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Trent’s nodding along like he knows the whole story.

“I’d seen the movie with my mom, so I brought it over one night.

We sat on the couch with Sara’s parents and watched it together.

” He pauses while Jacques feeds her another bacon-wrapped fig.

“It made her cry, but in a good way. Cathartic, you know? It’s always better when you feel like you’re not so alone in whatever rough thing you’re facing. ”

“That’s the truth.” I’m a little surprised that he said it. I wasn’t expecting deep empathy from Frogman. “Did you guys grow up near Coronado?”

I’m assuming they live near the Naval Amphibious Base just outside San Diego. Most SEALs I’ve known stay someplace nearby.

Sara and Trent trade a curious look. “I live in Portland,” she says. “We’ve kinda been doing the long-distance thing, since we knew we couldn’t live together before marriage.”

“I’m gone all the time anyway,” Trent says. “Her family and friends are in Portland, so it didn’t make sense for Sara to relocate yet.”

“Not until after the wedding.” She frowns like they haven’t discussed how this plan might be changing. “I have a job lined up for the fall at a school near the naval base, and there’s military housing for married couples, but, uh…” She glances at Trent, letting her words trail off into silence.

Trent shifts beside me, his arm bumping mine as he studies the foot he’s massaging. “Yeah, uh.” He clears his throat. “Guess we have to talk about some things.”

“We do.” Sara’s voice takes on a tight edge.

Trent shoots her a pleading look. “Can you give me a few days to sort through some stuff?”

“Sure.” She sounds less than enthused. “Fine.”

“Great.”

Fuck. I didn’t mean to step on a landmine.

Time for a quick change of subject. “What’s on your non-sex bucket list at Crystal Bliss?”

Sara gives me a sweet smile of gratitude.

“Maybe snorkeling. Trent’s big on diving, obviously.

SEAL thing, you know?” Her fond smile lands on the top of his head, since he’s keeping his eyes on her ankle.

“I’ve always been too scared to try it, but I saw a kayaking snorkel adventure in the app that sounds fun. ”

“I’d be happy to take you.” That’s one of my favorite enchantments, even without the optional sex-on-a-beach addition. “Lots of great coral reefs around here.”

Trent looks up from stroking his thumbs over Sara’s tense calf. “Didn’t think you’d ever try snorkeling. You always said you were afraid to put your face in the water.”

“I’m allowed to change my mind, Trent.” There’s a quick flash of light in Sara’s soft eyes. “I was also afraid to disappoint my family by having sex before marriage, but I guess we’ve blown up that plan.”

My eyes dart between them, watching their shoulders get tenser. I’m not sure whether to let this play out or run interference again. Might as well tackle this head-on. “You guys discuss your sex lives with your parents?”

Another sharp look zings between them. Trent speaks this time. “It’s mostly a one-way discussion.” He shrugs and glances away out the window. “As in, ‘Here’s what you don’t do unless you’re ready to be disowned.’ I’m paraphrasing, but that’s the basic gist.”

Jesus. “Really?” I glance from his face to hers, then back again. “And you’re okay with that?”

“That’s just how it is.” Sara frowns. “What about you?”

“What about me?” My thumbs stroke her arch and she lets out a soft little moan. “I’m not saving myself for marriage, in case there’s any confusion about that.”

They both burst out laughing, breaking the tension. Sara opens her mouth for another bacon-wrapped fig. “How did you grow up?” Her words come out muffled as she chews her treat and Jacques dabs her mouth with a napkin. “I take it your parents weren’t into purity culture?”

“Definitely not.” I had the world’s most easygoing parents but saying that now feels like rubbing their noses in it. “My mom is super sweet and laidback. My father died when I was three.” I pause as Sara gasps. “Same car accident that left my older brother with a traumatic brain injury. ”

“The one with the special ed teachers.” She touches my arm. “I’m so sorry, Logan.”

“Thanks, but I honestly don’t remember my father much. I was so young.”

“Was he a good dad?” Trent asks.

The question throws me for a loop. “How do you mean?”

“Like, did he hit your mom or yell at you a lot?”

That’s the measure of a good dad?

“No, none of those things.” Something tells me Trent James is lugging a whole heaping mess of parental baggage. “He was a great guy, as far as I’ve heard. My mom remarried when I was five, so I was mostly raised by her and my stepfather.”

Sara looks nervous, but I’m getting the sense it’s on Trent’s behalf. “Was your stepfather an okay guy?”

“The best.” I smile when her leg relaxes in my hands. “I’ve always thought of Jimmy as my dad. He taught me to bake and how to throw a football. How to drive, how to treat women and kids with kindness.”

Trent’s looking at me like these are foreign paternal concepts. “Sara’s dad is kinda like that. I mean, not the football—Sara just has sisters.”

She huffs out a breath. “And I can throw a football with the best of them.” She smiles so we know she’s not pissed. “ Mom taught me, thank you very much. Daddy did teach me to fish, though.”

Trent chuckles and the tension splits open again. “My mom’s been more of my primary parent. Believe me, that’s a good thing.”

“Yeah?” I don’t want to push, but he brought it up. “Dad’s not around much?”

“Thank God, no.” Trent looks down at Sara’s foot in his lap. “The best thing my father ever did for my mother and me was remove himself from the equation.” He winces. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean he’s dead. That was insensitive.”

“It’s okay. ”

“Trent’s dad is a missile tech on a Navy sub,” Sara explains. “He’s not around much.”

“I see.” And I’m getting the sense we’re back on touchy ground. “Guess the military serves as a surrogate family for a lot of us, huh?”

Trent looks relieved as he snatches the subject change I’ve offered. “The other spec ops guys are as much my family as anyone I’m related to by blood.”

“I hear ya. Felt the same about my team when I was still with the Marines.”

“Do you miss it?” Sara asks.

“Nah.” I try not to dwell on the injury that ended my career. “I miss the camaraderie sometimes. The sense of belonging to something important, you know?”

“Yes,” Trent says quickly. “I do.”

Sara nods like she gets that, too. “Does your work here feel meaningful?”

“Absolutely.” Now she’s got me on my favorite soapbox. “Most women who come here are dealing with demons from relationships gone wrong. It’s my job to make them feel good about themselves.”

Her cheeks turn faintly pink. “And just feel good, period?”

“That’s part of it, sure.” I chuckle. “I won’t lie—sleeping with beautiful, eager women is amazing.

But what I really love is helping guests rediscover their sense of fun.

Or discover it for the first time, in some cases.

” I deliberately don’t look at Sara when I say this.

“If a guest leaves here with a few toe-curling orgasms under her belt, that’s great—I’ve done my job.

But if they leave here with the orgasms and also the understanding that sex is a biological miracle filled with pleasure and self-discovery and joy and exhilarating physical sensation—if I send women home with that in their carry-on suitcase, then I’ve done my job well.

” I can’t help giving them a cocky grin. “ Really well.”

Trent chuckles. “I feel like I should applaud or something. ”

“Same.” Sara smiles. “Do you see yourself still doing this in a few years, or do you want to get married, buy a house, raise a family—all the good stuff like that?”

Trent flinches almost imperceptibly. I try not to look at him as I answer her question. “Eventually, sure.” For Trent’s sake, I choose not to dwell on that good stuff remark. “For now though, I get that sense of family and community right here.”

“How so?” she asks.

“The consorts are a pretty tight bunch,” I explain. “You haven’t met Kora and Sybil yet?—”

“I met Kora,” Sara says. “She seemed sweet, but a little uptight.”

I laugh. “Then you haven’t really met Kora—just her professional alter ego.

She and her wife are actually kinky as fuck.

” I realize that might not be a mark in their favor for a couple who grew up like Sara and Trent.

“They’re also really kind, amazing people.

Sorta the mother hens of the whole place. ”

Trent tilts his head. “Like dorm moms or something?”

“Sure.” I never went to college, so I’m guessing. “If one of the dorm moms had tons of sex with hundreds of strangers while the other one worked as the personnel boss overseeing us all.”

“Holy shit.” Trent shakes his head, clearly dumbfounded. “It really is a different world, huh?”

Sara nudges his chest with her knee. “That’s the couple I told you about. Eve had a threesome with Sybil and Kit, and then Camille came here and had this all-girl thing with Sybil and a girl from another resort.”

“Ah, Lacy.” I’ve done group stuff with Lacy when she comes here as part of our consort exchange program. “Your friends are pretty open about this stuff, huh?”

Another odd look passes between Trent and Sara. Part of me wonders what that’s like. To have full conversations with someone without ever speaking a word.

She answers for both of them. “We’ve always kinda been the outliers.

Well, me especially. I can’t speak for Trent’s experience, but—” She stumbles there, pausing to regroup.

“I’m younger than Eve and Camille and I think they get off on shocking me.

They know I’m a virgin and—” She falters again, blushing.

“ Was a virgin.” A giggle slips out of her. “Guess we took care of that.”

“We sure did.” I glance over at Trent, who’s taking this whole thing in stride. He looks almost relieved, like some huge weight’s been lifted from his shoulders.