Page 10 of His Hawaiian Heart
“Hello? Earth to Dr. Wilson, anyone there?”
It was far more likely my fingers snapping close to his ear got his attention rather than my question, but either way, he turned back to face me instead of sneaking glances at Beth. That mightexplain his sudden muteness. He obviously had a crush on our new team member.
“It’s dark and I’m probably wrong. Forget I said anything.” He ran his fingers through his hair before adding, “I-I’ve… I’ve gotta go.”
I watched as he stepped away, the darkness hiding him from view within just a few steps. “Thanks for nothing,” I muttered. “Any clue what that’s all about?” I asked as I turned to Beth.
She laughed and shrugged. “He’s a man,” she said as if she had some far deeper enlightenment than I could claim.
I couldn’t argue with that and it was just as well as she gave me a little wave, said, “Later,” and was enveloped in the same blackness that had overtaken Josh.
I looked around and realized that the only people left in the small clearing beside me were Sam and Katrina. I was about to step toward them when my current team leader raised her hand and laid it on Sam’s arm. The move froze me where I stood. I’d had my arm patted and grabbed today and yet I knew what I was witnessing wasn’t a move that strangers might make. It seemed to be a move that telegraphedfamiliarity, but how did that make sense? The two hadn’t appeared to know each other but every bone in my body was telling me that not only were theynotstrangers, but they actually had some sort of shared connection. When she leaned forward and kissed him, the situation became crystal clear.
So much for wanting to play Jane to Sam’s Tarzan. Seemed like that role had already been taken. What caused my face to heat wasn’t shame or embarrassment, it was my blood boiling with the knowledge that I could be so stupid.
Book smarts don’t make you street savvy.
My fingers curled with the desire to slap something and that included the smugness right off of my inner voice’s face. Hell, she wasn’t even being creative, simply plagiarizing wordsI’d heard my father repeat no less than a zillion times when I’d proclaim I was totally capable of handling myself no matter which corner of the world my career dropped me into. You’d think by the age of twenty-eight, I’d be able to recognize a player when I saw one, but nope. I’d swallowed his “make me a promise,” hook, line and sinker.
It was time to allow something to swallow me, so I turned and walked into the darkness.
Chapter Four
Samuel
If I’d not had my head up my ass, I might have been able to figure out that when Samantha had said she was camping with a group doing “research” one of the group just might be Katrina Davidson. Of course when we’d been involved, the only research I’d been interested in was studying her anatomy. Being in what I consider practically my own backyard made not a whit of difference when coming face to face with her in the middle of the jungle. When I’d managed to stop staring into Sam’s eyes and turned to see Katrina standing there, hands on her hips and a startled expression her face, it was quite the shock.
“Fancy meeting you here,” I tried, wincing inside at the stupidity of the statement. If anyone belonged where we were currently standing as full night fell, it was Katrina and not me.
“Funny, I was about to say the same thing,” she said. When I could think of nothing to say, she smiled. “Wow, she must be some girl.”
“You don’t know Sam, I mean Samantha?” I asked, the incongruity of that possibility never crossing my mind.
“I knowofher, I just haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her until now.” Katrina looked over her shoulder to where Sam was currently making the rounds of those who’d come out to greet her. “She has the reputation of being an exceptional entomologist as well as being very sought after by various team leaders across the globe. Appears she’s not only smart as a whip but very much liked by people she’s worked with. That rare combination of being an extremely dedicated worker in addition to being a great team member.” Her head swiveled back to me. “Though, from what we all just witnessed, seems you already know that.”
With reluctance I tore my eyes from Sam and concentrated on the woman before me. “Actually, we just met a few hours ago.” Katrina’s eyebrows rose at that tidbit but she didn’t say anything. “My grandmother ran into her at the airport and thought the same thing your fellow scientists do, that Samantha is quite the gem.”
Her brows went a notch higher. “I don’t recall using the word ‘gem’.”
For fuck’s sake! Put me in a boardroom full of executives and I could talk all day without a single stumble, but when it came to this conversation, I felt about as suave and sophisticated as a prepubescent boy.
Pull yourself together, man!
Great advice, how exactly was I supposed to do that when all I could think about was how I’d felt staring into eyes the color of the Nuku I?iwi flower that bloomed deep within the island’s forests? Eyes that had drawn me into some sort of abyss where I’d felt I could happily dwell for the rest of my life.
Yeah, that’s not gonna help.
It was a totally different connection that pulled me back from that chasm. I looked down to see Katrina’s hand on my arm before I looked up to see concern on her face.
“Seriously, are you sure you’re all right? You’re acting… well, a bit off to be honest.”
“To be honest, I feel a bit off,” I admitted without thinking. I shook my head to clear it. “I was just saying that Harriett couldn’t bear to leave Sam alone when she’d been accosted by a few drunken jerks who’d decided she needed to serve them.”
“Leave out the drunken part and it sounds a bit familiar, wouldn’t you agree?” Katrina said, her eyebrows rising just enough to show she was finding all of this rambling terribly amusing.
This time I took a moment to gather my thoughts and do a bit of the same deep breathing exercise I’d shared with Sam. When Katrina’s head tilted as if trying to decipher what I was doing, I nodded. “Familiar but not relative, unless you are telling me I’ve ever attempted to force you into doing anything you didn’t want to do.”
My statement seemed to catch her off guard. Her fingers briefly tightened around my arm but she didn’t drop her hold as she spoke. “Things didn’t end the way I’d hoped, but no, Sam, I can’t claim you ever took advantage of me. In fact, the general consensus among my fellow submissives is that consent is practically your mantra. You were perhaps the most perfect Dom I’ve ever scened with.” She looked at the others again and gave a soft sigh. “Perhaps too perfect. You might have been a demanding prick at times, but you were always respectful of my boundaries.” She gave a brief smile and then leaned forward and kissed my cheek. “You taught me a lot and I do thank you for that.” She released my arm and stepped back. “I’d ask you to promise you’ll treat Samantha with the same respect, but I already know you will. So what I will request is that you be completely open and honest with her. She deserves to knowallof what makes you the Dominant so many women are searching for—not just the parts you share with any submissive at a club.Even though she won’t be here long, I’d rather she put her effort into her job than waste time hoping for things that could never be. If you can’t do that, then do us all a favor and say your goodbyes and go back and tell your grandmother you’ve done your duty and delivered her safely to us. Okay?”
