Page 26 of Pure Temptation

He shook his head again. “Same. I’d rather save it for a time when I don’t have to hold back.”

“Surfing?”

“Sounds fun. Maybe next time.” He waggled his eyebrows. “You’re getting closer.”

Kendall wrinkled her brow. “Boogie boarding?”

Daxon cringed. “Isn’t that the B-level version of surfing?”

“Says the guy who’s never tried it, right?”

He didn’t look convinced. “Fine, you’re right. It sounds like fun. Then maybe we can try water aerobics in the shallow end of the pool?”

“I’m sure I can arrange that if you want,” she said, smiling sweetly. “I’m done guessing. Let’s just go.”

They walked out of the open-air lobby and into the sun. The entranceway to the Kalani was full of palms and bright, blooming flowers, and the driveway was made of large stones, just a little darker than the sand. In the middle of the drive, a red convertible was parked, shiny and inviting.

“You like it?”

She swallowed the thump of excitement in her throat and tried to sound bored. “It’s okay.”

His hands slipped around her waist, and he tickled her until she burst out into laughter.

“All right, it looks like a lot of fun,” she said between gasps.

He beamed at her. “I thought so, too.”

Was there a hint of pride in his voice? She was getting the feeling that he really did want to please her. A lot. Which was probably just his competitive spirit at work. But a convertible sports car did look like a fun way to drive around the island.

“You know how to get where we’re going?” she asked.

“Of course I do,” he said. “Do you really think I’d go into an adventure unprepared?”

“Probably not.”

He winked at her. “The right answer ishell, no.”

Daxon slipped on his sunglasses, walked over to the passenger-side door and opened it for her. She had never really seen the point of this chivalrous gesture, since she could easily open a door for herself. But with Daxon watching as she hesitated, his smile faltering a little, she was starting to understand his message:I’m paying attention to every detail.Which she wasnotgoing to overthink. Not even a little bit.

The seat was warm from the morning sun, shining down, filling the air with the kind of sultry heat that made everything nicer...and sexier. It was one of the things she loved most about living here. Back in Northern California, it was as if the thermostat never was cranked quite right. Foggy and cool in the summer, winter alternating between warm sun and rain, and just when the spring seemed to get it perfect, the fog would roll in again, cutting through the bliss of warmth. But here in Hawaii, even the rain didn’t interfere with the lazy heat. Maybe someday she’d get tired of the perpetual good weather, but that day wasn’t coming anytime soon.

Daxon climbed into the driver’s seat, his long, muscular legs on display. If she wasn’t careful, she’d spend the whole day gawking at him.

“Did you bring your bathing suit?” he asked, catching her mid-ogle.

Kendall pulled the collar of her T-shirt over to reveal a strap. “That was my only clue about our destination.”

“Unless you can think of a way to coax more hints out of me.” He lifted his sunglasses, his gray-green eyes sparkling. “Ready for the best day of your life?”

She laughed. “Impress me, Daxon.”

“I will.” He lowered his sunglasses and started the car.

The resort’s long driveway wound through more palms and bushes before they came to the main road and turned, heading south. The landscape of the north end of the island was drier, and when left alone, without fancy resort plantings, a lot of it was barren, with long stretches of grassy fields that barely covered the lava beds. But they were headed south, toward the greener, rainier side, with the kind of tropical hillsides she had expected when she first came.

From the moment they turned onto the highway, Daxon peppered her with questions. He wanted to know everything about her—growing up just outside San Francisco, her adventures as a physical therapist, and all her memories from when her father would disappear for weeks into wildfire territory.

“How did your mother feel about it?” he asked as he turned off the main road, heading for what was supposed to be the best smoothie place on the island, according to the hand-painted signs on the side of the road.