"Gerald is your ex?"
She nodded.
"You're still not over him?"
"Does it matter?" Michaela asked.
"I don't want you thinking of someone else when you're with me, that's all." He said with a light tone, but there was something almost feral behind his eyes.
She shrugged. "Try harder to keep my attention, then." And then stuck out her tongue to take the sting out of it.
He laughed. "I'll keep that in mind."
"How about you? What do you do when you're not bitching about the servers being down or soothing local bureaucrats?"
His phone rang again as if on cue. She took pity on him. "You can answer that if you want."
"I don't want to."
"Then turn it off," Michaela suggested.
"I can't." He grinned. "It's worse if I can't see who's calling. I like to work. It's easy and I enjoy what I do. I've been trying to decide if I want to embrace the aloha lifestyle or get back to New York and go balls to the wall again."
"Which do you like better?"
"Both have their appeal. I have a hard time letting go and getting my head out of my spreadsheets. But right now? I'd like nothing more than to be in a hammock with you."
She bit her lip and made her decision. "I'd rather be in a bed."
His face lost his teasing expression and was replaced with an intensity that made her wonder if she said the wrong thing.
"Good," he said.
She leaned in for another one of his devastating kisses, but the waitress interrupted them before his lips touched hers.
"Are you ready for dessert, Mr. Kincaide?" she asked.
Laughter danced in his eyes for a moment. "Definitely. Can we get two cups of Kona?"
The coffee and dessert came out and Michaela couldn't believe her eyes. There was a pile of little fried doughnuts. Malasadas.
"Joely said they didn't have malasadas on the menu," she said.
Marcus shrugged. "I asked the chef if he would make an exception. The ones rolled in choke sugar don't have any filling in them. But the other ones are filled with dobash."
"Dobash?"
"Chocolate cream."
Yeah, he was definitely getting laid tonight.
"What type of sugar is choke sugar?"
Marcus grinned self consciously. "That means there's just a lot of it."
She tilted her head. "Like I just ate choke ono grindz?"
"Shoots." He winked at her.
"See, you can lighten up."
"You make me feel that way." He picked up a chocolate malasada and offered it to her.
She opened her mouth and bit down, taking half of the little tidbit. He popped the other half in his mouth, licking the cream off his finger. "So what's the obsession with the malasadas anyway?"
Michaela sighed. "I'm going to tell you the story, but you have to promise me one thing."
"Sure."
"At the end of it, you and I are going back to your suite and have mind blowing, gravity defying sex all night long."
Marcus choked on his doughnut.
"You all right?" she asked.
"Check please," he called over his shoulder. "Talk fast." He grinned at her.
"I don't have to tell it to you at all," Michaela said, helping herself to one without the cream. It literally melted on her tongue, the sugar mixing with the airy dough. She closed her eyes in bliss.
"I have a feeling it's an important story." He sipped his coffee.
She was about to add milk to hers when he stopped her. "Have you ever had a hundred percent Kona?"
"No."
"Try it black first," he said.
"But I hate black coffee."
"You like coffee, right?"
Michaela picked up the cup and sniffed. It smelled great. "I can't get through a Monday without it, but I don't really enjoy it."
"Try a sip," he said with a knowing smile.
Why not? She did and frowned as a bunch of different flavors hit her tongue. "It's like tasting a wine. I can taste chocolate and a burnt caramel, but it's not sweet. Does that make any sense?"
"Yeah, if you want to doctor it up now, go ahead. But I wanted you to experience it in its purest form."
She looked at him through her lashes. "You're one of those coffee freaks, aren't you?"
"If I fell on a reef, I'd bleed coffee."
Michaela added cream and sugar, even though she knew he was a little disappointed. He let her eat one more malasada with her coffee before leaning in. "The story?"
Wiping the sugar from her mouth, she took another bracing sip of the coffee. Here goes nothing. "We're still going back to your room, right?"
"Even if the resort caught on fire," he promised.
"Okay." She heaved out a sigh, but chickened out on telling him the whole story. "I've been on a diet for about six months and every Monday a co-worker would bring in doughnuts and leave them in the break room. They're my kryptonite. I became obsessed with them. I went online to find out what doughnuts were available in Maui and came across these Portuguese delights. I made a vow that once I got here, I would eat them until I couldn't look at another doughnut without getting sick.”
"Why were you on a diet?"
It figured he would pick up on that.
"And why would it bother me so much that I'd no longer want to kiss you."
Michaela stared into the bottom of her empty coffee cup. Well, here goes nothing. He wanted the whole story. He got the whole story. The fortune teller’s words echoed in her head. You must tell him the truth
"I was supposed to get married a week ago today. Gerald left me at the altar."
Emotions flashed through his face: shock, disbelief, rage and then with trepidation he asked, "Why are you here in Maui?"
"It's my honeymoon."
Chapter Sixteen
Marcus was stunned and for the first time in a long while, he was speechless. Michaela shifted nervously in her seat. He couldn't believe anyone would be so stupid, so vile to leave a beautiful woman waiting for him to show up at her wedding.
"You must be heartbroken," he said, clearing his throat. Only a grade-A schmuck would take advantage of a woman who had been abandoned like that.
"You promised," Michaela pointed her finger at him.
"I did, but are you sure you want to do this?"
"Don't worry. I'm not going to fall in love with you," she scoffed.
It was crazy, but a part of him wanted to rise to the challenge. She had his head spinning.
"I think we should take this a little slower," he said. The last thing he wanted was to have her regret tonight.
"You said you were into hot, intense and short affairs. No emotional attachment. I think this qualifies, right?"
The thought that she was thinking of this as a quick fuck bothered him. His body was all for the idea, but his conscience was bothering the hell out of him.
"You make it sound trashy." Jesus, he was acting like a chick. What was he looking for, anyway? Romance and roses?
Michaela shrugged. "It's just sex, Marcus. What's changed from five minutes ago?"
It's not just sex!
"I hadn't realized you were planning to spend your life with a man last week." Marcus wasn't sure what the hell he was doing. A night of great sex was what they both wanted.
And then there was this terrible part of him that didn’t believe her. She had lied to him about where she was staying. If she was Tetsuo’s spy, this would be a perfect story to keep him off center. She hadn’t contacted him today. Holt said was at Lahaina Harbor surfing, just like she told him.
"It doesn't matter," she said. "He wasn't planning to spend his life with me." Michaela balled up her napkin and stood up.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"Don't worry. You're off the hook. I knew this was a mistake."
"Wait." He rose to his feet. "Don't go."
"Bye Marcus. Thanks for dinner." She slung her purse over her shoulder and walked out
of the restaurant.
He couldn't let her leave like this, but by the time he settled the bill she was long gone. He walked up and down the beach trying to catch a glimpse of her. Marcus ran into Tetsuo instead. Just what he needed.
"Nice night, Marcus."
"If you say so."
“How is your head? I heard about your unfortunate accident.”
Marcus snorted. “I bet you did. I’m fine.”
“Does it hurt?”
“Not even a little bit.” Marcus wondered if his smile was as psychotic as he felt right now.
"I hear they're going to open the beach in the morning."
"Good." He craned his neck around looking for that sexy red dress that he had been so close to taking off. What the fuck was wrong with him, anyway? So she had a fiancé, who cared? He was back where ever the hell she came from. She said he dumped her, so it wasn't like he was helping her cheat on him.
"Did you have a chance to talk to your security chief?"
"What?" Marcus brought his attention back to his arch enemy. Or what did Dude call him? Their arch enema because he was such a pain in the ass.
"About the squatters on your property."
"There are no squatters or panhandlers at Palekaiko," Marcus said.
"My sources say that you do. And you need to be aware that if you fail a housing inspection this month, I will petition to get your permits suspended. If that happens, you'll be disappointing a lot of tourists. We'll shut you down."
"Not going to happen," he said between his teeth.
Tetsuo bared his teeth in an ugly and smug smile. "I just wanted to give you fair warning. That property will be mine by summer."
"Tetsuo, I'd sell it at a loss before I sell it to you."
He shrugged. "Then I'll buy it from your buyer and make him a very rich man. Are you looking for the enchanting young woman you were eating dinner with?"
So he did know Michaela.
Marcus' fists clenched. "Where is she? If you hurt her, you will fucking regret it. I don't care who the fuck you're connected to."
"Sir?” Holt came out of the shadows and took his arm when he would have advanced on Tetsuo. It was all he could do not to shake him off. He had wanted to punch that expression off Tetsuo's face for over two years. "You're needed back at the resort."
"Be careful who you're threatening, haole. Accidents happen all the time." Tetsuo tapped his own temple.
"If you go within ten feet of her..." he started to say.
"I don't care about your yariman."
Holt's grip tightened on him and he started to drag him away. Marcus was glad he didn't know what Tetsuo just called Michaela. But by Holt's reaction, it was pretty bad.
"If you're looking for her, she's right under your nose." Tetsuo stared at him in disdain, then nodded to Holt. "When you're ready to leave this half-ass career, you know where to find me."
"Have a nice night, Uncle."
"You can let me go now," Marcus said, after Holt had pulled him about fifty feet away.
"You can't threaten him like that. They'll cut you up alive and feed you to the sharks."
"He gets under my skin. Why was he talking about Michaela like that? What did he call her anyway?"
"Whore," Holt said blandly, not letting go of his arm or slowing their pace back to the resort.
"Cocksucker," Marcus snarled.
"There's going to be a surprise inspection tomorrow morning," Holt said.
"He's expecting to find something. So why give me warning?"
"He just wants to pull your chain. But I did some research on Michaela Harris like you wanted."
Marcus tugged his arm free and rubbed it. Holt didn't know his own strength. "What did you find out?" He felt a stab of guilt at having her investigated, but he did it with all of his lovers. He wanted to know what he was getting into.
"She's not registered under that name in any hotel in Maui."
Marcus stopped in his tracks. "She gave me an assumed name?"
Holt shrugged. "I don't think so. I think she's your squatter."
"The fuck?"
"There's been activity in the renovated rooms. I found bags in one of them. I plan on doing a raid tonight to see if I can catch the person. I've already turned off the power and water to the building."
"She hangs out with the staff. Do you think they know?"
Holt's jaw tightened. "No," he said.
Marcus nodded. "Good. We can't afford shit like that to fly. If you find out they're involved, you have my authority to fire them. Let's go to the room right now. If she's there, I'll handle it."
They walked in silence back to the hotel. Marcus was steaming from the confrontation with Tetsuo. It was still early, so people where gathered around the tiki bar. He caught his brother's attention and waved him over.
Samuel rolled his eyes and sauntered over, Amelia in tow.
"Howzit?" he said.
"Knock that shit off. Tetsuo is bringing the building inspectors and probably the housing officers over tomorrow."
Samuel looked up at Holt who nodded in confirmation.
"So?" Amelia said. "We're up to code. Let them look."
"He thinks we have a squatter. I'm going to roust her now."
"Who?" Amelia said.
"Michaela Harris."
"Why would she do that?”
"That doesn't matter now. What matters is she's stealing from us and she's about to get us in trouble."
Amelia stood in front of him. "Wait. Why are you letting Tetsuo wind you up like this? He's probably saying shit like this to get just this reaction." She waved her arms like a demented muppet.
Marcus' jaw clenched. "You're probably right. But there's no harm in checking rooms anyway."
She didn't get out of his way and side stepped with him when he went to go around her. "It's dangerous walking up there at night." Amelia pointed to the renovated rooms. "The lights are out and the workmen have tools all over the place."
"I'll put the lights back on," Holt said and left them to go to the power station.
Amelia craned her neck at him, but held out her hands to stop Marcus. "I don't want you getting hurt. Wait until he puts the lights on."
"I've got my phone as a flashlight." He brushed by her, knocking her into his brother.
"Hey," Samuel said. "Watch it, brah."
Marcus didn't bother dignifying that with an answer and clicked the flashlight app on his phone when they stepped off the lighted path. He wasn't sure why he was shaking with rage.
Questions swirled around in his mind, fueling the fire.
Had Michaela played him? Had it been all a big lie to get close to him and take his money? Or was she was squatting because she didn't have anywhere to go because of asshole fiancé? She had him tied up in knots. He didn’t know what to believe.
Was she a spy working for Tetsuo?
Was she a grifter?
Or was she a lonely woman on her supposed honeymoon worried about her privacy?
He almost wished it were the first two. The last one was threatening to break his heart. He gritted his teeth against the emotion.
Holt was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs.
"Where are the lights?" he asked.
"They're really out. I just turned them off for the afternoon. When I tried to turn the power back on, nothing happens."
"Sabotage," Samuel said. "I'm getting really sick of this shit."
Amelia touched his arm. "I don't like this. It wouldn't be the first time Tetsuo has made an attempt on our lives."
"Amelia, go back to the lobby," Samuel said quietly. "Marcus, Holt, and I will handle this."
"The hell you will," she yelled at the top of her lungs. "If you're going to search this building, I'm going with you."
Marcus winced. "All right. Keep it down. You don't want to disturb the entire beach. Which room did you find the bags in?"
"305," Holt said.
"That's odd. You figure they'd squat on the groun
d floor," Samuel said. "Easier to get in by knocking a window or jimmying the lanai door."
"Maybe we should check the first floor first," Amelia said, her voice strident and loud in the night air.
"We'll check all the rooms. I want to see 305 first." Marcus ran up the stairs, not caring if they followed him or not. He nearly broke his ass on a saw horse and then tripped over a coil of hoses.
"Damn it."
"Are you all right?" Amelia shouted again.
"I'm fine. Calm down. And watch your step." He shone his phone at the debris. Holt strode forward with the master keys. Samuel helped Amelia through the mess. "Talk to the workers. This is unacceptable to leave this shit all over the place."
"Wait!" she screeched as Holt was about to open the door.
They all looked at her.
"What if there’s a bomb in the suitcase? Shouldn't we call the police?"
"We're getting out of here right now." Samuel grabbed her arm. "Don't get blown up," he said to his brother.
"I think we should all leave," she called out in another ear shrieking yell.
Samuel threw her over his shoulder and carried her down the stairs.
“It wasn’t a suitcase,” Holt said, “Just a bunch of shopping bags from Whaler’s Inn.”
He opened the door and walked in, shining his flashlight. Marcus followed. Holt went to the lanai and Marcus checked out the bathroom. Pulling open the shower curtain, he didn't see any bottles or soap. Everything seemed dry. There wasn't anything on the counter.
He came back into the main room. "Where are the bags?"
"Gone." Holt pointed his flashlight on the chair in the corner. "They were there this morning."
The bed was stripped of linens and the pillows looked untouched. Marcus opened and closed all the drawers. "Are you sure this was the right room?"
"I'm sure," he said and walked out to the lanai again. Marcus joined him.
"Well, whoever it was, they're not here now." Marcus looked out into the night. If it had been Michaela, where was she staying tonight? "See if you can find her. I'll be in my suite. Call me anytime."
Chapter Seventeen
Michaela hid her head in her hands. "I'm so sorry I got you guys in trouble."
"We're not in trouble yet," Joely said.
"Yeah," Makoa said. "I think we managed to get away clean."
Beach Happens (Hawaii Heat, #2) Page 14