The Wrong Brother for Brooke (Hot Tide Book 3) Read online

  “Back there,” she said. “I’m sorry. It wasn’t appropriate. Isn’t appropriate.”

  “If you say so,” he said.

  “I do.”

  “Okay. I told you I was leaving the first move to you.”

  “And I made it. But I’ve decided I shouldn’t have.”

  “Okay.”

  That was it. She couldn’t decide if she was disappointed he wasn’t pushing harder to get into her pants, or if she was pleased she didn’t have to deal with him telling her some half-baked theory on how sex with him would be good for her. “Thanks.”

  He shrugged. “Don’t thank me. I didn’t do anything.”

  “Well yes, that’s my point,” she said but his smile widened and he started walking again.

  She fell asleep on the taxi ride back and it was later than she expected when she woke back at their resort. But when she climbed out of the taxi and started towards Kai’s room for their daily massage, he stopped her. “We probably both need an early night,” was all he would offer her. She nodded and smiled but disappointment that she wouldn’t feel the easy warmth of his touch rippled through her.

  Walking back to her room, she tried to pay attention to the rich smell of blossom on the air and the sound of frogs just starting up their evening serenade from the lily pond. It was the perfect entrée for easy slumber. But in her room, with the dusky glow of evening only just approaching, sleep was the last thing on Brooke’s mind.

  She replayed the day’s kiss in her head. Looking at it from different angles, wondering what the climbers would have seen from their vantage point up the cave wall. But couldn’t decide if she was upset that the climbers had seen it, or if she was pissed with herself for doing it at all. Till finally, she struggled into a cool summer halter-neck dress, not bothering with a bra, and walked down to the resort’s restaurant to find something to distract herself.

  Her distraction came with a cocktail umbrella, some peeled pineapple and a large slug of tequila. Taking a sip of the cocktail, she let the strong liquor coat her throat as she shut her eyes. She fancied she could feel it entering her bloodstream. Coursing its way around her entire body. This was a treat. Kai might have managed to get their accommodation covered, but drinks weren’t included. She’d decided the money was worth it tonight though. She needed this though. Needed to take a pause and set her thoughts in order. Putting a hand to her injured shoulder she smiled. Getting into the dress had been effortless. That felt good. More than good in fact. It had only a week ago that she’d struggled so much with her bikini she’d almost given up. And now…she touched her shoulder again…now the most she felt was a twinge when she put too much weight on it.

  The cocktail slid down easily and when the waitress came around again she ordered another. A bird called and his mate replied, crying out if to report on how the day had gone. “Pretty crazy,” she whispered. She suddenly felt incredibly lonely and dug into her bag for her phone. She pulled up Maya’s number.

  “Whatchu girls doing?” she typed .

  It didn’t take long for a reply to appear on her screen. “OMG. We were wondering if we needed to send out a search party. How ARE you.”

  “Soz. Busy healing my arm and doing stuff.”

  “And stuff? By stuff do you mean doing some stupid- making hunk of Hawaiian healer?”

  Brooke smiled. Maya never had been one to beat around the bush. this was her being subtle.

  Brooke texted a reply. “Ha ha.”

  “I’ll take that as a yes. Probably the best thing that could have happened to you.”

  “Enough already. Nothing like that is happening. Not really.”

  “Whatever. Man, I wish they had cheaper calling rates over here. I need to hear your voice to check how much you’re holding out on me.”

  Brooke chuckled. “Okay. So there might have been a kiss. Don’t tell Summer. Not yet.”

  “Oooooo. And?”

  “And nothing. I’m focused on getting my shoulder better. And it’s feeling great. Have to give him credit, the man knows his way around a massage table.”

  “And you want me to believe nothing is going on. Whatever. Hey I have to dash. I signed Summer with a taco line, I know I know, but it’s a good deal. Hurry up and get better so I can sign you with this new clothing thing. Love you.”

  And then her phone stopped beeping and Brooke was alone in the restaurant again. She took another sip of her drink and rolled her shoulder. It was feeling better. She lifted both arms over her head and tried to release the tension that immediately surged into her neck. When she released her shoulders and opened her hands she could feel the ache her injury had left her, but it felt like a good ache. Like she’d been out on the ocean all day.

  She thought about her bestie Summer, still out on the water, killing it with the sponsors Maya found for her. Was it bad that she felt jealous of her friend? She shook her head. Summer was on her own journey, that’s what Kai would have said. Right now, Brooke needed to be focused on herself; focused on what was coming next, working through this injury so that she got back in the water stronger than when she left it. If that happened, then Maya would be right and this would be the best thing that could have happened to her.

  What had she been thinking kissing Kai like that? Brooke shook her head at herself and had a long pull of her cocktail. She knew exactly what she’d been thinking. She’d been thinking he looked amazing surrounded by the green of the forest, with the darkness of the cave off to his right. She’d been thinking he kept being right about her. She’d been thinking he’d gotten to know her better than she knew herself, without even trying. All that and then he’d said that thing about their souls only just catching up with their bodies. The ice in her glass was almost melted but it still cooled the hot breath that seemed determined to build up on her tongue.

  He wanted her. He’d told her that from the start, from their very first meeting in the hot tub. Now she saw him put aside his lust when he worked with her, just like he’d promised, but when she gave him an opening, that lust rose up and spread its wings right around her. There was no point denying that it was flattering. It was. She was flattered. More than that, she was turned on. He was confident because he knew who he was and wasn’t afraid of it. That was refreshing. He didn’t apologize for anything and yet he managed to remain so…free.

  “Guess neither of us quite managed that early night.” The deep voice came from behind her but Brooke didn’t even bother to turn around. “Oh, I’m not so sure about that. There’s still time.” She stood and drained the last of her drink and only then turned to face Kainui. She held his gaze for a long moment then turned and started walking out of the restaurant. “Come on,” she said over her shoulder.

  She felt, rather than heard him behind her as she walked down the plant-framed paths. Her back was hot, as if his gaze was focused there, smoothing over her skin, peeling her thin dress away from her to leave her naked. When they reached the living bamboo arch, she stopped and Kai wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her to him. Her lips found his and soon she was drowning in sensation. In his lips, his tongue, his hands through her hair. She came up for breath and looked for his bright amber eyes in the murky light. They were fixed on her.

  “You’re sure about this?” he said, his voice barely a growl. In reply she cupped his chin and pulling it closer to her, nipped his bottom lip.

  “Good enough.” He picked her up, carrying her the rest of the way to his room.

  He had to set her down to pull his key from his pocket but in what felt like seconds, he’d opened the door, pushed her through it and had her up against the wall inside.

  “You have no idea how much I’ve dreamed about this,” he said before stealing any answer Brooke might have had by pulling her hair back and kissing her deep and hard and hot. She groaned as he released her mouth and took his kisses to her ear and then down her neck.

  “Is this okay?” he said as he kissed her injured shoulder. She dropped her arms to his
waist, tugging his t-shirt out from his jeans and dragging it over his head.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” He kissed her again and she thought she might melt right there and then. Letting her hands explore his bare torso, Brooke reveled in how hard the planes of his body were. He released her mouth. “What do you think?” he rumbled in her ear before biting at her earlobe.

  She gasped at the mixture of pleasure and pain. “I think you still have too many clothes on.”

  “I could say the same about you.”

  She smiled up at him and pushed him away.

  “Hey,” he said, reaching for her.

  She shook her finger at him and undid the knot at the neck of her dress. Obligingly, the whole thing slid to the ground, leaving her standing in only her black cotton-lace panties. He closed the distance between them and then his mouth was at her neck, at her collar bone, at her breast. She groaned quietly as his tongue twisted around her nipple and louder when he took it gently in his teeth. His hands were in her hair, at her waist and then pulling her hard against his groin.

  He dropped his hands a moment and she almost cried out from missing him, but he was only shucking his jeans and boxers. Then his fingers were at the elastic in her panties and he caught her eye, waiting for permission. She nodded and he tore them away, ripping the thin fabric at the edges in his hurry to get them off. Brooke gulped as she saw his muscles clench and he looked up at her to check in.

  “Take me,” she said and he grinned, spinning her around and pushing her front against the wall and sliding a finger inside her pussy in one easy movement.

  ‘Oh man, you are so wet,” his deep voice grumbled in her ear.

  “So ready,” she said and even to her ears her voice was grainy, like she’d knocked back a lot more than two cocktails. Her breasts pressed up against the cool of the wall and his hard body behind her sent a rush of blood around her body and for a moment she thought she might come. But he must have felt her clenching because he stopped, his finger still inside her but not moving. The urgent clamor of the orgasm passed and she started to complain.

  “Oh don’t worry, Mistress Mermaid, you’re not going to miss out. But we can’t have you snacking before you’re ready to sit down to a whole meal.”

  He withdrew his finger and she heard the crackle of a foil condom wrapper before she was spun and lifted and deposited on the bed.

  Chapter Eleven

  Brooke’s legs wrapped themselves around Kai’s body as he pushed her back into the pillows and then, oh man, his cock was at her entrance. He made himself nudge, once, twice, just to check, but she grabbed him by the ass and he didn’t need any more invitation. Thrusting into her, he let his whole length slide, deep and hard and full, all the way in.

  Her thighs opened wider, her head was thrown back and he let himself catch a breath for a moment. She was hot and wet and tight and oh so good. All her hours in the ocean had given her a rock-solid core and her pelvic floor muscles were equally strong. When he started to thrust, in and out and oh man, she met him at every thrust, every movement. Where another woman might have relaxed into him, she rode him as much as he rode her, perhaps even more. And what a glorious ride. The blood pumped around his body, urging him on, deeper and harder and she writhed underneath him, twisting to find better ways for him to gain access to her center. The sensations built higher and higher, brighter and more visceral. He stopped thinking, only hearing her breath, the loud staccato of his heartbeat in his ears, as the world shrunk till there was only the two of them. This moment, this connection, this union.

  He ducked his head to take her breast in his mouth again and the new position made her gasp. “Oh, yes, right there.”

  At her urging he felt the tightening in his balls, the threat of release approaching, and he picked up his pace.

  “Oh god, oh yes, don’t stop.” She cried out.

  He held on, working her over as she clenched around him like a firm, warm fist. But he didn’t get go, grinding his teeth in an effort to take her as far as he could.

  “Oh. There. Now. Right now.”

  She tightened. Shuddered and he finally lost all control and felt her milking his seed out till he was left with nothing.

  For a moment they lay there, chests heaving. Both lost in their own sensation. Then, when he was sure his heart was going to be able to slow one day and he’d be able to breathe at a normal rate, Kai tumbled off her and grabbed a tissue from the bedside table to wrap the spent condom in. He rolled back over to her and gathered her in his arms.

  “Well,” she said, still breathless.

  He grinned and smoothed a stray piece of dark hair away from her cheek.

  She started to get up but he pulled her back down. “Stay here. Rest. Sleep.”

  For a moment she curled into him, her breath slowing to match his and she dozed, wrapped in his arms. Outside the noise of the jungle chattered, quietly, but alive and vital. Kai let it fill his heart. Coming here had been as much about it being affordable as it was a wonderful spot to rest and recuperate Brooke’s shoulder, but he hadn’t counted on how big a shift it would bring to her. She had softened, her heart, her mind, her body.

  Looking over at her he couldn’t stop himself touching her, lightly, to check she was there. He’d had plenty of beautiful women before so he wondered at himself for his strong reaction to seeing her there, swathed in sleep. It wasn’t her beauty, he decided, it was more that Brooke was just so raw and open. She said exactly what she thought, always. It got her in trouble sure, but it also made her true. And that was something he related to and treasured. He stroked his fingers down her arm and traced the outline of her fingers. She stirred and he stopped. She would be gone soon enough. Like everyone in his life. Flexing the arm that she was laying in he thought about the life he’d lived since his parents had died. It was a good life. Small enough to be manageable without ever getting too bogged down by emotion or other people’s demands. That was a part of why he had never worried about building up a steady practice. Or tried to charge large fees to his clients. He had a full life. That’s what mattered. His dedication to kahuna was a part of that, but so to was a need to be free. If you were free, no one could hurt you.

  Brooke stirred as if listening to his thoughts, and put a hand to her injured shoulder. Swimming up from sleep with a frown, she rolled away from him.

  He pursed his lips and touched her.

  Brooke turned to head to look at him, finally, properly awake. She smiled and it lit up her face and made his heart light. The sensation was a shock. He didn’t do big feeling like that. So he touched her on the shoulder. “Is it okay? I’m sorry. I should have been gentler.”

  Her smile turned into a grin. “I guess we both got a bit carried away for a moment.” He couldn’t help it, he grinned back. She was contagious. Lifting both arms above her head, Brooke looked at one, then the other. “I think it’s actually good. I mean, I can feel there’s still tension in there, and it was a bit achy just now ‘cos I was lying on it. But it’s good.” Then she looked at him, eyes wide. “It’s good. Like really good. That’s good isn’t it?”

  He laughed. Properly. “Yes, it’s good. But I’m sure we could find a better word to describe such a speedy recovery.”

  “Recovery?” She sat up, despite his arms trying to pull her to him. “Recovery, recovery? Am I healed do you think? Like properly?” She leapt on top of him and started kissing him over his face and neck and torso.

  “I’m not going to pretend I don’t want you doing that, but hey, listen.” He pulled her close, so their bodies were pressed one on top of the other and their faces were inches apart. “Your shoulder looks great.”

  She squealed.

  “But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, okay? The last thing you want is to push it too hard before you’re fully recovered. That’s a recipe for reinjury and heartache.”

  Her sigh was bigger than he expected.

  “Hey. I didn’t say this wasn’t great news. Just try not
to get too ahead of yourself.” But her excitement was contagious. Everything about her was contagious. She kissed him again, and what started as a light thank you became deeper.

  The way she opened up to him when they kissed was immensely satisfying. She gave herself to everything one hundred percent and with his mouth on hers, he felt her offering herself up to him, strong and proud and free. He pulled back and put a finger to her lips. “We should be careful.”

  “I thought we were. OMG, I thought I heard you put a condom on…” He hushed her. “No, not that. I mean, yes, I did. I mean, this.” He gestured between them. “This is going to end soon. You know that, right?”

  She frowned. “I thought it had only just started.”

  “It has.”

  “Okay then—”

  But he kissed her to stop her talking. And to stop himself.

  This time when he kissed her though it wasn’t hungry and fierce. He pulled himself back from holding her down; from spreading her legs; from wanting to consume her. She laughed at him and pushed him over, climbing on top of him, rolling on a condom and lowering herself onto him.

  His hands around her waist, seeing her move as he pulled her down over him was too many kinds of delicious. But she wasn’t watching him. Her head thrown back, she was lost in the sensation of their lovemaking. He held her steady, needing to grip her to him, wanting to keep their connection firm. He watched her ride him. He watched her let everything go, abandon herself completely to him and he wanted to join her. He pushed aside all thoughts of the future and matched his breath with hers, thrusting, burning, clenching…ohhhhh. His climax engulfed him this time. Just as she started to shake and lose control, he saw stars: bright white flashes around the edge of his vision and he called out, “Brooke,” before he tumbled down to the very end of sensation.

  They lay, speechless together, panting, lost.

  Finally, “Wow,” she managed.

  “Yep.”

  They rolled towards each other, face to face, legs threaded through each other’s.