Amelia would have gladly remained in Nick's arms for the rest of the night had it not been for the timely knock on the hotel room door. She had hastily disentangled her body from Nick's and had fled into the bathroom.

She stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Nick's mouth and hands have left telltale signs on her flushed body. She averted her eyes from her nakedness, not wanting the reservations about her body to invade her mind. She grabbed a towel and covered herself quickly.

Her semi-dry hair was a tangled mess. May would probably laugh at her if she were here. That girl always looked perfect no matter what she was doing. She could fry an egg in a dustbin bag and still look like a supermodel.

"Amelia?"

Amelia spun around, blushing.

"I have set the food on the balcony, join me when you are ready," Nick said with his back turned to her as he stood just outside the bathroom door.

"Oh, okay," Amelia acknowledged peeking around the door and saw he was fully dressed again. Her heart hiccupped.

Had she overstepped? Was the night over?

He left, and she walked back into the bedroom. She pulled her suitcase from the closet. Most of her clothes were shorts and T-shirts, with one pair of jeans. And, of course, the silly red cocktail dress somewhere on the hotel room floor. She was never wearing that again.

*

Amelia joined Nick on the balcony, dressed in jeans and a floral T-shirt. Nick handed her a champagne glass and she immediately drained it.

"You really like champagne, don't you?" He smirked, holding a chair for her, and then proceeded to pour her another glass when he sat down.

"Thanks, and yes, I do," she nodded, accepting her refilled glass. She studied the selection of plates precariously positioned on the small table and inadvertently smiled.

"I didn't know what you liked," Nick confessed ruefully.

"You could just have asked."

"True," he shrugged and smiled.

Her stomach growled and Amelia happily dug in. She was famished. She burned more calories in the past few hours than in the last two months.

Nick sat back in his chair, relieved she was relaxed and comfortable enough to eat.

"Aren't you going to eat anything?" Amelia asked, suddenly extremely self-conscious, that she was the only one eating. She gingerly placed her fork down with a juicy piece of meat still attached to it.

"Don't stop, please, Amelia. I love a woman with a healthy appetite." His lips curled into a wicked smile. "Besides, you need to replenish your energy."

Amelia blinked.

Nick sat forward and started to eat, and she returned her attention to her food trying to quell the excitement pounding in her chest.

Perhaps the night was not over.

The next twenty minutes were spent in a comfortable silence as they ate. Amelia was grateful the usual obligatory small talk was not necessary. Although she would have loved to ask Nick questions and get to know him, she had made it abundantly clear at the nightclub that it would be pointless.

Which it would be, right?

She leaned back into her chair. She was thoroughly stuffed. She had abolished the thought of overeating until she saw how much Nick was eating. She guiltily watched him from underneath her lashes. Nick was gorgeous. Period.

His cell phone rang, and he quietly excused himself, disappearing into the bedroom.

Amelia had not even thought about her cell phone all night, not that she needed to. May was the only one other than her work who called or messaged her. Her eyes scanned the room. Her purse was still on the couch where she had placed it earlier, and her dress was draped over one of the arms. Her cheeks flushed.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Nick asked when he returned, and she stared at him bewildered.

"Oh, I was just thinking of my- "she bit her lip and motioned towards her dress.

Nick raised an eyebrow. "Ah, how stunning you look in it, or how stunning you look without it?"

Amelia squirmed in her seat, "I meant, my taking it off part."

"I am guessing that was a first for you?"

"Indeed, a lot of firsts tonight," she reluctantly admitted.

Nick leaned against the balcony rail. "Oh?"

Amelia shrugged.

"Like?" He prompted.

"Well, like, the nightclub. First orgasm in public."

Nick crossed his arms over his chest and nodded thoughtfully, waiting for her to continue.

"I have never had a man go down on me before."

Nick frowned, genuinely surprised by this admittance, but could now fully understand her reaction.
"You should have said something."

"Seriously? Not quite sure how you do something like that in the heat of the moment. Hmm, excuse me, hey you down there, it is my first time." Amelia smiled weakly, the muscles in her neck stiffening.

"That is what the rules are for, Amelia. You have the power. You always have the power. It is your body and only you can allow anyone who finds him or herself privileged enough to be in your presence to touch you."

"It is not always that easy." Amelia sighed, rubbing her neck.

"Want to go for a walk?" Nick asked.

"What?" she frowned.

"Come on." He pushed himself away from the rail and held out a hand.

"Nick, I don't think- "

"Amelia, we both know if we go back into the bedroom right now, we will have sex again. And, believe me, I want to, God knows I want to, but," he inhaled, "the night is still young and the beach is beautifully quiet."

"I am not having sex on the beach, so if you are harboring any ideas like that, forget it," Amelia grimaced, and Nick laughed. "I am serious, sand gets in everywhere and I mean, everywhere."

*

The elevator ride and the ten-minute walk to the beach were done in silence, both preoccupied by their thoughts. A cool breeze had greeted them, and Nick had tucked her securely into his side, cradling his arm around her.

"You okay?" He asked when they stopped on the edge of where the beach started.

Amelia nodded.

"So, do you still believe that getting to know one another is pointless?"

His question took her by surprise, and she bit her lip.

"You shouldn't do that," he murmured, touching her lip with his thumb. "It turns me on."

Amelia flushed, ducking her head and twisting away from him.
"Yes, I still believe it is pointless. Why bother going through all the trivialities getting to know someone you will never see again?"

Amelia kicked off her sandals, bent to pick them up, and then stepped onto the sand.

"But, what if, maybe, one day we do see each other again?"

Amelia swung around to face Nick, frowning.
"I don't think that will happen unless I ever decide to come back here for another holiday, which I probably won't."

"Why?"

She shrugged.

"Because of me?"

"Maybe."

"So, you would never come back here, just because you would be afraid to see me again?"

"Nick, you are a male escort. You were paid to have sex with me, which I have enjoyed, regardless. But that is all it is, right?"

Nick sighed heavily and focused on the watery horizon. How could he have thought this was going to be easy? Would she even believe him if he told her the truth about tonight?

"Nick? That is all it is, right?"

"Of course," he nodded.

Amelia pulled worriedly on her lip again and he groaned. He moved so quickly that Amelia hardly had time to register what was happening until he cupped her face and brought his lips down on hers with a crushing kiss.

She grabbed his shoulders to keep her knees from buckling, leaning against him. Nick thoroughly kissed her. His lips and tongue engaged hers in an erotic dance that had her clamoring for air when he finally lifted his head.

"Maybe we should have stayed at the hotel," Nick chuckled.

"I wanted to," Amelia teased, raising a knowing brow.

"Back to the hotel?"

"Back to the hotel."

With her sandals still firmly clasped in her hand, they sprinted back to the hotel.

*