Hawaiian Holiday: Destination Desire, Book 2

by Crystal Jordan

  He dropped a handful of condoms on the nightstand, then pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. She let her gaze roam over his bare chest, which was muscular and sprinkled with just the right amount of hair. Humming in approval, she reached out to test the width of his shoulders, tracing the hardness of his collarbone. He tugged at the bottom of her shirt, drawing it upward until she had to stop touching him long enough to let him get the garment over her head. Her hands went back to their exploration, and she spread her fingers over his pecs, the crisp curls tickling her palms.

  The pad of her thumb rubbed over his nipple and the flat disc beaded for her, a shudder rippling through him. His hands clutched at her hips, his fingers digging in until it was almost painful. Almost. Under her palms, she felt the way his heart raced. His reaction sent a pulse of need through her, fueling her blood. He fumbled for the zipper on the back of her skirt, and she wriggled to let the circle of fabric pool at her feet. His hands closed over her ass, kneading the twin globes. She clenched her teeth on a whimper when he eased under the elastic band of her underwear, dipping into her sex from behind. Oh. God.

  “So wet.” His breath hissed in, and he stroked her damp lips, circling her core. More moisture gushed from her, and the muscles in her thighs shook. How much longer she could stay upright, she wasn’t sure. Her body burned as he teased her pussy. But two could play this game. She bent forward, flicking her tongue against the tight little nub of his nipple, sucking on him.

  A groan rumbled in his chest, vibrating against her lips. Then she bit down. Hard.

  He jerked, swore. Two fingers boldly penetrated her sex, and her legs gave out from under her. “Lukas!”

  “Yes. Now.” He stripped her panties off and shoved her back so that she bounced against the mattress. She watched as he unbuckled his belt, unfastened his pants, and kicked out of his shoes. He was naked in seconds, and her gaze caught on the impressive arc of his cock. Long, thick and perfect.

  “I won’t last longer than a minute if you keep looking at me like that, mein Liebling.”

  She licked her lips, letting her thighs fall open in blatant invitation. “What’s that mean?”

  “You’re killing me.” A harsh sound came from his throat. “It basically means my darling or sweetheart.”

  One long arm reached out and snagged a condom off the nightstand. He rolled it on and knelt on the bed between her legs, his gaze searing into her flesh as he took her body in. After tugging the straps of her bra down, he peeled the cups away from her breasts. “So beautiful.”

  Bending over her, he sucked one peak into his mouth, his tongue batting at her nipple. Sensation shot straight from breast to loin, and her pussy fisted on emptiness. God, she needed to be filled. She was wet, ready. Arching beneath him, she tried to pull him down to her. She wanted him on her, in her. Now.

  He shoved her nipple against the roof of his mouth, and a high, thin scream broke from her throat. Her nails scored into his back. “Please, please, please.”

  Releasing her breast, he moved to settle himself fully atop her. Finally. His lips possessed her, his tongue thrusting into her mouth. The blunt probing of his cock against her pussy made her moan against his lips. She wrapped her legs around his waist, tilting her hips up in offering. He pushed the first inch into her, withdrew, entered her again, deeper this time. Her pussy squeezed around the thickness of his cock, trying to draw him in. The stretch was exquisite, made her whimper when he was seated fully within her.

  So full, so perfect. But it wasn’t enough. She needed to come—her body craved it, demanded it. Undulating beneath him, she tried to convey what she needed. She opened her mouth on his shoulder, biting down on the saltiness of his flesh.

  “Hurry up, Lukas.”

  “Jesus,” he groaned, but he gave her what she wanted. She pressed her palms against his back, feeling the play of muscles under his skin as his thrusts picked up speed and force. The slap of their skin, the squeak of the mattress beneath them, the harsh gasping of their breath as they moved echoed in the room. A symphony of carnal pleasure. It was beyond erotic—the sound, the scent. Sex and Lukas.

  Sweat slid in rivulets down her skin, making their bodies glide together. The hair on his chest stimulated her nipples and added another layer to the sensations bombarding her. She arched into him to meet each downward plunge of his hips, her sex contracting when he filled her. Orgasm built, shivers running along her limbs. She wanted to go over that edge with him. Her cravings sharpened to a white-hot blade that sliced through her. She was so very close. She curled her nails into his back and raked them down his skin.

  He froze, and the sound he made was like a human volcano erupting. Then he pounded into her, his movements rough and as desperate as she felt. It was almost painful, but just merged with her desire, heightened the intensity. He angled his pelvis, grinding down on her clit.

  It was enough. More than enough.

  She exploded, her pussy fisting around his cock in rhythmic waves. A moan spilled from her throat, her hips snapped up to meet his continued thrusts, and he dragged out her climax as long as possible. Each time he entered her, aftershocks of orgasm shook her. The clench and release of her inner muscles went on forever, left her giddy with ecstasy.

  A massive shudder wracked his big body and he jutted his cock deeper inside her. He moaned, the sound escaping between clenched teeth. Those sharp blue eyes of his lost focus, and she watched him come, loving that she could reduce the rational professor to nothing but animalistic need. It was an incredible rush. He hung above her for a long moment before he sank down on top of her, his face buried in the crook of her neck. The air conditioner kicked on and she shivered, flattening her palms to his shoulders. The contrast of heated skin and cool air made her skin prickle. She sighed and closed her eyes, letting bliss unfurl inside of her. Damn, she felt good.

  Time stretched, became elastic. She had no idea how many minutes passed before he leveraged himself away from her, rolling to his side to lie next to her. Propped up on his forearm, he stared down at her. His eyes were half-lidded and one corner of his mouth kicked up.

  “That was…amazing.” A huge yawn cracked his jaw, and he chuckled. “It’s a miracle I’m still awake.” He rolled to his feet with easy masculine grace and moved toward the bathroom. “I need to clean up. I’ll be back in a moment.”

  When the door closed behind him and she had a moment to herself, a tiny niggle of doubt assailed her. Did he want her to stay the night or was mentioning how tired he was a subtle cue for her to leave? She hadn’t done a one-night stand since her junior year of college, so she was more than a little rusty on the protocol. Should she get her stuff and go? The thought depressed her. But she sat up, pushed her hair out of her face, and looked over the side of the bed for her clothes.

  The sound of water running and the toilet flushing reached her, then Lukas flipped the bathroom door open. He yawned again, scrubbing a hand down his face. His grin was rueful. “Promise you won’t be offended if I pass out on you right away?”

  She swallowed, glancing aside. “Would you prefer I left so you can sleep alone?”

  “No.” He nudged her over on the mattress and sprawled beside her. “If I wanted that, I would have said so. What I want is—”

  “For me not to be offended when you pass out on me.” The relief that hit her was a little too overwhelming. He wanted her to stay, and that mattered far more than it should. She suppressed that alarming thought.

  “Yes.” He kissed her shoulder, wrapped an arm around her, and tucked her in close to his chest. His voice slowed with incipient slumber. “Also, I’d like you to go swimming with me.”

  Her eyebrows drew together, confusion spinning within her. She twisted her torso to get a look at his face. Was he talking in his sleep now? “Huh?”

  But his eyes were still open and focused on her. “I swim in the ocean in the mornings. It’s warm, even in winter. Come with me tomorrow.”

  She blinked. “I�
��d like that.”

  “Good.” His arm tightened around her as if he had no intention of letting her leave. “Gute Nacht, mein Liebling.”

  “Gute Nacht.” A sigh eased out of her, and she shook her head. Her body ached pleasantly, the way it should after a bout of explosive sex. It had been amazing, just as he’d said. She’d loved it. Every second of it. The powerful emotional reaction was just her hormones going into overdrive. She hadn’t been intimate with anyone since before Eloise died, so of course this would hit her harder than normal. Closing her eyes, she let herself enjoy the feel of his arms around her. This was nice, but it was temporary. Vacation fling—that was all she wanted. Loosen up, live a little. Then go home and get back to her life, her friends, her shop.

  As if her thought had somehow reached Half Moon Bay, her phone jingled with the text message alert she had for her friends. She tensed, waiting to see if the sound had woken Lukas. He didn’t so much as twitch. Slipping out of his embrace meant she could go in search of her cell. She flipped it to silent mode before it could chime a reminder.

  Meg’s number showed on her display. Hey, sweetie. I’m hanging out with the girls. Slumber party! How was your first day in paradise? Do anything fun? Deets needed!

  Before Julie could respond, her phone vibrated, and Anne’s name popped up. Forget Meg! Tell me if you found the hot cabana boy yet.

  Biting her lip to keep from laughing, Julie glanced over at the sleeping Lukas. She hesitated for a moment before she responded, not quite ready to tell her friends about him. They’d want details she couldn’t bring herself to share. Maybe tomorrow. After she’d gotten used to the idea of her island affair. She grinned. It sounded lush and exotic, not like her at all.

  Pushing a few buttons on her phone, she sent out a joint reply to Meg, Anne, and Karen. First day was awesome! I’m going swimming in the ocean in the morning. It’s bikini weather here. You know you’re jealous! No cabana boy so far, but there was a half-naked hottie lighting tiki torches.

  There. Not a lie, but not the whole truth. Not yet. She shut her phone down, set it on the nightstand and crawled back into bed.

  Lukas pulled her close again, his sleepy voice low in her ear. “Everything all right?”

  “Yeah,” she replied. “Everything is fine. My friends were just checking in.”

  She had good friends, a fantastic new lover, and a week left to enjoy him, since he seemed to want to spend more time with her. Everything was more than fine. Life was pretty damn awesome right now. It’d been a while since she could say that, so she let herself embrace the moment.

  Without a doubt, this was going to be a vacation to remember. If this was just day one, she couldn’t wait to see what tomorrow had in store for her.

  Chapter Four

  “Hey.”

  Someone’s fingertip gently traced the curve of Lukas’s eyebrow. He opened his eyes and found Julie kneeling on the bed beside him. She was dressed, and that made him frown in confusion. “Hi…”

  The corners of her mouth quirked. “I know it’s barely dawn, but I’m still on California time and I can’t sleep another wink.” That fingertip stroked between his brows and down the bridge of his nose. “You were exhausted and I want you to keep sleeping, but I need to get up. I’m heading back to my room, taking a shower, then going to the pool with a good book for some sunbathing. When you’re fully awake, give me a call and we’ll do that ocean swim.”

  He swallowed, licked his lips, and tried to focus his blurry mind. It was a futile effort—his body had decided sleep was the priority and it was already trying to drag him back into unconsciousness. “Okay. Sorry I’m so tired.”

  “No worries.” She bent down to brush her lips over his. “I wrote my number on the notepad on the desk. Call me.”

  “I will.”

  He was already asleep before she left the room.

  When he managed to pry his eyes open again, the sun was shooting shafts of light between the curtains. He sighed, stretched and grinned. Damn, he felt good. He hadn’t slept that well in months. It was hard to contemplate dragging his carcass out of bed when he was so comfortable. He lay there for a few more minutes, letting the last twenty-four hours run through his mind. Frenetic, but good. It had definitely ended on a high point.

  His stomach rumbled and his body jangled for caffeine. Time to get up. And when he was up, there was Julie. Waiting for him. He liked that thought. Even more, he liked that she hadn’t seemed upset when he’d been more interested in sleep than her. He winced, but it was the truth. Sometimes the body needed what it needed. A week with little slumber followed by energetic sex meant he’d crashed hard.

  He’d been with women who would have been seriously pissed that he’d passed out on them. Twice, if he counted the post-sex pass out the night before. He hoped Julie had been sincere when she’d said not to worry about it. He liked her—maybe a little more than he should—and didn’t relish the idea of awkwardness between them. Then again, he didn’t enjoy hurting women’s feelings in general. One more reason to avoid serious entanglements with them—the longer he was around them, the more likely it was that things would blow up in his face.

  He scrubbed a hand over his hair, pushing those thoughts away. There was only one certain way to find out if Julie was as nonchalant as she seemed. He threw back the covers and rolled to his feet. Caffeine was the first order of business. He set the coffeemaker in the room on to perk, brushed his teeth, and then went to the desk to find Julie’s number. After picking up his cell phone, he sent her a text.

  I’m coherent now. Where would you like to meet for that swim?

  Her response came back within ten seconds. I’m lounging by the main pool.

  Give me fifteen minutes and I’ll be there. After he sent the final text, he set his phone aside and went into the bathroom.

  Anticipation warmed his chest. The thought of Julie’s curves showcased by the thin material of a bathing suit was enough to have his body stirring with interest. He grabbed his swim trunks from where he’d left them hanging to dry over the shower rod the morning before. It took a few minutes to suck down the hot coffee, and then he was out the door in search of Julie.

  When he found her, she was lying face down on a lounger with a towel draped around her. She had a Kindle in her hands and was so engrossed in what she was reading she didn’t notice his approach. Her knees bent and her feet lifted in the air, her toes curling and she grinned at something in her book. The bare length of her legs caught his attention and he vividly remembered them wrapped around his waist the night before. The memory was enough to have him salivating, and he had to swallow before he could speak.

  “What are you reading?” There, that was a safe enough question, with nothing sexual to it. He’d rather not embarrass himself by walking around with an enormous erection. His shorts wouldn’t hide anything.

  She jerked a bit, obviously startled, but then turned her head and grinned at him. “A filthy romance novel. It’s awesome.”

  So much for a non-sexual question. Now he was wondering how many fantasies such a novel could give her, and how many of them he could help her fulfill in the next week.

  Down boy.

  She licked her lower lip. “I bought it just before I left because it got a great review on Smart Bitches, Trashy Books.”

  “Smart…uh, never mind. Don’t tell me.” He held up his hands, dropping onto the empty lounger next to her. “I’m glad you’re enjoying your book.”

  Her eyebrows arched. “Well, what do you read for fun?”

  “For this trip, I brought along the latest Wallander mystery from Henning Mankell. In German.” Definitely not the kind of book to fuel sexual fantasies, but it was his favorite genre. A nice release from the more technical reading for his research.

  She pursed her lips. “Mystery, huh?”

  “Yes.” He shrugged. “It’s an amazing series with themes that really speak to some of the problems in Europe. Immigration from former colonies, and a resu
lting increase in crime, but also intolerance and racism.”

  “Sounds pretty dark.”

  “But realistic. I like that about the books.”

  She waved her Kindle in the air. “I like my books with happy endings. It’s a nice break from reality, which I can get a nasty dose of by turning on the news.”

  Nodding, he conceded the point. “I can see the appeal in that. I like my mysteries, even if they are less rosy.”

  “The bad guys still get caught,” she pointed out. “So that’s still kind of a happy ending.”

  “Happy is a bit of a stretch.” He propped his foot on his lounger and draped his forearm over his bent knee. “But I enjoy it anyway.”

  “Where is the series set in Germany?” She tilted a shoulder forward, and the towel covering slipped down to reveal a bit of her smooth back. “I imagine it gives you a nice dose of home.”

  “It’s set in Sweden, actually. I just read the German translations.”

  “Oh, like those Girl with the Dragon Tattoo books. They’re Swedish too.” She turned on her side to face him, and he regretted that the towel moved with her and he didn’t get to see what kind of bathing suit she was wearing.

  He forced his focus to her face. Books. They were having a very pleasant discussion about books, not the fact that he liked to have sex in the morning. Or what her favorite position was. Or whether her room was closer than his and how quickly they could get to one of them. He cleared his throat. “Yes, I read that series. Sweden has produced some great crime novelists. Denmark too, actually.”

  Making a mock-concerned face, she said, “Scandinavians suddenly sound like a creepier and more sinister bunch than I thought.”

  He laughed. “Not really. Most Scandinavian countries I’ve visited are very safe.”

  Her brow scrunched. “So they make up crime fiction since they don’t have any in real life?”

  “Something like that.” He let his foot drop to the floor. “So, what do you have planned for your week here? Other than a sea swim with me.”