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to the shower and turned the taps on.
    When she had the spray hot enough, she pulled off the shirt and got in, rinsing off the evidence of her first sexual encounter. She would never forget it. It had been everything she had hoped for and more.
    Nothing had ever felt so good, though she’d been scared and unsure at first, but he’d made her think she was the most beautiful woman in the world. The only woman for him. She felt special for the first time since her parents had died.
    Hopping out of the shower, she turned the water off and wrapped the towel around herself, debating what to do now. Should she get dressed and go home, or stay and try to sleep? Should she go exploring and try to find out more about the man she had just lost her virginity to?
    She looked around the bedroom, and her eyes rested on the man sleeping in the bed. He was magnificent.
    Kylie didn’t want to go home. She wanted to stay the night and wake up to his masculine scent, and she was dying to find out more about Markus.
    Going to one of the drawers she’d seen shirts in, she grabbed one and put it on. Not bothering with shoes, she padded out to explore the rest of the house.
    She found several unused rooms holding only basic bedroom furniture, the living room, and a balcony off that overlooking the beach. At the back of the living room were a kitchen and dining room. Walking out onto the balcony, her breath caught at the sight before her—a table for two set with wine glasses, candles, flowers, and a gift, nicely wrapped with a bow, lying on a plate.
    “Wow, Kylie, this guy is going to break your heart. Look at what he did for you tonight. When he leaves in a month, you’re going to regret not running from him. You should leave now.” She deliberately said the words out loud, repeating what James had snarled at her the night before when he dropped her home after class.
    Trailing her fingers along the bow on the present, she realized that James was angry because she spent most of her time with Markus, time Kylie usually spent with James and Gemma.
    With her heart racing, she undid the bow on the present and lifted the lid, only to drop it on the table at the sight before her. Diamonds surrounded an oval blue sapphire, which had been set in a gold pendant hanging on a gold chain. Oh God, she couldn’t accept this. Could she? Hesitant at first, Kylie lifted the necklace out of its box, the whole time telling herself not to get attached to the beautiful jewelry.
    Sitting in one of the chairs, she stared out at the ocean, holding the necklace. She didn’t know what to do.
    Did she give Markus up before he broke her heart and she alienated her friends? She thought about the last three weeks and how he’d met her at her house each morning for her walks with Buddha. How he listened to her babble on about anything. She was even starting to get used to him picking her up from work and staking his claim of her in front of everyone.
    Kylie loved all his stories about his family and friends. The only thing he never talked about was his work.
    She let out a groan as it all came together. She was already falling in love with Markus. Kylie had been saving herself for a man she loved. That was why she’d never had sex with anyone. Sure, she had a small vibrator, her ladyfinger, but she had hardly ever used it.
    Getting up as the direction of her thoughts had started to scare her, she put the necklace back in its box and decided to explore the house some more. Kylie crept around the house until she came to stairs at the end of the hall. Following them, they opened into a family room that held musical instruments—guitars, drums, piano, and keyboard. Pencils and notebooks sprawled across the coffee table.
    Kylie carefully maneuvered herself around the instruments and sat on the sofa, telling herself she was wrong and she shouldn’t snoop. She should wait for him to tell her about it, but a million scenarios ran through her head like what if he was some