Heating Up Hawaii

by Carmen Falcone

  “I’ll be happy to.”

  “Nice meeting you, Penny. And call me Porter, will you?” He flashed a smile before he left.

  She looked at Luc, so wishing they were in private where she’d give him a hug and he could twirl her around the room. She tried to compress a squeal. Unsuccessfully.

  “Well, who knew such an old man could get you this excited.” Amusement flickered in Luc’s eyes.

  She playfully hit his arm. “Are you kidding me? This is huge…thank you, Luc.”

  “I meant every word. You made this re-opening a lot smoother than I imagined.” He stared at her as if he planned on saying something else. Something deeper. She nodded, wanting to encourage him any way she could. But after whatever internal debate he delved into, he simply offered a half-smile.” I also emailed you a list of companies in Texas.”

  His gazed roamed over her body.

  She mumbled another thank you.

  It was like finding the end to an exciting, mysterious maze. She knew there was no other outcome. Eventually, she had to get out of the maze and simply deal with things. But not yet. She’d have a lifetime for that. Now, all she wanted was to enjoy the last remaining moments before flying out.

  He cleared his throat. “Would you like to dance?”

  ***

  Luc felt like a high school kid asking the girl he had a crush on for a dance. It made no sense, since at two different times in his life he’d done a lot more than dance with Penny. He’d kissed her, made love to her, even broke her heart once. But not again.

  Which was why he’d had to bite his tongue earlier so as not to overwhelm her with his feelings, the ones he wanted to hide away from. It wasn’t fair for either of them to bring up their future in the midst of the party. The last thing he wanted was to put her in an awkward position. He knew how much this all meant to her. And, if he was honest with himself–her casual way of facing her impending departure had thrown him off a bit.

  Did she really want to leave? She had to; a brand new world awaited her in Dallas and who was he to take it away? When she deserved everything. Maybe, if she was interested, they could work around their schedules, and find a way.

  He led her past the crowded dance floor, to the small area behind the stage. A few people still gathered and talked lively around them, however the view to the ocean offered some peace of mind. Thankfully he was able to tune out the voices. What if this was their last dance? What if working for him to get the references and a casual affair was all she wanted?

  They moved their feet and bodies to the sultry voice of the singer, who mixed blues and reggae. He could feel the smile stretching across his face when a low moan escaped her parted lips. His body reacted instantly to hers, and there was no doubt in his mind she felt him hard against her.

  Unable–unwilling—to help himself, he let his fingers feel the crisp sequins under his palm. Heat shot from his fingertips up his arm when he imagined her smooth skin underneath that appealing dress. He curled and uncurled his hands, fighting the need to fondle her bottom and make invisible circles on her buttocks.

  Get a grip, Luc. This event wasn’t just important for her, but also for him. He’d worked very hard and tonight, the only thought occupying his mind was waiting for the perfect moment to tell her what he’d been denying himself for way too long.

  “Luc.” Her whisper pulled him out of his reverie. “Can you hear it?” She asked, and he realized she meant the song the band played. A throaty version of We’ll Be Together Again. He pressed his lips together, but he supposed his eyes told her more than he wanted because she raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t ask them to play this, did you?”

  He shrugged. “I requested it, but I wasn’t sure they’d do it.” Or when they’d do it. He’d also promised the band front man some free hotel nights in the chain’s most luxurious properties. It hadn’t been easy to convince them to play a song different from their musical style, but so worth it to see Penny’s bright smile.

  Without his consent, his body held hers tighter. Times like these, when their bodies molded together perfectly, and she gasped at his boldness, made him hate himself for ever letting her go. For not fighting harder.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked him, although her eyes fixed on his mouth.

  “I can’t help it.” He said coolly. “It runs in my blood.”

  “I wonder what else runs in your blood?”

  “Right now, you.” The spontaneity of his words surprised even himself. His need for her was a fast Formula One car drifting carelessly out of the lane and heading to a wall. And he had no intention of stopping it.

  “Do you still have the master key with you?”

  He nodded. It was an old tradition of his to carry the master key in his pocket during the opening party. Mostly he wasn’t superstitious, but he’d done it every single time he’d opened a new property–the one time he’d forgotten had been at the first opening of this resort. This time, he took no risks. Everything had to be perfect.

  “Come with me,” she whispered, and disentangled from him. Careful enough to glance around them and make sure no one paid attention, he followed the sway of her hips all the way to the security room, strategically located underground, next to the pool storage.

  “The security team is overseeing the party. I just saw the overnight manager go on his break. We’ll have to be quick.” There was a pang of excitement in her voice. He swiped the keycard and they entered.

  He’d been there several times before, and security rooms held no appeal for him. Inside was just a panel with many different black and white monitors, with views from all different angles of the resort, a couple of computer stations, first aid emergency kits, tons of procedure folders tucked away in metal shelves, a metal desk filled with stationary, a laptop, and other gadgets.

  Now, though, the dim lighting of the room–usually preferred by the overnight team, which made the monitors stand out more–invited him in. So did she. Oui. Her smile glowed under the recessive light, and she chewed on her lower lip as if asking for his compliance.

  He gave her a lot more. He wrapped his arms around her delectable body. The coolness of her sequined dress contrasted sharply against her heated skin, and he inhaled her spicy perfume. He grabbed her hair roughly, tightening his grip around her as he dipped his head down and kissed her feverously. They didn’t have much time.

  There was no surface to lift her to. Having her on the top of the desk appeared impossible, as they’d probably drop everything from it, including the half-drank coffee in a red mug. He glanced around, anxiety growing. The leather swivel chair was also out of the question–he wouldn’t fit with her on top of him. He didn’t want to be restrained, not with the empowering, multiplying sensations coursing through his body.

  Then his gaze landed on the wall corner between the large panel and the shelves. It would have to do. He’d show her with his body, his tongue, how much he loved her.

  ***

  “There,” his voice grumbled, the anticipation evident in his voice.

  She gasped when he pushed her to the wall, her back to him. Excitement and fear pumped, but her desire for him surpassed any insecurities or inhibitions. After the way he’d looked at her when the music, now officially their music had played…

  “You’re so beautiful,” Luc whispered, his breath ragged. He raised her dress up to her knees, and the touch of his fingers on her skin jolted electricity inside her. She moaned and bucked against him, struggling to find anywhere to hold on to. The bare wall offered no support for her sweat-slicked palms.

  She leaned against his chest and lifted her head in search for his lips. He teased her, kissed her temples and eyes and withdrew whenever her mouth got close to his. Words in French escaped his lips when his hands hiked up her dress.

  Penny’s skin heated when he dipped his head down and his lips touched hers. Once their tongues intertwined, she bucked her hips back and rubbed against him. Luc groaned in response, and c
ontinued to hike her skirt up higher. She heard his intake of breath when his hand cupped her bare skin and he realized she wore no underwear. Soon, the sound of his fly opening made her shiver, and she spread her wobbly legs. A wave of desire ripped through her.

  When he finally plunged into her, no coherent words came out of her mouth, only sighs of pleasure. He began to thrust deep inside as her moist folds clenched around him. He gripped her hips tightly with his hands, not letting her go. Leaving, or stopping, would never cross her mind. Not when the need for release began to build inside her. She arched against him and clenched herself more tightly around him. He could be the gallant, generous lover later. Now, all she wanted was to release the throbbing ache.

  Climax flooded through her, more powerful than ever. She didn’t even try to contain a scream. She convulsed as threads of pleasure, generated in her sex, zinged their way up her system, unsettling her heart rate.

  Looking for support, she raised her hand to reach for the hard metal shelf near her. When he drove himself inside her one last time his thrust was so intense her fingers slid down a box to her left in a senseless rush, and she felt the touch of a small handle before she leaned backward. She closed her eyes, and he grasped her midriff with both hands.

  When she opened her eyes, she realized the light was out. “I must have turned the light off.” She laughed, as she tapped on the wall and searched for the switch.

  He planted a kiss on her shoulder. “I barely noticed.”

  Although he still held her tight, she let her dress drop down. The sound of his zipper sliced the silence in the room. For a moment, she stopped searching for the light and enjoyed the serenity around them. Inside, while her heart rate reached normal pace, her mind raced nonstop. Would it be like that all night? Was the sex only a means to mask the farewell they both avoided? Didn’t she—they—deserve better?

  “Luc, we should talk.” Maybe saying it in the dark would make it more casual.

  He sighed. “I know.”

  She turned around to him, even though she couldn’t see much of him. She knew him too well…and had loved him for too damn long. Yes. I love him.

  The awareness made the little hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. He stroked her chin with the back of his hand, and she pressed her lips together to prevent the charged emotion flowing through her veins from turning into tears.

  She parted her lips, but before she could speak, something beeped and her eyes riveted to the door. She heard footsteps, and soon, a flashlight pointed at her.

  “Penny?” asked the overnight manager.

  Crap. “It’s okay, Harry, it’s just me…”

  “And me.” Luc continued.

  Her cheeks flushed, and she imagined what kind of explanation she’d give Harry for being inside the security room with the hotel owner. She imagined her makeup was smeared and her hair disheveled. Oh God. She doubted explanations were needed, which only made everything worse.

  “I’m sorry, we came as soon as we heard,” someone else said behind him, someone whose voice she didn’t recognize.

  “Heard?”

  “There was a power outage in the entire outdoor area. Everything is dark,” Harry said. “We’ve come to turn on the generator system.”

  Chapter Ten

  Outage?

  Harry stepped toward the box attached to the wall, and she moved out of his way for easy access. Luc, on the other hand, didn’t move an inch.

  “Did you touch that box?” Luc asked her, frustration leaked into his voice

  Harry turned on the small switch in the middle of the box, and suddenly all lights were on. She glanced around. Two other men besides Harry and Luc stood in the security room, no doubt drawing their own conclusions.

  “This is the electricity switch for the entire outdoor area. You must have turned it off by accident.” Harry smiled, but something told her it was way too early for smiling.

  This was no ha-ha situation, she realized as her eyes scanned the room, and she tried to wipe the sweat off her forehead. Inevitably, she ended up staring at Luc, with his hair messed up, the evidence of her fingers running through it. The top buttons of his collar were open, and his pants creased. One didn’t have to be a genius to understand what had happened.

  The same beeping sound from earlier pulled her from her thoughts, and within a second, Brad entered the room, relief evident in his eyes. “It’s back. I don’t know what happened, but the electricity is back.”

  The two security men looked down, suppressing a chuckle.

  “Excuse me, I’ll make sure the buffet is filled.” It wasn’t her job, but it was the first excuse she could think of to get her out the room. Although she walked out with her chin up, she made sure her eyes didn’t stare at anyone in particular.

  She glanced at the party which continued as if the power outage had never happened. She decided to take a walk down the quiet path that led to the beach. I need to calm down.

  Work wise, she was done. She’d performed all her duties and had gone above and beyond, and now all she needed was the courage to go up to her room and pack. She’d stalled packing, because she knew every piece of clothing placed in her suitcase meant every thread of hope ripped away from her. This time, saying goodbye to him would sting her twice as hard.

  She leaned on a tall palm tree, and folded her arms, still prickled because of her frustration and anger. Sure, she could blame the strong current of wind blowing at her, but deep down, her naiveté was to blame.

  She heard footsteps behind her, and didn’t need to look over her shoulder to know who they belonged to. She did so anyway. Luc marched to her with his usual poise and confidence, the look on his face unreadable under the shadows of the night.

  “I thought you were done with running.” A touch of accusation in his voice.

  A spike of anger rose within her, for she knew he’d always hold her accountable for their past. For their time together and apart–and no earth shattering sex could ever change that. “I gathered whatever dignity I had and left, that’s hardly running.”

  He circled around and stood in front of her, hands on his waist. With a deep breath and a glow of defiance in his eyes, he said, “Are you talking about then or now?”

  “I don’t know anymore. Does it even matter? I’ll leave tomorrow.” There, she said it. Just like the ocean, their fate was out in the open.

  “I don’t want this to be the end, Penelope.”

  Shock flew through her, and cooled her bones. “You don’t?”

  “No.” Although his voice was firm, his lips turned into a soft, warm smile. “I don’t think I ever fully got over you. And perhaps that’s where my mistake was. Trying to get over.”

  Her heart thumped. The coolness of the surprise quickly turned into warm anticipation. He came closer, and she wanted to move but couldn’t–her only reaction was a sigh when he brushed her hair off of her face.

  “A relationship?” She inhaled deeply, half hoping she wasn’t making a fool of herself.

  He smiled. “And more.”

  More? Was he really ready for more? “If you really want more, you should know more.” She felt her lower lip tremble. There was no way she would build a relationship with anything left to say.

  “If this is about what happened…”

  She cleared her throat. “There’s something I never told you, Luc. At first, it didn’t matter when we reconnected professionally. And then when we became lovers again, well, I selfishly chose not to say it because I didn’t want to lose you.”

  “Go on.”

  She took a deep breath, and stared at the infinity of the sea one last time before her gaze landed on him. “A couple of months after I left NYC, I found out I was pregnant.”

  “Pregnant,” he murmured. His eyes widened at the revelation, and maybe by instinct, they trailed down and glanced at her belly for a moment.

  She squared her shoulders. “I lost it at five months. Her.” She swallowed the pain and pushed the stub
born words lodged in her throat. “It was a girl. Hannah, like my Nana.”

  Finally, his sad eyes rose and met hers. Disappointment visible on his hardened features, the bob making its way down his Adam’s apple. “What happened?”

  “I had a light bleeding and scheduled an ultra-sound,” she said out loud, and though her voice trembled when she remembered that sunny afternoon, she kept on going. “She didn’t have a heartbeat anymore.”

  “Heartbeat.” He repeated the word, as if he was just learning how to pronounce it. Carefully and slowly, with some reverence even. She wanted to know what went on inside his head. He carried the hurt in his eyes of someone who had been there.

  “I was induced into labor.” Tears welled in her eyes, and she no longer fought them. How could she? How to put into words the ripping pain she experienced when Hannah had turned out to be a stillborn, like the doctors had warned her? Like her parents, separately, had tried to explain to her. She’d known baby ultrasound machines couldn’t be wrong, but she had to believe in anything, even in the impossible, to pull through that sad laboring. The quiet recovery roomand the haunting cry of healthy babies coming to life in the delivery rooms near hers.

  “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked after a couple of minutes, his eyes hard and cold. The five little words she’d dreaded to hear from him.

  “I was two months pregnant when I found out. I was going to tell you, either later in the pregnancy or after she was born,” she answered truthfully. “I was still getting used to the idea.”

  “I could have helped, you know.”

  She shook her head. “How? I was in Florida, getting over a heartbreak and the pregnancy news. And you were in New York, taking care of your family.”

  “But you didn’t know it then. About my family.”

  She sniffed, and pressed her lips together to repress any other tears. “No, but I knew you were super ambitious and didn’t want to get tied down. What future would you have with me?”

  He stepped back, his expression gloomier than the darkness of night. “I guess we’ll never know.”