Chapter 3

"I knew that dress would look amazing on you," Eamon said when Bel stepped out of their private bungalow's bathroom. The first event of the week was the introductory dinner that evening. Each plate cost more than Bel's monthly grocery bill, but Eamon had thankfully purchased their seats. There were more affordable dining options on the island, but the payments went directly to the charity, and they both agreed their vacation would be more enjoyable if they helped the organization reach its goals.

"It's gorgeous." Bel spun so he could see the full effect of the blue outfit. It was the perfect combination of simple yet elegant, and while it fit her aesthetic, its simplicity didn't fool her. She had an idea of what this custom dress cost. "But I thought we agreed to keep the expensive gifts to a minimum. You promised not to go overboard."

"That's why I purchased from this designer." Eamon beckoned her closer, and she strode across the room to where he sat on the bed. He wore black pants and a button-up shirt left undone at the top, and even though the outfit was too dark for a tropical location, an electric charge raced through her at the sight of him.

"I'm a silent partner to many companies and businesses I believe in." He picked up her shoes and gestured for her to lift a leg. She obeyed, and he rested her toes against his chest as he slid her heel into place. "They get their dreams off the ground, and I make money without showing my face. It's a win/win since I don't age, and this designer is an up-and-coming." He motioned for her to switch feet, and this time, he kissed her ankle before guiding her foot into the shoe. "Her entire brand is based on recycling and sustainability. She jokes if she could spin straw into thread, she would use it. Her pieces are all unique since most of her fabrics are recycled, and she just recently released a Fairytales collection. When I saw this blue dress, I asked her to remove it from her showroom because I knew you needed to wear it." Eamon set her foot on the floor and gripped her hips, pulling her close until she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Yes, it's a designer piece, so it's more expensive than normal clothes, but I figured you would like a dress that not only supports a female-owned business, but one that was created with the planet in mind."

"Who are you?" Bel cupped his jaw and planted a kiss on his lips. "No, seriously, where did you come from? You're always so considerate, and it makes me feel guilty when I show up empty-handed."

"Please don't, because I'm just trying to be worthy of you." Eamon stood, capturing her waist as he moved, and he hoisted her into the air until her legs wrapped around his hips. "I don't deserve you. You forgave me for what I did to you. You accept who I am without judgment." He buried his face in her neck. "You give me far more than I give you. You gave me a home."

Bel stilled in his arms, and he drew back with an awkward expression.

"Sorry, that's too much." He set her down. "I forget sometimes that we come from different backgrounds, and I let my words fly out of my mouth. I'm not trying to intimidate you with my obsession."

"You are a little intense… scratch that, you're very intense," she said as he released her to find his shoes.

"And I'm freaking you out."

"Yes… because I want you to mean it. This is our first chance to really be alone together, and you're right. We are coming from different places. I need time to catch up, but I still want your words to be true. I want to be important to you."

"And you're nervous that I'm just a smooth talker."

"No… I…"

"It's okay to be nervous." Eamon brushed his knuckles over her cheek. "Do you know how panicked I was when you first walked through my door to interview me about Brett Lumen? I took one look at your throat and convinced myself you'd never forgive me. So, I get it. We're still getting to know each other, but I think I've proved my love isn't only talk. I deserve some brownie points for taking a bullet for you, don't I?"

"You get the whole tray of brownies for that."

His smile burned bright enough to rival the sun, and Bel couldn't stop the blush blooming across her cheeks.

"I hope to never give you cause to doubt my affection, but if you want me to watch my words, I'll slow down," Eamon said as he tucked the keys and his phone into his pocket. "We'll just date."

"Okay."

"Okay." He extended a hand. "Detective Emerson, would you ever consider going to dinner with me sometime?"

"I could be persuaded if asked nicely." Bel smiled as she slipped her hand into his, the tension fading from her muscles. She disliked feeling insecure, but romantic vacations were not her area of expertise. It was ridiculous to fear that the man who used his own back as a shield to protect her didn't mean his words, but being alone with him made her suddenly nervous. If he ever left her, she'd never date again. She couldn't tell him that. Not yet, but her heart had already decided. Eamon Stone was it for her, and it was unsettling to transform from a woman who believed she'd never find love to a woman convinced she found her missing half.

"Well then, please be my guest at dinner tonight," he said with a flourished bow.

"I guess my schedule's free." She playfully tossed her brunette curls, and Eamon triumphantly led her from their bungalow. "On second thought, though, you don't always have to watch your words."

He quirked his brow at her.

"It's nice to be reminded of how important I am to you."

"You have a deal, Detective." He extended his free hand, and they shook on it.

"Detective Emerson, I'm so glad you convinced him to come," Dr. Frank Victors said as the waiters set their desserts on the table, and Bel both dreaded the final course and couldn't wait to try it. The meal had been worth every penny Eamon had donated for their plates, but she was almost painfully full. She couldn't eat another bite, but the decadence was too delicious to pass up.

"Please call me Bel," she said, savoring the cake on her tongue. "You spent hours fixing my skin. I think we're past formalities."

"Well, Bel, I am glad you dragged the recluse out of his lair," Frank laughed. "I've known Eamon for years, but this is the first time someone's convinced him to join us."

"I had unused vacation days, so I'm pleased it worked out." Bel smiled at Eamon, mostly happy that they'd joined the excessively rich on this island. He'd opened up to her and been gracious with her insecurities. She'd felt closer to him until they sat down at their assigned table, and their differences came flooding back. Eamon belonged to this world, but she didn't, and the expressions on the diamond-studded wives confirmed she didn't belong. She tried to ignore their judgment, and thankfully, she'd found a haven in Dr. Victors' wife, Mary. She was as lovely and genuine as her husband, but the other doctors and their spouses made Bel miss her dog's accepting company.

Initially, she'd assumed their looks were due to how visible her scars were in this dress. The room swarmed with plastic surgeons, but not one diner had so much as a freckle out of place. She figured her willingness to display her imperfections bothered them, but then Charles and Anne Blaubart joined their table. She'd met the couple at Wendy Darling's New York City wedding. Their meeting had been brief, but Anne hadn't been this hostile during their first conversation. If Bel remembered correctly, the lithe blonde had been bored by that encounter, but this dinner had been an entirely different experience. Dr. Charles Blaubart behaved civilly, despite his constant hinting that he'd love the chance to work on her throat, but Anne's disgust was so obvious that even Eamon's demeanor darkened with every course. Gone was the playfully thoughtful man from the bungalow, his predator firmly back in control.

"This cake is so good, but I can't eat another bite," Bel said as she leaned her head against Eamon, hoping he'd pick up on the hint.

"Is that your way of saying I can eat your slice too?" he whispered into her hair.

"Yes, you can have mine." She kissed his shoulder as he pulled her half-eaten dessert before him.

"I'll be quick," he said, thankfully understanding her meaning. "There's a moonlit beach with our names on it. You want to walk with me?"

Bel nodded, and he switched his fork to his left hand so he could wrap his right arm around her shoulders. He hugged her close, and the tension bled from her muscles at their contact. She tuned out the table's conversation as Eamon finished her cake, mentally already on that secluded beach with her handsome date, but then Anne Blaubart withdrew a packet of gum from her clutch, and Bel's brain fixated on the odd package. She didn't recognize the brand or the deep blue wrapper, but it wasn't the unfamiliar candy that dragged her focus back to her dinner companion. It was the way the woman fiddled with the empty wrapper as she chewed. Most people crumpled gum wrappers into balls or folded them into squares, but as if her nervous fingers had a mind of their own, Anne painstakingly folded each corner until the blue wrapper became an origami butterfly.

Bel stifled a smirk as she watched Eamon search for her. After a late night walking the beach, they'd opted for a lazy poolside day. Needing a break from the heat, he'd left their seats to order pina coladas from the bar while she'd slipped into the water. She'd assumed he'd seen her wade into the pool, but he'd obviously missed her movements because he currently stood shirtless and confused before their lounge chairs, frozen drinks forgotten in his fists as he searched for her. She guessed the crowd and chlorine masked her scent, but that wouldn't be an obstacle for long. He'd find her eventually, and she sank lower, silently counting the seconds until he figured it out. His mild panic reminded her of Cerberus when the dog lost sight of her, and that thought tugged a giggle from her lips. Eamon's head snapped around at the sound. It was too low for human ears to detect, but he found her instantly, his face brightening, and Bel once again saw Cerberus in his relief.

She waved before climbing out of the pool, enjoying the way his eyes widened at the sight of the water dripping down her body. True to his promise, he'd bought her an abundance of tiny bikinis, and deciding to be brave in her own skin, she'd donned a blue one with gold details. Eamon's reaction instantly erased her insecurities about showing all her scars because if he didn't care what she wore in public, she wouldn't worry either.

"You should really warn me if you're going to get in the pool," Eamon said as she accepted the frozen cocktail and reclined on her chair.

"We're at a busy resort, and the pool is shallow," she said. "Nothing is going to happen to me."

"That's not what I meant." He leaned over and kissed her, and while the kiss was quick, it was enough to show everyone who she belonged to. "I almost dropped our drinks watching you get out of the water. I need a little heads-up next time you attempt to stop my heart."

"Oh my god, sit down," she laughed.

"You don't believe me?" He grabbed her hand as he sat and shoved it against his thundering chest. "Good lord, Detective, I am suffering."

"You bought me these suits, so it's your own fault."

"And I'll die happy." He laid back in his chair and drank half his pina colada in one go, hand still clutching hers across the divide. "I'm going to need another drink if you keep this up."

"It's funny watching you slip between personalities," she said as her thumb rubbed his knuckles.

"What do you mean?"

"You scare everyone, me included at first. You're reserved and confident and dangerous, but you change your skin when you're alone with me. You become this whole different person."

"It's because I don't have to hide around you."

"I like comfortable Eamon. He's fun." She gave him a once over. "He's also illegally hot in those short shorts."

"Well, illegal behavior is your specialty, Detective." He winked, and Bel squeezed his hand as she sipped the frozen drink. A group of familiar women sauntered onto the pool deck, and she instantly tensed when she noticed Anne among them. Eamon sensed the shift in her mood through their connection, and he followed her line of sight.

"My gosh, would you look at her." Bel's eyes widened as Anne removed her cover-up and reclined on a chair. "I don't think I've ever seen a woman that perfect."

"Her husband is a plastic surgeon," Eamon said. "I'm sure she gets whatever her heart desires for free."

"I know, but wow." Bel shook her head. "She almost doesn't look real, but she's stunning."

"You're stunning," Eamon grunted. "Far more beautiful than she'll ever be, so I wouldn't worry."

"I'm not. This isn't me being insecure," Bel laughed, releasing his hand to smooth his concerned face. "I don't want to look like her. I've become pretty confident in my appearance, even if last night was rough."

"It wasn't me they were looking at, and I still felt uncomfortable, so I can't blame you," Eamon agreed.

"It's hard not to feel weird with such intense scrutiny, but it's to be expected when you're a homicide detective with scar tissue on a private island filled with millionaire surgeons. I like myself, though, and you've helped me like my scars. You're always kissing them, so they've become a positive because instead of associating them with pain, I think of you. Is that why you're always touching them? To change my association?"

"No, but I'm glad that's what happened. I mostly touch them because I put them there, and in a way, loving them atones for my sins. Every time I touch you, I'm reminding myself to protect you and to never drink your blood again."

"I like that," Bel said. "But instead of feeling guilty, remember that through positive association, you've taken my biggest insecurity and turned it into something I like about myself. I felt Alcina's magic. It should've killed us both, but these scars are proof that you fought her curse for me. They're proof I'm alive."

"They remind me you survived as well."

"Plus, Dr. Victors did an excellent job. They're thin and pink and kind of cute… at least that's what I'm choosing to believe."

"Griffin was right. This vacation is good for you." Eamon swung his feet to the ground and sat sideways on his chair to stare down at her, his eyes lingering on her bare skin for a second too long. "It's nice to hear you talk like this about yourself, because there's nothing sexier than a confident woman." His hand reached out of its own accord and traced an abstract design on her belly. "And they are cute. All of you is."

"It's probably the sun and the alcohol making me talk like this… and those short shorts of yours." She pinched his knee playfully. "I've always been athletic, but after Able took me, I swore I'd never be easy prey again. I've put on muscle since then, and I like it. It suits me."

"Oh, it suits you," Eamon said. "Probably a little too much. I'm fighting for my life over here."

"Maybe I should change out of this bikini then." Bel shifted until she was knee to knee with him.

"No, don't worry about me," he protested until he saw the mischief in her eyes. He cocked his head in question, but when she didn't back down, he lunged for her. She shrieked as he threw her over his shoulder and stormed away from the busy pool deck. The vacationers gawked at them, but Bel couldn't bring herself to feel embarrassed. She'd been getting looks since she got here, and while the judgments about her appearance or social status annoyed her, she didn't mind the stares regarding her relationship. Deep down, the gawking women were jealous she had a man so in love that he ignored decorum, and most expressions were of surprise except for Anne's. Anne Blaubart stared daggers at them. Bel opened her mouth to ask Eamon why the woman was so angry with her, but before she could speak, he barged into their bungalow and locked the door behind them.

His lips were on hers before her feet even hit the ground, and he tugged her into the bedroom without breaking their kiss. His movements were full of hunger and desperation, and he collapsed onto the mattress, dragging her with him. Bel reached for the ties of her bikini as she straddled his lap, but he shoved her hands away and pulled her back to his mouth.

"Don't," he growled as he pushed her suit bottoms aside. "I need you now."

"You have me," she moaned as he claimed her, body and soul and mind and breath. He breathed in her moans and exhaled his love, and when she finally collapsed on top of his sweaty chest, spent and deliciously happy, he wrapped his arms around her and held on with a grip that was almost too tight.

"I love you," he whispered into her hair, his embrace so strong that she imagined he was trying to pull her body inside his, to keep her safe and against his heart for as long as he lived. The intensity of his hug, of the way he'd claimed her, kept her complaints about not being able to breathe to herself. He needed this moment with her, with their bodies still entwined. She wondered if the judgment she'd received was bothering him more than he'd let on, and he clung to her as if he was insecure, as if he needed her heartbeat against his bare chest. So she let him hold her until their breathing calmed.

"Can you look at me?" He finally broke the silence, and Bel propped herself up on his chest to stare into his eyes. Her fingers reached out of their own accord and traced the line of his chiseled jaw as he studied her.

"What's going on in there?" She tapped his temple, but he shook his head, refusing to answer. "Too intense?" she asked.

"Yes," he whispered.

"So, you want to look at me and think it instead?"

"Guilty."

She grunted and planted a quick kiss on his lips. One day she'd be ready to hear the thoughts fighting to escape his head, but for now, knowing he thought them was enough.

"I'm going to shower." She stood up, her bathing suit twisted sideways and pulling at all the wrong angles, so she peeled it off. "You coming?" She threw a smile over her shoulder, but before she could finish her invitation, Eamon dragged her into the steaming water with a kiss hot enough to fog the mirror.