Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
S he woke up, heart pounding.
Hollis sat up. The bed was a mess and her eyes were gritty. She hadn’t slept well thanks to the nightmares. She hadn’t slept well since this entire situation had started. She pushed her tangled hair back and sighed.
Another day powered by coffee.
Except that the coffee machine was a burnt husk that she’d dragged outside and dumped in the trash.
Groaning, she dropped her head in her hands, trying to shake off the night spent staring at the ceiling, dreaming of shadowy figures, hearing noises, and worrying that someone was going to break in.
No one’s going to break in, Hols. No one knows you’re in Hawaii.
She rose and opened the curtains.
“Oh.” The beautiful ocean water sparkled a brilliant blue. She felt some of the tension drain away as she soaked in the view.
She was far away from the person who was tormenting her.
She knew who was behind it.
Michael Reuben—eccentric and powerful movie producer. She’d gone to a party at his Hollywood mansion. One, she wanted it noted that she didn’t even want to go. No, her agent had talked her into it. She still hadn’t quite forgiven Tavion for it.
While she’d been looking for the bathroom in the huge, sprawling house—and counting down the minutes until she could leave—she’d gotten lost. She’d heard Reuben’s voice down the hall and overheard him talking to someone. She’d only picked up a few words about shipments and sanctions. Then he and whoever he was talking with had spoken in Russian.
As far as she knew, Reuben wasn’t Russian.
She’d tried to sneak off, but one of Reuben’s bodyguards had spotted her. A creepy guy with a scar on his cheek and a knife, of all things, on his belt. She’d flashed him an Oscar-worthy smile.
“I’m so lost. I’m looking for the ladies’ room.” She added a little hiccup and a tipsy grin for effect. Drunk woman, nothing to worry about.
Scarface scowled at her, then Reuben stepped out of his office. In his sixties, he was of medium height, with a rotund middle, and a long, hawkish nose. He always wore a suit.
“Oh, Michael, I didn’t know you were up here,” she said. “Why aren’t you at the party?”
“I’m returning now.” He shot her a hard stare.
Full of nerves, it had taken all the acting skills Hollis possessed to keep her smile in place.
“The bathroom is down the next hall,” Reuben said. “On the left.”
“Thank you.” She gave a breezy wave and turned.
In the bathroom, she’d felt sick. She knew she’d heard something she shouldn’t have. Shipments of what? And if they were going to or from Russia, it had to be something very illegal. She knew there were so many sanctions on the country right now.
Hollis had tried to blow it off and forget.
But after that night, things had started happening. She was sure she was being watched, and a few times, she was certain she’d been followed.
That wasn’t uncommon for her. The paparazzi were a constant pest, but this had felt different.
Every now and then, she’d catch a glimpse of a shadow or a silhouette, but then, nothing. Some days, she was worried that she was losing her mind.
She’d considered going to the police, but to tell them what? Hearing a few words, and thinking she was being followed weren’t really evidence of anything.
She’d considered hiring a full-time bodyguard. She usually only had security and bodyguards during the frenzy of a movie opening. Normally, she trusted that her home security system was enough.
Then someone had crashed into her car.
Apart from some whiplash, thankfully, she’d been uninjured. The big, black SUV that had hit her had no plates, and the driver had driven off without checking on her.
She gripped the curtains, staring out at the beach. The worst thing was finding a secret camera in her house. In her bedroom.
Someone had been in her home.
That’s when she’d finally told her agent what was happening.
Tavion had lost his mind and helped her run.
Archer, who was also a client of Tave’s had offered to loan her his house on Maui. She’d traveled to San Diego, then Tave had hired a private jet in Archer’s name so there was no record of her arriving in Hawaii.
“You’re safe,” she whispered.
She had to hope that this situation would blow over. If Reuben was really concerned that she’d heard something, and she did nothing, and his mysterious shipments arrived, then surely he’d leave her alone.
What if he was doing something really illegal?
She rubbed her temple. She wasn’t law enforcement. For all she knew, he was smuggling caviar. Wait and see. It wasn’t much of a plan, but it was the best she had. She had no real proof of anything. Sometimes, she was worried she was imagining it all and losing her mind.
You’re in paradise, Hols. Relax.
She was a little burned out. She’d done four big films in the last two years. That meant long hours rehearsing and filming, not to mention all the press tours to promote the films. Then this situation.
It was no wonder she was running on nerves.
She straightened her shoulders. Right now, the only thing she was going to worry about was getting some caffeine.
She pulled on leggings and a T-shirt, then tucked her hair under a blue ball cap. To finish it off, she slid on some huge sunglasses.
She never wore ball caps, so hopefully no one recognized her. It was unlikely she could stay incognito forever, but thankfully, Paia was small and wasn’t quite as touristy as some of Maui’s other destinations.
In her rental car, she tapped Island Brew into the navigation system. Of course, that made her think of Deputy Hottie. She shivered. She wished she’d spent the night dreaming of him instead of being hunted by faceless bad guys.
With a shake of her head, she set off down the road. As lush trees gave way to the town, she smiled. Paia had a funky, 60s, California-beach-town vibe. There were quaint shops and restaurants, and most of the buildings were painted in pastel colors.
She spotted Island Brew—it was a pale-blue building with white trim. She found a parking spot out front. The logo on the building had a coffee mug with a shell on the front, and a curl of steam rising from the top.
Before she got out of the car, her cellphone rang. It was Tave.
“Hey, you,” she said.
“You okay?” he asked in his smooth, deep voice.
If there was ever a man with the voice for radio or voice overs, it was Tavion Hall. Instead, he’d become an agent to the stars. He was one of the most sought-after agents in Hollywood.
“I’m in the most beautiful spot in the world.”
“That’s not what I asked, Hols.”
Tave wasn’t just her agent, he was also a friend. To be honest, she didn’t have too many true friends. The downside of fame was that you ended up with fans and acquaintances, but not a lot of true, deep connections.
Hell, she’d never had many true, deep connections anyway. She was coming to suspect she just wasn’t wired for them.
She stared blindly through the windshield and sighed. “I’m okay. Not sleeping well, but I’m better now I’m out of LA. Except I set Archer’s coffee machine on fire.”
Tave made a sound.
She knew that sound. He was unhappy. She could picture him sitting at his glossy black desk in his office in Beverly Hills. He’d be wearing tailored pants that hugged his lean form and a white shirt that looked amazing with his dark skin. Tavion always looked polished and stylish.
“I’ll be okay, Tave. I just got here. Give me some time.”
“All right, Red. You want me to come out there?”
Her chest twanged. Coming from Tave, who thought LA was the center of the universe, it was big. “I know how busy you are. You don’t need to come and hold my hand.”
“Never too busy for you. And you never want anyone to hold your hand, but sometimes, Red, it’s okay to hold on.”
“I’ll be fine.” Because she was always fine. She’d made her life exactly what she wanted, on her own, without anyone helping her.
He sighed. “If anything worries you, then you call me.”
“I will. You’ll be happy to hear that I met a member of local law enforcement.”
“Really? You get another speeding ticket?”
“Ha ha. I only got that one ticket. I’m not a speed demon.”
“It was three.”
“Fine. But no, I met Deputy Hottie because I set the coffee machine on fire, and my smoke alarm was going off and I couldn’t silence the damn thing. He came to my rescue.”
“Deputy Hottie, huh?”
“Big, muscular, and rugged. Looks a little like the actor from the Reacher TV show.”
Tave made another sound. This one appreciative. “Maybe I do need to come and visit.”
“I don’t think he swings your way. Anyway, I’m at the local coffee shop wearing a god-awful ball cap and hoping I can get a coffee without anyone recognizing me.”
“Okay, Red, go get your caffeine. Enjoy paradise and I’ll check in soon.”
“Bye, Tave.”
“Stay safe, Hols.”
After tucking her phone away, Hollis headed into Island Brew. As she opened the door, the sweet scent of coffee hit her. She breathed it deep. Come to mama.
The place was busy—with a mix of mostly locals and a couple of tourists. An eclectic mix of tables were scattered around, all topped with shell-shaped sugar holders. A young man and woman stood behind the counter, blue aprons tied around their waists, working in tandem. From the looks of their dark hair and eyes, and brown skin, they were local Hawaiians. She guessed they were in their late twenties. The man was short and wide, and the woman was a little taller and curvy.
Hollis waited until most of the crowd had cleared. As she approached, the woman saw Hollis and gasped. “Oh my God.”
Hollis froze. Oh no, someone had recognized her already.
“I love those sunglasses,” the woman exclaimed. “Where are they from? I need a pair.”
The man snorted. “Sis, you have like a hundred pairs.”
“I’m always searching for the right ones. Those are the right ones.”
“Um…they’re from a little store in—” she almost said LA “—San Diego.”
The woman’s face fell. “The mainland? That’s too far away.”
“I’ll say,” the man added. “You’ve never been to the mainland.”
“Nor have you.” The woman shrugged. “We live in the most perfect place in the world, so why would I go to the mainland?”
Hollis couldn’t argue with that.
“What would you like?” The man smiled. “I’m Koa, and this is my twin sister, Kiana. This is our place.”
“I need a coffee, like yesterday,” Hollis said. “There was an unfortunate incident with my coffee machine. Can I get a latte?”
Kiana’s dark eyes narrowed. She looked like a scientist, and Hollis was her experiment.
“You need a special latte.” The woman crossed her arms and tapped a finger against her chin. “I’ll customize one for you.”
“You will?”
“It’s my thing.”
Beside her, Koa nodded. “It is. She’s a coffee maestro.”
“Okay,” Hollis replied.
Kiana studied her some more. “A vanilla coconut latte.” She turned to the large coffee machine.
“Ooh,” Koa said.
Hollis kept her smile in place and prayed the twins didn’t ruin her caffeine hit.
“Are you hiding a black eye under those glasses?” Koa asked.
“Um, no.”
“Then why are you wearing them inside?”
“Because I’m eccentric like that.”
He cocked his head. “You famous, or something?”
Her stomach tangled in knots. “Or something.”
Koa shrugged. “We don’t care.”
“Let the woman sit down, Koa,” Kiana groused.
Hollis paid, then Kiana set a coffee down on the counter. It was frothy on top with a swirl in the center. The swirl was a dolphin. Hollis laughed. “Oh, that is so cute. And you’re so talented.”
Kiana smiled.
“It looks great.” Hollis lifted the mug cautiously and sipped. She felt them watching her. Then her eyes popped wide. “Oh my God, this is delicious .”
Kiana beamed, then high-fived her brother.
“You did it again, sis.” Koa turned to Hollis. “Sit, pretty tourist with the sunglasses. I’m bringing you a coconut cookie to go with your latte. Dad made them, and he is a guru in the kitchen.”
“Okay.” Hollis turned and ran into a wall.
It took her a second to realize it wasn’t a wall, but a hard chest. A massive, muscled chest covered in khaki.
Quick as she could, she moved her mug up, trying not to spill the coffee, but a little slosh of froth landed on Sawyer Lane’s beard-covered jaw.
She looked up into piercing hazel eyes.
“Sorry. So sorry.”
Hollis Stanton swiped elegant fingers over his chin.
“It’s pure luck that I didn’t get any on your shirt.”
Her red hair was tucked away under a hat, and huge sunglasses dominated her face. He guessed it would fool someone at a glance.
Sawyer watched her lick her fingers and his cock took a hell of a lot of notice.
Damn . The last thing he needed was an attraction to an actress. His cock had been practically asleep since he’d left the military. He’d been fine with that. Now was not the time for it to wake up and cause problems.
“I wasn’t watching where I was going,” she said. “Sorry.”
She was stunning, even with the ridiculous, oversized glasses perched on her nose. All he could see was porcelain skin, and lush lips. She wasn’t cookie-cutter pretty like a lot of the young actresses he saw on the screen. She had her own look, and it made her unique.
“You tried Island Brew,” he said.
She smiled. “I was in dire need of caffeine.”
He leaned in. “Then you shouldn’t have set your coffee machine on fire.”
“That was an accident.”
“Hey there, Sawyer.” Koa bustled over, holding up a large takeout cup. “Giant Americano, with a touch of caramel.”
“Thanks, Koa. Put it on my tab.”
“Done.” The man’s interested gaze moved from Sawyer to Hollis, then back to Sawyer. “You sit too, Sawyer. Join our lovely guest here.” He practically shoved Hollis into a seat at a small table. Then he gave Sawyer a shove.
Sawyer didn’t move.
“Kiana’s bringing cookies out for the both of you.”
“Your dad make them?” Sawyer asked.
“Does the sun rise in the east?”
He knew he shouldn’t sit. He shouldn’t get anywhere near Hollis Stanton. He needed to drive over to Kahului and get to work. Paia was small but thankfully only a fifteen-minute drive from the airport and the largest town on the island. That’s where the sherrif’s department office was.
He sat.
Hollis sipped her coffee and gave a quiet moan.
Dammit . He shifted in his chair, his cock hardening further. Did she moan like that when she was turned on?
No . No thoughts like that.
“So, you’re on a break from filming?” he asked.
She froze and looked up. “You know who I am.”
“Well, you definitely weren’t wearing any disguises yesterday.”
A blush filled her cheeks.
He wouldn’t guess an experienced actress would blush. It was pretty. “And I am a deputy sheriff. We’re observant.”
“I’m taking a little vacation.”
“Coconut cookies.” Koa set a plate down. “Enjoy.”
Hollis glanced at him and smiled. Then she threw a cautious gaze around the cafe.
Sawyer leaned in. “I’m not planning to tell anyone who you are.”
Relief covered her face. “Thank you, Deputy…Lane, right?”
“It’s Sawyer.” Shit . He shouldn’t have said that.
She smiled, and it hit him in the gut. He’d seen it on screen, but in real life, it was even better.
“And I’m Hollis.”
“Not Holli?”
“That’s just my undercover name. I don’t think I look like a Holli.”
He nodded. “Hollis suits you better.”
“It was my grandmother’s maiden name. My brother was Cavendish, so I think I got the better deal.”
“Agreed.” He noted the was , but didn’t pry.
She leaned her elbows on the table. “Are you from Hawaii, Sawyer?”
“No. I’ve been here almost a year. I’m from Montana originally.”
“You’re a long way from home. Were you a cowboy?”
He laughed. “No, my dad worked in construction.”
“Your parents still there?”
“No. My dad passed away a few years back, and my mom moved to Florida.” He’d bought her a little condo, and she loved it.
“I’m sorry about your dad,” Hollis said.
He nodded. “He’s been gone a while. Good, salt-of-the-earth man. He was a good dad.”
“Sounds like you were lucky to have him.” There was a wistful note to her voice.
He studied her closer, but she lifted her coffee and glanced away. “I’m just glad that my mom’s happy in Florida. She has good friends.”
“No siblings?”
“No. Mom and Dad tried for more, but it didn’t work out.”
She sipped her coffee. “So how did you end up in Hawaii?”
“I got out of the military and was looking for something different.” In reality, he’d been hanging on by a thread. Afraid he was going to lose it. “My cousin is married to a Hawaiian woman. He loves Maui, and convinced me to come.”
“And you became a deputy sheriff, and the rest is history?”
“Something like that.” He sipped his own coffee. “I like it here.”
She looked around the coffee shop. “I bet it’s different from military life.”
“Definitely.” He glanced around, checking that no one was close by. “How did you get into acting?”
“ Annie .”
He raised a brow.
“The orphan, Annie. I was nine and we went to see it because my brother was working backstage for the production. I was mesmerized. This girl, with red hair—which I took as a sign—was singing and dancing, and being so big and bold. I was hooked.”
“And the rest is history.”
She rolled her beautiful eyes. “Oh no. I told my mom that I was going to become an actress, and she freaked. Single mom, working two jobs, desperate for some sort of security. She didn’t see acting as a good career path, and she wasn’t afraid to share her thoughts.”
He frowned. “Winning an Oscar must have changed her mind.”
She shrugged. “Not really. I think she’s still waiting for me to wake up one day and realize I need to be a doctor or lawyer. It’s fine. I know I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. I love it.”
That smile again.
“Good for you.”
She lifted her coffee mug. “Thanks.”
He checked his watch. “I need to get to work.”
“Oh, I’m holding you up. Sorry. Nice chatting with you, Deputy La?—”
He raised a brow.
“Sawyer.” She grabbed a cookie. “Thanks for the coffee recommendation, too. Oh, and the rescue yesterday.”
He rose, feeling strangely reluctant. “Try not to set any more fires today. I’d hate to have to arrest you for being a firebug.”
Her laugh went straight to his gut. “I’ll try my best.”