She opened her eyes and looked over at me.

I hated the look she was giving me—pity. “Please don’t look at me like that. Going through hard times makes you who you are. Anyway, I named all the girls in my book after cartoon characters.”

“The girls were your escape,” she said.

She understood me like no other. It only made my heart swell more for her.

I let my fingers linger over her spine, as I looked away and explained. “Yes, but I reserved my favorite character, Jessica Rabbit, for the most special woman of all. When you walked into my club that first night, I knew you were my Jessica.”

I could feel her eyes on me, but she didn’t speak right away.

“Does that make you my rabbit? Can I call you Roger?”

A grin lifted my cheeks until they hurt. She was definitely the one. No pushing buttons or asking questions that made me uncomfortable. She let me come around in my own way, on my own time. Plus, she knew all about Roger Rabbit, my favorite cartoon character.

I was met with her sweet smile when I finally looked her in the face. She really was the most amazing woman. Leaning closer, I kissed her beneath her ear and inhaled her sweet scent, mixed with the coconut scented sunblock. She shivered and it gave me the satisfaction I’d been going after.

“You can call me anything you’d like. I’ll be your rabbit all night long, baby.”

“And keep going, and going, and going…”

I laid on top of her and tickled her sides. Laughing, I spoke in her ear. "Wrong rabbit, you minx.”

She squirmed under me and I could already feel myself getting hard. Leaning back, I counted to ten. If this kept up, I’d walk around in a permanent state of arousal.

“I’m going for a swim,” I said, standing from her chair.

“I’ll be here,” she said with a little wave.

The cold ocean water cooled my burning flesh as I waded out over my head and swam against the waves. Turning around, I looked back at the beach. The white sand and blue umbrellas stretched as far as the eye could see. It was paradise, and I was happy to be able to share it with the woman who had captured my heart.

Later, we left the beach to go for some drinks at a tiki bar that wasn’t far from where we’d been. Rosslyn walked with her sandals in hand, wearing a white bathing suit cover draping from her shoulder. Her red hair was disheveled and full of long loose curls from the ocean water drying in her hair. She was more than beautiful.

As promised, I order us two fruity drinks with umbrellas and we sat at the bar.

“What would you like to do next?” I asked, taking a pull from my straw.

“I don’t care. This is paradise. I’m happy just sitting here,” she smiled.

“I like making you happy.”

I was turning into a mushy fucker, but I couldn’t help it. It’s what she did to me.

“Well, you’re very good at it.”

Leaning in, I kissed her. The taste of her strawberry flavored drink rolled across my tongue. She was delicious.

The following day, we moved from our hotel to a beach cottage I rented for the rest of the week. I was seriously considering buying a property while we were there, but I didn’t want to spend any of my time with Rosslyn doing anything business related.

The cottage was all white, with massive floor to ceiling windows on all four sides. There were views of the beach and palm trees in every direction. I looked through one of the windows after my shower, to see Rosslyn standing on the upper deck looking out at the ocean. Her hair was pulled up in a knot, but stray flyway’s swept across her face.

I watched as she closed her eyes and let the breeze move across her cheeks. She looked content, and I knew in that moment I’d spend the rest of my life making sure she always felt that way. There was no doubt about it, I was in love with her.

The beautiful woman I was looking at was mine, and I wanted her to know it. I needed her to know this was no longer a business arrangement for me. It was more and she was more. She was everything I ever wanted and all I would ever need. She was my happily ever after.

For a man who didn’t understand emotions all that well, the feelings I experienced for Rosslyn were undeniable. She was the one, and it scared me and excited me at the same time.

Stepping out onto the deck, I went up behind her and pulled her body to mine. Resting my chin on her shoulder, I took in the sight in front of us.

“Thank you, Sebastian,” she whispered.

“For what?”

“For this. For everything.” She leaned back into me and rested her head on my shoulder. “I just wanted you to know you’ve made me the happiest I’ve ever been.  I don’t care if this lasts another week or another day, you’re one of the best things that’s ever happened to me.”