"Hey! It's too late. You can't take it back now," he warned. "It's the only evidence I have of my first successful wooing."

She turned her back on him to fend him off while she drew several hearts and a few X's and O's on the note before handing it back to him.

"Just helping you build your case."

He smiled a goofy grin again while they both stared at the note, and then he put his arm around her and gave her a quick kiss, close to her lips, but mostly on her cheek. She stiffened up and closed her eyes.

"Are you all right?" He looked at her with concern.

"Of course." She put on a brave face and smiled. "So how does this work?"

"How does what work?" He gave her a squeeze, pulling her in closer to his side.

"Our pretend relationship." She waited a second and then pulled back to her original position, close but not touching.

"Oh." He squirmed. "I'm not exactly an expert on relationships. Maybe this falls more under your department."

"Um . . . okay." She thought about it for a minute and then giggled. "You know, we've already been doing what I would picture us doing if things were really going to move in that direction."

"That direction?" His eyebrows shot up. Hers went down.

"A relationship-the kind I would have." She felt her face grow hot. "We've had dinner together, ice cream. You've been walking me home, sleeping on my couch. You've been by my side through all this . . ." She shouldn't have let herself think about what she was going through. Paul had actually managed to distract her from all of it through the evening.

"But we're not talking about the kind of relationship I'd have." Her tone reflected the dark thoughts that had suddenly returned. "Maybe this falls under your department after all."

"Oh. Yeah." They sat in silence for a while. Paul could tell he'd lost her to her bad memories again and he wished he could bring happy Rhees back. "There's a big contrast between what I would do and what you would do. We're going to have to find something in the middle if this is going to be believable.

"You're right. You'd need me to take things slow. I guess, for now, we just keep doing what we've been doing. We've spent the last several nights together. People are already giving me strange 'You sly dog' looks, but eventually, we'll need to do something more-no one's going to believe I'd hang around for long if I wasn't getting-we'll need witnesses."

"To witness what?" she yelped. "I thought this was just pretend."

"Get your mind out of the gutter, girl." He chuckled. "Geeminy, is that all you think about?"

Bingo. He'd made her smile again. "I'll think about it, figure it out."

"Are you sure you want to do this? You'll be giving up a lot. I don't understand why you want to do this for me."

"I'm not letting you out of my sight. We're going to be hanging out together, like glued-stuck, Siamese-twin together." Now it was his turn to have dark thoughts. He'd become hypersensitive to every slimy thing he'd heard spoken about her since she'd arrived on the island-including his own. "I blame myself for what happened. No one is going to have the chance to hurt you again."

"It wasn't your fault-"

He put his finger over her lips. "Don't."

He used his taking-no-sass tone of voice, and she didn't push him. "I'm staying with you. Here-at your place-it doesn't matter. I'm not leaving you alone. I'll sleep on the couch, the kitchen table, the porch if I have to. I don't care. But since we're going to be together anyway, I think we may as well let people believe there's more going on than there really is. No one will bother you if they think you're mine."

"You're like a wolf," she said after thinking about it for a while.

He looked at her quizzically.

"You're the alpha male in the pack. Everyone knows it. No one questions it, except maybe a few newer guys . . . like Mario." Her expression changed, remembering once again. "But it doesn't take long for most of them to figure out that it's you."

"Pfft." He wasn't quite sure if her analogy was complimentary or not.

"I'm not sure I'm a good enough liar."

"We shouldn't have to lie. I think we just act the part, let their imaginations do the rest."

She sat up straight, quiet for a minute. "It would be easier if you just, you know-what I asked before."

"I told you, I won't do that. Rhees, neither one of us want you to do that as a result of some screwed-up idea, provoked by a psycho sleazeball." Anger leached from him and he felt her pull away a little because of it. He felt bad about it and reeled in his temper.

"I think we can pull this off, and you won't have to compromise your dreams." He put his finger gently on her chin and pulled her face around to look at him. "I don't want you compromising anything."

"You're being very considerate of me, but I'm not sure you can do this," she murmured. "If we're supposed to be in a relationship-that means you'll have to abstain. You won't be able to be with other girls. You know that, right?"

"You don't have to worry about that," he said quietly. She rolled her eyes. "You don't think I can do it."

She didn't say anything, but in her silence, he had his answer.

"I guess I deserve that."

"You shouldn't have to make that kind of sacrifice. I can't ask you to do that for me."

"You didn't ask," he snapped. He took a deep breath and let it out. "Rhees, I haven't been with anyone . . . since you made it so clear why-"

"Since I called you the epitome?" Her countenance dropped. She felt bad about it all over again. "You're not. I don't know why I said that. I should never have said it." She had a good idea why she'd said it, but she couldn't admit it to him. She needed to clarify something he'd said.

"You said you haven't been with anyone. What about-you went clubbing with Taylor. How did you . . . I know now that Shelli wasn't with you, but you and Taylor really tore up the island when he first got here."

Paul looked like he'd just got caught. He glanced away to get his story straight, she thought. A guilty grin broke on his lips.

"I danced with a few girls, let Taylor steal them away from me-he always does. Once I saw he'd zoned in on who he wanted, I picked out my own."

Her eyes shot to his, sure she'd caught him in a lie about not being with anyone-just the proof she needed that his plan wasn't going to work.

"I picked someone out, my usual type." Paul gave Rhees a swift once-over, knowing his tastes had recently changed. "I told Taye I was going to her place instead of the hotel. She hung all over me and he bought it, but . . . I didn't get out of the taxi. I just dropped her off, went back to the hotel and got my own room for the night, let him have the suite. He thinks I'm still the same old Paul, and I had a fitful night going stir-crazy in a small, basic hotel room all by myself."

"You're serious. You did all that." Rhees appeared to be in awe.

"Don't get all fan-girlie on me. I just wasn't in the mood. I've had a lot on my mind lately."

"Since I said that about you? Paul, please. I'm so sor-"

"It's true! Or it was-no, it still is."

"This plan isn't a good idea." She looked out over the ocean, shaking her head with doubt.

He ran his hands through his hair and scowled at the floor.

"I can do this. You'll have to trust me." He deadpanned at what he'd just said, staring off at nothing for a few seconds before an exasperated groan finally broke from his throat. "God, I can't believe I just said that. Damn it. Rhees, I know why you wouldn't trust me, but I don't plan to cheat on you-I don't think I will."

He couldn't read the look in her eyes-doubt, pity, or compassion. She should be angry. If she really doubted he could be faithful, anger would be a more sensible response.

"I know. Okay? I know what I am. Look, if I screw this up, excuse my pun, you can just pretend to break up with me, okay?" He tried to be funny, but he didn't think it really was. His voice dropped low and quiet. "Or you could just pretend to not know-pretend like you're the kind of woman who puts up with that kind of shit. Some women do." He thought about his mother and felt sick to even suggest it to Rhees.

Rhees rolled her eyes and he realized she'd been doing that a lot during this discussion. "Sounds like a lot of trouble," she said.

"I am."

"Not you." That did make her laugh. "Your plan-mine is less complicated. Get it over with. Let me deal with the aftermath. I'm a big girl." She laughed again but then hung her head. "Or at least I should be by now. This is my problem. If you'd help me just the once, you could move on with your life, not have to babysit the baby-"

"I told you-I'm not going to do that," he hissed. "Please don't make me say it again."

"Why?" It sounded like a plea, despairing. "You've slept with every other woman on the planet."

"Wow," he said. "I deserve that too." So why did it hurt so much?

"What's wrong with me? Why don't you want me?" She looked down and fidgeted with her hands.

"What?" How could she possibly think he didn't want her, after all they'd been through? "Fuck, Rhees!"

"No, the question is, why not fuck Rhees?" She almost yelled it.

He stared at her, beside himself. "I thought I'd found the perfect solution. My way will get you everything you want and need."

"At what cost to you? What do you get? And what happens when I leave here, and you're no longer around to run interference for me? I want to just do it-get it over with!" She sounded exasperated now as well.

He poured himself more wine and downed it quickly. He poured some more, gulping that down too. "Damn it. I need a real drink." He stared out over the water for a few minutes, giving the wine time to calm him down. "It's the way you say it."

"You keep saying that. How am I supposed to say it? Please, have sex with me, Paul? I don't know Spanish or Swahili. Would Swahili be better? Oh, I got it, how about Pig Latin? Ease-play ave-hay ex-say ith-way e-may, Aul-pay. Is that wrong too?"

He glared at her for a minute but scowled and looked away. She grabbed the wine to pour herself some too, but only a few drops trickled out.

"Damn it." She threw the bottle angrily into the water and curled up into her safe ball like a pouty little girl.

Paul winced, a little shocked to hear her swear, but then he couldn't help his grin. "Pig Latin?"

He watched her sulk for a few minutes and finally sighed in resignation. He scooted closer and kissed the top of her head. He tilted his head down to see her eyes. They still burned with fury and he looked down at the floor again. His mouth twitched a few times before he finally leaned in. He hesitated, but then grazed her lips with his. She snapped her head away from him and glared back in shock.

He had his answer. He smirked knowingly. He looked out over the dark ocean for a few seconds and laughed to himself. He turned to look at her again with amused, I-have-a-secret eyes . . . just before he dived on her.

One of his hands skillfully weaved itself into her hair, pulling her face to his while the other held her secure, refusing to let her get away as he ambushed her mouth. His tongue pushed its way past her lips.

Her reflex reaction to his sudden pounce was to push him away, but he wouldn't have it. He used his strength, his size, and his determination, and declined to acknowledge the hint. Without the slightest break in contact with her mouth, he leaned into her, pushing her down on the mat while somehow pushing the pizza box and the dishes out of the way at the same time. He settled at her side and tossed his leg across her hips to hold her down.

His eyes studied hers for a moment. His eyelids grew heavy and he kissed her again, moaning into her mouth. He traced her lips delicately with his tongue while pulling her closer so he could kiss her even harder. He moved again, wrapping his other hand behind her back, and pulled her body to his. He held her prisoner as he grew against her lower belly. He heard her breath catch.

Paul lay on her, holding her down, kissing her. She still didn't comprehend how she got there. It had happened so fast. She tried to twist away from him, but he moved on top of her-the new position gave him deeper access, and he began to make love to her mouth with his tongue.

He pushed against her, panting irregularly into her mouth, never releasing his hold on her lips. His lower body began to mirror what his tongue was doing. He moved rhythmically, his hands busy, everywhere. She blinked a few times, trying to clear the numbness, the shock from her head.

"Look at me," he breathed against her lips.

She did, and she took a deep breath, realizing she'd forgotten to breathe for-she wasn't sure how long. She felt dizzy. She put her hands on his shoulders and tried to push again. Tears rolled down the sides of her face.

"No-please!" She finally found her voice again and wailed.

He suddenly grew very still, stopped breathing even. His eyes closed. Only then did she realize . . . he was between her legs. She was bare-so was he. Somehow-she didn't know how or when-but she lay exposed to him. He'd pulled her swimming suit to the side and held himself against her uncovered, unprotected . . . holding it with his hand to ensure it wouldn't slip inside.

"Please, no," she whimpered, barely audible.

His eyelids opened slowly, purposefully. She didn't like the new look in his eyes-pain, sorrow, and remorse all rolled into one. Worst of all, she hated the I-told-you-so quality in his expression, but she didn't dare look away . . . because he still hadn't moved.

He pursed his lips. His jaw twitched a couple of times, before he finally rolled off of her with a loud, snarly exhale. His other hand moved to his face, and he pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger. He held it for too long as he lay on his back-she could only assume, hating himself and, she was certain, her.

He finally let out a frustrated puff of air. He sat up and looked out across the water, into the darkness so he wouldn't have to look at her. "You were right, Rhees. I am a wolf. Push me and I'll devour you in a second."

He ran his mouth through a few more of his signature contortions and exhaled hard, still frustrated. "For the record, I had no intention of deflowering you tonight," he lied-kind of. He'd intended to just scare her, but the line between doing her a favor and doing one for himself had grown a little fuzzy.

"I knew you were bluffing-even if you didn't." He looked down. His voice grew quiet. "I didn't plan for it to go so far."

"I'm sorry." She could barely get it out.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to go for a swim." He stood and dropped his unbuttoned shorts, and they fell to the deck. He dived into the water and swam away until Rhees could no longer see him in the darkness.

Forty-five minutes later, Paul climbed the ladder from the water, holding the empty wine bottle in his hand. Rhees waited for him, ready to hand him a towel while taking the bottle so he could dry himself off. He still looked angry and never looked her direction.

"I was worried you'd been eaten by a shark," she said, hoping to lighten his mood. It didn't work. She turned sideways to him to avoid facing his naked body while he wiped the water off.

"I was afraid to come back," he finally grumbled. "I thought you'd be crying."

"And you're disappointed I'm not?" She glanced at him, careful to look only at his face, but he gave her what she thought was a dirty look, so she looked away again. "You didn't run away from my crying last night."

"Last night, you weren't crying because of me."

"I wasn't crying because of you tonight, either."

"Bullshit."

"It's true. I cried for a while, but because of me, not you."

He put his shorts back on. He had too much on his mind and struggled to hang the towel over the gazebo railing to dry. She slipped in at his side and did it for him.

"You shouldn't have come here," he said, a little too gruffly.

She froze, too shocked to respond. In all the time he was in the water, she tried to imagine what he would say when he returned and how she would respond. This had never come to mind.