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Harper knew a man like Daniel wouldn’t stay away once he had his eye on his prey, but she would do her best to avoid the hotel and him.
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FOUR HOURS LATER, HARPER was on her way back to the Dufort Waikiki.
She had hit the shops—and air conditioning— along Kalakaua Avenue, which was the main street in Waikiki. She loved being able to step from the beach into Michael Kors or even Prada, still wearing her bikini and jandals—or flip-flops as they were called in America. Not that she could afford anything from Prada, but it was fun to pretend.
Maybe one day.
Swinging four shopping bags and sipping on a watermelon Jamba Juice, Harper walked into the hotel lobby.
She was already starting to feel the aloha vibes of the tropical islands relax and calm her. In a few days, the network would be here, and she was excited about where this would take her career.
She was already becoming well known, but this would take her books and her brand as an author to a global level.
Scary, and exciting.
Harper dropped her shopping bags on her bed and pulled a mid-length white sundress over her bikini, then made her way to the rooftop bar for a late lunch.
“Aloha,” the bartender said, greeting her.
“Aloha,” she replied, sitting on a barstool.
“I’m Ted,” said the tall blonde-haired man who sounded and looked like he was from California. “What can I get you today?”
Harper took the bar menu from him and began to flick through it. She scanned the cocktail menu and selected a completely ridiculous looking one with all the pineapple and umbrellas. “I’ll have a Hawaiian Village Sunset and chicken salad, please, Ted.”
“Coming right up. Feel free to sit anywhere, and I’ll find you,” he smirked cheekily.
“Thank you,” she blushed, swiveling off her stool. The Dufort Hotels were five-star luxury hotels. BookFlix was paying for her accommodation otherwise she never would have been able to afford to stay there. With it came some lovely benefits such as a gym, the pool and all their restaurants.
Harper found a large, luxurious sun lounger with a side table and sat down with a long sigh. Ted was innocently flirting with her, but it had been a long time since a man made her feel pretty and desired.
These were the types of romances she wrote about. It was what she and millions of women dreamed of.
A shame that in reality most of them ended in heartbreak. Or was that her mother talking?
As if on cue, her phone beeped.
Harper. Reply to my texts and let me know you are safe.
Twenty-five. She was twenty-five damn years old, and her mother still treated her like she was fifteen. Even when she was engaged to David, nothing changed.
I’m alive and kicking in glorious Hawaii. I am not going to text you every day, Mother, so please let me have a holiday.
What if something happens to you? It’s dangerous.
Harper sighed and threw her phone in her bag, then lay back on the lounger.
After a few minutes, a server delivered her cocktail and salad. Harper gave the young girl a smile and glanced at the bar where Ted was serving an older couple.
He caught her eye and winked.
She quickly glanced away.
That was the second time he’d made her blush, and while Ted was a good-looking guy, her body hadn’t reacted in the same way it had when she met Daniel.
It was the difference between smoke and molten rock.
Another reason she would be wise to stay far, far away.
