“You’ve been doing that for nearly three years.”
“This isn’t the same.”
Mia hated that she couldn’t read him. Hated it even more that he had the ability to shut everything out, including her. She stared at his familiar profile, her gaze taking in the proud strong chin, the perfect nose, the sculpted jawline. He was from Pearson stock all right, cultured, reserved, confident.
Maybe what she’d seen at work was all she’d get. Maybe she’d been wrong to think there was another David beneath the layers of breeding that prevented him from being more human.
But then there was last night. That kiss.
No, she wasn’t wrong.
At the memory of his hot, wet mouth covering hers, his tongue plunging in and taking no prisoner, her insides fluttered. He hadn’t been guarded then or reserved. Definitely confident though. He’d be that way when he made love to her.
Damn him, he made her want more. She wanted him naked and sweaty and vulnerable, all of his defenses gone. She wanted him inside her.
She hesitated, but just for a second. “Remember,” she said, “I don’t work for you anymore.”
He’d straightened, suddenly alert. “Look.” He slid his arm around her shoulders again, brought his cheek close to hers and pointed.
Her first reaction was annoyance that he’d ignored her comment, or was trying to distract her. Not that she disapproved of his methods. She snuggled a bit closer and squinted in the direction of his outstretched arm. “What am I looking for? I see some kind of boat—”
“No, to the right. Farther out. Just watch.”
She stood still, barely able to think about anything but his slightly beard-roughened cheek pressed against her skin.
“There.” He hugged her. “Did you see?”
“Only for a second. What was it?”
“I’m pretty sure it’s a whale. Let’s keep watching. It might surface again.”
Her gaze transfixed on the spot, she waited, thrumming with excitement. Their patience paid off. In a matter of seconds, not one but two animals arched out of the sea, making their mark with a jettison of water that echoed the blowhole.
She gasped. “Wow.”
“We’re lucky. I read that this was a good spot for whale watching, but only in the winter. This is the tail end of the season for them to be passing through.”
The reminder that he’d wasted last night reading nearly threatened her improved mood, but she decided she wouldn’t allow it. They were going to talk, but perhaps this wasn’t the place. For now she planned on enjoying the fact that he still held her and that she could feel the steady beat of his heart against her arm.
“I see something else,” she said, keeping her sights on the horizon. “It almost looks like another island. Is that possible?”
“Yep.” He didn’t move, which suited her fine. “I see it, too. When it’s clear enough they say you can see any one of three other islands—the Big Island of Hawaii, Lanai and I can’t pronounce the last one. Starts with an M.”
“I know. These names are crazy. I have no idea how to pronounce the highway we’re on.”
“You mean Kalanianaole?” he asked smugly.
“Like I would know if that’s right or not. That sounded pretty good, though. What’s up with that?”
“I cheated. I listened to the vocal part of the GPS directions earlier.”
“Sly, Pearson, very sly.” She turned enough to rest a palm on his chest, then tilted her head back and gazed up at him, daring him to kiss her.
A tiny twitch at the corner of his mouth was the only reaction she got. But for him, that was something. In his dark glasses, she saw her reflection, saw what a mess her hair was, and sighed.
He nudged her chin up a fraction. “What’s the matter?”
“I just caught my reflection in your glasses. My hair. Yikes.”
He gave her ponytail a light tug. “I like your hair. Especially when it’s down.” His warm moist breath bathed her cheeks, made her heart skip a beat. “You used to start out with it down when you came to work in the morning. It would still be damp.”
She was blown away that he’d noticed that minor detail. It seemed he’d barely spared her a glance unless they were working together on a case. “Your hair would be slightly damp, too, sometimes.”
“Mia, I want—” He closed his mouth, gave his head a small self-deprecating shake. “We’d better get on the road. We have a lot more to see.”
She stopped him from drawing away. “David, please.”
“Look, you’re only here for a week, you’ve made plans with your friends, and here I am butting in.”
“That’s not what you were going to say.”
“No,” he admitted, clearly conflicted about something. “This is more complicated than I anticipated.”
“This? You mean, us?”
He nodded.
Mia didn’t try hiding her frustration. “We’re in Hawaii. I don’t work for you anymore. We’re obviously attracted to each other. What’s complicated about that? It’s only one week, David, and then we go back to our respective lives.”
He flinched slightly, something she’d never expected. Had she hit a nerve? Was he worried that she’d want more from him than he was willing to give? His life was already full, between work and social obligations that went with being a Pearson. If the rumors were true, his mother not only fixed him up with dinner companions to attend company functions, but family gatherings, as well.
A sudden and truly awful thought struck Mia.
“We both know what I’m going back to,” David said, his voice bringing her out of her dark thoughts. “But what about you? What’s life going to be like for you now that you’ve left the firm? Shelby mentioned something about a business?”
This time, she drew back and focused on the waves that had gotten choppy, spewing whitecaps toward the rocky shore. There was one huge reason why he’d be hesitant to engage in no-strings sex.
Without looking at him, she asked, “Are you seeing someone?”
“What? Jesus, no.” He made a sound of disgust. “Of course not. Where did that come from?”
“I figured that’s why you’d backed off last night. Why you seem kind of skittish.”
He snorted. “Skittish?”
“Poor choice of word maybe, but I’m pretty sure you know what I mean.”
“Come here.”
At the way his voice lowered to that sexy rasp, she sucked in a breath and shot him a sidelong glance. Her heart started to race as she slowly swiveled back toward him. Taking her hand, he drew her close. His arms went around her, and he locked his hands at the small of her back. She was certain he was about to kiss her. Instead, he moved his mouth near her ear.
“If I told you what I want to do to that body of yours,” he whispered, his jaw grazing her sensitive skin, “you’d run as far and as fast as those long sexy legs could carry you.”
Her brain went numb. She had no clever retort. The rest of her body sprang to life, blazed with excitement. There was no place for her arms except to loop them around his neck. Leaning into him, she felt the beginning of his arousal.
He took her lobe between his teeth, nibbling lightly, and then briefly pressed