Hawaiian Holiday: Destination Desire, Book 2
Page 16
Lalei Kai-Ho’omalu stood at the end of the public pier in Kailua Harbor, Kona, Hawaii. Around her, tourists chattered happily in various languages as they snapped photos of each other against the backdrop of Kona Town and the sunlit expanse of the sea. Many of them would be from the cruise ship anchored just outside the harbor, a white bulk against the azure sky and sea.
She was probably the only person in Kona who would rather be anywhere else but here. Her stomach tightened as a white catamaran motored slowly toward her across the harbor, tall rainbow sail snapping in the warm afternoon breeze, white wake churning. At the wheel, a young Hawaiian kept a watchful eye on the pair of long outrigger canoes crossing the harbor before them. Another crewman waited at the forward rail.
Lalei curled her toes in her strappy sandals, bracing her legs against the urge to bolt, ditch her expensive luggage and run as far and as fast as she could. Once she was on that boat, there would be no escape.
“Lalei,” said a voice in her ear, sharp and sweet as broken sugar candy. “You are ignoring your guest.”
Lalei turned just enough to see her mother standing behind her, carefully away from the wave-splashed edge of the pier. Suzy Kai-Ho’omalu was the picture of Hawaiian chic in her wide hat and coral linen dress, a big flowered scarf over her arm. Her nails were glossy red, her thin hands ornamented with heavy gold jewelry. Her chin length dark hair accentuated her lovely face. Behind her designer sunglasses, narrowed eyes watched Lalei.
Lalei flicked a glance at the man standing guard over their luggage. Benton Choy stood with his feet braced apart, hands in the pockets of his slacks. His square face was bland behind his sunglasses. In his black slacks and black-and-white Hawaiian shirt, he looked smooth and successful, like a shark patrolling the island waters. And she was the tasty little fishy.
“Sorry, Mama, but I think of Benton as your guest,” Lalei answered, careful to keep her voice light. “You two always have so much to talk about.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Suzy’s voice sweetened further, in the tone that always made Lalei want to check for syrup dripping from her mother’s carefully lip-sticked mouth. “We talk about your future, you foolish girl. Which will be bright if you put a little effort into it, instead of pouting here.”
“I’m not pouting. Just…enjoying the scenery.” Searching for a handy coral formation to dart behind.
Her mother flicked her hand, her scarf fluttering. “You are my daughter. I know the difference. You’ve been pouting all the way from Oahu, and it had better stop now. There are plenty of pretty girls who would love to catch Benton’s eye.”
Not that they had a chance, with Suzy shoving Lalei in front of him at every opportunity. But Lalei knew better than to argue—it would only set off another tirade about the precarious state of their finances. Followed by how Benton would be happy to save their home, their bank account and shower Lalei with luxuries besides. All she had to do was marry him.
She swallowed as her stomach knotted, as it did whenever he got too close. Didn’t bode well for the time when he would want to kiss her…and more.
The catamaran eased to a stop beside them, and one crewman leaped off, grabbing the bow rope as the big boat bounced lightly against the rubber bumpers fastened around the pier. The logo on his white T-shirt matched the larger one on the side, a dolphin leaping through the encircling words Hawaiian Dive. The boat belonged to Frank Lelua, employee and friend of her cousins.
“Time to board,” Lalei said, taking a step away from her mother. “Don’t want to be late for the wedding.”
Her mother grasped her bare arm, her manicured nails digging into Lalei’s flesh. “Stop evading me, young lady. You will do as I say, or—” Her voice died abruptly, and she smiled past Lalei, cocking her head like a hungry bird spotting a juicy worm. “Ah, Benton. Lalei was just telling me how excited she is to introduce you to her cousins.”
Lalei tensed as Benton’s expensive shaving cologne filled her nostrils. As usual, he smelled as if he had bathed in the stuff. She’d contrived to sit on her mother’s far side on the flight from Oahu, but she’d still felt inundated by his scent and his smug, possessive gaze.
“I look forward to meeting them.” His hand, hot and damp, settled on the small of Lalei’s back.
Her lips curved up in the polite smile ingrained by a lifetime of social training, although the knot in her stomach was so tight she felt truly nauseous, and her arm hurt where Suzy had grasped it.
“Yes, I can’t wait.” She crossed her arms, rubbing the sore one surreptitiously, and stepped away from Benton’s hand.
Beyond Benton, another couple stopped by the boat. The woman was small and slim in a chic purple sundress and hat. Her stocky husband let go of the handle of a huge suitcase to put a solicitous arm around her. She smiled at him, and he bent under the brim of her hat to kiss her.
Lalei recognized them. Gabe and Sara Paalani were friends of her cousins from Maui. Happy and in love. She’d heard some couples were—just didn’t get to witness it that often.
Those in her set seemed to marry to consolidate business empires and fortunes, or save them. As her mother expected her to do.
Then another man sauntered onto the pier. Tall, broad-shouldered and athletic in his blue polo shirt and casual shorts, sunglasses on his tanned face, blond hair lifting from his forehead with the afternoon breeze. He greeted the Paalanis, his handsome face creasing in a smile.
Lalei recognized him, too. Jack Nord, college friend of David and Daniel. He’d played football with them at the University of Hawaii. Now he lived in California. He was in sales of some kind.
Whatever. He might be handsome enough to be mistaken for a film star, but he was here for only a few days, then gone. She had enough problems without acknowledging the unwelcome curl of attraction his tall, athletic body and deep, lazy voice roused in her.
Besides, unless she could break free of her mother’s plans, he and every other attractive single guy on the planet were off limits. If she married, she wouldn’t seek solace in any arms but her husband’s. She knew how much cheating hurt.
Hawaiian Holiday
Crystal Jordan
What happens on the island, lingers in the heart.
Destination: Desire, Book 2
Julie Simms moved back to Half Moon Bay to take over her ailing great aunt’s fiber arts store, and stayed by her side until the end. Now it’s Julie’s first Christmas without the sassy old lady, and grief drives her to take some much-needed time off away from a town full of memories.
A week in Honolulu—hula dancers, coconut palms, and sunny beaches—is exactly what she needs, plus a bonus: meeting a gorgeous man who makes her forget everything except getting naked. With him. As often as possible.
Stanford Professor Lukas Klein, who’s just finished up a conference and is ready for a break, hasn’t been this intensely attracted to a woman since his divorce. He’s been leery of getting too deeply involved in a relationship, yet Julie is a breath of fresh air he can’t resist. And doesn’t even want to try.
Half Moon Bay and Stanford aren’t that far apart, but the magic of paradise could be too far removed from reality to let an attraction this mind-blowing last forever.
Warning: Crochet bikinis and sex on the beach (the drink and the real thing). Hawaiian breezes ignite an affair hot enough to reanimate a dormant volcano.
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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
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Hawaiian Holiday
Copyright © 2013 by Crystal Jordan
Edited by Holly Atkinson
Cover by Valerie Tibbs
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: December 2013
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