Page 29 of Hawaii Can Suck It

“Fix it!”

I wave my hand near the sensor, and the bed jolts to a stop. “Motion sensors, remember? Kai showed us when he was demonstrating his… equipment.”

“Ugh. Fucking Kai.” Reece flops onto his back, one arm thrown over his eyes. The movement makes his shirt ride up, revealing a forbidden set of scrumptious abs.

Nothing wrong with looking, right?

I perch carefully on the edge, setting the gift bag on the floor. “Aww, is someone feeling a little inadequate? Because I gotta say, they grow ’em real big here in Hawaii.” I fan myself dramatically. “Like, anaconda big. Skyscraper proportions. The sort of package that causes a girl to question whether it would—”

His head snaps up. “Do you always talk this much about sex?”

“Only when I’m fake dating my grumpy boss in a honeymoon suite designed exclusively formaximumpenetration.”

He groans, running both hands down his cheeks as if he’s praying for strength. “Just so we’re clear, being my fake girlfriend doesn’t come with... anyphysical responsibilities.”

“You wish,” I say, barely containing my laugh. “I’m a pretend girlfriend, not a sex worker. If that was the case, I would’ve negotiated a much higher rate.”

Reece’s features cycle through about twelve different expressions, landing somewhere between horrified and constipated.

“Lighten up,” I continue. “Getting frisky may have been in your contract with Astrid, but as you so rudely put it… I’m nothing like her.”

“Oh God, no, that’s not—we didn’t—I mean, we did, but it wasn’t like—”

“That’s your private business.” I hold up my hands.

“I am not that guy. The kind that—”

“Has a harem of pretend girlfriends to fuck around with?” I finish for him and immediately wish I hadn’t. Because a shadow crosses his face.

“Look.” His tone softens. “I get that I don’t owe you an explanation, but I need you to know—I’m not a bad guy. And it’s been several months since anything happened between Astrid and me.”

I blink at him, surprised. “I never said you were a bad guy. A cranky pain in the ass?Absolutely.But I respect the lengths you’ll go to protect your employees. Including me.”

His trademark smirk softens into a small, sheepish smile that’s so genuine it makes my stomach flip. This new expression, soft and subtle, has transformed his mouth into something, dare I say… dangerously appealing.

I force my eyes away from his lips. “You don’t have to tell me, but how many isseveral?”

“What?”

“You said it’s beenseveralmonths. Just curious about the exact number. Might explain why you’re so moody. That much pent-up frustration can’t be healthy.”

The smile vanishes. “How about we discuss your dry spell? Since you were broadcasting it so enthusiastically to your friends earlier. Not gonna lie, volume control isnotyour strong suit.”

“Pretty sure sharing my sexual history isn’t in the girlfriend contract.” Heat floods my cheeks. “Though if you’re that curious, maybe we can add it as an amendment. Right after a new clause about you taking hourly scowl breaks.”

“What type of men do you even date, anyway?” The question bursts out, and then he quickly adds, “As your boyfriend, I should know. For authenticity.”

“Working for you hasn’t left much time for dating,” I say, sitting down on the bed. “Lucky me, you’ve been the main man in my life for years, and now I get to be your fake girlfriend. Not that different from being your camera girl. I’m already a professional handler of the Reece Dare Mood Swing Experience.”

He doesn’t respond right away, his gaze lingering on me, brows furrowed as if he’s working hard to read between the lines. The room feels smaller, the air charged with something unspoken. I shift against the mattress, suddenly all too aware of his warm body.

“You’re right though—this won’t work.” I wave between us, accidentally triggering the bed’s motion sensor. We both grab the sheets as it starts to turn. “Your nonstop glares and nitpicking? No one will believe I’m your girlfriend when your face shows that you’d rather be scrubbing toilets.”

“Fooled everyone with Astrid,” he mutters, waving his hand to stop the rotation. His arm brushes mine, and my skin tingles like I licked a battery.

“Honestly, I always thought you were too good for her.” My blunt admission surprises us both. “You’re an asshole, yeah, but not a complete dick. And in this day and age, that makes you a catch.”

For once, neither of us seems to know what to say next.

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