I'm left reeling from my own shock that words fail to form, my mouth gapping wide open as Zander's fingertips graze my back. All sense and reason are gone, every faint gesture of his the only thing on my mind.

The dead fish stare is back and I'm blinking rapidly, with lips slightly quivering from the knot of nerves stealing into my belly and making their way upwards and hitting me right in the face in burning waves.

Get your mind out of the gutter Celia owns, Cat!

The sleep finally evades Zander who immediately ceases his casual grazing, realisation dawning on him, green orbs widening and mirroring my light brown ones.

Without uttering a word, he gently retracts his arms, the gliding motion causing my heart to pulse quickly, heartbeats reverberating in my ears.

Praying I'm the only one who can hear my own erratic beats, Zander tucks the robe that's come undone back into place and cautiously snatches one of the towels hazardously slewed on the bed.

Clearing his throat, Zander eyes me suspiciously as he wraps the towel around him before placing a hand over his chest mildly offended but clearly amused by this entire situation.

"Ms. Lewis, if you wanted to jump me, why didn't you say so? No need to undress me and ogle. Also, don't misunderstand, I didn't do...that," he said, pointing at the bathrobe now correctly wrapped around me, obviously referring to the state I was in when we woke up.

Stuttering to find the words, I heave out an exasperated sigh, "But-bu-but, that wasn't me! I mean..it was sort of..but I was trying to save you!" I stammered, breathless and wide eyed.

Chuckling, he crosses his arms defiantly and relishes in the discomfort I'm feeling. "From what? A life of celibacy?"

"Wooow, I do one good deed and this is what I get?" I blurted.

"A peek at my body seems like a good reward."

"I prefer hard cold cash, thank you very much!"

"Shouldn't I get compensated too?" Zander said placidly.

"For what? Do you have any idea how hard it was trying to make sure you didn't freeze or catch a cold last night?"

Grinning, he leans in closer to the bed where I've sat at the edge. "But the thing is...you got to see all of me meanwhile..." he trailed, eyes and a huge grin slanting sideways to rest on me.

"Do not even dream about finishing that thought or I will...I'll.."

"Or you'll what?"

"Stop being cocky about it!"

"Interesting choice of words..."

Aimlessly flinging a pillow at him, it sinks to the ground soundlessly and a frown begins to form on my lips which doesn't last long as I'm letting out a small yelp, scooped off the ground and plopped into Zander's lap.

"All right Cat, explain what happened last night."

"I could have accomplished that by us keeping a sense of spatial awareness," I mumbled meekly. The heartbeats accelerating once more.

"And why would I want to do that? At least give me this and one more thing if you've seen everything already."

"Give you wha-" the question is easily cut off, our lips colliding and my eyes close shut as my hands slink to the back of his neck.

Zander deepens the kiss and I hold on tighter, surfacing for air after a beat and then willfully drown again. And again.

The touch of fingers against my bare thigh is unmistakable but I don't stop him. My own hands land and rest against his exposed back and I lean in closer as the kiss becomes more frantic, the caressing traces against my thigh languid and satiating.

We're so immersed in ourselves that the sound of knocking against the door has both of us surprised, the sound slicing into the heavy heat engulfing us.

Groaning, Zander quickly lands a peck on my cheek and detaches himself from me, making sure the robe draped over me is securely in place and answers the door.

Bringing my fingers to feel my swollen lip, my other hand rests against my chest as a sudden bout of shyness comes over me. I'm not sure how far we would have gone but one thing's for sure - I wouldn't have prevented it.

Flushing at my own thoughts, I brace myself for whoever is at the door. Zander pushes it open slightly, not bothering to hide his irritation at being disrupted by an unwanted interference.

Opening it, he finds the guesthouse host with a professional smile plastered on his face and Hector gleefully wagging his tail next to him. "Sorry to disturb you, but breakfast will be served soon."

He glances at me briefly from the door and shakes his head with a knowing smile, making me blush deeper, the pink hue on my cheeks a pronounced red now.

At his departure, an awkward silence passes between us and I mechanically step towards the bathroom. Swiftly grabbing my now dried clothes, I hand over Zander's without saying a word before shutting the bathroom door, and change as if my life depended on it.

Emerging after a few minutes, the silence is easily cracked at the sight of Zander once more in the baby elephant shirt. Laughing, I clutch my midsection and  try repressing my cackles which only increase when Zander gives me a defeatist stare.

"Ha. Ha. Glad you're enjoying this."

"But you look so cute in it, I can't help it."

"You're the one that's cute in this relationship. Please don't apply that to me," Zander said mildly, wringing his shirt before smoothing it when he notes the elephants crumpling.

Raising an eyebrow, I give him a pointed look all the while smiling.

"I mean c'mon, do you really want me to take on every role? I don't want to kill your vibe."

"Cuteness is a vibe?" I asked in disbelief.

"You better believe it is."

"Cuteness?"

"A whole entire conception of existing in this world," Zander said solemnly and I'm shaking my head at how absurd he sounds in a shirt meant for toddlers.

"What? I'm being serious! Fine, fine I'll be the cute one. Happy? Now let's go eat," he said, waving me forward towards the door.

Shaking my head, we exit the room and manage to find the breakfast bar. Noticing the elderly woman from last night at a patio lounging outside, we take our food and sit next to her.

"Ah the young newlyweds!" She exclaimed, rubbing her temples to ease the aching hangover from last night's drunken craze.

"We're actually..." I began but Zander nudges me while smirking.

"C'mon honey, no need to be shy," he dragged, clearly imitating my words from yesterday. This was obviously payback.

"Zander," I whispered through clenched teeth, "what are you doing?"

Chuckling the old lady raises her cup of black coffee and toasts to our bright future, and all I can do is gawk at Zander and her chatting away happily.

Apparently even grandmas love him.

"So how long have you two been-" She asked, pointing a finger between us while gulping down a mouthful of coffee.

A fork pierced into a slice of watermelon is stilled as I'm gawking at her.

Do I tell her it's only been a week?

Chuckling, Zander covers the hand holding my fork with his own, bringing it to my mouth before I can say anything in protest, knowing where my thoughts were headed.

Spewing out black seeds to Hector's yowling amusement is what occupies my attention as Zander continues to shove fruit in my mouth, constantly cooing "honey," and gently placing tresses of hair behind my left ear.

To think I've hit this low - baby elephant man babying me!

I'm openly glaring at him at this point as a juicy piece of  mango is crammed into my mouth so in order to gain the upper hand, I grab Zander's fork and stab a block of melon.

Bringing it to his mouth, it hits the wall of his lips before he finally concedes. We're eyeing each other intensely while aggressively feeding each other as if the other is about to die of hunger or will never see fruit again.

Neither of us wants to admit defeat and the fruit juices begin to congeal and slide down our faces, prompting us to simultaneously wipe the other's face in silence while we both chew on massive mouthfuls of fruit.

I went from looking like a fish battling air to a squirrel ready to hibernate in the span of thirty minutes.

The old woman shakes her head and walks off, leaving us to our fruit war and Hector starts crying for one of us to feed him some of the banana slices, his drool dripping off of one side of his mouth.

With nostrils fuming, I manage to find the peanut butter sachet on our table as Zander keeps aiming fruit into my mouth and slather on some before handing Hector the banana slices coated in PB.

Gesturing with a 'T' I demand a time out and cradle the side of my jaw sore from the massive heaps of fruit.

Zander does the same and I give him a wrathful stare, "seriously? Could we not have eaten in peace?"

"How's this my fault? You decided to feed me fruit with violence!" He sputtered, rubbing a cheek.

"That's because you wouldn't let me eat on my own! I didn't ask to be fed!"

"Neither did I!"

"Like you can honestly say that while wearing that shirt!"

"Enough with the shirt! Can't a guy wear a shirt with an endangered animal on it and walk around without being insulted? Huh is it? Miss yummier than your cakes," he said pointedly, raising a brow.

"Don't you dare bring my apron into this! Or you won't live to see another cupcake."

"I'm looking at one now. CUP. CAKE."

He did not just go there.

Narrowing my eyes, I let loose an exasperated and wheezy sound, "Why did you have to wake up and choose violence?"

"My libido did not wake up thinking that."

"Ah, so you admit it. Men don't think with their brains, thanks for clarifying that."

"Finished?"

Harrumphing, I puff out some air before nodding. "Yeah, I'm done eating. I don't think I'll be able to chew anything anyways."

After breakfast, we check out and this time walk downhill back towards the amusement park under glimmering sunshine and clear skies.

On the way down, I finally manage to explain my idea with Randy. After settling a few lumps in my plan, Zander agrees to execute it within the next couple of days and our conversation leads us all the way to the security box where the guard on duty pensively gives the bad news.

No reports about the car surfaced and the central station never called, promising only to give us an update by the end of the week or when there was progress.

Frowning, Zander and I stand rooted to the spot dejected, all hope dissipated.

Letting loose a heavy sigh, Zander finally pulls out his phone and grumbles, "Dad is going to kill me when he finds out."

Furiously texting, he runs a nervous hand behind his neck afterwards and purses his lips.

"What?" I asked, bewildered by his intense and pleading gaze.

"Don't get mad. But what I was trying to tell you yesterday is that all we had to do was call my Dad's secretary or even Patrick and one of them would've picked us up."

I don't know what's worse.

The mortification I suddenly feel or my growing annoyance that I didn't even think of calling either Celia or Patrick.

We could have saved time, my pride, and fruit.

"He'll be here in ten minutes."

"Who?" I asked listlessly, still grappling with my own stupidity.

I could have saved myself from a truck's worth of humiliation by making one little phone call. If I could openly smack myself in public without being branded crazy, I would.

"My Dad's Secretary."

"Oh."

Oh. My. Gawd. We could have called a cab or a driver! I basically set up the perfect conditions for it to happen! I want to smack my face and hurl my phone into the sea out of sheer embarrassment. Why did I look up guesthouses when the ride app was right there and staring at me in the face!

I should be happy we did nothing more but kiss?....right? I mean...more would have been nice?

"Are you mad?"

Sighing, I let my shoulders droop. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"It gave me the perfect excuse and you suggested the guesthouse first. Who am I to refute?" Zander said, shrugging innocently.

"We could have been home by now," I grind out.

"But then what we did this morning would have never happened. Do you regret it? I don't."

"I'm...I'm not saying...I mean I don't.."

"Yes or no?"

"No, no I don't," I murmured, subjected to an onslaught of more kisses that make me squirm at the thought of anyone noticing.

"But," I said more loudly and clearly, dismantling myself from his tight hold, "I think I'll never be able to look at a bowl of fruit again."

"Yeah, fruit wars can be traumatic. So I've heard."

Rolling my eyes, I take Zander's hand and we wait by entrance of the amusement park.

A tinted car slowly pulls in and stops in front of us, and we climb into the back.

Buckling in, I sigh knowing home is a few hours away when the intense and hard stare from the rear view mirror makes me go cold and pale.

"Want to explain to me what happened to my car, son?"

Dad," Zander said, surprise marring his features.

Observation: what's more nerve wracking? The first date with a boyfriend or explaining a theft to the President?