Duke grinned and shook his head. “No, you were supposed to be not nice because they had their hands all over me. They were treating me like a piece of meat all day.”
Viv chuckled, unable to contain the smile at her lips. “They were doing their job. They got paid to touch you.” She snuggled into him, wrapped her hands around his bicep, and rested her head on his arm. “I’m doing it for free.”
“Yeah, but I’m still waiting for you to play with my hair the way she did.”
Viv stopped walking briefly, turned to face him, and grinned at the sheepish look in his blue eyes.
“You want me to do this?” She reached up then, ran a hand through his thick, dark hair.
Duke closed his eyes and made a purring sound as she repeated the action. As playful as the gesture might be, Viv saw goosebumps spread over the tan surface of his toned arms.
A small thrill shot through her. She liked knowing that it felt good to him. “Geez, you have nice hair,” she admitted as the length slipped between her fingers.
“Think I should grow out the man bun again? Pom says I should.”
When she didn’t answer right away, Duke pried an eye open to look at her.
She shrugged. “I like both,” she said as they started walking once more. “With and without.”
“I think I’m…partly trying to punish myself for what I did with the whole wedding show. It was a big sacrifice to cut it off like I did. And when everything turned out so well for both Kat and Zander, it was hard to feel too bad about it.
“But then I start to feel even worse because Idon’thave guilt over it. I don’t know, the whole thing makes me…tired.”
Viv nodded, but remained mostly silent as they made their way to line up at the trams. His muscles had tensed up at the topic, but she could feel the effects of it in other ways too. The wordtiredseemed to encompass it all. A heaviness that threatened to sink his spirits, forcing him into a state of shame.
And suddenly, Viv wanted very badly to ease him of the burden he’d been carrying. To let him know that he wasn’t a bad guy after all. He was actually a very incredible man from what she’d seen so far.
The line moved up, and so did Viv and Duke, just as their tram halted to a stop. The door retracted just enough to let them inside the small space, then closed behind them.
Duke, seeming to sense there were even less spectators than there’d been a moment ago, slipped his fingers through hers and encouraged her to stand at the corner of the cab where they could look over the view as they traveled up the hill.
“Wow,” she breathed, taking in the gorgeous view of lush leaves in every shade of green. A bright macaw soared over the treetops as the tram rose higher.
“Vivi,” he said in a whisper. “Thanks for giving me a chance. And for…seeing me better than most people do.”
That warmth and affection she felt for him pulled at her once more. “It’s been…I’ve really enjoyed it too,” she said, inching further into the corner to face him. A thought came to her, one she almost tried to bury, but she brought it to light instead. She’d promised to be intentional, after all.
It was pertaining to a relationship outside of the island, the likelihood of making things work back in LA. She couldn’t pretend that the chances were high, but despite that, Viv planned to give in to the moments all the same. She didn’t want to sell herself short, to give up something beautiful, all because it might end soon. Besides, no relationship came with a guarantee.
She recalled the flower she’d seen out the window, the one with a tear in its petal, but it didn’t worry her as it had before. Viv wasn’t a helpless hibiscus—flower-fragile and petal-thin—she was tough, sensible, and able to weather the storms life brought her way.
That determination set in just as Duke’s hands moved to her waist. She tuned in to the wonderful feel as his warm palms wrapped around her hips. He gave them a tight squeeze.
Viv leaned her back against the glass and looked up at him. She wasn’t sure how they were still so strong, the feelings she had for Duke. The connection they’d shared clear back then was—after spending a few days together—stronger than ever.
Duke brought his cheek to hers and teased her skin with the short scruff along his jaw.
Now the goosebumps were surfacing over her skin, accented by the thrill rushing through her at the feel of his touch. She pulled in a shallow breath.
“Between you and me,” he mumbled against her skin, “I’m pretty crazy about you.”
A new dose of heat rushed through her tummy. She glanced up as he pulled back to square a look at her. Yes, there was that connection. Unlike anything she’d known outside of Duke.
Silently then, he lowered his head and pressed his heavenly lips to hers in a full, lingering kiss.
Yes.A rush of pleasure ripped through her.
He kissed her again, slow and sensual, mastering the perfect balance of give and take.
