The clerk slapped the box down on the counter, and Damien studied the busty Hispanic woman in a bikini on the front. The carton was bright yellow, the bikini a violent orange, and while the label was in English, the small script was in Spanish. He hoped like hell these weren’t novelty condoms. He wasn’t wearing anything with parrots on it.

“Would you like some Mamajuana, too? Good stuff.” The man pointed to a bottle of what looked like alcohol, shelved next to the rum.

“What is it?” Not that he had any intention of getting drunk. He wanted to remember every second of this.

“You drink it. We call it Dominican Viagra.” The clerk winked. “Helps you last, if you know what I mean. If this doesn’t work, they say you should just go and kill yourself.”

Did he look like he needed Viagra? What the hell. He was so hard he could moonlight as a woodpecker. Damien shook his head. “I don’t need any help, thanks.” He handed over the six hundred pesos for the condoms, which he shoved in his pocket, and turned to find Mandy. She was biting her lip, arms over her chest, staring vacantly at a display of T-shirts.

“Have fun!” the clerk yelled with a knowing grin.

And people thought New Yorkers were rude.

Fortunately, he’d forgotten how to blush. But Mandy looked like she’d spent too long in the sun, so he took her hand and hustled her outside to the quiet walkway that lead to the main lobby.

And kissed her eagerly.

“Damien,” she protested, trying to pull back. “There are people around.”

“No, there aren’t. Not a single one.” The path was deserted, everyone still down at the buffet, and it was lush with foliage, and thick with humidity in the glow of faux gas lamps.

But she was still darting her eyes around, hands pressed on his chest to hold him at bay. So Damien dropped his mouth to her forehead and gave her a soft kiss. “My room is in the first building on the right.”

“Then it’s closer than mine. I’m by the adults-only pool.” But she didn’t move in the direction he had pointed to. She worried her lip, and Damien watched her, waited for her to say what was on her mind. “I just want you to understand that I don’t usually…I don’t sleep around. I thought Ben really cared about me, and well, I’ve never really fancied one-night stands. But that’s all this can be, because I can’t get involved with anyone until I’ve sorted out my own life.”