Page 74 of Taboo

She pulled herself away from him. “What do you mean by that?’

His eyebrow rose. “So, I’m embarrassing you?”

She looked around at her mother, Jakob and now David—who was holding up his iPad, so she was sure he was FaceTiming with Nic—watching the scene play out in front of them.

“How do you know I’m embarrassed?”

“You always get that prissy tone when you’re embarrassed.”

“That’s true,” her mother said.

She tossed a nasty look in her mother’s direction. “Mother.”

“Look at me,” he said, lowering his face closer to her. The moment their gazes connected, all other worries seemed to fade away. He cupped her face. His eyes were fierce, but she could not look away.

“Youareenough. You are making the hotel into a showplace. You did that. You. Are. Enough.”

In that moment, she gave up holding back. Tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. His gaze softened.

“Don’t cry,kuuipo,” he said again.

He brushed her tears away using his thumbs.

“Stay here with me. Be mine.”

“Will you be mine?” She whispered the question.

He released a sigh filled with relief, as he settled his forehead against hers. “Always. From the moment I saw you standing at the entrance of that bar. I’ve been yours.”

Joy filled her heart as she smiled at him. “I love you, Alek.”

He laughed, that crazy loud booming laugh of his that seemed to fill up all the dark places inside of her head and chased her worries away. If she could hear that laugh the rest of her life, she would be a happy woman.

He dipped his head and brushed his mouth over hers, just a butterfly kind of a kiss, but at the last moment, his tongue darted out and teased her. Before she could draw him into her mouth, he was pulling away. The look he gave her let her know that this was just a short break before they would steal away.

“I love you too, Jules.”

Her head was spinning and nothing in her life had ever felt this right.

“Well, that settles it. We are going to have a celebration dinner,” her mother said. “I want something authentically Hawaiian. I’m sure you can suggest a place, Mr. Johnson.”

“I can.”

“Julienne said you went somewhere to eat last weekend; some little place, and I want to go there.”

“Rainbow? It’s kind of…”

He looked at Julienne, who smiled at him. “My sense of adventure comes from my mother. She’ll love Rainbow.”

“Great. Now, I think both of them have more to talk about and you,” she said pointing at her son, “are coming with me.”

Once they were finally alone, he picked her up and sat down on the sofa, settling her in his lap.

“I’m so glad I didn’t have to fly to England.”

“I am too.”

“I just need to know why you didn’t call me?”

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