Page 5 of Intrigued By Love

God, she was beautiful. Big brown eyes a man could stare into for hours, golden skin that she’d inherited from her parents that gave her a kissed-by-the-sun glow whether it was winter or summer. The woman could go barefaced, void of makeup, and still look as if she were ready to star in a movie in the same way Lina had charmed Hollywood. Then there was the body with curves a man could hold on to and was kept in shape from early-morning sessions of power yoga. She was so tiny, barely five-foot-two, but it never took away from the impact she had on people. She was a force that refused to let anyone push her around.

Even when she was in her bossy all-business persona, there was a sensuality about her that drew a man to want to break down her walls.

I’d thought I was that man.

I had no doubt her leaving me had been a spur-of-the-moment decision. She had this impulsive yet decisive nature that made it easy for her to jump feet first and follow through on a new plan.

What I had to find out was exactly the circumstance that had pushed her into moving thousands of miles away to the middle of the Pacific Ocean. One minute I was planning a future with the love of my life and the next, I was left to pick up the pieces of my soul that had been ripped to shreds.

She’d been my everything.

What the fuck had I done to destroy it? I’d all but turned my back on my family for how they’d treated her. She’d always been my priority. How many nights had I stayed up trying to keep the evil of my parents from her? Hell, I’d gone as far as telling my mother she couldn’t step foot near Kai if she couldn’t be civil.

One way or another, I would get my answers.

“Have you tried to talk to her?” Thad came up behind me.

Thad and I had been friends since we met as ten-year-olds during a summer basketball camp. We’d come from similar Hollywood backgrounds. His parents being the legendary Oliver Studios heads, Justine and Kristy Oliver. And my parents being multi-Oscar-winning movie royalty turned production financiers, Christopher and Jennine Burton. The one difference we had was that he adored his family and wanted to follow in his parents’ footsteps. Whereas I wanted nothing to do with the exhaustion and drama that came with mine.

Thankfully the Olivers had adopted me into their fold, otherwise I’d have turned out like every other clichéd rich, over-pampered, and complete fuck-up Hollywood kid.

“It’s kind of hard to when she runs away anytime I’m within a few feet of her.”

“She still has feelings for you. It’s obvious to everyone. Plus, the fact she hasn’t mentioned anything about what happened to her sisters says it all.”

“How’s that?”

“You know those three tell each other everything, not to mention adding Ani and Cora into the mix. Hell, I’ve heard enough conversations to know when all of them will start their monthly cycles.”

The sad part was that I knew Thad was right. During the four years Kai and I had been together, I’d heard every detail about the women in her family’s sex lives.

“Are you saying they have no idea why she left me?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. You, my man, need to find out what the fuck happened before you make this move to the South Pacific permanent.”

I winced and looked around, making sure no one had heard Thad’s words. As far as anyone knew, I still lived in Las Vegas. Hell, I’d flown to Hawaii just so I could join the flight coming back to Bora Bora. Thad, as my best friend, was the only person aware of my living arrangement.

“Relax. It’s just us here. By the way, you owe me. I keep no secrets from my girl, and this one is a doozy.”

I felt a pang of jealousy. Thad and Lina actually had what I’d believed Kai and I once shared.

“How is my living arrangement important to your relationship with Lina?”

“Well, it does look a bit stalkerish to live on your mega-yacht offshore while you build a house on the very island your ex lives on, in hopes of getting her to fall back in love with you.”

“Whatever. I can work remotely from anywhere around the world. I’m the lucky asshole who can afford his dreams of living in French Polynesia without being a bum.”

That excuse seemed lame even to me. First, I’d have to figure out what the future held for Kai and me, and then I’d make the final decision on whether to reveal my residential situation.

“Keep telling yourself that.”

I scrubbed a hand over my face. “I have to get her to forgive me. It’s been torture spending two years without her in my life.”

“So no beach beauties to help escape the lonely nights of being a reclusive billionaire?”

I glared at Thad. I knew he was kidding but even suggesting anyone to replace Kai made me want to punch him. I’d had the house built with Kai in mind. It had every minor detail she’d told me she wanted in a home. I’d burn the place down before I let anyone other than Kai live in it.

God, I was such a fucking wimp. Kai had no clue she had me by the balls.

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