Page 67 of Places I've Never Been

They’d be swimming, he hoped. The thought of doing that naked with her sent a flare of interest through his nether regions, but he shoved that thought aside and reached for bright aqua swim trunks and a white button-down shirt. He left the top three buttons strategically undone so the Delusions of Glory tattoo peeked out.

He shoved his feet into sandals and checked his hair. Not bad.

Adam heard the tiny beep of a golf cart horn from the front and strode out before he could rethink his outfit.

He hummed the song they’d been working on as he made his way to the cart until he saw Mattie and the song died in his throat.

She was radiant in a vibrant red dress that hugged her curves, then flared a little just at the thigh and stopped, leaving her luscious legs bare all the way down. She usually favored flowy skirts or long dresses, and the change turbocharged his adrenaline.

“Mattie. You look…damn.”

Mattie greeted him with a warm, amused smile. She shifted her beach bag from one shoulder to the other. “Thanks. Itsounds really good. The song, I mean. You put a new run in there. I like it.”

“Thanks,” he managed to say without stuttering like a fool.

He’d been on hundreds of dates with women ranging from models to musicians, but none of them had prepared him for Mattie Bellamy in a little red dress.

Mattie climbed into the back seat of the cart. “Hi, Abayomi. Thanks for picking us up.”

“My pleasure, Miss Mattie. Always.”

Adam slid onto the back seat next to Mattie. The hem of her dress had ridden up an inch or two, maybe three. It made his heart race even more.

“Everyone ready?” Abayomi drove down the path to the right. “I take you tonight to Lanmou Bay. It will be a beautiful night. All the stars will be on display for you.”

Mattie looked up. “The stars shine just for us?”

“Always for the lovers at Lanmou Bay. You tell me tomorrow if you did not see more than you ever seen before.”

Mattie dipped her head at the word “lovers,” but Adam wasn’t sure if she rejected the idea or felt embarrassed, or maybe, just maybe, excited.

Abayomi turned down a path Adam hadn’t seen before and commented on all the plants and birds they saw along the way, as well as the beach they were headed toward.

“There is a small waterfall, but do not try to climb the cliff. The rocks are very wet and slippery, yes? The bay is protected, but do not go beyond the large boulder. There is a phone inside the hut if you need assistance. A buggy is waiting for you so that you may leave whenever you wish.”

Abayomi stopped in a small clearing between two enormous rocks. Next to them sat an empty golf cart. A footpath led through the rocks to a small u-shaped beach. Watersplashed somewhere to the left, and the ocean washed the shore in front of them.

Two beach chairs and a small table with a bowl of flowers sat in the middle of the pristine beach, with two giant white umbrellas providing shade. The sun was low in the horizon, and the golden color turned the sand and trees into a surreal painting.

He silently thanked Cooper, the resort, and the stars themselves that Mattie had said yes to coming with him.

He expected Abayomi to lead them down the path, but the driver stepped back. “Here is where I leave you. No one will disturb you here, Miss Mattie, Mr. Adam. This time and this place is yours to discover.”

“Thank you,” Mattie said.

Abayomi grinned broadly and climbed back into the golf cart. “Enjoy.”

They watched him drive away, then Adam held out his hand to her. “Shall we?”

Mattie looked at his hand, and for half a second he thought she’d refuse. His chest tightened in anticipation. Then she linked her strong, slender fingers with his and smiled, and the tension vanished.

“Yes.” She nodded. “Let’s see what we see.”

They walked down the short stone path that ended in sand. Once they passed the two large rocks that formed a cliff face, the rest of the bay came into view.

To the left, water spilled off the top of the short cliff, smacked the sand, and rushed into the sea. The saturated rocks glittered in the afternoon sun. Many of them looked like tempting footholds. He could see why they’d been told not to climb.

A thatched-roof hut nestled against the cliffto the right of the path. Next to that, a white curtained cabana covered a wood deck that stepped up from the sand.

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