Her Hawaiian Homecoming (Mills & Boon Superromance) (17 page)

He lost all ability to think as she worked her hands down his back, clutching on to him as if she might fall. The rush of desire that came flooding through his senses took him by surprise. He wasn’t used to wanting a woman this badly. Allie moved her hands up to the back of Dallas’s neck, tangling them in his thick, dirty-blond hair. He kissed her hungrily, and she groaned into his mouth, running her fingers along his chest, and his body responded in a visceral way. She ran her hands under his shirt, caressing his bare chest, making him run hot with desire. His own hands took on a will of their own. Instinctively, his palm cupped her breast and he felt her nipple rise to attention beneath the soft swimsuit top. She moaned and arched her back, eager for more.

And then the radio interrupted everything with a loud burst of alarm.

Both of them jumped in surprise, the seal of their kiss suddenly broken. Allie pulled away, her breath ragged. “What was that?” She glared at the radio.

“Emergency broadcast system,” Dallas said, turning to the radio and reaching for the volume. Allie stopped him with a hand on his wrist.

“Wait. Let’s listen.”

“Kailua Pier has been inundated with debris, and the Kona Village resort among several others, have been all but leveled. Several homes along Kealakekua Bay have been all but washed away. Sewer spills have been reported, as have power outages across the island. At least 107 people are still missing at this hour, and experts say we may still experience aftershocks from the 5.1 scale earthquake experienced earlier today. Residents are advised to stay at higher elevations until at least tomorrow, and maybe longer, for their own safety.”

“Tomorrow?” Allie echoed. “So...we’re going to have to stay here
overnight
?” Clearly, it hadn’t even occurred to her until that moment that she might have to share a bed with him.

She glanced up at the only bed in the place: a queen-size frame sitting on the loft above their heads. There wasn’t even a couch for someone else to sleep on, and no room on the floor, either. It was a tiny little tree house, designed for bare living. It only just occurred to him that with the tequila, and her gorgeous body in such close quarters, it would be a miracle if they
didn’t
end up naked. The thought actually calmed him a little. There’d be hell to pay tomorrow, and Kai might never speak to him again, but tonight, at least, they’d both have some fun. Wasn’t that the lesson he’d learned from Jennifer? Take the fun while you can before life kicks you in the teeth and steals everything you hold dear?

Or you could be the gentleman your mama raised and sleep in the pickup truck.
His conscience, the killjoy. At that moment, he knew he’d have to do the right thing. If he got involved with Allie, he’d have to be willing to go the distance. He couldn’t just treat her like a tourist. Kai wouldn’t let him, and he knew it. If he slept with her, it would be more than just a one-night stand.

“There’s only one bed,” Allie said, stating the obvious. Just then, he noticed Allie’s complexion had turned a bit ashen.

“Are you all right?” he asked her.

“I need some air,” she said tightly, grabbed her smartphone and then bolted.

CHAPTER TEN

O
UTSIDE
T
HE
SMALL CABIN
, Allie crossed her arms across her chest, trying to get her breathing under control as she walked out, past the pickup and down the small dirt path leading to the road. What was wrong with her? Her body hummed with desire, a white-hot intensity that she hadn’t felt since Jason, a power so strong it almost scared her. She touched her lips, almost feeling the residue of his overwhelming kiss. She’d been seconds away from ripping off his shirt, from tugging at the front of his swim trunks. And then all she’d felt was searing panic at the thought of falling into bed with Dallas McCormick.

The man who brought tourists to his house every weekend? She thought of the girl wearing the rumpled-looking dress and stilettos sitting in his kitchen that one morning drinking coffee. Did she want to become like her? One more number for him?

She had vowed not to let anyone close enough to hurt her again. But the fact was, she’d needed Dallas today. If he hadn’t been there, she would’ve died. Her hands shook as she realized the truth of what scared her the most: she
couldn’t
do it alone.

It had never occurred to her she could be so vulnerable, that she’d need someone’s help so badly. That she might not have a choice. She’d always clung to the idea that she could go it alone, that she didn’t need anyone, not even Jason. That anytime anyone disappointed her, she had an escape plan: go solo. But what if she couldn’t?

She hugged herself tightly as she walked down the trail, flush on either side with thick green foliage. Even here, tropical flowers sprouted, vibrant pinks and yellows. Brightly colored birds darted through the canopy of trees above her head. Shaded from the hot sun, the air felt humid but cool.

The tequila still hummed in her veins, a nice, tingling buzz. She resisted giving in to it, trying to keep her thoughts orderly, sober. Could she admit to herself that she needed someone in her life? And, more than that, could she even consider that person might be Dallas McCormick?

He drove her insane. Yet he’d been there when she’d needed him most. It was more than she could say for any other man in her life. But was that enough?

Maybe it could just be a little fun. A little sex.

Yet she knew herself better than that. She couldn’t just have a little fun. A little fun always ended up with her getting in way over her head. She was always reluctant to trust people, but once she did, it was hard for her not to trust them completely and absolutely.

Like Jason.

She glanced at the phone in her hand and saw she had very little battery left and hardly any signal bars. Distantly, she heard another wail from the tsunami siren. She wondered again about Kai, hoping he’d made it to the high school. She thought about all the people there, waiting on loved ones, worried about their homes and businesses.
No more moping
, she told herself.
No more pity party.

She reached the paved road, and thought,
I could just leave.
If she didn’t want to be with Dallas, she could just walk down the highway, head to the estate and take her chances. Maybe the floodwaters hadn’t reached that high. Allie considered it.

She thought of the panic she’d felt when the waves swallowed her up. She had been alone then. So very alone. And she’d almost died alone.

She didn’t want to die alone.

Her phone rang in her hand, her mother’s number flashing across the screen.

“Allie! Honey, are you all right?” her mother exclaimed, worry giving her voice a ragged edge. “I woke up and saw the news and... Are you at an evacuation center?”

“I’m okay, Mom. I’m fine. I...I’m with Dallas. He’s the man I told you about. He actually saved me...” Allie almost mentioned the near drowning, but then thought better of it. Her mom had enough to worry about. “From the tsunami. We were on the beach when the earthquake happened. He drove me to higher ground.”

“Thank goodness,” her mother exclaimed, literally exhaling into the phone. “Henry and I were so worried!” Henry was her mother’s husband. She’d remarried about five years ago, after Allie was out of the house. Henry was a good man, a mild-mannered accountant who doted on her. Allie could see how much happier her mother was. She’d thought she’d found someone like Henry in Jason, but she’d been so wrong. “Are you okay?” her mother asked, and this time she didn’t mean physically.

“I’m okay.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah.” She wasn’t the least bit sure.

“Jason’s mother called me. Again. She can’t stop apologizing. She said she doesn’t want to bother you, but she’s so sorry...”

Allie felt her stomach clench. Jason’s mother and sisters were all so sweet. She hoped they were giving him hell, but still...the idea that they wouldn’t be her family anymore just hurt. She wished she’d never gotten to know them. It was painful to lose them. That was what made trusting people so hard, she thought. It wasn’t the betrayal; it was after they’d disappeared, when they weren’t there anymore.

“I can’t talk about her, Mom. I don’t want to...”

“I’m sorry, Allie. I just...I just wanted you to know. I’m sorry about Jason.”

Nothing Jason’s family could do or say changed the facts of what Jason had done. Allie knew that.

“I know. I’m fine, Mom. Got to go. Phone’s dying!”

She clicked off, swallowing a lump in her throat. As she fought for her composure, she realized the sky above her had darkened, signaling that daylight was going fast. As the sunlight faded, Allie felt goose bumps rise up on her arms. Did it get
cold
up here? A shiver ran down her spine, telling her she was far from the tropical climate of the beach. They were high up on the mountain. Farther up, she’d heard that snow sometimes fell at the peak. Leaving would be foolish, she thought.

Allie turned and headed back into the forest toward the cabin. By the time she rounded the final bend, the sky had turned dusky, and she smelled a campfire. She saw Dallas had made a small blaze in the fire pit in a clearing near his truck. The pit had a metal grill attached, where he’d set a pan filled with baked beans. He also had some sausage on a stick, which he carefully rotated in the fire. Allie’s stomach growled as the maple smell of sweet barbecue sauce hit her nose.

“Found some more things our honeymooners left. Hungry?” he asked her as she cautiously approached. He didn’t mention the kiss or her sudden escape. For that, she was grateful.

“Starved,” she said, rubbing her hands together.

“Have a seat,” he said, nodding toward the other folding chair across the fire from him. She felt relieved to be sitting outside, away from the single queen-size bed in the tree house. She happily sat down, watching Dallas expertly maneuver the oversize sausage link over the flames. Observing the skin grow crisp in the heat, he added, “Just about...done.”

Expertly, he pulled the sausage away from the fire, heading toward the open tailgate of his pickup truck, where Allie saw he’d spread out plates, the tequila, some bottled water and their cups from inside. He gently slid the sausage off the metal roasting fork and sliced it easily with a carving knife he’d brought from the kitchen, dividing the meat between two plates. He grabbed a tea towel and wrapped it around the handle of the pan, gently lifting it from the metal grate. He served up some beans and more tortilla chips and handed her the blue plastic plate. She immediately began to scarf down the food; the spicy sausage tasted especially good. Dallas watched her out of the corner of his eye as he served himself dinner. A small smile played at the corner of his lips.

“You
were
hungry,” he said.

Allie nodded between gulps. “Yeah, thanks. I was. This is a feast. Why did the couple leave all this?”

Dallas shrugged. “Who knows why tourists do what they do?”

Dallas ate slowly and thoughtfully. “I wasn’t sure if you were coming back,” he said as he sat in his chair. The firelight threw shadows on his tanned skin. “But I figured I’d cook enough for two just in case.”

“Yeah...I almost didn’t,” Allie admitted.

“I’m glad you did. It gets cold up here.”

Allie shivered a bit, and Dallas walked over and put his fleece jacket around her shoulders. “Scoot up to the fire. It’ll warm you.”

“Thanks,” she said, watching his every move, remembering what his strong arms had felt like when they’d carried her to the beach. The way his lips had felt on hers. Soft, inviting.

She shook herself. What was wrong with her? Getting involved with Dallas was a bad idea. A very bad idea.

The air temperature dropped rapidly. Another chill shook her as she finished up her plate. She put her hands up to the fire and felt the warmth from the flames spread across her palms.

“If you really want to warm up, you could try a swim in the heated pond.” Dallas nodded backward toward the tree house. “It really is warm, 24/7.”

“Not boiling with lava, I hope.” Allie hugged herself as she put down the plate on the ground near her.

“Nothing like that. It’s the perfect temperature. Here, let me show you.” Dallas put his empty plate down and walked back by the tree house. Allie followed, watching as he made his way between two lush trees. Several large stones made a path through. “Here, it gets tricky.” Dallas offered his hand and helped her over a small boulder. His fingers felt big and dry and strong as they led her. Allie could hear the sound of water, and when Dallas swept several thick branches to one side, she found herself staring at a beautiful pond, fed by a trickle of a waterfall down a wall of black lava rock. Even in the silvery moonlight, the scene looked like something from a glossy tourist brochure, the bright white moon above their heads reflected in the clear pool. Dallas kept hold of her hand as they made their way on the slippery black rocks to water.

“Go ahead, dip a toe in.” Allie could see Dallas’s bright white smile in the dusk. She kicked off a flip-flop and dipped her right foot in.

“Wow,” she exclaimed in surprise. “This is like a hot tub!” She kicked off her other shoe and waded in up to her shins. “This feels...so good.”

“I told you.”

“I’m going in.” Allie let go of Dallas’s hand so she could lift her sundress up and over her head. Without another care, she tossed it over her shoulder, with Dallas struggling to catch it.

She hesitated when the water reached the cut on her leg. She winced slightly as the bandage got wet, but the stinging soon subsided.

Allie’s yellow string bikini glowed in the moonlight as she waded out across the warm, slick rocks beneath her feet, and stopped when the water reached nearly chest height. She dipped her head under, feeling a rush of fresh warm water envelop her. She could feel Dallas’s eyes on her as she went, and she hoped he liked what he saw. She turned, pushing water with her hands.

“You coming in?”