Just Her Type (12 page)

Chapter 17

“So, I meant to ask more
about the poetry.”
 
Kendra pulled
her wrap around her shoulders during the drive back to their hotel just before
midnight. “Do you still write?”

“I do,” Dominic replied, moving the gearshift.
“Not poetry. Novels, but I don’t write for publication.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“You
have
to let me read your work!”

“No can do.” Dominic zoomed past a black pickup
truck and an obviously lost red Porsche on the highway.

“Why not? You shared ‘Ode to a Garbage Can.’ ”

“That’s different. I write novels for myself.”

“And that’s enough for you?”

“Yes, it’s enjoyable.”

“Are you any good?”

“Sucky high school poetry aside? It doesn’t
matter. You and I know how subjective ‘good’ and ‘bad’ can be in our business.
Will it sell?” He lifted one finger. “Now that’s the question.”

“And what size is the potential audience? What
does that audience want or expect from a piece of writing? One man’s
sparklingly original masterpiece is another man’s—”

“Derivative crapfest.”

“True, so true.” Kendra slapped her hand against
her thigh. “
Welp!
Tonight has been
chock-full of all sorts of interesting revelations. So Dominic Tobias is a
novelist. Wow. Just wow.”

“A lot of agents do editorial work for their
clients.”

“Yeah, but editing is editing.
 
Writing is writing, creating something
on a blank page, actually producing a magnum opus—”

“This is our secret.”

“Thanks for confiding in me,” Kendra said with
sincerity. “But I wish you’d let me read something, some sample pages.” She
eased closer, batting her eyelashes at him. “Please.”

“Why do you want to read my work?”

“I happen to think you can gain a lot of insight
into an artist’s heart and soul through his or her work.”

“So I’m an
artiste
now, am I? And you want to know my heart and soul?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because. We’re friends now so, um, I obviously
like you. And quite honestly, I’m, um, well, knocked off my feet.”

“She said,
stumbling
over her words
.”

“Your Tom Swifty is showing.” She laughed.

“You already know I like you, too.”

“Enough to let me read a few pages?”

 
“Why
do you like me?”

Kendra squirmed on her seat, feeling more
vulnerable than when he’d felt her up at the beach. “Because you’re smart,
handsome, and so much fun. And I actually
like
talking to you. You talk back. You’re so open, and you listen,
really
listen. Something must be out of
whack with your Y chromosome.”

“See what you missed on that plane ride from
Dallas back to New York?”

“And you always smell so good. You’re probably one
of the most fascinating men I’ve ever met.”

“
Probably
one
of the most fascinating?” Dominic placed his hand near his heart. “Oh, woman,
you wound me.”

“Here I am opening up to you, and you’re mocking
me? I take back what I said about your Y chromosome. And don’t try to change
the subject. I know there is such a thing as a hobbyist or recreational writer,
who says he or she writes for the sheer joy of it, finding pure blissful
satisfaction only in the creative process, but—”

“But what?”

“I’ve always had trouble buying it. In this line
of work you’re always hearing or meeting someone who says the writing is for
his or her eyes only, but eventually it will slip. Having some sort of
audience—even if it’s an audience of two or three readers—might not
be so bad after all. If only for that small validation of showing someone what
you’ve done with blank pages.”

“A read from a family member or friend is not true
validation. If you’re doing it for fun or self-fulfillment, not for monetary
gain, and you’ve told them that, only a complete ass of a friend or relative
would say your writing sucks. And besides, I don’t need any kind of
validation,” he said casually, keeping his eyes on the road.

“Well, if a tree falls in the forest, and there’s
no one around to hear it—”

“Now she’s pulling out the philosophical riddles,
but I’m not sure that one fits. I
know
I’ve written complete novels, seven of them to be exact. They exist on my hard
drive and a cloud for backup.” Again, he looked at her when she was a little
slow with a comeback. “Kendra? You’re not angry, are you?”

“Just
feigning
laryngitis
,” she recited a line from his terrible teen poetry. “Seven.
You’ve written seven novels?”

“Yep, seven,” he said, obviously enjoying her
reaction.

 
“You
know, for a lot of write-for-myself types, it’s all about the
fear
of criticism or critiquing by
others. I believe if these people could get a guarantee that
all
feedback, besides what comes from
friends and relatives, would be positive they’d try to publish. I think
fear
is holding them back. But that’s
okay. I totally get it. Putting yourself out there like that is a very
scary
thing. Not at all for the
weak
or
faint
of
heart
. Only the thick-skinned and
courageous need apply.”

“And that’s about as subtle as a snot rocket. But
you’re on to something. Maybe I still have scars from that bullying incident at
school.”

“So you’re actually admitting you can dish out the
critiques, but you’re too thin-skinned to take them?”

“Yup. That about sums it up.”

“Unbelievable.” Kendra punched his shoulder.

Dominic placed his hand on her knee, speckled with
grains of sand.

“It all plays into that gargantuan ego thing.”

“Possibly.”

 
Soon
they reached the resort where Dominic parked in the covered garage.

“Do we look as if we’ve been rolling around in the
sand?” she asked as he helped her out of the Jeep. Her hands fluttered over her
disheveled outfit and hair. Sand scattered on the ground.

“Yes. Because we have been rolling around in the
sand.” Dominic slid an arm around her waist and tugged her close to place a
trail of kisses on her cheek and neck. “And I can’t wait to do it again.”

“And I can’t wait to jump in the shower. I have
sand in places—”

“Don’t tempt me.”

 
Kendra
shivered with desire as Dominic nuzzled her ear. Though she’d been engaged
three times, she couldn’t recall feeling so hot for her former fiancés.
That observation took her aback.

“A shower sounds good right about now,” he said.
“I promise not to hog the soap.”

“We’re just friends.”

“And I aim to change that.”

“A bit presumptuous, aren’t you?”

“Having my tongue in your mouth and my hand in
your pants pretty much shot to hell the integrity of a strictly platonic
friendship. You’re going to be mine,” he said huskily. “All of you.”

“Oh, my!”
 
Kendra pretended to swoon like a damsel in an old gothic novel. “So this
beta can get alpha.”

“Absolutely. When it serves this beta’s purpose,”
he growled against her neck. “So you like?”

“I love.”

He tugged at her shorts. “How about I rip your
shorts and panties off right here with my teeth.” He growled and made a
teeth-chomping sound.

“Now that’s downright scary.”

Both laughed.
 
When they sobered, Dominic looked deep into her eyes with his hands
framing her face. “I had such a great time tonight.”

“I did, too.”

“Are you ready for this date to end?”

When Dominic looked at her that certain way she
had trouble resisting him. “No,” she said in a moment of complete honesty.

Dominic leaned down and whispered in her ear,
“Then let me spend the night.”

The way he had trouble letting her go made her
feel so feminine and desirable.
 
But
she didn’t want to risk an overnight date or people seeing them like this.
 
Professional conferences heightened her
self-consciousness.
 
But was it so
bad if colleagues believed as a single woman she was enjoying an island fling
with a sexy single guy?

“I’d prefer we didn’t walk in together,” she said.
“I also don’t want someone seeing you tiptoeing away from my room at odd
hours.”

“I have no problem with the walk of shame. We’re
single consenting adults. And besides, if the look you were going for is
no-nonsense business woman, those two huge hickeys on the left side of your
neck say otherwise. A scarf or turtleneck won’t work in this heat, babe.”

“Hickeys!”
 
Kendra gasped and slapped her palm against her neck. “You didn’t!”

“Just kidding. But remember, we did leave together.
There are already several eyewitnesses. If I return alone, someone might assume
something nefarious went down, and I dumped the body in the ocean.”

 
Kendra
held firm. “It’s not as if we’re known as an established couple. I don’t want
us to look like some sleazy conference hookup.”

“But if we know the deal, who cares?” As he kissed
her neck, she delighted in the contrasting textures of his soft lips and facial
stubble.

 
“This
is a
professional
conference,
Dominic,” she repeated.

“I know and I’m taking what I’m doing here,” he
kissed the tip of her nose, “and here,” he kissed her earlobe, “seriously.”
When she refused to yield, he said, “Okay. We don’t need to walk in together.
You go first. I’ll wait and come up a little later. That’ll give me a chance to
change, which is not a bad idea.”

“Dominic,” she said with a warning note. “We
should say good night right now. I had a great time. See you
tomorrow
.”
 
She turned to walk away.

“I want to come up to talk some more so we can get
even better acquainted.”

Kendra stopped to look over her shoulder, throwing
him a line. “Just conversation?”

“Yes, conversation.”
 
Dominic smiled and pumped his hips.
“Body language.”

“Oh, you!” Kendra chuckled and turned to march
toward the hotel entrance.

“What’s your room number?” he called out, before
closing the space between them. He removed the Jeep key ring from his pocket
and let it swing before her face as he affected a kooky European accent. “You
are getting sleepy. Ve-ry, ve-ry sleep-y. Now what is your room number?”

“You’re crazy!” Kendra popped his chest. “And you
sound like Count Chocula.”

“I’m striking out here so I had to a different
tactic.”

Kendra couldn’t remember the last time she’d had
so much fun on a date. “What am I going to do with you? I might reconsider.”
She moved toward the entrance to give herself a good running start, before
casting a come-hither look over one shoulder. “Catch me if you can!”

Kendra dashed away. Before her feet landed on the
rug that triggered the automated door to the lobby, Dominic pulled her in his
arms.

Kendra yelped happily as he swept her up high,
slung her over one shoulder, and marched to a dark private corner of the garage
where he placed her back on her feet. They kissed and dueled for dominance,
alternately backing one another against the wall.

“Alpha Man, back on the case,” Kendra said.

 
Dominic plucked her clutch from one hand,
dropped it at their feet, and pinned her against the hard wall. “That’s right.
I’m in total control.”

“Not!” Kendra squirmed out of his embrace and
pushed him flush against the wall.

Another turn and she was against the wall. He
captured her lips again as his hands tangled in her hair.

Kendra was sure he’d let her wriggle free to shove
him against the wall.

“Damn, lady. You’ve got some muscle on you.
Someone’s been eating her Wheaties.”

“Actually, I’m partial to Captain Crunch.”

“I find strong women incredibly sexy,” he
whispered in her ear.

“And I find strong men incredibly sexy.”

“So you like it rough?”

“It’s all fun and games until somebody gets a
subdural hematoma.”

“Ah, poaching terms from medical thrillers to talk
dirty to me, eh?”

“Yep.”

“I’m taking this move from my own arsenal.”
Dominic slipped one hand underneath her top and cupped one breast.

Kendra arched her back, pressing her flesh against
him.
 
“But I don’t …(
yes, right there
) want everyone… in my
business. Gossip takes off at… (
yeah
,
just like that
) these things. It can
make its way all the way back…(
don’t
stop!)…
to New York. We’re mauling each other in a place where we could
easily get caught.”

“Yeah, ain’t it exciting?”

Kendra let him kiss and caress that room number
right out of her. Light-headed and weak-kneed, she watched as he scooped up her
clutch, placed it back in her hands, and draped her drooping wrap around her
shoulders.

With what must’ve been a goofy grin on her
smooch-swollen lips, Kendra zigzagged through the lobby, still adjusting her
clothing and smoothing her wild hair,
 
but not giving one damn what other people thought.

“See you in a few minutes,” Dominic whispered with
a wink before she got off the elevator at her floor.

Chapter 18

Kendra had taken a quick
shower and dressed in PJs by the time Dominic had arrived. He’d changed into a
pair of vintage Adidas sweatpants, a lightweight Henley, and slip-on sneakers.
 
On his head, a cool straw fedora tipped
low enough to cast a shadow over the top half of his face. Again, no glasses.

As soon as she invited him inside, he closed the
door, sent the fedora gliding across the room, and wasted no time getting
handsy again.

Of course she loved it!

He lifted her until her bare feet settled on top
of his shoes. He walked her backward, kissing her until her toes curled.
This man and his masterful mouth.

When they parted, he said, “To protect your
reputation—”

“A little late for that.”

“I did my best to make sure the hallway was clear
before I knocked on your door. The hat was the best I could do for a disguise.”

“I like it,” she said, impressed. “Where are your
glasses this evening?”

“You miss them?”

“Yeah, I do. They give you character,” she said,
though his dark eyes looked even more striking without them.

“Sometimes I wear contacts for extra special
dates.”

“I’m an extra special date. I’m flattered.”

“I kept them in though one is starting to bother
me. I usually don’t wear these for longer than a few hours at a time.” He
briefly rubbed his right eye.

“Awww. Poor baby. Maybe you should go back to your
room to get your glasses.”

“Uh-uh, I’m not leaving now. It was a challenge
talking my way into your room.” Raising a brow, Dominic made a show of checking
out her PJs with flaming jack-o-lanterns all over them.

“Well, Halloween is just around the corner,” she
said, answering his unspoken question.

“Cool, but if you think they’re going to
discourage me from obsessing about what’s underneath you have another think
coming.”

“You’re not going to believe this,” Kendra
interrupted him, “but after all that luau food, I’m hungry again!”
 
She moved to the mini-bar and bent at
the waist to inspect the contents.
 
When she peered over her shoulder she caught him cocking his head to one
side and gawking at her rear. “Lose something?”

“If you don’t mind my saying, the view is
exceptional. The best I’ve ever seen.”

“Says the man who pals around with Lucas Cameron
and his bevy of Victoria’s Secret and
Sports
Illustrated
swimsuit babes with their perfectly taut little tushies.”

“So you saw that photo, huh?”

“You’re not the only one with a subscription to
People
magazine.” Kendra resumed her
search of the mini-bar.

“Yeah, there were some beauteous booties at that
pool party, no lie, but I’m not chasing underwear and swimsuit models, I’m
chasing
you
. And besides, I tend to
prefer a woman with more meat on her bones, you know, thick and juicy.” He made
an exaggerated hourglass shape with his hands. “Party-sized curves, like
yours.”

“Just so you know, you can pile them on, but I
refuse to be bamboozled by effusive compliments.” Kendra reached for a small
bag of pistachios.

“And I hope you’re not bamboozled by a
seven-dollar bag of nuts, either.
 
How many are in that package? Five?”

“It’s cheaper than room service.”

“Ahh, but that’s where they get you. Those nuts
are the gateway drug. Then you’ll want the seven-dollar can of soda to wash
them down. And then you’ll think, hey, I’m still hungry. Maybe I’ll go for
those Oreos and—”

“Okay, I get it.” She closed the door to the small
fridge to search for the room service menu. “Pizza and beer sound good to you?”

“Always.” Dominic sat on the bed next to her while
she dialed.

“Hey, what about that unopened bottle of merlot in
the Jeep?”

“Still trying to get rid of me? Let’s save it for
our next date.”

“Beer is better with pizza. Guinness? Sam Adams?
Amstel? I could go on.”

“You decide,” he said, rubbing that right eye
again.

“Pepperoni? Sausage? Extra cheese? How about we
share a large serving of Buffalo wings on the side?”

“Wait a second. I thought you were
health-conscious, you know, with all the plates full of kale, strawberry
papaya, acorns, and tree bark.”

“I lied.”

“And that noise about ‘you are what you eat?’”

“Then I’m a slab of applewood-smoked bacon.”

 
“I
must confess, too. After our lunch that day, I inhaled two sausage subs when I
returned to the office. I’m sure we like our pizza the same way, with
everything. About the Buffalo wings, I’m a fire chaser, but I’ll go for mild or
medium because we’re sharing.”

“Was that a challenge?”
Kendra ordered the hottest wings with the mix of cayenne and
habanero peppers and the wasabi-laced dipping sauce, along with the pizza,
beer, and strawberry shortcake. “Are you sure you don’t want to get your
glasses?” she asked after noting he was still fussing with the eye that had
turned slightly red. “You can come right back.”

“No, I’m good.”

Kendra gave him a skeptical look.

“Don’t worry. I’m not contagious or anything. I
don’t have pink eye if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I hate to see you uncomfortable.”

“It’s all good,” he assured her. “Nice room.”

 
“But
not as nice as yours, I’ll bet. What floor?”

He told her.

“Concierge level with all the extra special
amenities and an ocean view I can only afford to read about.”

“You have an open invitation to enjoy them all,
including the premium bed sheets.”

Kendra put the menu on the nightstand and lifted
the conference booklet. “I see you’re doing the
Publishing and the New Digital Frontier
panel first thing tomorrow
morning.”

“And you’re doing the
Query
-
topia
&
Synopsis
Sanity
workshop tomorrow at the same time. I’ll be sure to watch
the podcast for that one.”

“Yes, speaking of which, I’m going to need some
time to go over my notes.” She put the booklet away and got off the bed. “I let
you come here, but you can’t spend the entire night.”

“Here we go again.” Dominic pulled her back on the
bed and pinned her body with his. He used one hand to hold her wrists together
above her head.
 

Ooh la la.
Her kind of manhandling.

He pressed himself against her.
 
They kissed greedily and moved together
in a hard, synchronized grind that made her ache for deep penetration. “
La Guitarra
,”
he crooned in her ear again between deep, kisses.

“What was that?” she asked, her breathing labored
from arousal. “I heard you say that on the beach.”

“
La Guitarra
,
my little pet name for you,” he whispered against her lips.

They kissed again when it hit her.

Kendra stiffened and wrenched her hands free.

He groaned.
 

Kendra pulled her lips away and gave his chest a
firm shove.
 
“Wait a second.” She
nailed him with an accusatory glare. “Doesn’t Raven Raw go by ‘the
Guitar’?
 
That’s what her adoring
male fans call her.”
 
The often
scantily-clad pop star, known for her bountiful curves, racy lyrics, and
provocative stage show in which she simulated fellatio on stringed-musical
instruments with long fretted necks, was Dominic’s client. The former
backup-singer-turned-pop diva had launched her solo career after writing a
scandalous tell-all, in which she’d dropped the dish on A-list rappers,
singers, and actors, as well as high profile politicians and business tycoons.
It sold like gangbusters of course.

“Yeah, but you’re the
real
deal.” Dominic went for her lips again.

Kendra shifted her chin left and prepared to push
him away. “Why, whatever do you mean?”

“You’re the real
La Guitarra
,” he growled, rolling the r’s with precision. “
Au natural
. Hmmm. Hmmm,” he moaned in
her ear. He slowly wedged his hands between her body and the mattress and then
squeezed her bottom. “Raven’s curves are courtesy of implants and regular
injections,” he revealed matter-of-factly as he nipped at the skin near her
collarbones until she bucked and shoved him again.

“And how would
you
know that?” Kendra asked. “I don’t recall reading that in her tell-all.”

“Um, er, she told me?”

“Yeah, right. Women don’t take kindly to men
calling them other females’ names or nicknames. And furthermore, it’s not
gallant spilling the beans about her fake cakes. Not cool, player.”

“You’re absolutely right, and I apologize for my
thoughtless comments. About the pet name, I swear, I was only thinking of you.
Forgive me?” He looked so earnest, not to mention yummy, even with one red eye.

Besides, she didn’t want him to move. She relished
the hardness and the heat of his body pressed against hers. “Forgiven,” she
said. She had no right to be jealous when she had those Cupid4You.com guys on
standby.

“Before I put my foot in my mouth again, mind if I
call you baby or sweetheart?”

“I suppose it’s all right while we’re alone in
Maui.”

“I know we’re still hammering out the rules.”

 
“Just
don’t overdo it.” A smile tugged her lip. Still, she wondered if such terms of
endearment were a slippery slope. “We’re just friends.”

“At the moment. Now, where were we?” he asked.

“At that part where I was saying you can’t spend
the night.”

 
“So
you’re going to kick me out?” He dropped more pecks on her lips.

“Not before we’ve had our beer and pizza.”

 
He
slid off her and maneuvered until they spooned. “Did I happen to mention that I
love to cuddle?”

“Nice euphemism for grind. Brownie points.”

 
“I
will go for second base unless I’m stopped.”

Kendra didn’t stop him. And soon, he got busy
underneath her pajama top. She moaned as he softly cupped and caressed her
breasts.

 
His
palm glided over her middle until he found the surprise.

“Ahh, you only mentioned tattoos—”

“As red herrings.”

“I like this little twist.” His finger grazed the
tiny bar piercing her belly button. “Sexy.”

“I’m not altogether comfortable with where this is
heading between us tonight.”

“Just go with it.”

 
“I
can’t.”

His fingers did a little dance over her sensitive
skin.

Kendra planned to leave this delectable petting on
the island.

He licked his thumb and index finger and went back
to work underneath her shirt, making her pant with pleasure as he resumed
fondling her breasts and nipples. “You were saying?”

His moves made it difficult to concentrate. “We’re
just fooling around as
friends.
”
 

“Noted.
Again
.”
His husky voice rumbled against her neck, causing the tiny hairs there to lift
in a pleasing sensation. “But I don’t want this ‘just fooling around’ to end in
Maui.”
 
When his hand suddenly
slipped outside of her pajama top to smooth it back into place, she felt deprived.
He gently brushed wayward locks from her face.
 
“Kendra.”
 
When their gazes met he looked so
sincere she melted. “This isn’t about a one night stand or an island hookup.
Let me make myself clear. Yes, I want in your pants, oh man, do I want in your pants
in the worst way.” He reached down to adjust himself. “At this point, I’m
pretty sure I can balance a stack of plates on this.
 
But I’m willing to wait for as long as
it takes. I want more from you and with you.” He lightly tapped her chest.
“Call us what you want right now, but I aim to win your heart.”

Win
her
heart? Was she just a challenge for a fierce competitor?

Still, a rush of unexpected tenderness took hold
of her, but she recommitted to keeping him away from her heart. If she focused
on the passion,
only the passion
, as
in how hot he made her feel, perhaps she could keep some emotional distance,
but was it already too late? She curled her arms around his neck. Raking her
fingers through his soft waves, she kissed him into silence until their food
arrived.

Half an hour later, they uncovered the silver
platters with their wings, strawberry shortcake, and extra-large pizza.

They positioned chairs at the cart with their
food. Forsaking the frosty mugs on the tray, they clinked bottles. “Bottoms up!”

As both took long pulls, her gaze skimmed his
powerful forearms when he pushed the sleeves of the Henley to his elbows. The
soft fabric accentuated well-honed biceps, pecs, and shoulders.

When he caught her leering, she flushed.

“Now, now. We’ll have none of that. We’re way past
shy after our wrestling matches. Ogle and objectify to your heart’s content.”

“I was just admiring your shirt. The deep
cranberry looks good against your skin.” Kendra paused to watch him strip four
wasabi-dipped wings of meat without pausing for fortifying gulps of beer or
water between bites.

Kendra rotated her plate left and said grace. She
sampled a dab of the wasabi sauce. A brief but potent sensation of long hot
needles stabbed her sinuses and brain. After sinking her teeth into one wing, a
bout of hot pepper-induced hiccups followed. By the time she’d finished one
piece her tongue felt as if it were too big for her mouth and coated with
battery acid.

“Are you all right?” Dominic asked as he downed
his sixth wing without the slightest hint of discomfort.