“You can bunk with me,” I tell my best friend. “My room has two queen beds.”

  “It does,” the desk clerk adds. “Along with a kitchenette and a private lanai with unobstructed Pacific views.”

  “Do I have a choice?” Marcus grouses.

  “Again, I’m very sorry,” the thirty-something Hawaiian man says. “For your troubles, I can give you a discount on your rate.” He rattles off a figure.

  I’m not thrilled. Judging from Marcus’s expression, neither is he, but how many choices do we have? “Thank you.”

  With more smiles and apologies, the desk clerk hands us our room keys, gives us coupons for free drinks to use during tomorrow’s happy hour, and sends us on our way.

  “Dinner in fifteen?” I ask as we approach the elevators.

  Kate hesitates. “I was going to stay in and work.”

  “You have to eat.” Marcus gives her a concerned up-and-down. “I suggest a cheeseburger.”

  “Are they good here?”

  “Beats the shit out of me, but you could stand to put on a few pounds.”

  Kate raises a brow. “I didn’t ask.”

  Marcus likes his women with meat on their bones. For that matter, so do I. But diplomacy isn’t his strong suit, and I can’t let him alienate her. We have work to do…and chemistry to explore.

  “What he means is, you look like it’s been a long day because it has been. I hate to think of you going to bed on an empty stomach, and you’ll be better equipped to launch into your job tomorrow if you’re not starving.”

  Her face softens. “I appreciate that, but—”

  “Something small,” I cajole. “A fresh salad? Some mahi-mahi? You know it will be amazing in Hawaii…”

  “All right.” She sighs as the elevator dings. “Fifteen minutes.”

  We head inside the small car. It seems automatic for me to settle on one side of her, Marcus on the other. She’s petite, especially in between us, the top of her head only reaching my jaw and Marcus’s beefy shoulder.

  “Still think you could use a cheeseburger,” my pal mutters under his breath.

  I shoot him a warning stare and reach for Kate’s suitcase. “Let me help you to your room.”

  She grips the handle tighter. “It’s on wheels. I’ve got it. Thank you.”

  Marcus raises a brow at me. “Good luck with that.”

  Clearly, I need it. So far, Kate isn’t amenable to letting me take care of her in any way. But I’m not giving up.

  When we reach the second floor, Kate steps off, luggage in hand.

  “If you need anything, text me,” I call out. “Otherwise, we’ll see you in fifteen.”

  She nods and the doors close. Marcus and I trudge to our ocean-view suite on the top floor. The decor is outdated, the kitchenette consists of a coffee maker, a stained sink, and a dumpy microwave. The two queen beds are lumpy…but the views on nearly all sides are both spectacular and virtually unspoiled by humanity. The property we’ll be developing is even more favorably situated. Maybe Kate isn’t wrong about it.

  After I grab a two-minute shower and a quick change of clothes, Marcus follows suit. Then we head to the lone restaurant downstairs. The steakhouse, besides having a great view of Hilo Bay, is dark and unexpectedly sexy. The hostess seats us near the window, and the trade winds blow in through the open accordion doors.

  Our waitress greets us. After a glance at the wine list, I order a bottle I hope Kate will like and settle back into my chair.

  Marcus orders a beer, waits for our server to walk away, then turns to me. “Stop it. You’re playing a dangerous game with Kate.”

  “How do you know we can’t win if we don’t play?”

  He leans forward across the table aggressively. “You’re crazy if you think Kate will actually get involved with either of us, much less both. Unless I’m misreading the situation, she moved across the country and left her whole life behind because she got divorced. I’ll bet it’s fresh, and I doubt she’s eager to be tied down again.”

  “But—”

  “No. She’s young, midtwenties at most. We’re a dozen years older, maybe more. Could we heap orgasms on her? Absolutely. Be happy to. But what else could we possibly give her that she needs or wants?”

  At face value, he’s right. On the other hand, she got divorced for a reason. We don’t know what that is. Once we do, maybe we can give her something the ex didn’t. Instinct keeps telling me to try. “We’ll see.”

  The murmur of Kate’s voice from the front of the restaurant has me turning. She’s piled her hair on top of her head in a loose bun that showcases her dainty face and the firm line of her jaw. She’s changed into strappy white sandals, a ruffled skirt in a chic, beige-blush shade, and a white tank top that hugs her ribs and clings to her breasts.

  Beside me, I hear Marcus suck in a breath. “Holy shit…”

  Exactly. The sight of her has me hard all over.

  As the hostess points Kate in our direction, I stand and hope it’s too dark for her to notice my reaction. “Kate.”

  “Hi.” She glances out the window as the last of dusk settles over the bay. “Wow.”

  I hold out her chair and settle her in, inadvertently copping a cheap peek down her tank. Marcus is right. Holy shit…

  Sliding into my seat beside her, I smile as our server brings our wine and pours two glasses, then delivers my buddy’s beer. I hold up my glass. “Cheers to Hilo and the possibilities.”

  “I shouldn’t drink wine, but…” Kate lifts her stem. “Cheers.”

  Marcus joins us. “To Hilo.”

  “And?” Is he in? Or is he walking away from Kate before we even try?

  “I think it’s a mistake.” His sigh tells me he doesn’t mean the investment property. “But…to the possibilities.”

  My smile becomes a huge grin. He wants her too much not to try. “Perfect.”

  Marcus

  Two beers, a juicy medium-rare steak, and a lot of conversation later, I stare across the table at Kate as she swallows back the last of her second glass of vino.

  Her cheeks are pink, her lips upturned, her body relaxed. She’s ripe for a good fucking from us, and I’m an idiot because I let Josh plant that possibility in my head.

  Now I can’t think of anything else.

  “Dessert?” our server asks. “We have an excellent cheesecake, a creamy chocolate mousse, and a locally sourced pineapple-coconut bread pudding, along with a selection of sherbets and flans.”

  “I’m stuffed,” Kate says.

  How? She only took a few bites. Her half-eaten fish and salad sit on her forgotten plate.

  “Pick one, Kate,” I insist.

  As usual, Josh jumps in to smooth things over. “Please. It’s our first night here. We should try something sweet.”

  I lean closer and whisper for her ears only. “Especially since this steakhouse will be in direct competition for the resort we’re proposing. How can we give our investors advice about offering superior service if we don’t know how high the bar is?”

  She tosses her hands in the air. “Fine. The bread pudding, please.”

  Triumph curls up my lips. “Cheesecake and coffee.”

  Josh looks pleased, too. “I’ll try the mousse. And bring us another bottle of wine.”

  “I should stop drinking,” Kate objects.

  I shrug. “Feel free. I’d like more, so the bottle is here if you want any.”

  The server takes away our dinner plates and disappears, leaving Josh and me alone with Kate. I can’t stop staring at her. Neither can he.

  “What else do you envision for the property?” he asks her.

  With half an ear, I listen. She’s got great ideas for an infinity-edge pool that optically blends into the ocean for a tropical oasis. As she describes cabanas, garden-like lanais, and a waterside cafe, I sink into her lilting voice. Her passion for the project—bright eyes and expressive face—ignites my desire. I’d love to see her on her back, in my bed, wearing that same expression as I fist my hands in her hair and fill her pussy with every hard inch pressing against my zipper. Imagining Josh teasing her nipples while I do only makes my desire more urgent.

  The waitress brings our dessert, along with my coffee and a fresh bottle of wine. I sip my java, watching Kate pick up her spoon and scoop up bread pudding, vanilla ice cream melting down its sides. The moment it touches her tongue, her eyes widen with a shock of pleasure. Then her lashes flutter shut as she moans.

  “It’s that good?” I ask, my voice rough.

  “Sinful.”

  Not yet, and I shouldn’t even be entertaining the idea of getting her into bed—much less putting her between Josh and me—but I can’t stop.

  “Try this.” I cut off a forkful of my fluffy cheesecake and extend it across the table toward her.

  Kate’s gaze lifts. Our stares meet. A zing peals through me. She sucks in a breath. Yeah, she feels it, too.

  Fuck, I want between her legs.

  “Thanks.” She reaches for the fork, avoiding the touch of my hand.

  It’s perverse and dangerous, but I pull the dessert out of her reach. “Let me.”

  Kate hesitates. Another clinging stare later, she lowers her arm and parts her lips for me. Slowly. Reluctantly. She’s obviously unsure, and I can almost hear her thoughts. What she’s feeling is inappropriate and one-sided. She’s overthinking everything. She’s reading too much into my gesture.

  I’ll let her keep imagining all that.

  Once she’s opened her mouth, I slide my fork onto her pretty pink tongue. Her plump lips close around the tines. I imagine them fastening around my cock. My restraint buckles, and I start to sweat, especially when her eyes widen in dawning pleasure.

  “That’s ah-mazing,” she moans.

  Josh pours her more wine. “Here’s a fresh glass in case you need something to wash it down.”

  Kate licks her lips and swallows the bite like she’s having a sexual experience before she reaches for the vino and takes a long swallow.

  It’s all I can do not to drag her across the table, lift her skirt, and make her moan for real. Instead, I exchange a glance with Josh. He’s gripping the arm of his chair and staring at her like she’s the answer to every question he’s ever had, like she’s the antidote to every lonely moment he’s ever endured, like she’s the epitome of every dirty fantasy he’s ever imagined.

  Shit. If he gets her under him, how the fuck will I resist? I know what I said before, but refusing her, especially if she wants us… I’m not seeing how anymore.

  Slowly, she opens her eyes and looks his way. “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “More?” I offer her another bite.

  Her gaze flits back to mine, now darker. “I really shouldn’t.”

  Just like she shouldn’t be attracted to me? Or to Josh? “Live a little.”

  “All right. A little.”

  Smothering a smile, I extend my cheesecake-laden utensil across the table again. This time, she offers no fight, simply parts her lips to take my fork inside.

  Beside me, Josh stiffens. I know exactly what he’s thinking. It’s the same thing I am.

  “Oh, that’s so good.”

  Her throaty words have me shifting in my seat. I curl my hand into a fist to keep myself from touching her.

  As I pull the fork free, her lashes flutter up. She stares at me with glittering eyes. Her cheeks look rosy. Her plump lips part. Does she know that expression is begging me to fuck her? What would she do if I growled my intention to do just that in her ear?

  Trying to hold it together, I carve off a bite of cheesecake and fork it into my mouth, the tines still damp from her tongue. I hum out my pleasure. Dessert is good, but I swear I can taste a hint of her cherry lip gloss. It drives me wild.

  “Try the mousse,” Josh offers Kate, extending his spoon toward her.

  “How good is it?” She eyes the spoon like an addict.

  “Enough to tempt you into wanting more.” He grins.

  “I might regret this, but…one bite can’t hurt, right?”

  “You’ll love it, I promise.” Josh nestles his spoon onto her tongue and watches her lips close.

  “Oh…my god. I had no idea it could be that good.”

  Her sultry response has me biting back a curse. We need engrossing conversation, or dinner will end with the three of us getting naked and horizontal. After one look at Josh’s face, I know he’s dying to be all over Kate, too. It’s obvious by the way he slides the spoon, fresh from her mouth, into his own and closes his eyes like he’s been assaulted by pleasure.

  “So…why Force Financial?” I ask Kate. “I’m sure there were lots of firms that needed your skills.”

  “Well, the company’s reputation is pristine. So when they sought someone like me, I applied.” She shrugs. “I was looking for a change.”

  “Because of your divorce?” my buddy asks.

  We shouldn’t want to know more about Kate’s personal life.

  At Josh’s question, she recoils. I see hurt in her eyes. It makes me want to do more than pleasure her. I want to hold and comfort her, too.

  Time to stop this chat. “Sorry. That was personal. You don’t have to answer—”

  “It’s fine. I was looking for a new challenge, and this fit the bill. But yes, the opportunity to get away from Derrick was something I desperately needed.”

  I fucking don’t want to get angry on her behalf. For all I know, Derrick is a stand-up guy and she was the problem in their marriage. It’s none of my business. The warning glance I give Josh reminds him it’s none of his, either.

  He ignores me. “I’m sorry you went through something so painful, but I’m sure his loss will be Force Financial’s gain. How long have you been divorced?”

  “Officially, five months. But we’ve been separated for nearly a year and a half.”

  He reaches for her hand. “I’m sorry.”

  But he’s not. I know Josh. Under that caring, I’m-your-pal demeanor, he’s smiling. All he’s thinking about is that, after eighteen months apart, she’s probably over the ex and ready to move on. I know because it crossed my mind, too, before I could stop it.

  Grunting, I toss back the last of my beer. “What kind of challenge are you looking for?”

  The kind where you take two hard-as-fuck men into your gorgeous body at once? The thought whips across my traitorous brain. A mental image of the three of us entwined parks itself behind my eyes. Josh jerks his stare my way. He’s aroused just by being around Kate. I see it in the color on his cheeks and his bright eyes. Thankfully, she seems oblivious.

  “I’ve worked on a lot of different projects. Frankly, I fielded multiple offers when Savannah extended me this one, but the opportunity to really step out of my comfort zone and work on high-end commercial projects appealed to me.”

  Josh nods like her damn bestie. “Were you specifically looking to leave Phoenix?”

  She hesitates. “It made this offer more appealing than others.”

  “Does Derrick still live there?” I ask.

  “Yes.”

  That explains a lot.

  Josh’s face softens. “You know, if you need a friend, an ear, a sounding board…”

  Kate pulls her hand from his. “I appreciate that, but we work together. My past isn’t important to our professional relationship. What about you two? How long have you been with Force Financial?”

  I exchange a glance with Josh. She’s nervous; we do that to her. We both know it. No surprise she’s avoiding the sore spot of her divorce. But there’s more to the story. I’m convinced of that.

  “Almost since inception,” I answer. “Chad, Josh, and I all played football together from peewee to high school. We decided to follow Chad to Harvard because he was loving the education and the experience.” Especially the copious amounts of pussy, but I don’t mention that. “After he graduated, he started the firm. We joined a few years after, once we’d finished school. Collectively, we’ve grown the organization together.”

  “What he said,” Josh quips with a smile. “Chad isn’t just our boss. He’s like a brother.”

  “That’s great. Working with people you like makes a huge difference in your job satisfaction.”

  “Sounds like you’ve worked with someone you didn’t like.”

  She smiles tightly. “Haven’t we all?”

  I have a suspicion she means Derrick. “Not often, thank god.”

  “Lucky you.” She takes one more spoonful of her bread pudding, then pushes her dessert away. “I can’t eat another bite.”

  “Can I try it?” I ask.

  “It’s all yours.”

  As I reach for the plate, I accidentally elbow my fork off the table and onto the floor. “Damn it.”

  “Let me.”

  My clumsiness seemingly puts her at ease, and she smiles as she spoons up some of her bread pudding, along with the melting ice cream, and extends it toward me. Instead of taking the utensil from her hand, I lean in and open my mouth. She’s slightly surprised but doesn’t stop or correct me, merely eases the dessert onto my tongue.

  It’s amazing, but having her reach out to me, to feed me from her hand, is distinctly sexual. “Hmm.”

  “Can I try some, too?” Josh asks, his voice sounding huskier than normal.

  “Sure.”

  In seconds, she’s spooning bites of her bread pudding past my buddy’s lips. “Do you like it?”

  “It’s fantastic.” He opens his eyes, tongue sweeping across his lips, his voice dropping. “I want more.”

  She pushes the plate across the table with a trembling hand. “Here you go.”

  “Would you like anything else?” the server asks.

  Kate looks visibly relieved by her interruption and stands. “Not for me. I’m going to bed.”

  At seven thirty? Granted it’s one thirty in the morning in Boston, but having traveled the globe, I know it’s smarter to skip naps and stay awake as long as possible to adapt to your new time zone.

  “When do we want to convene in the morning?” She reaches for her purse.

  I exchange a glance with Josh. Neither of us wants to see her go…but it’s for the best—even if he’s not willing to admit it.