“What’s that mean?”
“It means you’re the boss. I’ll call my sister and see if she’s got some friends who can come down.”
Amelia grinned. If only Mr. Kensington had taken her ideas as seriously.
—
Samuel rolled over and yawned. It was tempting to stay on the Hedge Fun all day. It would have been a done deal if a certain dark-haired cutie was in bed next to him. But when he’d gotten back from the bar, after answering a shit ton of questions from Kai and Makoa about the hotel, she was gone.
“Probably for the best,” he said aloud, and recognized the sulk in his voice. Forcing himself to get up, he stretched all the kinks out of his back. He had a feeling that she wasn’t a two-week-only type of girl, and he didn’t want her to get her hopes up. Neither he nor his beach bum alter ego wanted a full-time girlfriend. Even so, his cock still throbbed at the thought of bending Amelia over on the lanai.
He set the coffee to brew while he hit the shower. Maybe it was time to shave and take the boat to Honolulu. But the thought of a random encounter with a stranger didn’t thrill him, not when the feel of Amelia’s soft body was in his mind. After the shower, he wrapped a towel around his hips and walked out on deck with his coffee. Squinting into the afternoon sun, he figured it was around lunchtime. He had a good chance of not being spotted if he left in the resort’s Zodiac inflatable boat. If anyone saw him, he could always say he had been giving private snorkel lessons to the kahuna on the yacht. But Samuel didn’t like to lie. Too many things to remember.
The waves looked calmer today. Maybe he’d swim in. Of course, that meant swimming back tonight. Or maybe he’d find a room with a lanai. Peering at the beach, he didn’t see the hot-pink swimsuit that Amelia had been wearing yesterday, the one that hugged her curves and gave him a mouthwatering glimpse of her cleavage. He went to the cabin for his binoculars and a refill of coffee. While he was at it, he checked to see what Gregson had put in the fridge for him for breakfast. The chef had stocked him up for the week. While nuking a bacon quiche, he scooped up some tropical fruit salad.
Back on the deck with his breakfast, Samuel popped some mango balls in his mouth and scanned the beach with his binoculars. He didn’t see her. A pang of disappointment hit him. Maybe Kai knew where she was. He went back in the cabin for his cellphone and dialed the front desk.
“Palekaiko Beach Resort,” a bright female voice answered the phone.
“If you’re going to answer the phone, at least pronounce the name of the hotel correctly,” he barked. Honestly, who was this chick? They were letting anyone answer the phone now? Tetsuo was still stonewalling him on the price negotiations. His staff needed to at least pretend to care about their jobs until they closed the hotel. “Where’s Kai?”
There was a short silence and then the pleasant voice spoke again. She sounded familiar. Was it one of the maids? “I’m sorry, Kai is away until this afternoon,” she said. “May I help you with something, sir?”
“Who is this?” He was going to kick Kai’s ass for shifting his work onto one of the cleaning staff. But at least she sounded American and was polite.
“This is Amelia. I’m filling in for Kai today. I would be pleased to book a tour for you, or perhaps I can take a message.”
“Amelia?” Samuel almost dropped the phone.
“Yes, sir. I’m…um…new.”
No, you’re on vacation. “Do you work for me?” he snapped out.
“I don’t even know who you are, sir.”
He smirked at the subtle “fuck you” in her tone. “This is Samuel Kincaide.”
“Oh, the big kahuna. Yes, I’ve heard a lot about you. What can I do for you, sir?”
Samuel’s smile burst forth at her pleasant sunshiny tone, which belied what she really wanted to say to him. He also noticed she didn’t answer his question. He pictured her sassing him from behind the desk. It wasn’t a lanai, but he had thoughts of coming up behind her and finishing what they’d started last night. He wondered what she was wearing. Was she in khaki shorts and a Hawaiian shirt to match the boys? Or maybe a wrap dress that he could peel off her…
“Are you still there, Mr. Kincaide?”
Shaking himself out of the erotic daydream, he said, “I’m pretty sure you’re not on my payroll. So why are you answering my phone?” But he eased off on the hard-ass tone in his voice. She was a guest, after all.
“I’m helping out a friend.”
“Kai’s your friend?” Jealousy slammed through him. Had she left him last night to warm Kai’s bed? He shook his head. No—if she had, they’d still be in bed. Besides, Kai had a girl and she was expecting. Kai might be a slack-ass, but he wasn’t a cheater.
“Mr. Kincaide, I hate to rush you, but we are short-staffed and I don’t want to keep a guest waiting. What can I do for you?”
“Where’s Hani?” So help him, if he and Kai were fishing again, he’d fire them without severance.
“Hani is setting up for the afternoon tea.”
“The afternoon what?”
She kept speaking as if she didn’t hear him. “And Makoa is with the washer repairman. I think Dude is on the beach.”
“He is?” Samuel looked through the binoculars, but his hammock was empty.
“Would you like me to get him for you?” she asked sweetly.
He wondered if she suspected he was Dude and was trying to catch him.
“No, that lazy bum is probably drunk.”
“He’s not lazy,” she said. “He’s a valuable member of this staff. Did you know he saved a woman from drowning yesterday?”
Samuel was touched. No one had ever stood up for him before. “I wasn’t aware of that.” He cleared his throat to get rid of the huskiness. “No, I don’t need to speak with Dude. Tell me about this afternoon tea.”
“Oh, that.”
Yes, that. Because he was damned sure there wasn’t an afternoon tea scheduled today—or ever, for that matter.
“The ladies from Ohio were going to have their bridge game at the Marriott, but the hotel was going to make them rent one of the ballrooms. Isn’t that ridiculous? So I told them they could bring their friends here. We would set up a pavilion out by the pool and serve an afternoon tea for fifteen dollars a head.”
“Fifteen dollars a head?”
“It works out,” she assured him. “Most of them are guests, so the food and drink would have already been included, and the sixteen guests from the other resort more than pay for themselves.”
“That’s not a big profit margin for the amount of setup and cleanup we’re going to have to do.”
“Well, it was last-minute and I kind of panicked.”
“You shouldn’t have panicked.”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” she was quick to assure him.
He hadn’t meant it as a criticism. He had meant that she was on vacation and shouldn’t have to worry about things like making money.
“What profit margin should I be looking to get?” she said.
“Mark it up a hundred percent,” he told her. “We’re on an island. It would still beat the Marriott’s prices.” Renting a ballroom for a few old ladies…he rolled his eyes.
“Well, I can’t do anything about the price after I already quoted them. But I was planning on upselling them on one of our excursions. If I can get them to go on the lavender farm tour, we’d pick up the additional sixteen women who aren’t staying with us. I might even be able to schedule a stop at the winery for a percentage of sales, and that’s pure profit since we’ve got them out there anyway.”
Samuel grunted. Smart and sexy. Still, he had to get off the phone. The more she talked to him, the more he ran the risk of her recognizing him as Dude. He’d have to really play up the stoner idiot routine, as his brother called it, the next time he saw her. “Please have Kai call me when he returns.”
“He’s not in trouble, is he?”
“Why? Did he save a lady from drowning yesterday too?”
“Not to my knowledge. But he works very hard. You should think about adding on to the staff.”
“Are you looking for a job?” Then he winced. Of course she was. He didn’t mean to throw that in her face.
“You couldn’t afford me,” she retorted.
Good for her. But he couldn’t stop himself from taunting her a bit. He liked getting her riled up. “I can afford a lot of things.”
“No doubt. What number can Kai reach you at?”
“He knows it,” Samuel said, not wanting to get off the phone with her, even if it was the smart thing to do.
“Very well, I’ll give him that message. Aloha.”
“Aloha,” he said warmly before hanging up.
He could do two weeks. It sure as shit wouldn’t be boring. Someone needed to get Amelia to relax and enjoy her vacation. He’d make sure sweet thing had the time of her life and got back on the plane with nice memories and without pining for that jerk who’d screwed around on her.
Chapter 6
“I can’t believe you forgot the coffee,” Amelia moaned as Kai shuffled his feet.
“E kala mai,” he said. And he looked sorry too.
Oh, well, the pool would have to wait. She was not going to spend another day drinking Folgers. “This place better be spectacular.” Amelia waved the piece of paper with the address of Maui Grindz on it.
“Be back here before dark,” Makoa said.
“Why? Is my car going to turn into a pumpkin?”
“Nah. It’s just that the roads are easier in the daylight.”
Great. She’d probably end up in a ditch or over a cliff, the way her luck was running. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Wahine, you goin’ somewhere?”
She’d been wondering when Dude would show up. Amelia had prepared herself to see him at lunch, but he hadn’t appeared. “I’m on a mission.”
“You need a co-pilot?” He smiled at her.
He was wearing a shirt, which was a shame, and board shorts. Amelia had been hoping that with a full night’s sleep and a decent meal, he’d be less attractive. But unfortunately, she still wanted to jump his scruffy-looking bod.
“I booked you three lessons for tomorrow,” she said.
“What?” The smile slid off his face.
“Nine-thirty, eleven, and three.” Amelia handed him a clipboard with the guests’ information on a piece of paper. It was easy to be all business. If she thought of yesterday at all, she would die of embarrassment.
“In the morning?”
“The three o’clock one is in the afternoon,” she said with an apologetic shrug.
He glared at Kai.
“Don’t blame him. I booked you. Look at it this way—it’s some extra money in your pocket.” Amelia took a bottle of water from the cooler. “Anyone want anything from Maui Grindz?”
“I wouldn’t turn down a slice of pineapple banana cake,” Makoa said.
“Tropical muffin,” Kai piped up.
“Maple bacon glazed doughnut.” Hani raised his hand.
Everybody stopped and looked at him. “Are you serious?” Amelia said.
“Oh, yeah. It’s new.”
“I’ll get a dozen.” Amelia wrote it all down on one of the hotel’s logo notepads. “What about you, Dude?”
“I’m comin’ wit.”
“Wit?”
“You,” he clarified. “I’m going to drive.”
Yeah, that’ll be an uncomfortable ride. “Have you been drinking?” She leaned in and took a sniff, but he just smelled like lime and coconut, which shouldn’t be as ridiculously sexy as it was.
“Not yet.” He winked at her. “I just got up.”
Amelia gaped at him. Maybe he hadn’t been alone last night after all. She was surprised at how hurt she was that he’d easily replaced her. Taking a deep breath, she focused on the task at hand: coffee.
“I don’t think you’re covered under my rental agreement,” Amelia said. Maybe they could just forget last night had happened?
“Did you drive a car in New York?” he challenged, a determined glint in his eye.
“No. That’s what the bus and subway are for.”
Kai and Hani winced. Makoa shrugged. “Your funeral,” he said.
“I’m a very good driver.” Amelia wondered if she sounded like Rain Man. Yeah. Really good driver. She sighed. Might as well get it over with on the way to coffee. “Fine, you can come with me, but no backseat driving.”
“Sweet thing, if I’m in the backseat we won’t be driving.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” She jangled her keys. “Let’s go. Coffee’s brewing.”
“Okay,” Dude said, shrugging. “You can pull over after the first hairpin turn.”
“Ha, what do you take me for?” Amelia motioned him to follow her to the parking garage. “I’m a New York chick. Nothing scares me.”
The ride out started beautifully. She rolled down all the windows. “Man, I wish I’d rented a convertible.”
Dude put on a local station and they rocked out for a bit. She was glad he didn’t start in on the questions or explanations right away. It was fun to sing off-key with him to Jimmy Buffet. It started to feel like a vacation.
“Okay, wahine,” he said. “Get ready. There’s no visibility coming your way. This time of day, you’ll probably only get a few locals on motorcycles or scooters. Stay the course; they’ll veer around you. If we meet a truck, stop, and back the heck up.”
“Who has the right of way?”
“The bigger car. There’s not enough room for you to go around it. Next time I’ll put you on the back of my bike.”
Two hairpin turns later, she pulled the car over. “You can drive.”
They switched seats quickly, and Dude pulled them back onto the road.
“That’s pretty intense,” she said. “Mahalo.”
“One day working at the resort and you’re a native.” He gave her the shaka.
“Use both hands,” Amelia screeched.
“That’s what she said.” He winked at her.
Amelia settled into the seat and tried to rub feeling back into her knuckles. “How did you know I was working today?”
“Your name badge kind of gives it away, sunshine.”
“Oh.” Amelia blushed and put it in her purse. “Makoa’s sister makes them.”
“Yeah, I know her.”
“How well do you know her?” Amelia arched an eyebrow at him.
“Why do you care?” he returned.
Here it comes. “Yeah, about that…”
“No worries, sistah. I get it. A girl like you and a guy like me…” He lifted a shoulder in a half shrug.
“No, don’t be silly.” Amelia waved her hand to dismiss the thought. “I came on like a ton of bricks. I don’t blame you for not coming back.”
“Wait,” he said. “I came back. You weren’t there. I looked all over for you.”
“You came back?” It was ridiculous to want to cry just because Dude hadn’t run out on her. “I thought I scared you off. You took so long at the bar I thought that was my cue to leave.”
“No.” He shook his head. “You got it all wrong. I got stopped a few times by the boys. Next time, I’ll tell them to leave me alone because I got a hot number waiting for me. Went to sleep thinking about your sweet kisses, sunshine.”
That soothed any residual hurt feelings. “It was probably for the best. I needed a solid twelve hours of sleep. But I’m sorry I didn’t stick around.”
“So, you sayin’ if I can find a lanai tonight…?” His lips quirked up.
“I think I’m ready to be your two-week stand, if you can handle that type of commitment.” From the sudden silence, Amelia thought she’d shocked him. But it could be he was concentrating on the white-knuckle turns.
“I figured you’d go down to Honolua Bay and pick yourself up a pro,” Dude finally said.
“Pro as in a hooker?” she asked, astonished.
He snort
ed. “Pro surfer. One of those rich boys.”
“Ugh.” Amelia shuddered. “I hate rich guys.”
“What?” Dude gave her the side eye.
“I mean it. I’m never dating a rich man again.”
“Again?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Jay and I didn’t live in the same world, even if we shared the same bed. He’s never worked a day in his life.”
Jay was used to money solving all his problems. Girlfriend pissed off? Offer to pay her back for the vacation she spent her life savings on. Caveat: she had to agree to an open relationship. Jerk.
“Not all rich men are like that. Some are rich because they worked their asses off.”
“Sure,” Amelia agreed. “But they’re all old men. I don’t have daddy issues. I want a guy my own age, you know?”
“I hear you, but there are younger men with money.”
“Yeah, entitled assholes who think they can buy everything and everyone. No way. Been there, done that. Worked like an indentured servant to prove I wasn’t mooching off him.” She shuddered. “All the while, he was doing the humpty dance with Jiggly Boobs the barista.”
“You need to move on.”
“Dude, it was two days ago.”
“Life’s too short.”
“I am moving on,” she said, waving her hand out the window. “I’m expanding my coffee horizons and considering a two-week fling. Are you in or out?”
“You sure you don’t want a surfer? All the tourists go wild over the bad boys.”
“I’m not sure I could take their egos. Besides, I’m not really the surf bunny demographic. Wrong color hair. Tits are too small. Hips too big.”
“Hey, I like your tits and hips.”
“You’re a charmer,” she told him.
“I call it like I see it,” Dude said unapologetically. “Your hair is nani too.”
“Does that mean snarly and hard to control?”
“No, it means ‘pretty.’ ”
Amelia beamed. “You think I’m pretty?”
“Among other things.” He reached over to hold her hand, but she put it firmly back on the wheel.
“We’ll have plenty of time for that later,” she said, pushing her hair back over her ear, suddenly feeling shy. “I’m not usually like this. I just want to be reckless and carefree. I really would like to be your lover for the next two weeks. But this is the last time I’m asking.”
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