Charlee had actually taken first in one of the longer tournaments. It was very impressive. Hector had been so proud of her he’d skyped Sam, even though it was about four a.m. in Florida to say, “In your face!” when she beat out the contender Sam was so sure would take it.

The cruise was nice; although, they were sharing a cabin with Abel. So they had to get really creative and sneaky about any alone time in bed. As freaky as Charlee thought she was, doing anything with Abel in just the other bed in the cramped cabin was not going to fly. Not to mention Abel had warned Hector before they even boarded he didn’t want to be walking in on anything or waking up to anything that would make things awkward for the rest of the cruise. He’d actually told Hector to keep it in his pants for the weekend. That wasn’t happening, not with the incredibly romantic sunsets, dinners, and general atmosphere of the cruise. So far their creativity had come up short.

They were up on the top deck now, looking out into the moonlight. They’d be docking in Ensenada in just a few hours. They really should be in bed already. It was late, but Charlee had insisted on going up there to take a look at the stars. It was such a clear night you could see them twinkling as far as forever.

Hector stood behind Charlee, hugging her as she leaned against the rail, looking out into the ocean. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so content in my life,” she said, taking a deep breath and leaning her head back into his chest.

She echoed his sentiments exactly. Although he wouldn’t ruin such a romantic moment by mentioning what would make this moment even more perfect, he did glance around to make sure no one else was up there with them. The top deck was completely abandoned, and it was well after 2 a.m., so he didn’t expect anyone else joining them anytime soon. He kissed her lower chin, and she tilted her head in reaction, granting him further access to her neck.

“Happy anniversary,” he whispered.

Her body suddenly went stiff. “Anniversary?”

He smiled, kissing her neck again, a little smug that he had one up on her. He knew coming into this new world of being in a relationship that this is the kind of stuff girls usually kept track of, not the guys, and he had a feeling he’d suck at it since he was so bad at remembering birthdays even. Though he had to admit it was Roni and the other girls who teased him just before the cruise about actually being with the same girl for months now that had made him check a calendar out of curiosity. The weekend just before they moved into their new house—the day he’d gone and picked her up and they made it official after eating grilled cheese sandwiches from a truck was exactly six months ago today.

She turned around to face him, looking a little worried. “Yep,” he said, kissing her nose. “Today is six months since we made this official.”

Her eyes brightened now. “You’re keeping track?”

Though she smiled, she sounded as if she felt a little guilty, so he let her off the hook. “Not so much,” he pulled her closer. “Roni and the girls brought it up just before the cruise, and I had to look it up. But six months, huh? Feels like just yesterday that I couldn’t keep my eyes off you at that tournament.”

“And you couldn’t keep your hands off those two girls,” she teased with a smirk, though there was a hint of distaste in her eyes.

So many times Hector had wanted to explain to her that nothing had ever happened between them except for the kisses they shared in the parking lot that night, but he never thought it a good idea to bring up. He’d just as soon let her forget about that and had since decided to never revisit it. How the hell was that coming up now, on this most romantic of nights on a cruise ship, in the middle of their anniversary talk?

Charlee spun herself around slowly in his arms to face the ocean again. “I know you think I did, but I didn’t actually ever do more than what you saw in that parking lot with them.” She didn’t say anything, and he was almost glad she wasn’t facing him now. “I told you about Sam getting in a wreck just before he moved, right?”

He filled her in on how it had happened that very day and he’d had to cut his night short as soon as he turned on his phone and got the news.

“But you would’ve otherwise, right?” Without giving him a chance to answer, she added. “I take it with the amount experience you have with those types of girls you’ve done a lot of crazy things in the past.” Just when Hector thought the conversation might be taking a turn into the uncomfortable, she moved her ass against him, rubbing him in just the right place, instantly arousing him. “Ever done it out in the open where you just might get caught?”

The second it hit him what she might be suggesting, the tension he’d begun to feel bubbled over into smoldering need. Bringing his hand down to the bottom of her adorable one piece shorts suit, he ran his hand up her bare thigh and leaned in to her ear. “Not out in the open . . .” he whispered. “Like here.”

Feeling her tremble, he brought his hand all the way up her thigh and around to feel her bare behind. His heart sped up when he realized she wore nothing underneath. He’d been around her all day, saw the jumpsuit she’d chosen to wear, the one he’d at first mistaken for a very short sundress because the shorts were so loose, and not once had it crossed his mind that maybe she’d worn it for a reason. “Did you have something in mind today with this outfit and no panties?” Unable to stand it anymore, he squeezed her ass.

She giggled in spite of the tense reaction her body had to his question. “Maybe.”