by Shayla Black
“God knows I needed help,” Noah puts in.
“And they want to know if they should start planning a wedding,” Griff adds.
I huff. “I hope they find out and pass the answer on to me.”
The three of them exchange glances. “You don’t know?”
“Everything is new. And we’re still getting to know each other as something other than boss and assistant.”
“But she’s still working for you?” Griff asks.
“Yeah.” For now. I don’t want to think about what happens if she decides otherwise—or the Lunds manage to snatch her away.
“Is she making the move here, too?”
“Maybe. She’s still deciding.”
Noah rolls his eyes. “Dude, if you’re moving here in six weeks and want her to come along, you have to help her make up her mind fast. The relationship might be new, but you two seem pretty serious.”
Like their wives are doing to Nia, they’re prying. It’s embarrassing. On the other hand, they’ve all gotten married in the last year. And they all had to hustle like hell to get their wives to say “I do.” It’s possible they know something about women and relationships I don’t.
“It is. I’ve asked her to marry me. I don’t have any idea if she’ll say yes. She’s cautious and hard to read…and I’m used to Becca, who went along with whatever I thought was best. Nia is totally different.”
“Does she love you?” Griff asks, his voice low and serious.
“I don’t know, and it’s not relevant. I’m not looking for romance, just a wife.”
The three of them exchange a longer glance. Clearly, they think I’m insane. Whatever.
“And she knows how you feel about that?” Maxon prods me.
“Totally. I was honest. I’d never want to be anything less with her.”
Maxon and Griff just groan.
“Well…” Noah scratches at his five o’clock shadow. “That’s one way of doing it.”
I frown. “What other way is there?”
The trio look at one another again before Noah speaks up. “The underhanded, not-going-to-take-no-for-an-answer way. Want pointers?”
“No. I want her to see the value of the arrangement and enter into it with her eyes wide open. I don’t want to deceive or lie to her.”
“That’s not what we mean.”
“Think of it as you giving her what she wants…so you can get what you want,” Maxon clarifies.
“I don’t understand.”
“Put a positive spin on things,” Griff adds. “Persuade her. Show her how good it can be using whatever you’ve got in your arsenal. Help her see you and your relationship from a different perspective.”
Noah nods. “If you do this right, you’re guaranteed to walk away with a wife.”
I hesitate. When they put it like that, I can’t do any worse with their advice than I’ve been doing on my own. Because the truth is, if I can’t say or do the right things in the next six weeks, Nia will walk away. And how much will I kick myself for not trying harder? They’ve obviously mastered this romance shit I’m so clueless about.
“All right. I’ll try. Tell me everything.”
CHAPTER NINE
Wednesday, November 22
Two days later, Nia seems really comfortable with my family. I’ve studied the copious notes I took on everything my brothers and my sister’s husband suggested. They’re smart and they’re slick. If they’re right, the way I’ve gone about persuading Nia to marry me is all wrong.
So today, she’s going to see a whole new Evan.
“Where are you taking me?” she asks from the passenger’s seat of the black Mercedes convertible I borrowed from Noah.
I’ve never seen the point of a vehicle like this—until now. It’s deeply impractical…but damn fun to drive. The weather in Hawaii is good enough to justify having such a car, so I might buy one, especially since Nia squealed in delight when I told her we’d be riding in this sweet two-seater today.
“Why would I tell you when it’s supposed to be a surprise? It’s my turn to plan the date, remember?”
Beside me, she huffs. Her little pout makes me laugh. As the wind whips around us and I head toward the north side of the island, I soothe her by taking her hand and brushing my thumb across her soft skin.
Since we’re finally alone for the day, it’s time to put my plan in motion. The advice I got rolls through my head.
Make her feel like she’s the most beautiful woman in the world.
That won’t be a problem. Nia is the most beautiful woman I know.
Make her feel like you can’t wait to touch her.
Totally easy. I’m desperate to get my hands on her. I haven’t in weeks. My damn well-meaning sister put Nia in her own room, so for the last two nights I’ve lain awake, alone and hard, wondering what Nia is doing on the other side of the wall and if she’s thinking of me.
Make her feel like you can’t wait to slide a ring on her finger.
Again, this shouldn’t be difficult. The more time passes, the more I’m convinced this marriage makes sense. The more I’m certain she’s the right choice. And the more I’m determined to see the stamp of my possession on her.
Make her come every single time you get her into bed.
I want to. I’m ready to try. I worry this sounds easier than it is, though. I lack her experience. I knew what buttons to push with Becca, but Nia is a completely different woman. Sure, the sex between us seemed scorching, but what if we’re not as earth-shattering together as I remember? Anxiety and pent-up need gnaw at me, but if drowning a woman in pleasure is as effective as all three guys swore and our chemistry is everything I recall, then sex is a tool I should utilize now.
Make her feel like she’s got you—body, heart, and soul.
Body, absolutely. I’ll happily devote that to her. The rest of this notion is problematic, however. I don’t think I can love again. Nia is certainly worthy, but once you love someone, logically you no longer have your heart to give to someone else. So…if I loved Becca, how could I possibly fall in love with Nia? It doesn’t compute. But I will be a responsible, faithful, and dependable husband. No one will be more important to me. Can’t that be enough?
“All right,” Nia says finally. “I accept that it’s your turn and you’re probably not going to tell me what you’ve planned for us.”
“I’m not.”
“Meanie.” Her pout deepens. “At least tell me where you went yesterday? You were gone for hours.”
Does she want to know because she missed me? “Didn’t you enjoy your time by the pool with the ladies?”
“I did. We had a lot of fun. They’re great to hang out with and easy to talk to. And very curious about you.”
“Well, Griff, Maxon, and I worked, scouting potential office spaces on the island, just in case.” Which is true, but that’s not all we accomplished.
“Any location you liked?”
“A few. Still narrowing it down. If the Stratus deal falls apart and I end up moving the company to the island, I’ll pick somewhere close to the new house.”
She cocks her head. “Why would it fall apart when you finally have the deal you want?”
“I never trust anything until the ink is dry.”
“But you’re planning to say yes?”
“Why would I say no? Granted, I don’t like the fact they’re trying to lock down all the employees for two years, and Lund has made it clear he’s done negotiating. But—”
“All the employees? Does that apply to me, too?”
“Everyone, unless they leave Stratus before I sell.” I try not to grit my teeth. “I intend to take you with me, Nia.”
She looks wide-eyed. “When are you going to tell everyone so they can start deciding what they want to do?”
It’s a fair question. I don’t have an answer. “As soon as I read through the latest offer they sent, scan the details, and see if they’ve truly met all my terms so I can actually close the
deal. You still think selling is a billion-dollar mistake?”
“I think they’ll run your business into the ground in under twelve months because they don’t have the knowledge or the passion you do. How would you feel if Stratus was no more?”
I can’t imagine Douglas Lund would be dumb enough to spend that much money on a company only to kill it off. But hypothetically, it’s possible. Weirder things have happened. “It would suck.”
Years of hard work…gone. Logically, it shouldn’t matter. I will have made an astronomical profit and gotten out at Stratus’s peak—every entrepreneur’s dream. But I admit, I don’t much like that notion.
“It would, and I think you can build the company into something even bigger. But whatever you decide, at least you have a lot of amazing places to choose from once you relocate here.”
“I do. They showed me a few areas yesterday so I could get a feel for the island.” I peer over at Nia. “Can you see yourself living here?”
“I’m not sure. It’s really different from Seattle.”
“It is, but maybe we were both stuck in a rut there, and this move will be a good thing.”
“Maybe. It’s hard to say after only thirty-six hours. But your family is wonderful. I’m glad you all connected. Moving here will definitely be good for you.”
“I want it to be good for us.” I squeeze her hand. “Have you given more thought to marrying me?”
She nibbles pensively on her lip. “Every day. But nothing has changed, Evan. I can’t marry you for purely practical reasons.”
Because she wants love. I hold in a sigh. I have to take the guys’ advice and prove I can make her deliriously happy, even if those three words will never cross my lips.
“You wouldn’t be. There are a lot of wonderful reasons, too. But let’s enjoy our time together today and worry about the future later.”
As I suspected, my suggestion stuns her. “You, putting something off? Isn’t that impractical?”
I grin wryly. “You wanted to date and get to know each other better, so this is me being wild and crazy…for you.”
“Who are you and what have you done with Evan?”
“I have an unpredictable side,” I insist. “You’ll see.”
I’m going to persuade you to say yes to being my wife.
Nia is still eyeing me like she’s wondering what I’m up to. “Why?”
When I roll to a stop at a light, I reach across the car, wrap my palm around her nape, and drag her lips under mine. As soon as our mouths meet, we’re connected by more than our kiss. I groan. It feels like forever since I’ve been this close to her.
She opens beneath me instantly, and I’m grateful as hell she’s receptive after I’ve bungled everything up to this point. But she’s right there with me, lips sliding open with a little pant of need, pressing in as if she can’t get enough of me, either. Something about the way she tastes obliterates rational thought and rouses the primal animal in me.
Her tongue dances with mine. I grab her, lunge, thrust again, needing more. She throws herself against me, fingers clutching at me as she whimpers and falls deeper into the kiss.
Then suddenly she’s pulling away.
“Nia…” I grip her nape tighter. “I don’t want to stop.”
“The light.”
I look up. It’s green, and I suddenly remember: traffic, civilization, the critical plans I have today. If I do this right, I’ll be able to kiss her any day, any time, any way—forever.
Swallowing back a curse, I press on the accelerator and mingle with traffic.
Less than five silent minutes later, we arrive. As I park, I see her looking around. In typical Nia fashion, she understands immediately.
“We’re taking a helicopter ride?”
“What better way to see the island than from above?”
I had to talk myself into this. Statistically, helicopters are one of the least safe forms of transportation, and I understand all too well the significance of weather, wind, and the reliability of the vehicle’s maintenance and performance. Luckily, this is a nearly perfect day in Hawaii, and the pilot is someone Maxon and Griff know well. He’s been flying for thirty years, and they swear there’s no one better.
If showing Nia that I can be romantic will help sway her to say “I do,” then I’m willing to take a few calculated risks.
We enter the no-nonsense office. Gary greets me, a smile lifting his graying beard as he shakes my hand. He’s wearing a loud Hawaiian shirt and a tan that makes his blue eyes look almost electric.
“Welcome. You’re one of Maxon and Griff’s brothers, huh? They said you’re moving here.”
“I am. They seem really happy on the island, so why not?”
“I don’t know if Maui is ready for another Reed.” He chuckles.
I don’t bother to explain that my last name is Cook and I’m the illegitimate offspring. It’s too complicated. Besides, I came from the Reed line, and based on everything my siblings’ spouses have said, there are some traits inherent in all of Barclay’s children. Stubbornness ranks high on the list. So does a complicated love life.
“I’ll try to keep the impact of my presence here to a dull roar,” I promise.
Gary gives me a thumbs-up, then gets us suited up with safety gear, gives us preflight instructions, then takes us outside by his chopper. Nia is unusually quiet.
I glance her way as I take her hand. “You okay?”
“Nervous. I’ve never done this.”
“It’ll be a first for us both, then. But Maxon and Griff swear this will be amazing.”
A tentative smile breaks across her face. “I’ve always wanted to ride in a helicopter, but I was too chicken.”
I drop a kiss on her forehead, resisting the urge to go in for more. “So we’ll tackle this together.”
After Gary does his prefight check, we load up. Moments later, accompanied by the sound of whirring blades, we take off. Nia grips my hand, her nails digging into my knuckles. The airport gives way to surrounding civilization, then to lush fields of sugar cane and tempestuous blue water bashing against sand and rocks.
Gary gets his tour underway quickly. “The windward side of the island is a lush rainforest that gets about three hundred inches of rain annually. The leeward side is more like a desert. Its annual rainfall is less than twelve inches. There are even places on that side of the island with growing cacti and roaming scorpions.”
We float around the shore, oohing and aahing over all the stunning sights of lush mountains, sheared cliffs, and sweeping waterfalls. We see a reef teeming with green sea turtles and blue, blue water. It’s truly paradise.
“I’ve never been anywhere so beautiful,” Nia breathes.
“Me, either.” I squeeze her hand. “Even though I’ve been here twice before, I didn’t appreciate it as much as I should have until now.”
“Isn’t it peaceful up here?” Gary asks into his mic, which links directly to our headphones. At our nods, he goes on. “Over there, that crescent-shaped island is a great place to snorkel. Lots of tropical fish. Heading back this way, we’re going to take a climb above that ten-thousand-foot mountain.”
Nia grips me as we glide into a cloud bank at the crest of a peak and seem to disappear into nowhere. I hope to hell Gary knows where he’s going. I’m all for having my heart race today, but not in fear. But he’s a pro, steering us through the cloud bank until we crest on the other side to another gorgeous view of the ocean.
For nearly two hours, he takes us around the island. After showing us the east coast, we move south, then fly back around to the west, over Wailea. When we hover above Lahaina, he identifies some points of interest before we’re back out over the ocean, skirting the coast of Lanai before making our way up to Molokai. I’m shocked to find out that about half that island is completely off the grid.
Nia seems every bit as enthralled as I am until Gary finally turns back to Maui and puts the chopper down in the middle of a field near the coast
.
She turns to me in confusion. “What are we doing here?”
“Enjoying ourselves for the afternoon. C’mon.”
Gary helps us out, then takes off with a friendly wave.
She’s still gaping when I snag her hand and lead her up a small hill, toward a sprawling white house shimmering in the tropical sun. I’m lucky my brothers seem to know everyone on the island and don’t have any problem calling in favors. Of course, the fact I’m willing to spend money, especially if it advances the cause of Nia saying yes, helps a lot, too.
When we reach the house, the ocean views dazzle me all over again. The doors and windows are open to take advantage of the trade winds. There’s seemingly no one around for miles.
“What are we doing here?”
“First, we’re eating lunch.”
When I urge her to follow me, she does slowly, gaping. “I don’t understand.”
“This is our private paradise for the day. You, me, an oasis for two, and no one to disturb us for hours.” As we walk around the side of house, I ease her against the wall and face her, pressing my body against hers. “I enjoy being with my family, but I want time alone with you. So I planned today for us. No one to interfere. No other responsibilities or expectations. We can relax and talk and do whatever we want.”
A little smile creeps across her lips as she stares at me as if she’s trying to figure me out. “You’re up to something.”
I wink at her. “A lot of me is up to something.”
Nia rolls her eyes and laughs. “You didn’t have to do all this, you know.”
“I wanted to.” I cup her face in my hands and delve into her eyes. “You should know how important you are to me. I’ll always do everything I can to make you feel special. And if your exes have been too stupid to do that, I’m here to prove I’m smarter, more determined, and ready to make you happy.”
Her eyes tear up as she blinks at me. “What are you saying, Evan?”
I press a kiss to her lips and have to tear myself away before I get swept up in Nia again. “I’m saying you’re the best thing that’s happened to me in years. Maybe I should regret shoving my way into your dressing room and your life, but I don’t want to be without you—now or ever. I’m hoping like hell you feel the same.”
