He began setting things out on the covered lanai, surrounded by coconut palm trees and adorned with orange and purple bougainvillea, expecting the guests to show up at any moment.
Gene paused, taking stock of his bed-and-breakfast. There were four guest suites, each designed with its own theme that reflected the island: Ocean Suite, Beach Suite, Garden Suite, and Paradise Suite. Currently only the Paradise Suite was unoccupied, until the guests arrived later this afternoon.
Gene was happy to handle most everything himself these days, with some occasional assistance from Dayna Yee, a Filipino woman who lived down the street and had once run her own bed-and-breakfast with her husband until he died a decade ago. Tapping into his marketing background, Gene had been able to effectively promote the business on the internet and various other travel sources, to make sure Maui-bound travelers and even locals looking for a little escape from the norm were aware of Malloy’s Bed and Breakfast as a welcoming place for all.
Gene’s thoughts returned briefly to Sloane, remembering how good she’d felt in his arms. Her skin was so soft and her body lithe, with bends and folds in all the right places, seemingly made just for him. He would rescue her any day, anytime. He was sure they could create their own fireworks were the opportunity to ever present itself.
“Something smells really good,” Judith Westchester said, entering the lanai with her husband, Brook.
Gene grinned, watching the seventyish couple approach him. “That would be the coffee,” he told her, breathing in the aroma himself. “Grown right here in the West Maui Mountains. Only the freshest and very best for my guests.”
“That’s what we like to hear,” Brook Westchester said, touching his glasses.
“Help yourself,” Gene said, raising his hand. “You’ll find everything you need to start your day.”
“In that case, we’ll dig in,” Judith said.
Soon other guests filtered in and had breakfast en route to making the most of their stay on the island with various activities, some arranged by Gene. By eleven o’clock, he had put the dishes in the dishwasher, cleaned up, and pretty much had the rest of the day to himself. It gave him plenty of time to think about that lovely lady named Sloane, who had practically materialized before his eyes, as if from the sea itself.
It was past noon when Sloane, dressed professionally in a silver skirt suit and matching sandals, greeted guests arriving at the Island Shores Resort.
“Aloha,” she said warmly to a young couple who seemed hopelessly in love, placing traditional flower leis over their heads.
“Aloha!” they said back excitedly.
Sloane gave them a big smile, wanting all the guests to feel at home and prepare to have the time of their lives. She could only imagine what it must be like to be in love with someone and share that affection on the island of Maui, where everything was so beautiful and idyllic. Maybe someday she would get to find out, assuming such a man would enter her life and they could both fully commit themselves to each other.
Her mind wandered to an hour earlier when telling her colleague and new friend, Kendra Arquette, about her scary and exhilarating experience on the beach.
“I never saw the wave coming,” she related. “If my hero hadn’t come along when he did, who knows what might have happened…”
Kendra, who had worked at the hotel for a year since moving to Hawaii from Illinois, leaned forward over the front desk. “No reason to even go there. Besides, from what you tell me, this hottie hunk you’ve described would never have let you drown.”
“So he says.”
“Looks like he backed it up with action. Lucky you.” Kendra smiled, brushing her long brown yarn braids away from her face. “Why can’t I ever have a gorgeous guy drop everything to save me?”
Sloane chuckled while feeling a tad guilty. Maybe I should’ve done more to show my appreciation. “I suppose I should find a way to properly thank him for being a gentleman and coming to my rescue.”
“You said he runs a bed-and-breakfast, right?”
“Yes.” Sloane couldn’t help but wonder if he was as thorough in bed as he was in the sand. “But I couldn’t just intrude—”
“Why not?” Kendra asked.
“Well, for one, his wife or girlfriend might not approve.”
“Who says he has a wife or girlfriend?”
Sloane fluttered her lashes. “A good-looking man like that running a bed-and-breakfast in Maui all by himself? I don’t think so.”
“You won’t know unless you go,” Kendra advised. “Besides, it’s not as if you’re trying to marry the man. Or are you?”
Sloane laughed. “Oh, no. Marriage is the furthest thing from my mind these days.” Something short of that might work, assuming they were on the same page. That had rarely been the case from past experiences. Most men wanted, even expected, everything while offering something far less.
“Well, then, you have nothing to lose. Even if there is someone in his life, you might make another friend. Or two.”
“You’re right,” Sloane decided. “I’ll give it a shot.” Hopefully, she wouldn’t regret intruding upon his life.
Sloane’s thoughts returned to the present. Maybe she would see Gene again on the beach tomorrow. That way she wouldn’t make either of them uncomfortable by showing up at his bed-and-breakfast and perhaps making a fool of herself.
She put on a bright smile as a family of four entered the hotel’s lobby. “Aloha,” she said warmly, placing a flower lei around each of their necks. “Welcome to the Island Shores Resort.”
Chapter 2
Sloane kept her distance from the water as she did her morning jog. Her unfortunate mishap had forced her to cut it short yesterday. Not that she had a problem being scooped up into the muscular arms of Gene Malloy. He’d seemed to enjoy it every bit as much. And maybe that was a bad thing for both of them, if his attention should have been directed elsewhere.
Sloane had done a little research on Gene’s business. It wasn’t too difficult to locate Malloy’s Bed and Breakfast on the internet. It had been in business for four years and had won several awards for hospitality. There was a small picture of Gene’s handsome face on his web page and no indication of whether or not he was truly operating it alone. Perhaps his wife or girlfriend had chosen to keep a low profile.
Either way, Sloane was determined to make good on her desire to thank Gene once more. When she reached the area where the wave had hit her, she looked around for Gene but didn’t see him anywhere. A tiny streak of disappointment whizzed through her, as if he should be at her beck and call. The reality was that he had better things to do than hang around in hopes that she might show up again.
Sloane looked up toward the bed-and-breakfast, which sat on a hill and offered a nice view of the ocean. She was having second thoughts about making contact with him again after they had already said their goodbyes. Would she give him the wrong impression by showing up there?
Never being known for backpedaling once she had made up her mind, Sloane sprinted across the sand and up some steps. She marveled at the rectangular plantation house. It was alabaster and embodied the Southern country manor, neoclassical and Greek revival styles she had always admired in magazines with its low-pitched roof, soaring columns and tall French windows bordered by black wooden shutters. When she was a little girl, Sloane had imagined living in such a house.
She stepped onto the lanai and was about to knock on the half-glass, stained front door when it opened. A young couple stood there in matching colorful outfits.
“Aloha,” they said.
Sloane smiled. “Aloha.”
They came out and skipped along on their way. Sloane went in and stepped onto the hickory hardwood floor. The interior was open and roomy, with a blend of antique and contemporary furnishings. Some hanging spider and Swedish ivy plants gave the interior a homey feel.
An attractive dark-skinned woman in her thirties approached Sloane. “Hi. Are you looking for Gene?”
> Sloane wondered if she was his wife. “Yes, I am. I just wanted to—”
“There he is,” the woman interrupted as Gene walked in from the kitchen. “I think another guest has arrived.”
“Sloane—” His tone and wide-eyed look told her that he clearly wasn’t expecting to see her in his establishment.
The woman smiled at Sloane and turned to Gene with a little wave. “Be back later. Have fun.”
Sloane watched her leave the house before facing Gene. Like the day before, he was a sight for sore eyes, and he seemed just as taken by her. She liked the way he smelled of a nice woodsy-type cologne.
“Hey,” he said, smoothing a thick eyebrow.
“Hi.” Sloane felt slightly awkward but hoped it didn’t show.
“What are you doing here?”
“I just wanted to check out your bed-and-breakfast,” she told him as the first thing that popped into her head. “Hope you don’t mind?”
His amazing eyes creased at the corners. “Not at all. You’re more than welcome.”
“Thanks.” Sloane paused, thinking this was a good start. “I’ve never been in a bed-and-breakfast before.”
“I’ll be happy to show you around. It’s a cool place to stay for anyone who wishes to enjoy the surroundings in a down-to-earth, family-friendly-type atmosphere.”
She lifted a brow playfully. “You mean unlike at the big resort hotels?”
He grinned. “Didn’t say that. Different strokes for different folks. Some people prefer big, extravagant, expensive places for their vacation. Others want a more relaxed, laid-back place that won’t take much of a bite out of their wallet.”
Sloane couldn’t argue with that. The reality was, she actually would have preferred more modest trappings had she been there as a vacationer, especially with the host being so appealing and sexy.
She gazed up at him. “So, was that woman who just left your wife or…?”
“No,” Gene said, jutting his chin. “Her name is Ngozi. She’s a guest from Tanzania. I’m not married, divorced actually, and not currently seeing anyone.”
“Oh.” Sloane tried to pretend to be nonchalant at the news. I never would have imagined a man like you would be available.
Gene angled his eyes upon her. “How about you?”
“Single, never married.”
“So the right fellow has never come along?” he asked curiously.
Sloane considered whether this was the right time to explain that her priorities often left her with little time for romance. “With my work, I haven’t had the time to get serious about anyone,” she told him candidly.
“I see.”
“Do you?”
“Yeah,” he said. “Career-oriented person. There’s nothing wrong with that.”
Sloane met his eyes. “Sounds like you’re leaning that way yourself these days.” Or was she misreading between the lines?
“Guess I am,” Gene acknowledged. “Trying to run a bed-and-breakfast alone can be a full-time thing, at least where it concerns putting most of my energy.”
Sloane got his drift. He wasn’t looking to settle down with anyone again. That suited her just fine, as that wasn’t what she needed from a man at this time in her life.
Ten minutes later she had been escorted through the entire house and was impressed with its structure and the different themes for each room. Obviously much forethought had gone into the design, which told Sloane just how committed Gene was to his bed-and-breakfast. And apparently it was paying off. She met a couple of the guests, who couldn’t seem to say enough about Gene’s hospitality. Sloane felt a bit envious and only hoped the guests under her watch at the hotel would have such satisfaction during their stay.
She and Gene ended up on a shady lanai surrounded by tropical flowers, a rock garden and a fountain. It seemed like the perfect place for Sloane to say what she came to tell him.
“I wanted to thank you for helping me on the beach yesterday by buying you lunch tomorrow,” she said, “if you’re available.”
Gene grinned. “It’s not necessary to pay in thanking me, but I’d be happy to have lunch with you tomorrow.”
“It’s the least I can do,” she explained, “even if it’s not necessary.”
“I understand, and it works for me.”
He was close enough to Sloane that she could feel his warm breath on her cheeks, exciting her.
“Can you meet me at the Island Shores Resort Coconut Café around noon?” she asked.
Gene playfully mulled it over. “I think I can fit that into my day. I’ll be there.”
Sloane found herself transfixed by his wide and inviting mouth, wanting more than anything to kiss him. Would he object, or were they not on the same wavelength? Am I seriously contemplating such a bold move?
“Good,” she said, having second thoughts about the kiss and losing her nerve. “I’ll get back to my run now and out of your hair, so to speak.”
Gene gave a low, sexy laugh and ran a hand across the top of his smooth head. “If I had any hair up there, you’d be welcome to it.”
“Oh, would I?” Sloane met his eyes invitingly.
“Anytime.” He grabbed a few tendrils of her hair. “You’ve got beautiful hair. I’d love to run my fingers through it sometime.”
She liked the idea of his long fingers caressing her hair and her body. “Maybe I’ll let you one day,” she replied.
He moved ever so close and rolled his fingers across and inside her hair, gently massaging Sloane’s scalp. “Feel good?”
“Yes,” she admitted, her head tingling.
Gene stopped and held her chin. “What would you do if I kissed you right now?”
Sloane quivered at the thought, but did not back away. “Guess you’d have to try it to find out.”
“I never was one to resist a challenge,” Gene said levelly.
He tilted his head slightly and planted a soft kiss on Sloane’s mouth. It was short, but very sweet.
“Nice,” she told him, licking her lips and tasting his. “We’ll have to try that again sometime.”
His dimples deepened. “Whenever you wish.”
“Goodbye, Gene.”
“A hui hou,” he said. “Or until we meet again.”
Sloane smiled at his apparent mastery of the Hawaiian language. She walked away, glancing over her shoulder at him and receiving a confident grin in return.
Gene was still thinking about that kiss two hours later as he cleaned the house while his guests were out and about. He wanted to keep the place pristine at all times, while perfecting the technique of keeping a low profile when doing his chores. Just one peck on those ruby lips told him Sloane Hepburn was someone he wanted to kiss a lot more. And since she seemed willing to explore the possibilities in a nonserious manner, he felt that they might be good for each other, in bed and out.
But he didn’t want to jump too far ahead of himself. Obviously Sloane was a businesswoman first and foremost, as evidenced by her relocating to Hawaii for work. Still, he wanted to tap into the sexy woman within that could keep up with the sexy man inside him when not playing host at a bed-and-breakfast.
Gene found himself getting hot and bothered while picturing a naked Sloane on top of him while they burned the sheets in raw unbridled sex. He wondered who would tire first. Or would they both have an inexhaustible sex drive that needed to be satisfied?
When his latest arrivals, Harold and Stella Frasier, came in, Gene put his sexual thoughts on the back burner for now.
“How was the Maui Ocean Center Aquarium?” he asked them.
“It was wonderful,” Stella said animatedly. “We saw humpback whales, bottlenose dolphins, devil scorpionfish, plus lots of other marine life.”
“Yeah, we loved it,” seconded Harold, who was probably ten years his wife’s junior. “I thought the Hawaiian spiny lobsters were particularly interesting. Thanks for recommending the aquarium.”
“It’s a must for anyone visiting Maui,” Gene br
agged. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“Now we’ve built up a big appetite for lunch,” Stella said. “Any suggestions for a great seafood restaurant?”
Gene nodded. “I think I might have a suggestion or two.”
He finished his chores and went for a walk on the beach. As usual, it was brimming with both locals and tourists, catching the sun’s rays and the mesmerizing beauty of the Pacific Ocean. But what he most wanted to see was Sloane’s gorgeous face. Of course, it was too much to expect that she would still be hanging around on the beach with her work and other activities.
Gene couldn’t help but be smitten by the woman who had gotten a surprise from the water but still managed to look sexy as hell while wet and sandy. She’d looked even nicer today. He fully expected to get to know her better and see if they could find even more interesting ways to spend time together.
“So you’re doing lunch with Mr. Bed-and-Breakfast,” Kendra said to Sloane as they walked through the enormous hotel lobby the next morning.
“Yes, do you have a problem with that?” Sloane joked.
“Not at all.” Kendra laughed. “We can all use more friends, right? Especially ones who are gorgeous and unattached, as you’ve described him.”
“I agree, new friends in a new place is important. Those other qualities can’t hurt things any, either.” Sloane chuckled. “It doesn’t mean I’m looking to hook up or anything.”
“Maybe not, but there’s more to Maui than catering to the needs of others. You’re entitled to some fun and frolic. We both are.”
“True,” Sloane said, while not committing to anything as far as Gene Malloy was concerned. Admittedly, though, it was hard to ignore the stirring kiss he’d laid on her. Though it had only lasted a few seconds, the effect still had her reeling and imagining just what this man could do to her if she allowed him to. “Right now, I just plan to treat him to lunch and call it even for his coming to my aid.”
Pleasure in Hawaii (Kimani Romance) Page 2