Chapter 18
Afew days later, they weren’t any closer to the truth than they had been the night they arrived on the island. Eli was frustrated in mind and spirit. Dillon had talked about coming over there to head up the investigation, but Eli knew that would be a mistake. It was best to allow the locals to keep control. He’d lived long enough in Hawaii to know that bringing in private people, especially a haole, was a big mistake.
“So, still nothing?” Crysta asked.
He didn’t turn around. She had been distant from him since they’d arrived back on the island. He finished washing his hands. Then took his time drying them off before he faced her again. He’d found he needed to prepare himself for the impact she had on him every time he saw her, especially when they were alone. She’d made dinner, soup and sandwiches. Every day, he would walk into the kitchen to the smell of supper cooking. It had become one of the joys of his day.
“Nope. Dillon’s got a couple more background checks to finish, but he’s found nothing. He couldn’t even find anything on Sean Kaheaku.”
“Hmm,” she said, as she slipped the grilled cheese sandwiches from the pan to the plates. “Can you get the soup?”
He nodded and did as she bid, as she grabbed a glass of water for herself. They sat at the kitchen bar. There was a light tapping of rain on the roof and the sun was setting. This was a little too comfy, but he couldn’t pull himself away from it…from her.
He knew his need to be near her had gotten worse.
“Have you talked to your father?”
She shook her head. “I called him that night. It was so late here, and, of course, it was morning there. He wasn’t happy. I’ve talked to him almost every day since. He likes to pretend there was something to talk about every day, but I know he’s checking on me.”
“I’m amazed he didn’t try and get you to come back to the mainland.”
She glanced at him. “First, he knew it wouldn’t happen. He also said he trusted you.”
She dipped her sandwich in the tomato soup and munched on it while Eli tried to figure out what she meant by that comment. A father trusted his daughter to Eli. Foster kid and SASR dropout. The man must not be a good judge of character.
“Of course, I told him I didn’t need some man to protect me.”
He chuckled, enjoying the sassy smile curving her lips. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. He should know better. I can handle myself.”
He sighed. “But you’re still his baby girl. I just can’t believe he trusts me that much.”
“Oh, he doesn’t trust you that much. He wanted to know if we were sleeping together.”
Eli choked on his tomato soup. She pounded on his back as he tried to drink water.
“Are you okay?”
He nodded. “What did you say?”
She frowned. “I asked if you were okay.”
“No. To your father.”
“Oh. I told him we slept together once but thought it was best that we didn’t continue.”
For a second, he wondered how long it would be before Ham showed up to kill him. Then she started laughing.
“Oh. My. God. The look on your face. That was fantastic.”
It took her a few minutes to calm herself.
“Are you telling me you didn’t tell your father?”
“Of course not. My father still probably likes to pretend I’m a virgin.”
“So, you were just fucking with me?”
She shrugged, then started giggling. “If you could see your face.”
And with the rain falling on the roof, he looked at Crysta and gave up and fell in love. It wasn’t going to do him any good and, hell, he didn’t even know if they were compatible as Dom and sub. But, apparently, none of that mattered. He was in love with a woman.
He couldn’t resist. He leaned forward and brushed his mouth over hers. She stopped laughing.
“Eli,” she said, but he set his fingers against her mouth.
“No. I just had to kiss you.” Then he stood. “I’ve got some work to do.”
He took his bowl and plate to the sink, then headed down the hall. He had a lot to think about and he wasn’t too happy about it.
* * *
Crysta was in a mood.She had been all day, but after last night, no one should be able to blame her.
That little kiss Eli gave her had kept her up all night. She knew he’d slept like a baby. She’d heard him snoring when she’d gotten up to get a glass of warm milk. Butthead.
“That horse is going to get pissed and kick you if you keep brushing her like that,” Eli said from behind her. She turned and found him standing at the doorway of the barn, leaning against a bale of hay.
“I’m not in the best of moods.”
He nodded. “Yeah, I heard.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Well, first, Jerry said I should avoid you. He said that he figured you were stressed out and needed a break.”
“Did he?”
Eli nodded again. “Then, there was Aiona. He said you scared him—more than he feared May.”
“That’s mean.”
His lips twitched. “Well, I heard you threatened to shave his head.”
“He asked me if I was PMSing. He deserved that. When I called May, she said I should have gone ahead and shaved his head.”
She crossed her arms knowing that she was acting like an idiot, but she couldn’t help it. She had never been a woman who could handle herself without enough sleep. Add in her frustration with Eli and the situation with their ranch, everyone was lucky she wasn’t using them for target practice.
“Do you want to talk about what’s really bothering you?”
“No. Nothing is bothering me. I just didn’t sleep well last night. I haven’t…” since they returned. The truth was, she didn’t know if it was fear, or if it was the man. Something told her it was the latter. Eli St. John was a man women lost sleep over.
“We need to talk about Honolulu. We need to talk about us.”
She couldn’t face it. Crysta rarely hid from problems, but right now, she couldn’t deal with this. She wanted him more than she wanted her next breath, and she couldn’t handle him knowing that.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” she said. “We had one night, it was good, it’s over. We both said it was for the best.”
He cocked his head to the side and watched her for a moment. “Is that so?”
She turned around and started brushing the horse again. “Yes.”
Eli stepped closer. She wished she could see him, but that would be admitting the need she had for him. The cocky Dom knew she wanted him, but it didn’t mean she had to give him the satisfaction of acknowledging her attraction. She could feel his body heat against her back. He had invaded her space. Again.
“So, you think you can resist me?” he asked, his voice deepening. She felt his breath against her ear and she shivered.
“What you don’t seem to understand is that I have control over my own desires. I’m not some little sub who is awed by the popular Dom.”
“Hmm.” It was all he said as he nibbled on her ear.
It took all her willpower to step away from him and the temptation he represented. Crysta turned, then settled her hands on her hips, trying to keep from reaching for him. Every fiber of her being wanted that…but she’d been truthful. She might be a sub, but she wasn’t inexperienced.
“We have to run this ranch together for months. I don’t think it’s a good idea to get tangled up.”
He wasn’t happy, that was easy to see. His narrowed glare almost made her laugh. Had no one ever rejected this man? Probably not. He was a Dom…a good one. The fact that he was a cowboy with a sexy Aussie accent was enough to make most women swoon.
Crysta was made of stronger stuff. Resisting him, the lure of a submission to him, was the only thing that could save her heart. He might just be in it for fun, but she wouldn’t be. She would fall in love with him, then it would be bad.
He moved forward and slipped his hand to her waist. Ignoring her protest, he pulled her closer and kissed her. It was a full-frontal assault that had her senses reeling. She could smell the leather and sweet Hawaiian air on him as he thrust his tongue into her mouth. She resisted for a second, and then surrendered to the pleasure.
In the next instant, he was gone. Eli released her and stepped back.
“If you want another taste, it comes with a price,” he said, then he turned and walked away.
Both of them knew the charge would be her submission.