Page 77 of Baby One Last Time
Chapter 21
There hadto be a better way to meet my lover’s family.
Maybe while I was coming up with one, I could also figure out a better name for Derek’s role in my life. “Boyfriend” sounded ridiculous when I was pushing thirty and he had pushed past it. “Man-friend” sounded more salacious than “lover.” There was always the old standby, “SO.”
My SO/man-friend/lover nudged my ribs. “Try to look a little happy that you’re about to get lei’d.”
“Ha-ha.”
I carried Derek’s crutches and walked slower than normal up the plane aisle to allow for Derek’s hobbled gait. But apparently, he didn’t need to proceed at a snail’s pace, because he leaned forward and growled in my ear. “Speed it up, pussycat.”
We disembarked from our commercial flight, which we’d taken because Derek claimed it was faster than booking a charter plane over the holidays. I suspected it was really because he wanted me to have the full Hawaiian tourist experience. The hula girls—or did they call themselves hula women now?—dropped a wreath of pink flowers over my neck and a yellow one over his. His hula woman also imparted a kiss on his cheek and, if I wasn’t mistaken, leaned close to catch his scent before stepping back and winking at him.
“Is this all an elaborate ruse to stroke your ego?” I asked him, not annoyed with the blatant flirtation. Much.
He grinned the way he always did when I was trying to pretend he didn’t have my full attention but he knew I did. “I like it when your mood matches your gorgeous green eyes.”
I batted the eyes in question and returned the smile. “I hope your parents have a comfortable couch, since that’s where you’ll be sleeping if this keeps up.”
He snaked his arm around my waist and dropped his head to whisper in my ear. Every woman in the vicinity, including his hula woman, stared at us with more than a little bit of envy. That wasn’t the only reason heat flashed through me. His smooth, smoky voice still got me every time. “If I’m comfortable on a couch any time during this next week, it will be because you’re naked and on top of me.”
“Awfully sure of yourself.”
“Yep.” He smiled and stared straight ahead as we walked to the security zone exit in the small airport.
I didn’t argue the point. We both knew he was right. “But we’ll be in your parents’ house, so you might actually have to behave yourself.”
“We’ll be in the guest house,” he corrected me, “although you’ll still have to keep the screaming under a hundred decibels. Sound carries pretty well on the island breeze.”
Before I could plan an appropriate comeback, a driver standing in front of a black Range Rover with tinted windows tipped his hat in our direction.
“Hey, Harry,” Derek said. “How’s it going?”
“It’s going great.”
The men shook hands and slapped shoulders, and Derek introduced me. “Harry’s worked for my parents for about five years now.”
Harry shook his head and spoke to me. “Your boyfriend signs my checks, so he’s really the boss man.”
“I dare you to say that in front of my mother,” Derek teased.
Harry nodded toward Derek’s crutches. “Anything I should know?”
“Minor skiing accident,” Derek replied, sticking to the cover story he’d already told his family over the phone.
“Do I need to be worried about any more accidents while you’re here?” Harry asked, and that’s when I realized he was one of us.
“Nope.” Derek grinned at me. “We’re on an honest-to-God vacation.”
I thought about Beecher, out there somewhere and no good to the oligarchs but no doubt trolling for his next meal. There would be a reckoning with that piece of shit one day, but not today.
Harry helped me into the Range Rover, then held Derek’s crutches while my stubborn bull hauled himself into the vehicle. When we were all buckled into place, Harry drove us away from the airport. The two men exchanged light banter while I returned to pondering just what I should call Derek. Harry said boyfriend like it made all the sense in the world, but it didn’t quite seem to fit what the full-grown, sexy-as-hell man taking up half the back seat meant to me.I might be overthinking this.
We merged onto a four-lane highway, and quickly exited onto a narrow, windy road with lush green rainforests full of pink and orange blossoms on either side.
“Paradise,” I said.
“I couldn’t agree more.” Derek squeezed my hand.
