“Oh.” I looked at him hesitantly. “Is that safe?”

I was scared. I understood why he hated Braydon, and that was why I wasn’t going to tell him that Braydon had texted me and asked me to go to lunch with him so he could apologize to me.

“I’m working with the FBI and the DEA.” His voice was short. “I’m helping them with the case.”

“Are you qualified to do that?” I reached over and grabbed his arm. “That sounds dangerous.” FBI and DEA? I didn’t know Zane terribly well, but he certainly didn’t strike me as a government official sort of guy.

“I already had an in with the group, thanks to Noah.” He sighed. “It was easier for me to get in closer with them.”

“But Braydon knows you don’t like him.”

“He knows I blame him for my brother’s death.” Zane’s voice was angry. “He thinks it’s because he was there when my brother jumped. He doesn’t know that he is suspected of being a part of a drug trafficking ring.”

“Oh.” I paled. “You’re scaring me.” My skin ran cold thinking of the danger Zane was putting himself in. “This sounds a whole lot more serious than I thought before.”

“Lucky, did I tell you that I wasn’t even able to say goodbye to my brother properly? I wasn’t even able to kiss his body goodbye one last time.”

“What? Why?”

“They cremated him.” His voice was angry. “I don’t really know what happened. I guess my dad gave permission. But they cremated him and all I have left of him are his ashes.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t even get to see his body one last time. I suppose it was because his body must have been splattered from jumping.” His voice was cold. “Braydon did that, Lucky. I can’t let him get away with it.”

“I understand.” My voice was tight and I looked out the window so he couldn’t see the tears in my eyes. I couldn’t imagine what he was going through. I knew the pain and heartache of losing someone, yes, but the gravity of his pain was so much deeper than mine.

“I’m sorry, Lucky.” He sighed and touched my arm. I realized that he had parked the car as well.

“Where are we?” I looked around and saw a couple of girls wearing bathing suits, walking and giggling. “The beach?”

“I know it’s not South Beach, but I love Santa Monica.” He nodded. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“No.” I got out of the car. “I actually like walking on the beach.” I watched as Zane took his shoes off and he motioned to me to do the same. “The sand will be too hot,” I protested, but he grinned and pulled a plastic bag out of the car. He pulled out some flip-flops and smiled.

“I bought these for us.” He threw me a pair and I caught them, laughing. I looked down and saw that they were size 8, the exact same size as my feet.

“How did you know I was a size 8?”

“I checked your shoes.” He grinned. “I was hoping we could go to the beach later this week. They were going to be a surprise.”

“Another gift?” I giggled. “You’re spoiling me.”

“I want to spend my life spoiling you.” He smiled at me tenderly. “Now take off your shoes.”

“Yes, sir.” I laughed at him. “You should have been a Sergeant in the Army.”

“If you want me to order you around just say the words.”

“You wish.”

“Don’t you know it!” He winked at me and we both laughed.

“So tell me, Zane,” I couldn’t hold it in any longer, “what exactly did you want to tell me?”

“It’s about Leo.” He bit his bottom lip and looked at me seriously. “I want you to listen and not get mad.”

“Uh, I can’t promise that.” I frowned. “What about Leo?”

“Well, I want you to spend more time with him.” He paused and studied my face, a slight worry in his blue eyes.

“Why?” My heart was beating quickly as we walked along the beach. I was in such anticipation of what he was going to say that I didn’t notice the white sand of the beaches or the aquamarine of the ocean. I was so caught up in what he had to say that I almost got hit by a stray volleyball before he grabbed me out of the way.

“Lucky, pay attention.” Zane shook his head at me and mumbled something under his breath.

“What was that?” I spoke sharply. “I didn’t quite hear you.”

“I said, this is why you need Leo!”

“Why I need Leo?” I turned toward him. “Are you trying to hook me up with Leo? Are you crazy, Zane Beaumont? Are you f**king crazy?” I started shouting at him. I could feel the blood rushing to my ears as I got more and more angry. “You think it’s a good idea to set me up with your best friend? What was last week? A meet-and-greet? Make sure that I was good enough for him? You’re sick, Zane. Do you know that? You’re sick.”

“Are you done?” He looked at me and there was a slight smile on his face and I could tell that he was trying not to laugh.

“What’s so funny?”

“You.” He pulled me towards him and I struggled free from him as he kissed me on the lips. “You’re so feisty, Worzel.”

I glared at him, which caused him to laugh again before he continued talking. “Leo is one of my best friends, but he is also a bodyguard. I’ve asked him to be your bodyguard.”

“What?” For a second, I was speechless. Bodyguard? What was he talking about? “Bodyguard for what?”

“For you, silly.” He sighed. “I want to make sure you’re safe, I don’t know what Braydon is capable of doing. I thought it was for the best. It’s the only way I could think of to ensure your safety.”

“And you weren’t going to tell me?”

“No.” He averted his gaze sheepishly. “I thought you would say no if you knew.”

“This is what you were arguing about with Leo, isn’t it?” I tried to contain my anger. “This is what you didn’t want to tell me.”

“Don’t be mad, Lucky.” He stared at me with puppy-dog eyes. “I just wanted to make sure that you were protected when I wasn’t with you.”

“How were you planning on getting away with that, Zane?” I shook my head. “Didn’t you think I would notice Leo by my side every time I went out? Or was he going to follow me?”

“I just wanted you guys to become friends and hang out.”

“Really?” I scoffed.

“He’s going to call you tomorrow to go to dinner.” He laughed. “I have a, uh, business meeting I have to go to tomorrow, so I figured you and him could go eat and get to know each other better.”

“Oh, Zane,” I sighed. “You’re incorrigible.”

“Please, Lucky. It will make me feel better to know that he is with you when I can’t be.”

“This is crazy.” I shook my head. “I don’t want to go everywhere with either you or him.”

“Just until we get Braydon,” he pleaded with me. “Please, Lucky. I need to make sure you’re safe. I need to make sure I’m not worrying about you when I’m not with you. I’ve already lost two people I love in my life. I can’t afford to lose another one. I don’t even want to think about it.”

“I …” I paused and stared into his eyes. The pain and worry that shone out of them made my heart stop. I was vehemently against having a bodyguard, but maybe I would acquiesce for now. “I’ll see how it goes.” I smiled at him weakly, Sidney’s words ringing in my ears. Love means following your heart. Well, okay, Sidney, I hope you’re right.

“So, you’ll go to dinner with him tomorrow then?” He looked at me hopefully. “And you’ll let him accompany you on days that I can’t be with you?”

“Yes,” I sighed. “There’s nothing else I should know, right?” I looked at him carefully. I wasn’t sure how much more I could take.

“There’s nothing else.” He leaned forward and kissed me hard. “I love you, Lucky. Thank you for trusting me and loving me.”

“Zane,” I squealed as I felt his hands on my ass. “We’re in public.”

“So?” His eyes twinkled back at me. “That’s part of the fun.”

“People are going to stare.” I pushed him away, giggling as his hand crept up my shirt and cupped my breast. “Zane.” I hit his hand away. “Stop.”

“I want to make sweet love to you, Lucky,” he whispered in my ear. “I want to throw you down on the sand and kiss you all over, and then take you from behind. I want to hear you crying out my name to the wind so that the birds can hear.”

I listened to him and swallowed hard. He was turning me on and I was loath to admit it.

“Oh, Lucky. Can you feel what you do to me?” I felt him press into me and his erection was hard against my belly. I giggled as I stared up at him.

“Zane, you’re so bad.”

“Bad enough for you to throw caution to the wind?”

“Zane!” I rolled my eyes. “There is no way in hell I’m gonna to have sex with you for everyone to see. And I don’t want sand in unspeakable places either.”

“We can go in the ocean.” His eyes bored into mine. “No sand there.”

“Whatever.” I shook my head, exasperated.

“Look.” He pointed to a stretch of sand about 300 yards away. “There’s no one on the sand there really, and no one in the ocean.”

“Zane,” I giggled, though I was slightly intrigued. I’d never really had crazy sex or outdoor sex, and I had to admit that it was slightly thrilling to me.

“What do you say?”

“We have all our clothes on.”

“I can strip down to my boxers and you have on a skirt.” He raised an eyebrow. “You could go into a restroom and take off your panties.”

“I can’t do that.” I shook my head hesitantly and Zane grinned at me before taking my hand and pulling me.

“There’s a restroom up there.”

“Zane.” My voice was soft and my heart was beating. “Oh, my gosh, are we really going to do this?”

“Yes.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me. “Please say yes.”

“As long as you promise that you don’t intend for me to have a bodyguard forever.” I grinned at him.

“I promise.” He laughed. “I promise.”

“Fine. But if we get caught I will hate you forever.”

“Hey, it’s a great story for the grandkids.”

“You’ve got to be joking.” I laughed.

“I’m excited for our doctor’s appointment.” He smiled into my eyes. “I can’t wait to see if we’re pregnant.”

“Zane, way to ruin the mood,” I groaned. “Isn’t it me who’s supposed to do that?”

“I’m excited.” He laughed.

“You really want to have a kid, huh?” I looked at him in surprise.

“I shouldn’t be so excited. I know!” He stroked my hair. “But when I think of having a family with you, I feel like I can finally have the happy family life that I’ve always wanted. I know you still have school and all that stuff, but I promise you, we can make it work.”

“I know.” And in my heart, I did. I knew that Zane and I were in this for the long haul. There was nothing that could tear us apart. We were made for each other.

“I don’t have protection.” He stared at me and bit his lip. “And frankly I’m not sure how it would work in the water.”

“Oh.” I stared into his eyes, my heart was thumping. “I guess it won’t hurt this once.”

“Are you sure?” He looked hopeful.

“No.” I laughed. “You make me forget my own mind, Zane Beaumont.”

“Let’s go.” He grinned and walked into the men’s room to change. I quickly walked into a stall in the ladies room and pulled down my panties and decided at the last moment to take off my bra as well. I held them in my hand and shook my head at what we were about to do. I ran out quickly and my breath caught as I saw Zane standing there in his white Calvins.

“Zane, those are not boxer shorts!” I gasped as I stared at him standing there in his briefs half-naked.

“What can I say?” He grinned at me and grabbed me by the waist. “I have no shame when it comes to you.”

“Why do I think we’re making a huge mistake?” I laughed and we ran to the ocean hand-in-hand. We dropped our clothes on the sand and I raced ahead of Zane. “Catch me if you can!” I jumped into the water and gasped at how cold it was. I dove under and swam to warm myself up and as I bobbed back up, the cool air caressed my face while the sun kissed me. I lay on my back and floated in the water, enjoying the warmth on my face for a few seconds before Zane grabbed me from behind.

“Come here, you,” he growled and wrapped his arms around me tightly. I felt his hands creep up under my top and his fingers encircled my ni**les and he squeezed them tightly.

“Zane,” I squealed while treading water, and I turned around to face him.

“Shh.” He grinned and lifted my skirt up. “Wrap your legs around my waist.” I obeyed his command dutifully and felt him press against me.