Hawaiian Holiday: Destination Desire, Book 2 Page 2

  Maybe not then, either, if he were lucky. A man had to have his priorities.

  His stomach rumbled, reminding him that he’d been running on caffeine most of the day. Tilting his wrist, he checked his watch. He’d made dinner reservations at one of the hotel restaurants that morning, knowing he’d be tired and unwilling to go far for food. As the day ground to a close and he just wanted to collapse in bed, he’d made a mental note to cancel the reservation. Good thing he hadn’t gotten around to it.

  Pushing away from window, he patted his pockets to check that he had his wallet and room key. It only took a few minutes for the elevator to get him to the ground level, and he strolled through the open-air hotel. The scent of the ocean filled his nostrils, and he could just hear the crashing of waves over the sound of gleeful children squealing and splashing in the water. Strolling down paths that were lined with koi ponds, he made his way to the Rainbow Lanai restaurant. He loved the rounded alcoves that belled toward the beach. There were no windows to block the sea breeze—everything here was open.

  He paused for a moment to take in the beach and let the sounds of the ocean relax him after the work-intensive week. After turning to walk toward the restaurant entrance, he drew up short when he saw Julie standing there. Like a magnet, he was drawn to her.

  The hostess gave her an apologetic glance. “I’m sorry, ma’am. We only do reservations during the holidays, but without one, the wait will be over an hour.”

  “Oh.” The reply was disgruntled, and Julie wrinkled her nose. “There goes that idea. Can you recommend anywhere else I could—”

  Lukas didn’t bother resisting the urge to reach for her. He wanted to feel that buzz of attraction again. She jolted when he set his hand on her shoulder, her dark eyes darting back to see who touched her. He liked the way her breathing hitched when she realized it was him. Very nice. Slipping his palm down her side to settle at her hip, he addressed the hostess. “I have a reservation under Klein. I assume if my party goes from one to two, that won’t be too much of a problem, will it?”

  “No, Mr. Klein. That’s just fine.” The woman checked his name off a list. “If you’ll both come with me, please?”

  Julie gave him a dazzling smile. “You seem to have a knack for coming to my rescue, Lukas.”

  “My pleasure.” He pressed his hand to the small of her back to urge her forward.

  Damn, she was lovely. Not beautiful in an overblown kind of way, but she definitely made him look twice. The memory of the first time he’d seen her still struck him. Running across the street to get out of the rain, her eyes alight with laughter, her wet clothing clinging to her curves. His muscles had tightened with visceral want, his cock stiffening, making him throw out his usual reserve and invite her to share his cab. Seeing her now only intensified those feelings.

  “What can I get you to drink?” the hostess asked as she motioned them to a table that lined one of the alcoves.

  “Oh, what a view!” Delight shone in Julie’s gaze as she took in the ocean scene before them.

  Lukas grinned at her enthusiasm. He felt the same way every time he dined here. Clearing his throat, he glanced at the hostess. “I’ll have an iced tea.”

  “Anything you like, Mr. Klein.” She gave him a flirtatious glance, but he found himself unmoved. He was already too intrigued by Julie to be distracted.

  Julie apparently caught the exchange and arched her eyebrows at the other woman. “It’s Dr. Klein, actually. He’s a physics professor. And I’ll have lemonade, thanks.”

  Clearing dismissed, the hostess flounced off and Lukas coughed into his fist, trying not to snicker. Julie leaned closer, letting her hair fall forward to cover her face. “It is Dr. Klein, isn’t it? Professors have doctorates, right?”

  “Yes, I have a doctorate, though not all professors do.” He chuckled, lifting his hand to brush a dark lock behind her ear. The silky feel of her hair sliding against his skin made him wish they were in a far more intimate setting, especially when she swayed toward him, her lips parting in silent invitation. “You are incredibly attractive, Ms. Simms.”

  She flushed, opening her mouth to respond, but the hostess returned with their drinks and broke the moment. A shame. He’d have loved to hear what her reply would have been, and if it would have been flustered or tempting. He wasn’t sure which would be more provocative.

  After the hostess left again, Lukas spread his hands. “Shall we sit for a moment or go straight for the buffet?”

  “Dive into the food, of course. I’m starving and this place is supposed to be good.”

  “It is.” He gestured for her to precede him, and he enjoyed the sway of her hips as she walked toward the first food station. She had an amazing ass, one he’d like to get his hands on. There was no telling yet if this attraction would lead them to the bedroom, but a man could hope. He sighed in appreciation when she bent forward a bit to scoot around a table packed with people and her skirt tightened over her backside. Now, that was what he called a view.

  A moment later, she grabbed two plates from the buffet and handed one to him. “What should we try first? Any recommendations, since you’ve been here before?”

  He pointed to a dish. “You should try that.”

  “Calamari?” Her nose wrinkled. “I’ve never been able to make myself go for squid. It sounds kind of nasty.”

  He scooped up a serving, set it on her plate and then did the same with his. “That’s the beauty of a buffet. If you don’t like it, you can still get other things.”

  “True.” She cast the calamari a dubious glance, but then nodded firmly. “Okay. I’m on vacation. Let’s go wild and try new things.”

  “I like the sound of that.” His voice dropped to a low growl, and a dozen erotic possibilities paraded through his mind. His cock began to harden and he forced himself to shut down that line of thought before he embarrassed himself in public.

  A faint flush rose to her cheeks, and she licked her lips. “I didn’t mean that in a sexual way.”

  “That’s a shame.” Winking at her, he strolled on to the next serving station. Settle down, Lukas. He swerved in and out of other diners to fill his plate and then wandered back to the table to find Julie was already there, sipping her lemonade.

  When he sat down, she leaned back in her chair and studied him for a moment. He arched an eyebrow. “What? I haven’t eaten anything yet, so there’s no food on my face.”

  She tilted her head, and the smooth bell of her hair brushed against her shoulder. “No, but you have a slight accent and I can’t figure out where you’re from originally.”

  He stabbed a bite of ham from his plate. “Berlin, though I went to university in Heidelberg.”

  “That’s where you became Dr. Klein?” She set down her drink and popped a cherry tomato from her salad into her mouth.

  It took him a moment to answer because his gaze locked on the slow movement of her lips, the way her tongue darted out to catch a drop of dressing that had been on the tomato. The innocent gesture became sensual, and lust tightened his insides. He’d like her lips and tongue sliding over his skin in a far more intimate setting. He cleared his throat and returned his attention to her question. “Nein, that’s where I got what you’d call a Master’s degree in the U.S. My doctorate is from Harvard.”

  Her eyebrows winged upward. “Impressive.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Is that where you work now? Harvard?”

  “Stanford, actually. So, like you, I’m not that far from San Francisco. Though the Bay Area covers quite a bit of territory.” Which meant they might not live that close to each other, but they could also be next-door neighbors. The last prospect sounded far better than the first, and he knew it shouldn’t. He’d been burned too badly in his last relationship to wish for another. Ever.

  “I’m in Half Moon Bay, so it’s—what—a half an hour drive to Palo Alto?” Something flashed in her gaze, and he had a feeling she was wondering if they might end up making that d
rive in the future. He refused to admit that he might have considered the possibility for a split second himself. Too soon to be thinking that way. Too soon and too dangerous for his peace of mind. A short tropical affair was all he’d be willing to pursue.

  They both reached for the salt shaker at the same time and their fingers tangled. Neither of them pulled back, their gazes locking. Just that quickly, hot chemistry sizzled between them. He drew her hand slowly to his mouth, turned it over to brush his lips over her palm and bit down lightly on the base of her thumb. Raw want flashed across her expressive face. Answering need fisted in his gut, sent lava boiling through his veins. His cock went rigid, chafing against his fly. And that was when he knew without any doubts that this week was going to end with some serious mattress time. Bam. No more just hoping. He knew. The attraction was too powerful to resist.

  “I want you.” He said it bluntly, but pitched his voice low enough so that no one could overhear. “I have since the minute I saw you. I’m telling you to make sure we’re on the same page. If this is just a little harmless flirtation, that’s fine, but I’d like more. The naked, sweaty kind of more. If you’re not interested in that, let me know now.”

  She drew in a sharp breath that lifted her breasts against the front of her blouse. His gaze zeroed in on them, and he noticed that her nipples were hard points. He wanted to suck them. She tugged her hand from his grip and crossed her arms over her chest, rolling her eyes. “Clearly, I’m interested. Not…right this second, since we just met a few hours ago, but…I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking we’d end up in bed together.”

  God, yes. He’d love to see her tangled in his sheets, her dark hair spread out on a white pillowcase, her body arched to take him deep. Impossibly, inevitably, his dick grew harder, his lust skyrocketing. He craved this woman in a way he hadn’t craved anyone in…years. Maybe ever. He had to have her. Sooner would be better than later.

  She cleared her throat, glancing away. “So, um…I took a couple of semesters of German in college.” Her hand made a graceful arc through the air as she spoke. “We had a foreign language requirement we had to fulfill, and I thought I might like to study abroad in Berlin someday.”

  “And how did you like my hometown?” He settled back in his seat, enjoying the way a blush stained her cheeks.

  “I didn’t end up going. My mother died and I decided leaving my dad behind for a year would be a bad idea.” She shrugged, fidgeting in her seat. “I don’t remember much German now though. Languages are a use-it or lose-it kind of skill, I suppose.”

  Sympathy and pain squeezed inside of him, and he reached over to curl his fingers over hers. “I’m sorry about your mom. I lost my dad a few years ago and…I’m sorry.”

  “Me too.” She tightened her hand on his for a moment before she pulled back, and he thought he saw a glimmer of tears in her gaze before she blinked them away and offered up a brave grin. “Okay, let’s lighten the moment a bit, shall we?”

  The conversation had morphed from sexy to sad in moments, and he wasn’t sure how to rein it back in to normalcy. The woman had a knack for keeping him off-balance. As someone who liked to be in control, that wasn’t necessarily what he considered a good thing. “How should we do that?”

  “Like this.” She speared some of the calamari with her fork and lifted it for him to see. “The great experiment begins, Dr. Scientist. Ready?”

  He arched a brow. “You realize for an experiment to be successful, you have to repeat it. Scientists have to be able to verify their findings.”

  She popped the food into her mouth. There was a long pause before horror crossed her expression. She looked as if she really wanted to spit it out, but then screwed up her face and began chewing rapidly. Choking a little when she swallowed, she dove for her drink. He couldn’t help the laughter that spilled out of him, and he wrapped an arm around his stomach while another wave of chuckles broke loose.

  “Blech. Nasty.” She scrubbed her napkin over her mouth. “I’m not trying that again. The experiment was a resounding failure.”

  The look of offended dignity she turned on him just made him laugh harder, and he had to wipe tears from his eyes. “No squid for Julie. Got it.”

  She stuck her tongue out at him. “Don’t take food recommendations from Lukas. Got it.”

  “Hey, I have excellent taste in food.” He reached over the table and stabbed his fork into the remaining calamari on her plate. “I’m willing to eat everything I recommend.”

  He suited actions to words, snorting at the disgusted fascination on her face as she watched him chew and swallow. With a roll of her eyes, she went back to her own dinner. They settled into a companionable silence for a while, and it was far more comfortable than he would have anticipated. When they did talk, it was light. She regaled him with a few outrageous stories about her group of friends, and he made her chortle at some of his cultural misadventures when he’d first moved to America. The conversation wasn’t deep, but it was…nice. The meal was as delicious as he expected from the restaurant, despite the squid mishap, and he was with an intelligent, desirable woman. Not a bad way to spend the evening.

  When the check arrived, they both reached for it, but he tugged it away from her. “I’ve got this.”

  She frowned. “We can split it. It’s not like this is a date.”

  Raising an eyebrow, he tsked. “What makes you think it’s not a date?”

  “I…” She blinked. “Well, I guess it is, if we want it to be.”

  “I want.” He offered her a look he knew was nothing short of wicked. “Didn’t I already make that clear?”

  The breath she let out was shaky. “Yes.”

  Whether she was agreeing to his clarity or to the wanting, he wasn’t sure, but he knew which he was hoping for. Tossing a few bills on the table, he rose to his feet and held out his hand. “Come on, let’s watch the last of the sunset on the beach.”

  Her slim fingers slipped into his, and he pulled her out of her seat. He kept his hold on her hand as they left the restaurant, and he liked the feel of her palm nestled against his. They stood on a wide concrete path that separated the hotel’s property from the beach, and it seemed the world went quiet and still as everyone turned to watch the last sliver of the sun slip below the horizon.

  “Gorgeous,” Julie whispered beside him. “Just like on a postcard, it was so perfect.”

  “You’ve never been to Hawaii?” He glanced away from the fading rays of sunset to look at her.

  She shook her head. “Nope.”

  “Then why come here for Christmas?” He frowned. “You might not even have liked it here. Not everyone cares for the crowds on Waikiki Beach.”

  “Because I wanted to go somewhere I’d never been before. I wasn’t exactly feeling the spirit of the season.” Shrugging, she met his gaze. “But the holidays are definitely starting to look up.”

  “You should like this, then.” He pointed to a young Hawaiian man running down the beach with a torch in his hand. The man was in traditional island garb with a loincloth and fresh ti leaves wreathing his head, upper arms and ankles. Every few meters, he’d pause to light tiki torches that were buried in the sand. “They do this ritual at sunset. I’ve always thought it was an interesting tradition.”

  “Mmm-hmm. Very interesting.” The lilt in Julie’s voice made Lukas glance at her again.

  “You like it?”

  “Oh, yeah. But I think your enjoyment of it is a little different than mine. And every other heterosexual woman watching. The guy is ripped and half naked. Hello, Hawaiian fantasy man.” A rich chuckle bubbled out of her, her dark gaze dancing with mirth, the firelight caressing the curves of her face. At that moment, she was the most intoxicating thing he’d ever seen.

  Chapter Three

  He had to kiss her. He couldn’t help himself.

  Brushing his lips over hers, he caught her laughter with his mouth. It was meant to be quick, fleeting. But he felt her breathing hitch, and her
arms slid around his neck, bringing their bodies into full contact. He bit back a groan at having her softness molded to his harder planes. Rising up on tiptoe, she pressed closer, and nipped at his lower lip with her teeth. This time, he didn’t bother to hold in the groan as he feasted on her mouth.

  Thrusting his tongue between her lips, he savored the sweet flavor of her. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her even tighter to him. His cock went rigid, and he skipped his hands down her back. Touching her was the most erotic thing he’d done in years, and they weren’t even naked yet. He curled his hands over her ass, rocking himself into the juncture of her thighs. More. God, he wanted inside her. He burned with the craving, his heart raced as hot blood pounded through his veins. She whimpered, her nails digging into his scalp as she pulled him nearer.

  A little pain to sharpen the pleasure.

  The sound of giggling brought his head up, reminding him of where they were and what they were doing. Fuck. He shot a glare at a couple of young teenagers who were staring at them. Suppressing a snarl, he slowly eased himself away from Julie. His cock throbbed, and a shudder wracked his body at the lust he had to deny.

  “Wow. That was…wow.” She drew in a shaky breath, her hands still clinging to his shoulders.

  A snort escaped him and he shook his head. “I agree. We should do it again some time.”

  The teens giggled again, and Julie flushed, stepping back. Embarrassment flooded her expression, and he hated that. Her hands rose to smooth her hair and fuss with her clothes. “Um…I don’t normally…”

  “Make out on public beaches? Me neither. Exhibitionism isn’t my style.” Catching her arm, he guided her down a path away from their audience. “Would you care to have that drink now?”

  “Okay.” She glanced back as if she expected their nosy observers to have followed. “I know I’m the one who asked for the drink, but I have to admit I’m a lightweight when it comes to alcohol. One cocktail and I’m okay, two is iffy, and by the time I’m done with number three I’m dancing on the table with a lampshade on my head.”