Time to take that first she offered. I’ll kill two birds with one fuck. I slip my phone back into my pocket, then gently pull hers out of her hand and set it down on the table in front of her. I stand and grab her hand, pulling her to stand next to me.

“Please excuse us,” I address the table. “My mother would like to speak with us regarding dinner arrangements. We’ll only be a few minutes.”

I turn and walk off, Winter trailing behind, disoriented and struggling to keep up with my pace.

“Aleck, I don’t want to call your mother. What should I say?”

“You’re not calling my mother.” We exit the restaurant and head toward the spa.

“What are we doing?” Her confused tone shakes behind me as I lead her indignantly.

I don’t answer her. Instead, I push through the doors of the Women’s locker room. Luckily, it’s empty, not even an attendant. I look around, looking for the private changing quarters I know are here somewhere.

“Aleck, what the hell?”

I ignore Winter’s question, seeing the door I’m looking for and march toward it, tightening my grip on Winter’s hand. When we enter the private dressing room, I close the door behind us and lock it. Turning to Winter, I walk toward her. Her eyes searching my face for an explanation and she backs up slowly, making me work harder to reach her.

“You like to be chased, Winter?”

“What are we doing here, Aleck?” she asks, her back pressing against the wall behind her.

I press my body against hers. “Two things, Winter. One, and the most important, you’re mine, you need to be reminded of that. You’ll let your little snot-nose surfer know you’re with me now.”

“And what happens when we leave the resort, Aleck? Will I still be yours or can I move on?”

Her words slip from her tongue like razors, nicking my chest until they cut through the skin and move straight to my heart. I slide my hands under her dress, one of them cupping her pussy over her cotton panties.

“If you can get me out of your head, have at it, Winter. But just like that dinner you shared with him, you’ll always wish it was me. Because this”—I grip, slipping my fingers into her as much as I can through her soaking wet cotton—“will always crave me. And this”—I place her palm over my heart with my free hand—“will always crave you. Don’t worry about the future, just enjoy us now.”

Her expression falls, her playfulness turns to lust. Her eyes drop to her hand over my heart, and I know what I’ve just said. I know what I’ve just admitted to. I can’t say I don’t feel the same looming dread of losing her she’s probably feeling about me.

We’ll see each other around, that will be enough, I convince myself.

“What’s the second thing, Aleck?”

“I’m keeping my promise, Grimm.” I release her hand on my chest and her growing heat with the other and pull her panties down her legs while unbuttoning my jeans at the same time. “I’m going to fuck you raw, then take you back to lunch.”