Page 52 of Duty and Desire

“Morning.” Aulani’s cheerful greeting shattered the quiet.

Shit.

Behind me, Nick stirred. “Who’s that?” he murmured, his voice heavy with sleep.

“We have company,” I whispered, my heart lurching into overdrive.

“Tell them to go away. No room in the bed.” His fingers dug into my arm. “Wait—what? Who?”

I threw back the sheets and dove out of bed, grabbing my shorts from the floor where I’d left them. I hauled them up and over my hips, fumbling as I tried to fasten them.

Nick sat up, his eyes huge. “Who’s out there?” Then he grinned. “And why are you in such a panic?” He swung his legs over the side of the bed, and I was momentarily distracted by the sight of him. He followed my gaze and snickered. “You think you can wait until we’re alone?”

“Gio? Are you in here?” The doorknob turned a little.

I picked up my tee and tossed it into Nick’s lap, just as Aulani stuck her head around the door. She blinked when she saw him, then coughed, her face reddening.

“I’ll just wait out here.” She retreated, closing the door.

Nick glanced at the tee. “Nice aim, by the way.” He smirked. “Except I think this looks so dirty.”

“That’s your fault,” I remonstrated.

He arched his eyebrows. “For waking up with morning wood? Not exactly something I have much control over.” His eyes twinkled. “And if it’s anyone’s fault, it’s yours.”

I rolled my eyes. “Will you put some clothes on?”

Nick gasped. “What—no kiss?”

I swear, I was going to kill him.

In the kitchen, Aulani was humming louder than usual, and I couldn’t decide which of us was probably the more embarrassed.

I went over to where Nick sat, bent down, and pressed my lips to his forehead. “Good morning. I’m glad you stayed. And I’ll kiss youproperly after I’ve brushed my teeth. Now, will you please get dressed so we can go out there and get interrogated?”

Nick looped his arms around my neck, then fell back onto the bed, taking me with him. “Only if you promise we can come back here when she’s gone.”

He lay there, pinned beneath my weight, his black hair stark against the white sheet, his mouth soft and inviting, his body hard in all the right places.

“I promise.” And because I couldn’t resist him a moment longer, I buried my face in his neck and kissed him there, unable to rein in the slow grind that elicited a low moan. “And then it’s my turn.”

Nick’s breath caught in his throat. “I’ll hold you to that.”

I could spend all day doing nothing but holding him.

A short time later we emerged from the bedroom, clothed, hair neat, both of us wearing sheepish grins as if we were little kids caught with our hands in the cookie jar.

Nick’s jar was a thing of beauty.

Aulani pointed to the coffee pot. “I made some, seeing as you hadn’t.” She peered at Nick, then me. “So you fixed it?”

I smiled. “Yeah. Everything’s okay now.”

She flushed. “That much I could see for myself.” She flashed Nick a smile. “Good to see you again. Of course, I didn’t expect to see so much of you.”

I fired her a mock glare. “Okay, you’ve made your point.” I poured two cups and handed one to Nick. “Let’s go out onto the veranda so we’re not in Aulani’s way.”

He followed me through the patio doors, and we sat side by side at the table, our backs to the bungalow. Nick’s shoulders shook, and he stared into his coffee, avoiding my gaze.

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