by J. P. Comeau
“Then, I won’t fret about traffic.”
I slipped into the back seat and stared out the window. My phone kept buzzing with updates from Karina, but I didn’t feel the need to respond to them. She was doing a fantastic job despite the workload I had put on her shoulders for the Hawaii trip. And not once had she complained about anything.
The last-minute pay bump had definitely been worth it.
And, I’d done a good job with keeping things strictly professional. Minus the times my eyes lingered on her when she walked out of my office. I mean, the girl was gorgeous in a skirt. That much was for certain. But, no personal conversation had come up between us, which could be a good thing.
Also a bad thing, too.
This trip to Hawaii was going to be tame compared to my other business trips. It would be quiet and less structured. And that meant more quiet and alone time with just the two of us. Nothing romantic, but enough for minds to wander. And since we did have a history--recent history--I wasn’t sure what that meant for our personal relationship.
You knew this was going to happen.
I shook the voice out of my head and cleared my throat, watching the world roll by as we made our way to the airport, with the driver humming to himself. I didn’t mind his songs. He had a lovely voice, but it also made my mind wander.
Besame. Besame mucho.
I felt a warmth grace my lips, and a shiver work its way down my spine. My eyes closed as I drew in a deep breath, trying to shove away the first time my lips ever met hers.
Como si fuera ésta noche la última vez.
I let the first time my hands fell to her bare hips overwhelm me, tingling my palm and my fingertips as I gripped at the suit pants tightening against my thighs.
Besame. Besame mucho.
I smelled her perfume with me in the back of the taxi. I felt her hand drifting along my collarbone. My cock pulsed, ready to spring to life as my toes curled inside my loafers.
Que tengo miedo a perderte, perderte después.
“Mmm, Kari--.”
“We’re here!” the driver announced.
My eyes shot open, and I drew in a sobering breath. Swallowing down the growl on the tip of my tongue, I flexed my toes in my shoes. And I watched as the driver signaled for the gate to open. Quickly jamming my hand down my pants, I rearranged the growing erection I had and settled back down, trying to push away the heat that had gathered in my gut.
Then, I saw her.
Karina.
With two coffees, a bag slung over her shoulder, another one sitting at her feet, and her outer form looking more impeccable than it had the last time I saw her.
And it was five-thirty in the morning.
“That’ll be--.”
I interrupted the driver by handing him a hundred dollar bill.
“Can you help that woman get her stuff onto the plane? On me?” I asked.
He plucked the bill from my fingertips. “Sure thing, sir.”
I stepped out of the car. “You look a bit bogged down. Need any help?”
Karina smiled brightly as she walked up to me. “Here’s your hot coffee with a shot of white chocolate and your muffin as well as the breakfast wrap.”
“Didn’t I say one or the other?”
She shrugged. “They both looked spectacular. So, I got you both. If you don’t eat one, I’ll eat the other.”
I nodded. “Fair enough.”
She turned around. “Oh, no, no! Sir, that’s not--.”
I placed my hand against her shoulder. “It’s okay. I gave him some extra cash to help.”
Her eyes fell to our connection, and I quickly removed my hand. The entire transaction made me clear my throat. I was so damn flustered.
“I gave him money. He’s fine,” I said.
Karina nodded slowly. “Uh-huh. And who’s going to help you with your bags?”
“My secretary, of course.”
She offered me a soft smile, and, together, we unloaded my things. When we boarded the plane, I could’ve sworn I heard her gasp. It put a smile on my face. The plane was my pride and joy. A company investment that helped us soar to a new height, with every pun intended. It was the best move Stonewater Realty had made regarding the expansion of our real estate empire, and Karina would get to experience it.
And I’d get to experience it with her.
The flight attendant helped get our bags into the overhead storage before we got comfortable in our seats. As Karina sat in front of me with her back to the bulkhead of the plane, I saw a weariness cross over her face. She didn’t look tired. But, she did look nervous.
“It’s okay. I’ve hired the best pilot I could find. We’ll be safe on the flight,” I said.
She nodded slowly. “Okay.”
“Have you ever been on a plane before?”
She grinned. “Already forgot about Romania, I guess?”
I lifted my coffee. “Right. Yes. Guess I should go ahead and chug this down, so my brain starts working.”
“But, Romania was the first time I’d ever been on a plane. And, let’s just say it wasn’t a good experience.”
“How so?”
“Turbulence so bad it made me sick. And, once we flew out and made our way over the ocean, we hit two air pockets that made me feel like we were headed straight for the water.”
My nose curled. “That… sounds like a terrible trip.”
“It was. I would have stayed in Romania had I not been in the middle of my college career at the time.”
I chuckled. “Just said ‘fuck it,’ huh?”
She smiled at me before it quickly faded. And she, too, cleared her throat. “Anyway, I’ll be okay once we get there.”
“It’ll be a good flight over. Besides, there’s only so much work I can give you while we’re up in the air.”
“That’s--actually very comforting, thank you.”
We both fell silent and sipped our coffees as the plane took off. I saw Karina white-knuckling the chair arm beside her, and part of me wanted nothing more than to hold her hand. I had to stop it. I had to stop torturing myself. I knew hiring her might’ve been a bad idea, but I didn’t understand the extent that my mind would torture me with it.
However, when we finally got ourselves over the ocean, I saw tears spring to Karina’s eyes. Tears she tried so hard to blink back.
So, I figured a distraction was in order. “Did you enjoy working as the head of H.R.?”
“What?” she asked breathlessly.
I took a bite of my muffin. “Your prior job. Did you enjoy it?”
She swallowed hard. “Uh, yeah. I mean, there were a lot of hours worked. But, I did enjoy it, yes.”
“What’s your favorite memory from working there?”
“My favorite memory of work?” She asked quizzically.
“Mhm.”
Karina narrowed her eyes. “Does anyone have good memories of work?”
“Well, I do.” I tried not to laugh.
“Because you’re a workaholic, Mr. Hearthstone.”
Damn it, I love how she says my name.
“Well, it sounds like you were one of your own volition at your previous job. All those overtime hours you weren’t paid for?” I remarked.
“Well, part of that was not having a choice. I had to work them. Otherwise, my job was in jeopardy.”
“Wait, seriously?”
She nodded. “Yeah. I mean, no one specifically told us that. But, it was understood. We worked when we were told to work, and if we didn’t want to, then someone else might just replace us.”
“So, you worked hours you were never paid for on top of having your job dangled in front of you?”
“I promise it isn’t as bad as it sounds. But, it was a job, and it gave me the ability to support myself. And it provided a good distraction.”
I cocked my head. “From what?”
Her eyes fell out of the window as I took another bite of my muffin.
“It took me a long time
to get over my high school sweetheart. I carried that hurt with me all through my college career. And it wasn’t until I took that job and was worked to the bone that my mind was finally able to focus on something other than how much I hurt.”
“He sounds like a real piece of work.”
She shrugged. “It was puppy love. I thought it would last forever, he had other plans. It happens.”
“I’m sorry, Karina.”
She gave me a sharp look. “It happens, Mr. Hearthstone.”
I picked up on the cue. “Well, I do agree that work is a great distraction. I used my education and building this business as a distraction from how disappointed my parents were in both me… and Brenden too, actually.”
Her eyes snapped back to mine. “You’re kidding. Your parents are disappointed in you?”
I grinned. “Well, they were.”
“But they aren’t now.”
I shook my head with a chuckle. “No. Not now.”
“Good.”
She’s cute when she’s protective. “My grandfather built and founded Heartland Assets.”
“Wait. The Heartland Assets?” Karina’s eyes got wide.
“Yep, that’s the one.”
“The company that holds the largest percentage of--.”
I finished her sentence yet again. “--this country’s pensions and retirement funds, yes. I’m shocked, you know that.”
She paused. “I don’t know how to take that statement.”
“I just meant that not very many people know that.”
“Your grandfather founded that company?”
I nodded. “Yep, and he passed it onto my father after he died, so it was expected that, Clint, my older brother would go to work with Dad, keeping everything in the family. Clint hated the idea and joined the military, though. So, Dad looked to me as the second eldest son to come work with him. But, finance wasn’t my thing. It never was… even growing up. Honestly, I didn’t want to inherit something that had already been built. I wanted to build something for myself. And in the end, Branden felt the same way and followed me.”
She smiled. “That’s an outstanding goal to have for one’s life.”
“I thought so, too. But, it caused a lot of friction in my family for a very long time. My father was disappointed. Mom was worried about who would take over. I think she was fearful that Dad would work well past his retirement years and rob her of that time with him because no one was there to take his spot.”
She pursed her lips. “Do they have anyone there now? Or, is your father still working?”
“I don’t know all the ends and outs, actually. I do know that Dad is still involved with Heartland Assets. But when I do get together with my family, we don't talk about business. We learned very quickly that it was the only way to keep a decent relationship with each other.”
I reached for the bag at my feet and handed it to her. The one that held the breakfast burrito. She smiled when she took it, and for a split second, our fingers touched. The spark that flew between us actually popped in midair, and Karina yelped before she pulled her hand back.
“Freaking static,” she hissed.
Maybe so.
Or, maybe it was the spark between us that had lit itself the night we met one another in that club.
My eyes fell out of the window as Karina ate and typed away on her laptop. The sun had risen, and the view was majestic. I was in awe of it every time I flew. Up there, in my private perch, gazing down at just how small the earth was below, I was in awe of how minuscule things seemed. How little we all looked. How insignificant it all felt sometimes.
“Karina, look at--.”
My eyes flickered over to her, and I chuckled when the sight unfolded before me. With her soft snores filling the space between us, she had her head slumped off to the side. Her laptop sat on the floor, and the empty burrito wrapper was still clutched in her hand. Her coffee, sitting empty at her feet, was one good kick away from flying across the damn airplane.
I saw her body softly shivering, though.
She was cold.
“Sleep well, Karina,” I whispered.
I slid my suit coat off and settled it against her body. Watching as her shivering slowly calmed itself.
17
_____
KARINA
I gazed out the window of my bungalow and listened to the soft sounds of Zane unpacking next door. With my window open, the smell of saltwater wafted up my nostrils. The lazy sounds of water lapping at the edge of the shoreline pulled a smile across my cheeks. The sun was hot, but not intrusive. It was like the warm steam of a hot shower rather than the harsh heat of the Vegas desert.
I had booked us two private bungalows with hammocks in the pristinely-manicured backyard. Palm trees grew around the edges of the property. At the same time, bushes covered the outside, allowing the place as much privacy as it did scenery. The fluttering butterflies that donned pinks and blues made me smile. The large, exotic flowers that were almost as big as my face made my heart skip a beat. The place was magical. It was bright. If happiness had a picture, it would be that place. That bungalow. That backyard.
Not to mention the luxurious bathroom that had both a stand-up marble shower as well as a jetted tub.
“I could get used to this,” I murmured.
A knock came at my door, pulling me from my trance. But, when I turned around, I saw my door being pushed opened. I furrowed my brow as I watched Zane appear, freshly dressed in another suit.
I blinked. “Are those linen pants?”
“That’s the question you want to ask first?” He laughed.
“Well, actually, I don’t know why you have a key to my room. But, are those linen pants?”
He grinned. “They’re about as thin as linen pants. But, no. I have a batch of suits that are made specifically for this kind of weather. So, I can look professional without also sweating through my clothes.”
“Okay. So, why do you have a key to my room?”
“I think they switched keys on us at the front desk. Here. Catch.”
The key came flying at me through the air, and I caught it in my fingertips.
“I guess that means I have one of your keys,” I said.
He waved his hand in the air. “Keep it. If you have to come get me for any reason, you’ll need it. I would’ve given you a key to my room anyway for emergency purposes.”
“Noted.”
“So, you up for some lunch?”
I nodded. “I could eat. What did you have in mind?”
“There’s a fish shack right down there on the beach. I hear they’ve got great drinks, too. I figured we could have lunch, finalize the schedule while we’re here, and enjoy the view. On me.”
On me.
His words rang out hard in my mind. But, it was a business trip, so, technically, the food was on the company.
I nodded. “Sure. Why not? Give me a few minutes to change, and I’ll meet you outside.”
“I’ll be on my porch enjoying the view.”
I glanced out the window. “I did good with this place, right?”
He shot me a look. “Boasting is never a good trait for any secretary to have.”
I mockingly saluted him. “Sir, yes, sir.”
He chuckled. “But, yes. You did well with this place. Now, go get changed.”
“Aye aye, Captain!”
Zane shook his head as he closed the door behind him. Then, I slipped out of my clothes that still smelled like the airplane, and dressed into something more comfortable. Pulling out an orange and blue sundress with colors that swirled like a painting, I slipped it on. As I glanced in the mirror near the door, I plopped on my wide-brimmed hat and arranged my hair. And after slipping into my flip flops, I felt ready to tackle my first day in Hawaii.
“Ready when you are.” I said loud enough for Zane to hear before snatching up my purse and walking outside.
I heard him walk over. “Great. I can see the shack from here, so I d
on’t suppose you’d be up for walking?”
I turned around and smiled at him. “I don't mind it one bit. The weather’s so beautiful.”
“It is. Hawaii always seems to be like this.”
“So, this isn’t your first trip here?” I asked, not really shocked at all.
“No, it’s not. And I love it more and more every time I come.”
I stepped off the porch. “You should buy yourself a vacation property here, then.”
“What makes you think I haven’t?”
“The… fact that we’re staying in bungalows instead of staying at your place?”
He shrugged. “My place isn’t on the main island. Plus, it’s a vacation home. I’ve always made it a point not to bring work there.”
“I could never imagine owning something like that. You’re very fortunate,” I said. “Very fortunate indeed.”
“I’m just good with money. There’s a difference. The home I own didn’t cost me any more than a house in the Rust Belt would.”
I frowned. “The Rust Belt?”
“You know, the lower part of the Midwest? It used to be powered by manufacturing companies until they all closed up shop and moved jobs overseas. We consider them poorer towns now because the job market crashed in those areas, and it’s called the Rust Belt because--.”
“--of all the unused, rusted machines.”
He nodded. “Exactly. A home that will only run somewhere between seventy grand and one-ten. Give or take.”
I blinked. “You paid less than six figures for a Hawaiian vacation home?”
“I did.”
“Have you ever taken anyone to your house here in Hawaii? Oh, I mean…” It came out without thinking.
When he didn’t respond, I looked up at him. And I saw his eyes grow unfocused on the horizon. Shit. I had stepped in it. I crossed a line I shouldn’t have, and it was going to come back to haunt me.
“That was much too personal. Anyway. Why don’t we talk about this trip?” I asked.
He nodded. “Probably for the best.”
“Do you have a deal or someone you’re meeting while we are --?”
“Where do you see yourself in ten years, Karina?” He interrupted as if he didn’t hear me.
“I’m sorry, what?” The question came out of nowhere and took me completely by surprise.
