by Kaylea Cross
She’d also been carrying an extra twenty pounds back then, resulting in a few rolls. Which was why she’d agonized over selecting a new swimsuit, one that would make her feel confident about how she looked, and maybe get her noticed by the boy she had a crush on.
Instead of a fun day at the pool with her friends that she’d been looking forward to for weeks, it turned out to be her nightmare. The boys in her class had been mean little shits, making snide comments that cut deeper than knives because the teacher hadn’t come out of the changing room yet. Including the boy she’d had a crush on.
Quick, get a harpoon, there’s a beached whale on deck!
Must be jelly ‘cause jam don’t shake like that!
Kai’s hands stilled, squeezing the backs of her thighs. “Hey. Relax.” He shook her legs gently.
With effort, Abby exhaled and forced her muscles to loosen, shoving those memories back into the box she’d put them in. Some part of her would always feel like that awkward, overweight and self-conscious teenager.
“That’s better,” Kai murmured, and resumed the motion of his hands.
Now that she’d consciously surrendered that most vulnerable part of herself to him, it felt like a weight lifted from her. He wasn’t making snide comments, didn’t appear disgusted by what he saw, just kept going with those smooth, firm yet gentle strokes over her most hated body parts. And with every glide of his palms and fingers, something loosened inside her. Healed.
Closing her eyes against the sudden sting there, she swallowed back the lump clogging her throat and gave into his touch, grateful that he was unaware of her thoughts.
By the time he’d finished with her calves she was a human puddle laid out on the towel, utterly relaxed. Safe.
And aroused as all hell.
“Okay, turn over.”
At his low command she slowly rolled onto her back, unashamed by the way her nipples pressed against the fabric of her top. There was no way to hide it anyway, and she wanted him to see what he’d done to her.
Kai’s gaze stopped at her breasts, the desire kindling there giving her a heady rush of feminine power she hadn’t felt in…maybe forever. “You’re so beautiful,” he said softly.
From any other man she would have dismissed those words and assumed he was either flat out lying or just trying to get in her pants. But not Kai. She believed him because that look on his face, like he was thinking about all the things he wanted to do to her, combined with his touch—those were real.
Closing her eyes, she let herself drift while he spread the sunscreen all over the front of her, making her tingle and throb. He finished by pushing her sunhat off and tossing it aside, kneeling over her to smooth the cool lotion over her forehead, cheeks and nose. Abby had never felt so cherished or wanted.
“Okay, all done.” He withdrew his hands, causing her to open her eyes and look up at him. His face was directly above hers, giving her a prime view of those powerful shoulders, arms and chest, that gorgeous, chiseled face. “Ready for some fun in the water?”
Her entire body ached with need. What she wanted was to drag him into the tent and do bad, bad things to him. But that wasn’t going to work when it was broad daylight and five of his friends were wandering around. And this continual build of arousal was too delicious to end now.
“Okay,” she whispered back.
He stood and reached down a hand for her, the sensual promise in his eyes making her heart pound. “Come on, shortcake. Let me show you my idea of paradise.”
Chapter Ten
A few days ago, Kai thought the most fun part of this trip was during that race with Freeman back on Oahu, but he’d been wrong. Dead wrong. Nothing could touch what he’d experienced with Abby this afternoon while they played in the water together.
“That was incredible,” Abby gushed, tossing her snorkeling gear to the sand beside their tent. They’d been in the water for almost an hour, exploring the reef just offshore. The water was calm, the tide just beginning to come in, the sun dipping low on the horizon, about an hour away from setting.
Kai smiled. “Glad you had fun.”
Rubbing the sunscreen into her creamy skin had made him hard as stone, but he’d also seen something from her that surprised him. She’d hesitated before coming out of the tent in her swimsuit, and she’d been almost shy with him at first, as though she’d been anxious about him seeing her body.
If she’d only known how desperate he was to see her, she wouldn’t have worried in the first place. He’d loved what he’d seen, couldn’t wait to see all of her. Thankfully she’d relaxed after he’d told her how beautiful she was. Once he’d helped her with her fins, mask and snorkel and gotten her into the water, she’d loved it. He’d pointed out all the different fish and a couple of sea turtles.
She gave him a coy look as she pushed her wet bangs out of her face. “You sure know how to show a girl a good time.”
He’d just shared his love of the ocean with her, and romanced her with food he’d known she would love. But he wanted to show her so much more. Like how amazing chemistry translated to incredible sex, for example. That was at the top of his list right now. “Oh, shortcake, you ain’t seen nothing yet.”
Her cheeks turned pink but she didn’t look away, a grin tugging at her lips. “You sound very sure of yourself.”
“I’m pretty confident in my abilities.” He’d show her exactly how much fun he could be soon enough. Heat gathered low in his belly, his growing erection pressing against the front of his swim shorts. “One more quick swim before we shower up for dinner?”
“Okay.” She studied him, her gaze lingering on his chest, sliding lower, making the shorts even tighter before she met his eyes again. “I’ve never seen anyone as good as you in the water before. You’re like a fish. Or a merman.”
“Well, my name does mean ‘sea’.” Without giving her any warning, he bent at the waist and grabbed her, hoisting her over his shoulder.
She shrieked out a laugh and grabbed at his waist. “Kai! Put me down!”
“Nope.” He whacked a hand across her left butt cheek and carried her back into the water, waiting until he was waist deep before gripping her hips and tossing her into the waves.
He caught a glimpse of shock on her face, her wide, pretty blue eyes just before she went under. She surfaced two seconds later with an expression of horror, her hands clutching her bikini top to her breasts, which had come undone at the back of her neck.
Chuckling, he took a wading step toward her. “Uh oh, wardrobe malfunction. Need a hand?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “I’d splash you for that, but my hands are full right now.”
They were full, all right. “I’ll help. I’ll hold the top in place while you tie it.”
She snorted. “No, I’ll hold and you tie. You think I’m that easy?”
God, he loved her sass, her confidence. “No, you’re not easy at all, except for when it comes to being with you,” he murmured, bending to kiss the tip of her nose as he pulled the ties into place at her nape and did them up.
Abby gazed up at him with those gorgeous, vivid blue eyes, looking like a little blonde water nymph. A sexy one. Then her hand flashed out, shoving a wave of water right into his face. He sputtered and coughed, wiped the water away to give her a mock glare.
“Serves you right,” she said, and bravely stood her ground.
Kai held her gaze, the latent heat and tension building between them. Quick as a striking shark, he scooped her out of the water, holding her across his chest, one arm beneath her thighs and the other around her back.
She squealed and locked her arms around his neck, clinging to him. “Don’t throw me again!”
Chuckling, he cuddled her closer, loving the feel of her pressed to him, the way she buried her face in his neck. “Okay. But only because you feel so good up against me like this.”
Abby relaxed a little, hummed in appreciation and nuzzled the side of his neck, the drag of her lips across his
skin sending a wave of desire through him. “You feel good too. And I gotta say, it’s a real novelty being swept off my feet. Last guy who tried it hurt his back and could barely move for a week,” she added with a little laugh.
He squeezed her tighter to him, giving her another display of his strength as his muscles flexed against her. Yeah, he was a big guy, and he worked hard to stay in this condition. Knowing his body turned her on was a big ego boost. “Well then he must have been a wimp, because you don’t weigh very much.” He could hold her all day.
“Very gallant of you to say so.” She opened her mouth on his neck, sucked gently, making the breath lock in his throat. “Mmm, you’re all salty.”
Suppressing a growl of longing, Kai slid the hand around her ribs up to cup the back of her head and bring her mouth to his. She settled into his hold and cradled the side of his face with one palm, her mouth soft and warm and inviting beneath his own. Every stroke of her tongue against his sent another rush of blood between his legs.
More than anything he wanted to pluck the bow at her nape undone, peel the cups of her bikini top down to reveal her breasts, finally see if they were the shade of pink he imagined before driving her wild with his mouth.
“Hey! If you two can bear to stop sucking face for a few minutes, it’s time to eat,” one of his buddies called out from shore. “Dinner’s in fifteen, and we’re not saving any pork for you if you’re late.”
Kai ended the kiss reluctantly and pressed his forehead to hers. He was hard and aching, ravenous to get Abby naked and under him. “Not gonna lie, kind of regretting bringing you here, because now we’re gonna have to hang out with them until we can go to bed.”
She kissed him softly, her lips curving. “I don’t know. I’m kind of loving the whole anticipation thing.”
He was too, in a way. And she was totally worth the wait.
He carried her out of the water, ignoring her protests, only setting her down once they’d reached the tent. She hurriedly slipped her cover up on, then grabbed her bag and walked hand-in-hand with him up to the house where she had first shower.
He was waiting for her in the hallway when the door opened, releasing a cloud of Abby-scented steam. She appeared a moment later wearing a turquoise sundress that clung to the curve of her breasts and hips, the hem flaring out in little ruffles around mid-thigh.
Kai caught her, lifted her off the floor and turned, pinning her to the wall for another scorching kiss, letting her feel what she did to him, how much he wanted her. Reining the hunger in, he released her slowly, taking savage satisfaction in her dilated pupils, her rapid breathing. “I want you so damn much,” he said, his voice low, gruff.
Her fingers clenched around the tops of his shoulders and she moaned softly. “How long until bed time?”
“Hours,” he groaned, and released her before he could decide to hell with it, carry her into the bathroom and take the edge off for them both.
It took an act of will not to take his own edge off in the shower. Clean and dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, he found Abby helping his buddies get the last of the sides set out on the long picnic table in the backyard. He could tell they all liked her from the way they teased her, and she gave it right back, earning even more respect from them. Yet another way she was different from Shelley. Shelley never would have fit in here, would have been clingy and demanding.
When they’d all filled their plates, Kai snagged her around the waist and pulled her into his lap in the lawn chair he’d taken. “I want your first bite of kalua pork to be from my fingers,” he murmured, low enough that only she could hear him over the trill of birds in the nearby garden.
Her eyes flicked up to his, arousal and amusement gleaming there. “You don’t need to keep seducing me with food. I’m already at a steady simmer.”
“Well, can’t hurt.” Pure male satisfaction slid through him as he selected a bite of the succulent pork and brought it to her lips. Abby’s cheeks turned an adorable shade of pink and she glanced around for a moment, but then dipped her head and parted her lips, accepting the morsel from his fingers.
“Mmmm,” she moaned, closing her eyes as she chewed. “Oh, it almost melts in my mouth.”
His cock swelled at the enjoyment on her face, made worse by the sweet pressure of her ass in his lap. He selected another bite and raised it to her mouth, watching with erotic fascination as her lips closed around it. Abby adored food the way some women adored jewelry or clothes, but there was something so erotic and primal about feeding her the thing she loved by his own hand.
“Am I interrupting?” a dry voice said from beside him.
Kai glanced up at their host, Jonah, who had a plate piled high with food in one hand, and a beer in the other, a wry expression on his face. “Nah, man. Sit down,” he said, his entire body tightening when Abby’s tongue flicked out to lick at his fingertips before she withdrew and slid off his lap to take the chair next to him.
Clearing his throat, Kai put his plate in his lap to hide the evidence of his arousal, his entire body strung taut as he tried to make casual conversation with his friend. No woman had ever turned him inside out the way Abby did. No woman had ever made him ache like she did.
It had taken him a long time to see that Shelley was broken, and that no amount of reassurance or effort from him would ever have changed it. Abby was almost her polar opposite. She wanted him, but didn’t need him. Not in the fragile, please take care of me and fill the black hole of need inside me way the others had. She was strong and independent, could take care of herself.
It was a double-edged sword, because, well, he wanted her to need him in some ways.
More than anything, right now he wanted to wrap her up in his arms and breathe her in, lay her down and claim her with his body, watch her face as he took her to the edge of release and pushed her over it. He wanted to lie beside her in the dark and hold her while she drifted off to sleep, and wake up next to her in the morning.
Somehow, he managed to force his mind off getting Abby alone in their tent and enjoy time with his buddies. They built a fire and sat around the crackling flames while Jonah played his guitar for a while, the smell of it taking Kai right back to his childhood and the countless campouts he’d had with Hani. Abby was so quiet at one point he looked over to check that she was still awake, and saw her frowning in confusion at him.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, reaching for her hand.
She curled her fingers around his, one side of her mouth tipping upward. “I’ve only had two beers, but I swear I only caught a few words of that whole conversation. It sounded like English, but not.”
It took him a moment to realize what he’d done. “Pidgin,” he said with a wince. “Sorry, I just slipped into it without realizing.”
“Yeah, sorry,” Jonah said. “Old habits die hard, right big guy?” He smacked Kai on the chest.
“It’s okay,” she said with a wave, and leaned close, resting her head on his shoulder. “Just glad I’m not going crazy.”
Kai wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head, breathing in the clean scent of her shampoo mixed with the campfire, his soul sighing in contentment. She belonged with him. Did she feel it too?
A chorus of greetings lifted his gaze across the campfire, where the others were gathered around a newcomer. Kai’s abs contracted when they parted and Hani’s face appeared beyond the flickering flames. His cousin’s eyes caught his, flicked from Kai to Abby.
Hani’s big, toothy smile slipped. Froze for a moment before fading away, his expression turning almost hostile as he stared at first her, then Kai. Kai instantly bristled, his protective instincts surging to the surface. What was Hani’s problem with Abby? She’d been nothing but polite and friendly to him, even during that awkward drink they’d shared last night.
Abby sat up, pulling away from him. Kai tightened his hold. “No. You stay right where you are.”
She tugged his hand off her shoulder. “I should go. I’m p
retty tired from all that sun and water and food. Think I’ll get ready for bed and turn in.” She gave him a sensual smile that dimmed his annoyance considerably before she walked toward the house.
Reluctantly Kai watched her go, resentment for his cousin growing inside him.
“What’s with Hani?” Jonah asked quietly once Abby was in the house.
“I dunno.” Yeah, he and Hani had their differences, and Kai was sure his cousin was still involved with bad shit here on the island. He’d made it a point to avoid the topic and not look into it out of respect for his cousin and tutu, but if Hani continued to be an asshole and treat Abby in a way that made her uncomfortable, then Kai was going to have words with him.
Hani stayed near the back of the house, talking with the others, pointedly avoiding him. When Abby came out the back door a few minutes later, everyone stopped talking.
She paused, her gaze darting to Hani. Kai pushed to his feet and stalked toward them, ready to put Hani in his place, but Abby smiled, said goodnight and breezed past them, classy to a fault.
Kai took her hand when she reached him. “You don’t need to leave.”
“It’s okay, I’m ready for bed. And it seems like you guys need to talk.” She put on another smile, lifted on tiptoe to kiss him softly. “I’ll wait up for you.”
Kai nodded, jaw tense as he stared at Hani. “I’ll be there soon.” He wanted to follow her right now and do everything he’d been fantasizing about all day—hell, for weeks—but he wasn’t leaving like this. It was high time he and Hani set things straight between them, and the little asshole needed to be reminded of his manners.
The others backed away awkwardly as Kai strode toward Hani, who stood there with a defiant expression on his face. Everyone else retreated to the far side of the fire pit.
Kai stopped a foot away from him, uncaring that they had an audience. “You got a problem, cousin?” he asked in a hard voice.
