72
Kendall descended the stairs, and I followed. A flower necklace was placed over her head and mine, welcoming us, and then we got into the SUV that was parked next to the jet. While we waited for our bags, I pulled her toward the middle of the backseat, wrapping my arm around her, and the driver loaded our things into the back and drove us toward the road.
Kendall watched the scenery through the window, making little noises as we passed beautiful views. But my eyes were on her, appreciating the sight in front of me even more, one that couldn’t stop beaming.
“Goddamn it, you’re gorgeous.”
Her eyes slowly moved to mine. “It’s like you’re seeing me for the first time.”
“Sometimes, it feels like that’s the case.”
She shook her head. “I wish you knew how that made me feel.” She found my hand, squeezing it. “The love that you fill me with.” A redness moved across her cheeks. “This intense, deep passion.”
I pulled her even closer, needing a taste of her lips, to feel them against mine.
But one kiss wasn’t enough.
It never was.
When it came to Kendall, I always wanted more.
Needed more.
Desired more.
“You make it”-she panted, licking across her mouth-“so hard to breathe.”
“Wait until I get you alone.”
I gave her neck a quick kiss and positioned her back toward the window, so she could take in the last bits of Honolulu before we arrived at the house.
The place I had rented was directly on the beach, its own secluded section, where we could do anything we wanted in the ocean and every room inside had windows that faced it.
Within a few minutes’ drive, we were parked in front of the two-story glass structure, and I clasped her hand and led her up the stairs, unlocking the door with a code.
“My God.” She stood frozen in the entryway. “This is magical.”
I pecked her cheek and took her into the kitchen, where the chef poured us two glasses of champagne. Once the drinks were in our hands, I immediately brought her out onto the massive patio.
“You’re insane.” She clinked her bubbly against mine. “I mean, we could have just stayed in a hotel, but that’s not good enough for my boyfriend. He rents us this palace that’s straight out of a Hawaiian postcard.” She glanced toward the horizon, where there was endless blue.
“Why do simple when I can give you something this beautiful?” I moved in behind her, holding her flat stomach and narrow waist, my lips close to her ear. “And I know you prefer the simpler way, but you know how much I like to spoil you.”
“Like my brand-new closet.”
“Baby, that’s only the start.”
My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I took it out, checking the screen to see a text from my assistant.
One I’d been waiting for since we’d boarded the plane in LA.
Once I read her message, I put the phone away and said, “We’re here for four nights, and then we’re off to Maui. I don’t plan on letting you wear anything more than a bathing suit.” I nibbled on her earlobe. “I hope that isn’t a problem.”
“All this sun and salt and sand sounds heavenly, so I see no problem in that.”
I kissed down to her collarbone, the thought of her in a bikini far better than what she was describing.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
She turned around, throwing her arms around my neck. “Is it time that I go change into one?”
“Mmm … I like how you think.”
I led her into the master bedroom, where our bags were waiting for us, and opened my suitcase, finding the bikini I’d brought for her and the swim trunks I was going to put on. As I unbuttoned my jeans, I watched her strip out of her clothes. The sun was coming in through the tall bedroom windows, leaving shadows across her body that resembled zebra stripes.
Standing at the end of the bed, my jeans halfway down, my cock already so fucking hard, I couldn’t take my eyes off her. “Jesus,” I groaned as she slipped off her bra. “Look at you.”
Since she didn’t wear panties, she had nothing left to take off.
She glanced down her naked body, unaware of her beauty, talent, the way she made people feel just by being with her.
How she’d made this untamed bachelor crave to wake up next to her every fucking morning.
Whether it was to fold my arms across her, holding her against my body, to wrap her legs around my face, eating her delicious pussy, or to rest in the spot next to her, watching her sleep.
I just wanted her there.
With me.
Forever.
“You’re crazy.” She looked at me again, smiling. “This is still the same body as it was this morning when you saw me getting dressed.”
“Something’s different.” I quickly put on my swim trunks, my stare then slowly dipping down her body, all the way to her toes and back up. “I love you more now than I did this morning.”
She walked over to me, gripping my face. “Who knew underneath all those growls and profanity was the most incredibly sweet man?”
“It’s our secret.” I winked at her, kissing her fingertips. “I have something else for you.”
“You mean … there’s more?”
I cupped her ass as I said, “My grandparents are in an assisted living facility in Malibu.” Her eyes narrowed, and I could tell she had no idea where this was going. “I spoke to them a few weeks ago, and my grandmother had to let me go because she was going downstairs for a crafting class.” I tightened my hold on her. “It got me thinking, and I called the owner of the facility-he’s a client of Ford’s, and he owns eight of the same kind of facilities within a sixty-mile radius.”
“Dominick …”
“He’s looking to hire a director who can coordinate art and activities across all of his locations. The position would be based from home, but you would travel to each place, making sure the programs are all running smoothly, interacting with the residents, ensuring they’re all happy.”