Jessica Angell could already sense the heat as she placed her feet into her flip flop sandals. It was only 11 am, but the sun was shining and reflecting off the sand and through the window. She inhaled a peaceful breath of air as she opened the panes to let some air into the boiling cottage.

Late March was never the prettiest month of the year in New York, New York. More often than not, the beginning of April was marker be rainstorms and unexpected blizzards. Fortunately for Angell, she was escaping the horrendous weather conditions by taking her vacation south of the border in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

She was not alone on this trip. Jess had convinced Don Flack to accompany her to the destination. They had flirted for a few years and casually seen each other for many months. Only recently did they become "official", though Jess knew that they had both been committed from the beginning. Initially, her boyfriend was reluctant to the idea of travel together. He had planned to visit his brother in Vancouver the week after she got back. She knew he worried about professionalism- he took his job very seriously, as did she. But Jessica Angell was skilled in the art of persuasion.

"Jess, if I ask Mac to reschedule my vacation time, he'll know something is up," Don proposed. His voice was muffled as he reached into the oven to take out the dinner he had prepared for them.

"Just tell him you needed to change your flight, or that Kevin asked you to come the week before," Jess rebutted. She cocked her head to the side, placed her hand on her hip and put on her most adorable expression she could manage.

Don turned to face her. "Oh come on Jess, that's not fair. You can't do that, you know I can't resist when you make a face like that," Don replied.

"That's exactly what I was hoping for," she said seductively as she approached her boyfriend. Jess didn't disclose that she'd already booked her plane ticket and reserved a cottage.. She had planned on his coming since she had decided to go, back in November. She needed to talk him into coming soon or else the planes would be booked and she would be tanning alone.

Jess slid her hands around to his back and laid her head on his chest. Don sighed and did the same as he kissed her on the forehead. Jess observed a playful smirk on his face as she lifted her head a notch- she knew she was winning.

"Don, why would you want to go to Vancouver, with the rain and wetness and your brother," she emphasized the last word, "when you can come south with your girlfriend and have fun in the sun with me in Puerto Plata."

He signed louder but smiled bigger.

"Fine, I'll go to the Dominican with you, but if anyone asks how I got a tan from Vancouver in April, I'll let you explain," Don responded. He turned his head and met Jessica's lips in a kiss. She stood on her tip toes in order to better the moment. As per routine, Don lifted her off the ground yet continued to kiss her warmly. She could persuade but he had mastered the art of multi-tasking.

Once again she was waiting on her boyfriend. She had already dressed in a bikini and a sun dress but she was waiting for him to emerge from their bedroom.

"Honestly Don, what is taking you so long. All you need to wear is your board shorts, hurry up," she hollered from the doorway.

The bedroom door squeaked open and Don walked into the living room. He sported black sandals, navy blue board shorts… and a black wife beater?

Don sensed her confusion immediately. Jess tilted her head and looked at him expectantly.

"What?" he asked, confused as well.

"Why are you wearing a wife beater," she questioned him.

"I'm protecting my precious skin," came the response. He smirked.

"Don," Jess continued. She knew him well enough to recognize his games.

"You got me. I just don't want to make the other tourists jealous of my physique."

Jess raised her eyebrows as if to say "Don't lie to me." She walked over to his stance by the couch and assumed her comfortable position with her hands laced round his body. She placed her chin between his ribs and looked into his baby blue eyes.

"Don, I know what this is about," she spoke carefully. If she was right (which she knew she was), she was dancing into cautious subject matter here.

His resolve visibly faded and he exhaled the air he hadn't even known he was holding. "You do?" he replied. His cheeks had turned a light shade of pink.

"Don, I'm your girlfriend, I know you," Jess said as she removed her hands from his back and rolled his shirt up his torso. She traced her fingers over his textured skin and his scars, which were plentiful on his chest. "Is it about… these?"

She looked up to meet his eyes once more. He looked shy and embarrassed.

"Jess, they're very unattractive marks. Everyone stares and looks at me and wonders how I ended up with such odd looking scars, and so many of them," Don confessed. "I try not to show them off."

"Au contraire Don, I think you have the sexiest, most masculine scars I have ever seen. They make you look tough." She brought her lips to his larges scar, just below his ribs.

"Pfft, don't kid yourself," he laughed.

"Please Don," Jess continued as she rolled his beater past his nipples. "Stop wasting time and come down to the beach with me, shirtless."

Don grinned and pulled himself away from her. He removed his wife beater and tossed it onto the couch. He intertwined his fingers with Jess' and let her lead him out the door.

"Why don't you go shirtless too?" he proposed to her as they walked down the steps and onto the hot sand. Jess smacked him across the chest in staged offence, but she could not hide her smile.

"Ouch," he said with a laugh. "Don't hit me, you'll give me more scars." He stuck his tongue out the side of his mouth and grinned at her. Jess attempted to smack him again but he jumped out of the way and raced ahead of her.

"Wait up!" she yelled as she broke into a run. He had his arms wide open, waiting for her. She caught up to him and leaped into his arms. She pecked his cheek and laced her hands around his neck. Jess could tell he was enjoying this as much as she was. It was nice to be able to act affectionately without worrying about other cops seeing or gossiping. That's why she was surprised when he pulled away from her lips. It had to be important- she waited impatiently, eager to carry on.

"We're going to make the tourists jealous whether I wear a shirt or not," Don mumbled.

Jess smiled, said nothing, and continued to kiss him as they walked closer to the shore.