Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
marlowe
W e arrive on the island of Kauai early afternoon local time. As we deplane, a chauffeured Maserati is waiting on the tarmac along with a black SUV containing Gunner’s security detail.
Wearing colorful leis around our necks, we set off for his vacation home. I spend most of the ride with my face pressed to the window, awed by the sparkling blue ocean, sculptured green mountains, cascading waterfalls and endless stretches of golden sand beach.
We travel along a narrow highway that hugs the coastline. Thirty minutes later, the car turns onto a mountain road lined with swaying palm trees. After a mile or so, we pass through a gated entrance and drive past acres of manicured green grass. At the top of the hill stands a sprawling white stucco mansion.
I suck in a breath, grabbing Gunner’s arm as if he’s never seen the property before. He chuckles softly against my hair.
The stunning mansion sits on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It’s surrounded by lush tropical gardens with a fountain at the center of the circular drive.
As we pull into the courtyard fronting the house, the estate manager and two of his staff members stand ready to greet us.
When we emerge from the car, Gunner shakes hands with the manager and introduces him to me as David Kapono.
“Aloha,” says the fortysomething Hawaiian man, his dark eyes as warm as his smile. “Welcome to Kauai.”
“Thank you,” I say, beaming. “I’m thrilled to be here.”
“Is this your first visit to our beautiful island?”
“It is.”
“But it won’t be her last,” Gunner says.
My heart skips two beats. When I look at him, he winks at me.
As the servants retrieve our luggage, Gunner guides me up the wide stone steps and into an entrance hall that could double as a luxurious hotel lobby. The floors are white marble, the domed ceiling has a skylight, and two curved staircases rise to the second floor.
“Wow,” I breathe in awe.
Gunner smiles. “Let me give you a tour.”
Boasting nine bedrooms, the mansion has soaring ceilings, beautiful tile work and high-end furnishings. Tall glass windows let in tons of natural light, blurring the lines between inside and outside. Warm earth tones abound, and every room commands an ocean view.
“As if your house back home isn’t amazing enough,” I marvel as we stand on the balcony off the master suite. From here we can see the whole estate spread out below. It spans two hundred acres dotted with palm and banyan trees and lush vegetation. Besides the main residence, there are two guest cottages, a greenhouse, a tennis court, and a private beach and lagoon.
“Do you vacation here often?” I ask Gunner.
“Not as often as I should.”
“Because you’re a workaholic,” I say half teasingly.
“I am,” he admits. “I enjoy making money. The harder I work, the more I earn.”
“And that’s important to you.”
He nods slowly. “I don’t need money to be happy. I need the security and control that come with having it.”
“Because of your father,” I say quietly. “His gambling cost your family more than money. It stole your peace and sense of security.”
The subtle tightening of his jaw confirms my assessment.
In a low voice, he says, “After we lost everything, I swore that when I grew up, I’d never be that vulnerable again. It made me feel scared and powerless, and I never wanted to get used to that.” He looks out over his island estate. “So I didn’t.”
I study his profile, absorbing his words. I’m understanding him a little more each day, and it makes me feel closer to him. But I want even more.
“Come on,” he says, shaking off his dark mood and reaching for my hand. “Let’s go check out the backyard.”
He leads me downstairs and out onto a black slate terrace overlooking the ocean. The sprawling lawn is beautifully landscaped with tropical plants, and a black-bottomed infinity pool winks in the sunlight.
“God. This is so amazing.” With a thrill, I skip down the terrace steps, my sandals snapping against my heels.
Gunner follows slowly, enjoying my girlish enthusiasm as I race ahead. “Don’t go too far,” he calls after me. “It’s a helluva steep drop to the bottom.”
I laugh but wisely heed his warning, stopping several yards from the edge of the cliff. Warm trade winds blow through my hair and whip my dress around my knees as I stare out across the ocean, listening to the waves crash on the rocks below. I can’t believe I’m actually in Hawaii. I want to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.
Tilting my head back, I take deep breaths of the fresh tropical air and savor the Hawaiian sun on my face.
“Is this paradise or what?” Breathless and giddy, I look over my shoulder to see Gunner snapping a picture of me with his phone.
When I poke my tongue out at him, he grins and snaps another photo.
I stretch my arms wide and twirl around with my head back, the blues of the ocean and sky blurring together.
Gunner lowers his phone, staring at me with a transfixed expression. “Jesus, you’re beautiful.”
Grinning, I push my windswept hair off my face and run to him, flinging my arms around his neck.
He laughs, lifting me off my feet and swinging me around as I squeal ecstatically.
When he sets me back down, I tighten my arms around his neck and rise on tiptoe to whisper against his lips, “Thank you for bringing me here.”
He kisses me softly, staring into my eyes as he whispers back, “Thank you for coming.”
We spend the rest of the afternoon sunbathing, frolicking in the surf and drinking mai tais. After showering together, we eat dinner on the lanai and watch the breathtaking Hawaiian sunset.
As the last of the golden sun disappears from the horizon, we head upstairs to our room and fall into bed. Even with exhaustion tugging at our limbs, we still reach for each other, mouths connecting, hands exploring. We make love slowly, sensually, the scent of jasmine wafting over us.
Afterward we fall asleep twined together, leaving the balcony doors open to enjoy the ocean breeze.
we kick off the next day ziplining through a tropical rainforest. It’s a terrifying but exhilarating experience, soaring over a lush canopy of trees with the beautiful Ha‘upu Mountains looming above. I scream myself hoarse while Gunner laughs at me.
After enjoying a beachside picnic lunch, we go swimming at a waterfall pool tucked away in the forest. We’re completely alone, not another soul in sight.
One moment we’re laughing and splashing each other. The next moment we’re kissing, his hands slicking back my hair as his tongue tangles wetly with mine. Then he’s removing my bikini top, palming my naked breasts and sucking my nipples, making me moan. He pulls the string on the side of my bikini bottom, and when it slips away, he wraps my legs around his hips and thrusts into me. My piercing cry is drowned out by the roar of the waterfall.
If I had a bucket list of unforgettable places to have sex, a tropical waterfall would rank right up there at the top.
We’re still grinning at each other an hour later when we climb into his Bentley Bentayga. Today was the first time I’d ever seen him drive, and I’d found myself getting massively turned on as I watched him. He’d looked right at home off-roading through the forest, skillfully handling the rugged terrain as wind from the open sunroof ruffled his hair.
“I thought you were exaggerating about your thrill-seeking ways,” I tease now as he taps the SUV’s keyless ignition. “Turns out there really is an adrenaline junkie lurking beneath those million-dollar suits.”
He slants me a grin, his teeth flashing white against his dark stubble. His damp T-shirt clings to his powerful shoulders and muscular chest. He’s all kinds of hot, sexy manliness. And for the next day and a half, I have him all to myself.
“You keep staring at me like that and I’m carrying you back to that waterfall for round two,” he warns.
I laugh and reach over to run my fingers through his wet hair, marveling at the silky texture.
He lets the engine run, his eyes roaming over every inch of my body not covered by my cropped T-shirt and skimpy shorts. “You’re tanning beautifully,” he murmurs.
“So are you.”
He captures my hand and brings it to his lips, kissing my fingers one by one. “I scheduled a spa treatment for you at three o’clock. Herbal body wrap, mud bath, manicure, pedicure, massage. The works.”
“Oh my,” I say, thoroughly delighted. “That was very generous of you. And what will you be doing while I enjoy this world-class pampering?”
“I need to take care of some last minute details.”
“For . . . ?”
His eyes gleam. “I have a special evening planned.”
A warm glow of pleasure spreads through me. “You’re spoiling me rotten,” I tell him with a soft smile.
He leans over and gives me a toe-curling kiss, murmuring against my lips, “I’m just getting started.”