Pleasure in Hawaii (Kimani Romance) by Devon Vaughn Archer Page B

kiss him again and be kissed by him the way he’d kissed her the other night. She chose patience and the near certainty that the strong sexual pull between them would manifest itself soon enough.
    “This looks delicious,” remarked Gene, scooping up mashed sweet potatoes.
    “Wait until you taste before telling me what you think,” Sloane told him, though fairly confident she had hit the right notes on the meal.
    “Fair enough.” He sampled a bit of everything and then broke into a grin. “Everything is great. I’d say you’ve sold me on your ability to cook.”
    She produced a generous smile while wondering what else she could sell him. “I wanted the first meal cooked in my condo to be special.”
    “It is, and so is the cook.”
    “My ego just might explode if you keep that up.”
    Gene chuckled. “What—can’t a man tell a woman what he thinks of her?”
    “As often as you like,” she answered playfully. “As long as I’m free to dish out compliments in return.”
    “You’ve got my permission,” he said, grabbing a biscuit. “But maybe you’d better hold off on that till you taste one of my meals. Or see how else I might earn those accolades….”
    Sloane felt a tingle between her legs as she considered his earning such accolades in bed. Would she ever be able to keep up with him? She ate some of the food, though her appetite had swung in the direction of sexual satisfaction.
    “If you say so,” she spoke, turned on by the insinuation.
    He laughed. “I like your style.”
    “I like yours too.”
    “Good thing that sneaker wave came when it did. Otherwise I might never have gotten the chance to dive into those pools of nighttime eyes staring back at me.”
    “Guess we both have something to be thankful for,” Sloane said boldly.
    “Amen to that.” Gene lifted his glass and she followed suit.
    “Why don’t we take these into the living room?” Sloane realized both had eaten as much as they cared to and should be in a more comfortable setting.
    “Yes, why don’t we.”
    They sat on the sofa. Sloane knew she had Gene’s full attention, as he had hers. She wasn’t about to let the evening pass without allowing the smoldering chemistry between them to play out as it should.
    “This is certainly a beautiful island,” she murmured.
    “Not half as beautiful as you,” Gene countered, taking her in with a look of desire.
    Sloane loved the compliment but sought to downplay it. “Me versus Maui…hmm…not so sure I’m the winner.”
    “Trust me when I say you are. Sun, sand and waves are nice, don’t get me wrong, that’s why I’m here. But they’re no match for a gorgeous, beguiling, sexy woman like yourself.”
    Sloane was getting warmer by the second. “You’re pretty hot too,” she said. “I’m sure you’re told that all the time.”
    “Maybe not all the time, but enough.” His gaze on her face was unblinking. “Doesn’t mean as much, though, as when it comes from someone I’ve got my eye on.”
    She absorbed the intensity of his stare. “So you’re really interested in me?”
    “Didn’t that kiss make it pretty clear?” Gene asked.
    “It told me that you enjoy kissing,” Sloan teased. “So do I.”
    He lifted his glass. “It seems like we’re going around in circles here.”
    Her lashes fluttered innocently. “Oh, you think so, do you?”
    “What I think is that you are driving me absolutely wild in that sexy-as-hell dress.”
    “Am I?”
    “How could you not?” Gene voiced thickly. “Especially when I’ve wanted to take it off you from the moment I walked in the door.”
    “Was anything stopping you?” Sloane dared ask.
    “Only sheer willpower that’s melting by the second.”
    She sipped more wine. “So let it melt away.”
    Gene took her glass and put it on the table. “Say no more,” he uttered, sliding a smooth hand across her cheek.
    Sloane readied herself as Gene leaned over and pressed his mouth into hers passionately and with the same