Chapter 8
Lexie scanned the crowd as she walked toward the baggage carousels in the Honolulu International Airport. It had been one month, two days, and eighteen hours since she’d last seen Midas.
The first thing she’d done when she’d landed in Germany after being flown there by Food For All, and after talking to one of their relocation specialists, was get a cell phone. She’d sent Midas an email letting him know she now had a phone, and he’d responded literally within ten minutes.
They’d talked either via text, email, or phone calls every day since, while she’d spent time in Germany resting, regrouping, and replacing her wardrobe. It had been her choice to stay for so long. She’d had a lot of thinking to do about her future.
She had to give it to Food For All, they’d gone out of their way to help her transition back to the States.
They’d paid for her hotel in Germany, as well, and given her all the time she needed to process what she’d been through and what she wanted to do next.
Even though she’d only been held captive for three months, it felt like the entire world had passed her by in that time.
It was silly really, not that much had changed, but acclimating to being able to do what she wanted, whenever she wanted, was tougher than she’d thought it would be after her rescue.
She’d also been allowed to choose her next assignment.
She could go literally anywhere in the world where Food For All had a presence.
Usually, she had to choose assignments based on what was available and according to seniority.
Even though she’d been working for the organization for a decade and a half, there were plenty of people above her in the food chain, so she’d never gotten the most choice locations.
When she was presented with the list of every Food For All location, there was only one that really appealed.
It was crazy. Was she really going to choose to go to Hawaii because of a man?
Yes. Absolutely.
Lexie couldn’t get the time she’d spent with Midas out of her head.
While she one hundred percent wouldn’t wish what she’d been through on anyone, she couldn’t help but remember how attentive Midas had been during her visit to the Galkayo hospital.
He’d been concerned enough not to wait for the doctor to put in her IV.
She’d felt safe when they were hiding from the men hunting her.
She’d never had anyone be so protective of her before.
And while she knew part of that was because she was a mission, that wasn’t the only reason.
And his kisses were like nothing she’d ever known. She wasn’t inexperienced, but she’d felt like a virgin when he’d kissed her. Simply because she’d never felt with anyone the way she did when his lips touched hers.
She’d also chosen Honolulu because the giddy feelings inside her hadn’t subsided since she’d said goodbye to Midas on that ship.
They’d only gotten more intense. He sent her funny memes, was super sweet in his texts, and sent long, rambling emails about what he did each day.
He definitely wasn’t acting like a man who was only interested in sex.
She’d met more than her fair share of men like that.
And none had tried to get to know her like Midas was.
She wanted, and deserved, a good man. One who went out of his way to make her happy. In return, she’d do the same. And so far, nothing had made her think Midas wasn’t that man.
She’d been super nervous when she’d called to tell him that she had the option of going to Honolulu. If he didn’t think it was a good idea, then she’d choose her second choice, Paris. She’d never been to France, and figured it was a place she needed to experience at least once in her life.
But the second she’d mentioned to Midas that she was considering Hawaii, he’d sounded like a kid on Christmas morning. He was so excited, telling her without hesitation that he would absolutely love it if she came to Honolulu.
So here she was.
Lexie felt like a teenager with her first crush.
Every time her phone vibrated or dinged with a message, she smiled like a loon.
She’d given Midas her travel schedule but didn’t expect him to meet her at the airport.
She’d planned on going to the small studio apartment Food For All had procured for her and sleeping for twelve hours straight.
Then she’d clean herself up and see if Midas wanted to meet.
But the second she entered the baggage area of the airport, she saw him.
And he was even more good-looking than she’d remembered.
Midas was standing in the middle of the walkway, not caring that travelers had to steer their luggage around him. He was tall enough to see over most people, and his piercing eyes met hers as she walked toward him.
He wore a pair of jeans that seemed to be molded to his muscular frame.
He looked as if he’d been born to wear the Hawaiian shirt he had on, as well.
The large blue hibiscus flowers adorning the cotton shirt brought out the color in his eyes.
On his feet were a pair of flip-flops. The entire ensemble, along with his tanned skin, made him look like he belonged here in this Hawaiian paradise.
He was also intimidating like this. In the desert, when he was wearing his uniform, a Kevlar vest, night-vision goggles, boots, and covered in dirt like she’d been, she didn’t feel as self-conscious, for some reason.
But seeing him now, all six feet, four inches of extremely handsome man, stopped her in her tracks.
He was on the move before Lexie realized that she’d stopped walking, then he was there in front of her. Without hesitation, he pulled her into a huge bear hug.
And just like that, all Lexie’s insecurities vanished.
She fit against him perfectly, just as she had back in Somalia. Sure, they were standing now, and not lying in a tiny little hole in the ground or a small twin-size hospital bed, but the feeling was the same.
“Welcome to Hawaii,” he said as he pulled back, not taking his arms from around her.
“Thanks,” she whispered.
“You look…” His voice trailed off as if he was searching for the right word.
“Tired? Rumpled? Like one of the homeless people I serve?” she asked with a scrunch of her nose.
She’d dressed in comfort for the very long flights to Hawaii.
The elastic-waisted cotton pants and thin long-sleeve blouse weren’t exactly the height of fashion.
But they were comfortable, which was her goal.
“Fucking beautiful,” Midas said as his eyes roamed from the top of her head, all the way down her body.
His hand brushed up her arm and he fingered a lock of her out-of-control brown hair.
She’d done her best to tame it before she’d left Germany, but after so many hours of traveling, and sleeping in uncomfortable airplane seats, she was sure it was just as crazy looking as it had been when she’d first met him.
Lexie’s belly clenched as he simply stared at her.
The look in his eyes told her all she needed to know.
That he was just as glad to see her as she was him.
Some of the anxiety over whether or not she was doing the right thing in coming here dissipated.
If Midas was playing her, he was an absolute master.
But she honestly didn’t think so. It was refreshing to know a man so open about his feelings.
Then slowly, as if waiting for her to rebuff him—which definitely wasn’t happening—Midas bent his head toward hers. Lexie went up on her tiptoes and met him halfway. Their kiss was tender and sweet, and way too short for her liking. But all the sparks she’d felt a month ago were still there.
“I got you something,” Midas said, letting go of her reluctantly and bending to pick up the paper bag at his feet. Lexie hadn’t even noticed him holding the bag earlier; she’d been too busy ogling his body.
He pulled out the most amazing-smelling lei and smiled at her. “May I?” he asked.
Lexie didn’t know why she was blushing, but she could feel the heat on her cheeks. She nodded and dipped her chin as he brought the necklace of flowers up and over her head.
The second the flowers settled over her shoulders, she was surrounded by the smell of plumeria.
She ducked her head and buried her nose in the petals, then smiled up at him. “I love it. Thank you.”
“Of course,” Midas told her, then gently pulled her hair out of the lei. The petals were chilly against her neck, but it was the feel of his fingers against her skin that made her break out in goose bumps
“Your stuff should be on carousel three,” he said, reaching for her with one hand, and her small carry-on suitcase with the other.
Lexie couldn’t stop smiling as they walked through the airport side-by-side.
It was silly, but she’d never been met at the airport before.
She’d always gathered her own bags and made her way to the taxi line to go to whatever accommodations Food For All had made for her.
She could get used to this. Very used to it.
And that made Lexie a bit nervous. It would be beyond painful if things with her and Midas didn’t work out. She knew he would set a high bar for any future boyfriends she might have. He already had with his emails and phone calls, meeting her at the airport, the lei.
Shit, maybe this wasn’t the best idea after all.
“I know you’re probably exhausted, so I put off the guys and their big ‘welcome to Hawaii’ party they’ve planned for you.”
Lexie blinked. “What?”