Chapter Nine

 

 

“Your first night there together, and he takes you to visit his grandma?”

Abby laughed at the outrage in Cindy’s voice on the other end of the phone. “She raised him. It was a big deal for him to take me to meet her. The two of them had spent the entire day cooking dinner for me. It was amazing.”

“And?”

“And what?”

Cindy made a frustrated sound. “I could strangle you for torturing me like this. You know exactly what.”

“We’re not in the friend zone anymore, but we haven’t rushed things either.” That was good. It was also playing hell on her self-control. He made her want to dive head first into the deep end and figure the rest out later.

A pause. “I’m really disappointed in you right now.”

Abby bit back a laugh at the disgust in her friend’s voice. “No, it’s a good thing. I’ve had time to think, and we talked about us. We’ve agreed to take things one day at a time and see where things go.” Although it was driving her nuts, waiting to take the next step with him now that she’d decided to go for it.

“You’re insane. You know that? One, for thinking you can fool me into thinking you’re not ga-ga over him, and two, for not jumping on board that train and riding it as far as it’ll take you. Riding it hard, Abs.”

She laughed again. “I love you, Cin. You always look out for my best interest.”

“I do, just like you do for me. And in light of that…just a friendly reminder that he’s on the rebound.”

“I know. But I’ve decided to give us a shot anyhow.”

“I’m proud of you, babe. Really. I know how hard it is to put yourself out there after what you went through with Roger. I can imagine how much tougher it is when it’s a guy you already care about, and he comes with an added risk.”

“Well, I’m a big girl and I’m going into this with eyes wide open.”

“Good for you. So. What did you guys do last night?”

“He met me here for dinner.” At the most romantic restaurant she’d ever been to in her life. Named something she couldn’t pronounce, set on a series of koi ponds, with the rush of a waterfall in the background and lush tropical gardens surrounding it. “We only had an hour together before I had to go to a work mixer.” She hadn’t invited him because things were still new between them and she hadn’t wanted to introduce him to her boss yet. “And I met his cousin briefly too. That was weird, though.”

“Why?”

“He seemed really happy to see Kai when he first walked into the lobby, but when he noticed me, he kind of froze up. He stayed for one drink with us and made some lame excuse about why he couldn’t stay. He was only with us for about twenty minutes, and the whole time there was this awkward tension between them. I thought it was because of me, but Kai said afterward that it wasn’t.”

“Then what was the problem?”

“They had a falling out years ago. Hani got into a bad lifestyle and Kai refused to condone it. This is the first time they’ve seen each other since then, and they’ve got this unspoken don’t ask, don’t tell thing happening.” Kai had been different after Hani left. Quieter, a little distracted, but she’d had to leave for the mixer before they could really talk about it. She could tell the way his cousin had blown off the visit had upset him.

“So nothing happened last night after the cousin left?”

“We didn’t have time,” Abby said with a chuckle. “He left when I had to go to the mixer.” She’d wanted to meet up with him after the mixer, but then thought better of it. Her self-control was already weak where he was concerned.

“And what about tonight?”

“He’s got plans with a bunch of old friends. He hasn’t seen them in a couple years, so I’m doing my own thing.”

Cindy made a frustrated sound. “How many days do you guys have left, then?”

“Three here. But it’s not like we’re up against a deadline or anything. We live in the same city.”

“When he’s in town.”

“Yeah. I like that we’re both busy, though. I couldn’t stand it if he was clingy.”

“Well just make sure you keep me updated if anything…changes.”

Abby shook her head in amusement. “I will.”

“Oh, hey, any news about that doctor who was killed last week?”

“Nothing new that I know of. Read in the paper here this morning that they still have no leads. Security’s been beefed up here at the conference, so don’t worry.”

“Okay. Good. I gotta run. Enjoy your evening in paradise.”

“I will. Love you.”

“Love you too. Bye.”

Abby slipped her phone back into her purse and took out her camera as she wandered the grounds. The sun was high in the sky, making it too hot to sit outside unless she was in the shade. She’d planned to go sit by the pool and read a book for a while, but instead she decided to wander around the property a little bit.

Beyond the long, rectangular pool lined with dolphin statues, a gorgeous white chapel sat in the middle of the lush green lawn. Birds called around her, darting from tree to tree as the breeze sighed through the leaves and palm fronds. She snapped a few pictures of it, making a mental note to come back at sunset or twilight to get different shots.

Her phone rang in her purse. She dug it out, excitement leaping in her veins when she saw Kai’s number. “Hi, I was just thinking about you.”

“Well that’s nice to hear. You done for the day there?”

“Wrapped up my last session about forty minutes ago. I’m playing tourist, taking all kinds of pictures of the grounds now.”

“You up for an excursion?”

“I might be, except I thought you had plans.”

“I do, but I miss you too damn much, so I want you to come too.”

Aww, that was sweet. Tiny butterfly wings began to flutter low in her belly. If she said yes, it was almost certain she would wind up in bed with him tonight.

“How do you feel about camping?” he asked before she could respond.

Camping? “I’m…on the fence about it. Why?”

“Buddy of mine owns a place on the beach just south of Lahaina, and he’s gonna let us camp there for the night. You told me you’ve never snorkeled, which is criminal, so we’ll do that before having dinner at my buddy’s place, then camp overnight on the beach. You’ve never slept in a tent on a Hawaiian beach before, and we need to mark that off your bucket list before you go too.”

Her insides fluttered, a mix of nerves and anticipation. Sleeping in a tent on the beach with Kai sounded enticing, and pretty damn romantic. But only because it was with him. “I have to be back here for a nine a.m. start.”

“No problem. I’ll make sure you’re back in time to shower and get ready.”

She bit her lower lip, a smile tugging at it. “Okay, then.”

“Good,” he said, sounding pleased. “I’ll pick you up. How soon can you be ready?”

“I just need to pack. What should I wear?”

“Whatever you want. But bring your bikini. You brought a bikini, right?”

Apprehension hit her, the time-honored response to the idea of being in a bathing suit in public still as strong as ever. The thought of Kai, an insanely gorgeous man in prime condition who was used to dating model-worthy women seeing her in her bathing suit, filled her with dread. “Maybe.”

“If not, we’ll buy you one on the way up. Go grab whatever you need. I’ll be there in half an hour.”

No way she was passing this up, bathing suit phobia or not. She wasn’t fourteen anymore. She was a grown damn woman, and she knew what she wanted. Him. “All right. See you soon.”

“Looking forward to it, shortcake.”

Abby couldn’t wipe the smile from her face as she hurried back to her room, changed into a sundress and packed an overnight bag. She threw in sleep shorts and a tank top, but if things went well, she wouldn’t be wearing them long. If at all.

Refusing to let herself overthink it, she headed to the lobby, her heart stuttering when she saw Kai there waiting for her. He pushed his shades up onto the top of his head and pulled her into a hug, burying his face in the curve of her neck, his lips brushing against her skin. “Missed you.”

Please, it’s only been fifteen hours since you last saw me.

She bit the flippant response back before it could burst out, and melted a little. This was Kai. It wasn’t fair to verbally push him away just because she was afraid of getting hurt. She didn’t have to keep her guard up with him. Didn’t have to use that edge she’d created in the wake of her relationship with Roger to protect herself and keep him at a distance. If they were going to take a shot at this, she had to give him her authentic self.

“Missed you too,” she murmured, meaning it.

He kissed her cheek, her jaw, his lips lingering at the edge of her mouth for a moment before claiming it in a slow, tender caress. Her heart was beating faster when he eased away and caught her hand in his. “You look gorgeous,” he said, his voice a deep rumble as his gaze slid over the length of her body and back up.

Heat built inside her, making her skin extra sensitive. “Thank you. You do too.” But he always did.

Grinning, he raised her hand to his mouth, kissed it, and started for the entrance, the promise of what was coming hanging in the air between them. “You’re gonna love this, I promise.”

She knew she would. It was what would happen afterward that worried her. She refused to let that spoil everything else, though. For once she was going to live in the moment and take a risk.

They arrived at Kai’s friend’s house at a little before three. A cute, Hawaiian-style bungalow sat in the middle of the property, surrounded by a lush green lawn, some overgrown plants and tall palms behind the house. The moment he parked and shut off the engine, the crash of the waves reached her. When she got out, the briny scent of it filled her nose, mixing with the perfume of tropical plants.

He took her hand, gave her an intimate smile that had her toes curling in her flip-flops. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to everyone.”

She followed him around back, where five guys were all standing around a large stone-ringed pit. All friends from his childhood. He introduced her to them, kept his hand on her waist the entire time she shook hands. They all gave her curious looks but were friendly enough as they greeted her.

“And, as promised,” Kai told her, pointing at the pit, “Kalua pork for dinner, baked in a traditional imu. Another Maui bucket list item, I believe.”

“Oh, wow, you guys have a whole pig roasting in there?” She took a step closer. The pig was placed over a fire in the pit lined with hot rocks and banana leaves. They covered it with wet burlap, more banana leaves, more hot rocks, then sand and dirt and cooked it until it shredded apart. Just digging and prepping the pit was a ton of work.

“Well, most of one,” one of his friends answered. “You like to cook?”

“I love to cook. But I’ve never done anything like this.” She gestured to the imu dug into the ground. “Wish I’d been there to watch you prep it.”

Kai wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I would’ve brought you here to see it, but we had to get it cooking by seven this morning.”

Abby gazed up at him. “You did this for me, didn’t you?” Because she was pretty sure that going through the laborious process of making kalua pork wasn’t something he and his friends normally did on an average Thursday.

“Maybe,” he murmured. “Some women like flowers or gifts. You love food, and I do too. So I’m gonna keep giving you what you love.” He searched her eyes for a moment before pressing a tender kiss to her forehead that made her chest ache.

Oh, man, he was claiming little pieces of her heart with every one of these gestures, and she had no hope of ever getting them back again. More than that, she didn’t want to. “You get me,” she whispered, her throat a little tight. No one had ever understood her like that. Or cared to find out what truly made her happy.

Kai kissed her temple then laced his long fingers through hers and squeezed. “Let me show you our campsite.”

Abby walked with him down the lawn and over the line of brush and tree debris that scattered across the edge of the sand. Before her, the ocean spread out in a sparkling expanse, at least a dozen different shades of turquoise glowing in the sunlight, with gentle waves lapping against the shore. “Oh, it’s so beautiful.”

“It belonged to his grandparents. They passed it down to him in their will. And there’s our room for the night,” he said, pointing to the left. She followed his arm to the tent already pitched and waiting on the sand beneath the shade of a giant banyan tree whose canopy arched over the beach. They’d be able to hear the sound of the waves all night, and still have total privacy.

Excitement stirred in her belly. “It’s perfect.”

His smile warmed her from the inside out. “You up for some snorkeling?”

She wasn’t in a rush to put on her suit. “Shouldn’t we stay and help get the rest of the dinner ready?”

“Nah, the boys’ve got it covered. I already did the grunt work.” He tugged on her hand, coaxing. “Come on. Let’s get you into your bikini.”

More and more nervous with each step, she went with him to the tent, then slipped inside to change while he waited outside and got the snorkeling stuff ready. She pulled on the bright teal bottoms with the ruffled little skirt that hid the most hated part of her body, then struggled with the ties on the top, dreading and looking forward to this at the same time.

Wishing she had a mirror to check everything, she mentally berated herself, but still felt a hundred times better once she had her cover up on. Floppy-brimmed sunhat in place, she paused at the tent flap, took a deep breath to gather her courage, and pulled up on the zipper.

Kai was right there at the entrance waiting for her—in nothing but a pair of swim trunks. Abby forgot to breathe as she stared at him, her fingers still grasping the zipper tab. She’d imagined what he’d look like without a shirt for so long, but this…this was beyond the realm of anything she’d fantasized about. He was all hard, cut muscle, those gorgeous, thick black tribal tattoos swirling over his sculpted left pec, shoulder, and down his upper arm in intricate patterns.

She was so caught up in staring at him that she forgot to be self-conscious of him seeing her until he said, “You planning to snorkel in the cover up?”

Her gaze jerked to his, that old, familiar anxiety tingling in her gut once again. “Um, no.” She fought the urge to fidget, her muscles suddenly tight as cables. “I thought maybe we’d wait until…” Until it was dark enough that he wouldn’t be able to see every imperfection on her body highlighted by the bright, unforgiving sun.

He shook his head at her, eyes brimming with amusement. “You got sunscreen on?”

“Oh.” Turning, she dug out the can from her bag.

Kai took it from her with a heavy sigh that was full of disappointment. “You mainlanders.” He tossed it back in her bag, caught her hand before she could protest and pulled her out of the tent into the shade. “That stuff’s toxic as hell to our coral and marine life, and gives our sea turtles cancer. You don’t want to give our sacred honu cancer, do you?”

“No, of course not, but—”

“I brought some other stuff, just in case. Gotta make sure we protect that pretty fair skin from this sun, or it’ll burn you to a crisp in no time.” Bending, he spread out a towel on the sand and straightened, the sheer authority of him as he stood in front of her making her stomach do a little flip. God, that was sexy. “Take off the cover up and lie face down.”

Abby squirmed inside. Having him see her thighs and butt up close and personal right off the bat?

He raised a dark eyebrow. “You’re not getting shy with me, are you, shortcake?”

Yep. But she wasn’t going to let her insecurity ruin this. That was Old Abby BS. Old Abby would have stayed in her cover up in the shade the entire time. New Abby was confident, knew who she was and what she wanted. Didn’t give a shit what other people thought about her body.

New Abby also wanted Kai. So he could just deal with a bit of cellulite, stretch marks and a few jiggly spots.

Drawing her New Abby armor around her, she pulled off the cover up and went straight to the towel, lying flat on her stomach, thankful that at least in this position she didn’t have to look at his face.

Her entire body buzzed with awareness as he knelt beside her in the sand. A cap popped open, and she jumped slightly when his large hands touched between her shoulder blades.

“Cold?” he murmured.

“A little,” she said, fighting the urge to tense as his hands began to smooth the sunblock over her skin.

“It’ll warm up fast.”

She was already hot and on her way to overheating, and all he’d done was touch her back. She bit the inside of her cheek as he worked his way across her shoulders and down the length of her spine, his touch firm and slow and so damn erotic she was throbbing and wet by the time he reached the small of her back. He smoothed the lotion over her skin like she was the most precious thing in the universe to him, being careful to cover every inch of her.

Abby couldn’t help but flinch when he shifted lower and flipped up the skirt of her bikini bottoms. Her muscles went rigid, her heart hammering as her mind flashed back to that horrific field trip at the end of ninth grade when she’d come out of the changing room wearing her new red bathing suit to find the rest of the class watching her. She’d been so excited about the trip, about wearing her new suit.

She’d also been carrying an extra twenty pounds back then, resulting in a few rolls. Which was why she’d agonized over selecting a new swimsuit, one that would make her feel confident about how she looked, and maybe get her noticed by the boy she had a crush on.

Instead of a fun day at the pool with her friends that she’d been looking forward to for weeks, it turned out to be her nightmare. The boys in her class had been mean little shits, making snide comments that cut deeper than knives because the teacher hadn’t come out of the changing room yet. Including the boy she’d had a crush on.

Quick, get a harpoon, there’s a beached whale on deck!

Must be jelly ‘cause jam don’t shake like that!

Kai’s hands stilled, squeezing the backs of her thighs. “Hey. Relax.” He shook her legs gently.

With effort, Abby exhaled and forced her muscles to loosen, shoving those memories back into the box she’d put them in. Some part of her would always feel like that awkward, overweight and self-conscious teenager.

“That’s better,” Kai murmured, and resumed the motion of his hands.

Now that she’d consciously surrendered that most vulnerable part of herself to him, it felt like a weight lifted from her. He wasn’t making snide comments, didn’t appear disgusted by what he saw, just kept going with those smooth, firm yet gentle strokes over her most hated body parts. And with every glide of his palms and fingers, something loosened inside her. Healed.

Closing her eyes against the sudden sting there, she swallowed back the lump clogging her throat and gave into his touch, grateful that he was unaware of her thoughts.

By the time he’d finished with her calves she was a human puddle laid out on the towel, utterly relaxed. Safe.

And aroused as all hell.

“Okay, turn over.”

At his low command she slowly rolled onto her back, unashamed by the way her nipples pressed against the fabric of her top. There was no way to hide it anyway, and she wanted him to see what he’d done to her.

Kai’s gaze stopped at her breasts, the desire kindling there giving her a heady rush of feminine power she hadn’t felt in…maybe forever. “You’re so beautiful,” he said softly.

From any other man she would have dismissed those words and assumed he was either flat out lying or just trying to get in her pants. But not Kai. She believed him because that look on his face, like he was thinking about all the things he wanted to do to her, combined with his touch—those were real.

Closing her eyes, she let herself drift while he spread the sunscreen all over the front of her, making her tingle and throb. He finished by pushing her sunhat off and tossing it aside, kneeling over her to smooth the cool lotion over her forehead, cheeks and nose. Abby had never felt so cherished or wanted.

“Okay, all done.” He withdrew his hands, causing her to open her eyes and look up at him. His face was directly above hers, giving her a prime view of those powerful shoulders, arms and chest, that gorgeous, chiseled face. “Ready for some fun in the water?”

Her entire body ached with need. What she wanted was to drag him into the tent and do bad, bad things to him. But that wasn’t going to work when it was broad daylight and five of his friends were wandering around. And this continual build of arousal was too delicious to end now.

“Okay,” she whispered back.

He stood and reached down a hand for her, the sensual promise in his eyes making her heart pound. “Come on, shortcake. Let me show you my idea of paradise.”