Because she sensed everything had changed.
Chapter Eleven
Rowan didn’t know why she agreed to the hike.
Well—she did. Kelsey had shown up at the surf shop on Saturday, eyes bright, bubbling about hiking the famous Diamond Head Summit Trail the next morning. Of course, Everett had been busy at work. Rowan knew the look in the girl’s eyes: a mix of hope and that teenage ache to share something beautiful with someone who might actually pay attention. Her rapid apology, saying it was okay if Rowan said no because she didn’t want to be a bother, made her chest ache.
So Rowan had said yes. It was a beautiful Sunday morning, and she had the day off. She’d settled Bagel in with his snacks and drove to meet Kelsey, where Tom was dropping her off. It’d be a great day for some exercise and quality time with a young girl she was slowly becoming attached to.
What she didn’t want—absolutely did not want—was Everett Hale striding across the parking lot at the base of Diamond Head in basketball shorts, HOKA sneakers, and a soft heather-gray T-shirt that clung to him like it had been specifically engineered to showcase the precise cut of his chest. Powerful, thick thighs were dusted with dark hair. A New York Mets baseball cap perched on his head. He’d traded his overpriced watch for an Apple with a plain black band.
Rowan actually stopped walking for a second, brain blanking out like someone had unplugged her neural cord.
He looked ... normal. Human. A little out of his element, which should’ve been hilarious, except the late-morning sun turned his skin golden and his smiling mouth looked dangerously kissable. Dark strands of hair lay unevenly against his broad forehead.
This was a nightmare.
After their dinner, Rowan convinced herself it’d been a fluke. After all, aphrodisiacs were in all that rich, delicious food. The place had throbbed with shadows and intimacy. They’d drunk too much and shared secrets. None of it would be real in the harsh morning light, so she’d gone to bed and refused to think about the strange premonition that everything had changed between them.
Kelsey bounded behind him with her usual bubbly energy. “Look, Rowan! Dad decided to come with us!”
Rowan’s stomach dropped. Great. Perfect. Exactly what she needed—more proximity to the man she was trying very hard not to picture beneath that shirt. A man she still disliked because of his ethics to build luxury hotels, worship money, and spend little time with his only daughter.
Unfortunately, her body begged for his attention.Traitor.
“My meeting ended early,” he said. “Figured I’d skip the gym and get in some natural exercise.”
His gaze met hers and locked in. Awareness settled between them, thick in the humid air, and she found herself swallowing hard. Her skin sensitized under the harsh sun.
“This is a surprise,” she said, crossing her arms because if she didn’t physically hold herself back, she might stare like a thirsty idiot.
He seemed to catch her not-too-thrilled tone. “I’m full of surprises,” he said dryly.
She rolled her eyes. “Yeah. You showed up in shorts. Shocking.”
His mouth twitched. “Try not to stare too hard.”
God help her—she did, just for a second. Enough to notice the way the thin cotton clung to his stomach. Enough for heat to curl low in her belly and make her furious with herself.
“Please,” she said. “I’ve seen better legs on sea turtles.”
Kelsey burst into laughter. Everett hummed, unimpressed. “Shall we?” he asked, gesturing toward the trail.
Diamond Head was a blunt kind of beautiful. No lush green, no soft sand—just layered rock, hot earth, and the relentless rise of a trail that refused to pretend it was easy. The ocean flashed in and out of view, bright and steady, as if reminding her the island held more than one kind of strength. They began walking, her legs stretching to accommodate that first incline. The switchbacks cut into volcanic rock and heat rose in shimmering waves off the ground. The air smelled like dry grass, and the sea breeze drifted in from the coast.
Rowan watched Everett take in the view with a quiet, surprised awe, like he hadn’t expected beauty to hit him this hard. “Bet you don’t get this view in the city,” she said.
His voice was low. “No. We get other things, but this is something special.”
The trail narrowed, forcing them to get close. Not close enough to touch, but close enough that Rowan felt the energy dance and hum between them. He’d skipped his cologne today. The natural scent of sweat, soap, and man teased her senses. His broad shoulder brushed hers. She tried not to jump back.
They hit a shaded switchback where the breeze finally caught up to them, sweeping cool air over Rowan’s overheated skin. Kelsey jogged ahead, already chatting with a couple of high school girls who’d been climbing at the same pace.
Rowan slowed beside Everett, pretending it was to admire the view. Really, she needed to catch her breath. From the hike. From him.
He wiped sweat from his temple with the back of his hand, the line of his jaw tight, his T-shirt clinging to muscles she absolutely refused to think about.
“I’ll say it,” he muttered. “This is harder than it looked on YouTube.”
