you’re the photographer, it should make them even more appealing.”
She soaked in the flattery. “Most of what I’ve taken is still back in Raleigh,” she told him regrettably. “But I have a few photographs that I can show you.”
“Wonderful.”
Sloane looked out at the water and the colorful lights of the other islands. “So is that view.”
Gene grinned. “Yeah, I thought you would find it mesmerizing.”
“I do,” she said, thinking that he was every bit as enchanting to her. Not to mention probably the sexiest man alive. Certainly in Hawaii. Getting to know Gene better made him all the more appealing. She faced him. “Have you lived anywhere other than Detroit or Maui?”
He tasted the drink. “As a matter of fact, I have. I spent a few years at Michigan State University in East Lansing, where I got my degree. And I also lived in Houston for a year and Cleveland for three months.”
“So you got around,” hummed Sloane.
“A little.”
“Why three months in Cleveland?” she asked curiously.
Gene sat back. “I was sent there for an assignment in my former life in marketing.”
Sloane cocked a brow. “That’s a big jump from marketing to bed-and-breakfast proprietor.”
“Not really. In both, you have to sell a product and be available to see it through, while hoping to make a profit.”
“Good point,” she said.
“Yeah, I think so.” He set his eyes upon her. “And where else have you set up shop besides Raleigh?”
“Well, let’s see…I got my degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, spent a year in Nairobi, Kenya, as an exchange student, and I lived in New York for a while.”
“Kenya, huh? Interesting.”
“I thought it was,” she said.
“Now you’re living the laid-back life in Maui,” Gene said with a grin.
“Looks that way.” Sloane smiled.
“My good fortune.”
She held his gaze. “Who says it’s only yours?”
Gene’s eyes glimmered and he lifted his wineglass for a toast.
Sloane followed suit, feeling as though she’d made a real connection on the island and was in no hurry to see it fall by the wayside anytime soon.
After they finished dinner, they made their way to what was billed as the “largest floating dance floor.” Picking up right where they’d left off at the class reunion, Sloane fell into Gene’s arms and their bodies swayed to the sultry Hawaiian music. She was aware of every inch of him, certain the same was true in reverse.
“Where did you learn to dance like this?” Gene whispered in her ear.
Sloane felt his tepid breath on her cheek. “I could ask you the same thing.”
“So ask.”
“All right,” she took the bait. “Just how many women have you used your charms on while dancing in this romantic setting?” She could imagine that virtually any woman could be swept off her feet by Gene, particularly while caught up in the romantic atmosphere of Maui.
Gene pulled her a little closer. “None that can hold a candle to you.”
“Cute answer, but it didn’t really answer my question.”
“Do I detect a little jealousy?”
Sloane snickered. “In your dreams.”
“The only one in my dreams these days is you,” he said.
“Hmm,” she voiced with misgiving. “I’m not so sure about that.”
“Maybe this will help convince you…”
Gene suddenly tilted her in midsong and laid a solid kiss on Sloane’s mouth that left her knees buckling. She was sure that had Gene not held her firmly, she might well have taken a fall.
Sloane sucked on his lower lip, his upper lip, and back again, caught up in the soulful kiss and the man dispensing it. Gene’s tongue whipped in and out of her mouth, leaving behind the taste of his dinner wine. Just when Sloane began to feel her head spinning and body tingling with excitement, Gene pulled her back up.
“Now what were we saying about other women?” he asked her with amusement.
Sloane caught her breath. “Forget I asked the question.”
“Consider
She soaked in the flattery. “Most of what I’ve taken is still back in Raleigh,” she told him regrettably. “But I have a few photographs that I can show you.”
“Wonderful.”
Sloane looked out at the water and the colorful lights of the other islands. “So is that view.”
Gene grinned. “Yeah, I thought you would find it mesmerizing.”
“I do,” she said, thinking that he was every bit as enchanting to her. Not to mention probably the sexiest man alive. Certainly in Hawaii. Getting to know Gene better made him all the more appealing. She faced him. “Have you lived anywhere other than Detroit or Maui?”
He tasted the drink. “As a matter of fact, I have. I spent a few years at Michigan State University in East Lansing, where I got my degree. And I also lived in Houston for a year and Cleveland for three months.”
“So you got around,” hummed Sloane.
“A little.”
“Why three months in Cleveland?” she asked curiously.
Gene sat back. “I was sent there for an assignment in my former life in marketing.”
Sloane cocked a brow. “That’s a big jump from marketing to bed-and-breakfast proprietor.”
“Not really. In both, you have to sell a product and be available to see it through, while hoping to make a profit.”
“Good point,” she said.
“Yeah, I think so.” He set his eyes upon her. “And where else have you set up shop besides Raleigh?”
“Well, let’s see…I got my degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, spent a year in Nairobi, Kenya, as an exchange student, and I lived in New York for a while.”
“Kenya, huh? Interesting.”
“I thought it was,” she said.
“Now you’re living the laid-back life in Maui,” Gene said with a grin.
“Looks that way.” Sloane smiled.
“My good fortune.”
She held his gaze. “Who says it’s only yours?”
Gene’s eyes glimmered and he lifted his wineglass for a toast.
Sloane followed suit, feeling as though she’d made a real connection on the island and was in no hurry to see it fall by the wayside anytime soon.
After they finished dinner, they made their way to what was billed as the “largest floating dance floor.” Picking up right where they’d left off at the class reunion, Sloane fell into Gene’s arms and their bodies swayed to the sultry Hawaiian music. She was aware of every inch of him, certain the same was true in reverse.
“Where did you learn to dance like this?” Gene whispered in her ear.
Sloane felt his tepid breath on her cheek. “I could ask you the same thing.”
“So ask.”
“All right,” she took the bait. “Just how many women have you used your charms on while dancing in this romantic setting?” She could imagine that virtually any woman could be swept off her feet by Gene, particularly while caught up in the romantic atmosphere of Maui.
Gene pulled her a little closer. “None that can hold a candle to you.”
“Cute answer, but it didn’t really answer my question.”
“Do I detect a little jealousy?”
Sloane snickered. “In your dreams.”
“The only one in my dreams these days is you,” he said.
“Hmm,” she voiced with misgiving. “I’m not so sure about that.”
“Maybe this will help convince you…”
Gene suddenly tilted her in midsong and laid a solid kiss on Sloane’s mouth that left her knees buckling. She was sure that had Gene not held her firmly, she might well have taken a fall.
Sloane sucked on his lower lip, his upper lip, and back again, caught up in the soulful kiss and the man dispensing it. Gene’s tongue whipped in and out of her mouth, leaving behind the taste of his dinner wine. Just when Sloane began to feel her head spinning and body tingling with excitement, Gene pulled her back up.
“Now what were we saying about other women?” he asked her with amusement.
Sloane caught her breath. “Forget I asked the question.”
“Consider
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