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“It’s a convertible.”
“I meant that I’d put the top up,” he said dryly.
“Okay. All done. You can turn around.”
He wasted no time in doing just that. His gaze went unerringly to her breasts, which were barely covered by two skimpy triangles of fabric. The way they were thrust out while she tied the bow in back made her a bit self-conscious. Made her clumsy. The task seemed to take forever.
He finally dragged his gaze away, looking slightly embarrassed.
She nervously busied herself with wiggling out of her shorts, being careful not to pull the bikini bottoms down with them. Then she took her time folding everything, trying to get rid of the jitters.
After depositing her clothes in the trunk beside her bag, she did a quick check of her front to make sure everything was in place. She cringed when she noticed a spot on her upper thigh she’d missed covering with the bronzing lotion. Unfortunately, she also noticed the slight roundness of her belly because she never made time for the gym, nor had she done crunches in forever.
Sighing, she gathered the towels she’d set aside while she changed, and strategically held them up in front of her. Only then did she realize that David had slipped out of his khakis to reveal a pair of red swim trunks. His thighs were nicely muscled, though not overly so, but his calves surprised her with their bulk and definition. They didn’t belong to a casual jogger, but more like a serious runner.
He closed the trunk, and they followed a grassy path through a cluster of trees that bordered the pristine white sand. There was no need for discussion as to where they’d plant themselves. They stopped at a spot that was half-sunny, half-shaded, and shielded them from the north side of the beach by the leafy lean-to.
David untied the straw mats, and then shook out each one, placing them side by side, so close together they almost touched.
Mia dropped a beach towel on each mat before focusing her gaze on the water gently lapping the shore. She was painfully aware that David was staring at her. It was weird that she would feel more self-conscious in a bikini than being naked. But then, this was full, unforgiving sunlight. Not the same as a dimly lit hotel room. On the upside, she got to eye him, too. She looked over at him.
He gave her a guilty smile. “I feel like the proverbial kid in the candy store.”
She grinned and lowered herself to the mat, positioning herself so that she could lean back, giving the illusion of a flatter tummy. Giving the illusion that she was cool and composed when her insides were doing somersaults.
He got down beside her and tossed the car keys on the mat, and mirrored her position, so that the upper halves of their bodies were both in shade. The sun burned down on their thighs and calves. She stared at the pesky mole near her knee that she’d hated since grade school. Had she been smart, she would’ve had it removed while she still had health insurance.
“You’ve been out of law school for eight years now?” she asked, turning to meet his eyes. She was pretty sure he was thirty-three, past the age a lot of guys started getting married. No way she’d bring that up.
“Yep. It feels like twenty.” His brows drew together to form a slight crease. “You have the greenest eyes. I used to wonder if you wore contacts to get them that color.”
“Maybe I do.”
He shook his head.
“How do you know?”
“I’ve had almost three years to figure it out.”
She snorted. “You barely spared me a glance.”
“Think so?” A slow, sly smile lifted the corners of his mouth as he looked so deeply into her eyes that her entire body flushed. He leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, then touched the corner with the tip of his tongue.
“Oh, God, I still have clown lips, don’t I?”
David stopped her inane muttering by kissing her again, this time coaxing her lips apart and kissing her long and hard and deep. She felt herself start to slip backward, and his arm was suddenly behind her, guiding her back until their kiss broke and she was lying supine on the mat and staring up into his warm brown eyes.
“No one’s coming,” he whispered as he trailed a finger from her chin down between her breasts, his touch so light she couldn’t be sure she hadn’t imagined it.
He kissed her eyes, kissed her nose, brushed his lips leisurely across hers. Then he touched her breast. She automatically arched up, filling his hand. Her nipples tightened, communicating their need. He found one through the fabric of her top and circled it with the pad of his thumb.
“We shouldn’t have stopped,” he whispered huskily. “We should’ve gone straight to the hotel.”
“You said no one’s coming,” she reminded him in a weak voice.
He groaned, and pushed aside one triangle of her top. For a second he just stared at her bared breast, his eyes dark and hungry, and then he put his hot mouth on her puckered flesh. His moist heat bathed her skin, and she shivered, squeezing her eyes closed when his teeth scraped her hard nipple.
She blindly reached for him, found his hip and slid her hand around to cup his firm, round ass, urging him closer until his erection pressed her thigh. She moved her leg so that she rubbed him just right, smiled when she heard his soft groan, groaned herself when he sucked hard at her nipple.
He cupped her other breast, inched the fabric over until he’d exposed the other nipple. He rolled his tongue over the crown, stopping briefly to nip at the hard tip. But when he simply breathed on it, Mia shivered.
“Do you know how long I’ve wanted to do this?” David whispered. “How much I want to kiss you everywhere.” He kissed the spot between her breasts, and then moved to the heated skin between her ribs. When he got to her navel, she experienced momentary panic and tensed.
She didn’t know why. No one was around. But the mood had definitely shifted.
He sighed, and she felt his withdrawal even before he planted a final kiss on her belly. “Come on,” he said, his breathing irregular. “I know where we can get some great room service.”
7
PEOPLE CROWDED INTO the hotel elevator behind them, and Mia found herself pushed to the opposite corner of the car from David. But with David at six-two and her at five-nine, they could still see each other over most other people’s heads.
Or maybe it wasn’t such a good thing. All the way through the lobby he’d tried to convince her to go straight to his suite with him. She’d resisted, too hot and sticky and desperately wanting a shower. But had they been alone in the elevator, she had a feeling he might have pulled out all the stops in trying to win his argument.
God, merely thinking about how he touched her with the perfect amount of pressure, kissed her in all the right places, nuzzled her neck exactly where she liked it, was enough to make her give in. Her only viable wall of defense was Lindsey and Shelby. It was almost five, and she’d feel like crap if she didn’t at least check in with them.
The elevator dinged, signaling that it was about to stop at the seventh floor and her gaze locked with his.
“One hour,” David mouthed, over the head of a short, white-haired lady. “No more.”
“Or?” she mouthed with an arched brow.
“I’m coming for you,” he said aloud, ignoring the inquisitive looks shooting at him.
Mia pressed her lips together to keep from giggling like a little girl, and hurried off when the elevator doors slid open.
The second she opened the door to her room, her heady rush crashed and burned. Shelby was lounging on the shady balcony, alone, an open book sitting on her lap. It looked as if she might have dozed off because she jerked slightly and then swung her unfocused gaze toward Mia.
“Hi.” She straightened and rubbed an eye. “Wow, it’s gotten warm out here.” She closed the book, rose and stretched. Then she stepped into the room and closed the balcony door behind her. “Mind if I turn up the A/C?”
“Of course not.” Mia dropped her small bag and sunglasses on the bamboo secretary, her heart heavy with the possibility that Shelby had spent the day alone. “What did you do today?”
“I went to the beach, walked forever, swam in the pool, found this adorable bikini and matching wrap in the shop next door. Wanna see it?”
“Sure.” Mia watched her friend disappear through the open adjoining door, and then slid a peek around the connecting room. “Where’s Lindsey?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen her.” Shelby reappeared with a bag. Before she opened it, she grinned at Mia. “How was your day with that tall, gorgeous hunk?”
“Great. I wish you’d come with us,” Mia said breezily. “It’s like a whole different island once you get past Diamond Head. Totally awesome.”
“Uh-huh.”
“What?”
Amusement danced in Shelby’s hazel eyes. “You seriously think I wanted the ‘G’ version?”
“Sorry.” Mia shrugged, feeling unexpectedly defensive. They weren’t kids anymore. She was not going to discuss the intimate details between her and David. “I don’t have anything juicy for you.”
Shelby’s gaze narrowed speculatively, but she wisely dropped the subject. “Check this out,” she said, dumping the contents of the bag onto the bed.
There wasn’t much to the hot pink bikini. The back consisted of a thong, the legs were cut high and the front dipped into an indecently deep V bordered by a narrow ruffle. The top was a mere token. Of the three of them, Shelby was the only one who could get away with wearing something like that, or for that matter, even consider it.
Shelby arranged the two pieces on the bed and then held up the brief pareau cover-up apparently meant to be wrapped low around the hips. “What do you think?”
“You’ll probably get arrested.”
She laughed. “Hope it’s by a male cop.”
“You always did like a guy in uniform.”
“Hey, you know…I’ve never dated a police officer.”
Mia chuckled, and shook her head in mock disapproval. Since they’d considered the possibility that other guys might respond to their Facebook wall, Mia asked, “Happen to meet anyone?”
“A really cute lifeguard.” Shelby sighed. “We’re having drinks at sunset tomorrow.”
“Great.”
“He’s built like a god. The guy has to do some serious weightlifting.”
“I never knew you to be attracted to that type.”
Shelby shrugged, her lips twitching mischievously. “For one night, he’ll do just fine.”
“God, listen to us.” Mia furtively consulted her watch. Only forty-five minutes before she was to meet David. “I’m going to jump in the shower.”
Shelby glanced at her watch, too. “I guess I should text Lindsey about tonight. Just to remind her.” She wrinkled her nose, looking undecided, then studied Mia. “Frankly, I didn’t think you’d remember.”
Tonight? Mia frowned, then suddenly recalled it was their birthday night. The time they’d agreed to have a joint celebration for their January, February and March birthdays. “How could I forget that?” she said dismissively, her disappointment so acute she thought she felt her heart sink to her stomach.
She walked to the closet and rifled through the few things she’d hung up, her thoughts going to David. It wasn’t as if she couldn’t still see him tonight—later, after she’d had dinner with Lindsey and Shelby—but she had to call him, let him know plans had changed. She’d take her cell phone into the bathroom with her, turn on the shower so Shelby couldn’t hear and call him. He’d be disappointed; so was she. They’d both get over it.
She took a couple of deep breaths, and yanked a green halter top off the hanger. She’d have to hurry and sneak her cell phone out of her purse while Shelby was busy texting Lindsey. Quietly she closed the closet door, and turned around. Shelby was sitting on the wicker chair beside the dresser, watching her.
Mia jerked. “Damn, you scared me. I thought you were in the other room.”
“Before I text Lindsey I wanted to know if you’re bringing David.”
“No. We planned this weeks ago. Just us girls, remember?”
Shelby grinned. “You’re such a bad liar.”
“What?”
“Swear to me you remembered about tonight.”
Mia hesitated. “I did. I—” She briefly closed her eyes and groaned. Then she stared apologetically at her friend. “I might have confused the days.”
Shelby chuckled. “Look, I don’t care. We’re here, that’s celebration enough in my book. And Lindsey, well, she’s apparently forgotten, too and I’m not going to be the one to tear her away from Rick.”
“Have you seen him?”
“No. You?”
Mia shook her head, and lowered herself to the edge of the bed facing Shelby. “When was the last time you heard from her?”
“This morning.”
“A text?” Mia asked, and Shelby nodded. “Me, too.”
Shelby sighed dramatically. “Oh, God, Mom, tell me you’re not going to get all worried and screw up the evening.”
Mia gave her an eye roll, but the truth was, she was a bit concerned. Of the three of them, Lindsey was the most conservative, the most sensible and really good about making sure everyone was accountable. “Okay, one question, does it make sense to you that she wouldn’t make sure we knew where she was? Or not here planning every detail for tonight?”
“That’s two questions,” Shelby muttered crossly and straightened. “Oh, shit, now you’ve got me worried.”
Mia wondered if she should contact David yet. She was going to be late meeting him, that much she knew, but how late? “Honestly, I’m not really worried, more curious.”
“You’re right. She is being weird.”
“Let’s text her and ask her about tonight. I’m cancelling. We can choose another night later.”
Shelby dug her phone out of her shorts pocket, and her fingers immediately went to work. After she’d sent the text, she sank back and frowned. “I should’ve called instead.”
“That’s another weird thing. Lindsey doesn’t usually text us as much as she calls.”
“True. So why doesn’t she want to talk to us?” A grin tugged at Shelby’s mouth. “Unless—Did you meet him last time?”
“Nope.”
“Me neither. Wonder if she’s told him her real name yet?”
“I want to see him,” Mia said, getting up and heading for her bag.
Shelby laughed. “Me, too. You gonna call?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“She might not answer.”
“Then we both keep calling. Don’t leave a message, other than to return the call. You know her, she’ll be worried or nosy and won’t be able to help herself.” Mia withdrew her phone from her bag and stared at it. It wasn’t fair to leave David hanging. No matter what happened, she was going to be late. She hadn’t even showered yet.
She’d tell him she would be delayed an hour or two, give him a summary version, offer to explain later. He’d be disappointed, but he’d understand.
“SHE’S GOING TO BE so pissed at us.” A gleeful grin spread across Shelby’s face as she and Mia crossed the lobby in stealth mode, alert for any sign that Lindsey had left the pool and might turn the tables on them.
Shelby wore her new bikini, with the ill-named cover-up tied low around her hips. She looked so stunningly gorgeous with her long tawny hair fluttering in the breeze, that Mia thought she just might hate her a tiny bit.
“Don’t look so cheerful,” Mia told her. “We have to make this look like a coincidence.” She’d left on her swimsuit with the tank top, minus the shorts, as if she were making a casual trip to the pool for a late-afternoon swim.
“Do you think she suspects?” Shelby asked, oblivious to the male heads turning in her direction.
“No way. She didn’t say where she was. I could hear the splashing and kids laughing in the background. For all we know she could be at another hotel and the joke will be on us.”
“Oh, hell. That would be a bummer.”
“Yeah,” Mia murmured. Bummer for sure. She could’ve been with David instead of spying on their too-secretive friend. Part of Mia’s motive was plain nosiness, the other part was honest concern. Lindsey was acting strangely about this dude. Twice during their brief conversation, Mia had hinted that she and Shelby wanted to meet Rick. Both times Lindsey had subtly blown them off.
They decided to go the long way from the lobby because it would give them an opportunity to scope out most of the pool area, while there would be little chance that Lindsey could spot them first. A horde of people still wet from the pool or beach were exiting the area as they approached. Made sense since it was close to the dinner hour, but that wasn’t going to help their cause.
As soon as Mia spotted the familiar thatched pool-bar roof, she indicated to Shelby that they should head toward the guy signing out beach towels near the restrooms. They both wore sunglasses, but Mia knew that, like herself, Shelby was avidly scanning the groups of guests that remained poolside, lounging on chairs, reading or sipping fruity drinks.
“Oh, my God.”
Mia swung a look at Shelby, who’d stopped and was staring in the direction of the giant rock waterfall. One of the boulders threw a portion of the deck into shadow and created a small semiprivate nook. Squinting behind her sunglasses, Mia caught a glimpse of Lindsey’s long blond hair. The chaise on which she lounged butted up against another chair occupied by a man, stretched out on his side, facing Lindsey. He had longish sun-streaked brown hair, tied back into a short ponytail.
“Holy crap, check out his tats.” Shelby lowered her sunglasses an inch and peered over them.
Mia did the same. She saw one tattoo on his upper arm, another just above his shoulder blade, though she couldn’t make out what they were. The rest of him looked pretty good—lean, muscled, broad where he should be—but absolutely, positively not Lindsey’s type. Mia had to take a second glance to make sure the blonde was actually her friend.
“I don’t believe this,” Shelby said, shooting Mia a stunned look before resuming her openmouthed stare.
They both watched as he leaned toward Lindsey and kissed her. Her hand immediately went to her hair the way it always did when she was nervous. But she didn’t pull away.
“I must be hallucinating,” Shelby muttered.
Mia blinked just to be sure.
“Would you ladies like a cocktail?”
They both turned to the tall, narrow-faced waitress, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.
“Desperately,” Shelby said.
“I’m pretty sure you have to be more specific,” Mia said absently, and then advised the waitress, “Nothing for me, thanks.”
“Make it a Mai Tai—No, wait.” Shelby pulled a face. “We need to find a spot to sit. Catch us your next time around, okay?”
“Sure.” The waitress shifted her tray, smiled and stalked off to the next guest.
Mia glanced over at Lindsey and saw her friend trying to get the waitress’s attention. Mia quickly averted her gaze. “Great,” she murmured. “I think Lindsey might have seen us.”
Like a pro, Shelby maintained a poker face. “Okay, then let’s go get our towels. And then—What?”
“I say we go over and say hi, pretend this is a coincidence. We postponed the birthday dinner. She knows we’d be looking for something else to do. Why not come down for a swim?”
“Right.” They walked to the counter and each signed out a towel. “Is she looking this way?” Shelby asked.
“I haven’t checked.” Mia draped the yellow towel over her arm and slid a furtive look from under her lashes. “Oh, hell.”
“Is she looking?”
“I don’t know,” Mia said, sighing. “But Jeff is here, and he just spotted me.”
DAVID HAD BEEN IN THE SHOWER when Mia called his cell phone and left a message. She was going to be late, wasn’t sure how long, it had something to do with previous plans with her friends, and she’d explain more later. She’d said she was sorry. Twice. And she’d sounded genuinely disappointed. But that hadn’t lessened his own disappointment. Or frustration.
He put on some music while he perused the room service menu, poured himself a scotch and tried to relax. But reading the menu only reminded him that the romantic dinner he’d planned might not pan out. He eyed his phone sitting on the bar, flirted with temptation and finally ordered himself not to call her back. She would’ve given him the green light had she wanted to talk to him.
Instead, muttering a mild oath, he laid his head back to stare at the textured ceiling. She and her friends had planned this trip together and naturally had their own itinerary. He had no business feeling put out. He knew he was being totally selfish in wanting her to spend every minute with him, but he didn’t give a damn. This could be their last chance to see if there was something there between them, figure out if the feelings he’d been suppressing were real.
His restless gaze landed on the crystal desk clock. Only twenty minutes since she’d left the message? How could that be? With the time difference, it was too late to call his office. He sure as hell wasn’t about to talk to his father. He’d want to know if David had presented the offer to Mia. Which he would have done by now if he hadn’t had a personal agenda.
But damn if he’d feel guilty about that, too. For three years he’d kept on blinders, concentrated on his job, refused to allow the smallest crack in his professional armor where Mia was concerned. It wasn’t even just about Mia, although she’d been his ultimate test. For the eight years since he’d been out of law school, he’d always put work first. And yes, of course he was concerned about losing clients and avoiding cutbacks. The possibility of layoffs ate at him, and he was willing to do almost anything to prevent the firm from going that route. But he wouldn’t sacrifice a chance with Mia.
He’d forgotten about the scotch he poured, and took a long slow sip, letting the liquid burn all the way down his throat. Thinking about the office wasn’t doing him any good. The decision to extend the offer to her at the end of the trip was a good one. The right one. Tonight and the next few days had to be strictly about them.
Ironic, really, that this trip was for both personal and business reasons, after he’d prided himself in keeping those two areas of his life separate.
He inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly. Of course this whole thing could blow up in his face if she thought his every action since arriving in Hawaii had been about luring her back to the firm and not about wanting her for himself. No, she knew him too well. He had to trust that she held him in higher esteem than to believe him capable of conning her. Mia wasn’t just beautiful, she was damn smart.
Smiling, he easily pictured her lying on that crazy straw mat, her dark hair fanned out around her slim shoulders, her green eyes hazy with desire. He loved the way her lips unconsciously parted, ever so slightly, the second before he kissed her, and the way she tasted—cool and sweet and just the right amount of eager.
Well, hell, thinking about her like this and nursing yet another unattended hard-on wasn’t doing him any favors, either. Not that he couldn’t take care of himself, but he’d only resent her absence all the more.
Abandoning the rest of his scotch, he pushed off the chair. Waiting around the suite was a mistake. He’d have his phone with him in case she called, but he needed to expend some energy, stop doing so much thinking. What he needed was a good swim.
8
“JEFF, PLEASE, LET ME GO. I don’t want to get wet.” Mia tried to keep her angry voice low and not cause a scene, though luckily, very few people were close to them. But when he tightened his arms around her, his boozy, fetid breath nearly making her gag, she was sorely tempted to kick him in the balls.
“Come on, baby, for old times’ sake.” He drew her within an inch of the water’s edge. “We had us some crazy fun in the pool last time, remember?”
“That wasn’t me, you idiot,” Mia growled. Thank God Lindsey and Rick had left and weren’t witness to this. Shelby was getting a drink. “Now let go, or I will hurt and humiliate you.”