One Kiss In... Hawaii. Jill Monroe

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СКАЧАТЬ honest concern. Lindsey was acting strangely about this dude. Twice during their brief conversation, Mia had hinted that she and Shelby wanted to meet Rick. Both times Lindsey had subtly blown them off.

      They decided to go the long way from the lobby because it would give them an opportunity to scope out most of the pool area, while there would be little chance that Lindsey could spot them first. A horde of people still wet from the pool or beach were exiting the area as they approached. Made sense since it was close to the dinner hour, but that wasn’t going to help their cause.

      As soon as Mia spotted the familiar thatched pool-bar roof, she indicated to Shelby that they should head toward the guy signing out beach towels near the restrooms. They both wore sunglasses, but Mia knew that, like herself, Shelby was avidly scanning the groups of guests that remained poolside, lounging on chairs, reading or sipping fruity drinks.

      “Oh, my God.”

      Mia swung a look at Shelby, who’d stopped and was staring in the direction of the giant rock waterfall. One of the boulders threw a portion of the deck into shadow and created a small semiprivate nook. Squinting behind her sunglasses, Mia caught a glimpse of Lindsey’s long blond hair. The chaise on which she lounged butted up against another chair occupied by a man, stretched out on his side, facing Lindsey. He had longish sun-streaked brown hair, tied back into a short ponytail.

      “Holy crap, check out his tats.” Shelby lowered her sunglasses an inch and peered over them.

      Mia did the same. She saw one tattoo on his upper arm, another just above his shoulder blade, though she couldn’t make out what they were. The rest of him looked pretty good—lean, muscled, broad where he should be—but absolutely, positively not Lindsey’s type. Mia had to take a second glance to make sure the blonde was actually her friend.

      “I don’t believe this,” Shelby said, shooting Mia a stunned look before resuming her openmouthed stare.

      They both watched as he leaned toward Lindsey and kissed her. Her hand immediately went to her hair the way it always did when she was nervous. But she didn’t pull away.

      “I must be hallucinating,” Shelby muttered.

      Mia blinked just to be sure.

      “Would you ladies like a cocktail?”

      They both turned to the tall, narrow-faced waitress, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

      “Desperately,” Shelby said.

      “I’m pretty sure you have to be more specific,” Mia said absently, and then advised the waitress, “Nothing for me, thanks.”

      “Make it a Mai Tai—No, wait.” Shelby pulled a face. “We need to find a spot to sit. Catch us your next time around, okay?”

      “Sure.” The waitress shifted her tray, smiled and stalked off to the next guest.

      Mia glanced over at Lindsey and saw her friend trying to get the waitress’s attention. Mia quickly averted her gaze. “Great,” she murmured. “I think Lindsey might have seen us.”

      Like a pro, Shelby maintained a poker face. “Okay, then let’s go get our towels. And then—What?”

      “I say we go over and say hi, pretend this is a coincidence. We postponed the birthday dinner. She knows we’d be looking for something else to do. Why not come down for a swim?”

      “Right.” They walked to the counter and each signed out a towel. “Is she looking this way?” Shelby asked.

      “I haven’t checked.” Mia draped the yellow towel over her arm and slid a furtive look from under her lashes. “Oh, hell.”

      “Is she looking?”

      “I don’t know,” Mia said, sighing. “But Jeff is here, and he just spotted me.”

      DAVID HAD BEEN IN THE SHOWER when Mia called his cell phone and left a message. She was going to be late, wasn’t sure how long, it had something to do with previous plans with her friends, and she’d explain more later. She’d said she was sorry. Twice. And she’d sounded genuinely disappointed. But that hadn’t lessened his own disappointment. Or frustration.

      He put on some music while he perused the room service menu, poured himself a scotch and tried to relax. But reading the menu only reminded him that the romantic dinner he’d planned might not pan out. He eyed his phone sitting on the bar, flirted with temptation and finally ordered himself not to call her back. She would’ve given him the green light had she wanted to talk to him.

      Instead, muttering a mild oath, he laid his head back to stare at the textured ceiling. She and her friends had planned this trip together and naturally had their own itinerary. He had no business feeling put out. He knew he was being totally selfish in wanting her to spend every minute with him, but he didn’t give a damn. This could be their last chance to see if there was something there between them, figure out if the feelings he’d been suppressing were real.

      His restless gaze landed on the crystal desk clock. Only twenty minutes since she’d left the message? How could that be? With the time difference, it was too late to call his office. He sure as hell wasn’t about to talk to his father. He’d want to know if David had presented the offer to Mia. Which he would have done by now if he hadn’t had a personal agenda.

      But damn if he’d feel guilty about that, too. For three years he’d kept on blinders, concentrated on his job, refused to allow the smallest crack in his professional armor where Mia was concerned. It wasn’t even just about Mia, although she’d been his ultimate test. For the eight years since he’d been out of law school, he’d always put work first. And yes, of course he was concerned about losing clients and avoiding cutbacks. The possibility of layoffs ate at him, and he was willing to do almost anything to prevent the firm from going that route. But he wouldn’t sacrifice a chance with Mia.

      He’d forgotten about the scotch he poured, and took a long slow sip, letting the liquid burn all the way down his throat. Thinking about the office wasn’t doing him any good. The decision to extend the offer to her at the end of the trip was a good one. The right one. Tonight and the next few days had to be strictly about them.

      Ironic, really, that this trip was for both personal and business reasons, after he’d prided himself in keeping those two areas of his life separate.

      He inhaled deeply, then exhaled slowly. Of course this whole thing could blow up in his face if she thought his every action since arriving in Hawaii had been about luring her back to the firm and not about wanting her for himself. No, she knew him too well. He had to trust that she held him in higher esteem than to believe him capable of conning her. Mia wasn’t just beautiful, she was damn smart.

      Smiling, he easily pictured her lying on that crazy straw mat, her dark hair fanned out around her slim shoulders, her green eyes hazy with desire. He loved the way her lips unconsciously parted, ever so slightly, the second before he kissed her, and the way she tasted—cool and sweet and just the right amount of eager.

      Well, hell, thinking about her like this and nursing yet another unattended hard-on wasn’t doing him any favors, either. Not that he couldn’t take care of himself, but he’d only resent her absence all the more.

      Abandoning the rest of his scotch, he pushed off the chair. Waiting around the suite was a mistake. He’d have his phone with him in case she СКАЧАТЬ