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regained her polite but distant demeanor.
    Jake
felt anything but distant. He’d been trying not to think about that black
bikini—let alone peeling it off of Christine on a moonlit beach—and
failed.
    The
beach would have to be their first interlude.
     
    * * *
     
    It
was lunch time when they arrived at the resort, and the air was humid already.
The sun was bright and the mood turned festive as the party spilled from the
bus into the hotel lobby.
    There
were lush gardens on every side, the walls open to the tropical air. Covered
walkways extended from the lobby to the restaurants and bars, probably even to
some of the rooms. Other rooms were approached by paths that wound through the
gardens. There were large arrangements of flowers everywhere and it seemed they
had arrived in an exotic paradise. Jake watched Christine as she assessed the
decor, liking how she took note of all the details.
    “Pass
muster?” he asked and she smiled at him.
    “It’s
very well done. Restrained.” She waved at the interior, her delight clear. “It’s
the palette, you know. All the white and ivory. It contrasts so well with the
gardens and the flowers. The hotel looks cool and welcoming in contrast, like a
refuge.” She flicked him a glance and he realize—not for the first
time—how their respective professions complemented each other. “What’s
your assessment, Mr. Architect?”
    “I
like how the architect wove the gardens through the public spaces. It softens
the lines of the building.”
    “Makes
it look inviting.”
    “It
also gives a noise buffer and provides places to stash mechanicals. It’s
artfully done.”
    Christine
smiled at his practicality, then took a deep breath. “I love the smell of the
gardens and that you can hear the fountains. It makes you feel as if you’ve
arrived in paradise.
    “Probably
the plan.”
    She
smiled at him, serene and gorgeous. “Probably.”
    Once
again, Jake had the choice of teasing Christine or tossing her over his
shoulder. The sound of his mom’s voice close at hand made the decision for him.
“Just the kind of place you might meet a fantasy lover,” he said so quietly
that only she could hear.
    Christine
flushed and threw him a hot glance. “I am so going to regret telling you that.”
    Jake
flicked a glance at Ryan and his friends. “Maybe not.” He leaned closer. “Maybe
this is a place where dreams come true.”
    “Oh,
I hope so,” Christine breathed, her eyes so bright that Jake knew for certain
she’d been giving him a hint.
    It
was all he needed to lock in his plan.
    “Christine,
look at these pearls!” Jake’s mom exclaimed, shooting him a look that could
have cut glass. Christine joined his mom at the display window of one of the
shops in the hotel. Jake held his ground, knowing he’d been warned.
    But
his mom couldn’t manage everything all the time.
    “These
would be perfect for you,” Arlene said. “You’ve always said you wanted a good
string of pearls, and the price is very good.”
    “I’m
not sure I’m due to buy myself a present, Mom,” Christine demurred, her tone
good-natured.
    “Well,
do you like them?”
    “Absolutely.
They’re beautifully matched and the perfect length.”
    “There’s
no time like the present, dear.”
    Christine
laughed and led his mom to the next window. “I’ll think about it. There’s lots
of time.”
    Jake
took note of the display window and the pearls they’d been considering. He and
Christine might have something to celebrate, after all.
    He
was really glad that he’d upgraded his hotel reservation. He hadn’t wanted to
share with Ryan’s friends when they’d booked the trip, and had even thought he
might do some work if they had an internet connection. He’d upgraded to one of
the private cottages for himself and was really glad of it now that he knew
Christine’s fantasy.
    Ryan
and Jess had booked another of the cottages, a more secluded one further along the
beach from Jake’s. The rest of the