Grounded (Up in the Air, #3)(88)

There was only one thing that made me think of Maui. “Something to do with Lana?” I guessed.

He shrugged again. “I can’t help myself. It’s the first time she’s opened up about it. I set up a lunch with this Akira guy. I know I’m meddling, but somebody needs to do it.”

I studied him, and felt myself fall a little deeper. He had such a romantic soul. Just knowing him had made me more romantic. It was a contagious state of mind. “What do you plan to say to him?”

He kissed the tip of my nose as the plane began to move. “Not much. First, I just wanted to take his measure, to see if he was worthy of someone as stalwart as Lana. And if he is, I’m only going to tell him that he needs to man up. A man in love has to make the first move. It’s the least he can do.”

I smiled at him. I could feel how soft that smile was. “So you’re the matchmaking type?” It reminded me so much of Stephan. “Are you going to be setting up all of our friends?”

He returned my soft smile in spades. “Love is like that. It’s like a wildfire in my blood, and now that I know what it feels like, it’s made me generous. I feel like the world should get the privilege. And if I can help someone I care about find it, then certainly I’ll try.”

“That’s so sweet,” I told him sincerely.

He smiled into my eyes, and his smile wasn’t sweet at all. “You won’t think I’m sweet in about ten minutes, when I tie you to my bed and f*ck the sense out of you.”

I felt parts low in my body clench. “You’re in such a romantic mood. Aren’t you going to call it making love today?”

“How about we call it lovingly f*cking your brains out?”

I laughed. That did sound more apt, I thought.

James wore me out for hours before he let up enough for me to catch a little nap. The man redefined the word insatiable. It felt like I’d barely caught a moment’s sleep when he was waking me up again.

We stopped by the Middleton Resort to freshen up before our lunch with Akira. James changed into his version of vacation casual, which consisted of a soft white V-neck that set off both his muscles and his golden skin to perfection. He wore low-slung, pale-gray cargo shorts, and loafers with no socks. I studied his ankles with singular fascination.

“If anyone had told me that ankles could be sexy before I met you, I would have said they’d lost it.”

He grinned. “I’ve always thought yours were sexy. The first milestone on my way up from the ground and up to paradise, Love.”

I laughed. Of course he took it there.

I changed into a silky pink tank and dark gray shorts that were borderline too skimpy. I wore white flip-flops entirely for comfort.

James eyed up my legs. He traced my collar absently. “Even without heels, you have the sexiest legs on the planet.”

He had worked me over hard, but I still felt that drugging feeling of wanting that only he could inspire move through my system.

We met Akira at the Middleton Resort’s cantina. The instant I saw Akira, I understood the appeal. He was a huge man. I’d never seen James standing side by side with anyone taller than himself before Akira, I realized, as he shook hands with the other man, who stood a good two inches taller than James. He was an intimidating man, but God, was he a sight.

He had classic Hawaiian features, with thick dark brows over handsome brown eyes, and a generous mouth with a mean twist. He had wavy black hair, and everything about him was big, but it was all muscle. The man took good care of himself, going by the bulky muscles moving restlessly under his suit.

He treated me with marked deference right from the start. James, not so much. He had no qualms about going after the other man right from the get go.

“You went out with Lana. I saw you with her in the papers once.” Akira’s tone could not be mistaken for friendly or indifferent.

James grinned. Perversely, I thought that James saw Akira’s hostility as a good sign. And perversely, I thought he might be right. “We’ve been friends for years. We’ve accompanied each other to a few social events.”

“What does that mean, exactly? I read a piece that said you had dated.”

James studied the other man. “Why do you ask? Is it idle curiosity, or are you jealous?”

Akira didn’t answer, just stared at James like he wanted to strangle him.

James was far from intimidated. “I want to know because of Lana. I’d like to know how you feel about her.”

Akira silently fumed. It was easy to see that he was a volatile man, but I could also see that he was one that had spent time working on controlling his temper.

James sighed. “You’re difficult. Leave it to Lana. She has such a soothing way about her, so of course she would be in love with a walking powder keg of a man. Life is funny that way.”

I would have sworn that Akira’s dark skin was turning red.

“I’ll level with you, Akira. Lana doesn’t date; she never has, so she certainly never dated me. She’s been hung up on you for so long, and so badly, that she’s never even wanted to date. She’s been pining for you for years. I’ve checked up on you. You’re single, you’re straight, so what the f*ck is your problem? Don’t you care about her?”

Akira flushed. Very carefully, he set clenched fists on top of the table. “Why the f*ck is it your business?” he growled.