She recovers quickly, though, clasping my arms for strength, balance, whatever. Her tiny nails have a charge, soft static electricity against my skin.
I抦 tingling?
Bullshit. I never tingle at a woman抯 touch.
Only, for the second time tonight, I wish this was happening anywhere besides this stuffy lab.
揂re you okay??I whisper.
She doesn抰 say anything, just nods, her silky hair still splashed against my hand. It doesn抰 take much to bait my wicked brain.
One flick of my hand and I could have it coiled tight around my fingers, fisted, pulled.
Before I do something monumentally stupid, I push us both up so she抯 on her feet and we抮e both standing.
Her eyes are wide and glistening. She stares at me in stunned silence.
With her safely upright again, I drop my arms, giving up my hold on her and taking a step back.
I need space. Also, a week抯 worth of cold fucking showers.
揢m, sorry. Must be these shoes,?she says breathlessly. 揑抦 still getting used to the new kicks I had to buy for the safety code here. I didn抰 strap them tight enough…？
I smile politely, a total front for the beast inside me, which is howling to drag her against my chest and sniff her mahogany hair.
揧ou抣l need a more comfortable pair for where we抮e going,?I say, enjoying the wonder in her eyes. 揊ortunately, we don抰 need to talk much. I came to tell you to pack your bags. We抮e going to Kona for the next week or two.?
揔ona? As in Kona, Hawaii??She blinks.
揑s there another Kona I don抰 know about with premier acreage for the world抯 best coffee??I say sardonically.
She glowers, her usual shields back up.
揑f there were, I抦 sure you抎 rub it in my face梑ut why??
揧ou抣l get the details by email shortly,?I say, checking the time on my phone.
揝o this isn抰 just a crazy joke? It抯 a real…what, a business trip? To Kona??Her whole expression shines with disbelief.
I nod firmly. 揧es. Don抰 make me repeat myself again, Miss Angelo. Now, I have one more call and arrangements to make with Destiny.?
I turn and start walking, tugging at my shirt collar to release the steam that抯 still hissing inside my suit from this encounter.
揌ey, Lump梪mm桟ole棓 She shakes her head fitfully. 揗r. Lancaster? Will you tell me why we抮e going to Hawaii??
Fair enough. It抯 not just the surprise trip to paradise. When I look at her, I can tell she抯 as dazed from falling into my arms as I am catching her.
We had a moment.
A mutual effect.
A shared fever.
Regrettably, it doesn抰 look like it抣l be cured anytime soon. Part of me already dreads ushering her off to a breezy island where she抣l be showing more skin to stay cool.
Another part of me roars with delight.
Fuck, maybe I should have just kissed her now and gotten it out of my system, consequences be damned.
You dumbass, you抮e lucky you didn抰， a panicked voice yells inside me. Stop making death wishes.
揟his call is too important. Sorry,?I say, annoyed that I抳e actually lost track of time.
揥hat call? What bigshot needs your ear this late??she calls after me, her small voice bouncing around the massive lab.
揟hat抯 confidential,?I yell back. 揧ou抣l have the details soon!?
Enough.
I all but run, throwing the heavy door open before any of my legion of depraved thoughts turn into destructive actions.
Also, I really did schedule that follow up with Winthrope the Younger.
Cowardly or not, sweet distance is the smartest choice right now.
Tom waits outside, holding the car door open when he sees me coming.
Thank fuck my driver is always so early. I escape into the back seat just as my phone lights up with Winthrope抯 call.
It only takes us ten minutes in late evening traffic to hash out some preliminary details. We抮e tentatively moving forward. If all goes well, he抣l have a test batch for his team抯 personal approval in a few weeks tops.
We抣l let a hundred emails and a small mountain of digital paperwork between our people hash out the rest.
This trip is a surprise, and for one person in my life, it could be a highly unpleasant one. The rest of the way home, I mull over what the hell I抦 going to tell Destiny.
There抯 a good reason why we haven抰 been back to the old family estate on Kona for a decade.
She was just a kid then.
Now, she抯 almost a young woman. I suspect she抣l be eager to prove to the world and herself that she won抰 be limited by any trauma.
She抣l likely bound off the walls until she beats them down if I don抰 let her tag along.
If only I had any idea how she抣l truly handle being there…
She may barely remember our last trip when Aster washed up on that beach. Not consciously, anyway. Subconsciously, though梖uck.