Meet Me in Hawaii by Georgia Toffolo (novels for beginners txt) 📕

about fixing family relationships; he couldn’t even repair his own with his father.

He was so lost in his thoughts he was surprised to feel her hand close over his own where it rested on the table between them.

‘I think you could make things better, you know,’ she said it so earnestly and he was momentarily confused. ‘With your father, I mean.’

He almost choked on his wine, her ability to hit on the heart of his thoughts unnerving him.

‘I just mean, if you backed off a little, stopped putting the pressure on him to accept your financial help… a bit like my Gran tries to take a back seat in my relationship with my parents now.’

He shook his head. ‘I’m not sure…’

‘Have you thought about offering to do some DIY on the house, the two of you working together, spending time together doing it?’

His eyes widened. ‘DIY?’

‘Yeah, you’re obviously good with your hands…’ A blush crept into her cheeks as she snapped her hand away and he knew her brain had pivoted sharply into the X-rated, just as his had. ‘Behave, Todd.’

‘You were the one that said it.’

She wriggled in her seat and took up her glass, but in spite of her admonishment, her lips curved around the rim, her smile alive with teasing. That was better, that was more like the Malie from before.

‘What I mean is, your biggest issue with the house, besides the fact that you could afford to buy him something better, seems to be the state of it. If your father is happy living there, then you should focus on making it homely again. Help do it up, get hands-on together. And you’d get to spend more time together, rebuild your relationship.’

He stared at her, silent as his brain processed what she was saying. Why hadn’t he thought of doing that? The idea hadn’t occurred to him once, but now it had been suggested, he could see so many possibilities.

‘It won’t happen overnight,’ she said, ‘but it would be a start.’

She was right. And he was long overdue a holiday, taking some time out… it wouldn’t be easy, but then, wasn’t it worth trying at least? Before it was too late, and the chance was gone. He frowned. The idea of Dad passing away, their relationship as it was, leaving him cold.

‘I’m sorry, I don’t mean to interfere…’ She wet her lips, clearly nervous and misreading his reaction. ‘It’s just…’

‘No,’ he said, unable to stop his hand reaching for hers now and softly squeezing it to reassure her. ‘It’s a great idea.’

She looked to where his hand held hers and he felt the connection burning a path all the way inside him. He turned towards her, his knee brushing against her thigh and sending a frenzied ripple of awareness through him. He released her fingers to stroke the hair away from her face and she raised her lashes, her eyes intense as they met with his own.

He didn’t ask permission, he moved slowly, his intention clear and she didn’t pull back. He breathed in her scent, felt her warmth, her softness beneath his palm and felt her tremble as his lips gently moved over hers. He cradled her bottom lip, teased at it, his tongue soft and probing.

She was so still, her hands caught in her lap, but her mouth… her mouth moved with every encouraging sip that he took, her tongue soft, exploring as he slanted his head to push deeper.

He heard a whimper catch in her throat, a reciprocal groan eclipsing his own and it was like a match dropped in petrol. She came alive, her hands forking through his hair, her body turning into him. He leaned back into his seat and brought her with him, let her straddle him and take everything she wanted. She raked her nails through his hair, her legs hooked around him, her body pressing against his hardness and making him drag in a breath.

‘Malie…’

‘Yes, Todd,’ she said between kisses, her thumbs brushing over his jaw, his cheeks, as his hands dropped to her thighs. It was intense, crazy, out of control. But not here, not like this. He wanted to take his time, he wanted their first time to be special – the first?

There’ll be no other time.

He shot the thought down and stood, keeping her wrapped around him and headed to the doors, crossing the open-plan area, he just needed to get to the—

A shrilling ring broke through the air. He didn’t recognize it but Malie did. Her head came up on a soft curse, her body rigid around him.

‘It’s my phone.’

‘Ignore it?’

She looked down into his eyes and he could see the fight in her, and he could see when he’d lost the battle, felt her body weaken around him as she lowered her legs to the floor.

‘I should get it. It could be important.’

‘Won’t they leave a message?’

But she was already pulling away, walking across the kitchen to the centre island and her bag that she’d left there. She pulled out her phone and checked the screen. ‘It’s my friend, Zoe.’

She flashed him a look, her eyes still blazing but there was a hesitancy in them now, that same hesitancy she’d had through dinner. Didn’t matter that her skin was still flushed from their kiss, her lips swollen, her hair thoroughly mussed-up by his attentions. She was slipping away.

He nodded and headed to the coffee machine. He didn’t normally drink caffeine so late, but he needed one now.

‘Hey, Zo! What’s up?’

He could feel her watching him as he stuck the pod in the machine, but he couldn’t bring himself to look at her. He needed to set his body to chill and looking at her all flushed and dishevelled… his body pulsed… no, he couldn’t.

‘Not at all, it’s fine, it’s late for you, though, or early depending on which way you look at it…’ She gave a strained laugh. ‘No, I’m totally here for you, lay it on me…’ she cursed softly, ‘that’s awful,