“He texted me earlier,” Jordan said with a shrug. “Great first day, off to happy hour with his coworkers. Apparently they wanted to show him ‘the island way of life’ or something—whatever that means.”
“Well that sounds like a pretty awesome first day to me,” Abby said as the bartender brought over their drinks. “Cheers to new beginnings,” she said. “For all of us.”
“To new beginnings,” Jordan and I chimed in, although I was feeling somewhat uneasy. Yes, Jordan was Mike’s brother, but would a quick text to me have killed him? He knew I was starting my new job today, too. I sighed. I knew I was making a big deal about nothing, but this summer was already turning out to be more complicated than I planned.
***
A couple of hours later I was back in my hotel room, enjoying the view of the beach from my balcony. I’d felt a little bad being the third wheel earlier since Abby and Jordan were newlyweds, but they had come up to join me. They were probably enjoying their romantic dinner together now anyway. I’d made myself comfortable on one of the lounge chairs with a book and glass of sparkling water. I cringed slightly as I remembered Mike on the balcony with me the other night. Was this whole resort going to remind me of him in some way? Maybe I’d be better off getting an apartment somewhere.
My phone beeped on the chair next to me, and I picked it up, glancing at the screen, and was surprised to see that it was Mike himself calling.
“Hi Mike,” I said, hesitantly into the phone.
“Hey baby. How was your first day?”
“Great. How about yours? Did you get all settled into your new apartment yesterday?”
“Yeah, I wanted to call you, but things were crazy. I mean it’s furnished, so it’s not like I had that much to move in, but I had to get groceries, get my uniforms unpacked, that sort of thing. And I got a later start than planned, since I spent all morning with you—not that I regret a moment.”
I laughed as some of my nerves began to settle. “I ran into Abby and Jordan tonight at the bar on the beach.”
“Oh yeah? I figured they’d be off doing honeymoon couple stuff together.”
“They were,” I concurred. “Snorkeling this morning and a romantic dinner this evening. I guess I happened to catch them during their down time.”
“While you were crashing the honeymoon, I just spent the evening at a luau,” he said with a laugh.
“A luau? Seriously?”
“Yeah, we were supposed to have an office happy hour to welcome me and this other guy. Somehow it turned into a luau instead.”
“Well, it sounds like fun.”
“It was okay. I would have rather seen you.”
I smiled, glad that he couldn’t see me over the phone. “I would’ve rather seen you, too. Abby and Jordan aren’t really my type.”
Mike laughed, a sexy rumble in my ear, and suddenly I was dying for him to be next to me again. “I was thinking maybe we could go hiking on Saturday—check out one of the waterfalls on the island. If you want to, of course. I’m open to other suggestions.”
“Hiking sounds great. Should we meet somewhere? Or—”
I didn’t get to finish before Mike cut me off. “I’ll come pick you up. Maybe around 10:00 a.m.? I picked up my rental car yesterday, too, so I’ve got wheels now. We can bring a picnic lunch if that sounds good.”
“That sounds perfect. So I guess I’ll see you Saturday?”
“Yeah, definitely. I’m actually swinging by the resort later on though. I have to get my tux back to my dad. He’s offered to return them all, and I didn’t get a chance to get it to him yesterday.”
“Oh, yeah, I guess you need to return that,” I said, surprised that he’d be coming back here tonight. “You want to come by for a little while?”
“I’d love to, but I can’t. I’ve got another really early morning.”
“Oh, right,” I said, confused. Why was he telling me that he was coming here if I wouldn’t actually see him?
Chapter 13
Abby and Jordan stopped by the restaurant Wednesday morning to say goodbye. They were jetting off to Maui, and I knew by the end of the week most of the other wedding guests would be gone, too. Vacation had to end sometime—except for me, of course, since I’d decided to extend it for the entire summer.
“So, I’ll send you your things sometime next week, all right hun?” Abby asked, giving me a big hug goodbye. Her long, Hawaiian print maxi-dress swirled around here, and I glanced down at my own khaki pants and chef’s jacket. She looked a million times cuter than me at the moment, not that anyone was here to notice.
“You’re a lifesaver,” I said. “Have a fabulous time in Maui!”
“I’m counting on it,” she said with a grin.
Jordan walked over to hug me goodbye as well. “So I take it Mike’s having a hard time adjusting, huh?”
I pulled back, confused. “What do you mean?”
Jordan eyes me curiously. “He hasn’t been sleeping well. I told him it was just the time difference, but I think he’s having nightmares.”
“Nightmares? He didn’t mention anything like that….” My voice trailed off as I realized how little I really knew about him. Why was he having nightmares? From his time in Afghanistan? He’d barely mentioned anything about his life in the military at all, aside from things not going well before he came here. And that was as vague as vague could be. We’d spent two nights together, and I certainly didn’t remember him waking up with nightmares. Not that we’d done much actual sleeping….
“Tread easy with him, okay? I know he likes you, but he’s having a tough time right now. Don’t get involved if you don’t mean it.”
“Come on, babe, gotta jet!” Abby called out.
“Tread easy? He’s the one chasing after me.”
“I know. He just doesn’t know what’s best for him right now. He might need a little time to decompress is all.”
“So, let me get this straight. You don’t want me seeing your brother?” I asked in disbelief. “We just spent the entire weekend together.”
Jordan shrugged. “Yeah. You weren’t planning to stick around all summer though. That changes things.”
“Give me a little credit, please. Of course Mike knew I might be staying the summer. And anyway, it’s none of your damn business.”
“Just go easy on the guy is all I’m saying.”
“Everything okay?” Abby asked, glancing up from her phone as she glanced at Jordan and me.
“Great,” I said tightly. “Have a good trip.”
“Aloha!” Abby called out as she blew me an air kiss and turned to the door.
“Just be careful,” Jordan said. “Bye, Erin.”
Careful? What on earth was that supposed to mean?
***
The rest of the week consisted of a whirlwind of baking sessions, introductions, and meetings with the other chefs on staff. Jacques had the idea to offer specials carrying a particular flavor through the entire meal—entrée to dessert. A patron might order a specialty cocktail featuring pineapples, then have grilled fish with a delicious pineapple salsa followed up by a dessert starring the same fruit. I liked the idea and found it fun working within the constraints of a specific flavor each day. I’d also been busy concocting some more of my own creations—a chocolate molten lava cake spiced with cinnamon and miniature wedding cakes that were cupcake-size, but consisting of three tiers, to celebrate the couples here on their anniversary or honeymoon. Abby would’ve loved those, I thought with a grin. Maybe I’d make one for Jordan and her when I got home.
On Saturday morning I nervously got ready, waiting for Mike to pick me up. He’d texted me once during the week just to confirm our date, but I hadn’t heard from him otherwise since then. I was starting to feel a little anxious that Jordan was right and something was up but then decided I was being silly. A knock sounded on my door at exactly 10:00 a.m., and I glanced down at my attire for the day: cut-off denim shorts, a tank top, and running shoes. I did
n’t have any hiking boots with me, but I hoped wherever we were going this would be okay. My hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and I’d already liberally applied sunscreen since we’d be out all morning in the tropical heat.
“Hey, baby,” Mike said as I pulled open the door. He was wearing his camo cargo shorts again and a white tee. He hadn’t shaved since yesterday morning and had a hint of dark stubble along his strong jaw. The overall effect was sexy-as-hell, and I knew it had been too long since I’d last seen him. His strong hands wrapped around my waist and he bent down for a quick kiss. “I missed you,” he said huskily, drawing me closer to him and wrapping me up in his arms. I rested my cheek against the soft fabric of his shirt and inhaled his purely masculine scent. Maybe it had been a mistake to agree to hiking—I’d be perfectly content snuggling in bed together and ordering room service for the rest of the day.
“We better hit the road before we never leave,” he said with a twinkle in his eye as he pulled back. “I for one am overly fond of that bed over there.”
I playfully swatted him on the arm.
“Let’s go then. I don’t have my hiking boots here so I just wore sneakers. Is that okay?”
“Yeah, it should be fine,” he said, glancing down at my footwear. “A lot of these trails to the waterfalls are pretty worn from all the tourists, so it’s not like we’re hiking over anything too treacherous. I can always carry you if need be,” he joked.
“You’re going to carry me?” I asked skeptically.
“Sure,” he said, easily bending me down and hoisting me up over his shoulder.
“Mike,” I squealed, kicking my feet in protest. “Put me down!”
“I got you,” he said, lightly swatting me on the ass as he strode across the room.
“Mike!” I shrieked again.
He bent down and playfully tossed me onto the bed as I laughed. “Mmmm,” he growled. “I can see you might need some more of my assistance. Let me do a thorough inspection….” He tugged up the bottom of my tank top and softly kissed my stomach, slowly working his way down toward the waist of my shorts with a trail of kisses.
“And how are you feeling?” he asked huskily, unbuttoning my jean shorts as I trembled. His knuckles grazed against my skin as he worked, and I inhaled sharply. He knelt down on the floor, kissing his way up my inner thigh as he tugged off each of my socks and sneakers.
“I thought we were going hiking,” I weakly protested.
“All in good time,” he murmured, sliding down the zipper of my shorts before tugging them off of my body. I was wearing a skimpy pair of hot pink satin panties trimmed in lace and Mike bent down and kissed my center, not even bothering to remove them. “Can you feel me through these?” he asked, slowly working his tongue up until he found my throbbing clit.
“Yes,” I gasped as he laved against me.
“Because these are so damn sexy. I almost don’t want to pull them off,” he said, letting his fingers edge under the lace trim.
“Leave them on,” I agreed.
He bent down and lightly flicked his tongue over me again. The silk of the material rubbed erotically against my most sensitive spot, and I gasped as I realized he was going to make me come without even removing my panties. He spread my legs further apart and sucked on my clit, causing me to rise up off the bed. “I got you,” he murmured, placing his hands on my thighs. I clutched the bedspread in my hands, trying to find anything to hold onto as Mike drove me absolutely out of my mind. He licked me again, flicking his tongue faster and faster, until the heat seared through me and I was arching off of the bed screaming his name.
“Sorry,” he said, rising to his feet as I slowly came back down to earth. “I guess you, uh, may need another pair before we go.” He grinned down at me and didn’t look sorry at all.
“Uh, no need to apologize for that,” I said, sitting up on the edge of the bed.
Mike held out a hand and helped me to my feet, pulling me into his muscular arms. He dipped his head low so that his mouth brushed against my ear. “Good. Because I love watching you come apart because of me,” he said in a low voice.
“Is that so,” I commented lightly.
“Ummm-hmmm. And I plan to continue pleasuring you later on….”
I pulled back and flashed him a smile before walking over to my suitcase. “Let me just get changed and we can go.” I pulled a black pair of panties from my bag and Mike growled approvingly. “Maybe I’ll change in the bathroom,” I said, teasingly dangling them on one finger. “Otherwise we might never get out of here.”
Mike raised his eyebrows. “As long as I get to thoroughly examine them tonight.”
“We’ll see,” I said with a wink before sauntering away.
Chapter 14
“God, this is beautiful!” I exclaimed an hour later, admiring the massive waterfall gushing before us. The sunlight hit the waterfall just right so that it looked like a rainbow was coming out from it, spanning over the creek below. The sound of water crashing down was soothing, drowning out the other noises around us. The sun and blue skies above were barely visible through the thick foliage, and I felt like I was lost in a tropical forest on a deserted island, not just a few miles from Waikiki.
Mike swung his black backpack to the ground and pulled out a water bottle, asking if I wanted a drink, too.
I gratefully took one of the water bottles, from him, taking a long swig. We’d taken our time hiking down a path from the road, not really in hurry and simply enjoying one another’s company. The trail was well-worn as Mike had promised, and we even passed an older couple as we began our descent. There was certainly no point in wondering if I could manage in my sneakers if they were able to easily make it there and back.
“Pretty much all of Hawaii is gorgeous,” Mike agreed. “It sure beats the damn desert.”
“I can only imagine,” I said with a laugh.
“Maybe we can explore someplace new next weekend,” Mike said casually.
I looked over and flashed him a grin, surprised to see him uncertain for a change. “Definitely. Maybe snorkeling? Abby and Jordan had a blast, and I’ve been wanting to try it.”
“Snorkeling it is then,” he said, returning my grin. “Are you hungry for lunch yet? I’ve got a blanket in here, too, that we can spread on the ground.”
“That sounds perfect,” I agreed. “Maybe over there so we’re off the path a bit? I’m sure there’s other people playing tourist like us this morning.”
“That’s a sure thing,” he agreed.
We walked a little ways off the path toward the edge of the waterfall. If the wind blew in the right direction, a small spray misted over us, but it felt refreshing in the eighty-degree weather. Mike dropped his backpack to the ground and pulled out a tropical print blanket. I raised my eyebrows questioningly, as it didn’t seem like something he would own.
“I bought it last night,” he said with a shrug. “I started to realize I didn’t have any blankets to use, and a beach towel didn’t seem big enough.”
“It’s perfect,” I said with a smile. “I didn’t exactly pack any spare blankets either since I was only supposed to be here on a two-week vacation.”
“How’d they take it when you said you weren’t coming back?” Mike asked, pulling out packages of food.
“Not so well,” I said, eyeing the spread before me: A crusty loaf of bread and assortment of sliced cheeses and deli meats, pre-packaged fruit salad, granola bars, and gooey chocolate brownies.
“The granola bars were in case we got hungry earlier,” he said as he tossed them aside. “I wasn’t sure how long it would take to get down here.”
“Everything’s perfect.”
“Hmmm… I might’ve forgotten to pack plates. I’ve got plenty of napkins though.”
“It’s fine,” I said with a laugh. “Napkins work, too.”
I tore off some of the bread and selected a slice of cheese to go on top as well as a piece of prosciutto, making myself an open-face sandwich.
“Delicious,” I said, after taking a bite.
“Oh, and I’ve got wine, too,” Mike said with a grin. “I’m not technically sure if it’s allowed here, but I smuggled some in anyway. And it’s even got a twist-off cap—no need for a corkscrew.”
“I thought all you military men had Swiss army knives with corkscrews on them,” I pointed out.
“Well, you might be right,” he said with a laugh. “And here I thought I was being clever.”
“Hey, I’m not complaining,” I said, leaning over and planting a kiss on his lips.
“I should’ve sliced the bread before packing our picnic,” he said with a frown, pulling a hunk off for himself.
“It still tastes delicious.”
Mike made himself an open-face sandwich similar to mine and dug in. I helped myself to some of the fruit, enjoying the pineapple and papaya mixed in with coconut chunks. I took my small plastic cup and sipped on the white wine Mike had brought, pleased that he’d put so much thought into our picnic lunch. I also wondered what Jordan had been referring to when he said Mike was having trouble adjusting. The guy looked perfectly relaxed and happy to me.
“So you said your boss wasn’t too happy you weren’t coming back?”
“No, she was expecting me to be gone for a vacation—not an entire summer. She couldn’t guarantee a position would be open for me when I got back. But honestly? I have so much creative free-reign in Jacques’s kitchen that I’d never have grown as a pastry chef without taking this job. His guidance has been invaluable so far. Whenever I do go back, I’m hoping to open my own bakery. I’ve got some money saved up, and I think I could make a real go of it.”
“That’s awesome. And for perfectly selfish reasons, I’m glad you decided to stay.”
“So how’ve you been adjusting? I’m sure this beats being stationed in the Middle East. Jordan said you were having some trouble, though?”
Mike stiffened as he met my gaze. “You and Jordan were talking about me?”
“Well, it’s not like we were talking about you per se. He just told me to be careful, that’s all.”
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