When we made it to the beach, Keiran and Lake were nowhere to be found. Dash was laid out in the sun reading a book while every girl on the beach watched on with sultry fascination. I looked around for Kennedy and found her splashing in the water with Q and Jesse. Q was attempting to teach her to surf, in shallow water no less, while Jesse watched. Amusement poured through my senses erasing all the tension from the past few hours.

“Three-year-olds don’t surf, dude.” Jesse deadpanned.

“This isn’t just any three-year-old. Isn’t that right, rugrat?” A spark of jealousy flowed through me at the realization that everyone seemed to have a relationship with Kennedy except for me.

“Mama… Keenan, look!” Kennedy struggled to stand even with Q’s hands holding her, but when she finally succeeded, the brightest smile appeared. Sheldon wasted no time running into the water, creating a splash while I ogled her lush frame in the two-piece. Motherhood had done her body well.

For a few hours of beach fun and the happiness of my daughter, I let go of the past and my plans for the future. I taught Kennedy the basics of swimming and used it as an opportunity to bond. I was amazed at her passion for the water at such a young age.

Keiran and Lake materialized after we had exhausted ourselves in the water. The guilty blush that heated her cheeks and his smug smirk provided a detailed description of what they had been doing for the past few hours.

“Nice of you two to join us finally, but I’m hungry,” Dash announced.

“Why didn’t you get one of the women who can’t stop staring at your crotch to get you some food?”

“Because then they would expect me to put out, and my mother taught me that what’s inside my cookie jar is precious.”

“That was me, idiot.” Sheldon rolled her eyes as she toweled off Kennedy.

“Since Keenan abandoned us to live out here, why doesn’t he pick a place?”

I sent Dash a look to fuck off and packed up the bag that Sheldon had packed for Kennedy. “I don’t live around here so I wouldn’t know.”

I turned to Sheldon just in time to see the play of emotions on her face before she covered it up with a blank expression. Could it have been the reminder that I left or that I’d created another life? When we began our trek back up to the resort, I shrugged it off. Whatever we were before now no longer mattered.

Back at the resort, we agreed to meet in an hour for dinner before going our separate ways. “Are the three of you in the same room together?” Lake asked after the rest had left. Her expression turned down into disapproval.

“Yes, we are.”

“But you haven’t told Kennedy,” she continued while looking between the two of us. “Won’t that confuse her?”

“Believe me, I’ve tried to tell him,” Sheldon griped.

Kennedy was already half asleep on my shoulder and wasn’t likely to notice anything, but I saw Lake’s point even though the last thing I wanted was to agree with her. I struggled to gain leverage and looked toward Keiran for help, silently communicating with him.

“We’ll take Kennedy since we’re already showered.” He lifted her from my arms and took a hold of Lake’s elbow, steering her down the hall.

Sheldon watched them walk the short distance to their room before angrily jamming the keycard into the lock. After about three unsuccessful attempts, I brushed her aside and opened the door.

“I’ll shower first so I can get Kennedy ready,” was all she said before disappearing into the large bathroom and slamming the door. The walls vibrated from the force of her anger causing the gold framed artwork to rattle on the walls.

I waited until I heard the shower run before I stripped away my swimming trunks and followed after her. It had been torture watching her glisten as she played in the sun and water and not be able to touch her. I figured since she was mine, I may as well indulge.

When I stepped inside the bathroom, steam was already beginning to form, but I could still make out her silhouette in the large shower stall made for two. I took a moment to admire her naked frame through the glass door before opening it.

She jumped and let out a low gasp before her amber eyes turned dark with anger. “Get out.”

“No.”

It was all I could muster before I gave in to the lust pounding through my veins straight down to my dick. I sealed any further protests by sticking my tongue as far down her throat as I could get, and surprisingly, she took me.

I soon learned, however, that the pleasure of her surrender didn’t come without a little pain. She raked her nails down my chest. I flinched at the same moment my cock surged to life, becoming harder than before.