Love Me Forever Read online

  He grinned. “Let’s get you back to your room, then, and find out what time the party starts.”

  Chapter Two

  The beach was already crowded when they arrived that evening at the weekly luau. The smell of roast pork filled the air as the men hoisted the pig from the underground oven. People chattered at the tables set back from the performance stage.

  Jen stood holding her plate at the buffet, battling indecision. There were a million choices, so she put small amounts of way too many delicacies on her plate. But when would she be back in Maui again? She could diet when she got back home.

  Matt sat opposite her at their small table. With all the other diners around them, the setting was hardly intimate, but they could speak softly and not feel like they had an audience. She took a mouthful of mahi mahi and let the coconut and garlic flavors sit on her tongue. She moaned in pleasure. “This fish is heavenly. I haven’t had mahi mahi since the last time I was in Maui.”

  “Try some of the pahole salad,” he suggested.

  She poked at the unfamiliar curly greens nestled with onion and tomatoes. She tried a bite, surprised at the pleasant taste. “What is it?”

  “Fern shoots.”

  “Interesting.” The rest of her food was identifiable and incredibly delicious.

  When Matt returned to the buffet for their desserts, she glanced around at the other diners, wondering what their stories were. So many people laughing and enjoying their meals.

  Musicians set up to one side of a grass mat in the sand and tuned their ukuleles, the drummers sitting down with their legs around their drums. They played a rousing number and dancers rushed in from one side.

  Both male and female dancers wore long grass skirts and wild, colorful headdresses that rose at least a foot above their heads. Jen wondered how they kept from losing the hats as they danced.

  The women had on bathing suits and leis with their skirts, and all the dancers wore woven bracelets and anklets. They shimmied in a traditional, fast-paced dance. Jen couldn’t help but watch the muscular torsos of the young men.

  Matt had learned the dances years ago, and although he’d never performed for tourists, he often joined the guys when they danced at after-hour parties. His hard, bronzed pecs and six-pack abs rolled with the best of the performers. Everything he did seemed to show off his body to its best advantage.

  Working as he had in the waves, showing tourists how to surf or ride a Jet Ski, he seemed to always be shirtless, clad only in low-riding shorts or swim trunks. And she never complained, enjoying every minute of drooling over that body.

  “You seem deep in thought,” he commented.

  Jen jumped, a giggle escaping as heat warmed her neck. “I, uh, was remembering how you guys used to dance for the rest of us. How did you learn to hula, anyway?”

  He shrugged. “I danced to any music that played. I started imitating the guys and they were impressed enough to ask me to join them, when there was no audience. I could teach you.”

  She shook her head and took a sip of her Blue Hawaiian drink. “I tried sometimes when the girls showed me. I haven’t got enough roll in my hips. I didn’t then, and I have even less now, I’m sure.”

  His gaze heated. “I’m sure I could get them rolling.”

  Rocking, anyway. Bucking, riding— She cleared her throat, but didn’t even try to speak. Instead, she spooned a bite of coconut pudding into her mouth and savored the sweet distraction.

  “The dancers look so young, don’t they?” he asked.

  She agreed. “Did we look like that? Was it so long ago we danced in the sand together?”

  In her mind she slipped back. The farewell party was a casual but wild gathering on the beach on the last night before most of the college students who’d worked over the summer flew home. She and Matt had been among them. After a summer of being the good girl, she had put caution behind her and was determined to seduce him.

  Letting loose hadn’t taken much work. Using a few of the sexier moves she’d seen the other girls do to music, she pretended to be graceful and showed off her body. Grinding her pelvis against his hip, she let her eyes and her body speak for her.

  He’d led her away from the fire, away from the crowd, and they’d kissed for the first time in the shadows of the surf shed. Her arms had wrapped tightly around his neck. She’d captured his lips, thrusting her tongue deep into his mouth. Their tongues tangled as his moan deepened, sending vibrations through her breasts. Matt had broken away only long enough to suggest they find somewhere less open to continue.

  That kiss was forever burned in her memory as the best first kiss.

  “Where is the music taking you?” Matt’s voice brought her back to the present and the luau.

  “Good places. Happy memories.” As her cheeks warmed again, she wished for a darker complexion, one that didn’t show her blushes so easily. “Do you still hula?”

  Shaking his head, he set down his glass after taking a drink. “I leave it to the kids.”

  They talked about the fun times they’d had with the other college kids as they watched the rest of the show, then walked slowly back to her room. As she pulled the key card out of her clutch purse, she asked, “Would you like to come in?”

  Stepping inside, she held the door open for him and he followed. Before she could continue into the room, he held her arm as he shut the door.

  “Come here,” he said, his voice soft and low.

  He drew her into his arms, one hand spreading between her shoulder blades, the other cupping her ass. She lifted her arms to wrap around his neck.

  His smile warmed her and filled his eyes with passion. Unwilling to wait any longer, she tugged at his shoulders, urging him to kiss her.

  She tried to let him lead the way, but it had been too long, far too long, since they’d made love, and she couldn’t wait any longer. With a need bordering on frenzy, she opened her lips to him and let his tongue find hers.

  He tasted of coconut and smelled of soap mixed with something woody and spicy. Stroking his broad shoulders, her hands swept down to the waistband of his shorts. In a move she’d been anticipating since he’d first risen from the waves, she cupped the fullest part of his ass, grinding her hips against him.

  With a moan, Matt stepped back, leaving her confused and on the edge of combustion. He ran his fingers through his hair and cleared his throat. “If I don’t leave now, I won’t be able to go at all.”

  Disappointment hit Jen like a giant wave, slamming her into the sand. Frowning, she closed the space he’d put between them. “Who says you have to go?”

  “I do. I want to do this right. I don’t want you to feel used.”

  She pressed her hand flat against his chest. “God, right now I’d love to be used. Teased, tempted, aroused, satisfied, you name it! I want you.”

  Taking her hands in his, he squeezed. “I want you too. But we’re going to wait.”

  “But—”

  He gave her a quick peck on the lips and opened the door. “I’ll—” He paused, and suddenly smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  She knew he’d been about to say he’d call. He’d better call.

  Locking the door behind him, she sighed and headed for the bathroom. A long, cool shower was in order.

  ~*~

  The next morning, Jen listened to the purr of the tour boat’s motor as she inhaled the fresh scent of the ocean, letting the breeze toss her hair. She bent over the rail and watched the water breaking on the side of the boat. A handsome, tanned, blond young man leaned on the rail beside her, and Jen spoke to him. “Do you think we’ll see any dolphins?”

  “From what they said at the hotel, they almost always do see them. There are certain areas where the dolphins gather on a regular basis.”

  Under the pretense of looking out over the ocean, she stole covert glances at the man. He and his partner were staying in the same hotel as she. Both men were a damn sight better looking than anyone had a right to be, model perfect, li
ke a photo that had been heavily edited. She wondered why his partner wasn’t there at the rail with him.

  Speaking of too good-looking, she wished Matt had called that morning. She sighed and braced her forearms on the rail. Six months ago when she’d planned this trip, Matt had been the farthest thing from her mind. Now, just two days after she arrived, he was in her every thought.

  She sounded like a desperate, lonely woman, so afraid of moving on, of being alone, that she clung to a one-night stand as her only chance of finding love again. Having sex again.

  Perhaps not having sex with him was creating an obsession. Once they had a romp in the sheets, she’d remember that he was just like all her other past lovers-or the three she could name-and she could focus on the world around her.

  The problem was getting him into bed so she could clear her head, once and for all. He gave mixed signals. Passionate looks, sensual touches, and his eyes… The promise she saw in their chocolaty depths made her insides quiver. Yet when she’d invited him in her room last night, he’d turned and run.

  If he was interested in her at all, even for a vacation fling, he’d have taken her offer, wouldn’t he?

  She realized the man beside her had spoken, and she focused her attention his way. “I’m sorry, I missed that.”

  “I said, I’m Ben, and my partner is Adam.”

  “I’m Jen, nice to meet you. Adam decided not to join you today?”

  “He got too much sun yesterday and was feeling sick. He didn’t want to add the rolling ocean to his distress.”

  “Well, I hope Adam doesn’t spend the rest of your trip in bed.” Hearing her words, and the possible implication they spent a lot of time in bed, she groaned inwardly and bit her lip.

  “He should be better later tonight or tomorrow. He fell asleep in the sun yesterday.” If he caught her double meaning, he didn’t show it. Ben turned at the sound of laughter from the bow before he continued. “We’re taking a walking tour of Lahaina tomorrow. You’re welcome to join us.”

  She instinctively knew she could enjoy their company without feeling like a third wheel. “That might be fun. Thanks.” Accepting the invitation was freeing. She was back to her original plans and expectations for her vacation. She hoped she’d be able to put aside thoughts of Matt and when she’d see him next.

  “I’m going to get a drink. What can I bring you?” Ben asked.

  “Water would be great, thanks.”

  As soon as he left, her thoughts once again returned to her summer with Matt. She had been desperate to have him that night. Needs had built over the summer, and there was no way she was returning to college without having sex with him.

  Her eyes closed as she drifted back to that night when they’d finally connected. He’d led her to a secluded spot in the grove of trees between the hotel and the beach. The shadows of the lush plants around them sheltered them from passersby, but also kept her from seeing the hard, muscled body her hands explored. That hadn’t slowed her down, though.

  Nor did Matt seem to notice. He’d peeled off her sundress and panties while she stood before him. Even now she could feel his hands roaming over her curves. Her nipples tightened as they had then, and her panties grew damp.

  Matt’s voice spoke in her ear, sending chills down her spine. “I love the way the wind lifts your hair.”

  She smiled, wrapping her arms around herself to keep the memory close. Then realization her, jarring her back to the present. There’d been no breeze in the grove that night.

  “I’m glad you still wear it long.”

  Jen jumped away from the voice, turning to find Matt standing just behind her shoulder. “God, you startled me.”

  Leaning back, she studied the mirrored sunglasses covering his eyes. If she wasn’t so happy to see him, she might be concerned about what he was hiding behind those dark lenses. She couldn’t stop the excited grin that echoed the happiness inside her. “I’m surprised to see you here. I might almost think you’re stalking me.”

  He planted a small kiss on the tip of her nose. “When I came to take you to breakfast and found you gone, I was afraid I’d miss spending another day with you. I ran into Kimo, the doorman, who told me you’d just left with the group.”

  Before she could ask Matt how he knew the doorman’s name, Ben returned with her bottle of water. He stood a bit awkwardly a few feet from them before she noticed him. “Ben, thank you. Let me introduce you to my old friend.”

  She made the introductions and explained to Ben about having worked at the resort in the past. As they talked, she felt Matt’s arms wrap around her from behind, claiming her. Curls of excitement spun throughout her at the thought. Maybe she was wrong about him not wanting her. Maybe there was some other reason he’d refused to sleep with her.

  Maybe it was as simple as he said, wanting the time to be right.

  When Ben discovered that Matt lived on the island, he asked for recommendations about the best places to go snorkeling. The men discovered common interests and Jen was soon on the outside of the conversation.

  She’d often felt that way around Matt. Not that he didn’t include her, but he just had that sort of personality that allowed him to become instant friends with everyone.

  Relaxing into his arms, his comfortable aura surrounding her, she let herself daydream. What if things had been different, and he’d called after they went back to their respective colleges? Would she have followed him to New York after graduation?

  Her mindless mental wandering kept her from noticing when Ben left the railing, leaving her alone with Matt, if you didn’t count the thirty or so people elsewhere on the boat. When the realization struck, she twisted in Matt’s arms to look up at him. “I was really surprised to see you.”

  His eyebrows drew together. “Should I not have come?”

  “No, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m not used to having someone want to spend time with me that badly.”

  ~*~

  Matt tightened his arms around her waist, loving the feel of her body against his. “I wish we’d run into each other years ago. Hell, if I only had carried my duffle bag with me…”

  “I don’t follow. What duffle bag?”

  “I put your number in my duffle bag to carry on the plane with me. Martin and I got to the airport early, so we set down our bags near the gate and went looking for a snack.”

  He could see the bags sitting against the wall like it’d happened yesterday. “Someone took my bag and one of Martin’s suitcases. We almost missed the flight with all the paperwork we had to fill out. Most of my souvenirs were gone, along with some clothes. And most importantly, your phone number.”

  A long spell passed before she spoke, and her expression remained passive. “I waited for your call for months after I got home. I kept making excuses. You didn’t seem the type to not call.”

  “I tried. I looked you up on the Internet, even called a few of the numbers I found listed. Did you know there are dozens of Jennifer Pearsons in the United States, and at least half a dozen of them live in Missouri? Finally I decided I should just move on. I didn’t know if you’d even talk to me after so long.”

  She shook her head. “My mom divorced my dad and went back to her maiden name. My cell was in her name, then my husband’s. I never had a phone in my own name until this past year.”

  “I told myself everything happens for a reason, but I couldn’t figure out what reason there could be to keep us apart.” He didn’t tell her that every time he met a fellow student from Missouri, he asked if they knew Jen Pearson. His roommate had teased him about being obsessed.

  When he’d graduated without having found her, he’d poured himself into his new career. He’d lived the New York life to the fullest, and lied to himself that he wasn’t trying to burn her out of his system.

  It hadn’t worked. All he’d been able to do was put her on a back burner.

  Jen offered him a wry smile. “And life went on, right?”

  His voice came out a bi
t gravelly. “Yeah, and brought us back together.”

  “I was just thinking something similar.” She sighed. “Do you think anything would have happened between us if we’d kept in contact?”

  “Would have? The connection was already there. We had friendship on top of the chemistry.” Turning her to face him, he continued. “Or was it all in my mind?”

  “You can ask? After I threw myself at you that night? Hell, I did the same thing last night and you blew me off. I must look like a slut. Or horribly pathetic.”

  He curled a finger around the lock of hair blowing across her face, slowly drawing it through his hand. Soft, just like her skin. “Is that what you thought? Shit, I should have taken what you were offering.”

  Clasping her shoulders, he bent his head down and kissed her. Gently, almost asking permission, he brushed his lips against hers. Quick nips on her lower lip urged her, teased her into opening to him.

  His tongue thrust in as his hips pushed her back against the railing. Jen’s arms caught the back of his head and held tightly as he tasted her sweetness.

  A voice behind them made him remember where they were. As he straightened, he drew in a deep breath and looked down at her. “This isn’t the place.”

  Her shoulders dropped as she frowned. “No, it’s not.” She glanced toward the bow as if to see if anyone had paid attention, but the other tourists all seemed to be watching the ocean.

  “Tonight.”

  “Tonight?”

  “Yes. First we can hike to those waterfalls we saw from the helicopter. Take a picnic lunch. Tonight I’ll cook for you at my place. We can stop by your hotel before we go hiking, so you can get anything you’ll need for the rest of the day.”

  She was quiet for way too long, studying him and glancing about. “I need to return with my group. You could pick me up at the hotel, say, forty-five minutes after we dock?”

  “That sounds perfect.” He kissed her again with more hunger than he intended, then pulled back, letting her turn around and watch the waves.

  Tonight. He could wait that long.