Page 5 of His Hawaiian Heart (Stateside Doms #26)

I grinned. “Just so you know for the next time you’d like some fruit. Those as well as mangos are free,” I said, pointing to the container. “Instead of a few chunks, all you have to do is look up and pick a fresh one out of a tree.”

“Something to look forward to,” she said then gave a wicked grin. “Not as much fun as watching you strip and discovering what sort of boxers I’m missing, but a gal’s gotta take what she can get.”

Before I could respond, she planted a hand on my chest and pushed me back out the door in order to crawl out herself. Standing, she gave me a once over. “Though I do suggest you lose the jacket.”

“It gets colder here at night than you might think.”

“Good to know, but I was trying to protect your feelings.”

“My feelings?”

“Of course. You seem like a very nice guy but if you show up dressed to the nines all spit-shined, it might make my coworkers feel underdressed and make you feel bad. They’ve been out here almost a week already.

Though who knows, they say Hawaii is like the Garden of Eden so they might have gone native and be buck naked by now. ”

I honestly had no response to that as all I could envision was Sam as my Eve, both of us buck naked.

When she giggled, I suddenly suspected she knew exactly what I was thinking, but I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of a confirmation.

“We wouldn’t want that, would we? I can’t imagine having to inform Mrs. Blackwell that I delivered her newest friend into the hands of a nudist colony. What would she think?”

“She’d probably think I was one very lucky lady and ask if she could join me,” Sam said, reaching for the backpack and tugging it off my shoulder. “Feel free to strip while I pack these.”

“I’d say ‘Ma’am, yes, Ma’am,’ but that would go against every dominant cell in my body,” I said.

If I’d expected her to appear startled at that, I was wrong.

Instead, her lips curled into a smile that had my cock rising another inch.

My slight growl had her giggling as I turned away with the pretense I needed the extra room to shrug out of the suit jacket when I was actually adjusting my cock yet again before tossing the jacket into the car.

Shutting the door, I turned back. “Ready?”

“I was born ready,” she said, causing me to roll my eyes.

“Then lead the way,” I offered, gesturing for her to go ahead. “That is if you have any clue as to which way we’re going?”

“Afraid you’ll get lost?”

“Please, I was born on this island. I could find my way home blindfolded with both hands tied behind my back.”

She fanned her hand in front of her face. “I swear, if you don’t stop teasing me, we’re likely to be here all night. I can’t say I haven’t ever had a one-night stand, but never with a man who hasn’t even told me his name.”

It was my turn to give her a slow grin. “Sam.”

“What? Wait, are you going all judgy on me? Do you have some archaic double standard about how women should behave?”

“Of course not, I?—”

Her eyes rounded. “Oh, please don’t tell me you are a serial killer after all. I knew this was too good to be?—”

At the rise in her tone, I reached out to place a finger against her lips. “I’m not judging you and I’m not a serial killer. I was giving you my name.”

“But you said Sam,” she said pulling her head back enough to speak.

“Right. That’s my name.”

There was that startled reaction I’d expected.

Her mouth formed a perfect little ‘O’ which, of course, had me picturing those pretty little lips wrapped around my dick which began to press uncomfortably against my zipper.

This time I didn’t even bother to attempt any adjustments as they were proving to be a waste of time.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!”

“I’m afraid not. My name is Samuel, but my friends call me Sam.”

She closed her mouth and then opened it again to laugh. “I’d say that’s unbelievable, but this has been one of those type of days. Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Sam.” She held out her hand.

“Believe me, the pleasure is all mine, Sam,” I said, taking her hand and wishing I was entwining my fingers with hers rather than simply giving her hand a shake.

She seemed to feel the same as it took her a few moments longer than normal to pull her hand free.

The lighting was low, but it wasn’t yet full dark and I could see her cheeks were flushed.

“Um, okay, now that we’ve properly met, I guess it’s time to go.

” She paused and looked down and then met my eyes.

“It really is nice of you to offer to escort me, but even though the camp can’t be that far, since they’d have had to bring in supplies, I don’t hear anything.

I’m afraid it’s still going to be a bit of a hike. ”

“I can assure you I’m not going to wuss out on you. I may be in a suit, but I’m pretty fit.”

She gave me another head to toe sweep. “I have no doubt you’re more than ‘pretty’ fit. I’m not worried about you wussing out. I’m worried that you might slip and fall and get knocked out. Do you have another pair of shoes in the car? The soles of those aren’t going to provide much traction.”

“Sorry, unless I go barefoot, I’m afraid these are going to have to do.”

“I’d offer to loan you a pair, but the only other shoes I have that might work are flip-flops.”

I made a point of moving closer and setting my right foot alongside her left one. The difference was immediately obvious.

She laughed. “Okay, then, we’ll just have to be careful.” She pulled a phone from the backpack’s front pocket. Turning it on, she swiped through a few screens and then pushed an icon.

A flicker of light flashed before I recognized she was looking at GPS coordinates.

A small dot was blinking at a steady rate and it took me only a few seconds before not only knowing what direction we’d be taking, but pretty much the exact location of her campsite.

Still, I wasn’t going to steal her thunder.

“Shall we?” I asked, taking the backpack from her and shrugging it back onto my shoulder.

“We shall,” she said with a smile that caused my blood to quicken in my veins.

Damn, even as I followed her into the jungle, I was thinking of what the best way to draw her off course and into my arms might be.

Deciding that would require tossing her phone into the nearest volcanic vent or the ocean, I knew I’d be better off coming up with a more civilized plan.

But whatever was required, there was no way I was leaving this jungle without a promise of a future date with the most appealing and unassuming woman I’d ever met.