It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Lounging in a chair beside the pool, Bristol lathered her tanned skin in oil. Under the hot Mexican sun, Bristol could feel her body burning and the only thing she discovered that successfully kept her insides cool was a flavorful, strawberry daiquiri. It was topped with delicious fruit and a paper umbrella which made the drink seem only more festive. Across the pool, she spotted Jeff and Mike. They were lying out on chairs, their chests oiled and Bristol rolled her eyes at the sight of the two men flexing their muscles each time a cute girl in a tiny bikini walked past. She hopped they knew the fruity, frozen drinks they sipped from with pink crazy straws made them look less masculine than they really were.

Dan lounged beside them, but skipped the fruity concoction and went right for glass of the hotels finest tequila on the rocks. She could tell he was staring her down, even though his dark eyes were safely hidden behind a pair of aviator glasses. They had not spoken to one another since landing in Cabo the previous afternoon. While the guys all headed down to the bar, the women headed to the concierge’s desk where they booked several afternoons of massages, facials, manicures, pedicures. Bristol had made the appointment of her massage over the phone from bed in her room. Word had spread quick that she and Dan rekindled the flame in their relationship, and while they still had yet to officially talk things through, Bristol wasn’t in the mood to be asked a million questions by the other women. While Bristol had nothing against the Flyers wives and girlfriends, she was rather fond of them actually, she knew the female specie.

She knew they’d all be watching her carefully; waiting for her to lose her balance. Some women, Bristol had learned were like cannibals: they feed off your broken heart, and maliciously watch with cold smirks and later offer fake, smug apologetic smiles.

Watching the three men in front of her carefully, she immediately took notice when Jeff leaned over to whisper something in Dan’s ear. The dangerously charming, toothless grin Dan used to reel in girls was out in full force as he nodded. Bristol could only imagine what they were planning, but whatever was, it was too much to involve a still recovering Mike Richards. With his arm in a sling after a repairing shoulder surgery several weeks ago, Bristol questioned him on his reasons for coming. He was just as injured as she was; at least the two would offer each other company if the day’s activity required them to stay behind. Both men stood up, stretched their arm above their heads before running to the edge of the pool. Jumping in the air, they each hugged their legs before landing in the water with a giant splash.

Boys would always be boys, and as they surfaced, Bristol wiped the chlorine water off the lenses of her sunglasses. Everyone lying out around the poolside had gotten wet; Bristol’s legs and towel had been soaked. Taking pride in their hi-jinx, the two man-boys climbed out and sat on the empty chair beside Bristol. They flagged down the towel boy and dried themselves off.

“Are you just hanging around the pool today?” Bristol hadn’t heard Jeff’s question, she was to busy watching the water droplets fall from the tips to Dan’s hair to the wet, concrete floor.

“What?” Turning her attention to Jeff, Bristol slid her sunglasses over eyes hoping to cover the lust which had glazed over them.

“I said, are you planning on hanging out by the pool all day, or are you going jet skiing with us?”

Part of her wanted to slap Jeff for asking such as stupid question. And, to get her point across, Bristol would use her cast clad hand; she mixed up her drink with the pink straw and took a long sip. “Mike and I are getting massages and facials at three while you guys are hittin’ the waves.”

Dan and Jeff both looked across the pool to their friend who sat in his lounge chair, sweet talking the waitress who had brought another drink by. “Does he know he’s getting a massage?” Dan ran the towel through his chair as he stole the cherry from the bottom of Bristol glass. He knew she loved the sweet fruit, and he smiled back in response to her sour glare.

“No,” Bristol was proud of her own sneakiness. Even if he did say no, she knew she could bribe him with a few tequila shots and the promise of being rubbed down by a sun-kissed beauty. “But, once he sees I booked him with a hot female, he won’t be able to get his clothes off fast enough.”

“I wish you would have booked me a massage, too. After all, you are sharing a room with me.” His tone was sly, with a hint of jealousy. Jeff rang out the excess water in the pockets of his black swim trunks. He quickly lost all interest in the conversation at bay when a tall, blonde cutie walked past in a pink, string bikini. Jumping up, Jeff smoothed his wild, wet hair before going in for the kill. “This is why I love summer.”

She rolled her eyes, shook her head and stretched out her legs and Dan scooted up the chair. Only after an hour or two under the sun, it amazed Bristol at how dark he had become. Her base tan hadn’t even settled yet. If she didn’t start applying sun lotion with an SPF higher than two, Bristol knew she’d be soaking in a cold bath, pulling the heat from the burns on her skin. Reaching for the bottle under her chair, Bristol handed it to Dan. “Do you mind getting my back?”

“Did you really find it necessary to ask that question?” He asked. Popping the cap, Dan squired a small amount into the palm of his hand. Bristol swung her legs around the other side and moved her hair out of the way. She could sense his hesitation, but when she felt this hands cup her shoulders, goosebumps prickled her skin. His fingers felt like feathers as they traveled down the valley of her spine, slipping underneath the string keeping her top secured around her chest. Bristol had never felt so shy around a man before. His wet lips placed an unsuspecting kiss to the back of her neck; Dan could feel Bristol shudder under his fingertips. His large hand caressed the side of her bare thigh as he brought his mouth to her ear lobe. Taking it between his teeth, Dan lightly bit down on the pierced lob, using his tongue to play with the diamond stud earring. “Come up to my room with me, please?”

As tempting as the offer was, Bristol declined. “No, Dan, I can’t.” She felt his forehead rest in the curve of her shoulder with disappointment. Bristol did feel bad for shooting him down. All he wanted was to spend a little time with her, talk things out. But, she knew exactly what it would lead to. Bristol wasn’t looking to hop in bed with him and pretend none of the bull-shit happened. Men, Bristol knew, hated relationship talk—especially Dan. While she had stayed up all night, laying in bed with Spanish cartoons on the television, Bristol kept replaying the conversation she had with Kris over and over in her head. He was right when he said she and Dan were supposed to end up together—he was the yin to her yang. A long text-conversation with her sister had made Bristol realize she was only attracted to Danny because he reminded her so much of her ex. Kind and mild-mattered—but she knew he wouldn’t lash out whenever she made him irritated. Bristol sat back and asked herself one question; if she left David, why would she date someone just like him? The whole point of divorcing him was so she could date men like Dan…and Kris. She knew if she was patient, Dan would come around. For now she could live with just being boyfriend and girlfriend. They were still young and there was still so much more they had to learn about each other.

“Will you at least have dinner with me, tomorrow night? I hear this place has some mean room service.” The added heat of his breath on the side of her neck made Bristol’s head spin. Dan would have taken her out tonight but he had already made plans with Mike and Jeff. The bars were just calling their names.

“Dinner can be arranged.” Bristol licked her lips, bit her lower lip. “I’d love to have dinner with you.”

He grabbed her hand, laced their fingers and kissed it delicately. “Remember the night you brought me soup when I sick?” She nodded, fully aware of the conversation that had taken place. It was Daniel’s proposition of thirty-days without sex that had propelled them into their relationship. “No woman—not even Brittany—had ever scratched their plans to bring me food. Especially a woman who no less than three weeks before boo’d every time I stepped out on the ice. You’re a caretaker, Bristol, the kind of woman I want to be with. So, please don’t write me off yet. I promise, I will make you my wife.”

His words had hit a nerve. The thought of him saying something as sentimental as that was almost enough to bring a tear to her eye. Her heart swelled, knowing he was speaking the truth. Daniel Carcillo was a man of many sides, but a liar he was not.

---

It was nearly impossible for Bristol to contain her laughter as she listened to Mike. His moans filled the room as they both lay on massage tables. She couldn’t figure out why he was enjoying it so much; it surely wasn’t the first massage he’s had. Bristol assumed it was because he was trying to impress the tiny, Latin girl who rubbed him down. She would have told Mike he was actually freaking her out, but it was just too funny, Bristol wouldn’t dare ruin her own entertainment.

She let herself relax and melt under the large, strong hands of Enrique. He rubbed every knot out her neck and back, thighs and calves. There wouldn’t be any surprise if bruises formed in the morning but it was all worth it. Five months of stress was rolled out of her tight muscles. Even Mike would agree with Bristol that it beat jet-skiing. Jeff and Dan had no idea what they were missing out on.

Mike moved his head to the side, looking at Bristol. He looked purely relaxed. “You tell any of the guys I enjoyed this massage, I will make you pay. I already handed in my man card by agreeing to come.”

“Don’t worry, my lips are sealed. Besides, thousands of men get massages, there’s nothing wrong with it. Don’t you get one in the locker room anyway?”
He couldn’t defend himself quickly enough. “Those massages are not for pleasure. Purely hockey.”

An hour later, Mike removed the cucumber from his right eye and took a bite. Setting in back, Bristol shook her head all while trying to keep from giggling. She could tell Mike was having the same struggle. Their feet soaked in hot, bubbling water as they were scrubbed with a sweet smelling salt and polished with a clear coat. The sight of his face was priceless. The skin around his eyebrows was still pink with irritation after the waxing Bristol had talked Mike in to. She had a hard time keeping her hands off his smooth face; he had gone with the chemical peel instead of the sulfur mask Bristol had chosen. After his spa treatment, it would be a sad day for all men in the world if Mike Richards couldn’t pick up a few girls at the bar.

“You know, we should have these girls day more often.” Mike brought his hand up to his face after the cucumbers had been removed to inspected his nail bed for dirt. “I never realized how nice it can be getting in touch with my feminine side. BF’s forever?”

There was no chance Bristol could keep her face straight as Mike held out his pinky finger and wrapped it around hers. “BF’s forever.”