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Leilani followed and stood in front of the closed door. She peeked through the peephole, watching him jog toward the building where his room was located.
At the rate he was moving, he’d be back before she had a chance to get in the shower.
Leilani spun and raced for the bathroom, stripping off her clothes as she went. She didn’t even wait for the water to warm before she stepped beneath it and gasped. “Holy hell,” she muttered, reaching for the bottle of body wash. With a loofa, she scrubbed the salt from her skin and then poured shampoo into her palm.
After washing the salt from her long hair, she rinsed it thoroughly and applied a healthy amount of conditioner. Every time she went out on the boat, she always returned with her hair a tangled mess no brush could penetrate until she washed it and treated it with conditioner. She ran her brush through her hair while the conditioner was still in it to free the tangles caused by the salt water and wind. When she had all the knots out, she rinsed from head to toe and turned off the water.
She stood for a moment, listening for sounds of movement from the other room. When she didn’t hear any, she quickly dried her body and wrapped her wet hair in the towel. She didn’t have time to dry her hair before she had to leave for the fitting, but the towel would absorb sufficient moisture so that her hair wouldn’t drip down her back.
Still naked, Leilani dashed into the bedroom and grabbed white panties, a strapless bra and the pale blue sundress she’d ordered online so that she’d have a dress to wear for this fitting and the rehearsal dinner. Back in the bathroom, she was just closing the door when she heard the sound of the suite door opening and closing.
“I’m back,” Angel called out, his voice muffled by the bedroom door.
“I’ll be ready in a few minutes,” she responded as she stepped into the panties. The silky fabric gliding up her legs made her think of Angel’s fingers caressing her there. Her entire body warmed at the idea, heat flowing through her veins to coil at her center.
“Chill, Lani,” she said to the woman in the mirror. “He’s here to protect you, not make love to you.”
“Did you say something,” Angel asked.
“Just singing to myself,” Leilani called out. Then she muttered beneath her breath, “Wishful thinking.”
After she finished dressing, she applied a little blush to her cheeks, a thin streak of eyeliner and a quick brush of mascara. Her dark skin didn’t need much. It glowed naturally, a gift of her heritage. Leilani added a dash of gloss to her lips and brushed her damp hair straight back from her forehead. Already, wispy tendrils were drying into long curls.
As she passed through the bedroom, she slid her feet into a pair of strappy sandals and pulled open the door. “I’m ready.”
Angel turned from where he stood by the window. He wore navy slacks and a sky-blue polo shirt. He’d slicked his damp hair back from his forehead, but he hadn’t shaved, leaving a sexy dark shadow of a beard on his chin and jaw.
His gaze swept over her like a caress. “You look amazing.”
Leilani’s cheeks warmed. “Thanks. My car or yours?”
“Mine,” he said. “Might as well put the miles on the rental. And leave yours here for Olina to use if she needs it.”
“I’ll let her know to keep the keys,” Leilani said.
He opened the door, looked out at the surroundings then held the door for her.
Leilani stepped out onto the porch and turned toward Olina’s door.
She had just raised her hand to knock when Olina opened the door.
“Oh,” her friend said. “I was just about to come to your place to give you the keys to the car.” Her gaze went to the man behind her. “Are you going somewhere?”
Leilani nodded. “I have the dress fitting with the bridesmaids for Makai’s wedding.”
“Oh, then you’ll need these.” Olina held out the key fob.
Leilani shook her head. “I was just coming over to tell you to keep them tonight. Angel is taking me in his car. I won’t need mine.”
“Okay.” She smiled. “Thanks.”
Noa slipped through the gap between his mother and the door and stared up at Leilani. “Lani, you look like a princess.”
Leilani bent to lift the little boy into her arms.
He hugged her around her neck and said, “You smell good.”
Leilani laughed. “Thank you.”
