Page 38 of Your Body On My Mind

I pushed the thoughts away and instead reached for Nikau, forcing her to slide closer to me. Not only did she deserve the physical closeness, she needed it to properly process what had happened and gently come down from the high without falling into a deep hole.

So I made sure she felt comfortable, I forgot what I'd been thinking, and it all came to a fitting end, leaving nothing unresolved.

I was as happy about my rule that she had to sleep beside me on such nights as I was about the fact that she could grow from all these sessions. Finally taking that last step didn't feel like a mistake. In fact, it was opening up entirely new possibilities that had never occurred to us before.

If I wanted to fuck her on my desk while a boring meeting went on in the background, I could do that now. If I wanted to claim her in the pool in the middle of the night, nothing stood in the way– except maybe the one curious guest who wandered the grounds at midnight.

Nikau

Since I started working at theHonolulu Sunrestaurant, I had never felt more comfortable going to work. Instead of a boss like Jane, I now had a team of people who loved their work. People who loved being available for all the guests every day. People who, even after eight hours, still had a real smile on their face. Maybe it was the place of work– or maybe it was just the fact that everyone had that kind of appreciation and no one felt like they were carrying the whole team on their shoulders.

TheHonolulu Sunrestaurant was top-notch. The kitchen was run by a star chef and his highly professional team. All the waitresses were given exclusive training. The interior was equally sophisticated. The huge glass front opened to the sea, while the walls were painted in dark colours. The almost black wood used for the furnishings made everything look even nobler when the sun's rays flooded the rooms, making you remember what a unique place you were in.

Not only did I appreciate my colleagues, but also the guests. They were a completely different experience to those I had served in Iowa. There was also a bar and people drinking– but for some reason everything seemed more friendly. Maybe that was the cultural difference. Maybe it was the fact that the bartender was also specially trained and knew exactly what he was doing when he pointed out that something wasn't going as it was supposed to go.

Working in the restaurant also showed me what kind of guests the resort catered for. It was one thing to run a luxury resort, but quite another to decide what kind of clientele it attracted. If Kaden had any say in the matter, he had probably chosen the best of both worlds. Most of the guests seemed to be well off. They had traveled from various countries to spend a few quiet and relaxing days here. The other guests were locals. They didn't come for the beauty of Hawaii, but because they appreciated what theHonolulu Sunhad to offer.

The spa took up a considerable amount of space and made even those happy who didn't normally like to relax.

I had spent almost four weeks in Hawaii, and it didn't take more than two days for the island to captivate me again. Every day that I worked at the restaurant, the idea of going back to Iowa became less in my mind. To be honest, I didn't want to leave Hawaii. There was no place I felt more at home than O'ahu. It may have been a couple of years in the making, but now that I was clear about it… it was also obvious that I had already broken one of my intentions.

Because I had fallen in love with this island, this place, and had re-rooted. I tried to ignore it, but it was probably so deep that by the end of twelve months it would be impossible to leave. My heart would be broken– just as it was back then.

To wake up every morning and feel the sun on my face. To go outside and smell the unique scent of nature. To feel good all over. To the point where work didn't feel like work.

No matter how late I stayed up, I got up with renewed vigor the next day. Not once did the thought cross my mind to pull the blanket over my head and stay in bed.

Life in Hawaii seemed too good to miss a second of it. Secretly, it bothered me because it meant that Kaden's plan was coming to fruition. Only because I was here.

As if my thoughts had summoned the devil, I noticed someone entering the restaurant, though it was some time before the first customers arrived.

It was not Kaden, as I had suspected, but his sister. It was impossible to overlook the fact that the two of them were related. Kaia was also tall. Long, dark curls fell over her shoulders, covered with freckles. She grinned as she approached me.

Her eyes glanced around the room, but she didn't seem to dislike anything she saw. I had grown fond of the restaurant, and it was important to me that it always looked its best. Accordingly, I invested a lot of time in the realization of everything that was part of the resort.

"How's it going?" she asked, leaning against the bar next to me. The kitchen was busy, but it would be awhile before the service team arrived.

"I can't complain," I replied. She probably knew that was an understatement. So I just went on. "I thought it would be weird working for Kaden. We spend a lot of time together, and then he pays me… but to be honest, I wouldn't change it."

Kaia's face lit up. "That's what I wanted to hear. Jean told me how happy he is with you. He may not be the boss here, but his word carries weight. We'd be out of business without his cooking."

I felt a blush creep up my neck. Jean was one of those men who had seen most of the world. Who could have worked anywhere, but for some genuine reason had chosen a particular place. In everything he created, you could see how passionate he was about it– and whenever he needed me to help, I came to help. He could use every hand, even when it was hectic outside.

"That's why I want you to take over the position as our restaurant manager. Kelsi resigned this morning because she has to go back to her family on the mainland and the position has become vacant. I had considered giving it to Corey because he's been here the longest. But I think we should give promotions according to other criteria."

I slowly opened my mouth, then closed it again, not knowing what to say.

Kaia laughed. "You're entitled to be happy, Nika. This is a wonderful development."

"Does Kaden know?"

"Meaning is he behind this in secret?"

I nodded and she shook her head. "I haven't told him about the resignation or my decision. I didn't want you to think he was favoring you."

"And you don't either?"

"I value your work and what I've heard about it. But if you don't want to…"

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