Totally Tempting

“Pick whichever bedroom you like,” Dean said after their tour.

“Which one would you like?” she asked, feeling overwhelmed with choices.

“Doesn’t matter.”

“Mmm.” She paused in the doorway of one. The room seemed the size of a basketball court. The view drew her to the window. “This will be fine,” she murmured, opening the door to the outside.

She could hear the sound of the waves rolling onto the beach, the rhythm soothing to her ear. When she turned around, Dean was no longer there. He’d placed her bag on the bed.

Jodie wandered into the bathroom, which was larger than her living room in Chicago. She smiled. She could quickly become used to living like this. All she could think was, Wow.

Suddenly feeling energized despite the long trip, she quickly unpacked, changed into a pair of cotton slacks and a sleeveless blouse and went back to the main room.

Dean was at the bar, pouring himself a drink. “Want one?” he asked as she walked in.

“Water will be fine. I’m not much of a drinker. I thought I’d go down and wander on the beach for a while.”

“Aren’t you hungry? I thought we could go eat first.”

She thought about it. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I am. I suppose there will be plenty of daylight after we finish eating.”

The restaurant was next to the complex. One side was open with tables and chairs inside and out. Jodie noticed there were only a few people at the tables. She glanced at her watch. “I suppose it’s a little early to be eating according to local time.”

“Doesn’t matter. They’re used to customers coming in at all hours. They’re open twenty-four hours a day.”

Once seated, Jodie picked up her menu and started reading the items listed. She yawned and hastily covered her mouth.

Dean watched her for a moment in silence before speaking. “You’re going to want to go to sleep early tonight despite your nap on the plane, but if you can manage to stay awake, you’ll adjust to the time change quicker.”

“The steady sounds of the surf are so soothing. I hope I don’t fall asleep with my nose in the salad.”

Dean picked up his water glass and held it out. “Here’s to our working vacation together.”

Jodie picked up her glass and lightly tapped it against his. “I appreciate the invitation.” She yawned again. “The way I’m feeling now, I could sleep the entire week away.”

Once their food arrived, there was no more conversation. Jodie didn’t want to chatter; that wasn’t her style. Since they’d already commented on the beauty surrounding them, she could think of nothing to say to him.

By the time they finished eating, the sun was low in the west. Dean walked beside her in silence, his hands in his pockets, as she made her way to the sandy beach.

As the sky darkened, they watched the lights appear along the shoreline before turning back toward the condo. Walking in the sand would be an adjustment, but if she walked like this every day, she’d be in great shape when she returned home.

She smiled at the thought.

“What do you find so amusing?” he asked, stopping as she did to empty the sand from her shoes. He followed her example.

“I was thinking what a workout walking in the sand is. If I’m not in shape now, I will be by the time we leave.”

“Probably.”

A man of few words. Not that she cared. Tomorrow she would be up with the sun and she intended to enjoy every minute she was here.

After Jodie went to her room, Dean took a shower, dried off and stretched out on the bed.

He thought about Rachel. His anger at the abrupt way she’d dismissed him had caught him off guard. He’d learned many years ago to keep his emotions locked down. He considered himself to be a thinking man who wasn’t swayed by irrational feelings. But when Rachel had blown up at him—inconsiderate and unfeeling were the nicest things she’d called him—he’d felt an anger he hadn’t experienced in a long time.

She hadn’t given him a chance to explain. And she’d made it clear she wanted nothing more to do with him.

He had no problem with that and he was thankful he hadn’t told her about his plans. Jodie had been right. He’d needed to get away for a few days. Seeing her excitement and enthusiasm this evening had caused him to look at everything through her eyes.

He couldn’t remember a time when he’d been that joyous about anything.

Yes, having Jodie here with him might teach him how to enjoy life a little better.

He bet she’d been protected from the harsher realities of life until her—what? boyfriend? fiancé? she hadn’t said—pulled his stupid stunt.

He smiled at the way she’d handled the situation. She’d faced the clod and gotten rid of him. But she’d suffered. Why else would she now be too busy to date much?

He turned and adjusted his pillow, willing himself to sleep. Instead his thoughts circled around Jodie. She’d looked so different today when she’d arrived at the airport, wearing formfitting jeans, a sweater, ankle boots and a parka.

The cold had turned her cheeks and nose a rosy hue, and he couldn’t help wondering why he’d only noticed today how attractive she was. She was more than attractive, actually. Beautiful was an overused word and it didn’t quite fit her, but it came close. He liked her looks. He liked and had always appreciated her frankness and her refusal to be intimidated by him. Jodie worked hard and earned every penny of her salary. She was smart and he valued her judgment.

He’d be lost without her.

At least she’d still be with the company. He hoped she could find someone as efficient to replace her.

He wanted this trip to be special for her. He’d get in touch with Furukawa tomorrow to set up a meeting. Once they met, he’d know if he had a chance of setting up some security systems for him.

He settled into sleep, planning the next day’s activities.

“So much for plans,” he muttered to himself the next morning when he discovered Jodie wasn’t still in bed. He’d ordered breakfast from the restaurant, and when it had arrived, he’d knocked on her door.

When she hadn’t answered, he’d eased the door open and discovered her room to be empty.

He sat at the kitchen bar, sipped his coffee and ate some of the delicious fruit that seemed to come with each meal. He’d arranged to have several newspapers brought to him each morning, so he read them while he absently ate.

Eventually Dean wandered over to the window and looked down at the beach.

The water looked peaceful this morning and there were several people on the beach, some walking and some relaxed in recliners, reading.

He watched as a lithe young woman came out of the water and grabbed her towel. He watched her for a few minutes before he recognized Jodie.

Her blond hair clung to her head in a beguiling helmet. Her face glowed with pleasure as she quickly dried off and placed her towel on the sand.

Dean couldn’t take his eyes off her. Why had he never noticed her trim waist and curvaceous backside. In a one-piece bright red swimsuit cut high on the thighs, she could have posed for the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine.

She slicked her hands over her hair before ruffling it with her fingers. She had a way of moving that was quite sensuous. Why had he never noticed?

Dean realized that he wasn’t the only male taking notice of her. As he watched, one of the men walked over and spoke to her. Dean turned away. It was none of his business what she did or who she met. So why was he bothered by seeing another man come on to her? There was absolutely no reason for him to feel so possessive about his secretary. She was free to enjoy her vacation in whatever manner she wanted.

He looked back down at them. The male said something to her and she laughed and turned away.

She laughed.

She didn’t laugh around him.

With fresh resolve, he turned back to the papers on the counter and scanned them. He looked at his watch. He felt restless and unsettled, and it was too early to call his prospective client. He wondered how things were going at the office. His second in command could handle anything that came up. He knew the business as well as Dean did.

Dean paced to the window and looked at the sea, the mountains and finally the beach. She was alone now, but that didn’t seem to bother the men who noticed her. He hoped they got their eyeful.

Dean turned away. He could go down there, maybe do a little swimming…except he hadn’t packed a suit. Well, he could walk along the beach, but then the sand would fill his shoes.

The clothes he’d chosen to bring weren’t suitable here. Of course, he’d be working, so it probably wouldn’t matter. But if he wasn’t working, what then? He shook his head in frustration. What did people do on vacation? After a moment he picked up the phone and called the office.

The sun was high overhead by the time Jodie gathered up her towels and beach bag to go search for something to eat. She’d go shower and change clothes and wander down the beach. There was bound to be a place other than the restaurant that was nearby.

She’d had great fun this morning and had met several people who, like her, were there enjoying the warm weather and beautiful scenery with no regrets about missing winter on the mainland.

She’d met a couple on their honeymoon, another celebrating their thirtieth wedding anniversary and a young couple with two little girls playing in the shallows.

Two or three guys had stopped and introduced themselves. One of them said he was on the beach each morning and would probably see her again. Another told her that today was his last day there and he intended to enjoy the water to the very last minute.

When she let herself into the condo, Jodie knew Dean wasn’t there. She wasn’t certain how he managed to do it, but his charged energy filled whatever space surrounded him. When he wasn’t there, the place was peaceful.

She looked around and saw a pile of newspapers beside a chair and the remains of breakfast on the kitchen counter. He’d ordered for both of them, she discovered, lifting a lid. She ate a brioche and then grabbed a banana. Delicious. That should tide her over while she showered and dressed.

Peering into the mirror after her shower, Jodie touched her nose. Yes, she’d definitely gotten some sun. She was going to have to be very careful not to burn.

She rubbed more sunscreen into her skin before she went into her bedroom to dress.

Jodie had splurged on her new clothes, telling herself that a vacation in Hawaii deserved tropical wear. She chose a pair of sandals, walking shorts and a sleeveless blouse that matched her blue eyes.

She left the condo and waited for the elevator. When the doors opened, Dean stood there. He was the first to speak.

“Going down?” he intoned politely.

She laughed. “Yes, please,” she said, stepping into the elevator.

“I came up to see if you were here and wanted to get something to eat.”

“You read my mind. I thought I’d walk along the beach and get something from one of the little restaurants I saw earlier.”

He put his hands in his pockets. “I take it you enjoyed your morning?”

“Very much. How was yours?”

“I talked to Furukawa this morning. He said he could see me day after tomorrow, so I guess I’ll be hanging around here for the next couple of days.” He glanced at her and then away. “I think I’m going to need some pointers on how to take a vacation. I hope you’re up for the job.”

Jodie smiled at him. “Oh, I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it soon.”

The doors opened and they stepped into the lobby.

“I’ve called the office twice in hopes of learning about some crisis that only I could handle,” he said with a slight smile. “Unfortunately everything is running smoothly.”

He sounded so disgruntled that Jodie laughed. “It’s not that bad, I’m sure.”

“I asked around to find out what people usually do here besides visit the beach.” He reached into his shirt pocket. “I found there are all sorts of things to see, if you’d be interested.”

They walked out toward the water and walked along the edge.

He offered her the brochures and she eagerly took them. She looked over the various places of interest.

“There’s so much to do and see.”

By mutual agreement they turned toward a small café that caught their attention. Once seated, they glanced over the menu. Jodie ordered a large salad and Dean had a sandwich.

She continued to look through the brochures. “I’m amazed. We could spend a month and probably not see everything.” She pointed to one of the brochures. “We can attend a luau,” she said hopefully. “Or have you already been to one?”

“’Fraid not. I wasn’t here long enough to do any sightseeing. I’m game for whatever appeals to you.”

“Mmm,” she said thoughtfully, thumbing through the brochures. “We could explore the other islands, charter a helicopter to look around at everything, check out the mountains or turn into slugs and lie on the beach all week.”

He couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her. She glowed with enthusiasm, something he’d rarely felt. “Sounds like a plan.” He glanced at his watch and reached for his cell phone. “I’ll make reservations for the luau and then I thought I might rent a car so I can do some shopping.”

Her brows lifted. “You want to go to a mall? Dean, you have hidden depths!”

“I’m embarrassed to say that I didn’t really pack the right clothes.” He glanced down toward his feet. “I’m going to need to go native and get some sandals, maybe a couple pair of shorts, as well. And no self-respecting tourist could leave the islands without owning an authentic Hawaiian shirt.”

She laughed. “Good for you. Step number one—dress for the occasion. Do you want me to go with you?”

He froze. Of course he wanted her with him. He realized that he’d presumed she’d go.

He cleared his throat. “Unless there’s something else you’d like to do.”

“I love to shop. Stick with me, kid, and I’ll show you a pro at work.”

He touched her hand. “Thank you.”

She grinned at him. “You may not feel so grateful after I drag you through a few stores.”

“I’ll take my chances.”

As a general rule, Dean disliked shopping, but then he’d never before gone on a spree with Jodie Cameron. They wandered through one of the malls and listened while groups of the locals played ukuleles and serenaded the shoppers.

“I used to play one of those when I was a kid,” she confided as they stood and listened.

“Were you any good?”

“Well, I won’t go so far as to say that, but I learned three or four basic chords that worked for most songs. What I lacked in talent I made up for in enthusiasm.” She looked up at him and laughed, wrinkling her nose.

She was adorable.

“You’ll have to play for me sometime,” he said.

“Oooh, nooo, I don’t think so. I haven’t touched one in years. I don’t know what happened to the one I had.”

“Then we’ll add that to our shopping list. One ukulele for you to serenade me with each evening. There are all kinds of working vacations. Who knows? You may launch a new career.”

“You have no idea what you’re asking,” she replied ominously before she ruined the effect with a chuckle.

Dean followed Jodie in and out of various stores, in awe of her shopping talents. She knew immediately whether something would work for him and wasted no time looking at the rest.

She finally sent him back to a dressing room to try on several of the items she’d chosen. While she waited, Jodie wandered over to the gift-shop section of the store. She cheerfully bought gifts for everyone in the family as well as several of her friends.

She’d just paid for them when she saw Dean come out wearing a pair of shorts that fit him like a glove and a short-sleeved shirt with a tropical print.

“Wow. You look gorgeous,” she said without thinking. When he turned an interesting shade of red, she realized what she’d said. “Oh! I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—”

“Oh, no. Don’t apologize. You’ve just made my day. I don’t believe anyone has every applied that word to me.”

“Turn around,” she said, still feeling a little awkward.

She checked the fit of the shirt across his shoulders and tried to ignore the way the shorts curved over his muscular butt. “You’ll do,” she said in a croak. Jodie cleared her throat. “What about the others? Did you like them?”

“Yeah. I’m getting all three shorts and a few extra shirts.” He glanced down at his bare feet. “I, uh, didn’t think my black socks and shoes went with the outfit.”

“Good thinking. It just so happens the shoe department is right over there. Let’s see what size you are and we’ll get you fixed up right away.”

By the time they reached the condo it was late afternoon and both of them had their arms full of packages. Once inside, they dumped them in the middle of the floor.

“I think we bought out the stores,” he said, staring at the pile in wonderment.

“I still can’t believe you actually bought a ukulele. You must be a glutton for punishment.”

“How can you be in Hawaii and not want to play some of their songs? Now you have the songbook to help you.”

“Uh-huh,” Jodie replied, sounding skeptical. She looked around. “All right. Let’s sort them out.”

“What did you sneak off and buy while I was trying on shoes?” Dean asked, sorting through and picking out his purchases.

“A dress to wear for the luau tonight. I thought as long as you’re going native, I might as well join you.”

They carried the packages and sacks to their respective bedrooms. Before going into hers, Jodie looked at him and said, “I’m going to need a nap if I’m going to stay up late tonight.”

“I was thinking along the same lines. I’ll set my alarm to ring in a couple of hours.”

“Thanks.”

Once inside her room, Jodie leaned against the closed door, dropping her packages. What in the world was wrong with her! She felt as though scales had dropped from her eyes. How could she ever have thought Dean wasn’t attractive? Maybe it was the environment and seeing him away from the business. He seemed so earnest about learning how to vacation. She wondered if he’d ever done anything like this before. How sad if he hadn’t.

What bothered her was the amused affection she’d felt for him all afternoon as they’d looked at clothes. When she’d run her hands across his shoulders, she’d felt the ripple of muscle beneath her fingers and had a sudden longing to continue touching him.

Without a doubt, she was in trouble. They’d been gone two days, and here she was getting all tingly whenever she looked at him.

Of course, she wasn’t going to do anything about it. That would be too foolish to consider. But there was no law against looking—if she could keep herself from doing something obvious, like drooling.

Five

His wristwatch alarm woke Dean and he was surprised how soundly he’d slept. He sat on the side of the bed and looked out the sliding glass doors. The sky was turning to a deep blue as the day faded. Checking his watch again, he went down the hallway and knocked on Jodie’s door.

There was no response.

Finally he opened the door and saw her sound asleep, a cover thrown over her.

“Jodie?”

No answer.

He walked over to the bed. “Jodie, it’s time to wake up.”

“’Kay,” she mumbled into the pillow without moving.

Giving in to temptation, he turned on the radio on her night table and turned up the volume, which certainly did the trick. She jerked up on all fours and looked all around in alarm.

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you,” he said, trying not to smile.

She sat back on her heels. “Oh. Guess I should have warned you. I’m a sound sleeper.”

“I gathered that. I’ll let you get ready and meet you in the living room.”

“Are you going to wear your new clothes?”

“Absolutely,” he said and removed himself from the room.

“Wow,” she said to him when she joined him later. “You’ve definitely gone native.”

“When in Rome…” he said with a shrug, trying not to stare.

She wore a tropical print with a sea-blue background. It looked to be wrapped around her, revealing her shapely shoulders and hugging her delectable body. There was little evidence of the secretary tonight.

“What do you think?” she asked and slowly turned in a circle.

He swallowed. “Looks good. Fits nicely.”

She laughed. “Actually it’s a wrap. The clerk showed me how to put it on. I’m wearing an honest-to-goodness sarong.”

That’s when he knew he was in serious trouble.

She walked toward him. “I also bought this shell necklace to go with it.” She took his arm. “This is going to be so much fun, I just know it.”

He silently agreed—if he could survive the evening without grabbing her and kissing her senseless.

* * *

Jodie decided that the luau was everything she’d dreamed about and more. Foods—some she liked better than others—and mai tais, a drink she’d never had before and found delicious, all added to the occasion. The native dances called to her. She had no idea how the women moved their hips so rapidly to the beat of the drums.

It was the drums that kept her pulse throbbing. She glanced at Dean beside her, who seemed to be enjoying himself and the entertainment. She glanced back at the young women. They really were something. Every man there watched them with avid eyes.

She leaned against his shoulder and gave him a slight nudge. “Think you could dance and play the drums like that?”

He glanced at her. “I wouldn’t attempt to try. Are you enjoying yourself?”

“Oh, yes.”

“You might want to go easy on the rum drinks. They have a delayed kick.”

She looked at her almost-empty glass. Was that her second one or her third? “Oh. They taste like fruit juice.” She glanced over at his glass. “What are you drinking?”

“Piña colada. Want to try it?”

“No, thanks.” She sipped on her drink. “There can’t be much rum in this or I’d be able to taste it.”

“You’re not much of a drinker, are you?”

“Not really.” She grinned. “But I’m on vacation, so I thought I’d indulge.”

The drums came to a sudden stop and Jodie looked around. The dancing girls were carrying leis in their arms and placing them around each guest’s neck.

She liked the way Dean looked with the flowers draped over his shoulders.

“Are you ready to go back to the condo?” he asked.

“Sure.” They had walked along the beach to this location and would walk back. He helped her up and she realized that she was a little dizzy. Maybe Dean had been right about the drinks.

He slipped his arm around her waist and she naturally did the same to him. He looked good tonight. The shorts he’d chosen to wear showed off his muscular legs. She smoothed his shirt beneath her hand, enjoying the feel of him. She smiled to herself. This was definitely a romantic evening, and Dean was fulfilling her fantasy of a midnight stroll with someone she cared about.

As they ambled along the edge of the water, she looked up into the sky and said, “I’ve never seen the stars so bright.”

“Big cities tend to put off too much light to see the stars.”

“That explains it.” She rested her head on his shoulder. The sound of the surf added a sensuous rhythm to the night. She’d never been this close to Dean before and she inhaled the scent of his aftershave.

His warmth radiated along her side, and her body tingled everywhere they touched.

“It’s going to be hard to top this experience,” she said dreamily to break the silence that had fallen between them. They turned toward the path that led to the condos. When he didn’t answer, she lifted her head and looked at him. He looked grim as he stared ahead of them. She eased away from him and promptly stumbled.

He grabbed her arm to keep her from falling.