“ ‘Will you remember me if you saw me on a dark, low-lit road? Will you remember me when I’m scatterbrained and old? Will you love me with your very last breath? Will you kiss me with everything you’re worth? I’ll remember you until the ends of my days. I’ll love you until you’re old and gray. I’ll marry you and be yours always, for you were made for me and all my life is yours.’ ” He sang sweetly and I held my breath until he sang the last note.

“That was beautiful,” I choked out as tears ran down my face.

“Don’t cry, Bianca.” He wiped the tears from my eyes with his fingers before kissing them away.

“It’s just so sad.” I sobbed. “Your mom loved your father so much, and she waited her whole life for him. Did she write that song for him?” I continued sobbing and wiped my nose with my hands.

“No.” He shook his head. “The ironic part of the story is that my father wrote the song for my mother. It was his wedding gift to her.”

“I thought they never got married.” I frowned, trying to think if I had remembered what he said incorrectly.

“They didn’t.” His tone grew bitter. “My father ended up marrying a girl from a well-connected family. However, he didn’t want to give my mother up, so he hired her as his maid. He sang that song to her the night he got back from his honeymoon.”

“That’s horrible.” I stroked his cheek. “I’m sorry your mother had to go through that.”

“When I was younger I vowed that I would make my father pay for breaking my mother’s heart. I wanted him to feel the anguish and hurt he had given her. I wanted him to feel the pain that she felt, but I didn’t want to do it while she was still alive. Lucky bastard got off easy, because he died before she did.”

“Maybe that’s for the best?” I ran my fingers down his chest and played with his chest hair. “Maybe your father was hurting as well.”

“My father was a cold, ruthless man.” His voice was monotone. “He had no backbone. He allowed other people to dictate his choices. He valued money more than love, you see.”

“That’s horrible.”

“You think that’s horrible because he put something above love, don’t you?” His eyes gazed into mine, and I nodded. “I don’t blame him for that. Love is a man-made emotion. We’re not made to truly love someone else. My devastation comes from the fact that he put money before honor. Honor should always be number one.”

“I agree that honor is important, but I don’t think it’s more important than love.”

“That’s because you’re a romantic, and you’re naive, and you trust too easily,” he scoffed.

“I’m not naive.” I glared at him.

“There are a million things I could show you and tell you to prove that you’re naive, but I won’t.”

“Why not?” I could feel my face burning up at his words. I was so angry and annoyed. His childhood was sad, I gave him that, but that didn’t give him the right to take out his issues on me. I knew I had to be patient. I couldn’t expect him to suddenly just believe in love. Not after the life he’d had. I would have to show him through example. I’d let him see through my actions that not all women were gold diggers, and money wasn’t the be-all and end-all in life.

“Because I want to make love to you instead.”

“I don’t know if I can—my thighs are too sore.” I shook my head, wanting to be with him but not in this state. Not while I was still annoyed.

“I have a solution.” He grinned and sat up. “Do you trust me?”

“I guess so.” I nodded, and he lifted me up.

“Where are we going?” I looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“You told me you’ve never had sex in the ocean, right?”

“Well, I said I’ve never had sex in the water, but I guess that includes the ocean.”

“You’re not into it?” He looked disappointed.

“I’m just tired, Jakob.” I touched his arm. “It’s nothing to do with how into it I am.”

“I’m sorry, I’m being selfish.”

“All I know is that tonight you’re my savior.” I shook my head, and his eyes lit up.

“You think highly of me, don’t you?”

“I think you’re a pretty stand-up guy, yes.” I gave him a hug. “I also think you’re pretty sexy, but right now I think I just want to cuddle with you and sleep.”

“Your wish is my command.” We sat back down on the sand, and Jakob took me into his arms. “Tonight, I’ll let you sleep. We have plenty of time for lovemaking later.”

“Thank you, Jakob.” I ran my fingers down his chest. “You do know that I want to touch you and feel you, but right now I’m still so sore.” My breath caught as Jakob grabbed my hand and held it tight.

“I understand, my dear, but if you keep touching me like that, I’m not sure I’m going to be able to stop myself from flipping you over and taking you.”

I gasped at the dark smile on his face, and he laughed. He pulled me close to his chest and bent his lips down to my face. “Sleep, my darling.” He kissed my forehead and held me close to him. I felt myself drifting off to sleep within seconds.

I woke up the next morning with aching limbs and a heavy head. I sat up slowly, feeling disoriented, and saw Jakob sitting there staring at me.