Pleasure in Hawaii (Kimani Romance) (12 page)

Sloane gritted her teeth. It was obvious that she was fighting a losing battle here. Not that it was the end of the world. They had a right to sample more than one hotel on the island. She only hoped Alan agreed.

“Do you mind my asking which hotel you’re moving to?” Sloane asked.

Russell shrugged. “Can’t say. We’re still working on that.”

Sloane forced a smile. “If it doesn’t work out, you’re more than welcome to remain here.”

“Thanks,” he said.

“Have a good day.”

Sloane walked away, feeling slightly irritated that her powers of persuasion had fallen short. That was life, though. All she could do was wish them well and turn her attention elsewhere. In this case that was Gene, always a most appealing distraction.

“I changed the sheets in the Beach Suite and we’re all set for the next guests,” Dayna told Gene as they met in the hallway.

“Excellent.” He shook his head. “Sometimes I wonder what I’d ever do without you helping me out.”

“I’m sure you’d do just fine.” She giggled. “I appreciate your giving an old lady something to do other than play with the grandkids and knit.”

“Believe me when I say it’s been just as beneficial to me,” Gene said. “When my ex left, it all seemed a bit overwhelming. Your presence has kept things very manageable for me.”

“With a new lady in your life who I can see you adore, maybe someday she will fill those shoes in helping you to keep the bed-and-breakfast up and running smoothly.”

Gene chuckled, having heard that before. “That’s nice of you to say. Sloane’s certainly a wonderful lady and would make a great host. However, she’s already gainfully employed and, by all accounts, content in what she’s doing.”

Dayna’s eyes crinkled. “Most women are truly only content when in love with the right man. Perhaps in you, Gene, she’s found such a person. If so, and your feelings are the same for her, then anything else is possible.”

Gene chewed on that thought after Dayna had left. There was no getting around the fact that Sloane made him feel things he hadn’t felt in years, if ever. Maybe it was love that caused his heart to skip a beat whenever he thought of her. And made him feel restless when she wasn’t around.

Were these sentiments the same for her? Could the power of love carry their relationship in new directions both personally and professionally?

Gene’s contemplation was broken when his cell phone rang. He got excited thinking that it was Sloane. Instead the caller was Neil Nagamine.

“Aloha,” boomed Neil’s voice.

“Hey,” Gene muttered.

“How’s business?”

“Pretty good.”

“Hope it isn’t too good for you, buddy,” Neil said, “because I’ve just sent a couple your way.”

“Oh, really?” Gene perked up.

“Yeah. They were in the office making arrangements for a cruise and spotted your brochure. The wife seemed hooked and I did my part to drum up support. They plan to give you a call. I wanted to give you a heads-up.”

“As a matter of fact, a room just became available for the next week,” Gene told him.

“I’m sure that will do the trick,” Neil said. “A week’s about what we come to expect from visitors.”

“I’ll be waiting for their call.”

“Great. Hope they stay with you.”

“So do I, and mahalo. I owe you one.”

“You can pay me back by booking another cruise,” Neil said. “Are you still seeing the sweet lady you brought aboard before?”

“Yeah, we’re still together,” Gene said happily.

“Figured as much. She may be a hard act for you to follow.”

“I agree, she is.” Gene wished he had met Sloane even sooner, while they were in a different place in their lives. No telling how far they might have come by now had circumstances brought them together on the main-land. “You’ll definitely be hearing from me on another cruise.”

He hung up, remembering how much fun and romance he and Sloane had created while cruising on the Pacific. Just as had been the case at the luau and in Hana. Seems like the magic between them went wherever they did, making him want to conjure it up that much more.

Gene went downstairs and was about to step aside when the phone rang. It was the couple Neil had referred. Gene gave them directions and then went to make sure everything in the Beach Suite was in order.

“I
just wanted to say hello,” Sloane said, leaving the message on Gene’s voice mail. She tossed out a few more words of affection. “Call me.”

Sloane would have preferred hearing his deep voice talking back to her, but understood that Gene was working, just as she was. Tonight would be their time. They had already made plans to go out to dinner and make a night of it in his bed. She couldn’t wait. The thought of making love to Gene well into the morning hours caused a reaction between Sloane’s legs. It made her that much more excited at the prospect of how she would feel when Gene kissed her there, as he loved to do, and then put his hard penis inside her to induce an orgasm for both of them.

Cool down,
she ordered herself, feeling moisture under her armpits.
Save it for later, when you can actually do something about it.

Sloane made her rounds before spotting Alan near the front desk. He was talking to another employee in what seemed to be a heated exchange. This suited her just fine, as she had hoped to avoid him for the time being after failing to keep the Delacortes as hotel guests. But just as Sloane was about to go in a different direction, Alan broke off abruptly from his conversation and headed her way.

She sucked in a deep breath. “Hello, Alan,” she said, smiling to keep up appearances.

“Did you have any luck with the Delacortes?”

“Afraid not.” Sloane wrinkled her nose. “It seems like they just want to try something else for a different flavor during their stay.” She saw no reason to go into details about the high-maintenance, whimsical wife.

“Oh well, all you can do is try.” Alan shrugged. “The room was already paid for and nonrefundable, so we didn’t lose anything in the exchange.”

Other than two guests who are staying somewhere else now.
“You’re right,” Sloane said, and tried to soften the blow further. “Mr. Delacorte went out of his way to compliment the hotel and its service. I wouldn’t be surprised if we got some repeat business from them during their next visit.”

Alan clicked his expensive leather Oxfords together. “I’ll believe it when I see it, but maybe that will happen.”

Sloane smiled thinly and changed the subject to something else she needed to talk to him about while she had his attention.

“Welcome to Malloy’s Bed and Breakfast,” Gene said to the May-December couple identified as Russell and Penny Delacorte.

“We’re happy to be here.” Penny Russell spoke for them. She wiped a strand of blond hair from her brow. “When I saw your brochure, I fell in love with the place instantly and told Russell that we just
had
to stay here. Isn’t that right, baby?”

“It sure is, honey,” Russell said.

“That’s nice.” Gene grinned thoughtfully. He didn’t bother to ask if they had stayed somewhere else before now and, if so, what had made them leave, as it wasn’t any of his business. “I’ll show you to your room and then give you the grand tour.”

“Sounds good,” Russell Delacorte said, and then kissed his wife passionately on the mouth.

The act of affection made Gene wish Sloane were there at that moment so he could kiss her soft, sensual lips. He suspended that thought for now, but planned to make up for it when Sloane came by this evening.

They stepped inside the Beach Suite, which faced the golden sand and offered a lovely view of the ocean. It had a king-size bed and a private lanai, and was the second-roomiest suite.

“It’s terrific!” declared Penny, taking out her cell phone to get some pictures of it. “My mom will love this.”

“I think you’ve got yourself a future guest,” Russell told Gene. “Her mother loves to travel as much as we do.”

That brought a smile to Gene’s face. “She’ll certainly be welcome here,” he assured them.

After they had settled in, Gene introduced the couple to some of the other guests. He had also put out some tropical fruit and juices for everyone. As always, everyone seemed to get along well, and he did his part to encourage conversation and camaraderie. The Delacortes fit right in, indicating that while they usually stayed in luxury five-star resort hotels, the laid-back, friendly, quaint atmosphere of a bed-and-breakfast agreed with them.

Gene sensed that it was Russell’s pretty young wife who called the shots. At least while they were there in Maui. The older husband seemed perfectly willing to do whatever made Penny happy. Gene had no argument with that. He too wanted only to please the woman of his dreams.

It was clear to him that this woman was Sloane. She brought him to a whole new level of appreciation, intense desire and expectation, while he longed to be with her every moment of the day. If that wasn’t love, then he didn’t know what was.

I never thought I’d feel such affection for anyone again,
Gene mused as he brought out some more snacks. But then he never imagined he’d meet someone like Sloane Hepburn on the beach that day, potentially changing his life forever.

The house was practically empty when Sloane arrived at Gene’s B&B at seven. Apparently most of the guests were out and about doing their own thing. That was fine with her, as she had Gene all to herself. He was clearly just as happy, as he’d given her a kiss that left her head spinning.

“What was that for?” she asked him in his suite.

Gene gave her one of his thousand-watt grins. “Do I need a reason to kiss the best-looking woman in Maui?”

“Of course not.” Sloane blushed, touching her tingling lips. “Kiss me as long and often as you like.”

“Glad you see things my way.”

He tilted her face and brought their lips together again for a mouth-heating kiss. Sloane got lost in the moment, pulling his lower lip into her mouth and sucking it salaciously. Her chest heaved and her breath quickened. Their lips locked passionately while their tongues searched for satisfaction, further tapping into Sloane’s libido.

Before she knew it, they were in bed naked, making love. Gene took her from behind, allowing his penis to go deeper and at a more stimulating angle inside Sloane’s vagina. She clung to the pillow, digging her teeth into it while the sex went into overdrive. Her contractions were stronger and her satisfaction off the charts as Gene repeatedly hit the mark with his powerful thrusts and precise fingers simultaneously caressing her clitoris.

When her orgasm came, Sloane cried out joyously, unable to suppress her feelings of complete appeasement with Gene’s erection still wedged deep inside her as he reached his own peak of sexual fulfillment.

Afterward, they held each other, the scent of their passion permeating Sloane’s senses. She fell asleep with the vivid images of lovemaking in her head, along with feelings of love for Gene.

The following morning, Sloane joined Gene in preparing breakfast for his guests. On the long oak dining room table, she sat out a platter of fresh fruit, including sliced papayas and bananas, then brought in some bagels, yogurt, granola and tropical juices. Sloane used her skills in the kitchen and a little imagination to make French toast, adding ricotta cheese and macadamia nuts. Guests would have a choice of either guava or coconut syrup.

“We make a great team,” Gene said, giving Sloane a kiss after sampling her French toast.

“You’re just beginning to realize that?” She batted her eyes at him.

“Actually, I’ve known it for a while now. But I’m seeing it in more and more ways.”

She used her pinkie to wipe cheese from the corner of his mouth. “Don’t go getting any ideas. I’m not a cook per se, just helping out.”

“And I appreciate it,” he said evenly, wrapping his arms around her from behind. “It doesn’t mean a man can’t take advantage of his girlfriend’s culinary abilities from time to time. Not to mention her sexual expertise in the bedroom.”

Sloane giggled. “I wondered how long it would take you to get to that.”

“Can you blame me?” Gene whispered into her ear.

“And just whose fault do you think it is that I’m so hot for you?”

“Mine,” he said coolly. “Just as it’s your fault I seem to have a one-track mind these days.”

“So maybe we need to spend more time apart?” she teased.

“Or, better yet, less time apart so I get to see your lovely face and body even more!”

Sloane closed her eyes for a moment and fantasized about such a scenario. In an ideal world she would like nothing more than to be with Gene every second of the day. But since they lived apart, worked apart and weren’t married, she didn’t see that as being very realistic. Did he?

She wormed her way out of his arms. “We’ll talk about that another time. We’d better finish up in the kitchen before your guests start coming in.”

“Yeah, I suppose so,” Gene muttered, and started a second pot of coffee.

“I’ll get out the plates,” Sloane said, grateful for the diversion when it was so difficult to get the man and his strong presence out of her mind.

Sloane walked into the dining room behind Gene and saw some guests seated. She homed in on the face of Russell Delacorte, who focused on her at the same time.

“Ms. Hepburn,” he said.

“What are you doing here?” Sloane asked, though it was obvious. She glanced at the young, attractive blonde who was cuddling up to him.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Russell responded. “Looks like you’re doing double duty….”

“Do you two know each other, Russ?” Penny Delacorte eyed Sloane sharply.

“I was about to ask the same thing,” Gene said, a curious slant to his voice.

Sloane colored as she considered the awkward situation. “Mr. and Mrs. Delacorte were guests at the Island Shores before they checked out yesterday,” she explained. “I didn’t realize till now that they had checked into your bed-and-breakfast.”

“So you’re working for the competition too?” asked another guest amusingly. “This ought to be interesting.”

“Actually, I’m the guest director at the Island Shores,” Sloane said tersely. “Gene is my boyfriend.” She met his eyes, wondering if he knew the Delacortes had stayed elsewhere prior to his accommodations.

“Small world,” Gene said, grinning from one side of his mouth.

“We thought the Island Shores was great,” Penny claimed. “We just needed to try something less intimidating and more down-to-earth. This bed-and-breakfast with its cozy, charming atmosphere right on the beach is perfect.”

“Which is why Jill and I decided to stay here from the very beginning,” said Lex Fromme of him and his wife. “It saved us the time, effort and cost of hotel hopping.”

This got a laugh from some guests, while others seemed only mildly entertained and more interested in getting on with their day.

“Anyway, thank you for choosing Malloy’s Bed and Breakfast,” Gene told Russell and Penny, “even though it came at the expense of a fine hotel like the Island Shores.”

“Their loss is your gain,” Russell said bluntly while chewing a piece of French toast. “Thanks again, Ms. Hepburn, for your hospitality. I’m sure there are no hard feelings, all things considered.” He winked at her.

Sloane forced a smile. “No hard feelings. You’re entitled to stay wherever you wish on the island, and Malloy’s Bed and Breakfast was certainly a nice choice.”

“Then we’re all in agreement.” Russell lifted his fruit juice and the others followed suit.

Sloane took a deep breath and exhaled. Though she didn’t blame this on Gene, and she knew the room had probably already been booked to someone looking for a last-minute deal at the Island Shores, it still irked Sloane for some reason that her place of employ had lost guests under her watch. She also doubted that Alan would be thrilled to know that they had taken their business to her boyfriend’s bed-and-breakfast, as though there was a conflict of interest. Or was she making something out of nothing?

“So now you’re stealing away our guests?” Sloane narrowed her eyes at Gene accusingly as they stood on the lanai.

His head snapped back as though she had slapped him. “You’re joking, right?”

She paused. “You might have warned me that the Delacortes were staying here.”

“I would have mentioned it if I had known they checked out of your hotel,” Gene said.

“It was embarrassing to see them here this morning, after I had personally put in a plea to Russell Delacorte to stay at the hotel, but it fell on deaf ears. Apparently his wife was calling all the shots and he simply couldn’t resist her youthful charm and sex appeal.”

Gene couldn’t resist a chuckle. “Can’t say I blame him. If that’s what floats his boat—pampering his young wife—why not give in to her prerogative?”

“That’s not the point,” Sloane snapped.

“Then what is?” Gene gave her a direct look. “What would you have had me do, turn away paying guests when I had a room available just because the Island Shores couldn’t keep them content?”

“I never said that.”

“Well, what are you saying?” he challenged her, hoping it wouldn’t get him in hotter water.

“I’m not saying anything, okay?” She took a rueful breath. “Sorry for being a bitch. They’re just two guests and, even if I was caught off guard, it’s really no big deal.”

“I’m happy we see eye to eye on that.” Gene smiled, taking her hands. “No guests, wherever they came from, are more important to me than you.”

“Even when I get on your case for something silly?” Sloane asked guiltily.

“Even if you do. It only builds character in a relationship. Besides—” he pulled her toward him “—you’re sexy when you’re a little pissed.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. One eye gets a bit narrower than the other, and your lips curve down into a sexy pout.” He traced his finger slowly across her lips. “And did I forget to mention that your caramel complexion darkens a couple of shades and wisps of smoke shoot out of your ears?”

“Enough!” Sloane laughed. “I get the picture.”

“It would make a great picture to hang on my wall,” Gene joked. “Or would it be better hanging on your wall?”