maria dug her heels into the sand. "I can't go through this with you again, Adrian. We were both miserable."

"This is what you said you wanted!" he shouted. "I split up with Kelsey, I'm living with my parents, and I have a real job. One bad conversation and you've given up on us? That's not the Maria I know."

No, the Maria he knew waited on him hand and foot while getting yelled at for having a sore back. Healthy relationships didn't function like that. "You were right: we're broken. If you and Kelsey are happy—"

"We aren't. Nothing compares to what you and I had."

Maria jumped when warm lips pressed on her neck. Relaxing, she leaned into Mitch's arms. She couldn't end this call fast enough. "You'll move on."

"There's no one else like you, Ria. I love you."

As Mitch found the delicate spot under her ear, she bit down hard on her lip. He chuckled as she squirmed against him.

"It doesn't make us right for each other."

Adrian's voice darkened. "Is there someone else?"

It was difficult to answer with Mitch driving her senses wild. She had no desire to pollute her fun with a lecture from Adrian, and he wouldn't hang up any faster. "It's not important."

"Don't lie. Is it Felipe?"

"Seriously, Adrian?" Maria's voice raised an octave, and she squeezed her eyes shut. The guy was a paranoid broken record. "Nothing ever happened with Felipe, not once! This is why we don't work. You never trust me, and you only listen if it's something you want to hear. I'm done with this. I'm done with us. Stop calling and messaging. Let me live my life without you. We are over. For good. Bye."

Maria hung up and passed the phone to Mitch.

"Has anyone told you you're smoking hot when you're pissed?" he whispered in her ear.

God, he was trouble. Her heart still hadn't healed its wounds from the last relationship, and Mitch came with a flashing danger sign. He had slipped away from a woman who probably assumed they'd sleep together to kiss Maria. It wouldn't surprise her if he escaped to meet another woman later too. She shifted out of his arms and stood up.

"I should find Emma."

"C'mon." He grinned and pushed himself up from the log. She averted her eyes from the strong hands she already missed. "You haven't experienced a fraction of moving on. If you like what I did before—"

"I appreciate your help with everything. But I can't do this, not now, not with you."

His smile's intensity faded. "All right," he mumbled. "So, you're off to find Emma?"

Maria sighed. Emma and Leanne seemed into each other, and Maria would be an awkward third wheel. Nyan Min probably wanted someone who could show affection to strangers.

"Or should I walk you to the hotel, call it a night?"

Did he realize she and Emma were bunking with Tom? Tom would be on her case if he noticed who walked her home. He'd already declined to come party tonight, which she suspected was because of her distance at Sunset Point. No need to end the evening on an unpleasant note and hurt him more.

"I'll see if the music picks up at the bar," Maria said.

"Peter and Shannon are at Ploy if you want to go."

"Together?"

"Unless you'd rather walk a dark beach alone at night?"

Maria ran her hands over her cotton dress. "Your lady friend won't mind?"

Laughing, Mitch shook his head. "She's in good hands."

Maria followed him to the busier section of the beach. The bass from nearby bars echoed and more beachside clubs appeared; open to the elements under wooden roofs. A group of women jumped in the air many times for a patient photographer like Emma and Maria had done this afternoon. Hotel staff cleared items off the shin-high tables on the sand and dragged the furniture higher on the shore. Stars glittered through the approaching cloud cover, and the partially obscured moon cast an eerie glow. She stole glances at Mitch. His lips twitched into a smile as he caught her.

After stopping in her tracks, she turned to Mitch. "Could we keep tonight between us?"

"No one would think any less of you, except a hotheaded ginger."

Maria wrung her hands. "Please."

"Of course, but we can dance, right?"

Maria fingered the hem of her dress. Was he up to something? "That's the price of your silence?"

"No, my silence is free. I thought I'd push my luck. After last night, it'd be more suspicious if we didn't dance together."

She fought a smile. "So you noticed."

"Noticed?" Mitch leaned back against a wooden pole and raised an eyebrow. "When you dance, you are the room, and everything else blurs."

Maria's cheeks warmed. "You have a weird way of showing it."

"You spent yesterday dancing with Shawn and Tom. If you want to come home with me, tell me because I would love to show you what real pleasure feels like." Mitch met her gaze but kept his distance. Maria's heartbeat grew quicker. "But it's not what you want, is it?"

She shook her head, not trusting her words.

"Then we'll stick to dancing?"

Her voice came out dry and raspy. "Sure."

Inside Ploy, Shannon, Peter, Jaipriya and the other teachers danced in a circle as colourful lights travelled over the wooden floors. Jaipriya showed off the best moves while her friends mimicked. Mitch took Maria's hand and twirled her into the group. As she leaned in to tease him about the corniness, he grabbed her waist, pulling her close enough for her chest to heat like birds-eye chillis.

"I meant what I said earlier." As Mitch rocked her from side to side and his body pressed into hers, she shuddered.

"You had no problem dancing like this with Tom."

Tom didn't make her want to slip her hands under his shirt or for his touch to explore more than her hips. But if she voiced the difference, she'd only encourage Mitch. Maybe a dance could just be a dance, then he'd return to his regular, flirty self with the tall, thin girls who kept making eyes at him.

To her surprise, he spent the night at her side, finding new ways to tease different parts of her body with each song but not pushing past her comfort zone. Later, he made her laugh as they cooled off on the outdoor dance floor without having to suffer Becca's friends' narrowed eye looks.

She and Mitch relaxed on a raised platform now housing the cushions the restaurant staff had rescued from the tides. "I'm glad you dragged my reluctant butt out to Samet." Maria leaned on a pyramid cushion.

"How could I not? It looks so perfect in your dress."

Maria put her hands on her hips, before settling against Mitch and resting her head on his shoulder. The stars overhead had vanished, and the moon had tucked itself beneath a hazy halo. The cool wind picked up, tossing around the hanging lanterns in the trees. She snuggled further into his warm chest.

"This was what I needed," she said.

He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her tight.

She sat against him until a series of droplets pattered on the grass roof above. Another chilly gust travelled in from the ocean. As the rain's rhythm intensified, he pulled her closer. Dancers and workers ran under overhangs and into the club. A few people, including a woman with dreaded hair and a green, fairy-like dress, danced in the rain.

"Ready to head in?" Mitch asked.

Becca's friends had been scrutinizing her and Mitch with glares and whispers in the club. While they'd seen nothing to gossip about, Maria wanted to avoid them tonight. Her ex had judged her enough for a lifetime. The music played at a decent volume outside, even after the outdoor DJ slipped inside for cover with his patrons.

"Not yet."

Maria dashed into the rain, hands up in the air, and swayed her hips as the raindrops soaked into her yellow dress. Her bare feet dug further into the cool and soft sand with each step. Mitch shook his head from near the awning, a smile taking up residence on his lips.

When she kept dancing in the drenching downpour, he joined her, and they jumped, twirled and spun like kids hopped up on sugary treats until they were the only two soggy souls. Water weighed down their clothes and left them sloshing.

"Maria." Mitch put his arms around her waist, drawing her closer.

"Yeah?" Warmth spread throughout her despite the rain's cool touch.

He opened his mouth then closed it. Water drops tumbled from his long eyelashes. As she leaned into him, her heart whispered: steal one more kiss from those lips. She'd done it already. What harm could another do? She could stick to her principles tomorrow.

Someone yelled from the doorway of the bar, and Mitch stepped away, pressing his arms against his sides. "They won't let us back in like this."

Their dripping clothes and hair supported his argument. After silently thanking God for the interruption, she firmed her resolve to stay single until her heart healed. One passionate night would not outweigh the pain of weeks or months of unreciprocated feelings.

Maria found her shoes, and they walked down the path toward their hotel rooms. The precipitation grew stronger as their sandals flicked water and sand up at the back of their legs. As the rain descended in sheets, her cold, heavy dress clung to her, and she shivered.

When they ducked under a balcony, Mitch wrapped an arm around her. "You're freezing. What's your room number?"

"Uh..." She searched for a familiar landmark but found none. "It's the one from this morning."

He raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Look at you, seducing one man and sleeping with another."

She pulled back and crossed her arms over her chest. "I hardly seduced you. It's not my fault you're attracted to every other woman you meet."

"What can I say? I enjoy what life has to offer."

Maria adjusted her dress and wrung the water out of her hair. On the benches, a royal blue sarong a few rooms away stood out. Tom had brought it to Sunset Point for her. She hadn't meant to be so cold to him, but she'd trembled with angry energy about Adrian, which had left her unable to enjoy Tom's efforts. He'd taken it personally instead of assuming there was another reason. Mitch rarely took credit for feelings that weren't pleasure or attraction, so it was easier to talk to him.

Her heart sunk remembering they'd be working in two days where whatever this was between them would have to vanish before she got more attached.

"Thanks for sticking around tonight," Maria said. "You're always helping me. Hopefully, this is the last time."

"Anytime."

"Now, you can find someone to spend the night with."

Mitch ran a hand through his dripping hair and answered, "yeah," in a far-off tone.

"Have a good night." She headed to her room before her emboldened drunken self complicated things.