Chapter Eight

The scent of plumeria intermingled with the spicy scents of Dupree’s as Cynthia walked up the path to the front door. The sun was setting behind her, and she breathed in another dose of heavy Hawaiian air. Dusk was her favorite time in Hawaii. The heat of the day disappeared, leaving a clean, crisp feeling to the air. The restaurant wasn’t too far off Kalakaua Boulevard, close to the heart of Waikiki, but even in the heart of the city, the area was unpolluted. It was something she loved about Hawaii.

A lot of people waited for tables, lingering around the benches in front. Jazz poured from the speakers, not too loud, but just loud enough to let you appreciate the music. She gained a few looks when she passed a group of men. These were not the type of men who paid attention to her, usually. They were attractive, but almost too attractive, and they knew it. She’d dressed in a pair of low-riding, hip-hugging jeans, a snug T-shirt, and sandals. Sure the red lipstick and out-of-control curls, thanks to the Hawaiian humidity, had something to do with it. Smiling to herself, she reached for the front door, only to have another dangerously good-looking man open it for her.

This one was pure sex. Gray eyes, with a hint of blue, along with golden-brown hair, he had to be taller than Chris, who was just over six feet.

“Thank you.”

“The pleasure is all mine. Do I note a little of the South in your voice?” His voice was deep, Southern, and filled with sensual teasing.

She nodded but said nothing else as she stepped over the threshold. Although attractive, he was a hunter, and that wasn’t what she wanted. She dismissed him from her mind the moment she entered Chris’s restaurant, which was decorated in bold splashes of color, with scenes from New Orleans in pictures and murals on the walls. The jazz that played outside lingered, but at a much more muted volume. The lighting was subdued, the waiters and waitresses dressed in red and black. The aroma she’d first encountered outside almost overpowered her within the cozy confines of the restaurant. A mixture of spices, peppers, and onions scented the air in the room.

“May I help you?”

A young woman stood behind a podium, or rather, leaned on crutches behind the podium. With her golden-brown skin, high cheekbones, and wide nose, it was clear the woman was Hawaiian, but her most distinctive feature was her eyes. They were the most beautiful shade of blue, almost the same shade of the Pacific Ocean. Piled on top of her head, her hair was black, smooth, and probably went down to her waist. Not a stitch of makeup adorned her face, nor did she need it.

“I hope you can. I was looking for Chris.”

“She appears to be the sweet magnolia Chris met when he went to the mainland.”

Cynthia jumped at the voice of the man she’d encountered at the front door.

“Evan.” The woman behind the podium had gone breathless when she said the man’s name, but then cleared her throat. She looked up at him, admiration—no, beyond admiration—in her eyes. Cynthia knew a cynic when she saw one. Evan was one, and this woman would probably get hurt in the end.

The oblivious male smiled at the woman as though she were his little sister. “May, how are you doing? Chris said you had an accident.”

May blushed. “Nothing big.” May returned her attention to Cynthia. Cynthia sensed the young woman fighting the urge to sneak a glance at Evan. “Chris is a bit busy, but I can take you into the back.”

“Oh…I don’t want you to go to any trouble.”

May laughed, the sound of it turning a few heads, including several men. It was one of the most lyrical sounds Cynthia had ever heard.

“Get me away from this podium. Chris stuck me here.” As the woman hobbled down the hall, she said over her shoulder, “The doctor ordered me to stay home, but I knew Chris needed my help.”

“He’s lucky to have you.”

She laughed again. “I have a feeling he would argue with you tonight.” She stopped at a set of chrome doors. Cynthia hurried to open them. “Thanks. Still learning how to do that since I’ve only been on these suckers for a few days.”

As soon as she entered the kitchen, Cynthia saw Chris. Her heart did the little flip-flop she never seemed able to control. Her nerves stretched thinner. What would she do if he rejected her? What would she do if he didn’t?

She pushed those thoughts aside to admire the sight before her. Nothing could diminish how good he looked. Chopping vegetables at one of the workstations, he was joking with a young man beside him. Dressed in jeans and a T-shirt with the Dupree’s logo splashed across it in red, Chris laughed, the sound making her smile.

May approached him, and he stopped laughing, his eyes narrowing on the young woman. He settled his hands on his hips. “Maylea, I told you to stay up on the stool. I’ll fire you if I find you on your feet again.”

“And then you would have to close Dupree’s . Besides, I brought you a present, bruddah.”

She gestured in Cynthia’s direction. When Chris shifted his attention from May to her, his expression froze for just a second. Everyone else seemed to disappear, and all she could see was him. He said something; she thought it might be her name. In the next instant, he strode purposefully toward her. Her breath caught in her throat. Without a word, he pulled her into his arms. Immediately, his mouth was on hers, his tongue tangling with hers. He lifted her off the floor as she slid her arms up his, over his shoulders and around his neck. She wanted to wrap her legs around his waist. She wanted him naked. She wanted to be naked with him.

The hoots, whistles, and clapping of the kitchen staff brought both of them back to the present. Chris broke the kiss, a wry grin curving his lips. Her heart was still pounding out of control. She couldn’t seem to catch her breath, and the sensual hunger she witnessed in his eyes didn’t help either. Slowly, oh so slowly, he slid her down his body and to the floor. But not before she felt his erection. He grimaced, and she laughed. Pulling her in front of him, he turned both of them toward their audience.

“Everyone, this is Cynthia. Cynthia, this is everyone.”

Everyone smiled at them, except a little redhead in the back. She frowned, her expression vicious. Before Cynthia could ask who she was, Chris was pulling her out of the kitchen. He walked right past Evan, ignoring him when he said hi.

Chris didn’t say another word. He allowed her to enter the office first, then closed and locked the door, leaning against it.

He smiled at her, still not saying anything.

“What? You’re making me nervous.”

His smile grew. “Just trying to take it in that you’re here.”

Joy curled into her heart at his words and the tone in his voice.

“If I would have known…” He frowned. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming when we talked yesterday?”

“I didn’t want you to feel obligated. I actually had thought about waiting a few days before visiting you.”

“You just got in?”

“Yeah. Well, I stopped by the house first, but I couldn’t wait.”

“House?”

“I’ll tell you about all that later.”

His gaze roamed over her. “You’re looking good, chéri .”

She threaded her hands through her hair. “A little bit of a change, huh?”

He nodded as he walked forward. Sliding his hands around her waist, he drew her against him, enveloping her in an embrace. The heat of his body warmed her, and his scent surrounded her as he rested his chin on her head.

“How long is your visit?”

“I’m not sure yet. I have some things to sort out.”

He leaned back. “What kind of things?”

“Well…” All of a sudden, she was nervous. She didn’t know why because her happiness didn’t depend on Chris. She pulled away, and he let her go easily enough. Wandering around the room, she tried to work up the nerve to tell him of her move.

“Cynthia, is there something you need to tell me?”

The seriousness in his voice caught her attention. She turned to face him. “Well, yes. It’s all kind of complicated. I just want you to know that I’m not here to pressure you. I stopped by because…”

He stepped closer, placing his hands on her waist. “Because why?”

“I told you. I couldn’t help myself. It’s embarrassing, completely embarrassing, but after our night…and then last night…”

He smiled. “Yeah, that was definitely something.”

She punched him, and he laughed. A knock at the door interrupted them. The door handle jiggled, and she thought she heard someone cuss. “Boss, we have a situation in the kitchen.”

Chris didn’t even turn around. “Be there in a minute, Lee.”

Lee’s sigh was audible through the door. “We need you now.”

“And I said I will be there in a minute. I own the restaurant, so I think I can determine when I will get there.”

There was a pregnant pause, then another disgusted sigh. Cynthia wasn’t surprised to hear the woman stomp away.

“Chris…”

“Don’t worry. Lee isn’t going to be nice to you, so just avoid her.” He bent his head and gave her a quick, hard kiss. “You want something to eat? You must be exhausted.”

“A little tired, but I slept a lot on the trip over.”

He nodded. “Can you give me about an hour?”

“Sure.”

He kissed her again and left her alone with her thoughts.

Chris broke up the argument two busboys were having over a woman neither would probably be able to handle and helped with some more prep work. After that he went out into the restaurant, talked to guests, and made sure May was resting her ankle. He was anxious to get back to Cynthia—pathetic, but at this point there was nothing he could do about it.

Starting back to his office, he thought about the changes in her. It seemed that moving out of her parents’ house had done her a world of good. She’d put on a few pounds, though she still needed more, and with her curly hair and casual attire, he’d been hard-pressed to keep his hands off her. In fact, it had been impossible. And now that she was in Hawaii…

His cock twitched. Where Cynthia was concerned, he had little or no control.

He saw Evan at the bar, flirting with the new female bartender. When his friend caught sight of him, he signaled him over. Knowing he had snubbed Evan earlier, Chris changed course and took a stool beside him.

“So, your magnolia showed up.”

He didn’t miss Evan’s sarcasm, but he ignored it. “Yes.”

Evan shot him a look, and Chris smiled. Evan rolled his eyes. “Good Lord, you’re useless. You are definitely whipped.”

“Happily. You saw her.”

Evan took a long pull off his beer bottle before answering. “You think this is the one?”

Chris grabbed a few nuts. “No, she is the one. I can feel it.”

“You can feel it? Fuck, you sound like you’ve been listening to Dr. Phil. Women are never to be trusted—you should know that. Believe me, I learned that at an early enough age.”

Chris understood why Evan detested women, where the deep-rooted hatred came from, but it still didn’t sit well with him. Chris was raised by a strong woman, who taught him to respect them. “You really need to learn how to treat women better.”

“I treat women just fine. I’ve never heard any complaints.”

Chris decided not to have the usual argument. “I guess the plans for the weekend are off. I’ll give you a call.”

Evan nodded, his attention going back to the new bartender. As Chris left, he heard Evan sweet-talking her and knew he’d probably lose a bartender soon. Shaking his head, he walked back to the office, only to be waylaid by Lee. He gritted his teeth, trying to quash his rising irritation. There were a multitude of problems every night at Dupree’s , from fighting busboys to drunk customers. But tonight, he didn’t give a damn. He just wanted to get back to Cynthia.

“What do you need, Lee?”

Her eyes narrowed at his tone. Chris hadn’t even tried to hide his annoyance with her.

“I just thought you’d like to know that I made sure we were covered tomorrow.”

“I appreciate it. Is there anything else?”

“It seems that your—what is her name?—Cynthia is more important than your business.”

Annoyance quickly transformed into anger, but he held on to it. They were within earshot of both the kitchen and a few tables. “Just a little information for you, Lee. I own Dupree’s. It is my business, and I approve all hirings and firings. And a little advice—telling the boss what he should be doing, when you’ve only been here a month, isn’t the way to go about getting a raise.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but Maylea stopped her. “Lee, I think you’re needed up front.” Lee looked back over her shoulder at May. “And so you can stop taking the credit, I was the one who made sure we had people here tonight and tomorrow.”

Without another word, Lee tossed Chris a look of condescension, then marched off to go back to work.

“Ahh, bra, ” she said, using the familiar term Hawaiians used for close male friends or family members, “you’d better be careful with that one. She’s gonna leave claw marks.”

His smile dissolved into a frown. “What are you doing on your feet?”

She rolled her eyes and gestured to her sides. “I’m not on my feet. I am on crutches. There are other things of importance, like relieving oneself every now and then.”

Chris laughed. “I guess we should chat about firing her.”

“No, she’s gonna quit. Mark my words. Girl is a waste of space, and now that she knows you’re taken, bra, she won’t care. This way, we won’t have to pay unemployment.”

“You’re a cold-hearted woman, May.” He leaned forward and brushed her cheek with a brotherly kiss. “I’m glad we never got involved.”

A fine blush worked its way up her neck and into her face. “Chris, there was no way that could have happened.”

“Why is that?”

“You remind me of my brothers. That’s just…gross.”

“Just remember, let someone else close up.”

She nodded but didn’t meet his eyes.

“May…”

“I’ll do it. Back off, bra. ” He stepped out of her way. After she passed, she paused and looked back over her shoulder. “Dennis took Cynthia something to eat a little while ago. Better watch out around her. The dogs are already sniffing.”

He smiled as he watched her hobble back into the main dining area. May might be young, but she was smart and never failed to tell him exactly what she was thinking. It was at times refreshing and other times frustrating.

He headed back to his office and found the door slightly open. Muted voices drifted through the opening. May hadn’t been wrong. He recognized Dennis’s voice. One of the chefs known for his string of tourist conquests. Jealousy, swift and unexpected, swept through Chris.

“So, one of the things you may not understand is how hard it is to concentrate in a commercial kitchen.”

“Really?”

Chris chuckled. Her voice dripped with sugar, the type you used to kill someone too stupid to understand sarcasm.

“Yes. It takes a lot to focus on your duties.”

“You don’t say?” There was a sharper edge to her tone, and Chris worried Dennis might be out of his depth. Six weeks ago, he doubted Cynthia would have butchered someone verbally, but now…he wasn’t so sure.

Just as he reached to push open the door, Dennis shoved his foot further in his mouth. “I know a woman with your background—”

“My background?” Cynthia’s pitch had risen, a sure sign of agitation. He knew she’d taken pride in her work at Anna’s shop. She wouldn’t take kindly to Dennis telling her who she was.

“I can tell that you haven’t really been introduced to our line of work. A lady such as yourself wouldn’t understand what it takes.”

Chris opened the door and decided to save his sous-chef from bodily harm. Cynthia was in his chair, practically breathing fire. Dennis sat on the corner of the desk, one arm resting on his leg.

“Dennis.”

He jumped off the desk and faced Chris, his fair skin flushing. The tone in Chris’s voice was enough to let Dennis know he’d overstepped his boundaries. The young man swallowed—hard.

“Chris. I was just—”

“Telling me what a wonderful place this is to work,” Cynthia said as she popped out of her chair and walked around the opposite side of the desk. She smiled up at him and winked. Chris tried not to laugh, but it was too funny.

“I think you had a long enough break, Dennis.”

Dennis nodded and walked out the door.

“It was nice to meet you, Dennis,” Cynthia called after his retreating form. “That wasn’t very nice of you,” she chided Chris.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her closer, sliding his arm around her waist. “It was that or let you tear him a new one.”

She gasped and looked up at him. Then she burst out laughing. She slipped her arms up his chest and behind his neck. “It was really hard to put up with his condescending tone.”

“So, he’s not your type?”

She wrinkled her nose. He dropped a kiss on the tip of it.

“I don’t want a boy. What is he—twenty?”

“Twenty-one.”

She sighed. “Well, my tastes are a bit different from little boys with red hair and more hormones than sense.”

“Is that a fact?” He bent down and nipped at her lips.

“Hmm.”

She leaned into his kiss, her mouth opening immediately. When he pulled back, he was happy to see the bemused look in her eyes. She licked her lips, and he groaned.

When she spoke, her Southern accent deepened. “I have to say, you are definitely catering to my tastes.”

Hunger rose and every drop of moisture in his mouth evaporated. From the moment she’d stepped into his kitchen, he’d barely held onto his control by concentrating on the tasks at hand. Now that the time had finally arrived, one he’d dreamed of since she’d left that morning in Georgia, he couldn’t be gracious. It was beyond him.

“I heard you had something to eat. Are you ready to leave?”

“Here’s your hat, what’s your hurry?” He opened his mouth, and she laughed. “I’m teasing. It has been a long day. It started early. My flight left about ten-thirty eastern time.”

“What hotel are you staying at?”

“I’m not. That is what I wanted to talk about. I’m staying at my grandmother’s old house.”

“Why didn’t you—?”

“I didn’t tell you because I wasn’t sure I’d have the nerve to stop by. Also, you’ve been so busy. I didn’t want you to feel obligated.”

“Well, it isn’t an obligation, it’s a need. Your grandmother lived in the North Shore area, right?”

She nodded.

“I’m closer. I live over in Hawaii Kai. Did you drive?”

“Yes, I rented a car until I can buy one. I’ll follow you.”

As he led her through the restaurant, Chris noticed Evan was now talking to Lee, and Maylea was sitting in her spot. The dinner crowd was dwindling, only a few hangers-on left at the bar. He stopped to talk to May. She didn’t look like she was feeling well. Her shoulders were slumped, the circles under her eyes were pretty dark and she was frowning. She’d been in a wreck two days earlier, and she needed her rest. He knew she used work to escape her overbearing family.

“Why don’t you go home, sista?”

She smiled, albeit weakly. “I will as soon as we lock up. I’m leaving all the cleaning up to everyone else.” Turning her attention to Cynthia, she said, “It was really nice meeting you, Cynthia.”

“Same here.”

After a few more instructions, Chris led Cynthia out of the restaurant and into the cool night air. Moments later, she was following him in her rented convertible. As they neared his house, he began to worry. He had his plan—he would introduce her slowly to the D/s lifestyle—but what if he’d read her wrong?

He shook his head as he pulled into his driveway. No, this was right. He’d felt it almost from the first time he’d seen her, and whenever he heard her voice on the phone.

And tonight, he would start them both on the path to what he knew he needed and hoped she needed too.