Heating Up Hawaii

by Carmen Falcone

  “The couple of girls before you who knew, they either treated me like husband material because of how I helped care for my brother, or felt sorry for me. But not you. You took my mind off the rolling debt, hopeless disease, and family drama.”

  She crossed her arms. “It’s nice to know I was a good distraction for you.”

  He stared deep into her eyes, and lifted his hand to caress her chin. “You were more than that.”

  Oh how easy would it be to just soak in his caress, as his finger pads brushed her sensitive skin with a tenderness that clogged her throat. Still, she needed to get things off her chest. He needed to know. “You didn’t make me feel like that at the end. You hurt me.”

  The vein in his neck pulsated. “It was probably easier that way. What could I have offered you back then? I was a workaholic, with a sick brother, and a mother who depended on me for everything,” he said, his voice carried by emotion. “I blamed you for losing my opportunity to pitch. I had to blame someone. I’m sorry.”

  Pain pierced his mismatched eyes. Penelope shifted in her tiny seat. It had been easier to agree to be his lover again at the waterfall. Her emotions had run wild and free, and she for once listened to what her body wanted.

  Now, after his heartfelt apology, she was more scared than ever. Her heart thumped beats of fear and anxiety in staccato. Fear for her future. Anxiety for what was to come.

  Her emotions had become vulnerable to him again. And this time, she couldn’t even blame him.

  ***

  Luc paced in his suite. Heat throbbed in his veins each time he remembered their conversation in the helicopter, and the silence that descended afterward. He’d wanted to take her on a ride to help her overcome her fear, but as his feet had touched steady ground again, he was the one with dreadful thoughts on his mind.

  She had already experienced settling for less with Darren. Was it fair for him to ask her to do the same? Was he a scoundrel for wanting her to warm his bed and fill his life while he figured out if he could go all the way with her?

  All the way. How did those three words even enter his mind?

  Penny deserved better than him. She deserved a man who wanted her full on, without time to get used to the idea of commitment. His heart turned in his chest at the idea of giving her up. How could he without trying? Maybe it was too late for them. But it was too soon to say goodbye.

  He’d told her he would pick her up at nine, to give them both enough time to shower and get ready for a dinner date. What he really wanted was to take her to his bedroom, where petals of red roses lay scattered from the adjoining door all the way to his bed. He could have arranged it, but he’d done it himself. Even the chocolate covered strawberries and vintage Taittinger in the fridge. He didn’t know where this road would take him with Penny Ashbrook. But this time he wanted to do things right.

  Or as right as possible, he conceded as he ran his fingers through his hair. He glanced at the clock. Eight p.m. They could still go to dinner and do all the courtship shenanigans, but couldn’t they start early? He picked up the phone and called her room next door, commending himself for not just showing up when she could be freshly out of the shower. That would send his resolution out the window for sure.

  No answer. He could hear the ringing.

  Just as well, he told himself as he glanced at the starry night outside, and decided some fresh air would do him good. He walked to the French doors and cracked it opened just a bit. The white and gold drapes swayed.

  He heard a clicking noise, and his gaze lasered in on the adjoining door. He’d kept his wide open, just as he had during the whole time she’d been his tempting neighbor. Wanting, no, hoping one day she’d give in.

  And she did. A few feet from him, Penny Ashbrook stood, in a sinful turquoise mini-dress which embraced her curves like a lover’s hand. His gut clenched and he had to clear his throat a couple of times to push words out.

  “I couldn’t wait.” Her coy smile didn’t match the sexy message in her beautiful eyes.

  He glanced down her dress, bare knees, and stopped at a pair of black stilettos. “Patience is overrated, Penelope.”

  Before he could plan it, he was already within touching distance of her.

  ***

  A hard-to-contain thrill spread through Penny’s body. Inhibitions fled from her mind as he took her to his bed, and with the bedroom lightened by the moonlight shining outside, she held his stare the whole time. “By the way, I’m on the pill.” She wanted to take technicalities out of the way while she could still think straight. “And I’m safe.”

  “Me too.” A smile spread across his face.

  “Oh, you’re on the pill too?” She teased, her hand gliding over his collar.

  “I’m safe.” He eased her down to the mattress. The tenderness in his eyes knotted her stomach. But tenderness alone stopped there, his hands perusing her body with urgency. She bucked against him, the need to have more, to do more, to feel more snaking up her body. With a quickened pulse, she pulled him to her and kissed him.

  Oh, the kiss. Years of distance, of time, of regret vanished somewhere in between the connection of their wet tongues, and the rumbling of their anxious limbs. She unsuccessfully tried to suppress a nervous chuckle when he removed the dress she’d spent long minutes ironing.

  He groaned and contemplated her for a moment. The only sound apart from her heart, hammering its way out of her white lace bra, was the panting of their breaths. An animalistic desire glowed in his eyes, and hot liquid bubbled between her legs.

  She licked her swollen lips with the tip of her tongue. “Magnifique?” She noticed that he stared at her chest.

  “You’re all I want, Penelope.” His eyes found hers.

  All he wanted…she didn’t even try to fight the warning alarm inside her, which reminded her that this was all temporary. He probably meant sexually. No. The warmth in his eyes, in his growing smile, on his skin as his fingertips outlined her breasts through the flimsy lace fabric…they all convinced her he yearned for her. He longed for her. No other woman would do for him, at least not right now.

  Her nipples puckered painfully against the lacy fabric, begging for attention. She reached and snapped her bra open. Her breasts spilled out, full and heavy.

  He covered her body with his, and with a tortured sigh started to give her nipples the attention they craved. Oooh yes. He dipped his head down, and the second the tip of his tongue flickered over her burgeoned nipple, her sex clenched. All the rest of her body followed. The anticipation for more built inside her. He cupped her breast, his mouth sucking on it, his teeth grazed over sensitized skin. Paradise had never seemed so close, and yet so far away.

  When she touched him and her fingers found his long sleeved shirt, she realized he was still fully clothed. She looked for the buttons, her fingers clumsily biting into the material without success.

  With a moan, she grabbed either side of his shirt and pulled it apart. Buttons snapped open.

  “In a hurry, are we?” He chuckled and ceased contact with her breasts. He stood on his knees, and with a fluid movement took off his shirt.

  She glanced at his fabulous chest, and ran her tongue over his neck. The sunny glow on his olive skin tasted like a warm Sunday afternoon at the beach. Salty, fresh, and filled with a powerful energy.

  “In all fairness, it doesn’t look like I need much help ripping your pants,” she whispered in his ear, and felt him shiver when her fingers outlined his shaft, restrained by a needless black material.

  She reached for his Italian leather belt, but he outmaneuvered her and unbuckled and unzipped his pants.

  “Careful, Penelope. I might only last one second if you touch me.” He warned with a thread of pain.

  “I’ve been waiting for that second,” she whispered, and immediately pressed her lips together so as not to let anything more intimidating out of her mouth.

  To know he wanted her as much as she wanted him only fueled her further. He pushed his pan
ts and black underwear down and she helped him, ignoring his plea. Once they pooled at his feet, he got out of them and out of his shoes at the same time. Wow… She could not stop herself from ogling his thick cock, even larger than she remembered. And throbbing with need. Throbbing for her.

  “But I’m still dressed.” She scooted on the bed to push her panties down, but once his fingers covered hers, she let him do it. A trail of goose bumps followed his every caress all the way down to her ankles. He removed her panties, and she lifted one leg, to help him get rid of a shoe. He kissed her calf, and with a mischievous grin whispered, “The shoes stay.”

  He lowered himself on her, and she bit down on her lower lip at the sight of him. A gorgeous, strong man, looking at her with fierce desire. She spread her legs slightly for him, with what she hoped was a blatant invitation in her eyes.

  He thrust his length into her hot, moist walls. She grasped on his shoulders, and moaned. A sheath of sweat formed on his forehead, control hanging by a thread. He kissed her, and she nipped on his lip, their tongues imitating the movement of his cock inside her.

  They rolled on the bed, and unsure if this had been her initiative or his, she found herself on top of him, both her legs straddling either side of his. She threw her head back, and thrills of pleasure began to form, and she leaned over him. All she saw was the gray fog in his eyes as he raised his head and began to suckle her breasts, alternating between them.

  She moved away once, to tease, to hear him groan, and see his tongue searching for her nipple. Perhaps if she’d been stronger, she could do that again. However, his tongue on her felt too good to avoid.

  He dropped his hand on her body, and soon his fingers began to play with her clit as she bucked faster. Her body was on the verge, pressurizing her insides the climax built with fiery intensity.

  “Luc!” She screamed when he increased the pressure, to match her riding, and tides of pleasure overtook her, from top to bottom, making her convulse on top of him.

  With his mouth still on her breast, he started to tremble roughly as he moaned her name.

  Chapter Eight

  Luc tensed up when he saw the adjoining door between their rooms firmly shut. The agreement they’d reached the last couple of days was to limit their intimacy to the bedroom. Penny had insisted they don’t exchange any PDA during the day, even if they were alone in the office. She wanted to set boundaries and protect the quality of her work.

  However, at night, in private, no boundaries existed. His body stirred, and he glanced at his watch. Barely lunch time. She’d also set the ridiculous rule that lunch time was off-limits, didn’t matter how much he tried to convince her otherwise. He’d gone up to his suite to change for a meeting with local politicians when he heard a couple of voices coming from hers.

  The heavy door muffled the sounds, but in addition to her voice there was also a male’s tone. Not Brad’s. And why would any coworker come up to her room?

  An unfamiliar sting of jealousy crept up his body. He strode out of his suite and knocked on her door. He resisted the urge to just open his adjoining door and knock on hers—just in case this was work-related.

  He straightened when she opened the door, her flowing dress the color of a juicy, ripe guava. A flood of awareness spread through his body.

  Her eyes widened. “Luc.”

  “Who is it?” said a male voice behind her.

  Luc swiftly stepped inside the suite, prompting her to pace back. A very unwanted presence took shape behind her. Darren Dawn looked disgruntled.

  Luc’s blood thickened. “Why are you here?”

  “It’s between Penny and me.” Darren’s thick Texan accent filled the room. The short guy stood up straight, his eyes narrowed.

  He turned to Penny, certain his face displayed a look that demanded some explanation. Why would Darren jet all the way to Hawaii unless he had a hidden agenda? Luc swallowed hard, disliking how possessive over Penny he’d become, and still, unable to do anything about it.

  “Luc, Darren just came for a surprise visit and we were talking when you came.” Penny’s voice gained strength toward the end.

  “He came all the way from Texas for a chat?” Luc couldn’t conceal the sarcasm in his tone. Did she think he was some kind of stupid? Well, maybe he was. What if all this time, all she did was lead him on, just as she did Darren?

  There was a blend of confusion and determination in her eyes. Merde, he was confused. Jealousy didn’t appeal to him, as he found no reason to nourish such useless emotion. He had everything he wanted in the world. He could have anything he wanted.

  A pang of resentment pierced through his heart.

  In the blink of an eye, Penny ushered him a couple of steps closer to the door and away from Darren.

  She raised an eyebrow. “Luc, I have this.”

  “Really?” He didn’t want her to have this, not alone. She assessed him, then her face lit up with realization that he feared wouldn’t be favorable to him.

  “I’ll have a conversation with him. It has nothing to do with you.”

  He drummed his fingers on the door frame. “What about our dinner later?” And everything else?

  “I was going to tell you, I finally had time to schedule that complimentary massage. I’ll call you after it’s done.”

  He couldn’t argue there. Penny had been putting in as many hours as needed, and often offered to help the opening team by performing tasks outside her comfort zone. She’d injected a positive attitude and sharp professionalism, and deserved that massage more than anyone.

  Luc glanced at Darren, who stood with both arms crossed a few feet away from them. The man had the hint of smile on his lips, and Luc’s blood boiled in his veins. His gaze landed on Penny again, her delectable body leaning against the door. “Tell me you’ll be strong.”

  She lifted her chin and her hazel eyes shimmered with defiance.

  “Insecurity doesn’t suit you, Luc.”

  Insecurity? He wasn’t insecure. Not at all. He was close to dying inside because she didn’t let him take care of a situation she clearly couldn’t handle. “I’ll see you later.”

  She looked down but he still saw the darkening in her eyes, shifting them to a forest green.

  He would leave her alone…for now.

  ***

  Penny locked the door behind Luc. The tip of her fingers caressed the polished door handle before she took a sharp breath and turned to face Darren.

  “Is he why you haven’t been answering my calls or responding to my emails?” A flicker of resentment touched Darren’s blue eyes.

  Penny chewed on her lower lip and looked at him. The man she almost chose to spend the rest of her life with had been a lot more self-assured, even funny at times. But she had to remind herself that a lot had changed since he’d been back from rehab.

  “Darren, I answered three of your emails. I’m here to work. I can’t answer every time you call.” She kept a cool tone even as he nodded tightly. The air in the living area became stuffy, but not the kind of stuffy she experienced with Luc.

  “Are you sleeping with that man?”

  When he’s not ravishing my body into the wee hours of the morning, yes. “That doesn’t concern you.” She wasn’t about to discuss her love life with Darren, of all people. He wasn’t ready for it.

  “You can’t honestly believe that, can you? I still love you.” He took a step closer to her, but she stepped back.

  “Darren, I care for you as a friend.” She gathered her strength to keep going. “And as a friend I think it’s best if we don’t talk to each other for a while. Now that you are clean and doing so well, these past feelings can’t be in your way.”

  He shook his head. “You’re ditching me.”

  “No. I’ll always cheer for you. But I don’t think it’s healthy for you to expect more from me and for me to keep hurting you. I know I’ve hurt you a lot, but it’s not fair for me to keep explaining it or apologizing. I need to move on, too.” The last s
entence echoed in the depths of her mind.

  I need to move on.

  She could no longer work for Charles Dawn. That would mean Darren would always know her location. She’d told him she was going on a business trip to Hawaii. Darren probably had questioned his father, who gave him her exact location.

  It wasn’t fair to Darren and it wasn’t fair to her. Maybe Luc was right. By still working with Charles, despite the circumstances, she was being selfish. She wanted to shed some of her guilt, but hadn’t stopped to think how that affected Darren. The only man who’d loved her enough to marry her. It was time to put an end to it.

  She took in a deep breath, knowing she was about to put everything on the line. Still, her honesty was her parting gift to Darren. “Darren, after this assignment I’m resigning from your father’s firm.”

  “Why?”

  She folded her arms. “It’s just not working anymore. I’ve always wanted my own business, anyway.”

  He paced for a moment, then stopped to admire the same view she did from the balcony. When he turned to her, the expression on his face softened. “You don’t have to do it, Penny. Did he do or say anything to you?”

  “No.” She forced a smile. The last thing she needed was to stir things up and pitch Darren against his father. Besides all his flaws, Charles loved his son. She wished her own father had been more protective of her feelings growing up. “I really meant what I said. I want to be friends with you. But right now, you need to get over what happened and if you keep dropping in like this it won’t help.”

  “All this time I was so worried about me, I never stopped to think how uncomfortable it must have been for you to work for my father.”

  She swallowed the lump in her throat. “It wasn’t all that bad.”

  He chuckled. “You’re a terrible liar, Penny Ashbrook.”

  She joined him in laughter. Amusement replaced the bitterness in his eyes.

  “I’m not giving up my career. I just want to move forward with my life.”

  He nodded. “I’m sorry, Penny.”