He nodded. “I love living on the Big Island with all it has to offer the locals and tourists. This seemed like a great way to stay in shape and add some adventure to my life, while also giving back to the island that has given so much to me.”
“How noble,” Danica said, impressed.
“Maybe you’d like to go on one of the tours while you’re here,” suggested Boyd.
“I’d love to. I’m up for pretty much any adventure that comes my way.”
“I like the sound of that.” He could find little fault in a beautiful woman who had an adventurous spirit, even if he’d initially been reluctant to receive her on the island with open arms. Now he’d love to wrap his arms around that slender body.
Tasting more wine, Danica felt courageous enough to say something that had been on her mind. “So Ashlyn tells me you’re quite the ladies’ man.” She was embellishing just a bit, but she wanted to see how he reacted.
Boyd couldn’t help but chuckle. That sounded like Ashlyn. Too bad it wasn’t true. Certainly not these days. “I wouldn’t go that far.”
“Just how far would you go?” she teased him. “What with all the gorgeous women they must have in Hawaii.”
I’d go as far as you wanted, if I were with you, he silently replied. Instead he said, “Guess it would depend on the lady. Yes, there are some pretty hot women here, but these days I’m not just looking for beauty or beauty with brains. I’m looking for a connection.”
“I can fully understand that.” If he only knew. She had found having a real connection with men hard to come by these days. Make that impossible. Obviously, he was in the same boat. And Ashlyn, too.
Boyd was intrigued that she seemed able to relate to his situation. “I take it you didn’t leave some dude behind who was mad as hell that you were going alone to paradise?”
Danica laughed. “I don’t think so. Most men aren’t that self-assured to let their women venture off to Hawaii without their company.”
“So you’re not seeing anyone?” He wanted to hear her say it, if only to satisfy his curiosity.
“I see a lot of people in my line of work and circle of friends,” she said lightly, “but I don’t have my eye on anyone at the moment.” Other than the gorgeous man she was gazing at right now.
Boyd grinned with satisfaction while he sipped his wine. The two of them did seem to be cut from the same cloth. Definitely something to keep in mind as she spent the next month in Hilo.
“Well, I guess we’d better get out of here,” he said. “Wouldn’t want to keep you up all night after traveling across the country to reach our shores.” He pictured them up till the wee hours of the morning, those long legs of hers wrapped around his waist as they made love like there was no tomorrow.
“Yes, I suppose I’d better get some sleep so I can have the energy to get through the rest of the trip.”
“I agree.” Boyd met her eyes, wanting to read into them more and more.
Danica wondered if the sexual innuendoes passing between them meant anything or if they were just plays on words. She, for one, could blame it at least partly on the wine. But what about the other part of her, that found the man as sexy as they came?
* * *
Boyd walked Danica up to the lanai. What he wanted to do more than anything was to sweep her up in his arms and take her to bed. Of course that would be a bit presumptuous of him, though the sexual chemistry that sizzled between them couldn’t be denied. That didn’t mean she was ready to have him jump her bones on day one.
“Ashlyn asked if I would show you around to help you get acclimated,” he said. “Tomorrow’s a good day for me, if you’re game.”
“I’m definitely game.” Danica flashed him a smile, happy to have her own personal tour guide. “What time?”
“Whenever you’re ready. Just get a good night’s sleep.”
“I intend to.” But she also didn’t want to waste too much time doing what she could do back in Chicago. “How does eight o’clock sound?”
“Perfect,” Boyd said. “I’ll see you then.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” She hoped she didn’t sound too eager, given that it wasn’t her intent to suggest it was him she wanted to see. Or maybe it was.
Though he knew it was the time to make his exit, Boyd was nevertheless honed in on Danica’s mouth, wanting badly to kiss her. Would it be crossing the line if he did? Or was it a line she wanted to be crossed?
“You probably have the most desirable lips I’ve ever seen on a woman,” he threw out.
Danica couldn’t help but laugh. “I think you may have had one glass of wine too many.”
“Be that as it may, I’ve never been more serious.”
“Looks like the charmer in you is coming out.” Ashlyn had warned her that Boyd could be extremely charming when he wanted to be.
“Does that mean I can see for myself if my theory is true?”
“Go for it,” she said, admittedly curious to see how he kissed. Something told her the man could back up his charms with sweet and tender action.
Boyd didn’t waste another second. He tilted his face and moved down onto her mouth with a kiss that wasn’t intended to knock the lady off her feet as much as to give her a taste of what he had to offer. His lips played with her soft ones, parting them slightly and enjoying every moment before ending the kiss abruptly.
Danica had to catch her breath. “Well, what did you think? Did I pass the test for the most desirable lips or not?” She hoped it wasn’t a letdown for him that she’d held back from giving the kiss her all, not wanting to get too carried away this early in their new friendship.
“You definitely passed,” Boyd declared. “With flying colors.”
“Flying colors, huh?” She chuckled, masking the tingling of her lips. “You’re a pretty good kisser, too.”
He blushed. “I try to do my part effectively.”
“And effective you are.”
“Ditto.” Boyd sighed. He needed to go before seducing her right there on the spot and having regrets later. She was, after all, his sister’s friend, and he needed to respect that. At least for this night. It would be up to both of them to see if there was any real fire to the sparks. “A hui hou, meaning ‘till we meet again.’”
“A hui hou,” Danica repeated as she went inside.
She touched her mouth and thought about the kiss. What was supposed to be a getaway with no certainty of romance was suddenly filled with the possibility of such. But she wasn’t about to get her hopes up, having done that too many times before. She would just wait and see if she and Boyd connected.
In the meantime Danica planned to make herself entirely at home in this palace that Ashlyn had turned over to her for a month.
* * *
Boyd wasted little time calling Ashlyn once inside his car.
She answered after two rings. “Do you know what time it is?” she asked sleepily.
“Sure do,” he said. At least in Hawaii. He figured he’d woken her up, but couldn’t wait to say this. “Sorry for disturbing your beauty sleep. Just thought you’d want to know that I’m cool with your friend being here.”
“Is that so?” Ashlyn’s voice perked up. “So you two have hit it off, just as I suspected you would.”