'Even in the rain,' he confirms. 'In fact rainwater may become a featured ingredient, along with a seaweed twist!'

I chuckle approval, remembering my snowflake margarita, then steal some extra oxygen as he steps closer, his damp skin raised with gooseb.u.mps, his soapy-clean smell surrounding me.

'Give me the deal clincher!' I challenge him.

He takes my hands and looks me directly in the eyes. 'Lara, I swear, every day I will find a new way to love you more.'

My eyes gleam with tears.

'I can't breathe without you.' He leans in and sighs into my hair.

As I go weak he clasps me to him and his mouth merges with mine warm to wet, soft to strong then he pulls away and explores my eyes with his.

'Lara, do you love me?'

I can't believe he needs to ask.

'I've told you so every single day since I met you,' I smile. 'Just not out loud.'

'Tell me now,' he urges.

Ten years I've waited for this moment, dreamed of it.

'Elliot,' I say his name, loving that I can say it in the way I've always wanted to. 'Elliot, I love you!'

My heart has a fiesta with streamers, whistles and glitter-bombs the works! I said it!

'I love you!' I say again, laughing at how good it feels.

'I love you, Lara! Truly.' He says it to me, caressing my face. 'I always have. I just needed The California Club to show me that.'

I start to tell him that it was all just a fantasy but then change my mind turns out I got my wish after all.

'Helen's right,' I sigh. 'There is magic in the air here.'

Suddenly the lights flicker and fizz until the only illumination comes from the moon. Elliot's arms close tighter around me. And then, though I have both hands entwined in his damp hair, his towel tugs loose and falls to the floor.

'What the-?' he laughs.

I smile as my hands slip down each silk-covered nugget of his spine, down to the muscular curve of his beautiful bottom. Sneaking a look around me I whisper to Marilyn Monroe and Kate Morgan: Thanks, girls I think I've got it from here ...

THE END.

ALSO BY BELINDA JONES.

Want more romantic adventure in your life? Read on....

FICTION LoveTravel Series.

Divas Las Vegas.

I Love Capri The California Club.

Cafe Tropicana The Paradise Room The Love Academy of Venice.

Summer in Greece Dancing Girls.

Hollywood Calling Winter Wonderland The Traveling Tea Shop.

MEMOIR.

On The Road To Mr Right (A Search for the American Dream Guy) Bodie On The Road (The Dogged Pursuit of Happiness).

SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS.

Sunlounger The Ultimate Beach Read.

Sunlounger 2 Beach Read Bliss (Jet-set short stories from 50 of the hottest writers in Women's Fiction.).

www.sunloungerstories.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR.

Belinda Jones is a former magazine journalist turned bestselling author of funny, travel-themed novels. Her real-life road trip memoir - On The Road To Mr Right - made the Sunday Times Top 10 alongside her hero Bill Bryson.

Belinda currently lives on San Diego's paradise island of Coronado with her dog Bodie and innumerable Navy SEALS.

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