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“Dax, I’m sorry. That was rude. If I’m being honest, I’m a little unnerved with what happened in the water today.”

He turns back to me and puts his hands in the pockets of his slacks. “I admit, it’s put me on edge as well. I shouldn’t have taken things that far.”

I shake my head at him. “No, it wasn’t just you. I think we were both just caught up in the moment. It’s not like we’re attracted to each other. We’re just partners in this crazy game, and things got out of control. With Taylor and the cameras all around us, it was a lot to take in and things escalated.” I stop speaking for a second as realization hits me. “Oh, shit. Are there cameras in this room?” I ask in a nervous whisper.

“No. Taylor would’ve let us know if there were cameras in here.” He pauses. “I agree with what you said. Things got a little out of control. How about if we start over? Clean slate.”

He seems sincere in his request, and it doesn’t take long for me to agree. “Considering we have three weeks together, I think that’s a good idea. Let’s just focus on winning this thing, okay?”

Dax holds out his hand. “Deal. I’m all about winning.”

We shake hands. “Deal.”

“Should we seal it with a kiss?”

I jerk my hand back. “Really?” I say in disbelief. My voice is several octaves too high.

“Too soon?” He waits with an expectant look. When I don’t bother to respond, he grins and heads toward the door. “Come on. We don’t want to be late for our reservation, now do we?”

I know it’s a requirement to compete in the game as a couple. I wonder if I murdered him, would I be allowed to finish on my own? I have a bad feeling that our little truce isn’t going to last long.

We make it out of our hotel suite, down the elevator, and into the restaurant without talking. The hostess greets us as we come in.

“Hi there,” she says brightly. “You must be the winners of the competition, right?”

Dax steps forward. “Yes, Dax Anders. Table for two, please.”

She smiles brightly at him. “Yes, of course. We have a special table reserved for you and your lovely fiancée. Come this way, please.”

I begin to follow her, and Dax places his hand on the small of my back to usher me forward. My back tingles at the warmth of the contact.

The beachside restaurant is a great blend of beachy charm and upscale, sophisticated design that still has a relaxed, welcoming ambiance. We pass couples seated at tables covered in white tablecloths and beautiful nautical-inspired tablescapes. Everyone is speaking in hushed tones, so we are able to hear the soft music playing throughout the room.

The hostess leads us to a table near the rear of the restaurant. The location is perfect for a view of the ocean through the large floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows. There are pink rose petals covering our table, and a bottle of champagne sits to the side in a bucket. Dax pulls out my chair. I murmur my thanks as I ease onto the plush chair.

As we settle in, a server stops by the table. She flashes a friendly smile as she hands us menus. “Good evening, Mr. Anders and Ms. Roberts. I hear congratulations are in order for winning first place today.”

“Thank you,” Dax says. “So, you know about the show?” he asks the server.

“Oh, yes. All of the hotel employees know about the show. Most of us are pretty excited about being on TV.”

I groan inwardly. Somehow I keep forgetting about the cameras. I cast a furtive glance around, and to my relief, there’s no sign of Taylor.

“We are, too,” Dax says. He turns to me. “Aren’t we, Jess?”

“Oh yes, so excited to be on camera.” I manage to say that big, fat lie with a huge smile on my face. “It’s too bad Taylor isn’t here right now. I’m sure she’ll bring that camera over here soon enough.”

I’m used to being on the other side of the camera, taking photos of people. I can’t even remember the last time I had my own photo taken. But if it means winning cash prizes, I’ll suck it up and do what needs to be done.

If the server detects my false excitement, she doesn’t comment on it as she hands us our menus. “All of our dishes are amazing, but the chef’s specialties are the blackened amberjack and the pan-seared red snapper. I also recommend the lobster mac-n-cheese.”

Dax raises his eyes at me in question, and I nod.

“We’ll take one of each,” he says. “And also a side of sautéed green beans. And a couple of house salads as well.”

“Great choice. I’ll get your order placed and your salads right out,” she says brightly. After pouring our champagne from the waiting bottle, she picks up the menus and heads to the kiosk to put in our order.

Aware that some of the restaurant’s servers are still focused on me and Dax, I force a sweet smile on my face. “So, we have all day together tomorrow. What should we do?”