Just Her Type

by Laudat, Reon

If anybody else had dropped that Latin phrase for the technique of starting a narrative in the middle or at some crucial plot point, she would have rolled her eyes. Only Dominic, with that irresistible grin, could pull it off without sounding too affected.

  “Thanks for running the strawberry papaya interception for me.” Dominic leaned closer to whisper to Kendra as the server refilled her plate with fruit. Intense longing settled low in her belly at the sound of his deep voice. Why was his mere presence having this effect on her in a crowded room? She needed it badly, that’s why. It had been what? At least seven months since she’d been with a man. She’d stopped sleeping with Graham about four weeks before they’d broken up. Her solo efforts with battery-operated devices weren’t cutting it anymore. She wanted to feel the warm weight of solid muscle above her. Hot velvet steel sliding in and out of her writhing body. Strong hands caressing and cupping her breasts, a hot tongue…

  “Kendra?” Dominic said.

  “Huh?” She crossed her legs.

  As he leaned deeper into her personal space, Kendra fretted about her tablemates assuming they were an item.

  “I said thank you,” he said.

  “For what?” Kendra replied, in a voice only Dominic could hear. “Zoe rallied to your defense.” She glanced at Zoe, who was busy talking to a tall man who had approached her to inquire about his manuscript. “She’s pretty, isn’t she?”

  “Yes, she is,” Dominic said, not sparing Zoe a glance.

  “Sort of looks like that one actress. You know that one.” Kendra snapped her fingers as if it would jog her memory. “She won best supporting actress two years ago.”

  “But back to the subject at hand. You said nothing in my defense?”

  “Well, maybe a little,” Kendra said. “But it was Zoe who told them you had great taste in clothes. She thinks you’re hot, very hot, you know.”

  “And what about you?” Dominic asked.

  “I’m pretty sure I’m not her type.”

  “You know what I mean.” He nudged her. “But thanks for not piling on. So maybe you kinda like me after all, huh?”

  “Or maybe I don’t want to ruin any Maui time focusing on negativity.” Kendra poked at chunks of apple banana and strawberry papaya.

  “A plateful of fruit.” He gestured toward her dish. “Disciplined even in the land of roasted pig and coconut pudding pie.”

  “Yup,” Kendra replied. How had he missed the aroma of pig on her breath?

  “I like that red streak in your hair.”

  “Of course, it matches your pants.”

  “In sync again. So that means you’re positively having dinner with me tonight.”

  “I don’t think dinner together is a good idea.” Kendra gave an empathetic smile.

  “Oh, Dominic!” Zoe trilled after she’d finished her other conversation.

  Dominic looked over his shoulder. “Just a minute, Zoe.” He turned back to Kendra. “At lunch that day, I thought we called a truce.”

  “Oh, but we did.” Kendra struggled to find the right words. “We’re sharing tropical fruit and pleasant conversation right now.”

  “Sharing a meal with a tableful of people, the majority of whom wouldn’t mind choking the Akahai out of me is not what I envisioned for us.”

  “Akahai?”

  “Kindness that must be expressed with actions and gentle words.”

  Kendra nodded. “Aaaah, someone’s been studying his tourist brochures. Well,” she dabbed her mouth with a napkin and patted her middle, “I’m full. Must get a move on.” She reached for her tote and hooked the strap on her shoulder. “I have things I need to do before my tour.”

  “Which tour?” he asked.

  “The one that leaves in, oh,” she checked her watch, “about an hour.” She pushed back her chair, stood, and then said goodbye to everyone at the table.

  “You’re going to miss the breakfast speaker and the first round of workshops,” said Piper, who had obviously been eavesdropping.

  “I’m getting the podcasts. Later,” Kendra replied with a little wave. Zoe had already moved to take Kendra’s vacated seat. “Have fun, you two,” she said before turning on her heel.

  ***

  Kendra always left Dominic wanting more. And it was driving him straight-up crazy! How did one keep charming persistence from slithering over to unnerving intrusion? After talking to Zoe for a few minutes, he raced back to his room. Like Kendra, he made a note to get the podcasts of the sessions he’d miss.

  He dropped the slip of paper with that cute server’s phone number in the trash. On his way out of the ballroom, she’d sidled up to him. Out of politeness he’d accepted it, but he only had eyes for one woman. As he replaced his chinos and shirt with shorts, black sneakers, and a T-shirt, he considered taking a different approach with Kendra. The more he zigged, the more she zagged. And what was with her practically throwing Zoe Fitzsimmons at him?

  Time to reverse strategy.

  Chapter 8

  Kendra didn’t enjoy leaving Dominic to Zoe, but she had to do it. Resisting him proved more difficult every time they met. He should pursue someone open to appreciating what he had to offer. She felt mature, magnanimous, and selfless when she looked at it that way.

  Maybe by the end of breakfast, Zoe would have worked her wiles on him, and he’d leave Kendra be so she could focus on her goals, which included setting up dates through Cupid4You.com.

  After changing into her hiking clothes, Kendra retrieved a copy of Corinne Ostertag’s Four Simple Wishes manuscript from the agency’s cloud to print out at business center. She had completed a third look on her e-reader for handling convenience, but that device did not have an efficient method to add notes to the document.

  The manuscript was fantastic! Chock-full of engaging characters with emotional depth in a compelling plot. But like most submissions, it needed work. Shaping. She would offer representation to Corinne, despite some nagging reservations.

  If only it were just Corinne and her writing to consider. This author also came with serious baggage—the literary version of a difficult stage mother. The woman had already emailed Kendra at least two dozen times, asking for status reports though she’d only had the novel for two weeks. She could imagine the numerous ways in which Corinne’s mother would interfere and get on her last nerve if Corinne were a client.

  Kendra also wondered if Corinne would be amenable to the deep revisions required to make Four Simple Wishes sparkle.

  Putting that conundrum aside, she grabbed her sunglasses and NYU sweatshirt, and then checked the mirror one last time before leaving her room.

  In the hotel lobby, several groups had formed lines for a half dozen different motor coach tours. When Kendra saw the guy holding the Haleakala One sign, she reviewed her itinerary to verify the booking and then headed in that direction. She slowed her steps when Dominic strode toward the motor coach to chat with Sign Guy.

  Darn it! Kendra darted to the left and hid behind huge pots of tall tropical plants before he could see her. She peered through parted leaves and burped. The scent of breakfast drifted under her nose. Ugh! She’d been so distracted, thinking about Corinne’s manuscript, Zoe, and Dominic, she had forgotten to brush her teeth and wash her hands. Through the foliage she peeked at gorgeous, magnetic Dominic and gasped, “What the…?” They wore the same Love Nest Ninjas concert T-shirt, cargo shorts, and high-top Chuck Taylors. She untied her sweatshirt and pulled it over her head. There. Spooky synchronicity easily camouflaged.

  The line for another tour, Haleakala Two, a few feet to her left, moved to board the bus so she joined them.

  “And you are?” asked the tour company employee, who checked names off a clipboard list.

  “I signed up for Haleakala One.” Kendra glanced at Dominic who was still talking to Sign Guy for the tour she’d actually booked. “But I was hoping I could switch and join this one instead.”

  “It’s a different tour company. The money doesn’t transfer, ma’am,” h
e said.

  “I’ll pay the fee.”

  “Okay, let me check our list again,” he said. “You’re in luck. Looks as if we have a few last-minute cancellations. Step right over to the concierge. She’ll fix you right up. I’ll tell our driver to wait.”

  “The concierge?” Kendra asked stupidly, looking over her shoulder. Dominic stood near the concierge station. “Can’t you just take the cash?”

  “But our policy—”

  “Please. It’s much faster this way. You’ll stay on schedule.”

  The man scribbled his price for breaking the rules and showed it to Kendra, who removed some bills from her waist pack and said with a conspiratorial wink, “I’ve included a little extra.”

  The man glanced around before pocketing the money. Satisfied no one overhead their transaction, he gestured for her to board the bus.

  “Thanks!” Kendra whispered as she cleared the first step, smiling because she’d ditched Dominic.

  A seat near the front was unoccupied, but when she moved closer she saw a lightweight jacket with daisies on it and a matching cap on the seat so she continued toward the empty back row.

  Kendra had just claimed a window seat and settled in when she looked up to see Brody Goodwin, decked out in camouflage-print cargo shorts and a beige T-shirt. Despite his mirrored wraparound shades, she recognized him from his handsome official author’s photo on his book jackets and website. According to his bio, he was an avid outdoorsman. As if illustrated by a comic book artist, his body was all beef, bone, and gristle. His military-style crew cut accentuated his angular, super hero jawline. A light sunburn colored his lean cheeks. Few would guess he made his living tapping away on a keyboard. Kendra imagined him performing plyo-pushups and bench pressing a deer carcass during writing breaks.

  “Kendra Porter,” he said, his brows lifting over his shades. “I recognize you from your website and the conference brochure photos. I’m Brody Goodwin.” He shook hands. “Is this seat next to you taken?”

  “I don’t think so,” Kendra said. “Nice to finally meet you face-to-face. I returned your call. I left a voicemail. Coffee tomorrow is fine.”

  He settled in next to her and placed his backpack on the floor near his feet. When he removed his sunglasses to clean the lenses with the edge of his T-shirt she noticed his thick lashes and sunshine tea-colored eyes. But his good looks didn’t make her belly go aflutter the way Dominic’s did.

  “Good to finally meet you, too. Looks as if we won’t need to wait until tomorrow after all. Now is as good a time as any. That is, if you don’t mind talking business during our bus ride.”

  On her way down the aisle, Kendra hadn’t recognized any of the other tourists on the bus. Though the industry sometimes felt small, she didn’t know everyone. Discretion was a must.

  “I can talk and take in the beautiful sights at the same time, but we’ll need to keep our voices down, of course, because you never know who might be listening.” Though Kendra had an idea why Brody wanted to meet with her, she could hardly wait for him to confirm it. “So, what’s on your mind?”

  “I don’t know if you’ll recall. I’m sure you get swamped with submissions, but I submitted my debut novel, Amethyst & Snake Eyes, to you a few years ago when I was looking for an agent.” He kept his voice low, but she could clearly hear him over the hum of the idling engine.

  “Of course, I remember! I adored that manuscript. I was disappointed I didn’t get to go out with it, but I understand you made the choice you believed was best for you at the time. It kicked off a successful writing career. Congratulations.”

  Brody released a rueful sigh. “Yes, my books have performed well.”

  An understatement if Kendra ever heard one. But she listened intently without interrupting.

  “But here’s the situation. I—”

  “Well, look who we have here.” Photochromic lenses hid Dominic’s eyes as he stood looking down on them. “So you two know each other?”

  Chapter 9

  “We just met!” Kendra blurted, eyelashes aflutter.

  “Yes,” Brody said, putting his sunglasses in the side pocket of his backpack. “There were three empty seats on this bus. One near a beautiful lady. Which one do you think I’d choose? No brainer, wouldn’t you say?”

  “I hear ya.” Dominic dropped into the seat directly across the aisle from the pair—effectively cutting off their discussion.

  Brody was so cool. So why was Kendra feeling flustered and wondering if Dominic had peeked through the windows and spied them sitting together? Had he left a prearranged tour with Haleakala One to join Haleakala Two in an attempt to protect his turf? Or was she projecting?

  “So, you’re a friend of Dominic’s?” Brody asked Kendra.

  “I would not say a ‘friend,’ more like a business acquaintance.” Her pulse raced. “Emphasis on acquaintance.”

  Brody came to his feet. “Excuse me a sec. I have a question for one of the tour guides before we take off.”

  Kendra planned to stare out the window, affecting great interest in the activity outside the bus until Brody returned.

  “So, here we are. Together again,” Dominic said, his deep voice bouncy. If he was suspicious about finding Brody and Kendra together, he did not let on.

  Kendra looked away from the window to take in his wide grin. “Are you following me, Mr. Tobias?”

  “So I’m Mr. Tobias now?” He suddenly moved from his seat to Brody’s.

  “Well?” she prodded. “You didn’t mention anything about a tour at breakfast when I told you I was leaving for mine.”

  “You didn’t give me a chance. You think I’m following you? Maybe you’re following me, Ms. Porter.” His lenses gradually turned clear so she could see mirth in his eyes.

  “But I saw you standing in the line for the Haleakala One tour.”

  “Just getting information on a beach I want to check out while I’m here. So, how’s that aloha spirit holding out?”

  “Fine!” Kendra replied too quickly. Her gaze darted everywhere but in his direction. As she spoke, his hard thigh brushed against hers, making her tingle.

  “You looked shaken when I walked up on you and Brody.”

  “Not shaken, just a little surprised is all. Again, I thought you were on the Haleakala One bus.”

  “And you walked right by without saying hello,” he said with a playful tsk-tsk. He moved closer, his voice and warm breath caressing her ear, making her shiver in a Pavlovian response.

  “Interesting fragrance you’re wearing, Ms. Porter,” Dominic whispered. “It’s different. What is that?”

  Eau de Bacón. But she wasn’t about to tell him that when he smelled as divine as usual. She was grateful when Brody returned with Zoe trailing him.

  Dominic moved back to his seat.

  “See, you lucked out,” Brody told Zoe. “You get the last seat, and it’s next to Dominic.”

  Zoe gave Kendra a friendly nod and then focused on Dominic. “Well, hello there, you!” she said, regarding him adoringly.

  “But I thought you were attending the Art of War in Publishing workshop,” Dominic said to Zoe.

  “And miss out on this tour?” Zoe replied. “Besides, I can always watch the podcast.”

  Brody reached for his backpack, opened it, and searched through one of its many compartments. “Energy bar?” he asked Kendra, signaling the unspoken agreement to resume their previous discussion later. He offered her one of two foil-wrapped bars.

  “No, thank you.” Kendra willed herself not to gawk at Dominic and Zoe, who were engaged in their own private conversation.

  Kendra would use the time to get better acquainted with Brody. “What are you reading?” she asked, referring to the thick tome she noticed inside his backpack when he removed the bars.

  “The Blue Book of Gun Values.”

  “Ah, just a little light reading,” Kendra said with a nod and a smile.

  “Research. I have a Griffin & Howe sporterized 30-0
6 Springfield rifle I want to unload.”

  The bus pulled away from the resort, and Kendra admired the beautiful scenery. “There’s something so incredibly enchanting about Maui.”

  “Yeah and there’s nothing like zipping in Maui,” Brody said, chewing a huge bite of his bar.

  “No zipping around for me. I manage to pack in a lot, but at a nice steady pace.”

  Brody chuckled. “I mean zip-lining, where we’re headed.”

  “No, this is a hiking tour.”

  “It’s a hike with zip-lining tour,” Brody said.

  Panic raced through Kendra as she recalled a zip-lining segment she’d seen on one of those adventure cable channels. The same show had featured segments on bungee jumping, spelunking, parasailing, and other death-wish craziness. Zoe had stopped flirting long enough to eavesdrop on Kendra’s conversation with Brody. “You didn’t know this was a zip-lining hike?”

  “I thought the zip-lining part was, um, tomorrow,” Kendra lied.

  “It’s fantastic! I did it last year and the year before,” Zoe said. “Like riding the wind.”

  “Yeah, no, better rush,” Dominic added.

  “I find zipping relaxing, actually,” said Brody. “If you want a real adventure, that’s what heli-skiing in the Himalayas is for. Instead of using a lift, this helicopter drops you at the top of a snow-covered mountain with un-manipulated-by-man terrain, and then you’re off on some of the longest, fastest, and steepest slopes in the world.” He made a grand swooping motion with his hands. “Swish!”

  “How very James Bond,” Kendra said as she white-knuckle gripped her waist pack. “Must put that one on the bucket list.”

  “How about you? Ever zipped before?” Zoe asked Kendra.

  “Call me ‘Zippity-Do-Dah,’ ” Kendra sang.

  Zoe chuckled, poking at Dominic with her elbow.

  Dominic regarded Kendra. “I’d totally pegged you as the pineapple-plantation-tour type.”

  Kendra gave him a clenched-teeth smile. Humph. Pineapple plantation indeed. She’d show him.

  The amplified voice of a guide detailing various touristy points of interest filled the bus. Kendra spotted the tour booklet poking out of Brody’s backpack so she asked to borrow it. She flipped through until she found a little blurb about the Haleakala Two tour.