11. Aria
I recovered first.
My brain, which had gone completely offline the moment I recognized him, sputtered back to life with a single, furious thought: Of course. Of course, Sebastian Dubois was the other buyer.
It made perfect sense now. The secrecy around the acquisition. The way Lono Kahale's representatives had been so careful not to reveal who else was in the running. And Sebastian's sudden interest in me—the auction, the dinner, the kiss that left me reeling for days.
He'd known. He must have known about my interest in this hotel, and he'd decided to push me off balance before the competition even started. The dinner, the wine, his finger on my lip—all of it had been part of his strategy. A way to get inside my head, to make me lose focus.
And I'd fallen for it. I'd kissed him back like my life depended on it.
Rage flooded through me.
I crossed the lobby in quick strides. Sebastian hadn't moved from his spot by the front desk. His wallet was still in his hand, his briefcase still on his shoulder. He looked like someone had hit him over the head with a coconut.
Good.
"What the hell are you doing here?" A few heads turned in our direction. I didn't care.
Sebastian's expression shifted, the shock giving way to something darker. "I could ask you the same thing."
"I'm here on business."
"So am I."
We stared at each other. The pieces were clicking into place, I could see them assembling behind his eyes, the same realization that had hit me moments ago.
"Don't tell me," he said slowly, "that you're here to buy this hotel."
I scoffed. As if he didn't already know. As if this whole thing wasn't exactly what he'd planned.
"This hotel is mine, Sebastian." I lifted my chin, holding his gaze. "I don't know what you think you're doing here, but you're not taking this from me."
"I'm not taking anything." His voice was cool, controlled, that infuriating corporate tone he probably used in boardrooms. "I'm pursuing a legitimate business opportunity. If you can't handle competition…"
"Competition?" I stepped closer, close enough to see the flecks of silver in his gray eyes, close enough to smell that woodsy cologne I'd been trying to forget. "You aren’t even worth five minutes of my time.”
“And yet…” he trailed off, raising his eyebrows.
I knew what he was hinting at. I changed tactics. The best defense is a good offense. “You knew. You must have known I was interested in this property."
"I had no idea you were involved until this moment."
"Liar."
"I don't lie, Aria. Unlike some people, I don't need to play games to get what I want."
"If there's anyone playing games here, it's you." The words tumbled out, fueled by three days of confusion and anger and something else I refused to name. "You were trying to use me."
Sebastian arched an eyebrow. "Use you how, exactly?"
"You were trying to seduce me. To get what you want." I laughed, but there was no humor in it. "I knew you were manipulative, but I didn't think you'd stoop so low. Seducing an unsuspecting woman for financial gain."
He stared at me for a beat. Then he scoffed.
"Seduce you?" He took a step closer. I held my ground, even as my heart rate spiked.
"You think I planned that kiss? You think I orchestrated a hundred-thousand-dollar charity bid and a private dinner just to throw you off your game for a hotel I didn't even know you wanted? "
"It's exactly the kind of thing you'd do."
"You give me too much credit." Another step. We were inches apart now, close enough that I could see the tension in his jaw, the heat in his eyes. "And not enough to yourself. Because as I recall, you kissed me back."
"I did not…"
"Deny it." His voice dropped low, almost a growl. "Deny it, and so help me God, I'll be forced to remind you of just how badly you wanted that kiss."
My mouth opened. No sound came out.
He was too close. I could feel the warmth radiating off his body, and I could see the pulse jumping in his throat. The memory of that night crashed over me, his hands in my hair, my back against the car, the sounds I'd made that I'd been trying to forget.
The lobby had gone quiet around us. I was dimly aware of staff members frozen at their posts, pretending to look at paperwork while their eyes tracked our every move. A couple near the door had stopped mid-conversation to stare openly. Even the birds outside seemed to have gone silent.
Neither of us moved.
"Can I get you both a room?"
The voice came from somewhere to my left, bright and amused. "So you can get all this tension out of your systems?"
I jerked back, heat flooding my cheeks. A young woman stood a few feet away, watching us with barely concealed entertainment.
She was beautiful—mid-twenties, dark hair pulled back in a casual ponytail, warm brown skin, wearing a hotel polo shirt and khaki shorts.
Her smile was mischievous in a way that made me want to sink through the floor.
"I'm Leilani." She extended her hand, first to me, then to Sebastian. "Mr. Kahale's niece. I help run things around here." Her eyes sparkled. "And I'm guessing you two are our prospective buyers?"
"Yes," Sebastian said, his voice remarkably steady for a man who'd been ready to kiss me senseless thirty seconds ago. "Sebastian Dubois."
"Aria Kealoha."
"Oh, I know who you both are." Leilani's smile widened. "Uncle's been talking about nothing else for weeks. Though he didn't mention you two were..." She gestured vaguely between us. "Acquainted."
"We're not," I said quickly.
"As you have already deduced, this woman and I are complete strangers," Sebastian added.
Leilani looked between us, clearly unconvinced. "Right. Well. Uncle's looking forward to meeting with you both tomorrow." She pointed down a hallway lined with vintage photographs. "Third door on the left. Don't be late, he's a stickler for punctuality."
She wandered off.
I turned back to Sebastian. The moment had broken, but the anger was still there, simmering beneath my skin.
"This isn't over," I said. My voice was shaking now, and I hated it. "Whatever you think is going to happen here, whatever plan you have, I promise you, Sebastian. I'm not going to make it easy."
I turned and walked away before he could respond.
My sandals were still on the floor where I'd dropped them. I scooped them up without breaking stride, refusing to look back, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing how rattled I was.
Because the truth was, if Leilani hadn't interrupted, I would have let him kiss me, right there in the middle of the lobby.
And I hated myself for it.
I couldn’t sleep.
I lay in my hotel room, staring at the ceiling fan rotating lazily overhead, listening to the distant crash of waves against the shore. The windows were open, letting in the salt breeze and the chirping of night insects, but nothing could quiet the chaos in my head.
Sebastian Dubois was here. In this hotel. Sleeping somewhere in this same building, probably in a suite just as beautiful as mine, probably lying awake, running through the same calculations I was.
The universe had a sick sense of humor.
I'd been desperate to escape him. When Mr. Kahale's representative had called with the invitation to visit, to spend two weeks experiencing the property before making a final decision, I'd agreed on the spot.
Hawaii felt safe. Far enough from New York, from the foundation, from the memory of his hands on my skin and his mouth on mine.
Part of me wanted to pack my bags and catch the first flight back to Manhattan. Let him have the hotel. Let him win this round. Anything to get away from the gravitational pull he seemed to have on me, the way my body responded to his presence even when my mind was screaming to run.
But I couldn't do that. This hotel meant too much. My family's history was woven into these walls, and I wouldn't let Sebastian Dubois take that from me just because I couldn't control my own reactions.
I spent the whole night wracking my brain, trying to think of what to do. I couldn’t go back, that was out of the question. This hotel needed me. There was no way I was going to let Sebastian Dubois get his grubby fingers on it.
After hours of tossing and turning, I finally had a plan by morning.
I would stay as far away from him as possible. I would focus on what mattered, proving to Mr. Kahale that I was the right choice, that I understood this place in a way Sebastian never could. I would be professional, composed, untouchable.
I would not think about the kiss.
I showered, dressed in a simple white sundress and leather sandals, and made my way to the hotel restaurant for breakfast.
The space took my breath away.
Open-air, with no walls separating the dining area from the gardens beyond, just carved wooden pillars draped with flowering vines.
The ceiling was high and thatched, letting in shafts of golden morning light that fell across the white tablecloths like scattered coins.
Beyond the edge of the terrace, the ocean stretched to the horizon, impossibly blue, waves rolling in with a rhythm that felt like breathing.
The smell hit me next, fresh pineapple and papaya from the fruit station, the rich darkness of Kona coffee, something warm and sweet that might have been banana bread baking in the kitchen.
A few other guests were scattered at the tables, murmuring in low voices, but the atmosphere was peaceful.
Unhurried. The kind of peace that seeped into your bones and made you want to stay forever.
I chose a table near the railing, where I could watch the waves while I ate. A server appeared almost immediately, a young man with kind eyes and a flower tucked behind his ear, and I ordered coffee and the fresh fruit plate.
For a few precious minutes, I let myself relax. Let the warmth of the sun soak into my skin, the salt breeze lift my hair, the beauty of this place work its magic on my frayed nerves.
Then Sebastian walked in, and all the peace evaporated.