Chapter 355: Saturday. Beach, Miami, Florida.

ALEC SET THE BEACH chairs down and watched as Vara swept her bikini cover-up over her head. A week of this view and he still wasn't tired of it. She glanced at him and rolled her eyes, one side of her mouth hitching up.

"Want to take mine off, too?" He grinned at her and unfolded a chair for her.

"Shut up." Vara set the tote in her chair and draped the top over the back. She rolled her eyes and smiled, but it wasn't the reaction he was looking for.

There was a wall there. He could feel it. She'd kiss him, suck him, fuck him, but there was this barrier that kept them slightly apart. Maybe he wouldn't notice it if he was just meeting her or if he hadn't known her better all those years ago, but he did. He'd been with a totally open and uninhibited Vara and this wasn't her.

Whatever.

He'd wear her down. This was a long campaign. Them clicking so fast was good, it meant he had to do less convincing her. He just needed to show her that this relationship didn't have an expiration date.