Free Blooming in the Wild by Cathryn Cade

definitely drop to his knees for a pretty woman, but not for a smack upside the head.
    Camille spoke sharply, and Li leaned forward to press his face between her thighs. As he did so, Camille lifted one of his hands. She turned her head toward Joel and Bella, and sank her teeth into the base of Li’s thumb. He moaned, a muffled sound.
    Okay, enough. Joel stepped back, intending to pull Bella with him. But she was already moving with him, her head turning aside.
    “Get out of my way,” she whispered desperately, shoving at him.
    “Shh.” He drew her with him back around the lava wall, then kept her at his side by the simple expedient of sliding his arm around her. “It’s okay, Princess. Just forget about it.”
    “Oh, right.” Her fingers dug into his forearm, her nails sharp little pricks of pain. “That’ll be easy.”
    He snickered even as he peeled her hand from his arm. Taking her hand in his, he held it as they made their way back down the lava shelves toward camp. “Didn’t know about that particular kink, huh?”
    “Of course I did, but—but, only in the abstract. Ugh! How will I look either of them in the eye after this?”
    Joel shrugged. “Well, if you get mad at either one of them, you know what to say. ‘Bite me’ .”
    She snickered and then clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle it. He grinned to himself.
    “Or how about ‘slap my ass and call me Sally’?” he added.
    She shook her head, her hair brushing his bare shoulder. “That one’s just dumb.”
    He shrugged, encouraged by the smile in her voice. “How about, you’re really pretty when you smile?”
    She stopped in her tracks, and looked up at him, wary as a doe. “Mahalo. If you behave yourself, I might do it more often.”
    “Aw, now what fun would that be?” He shook his head in mock regret. “Guess I’ll have to do without the smile.”
    They were standing very close. He tugged slightly on her hand, and she moved one foot to keep her balance, stepping even closer. Her arm brushed his, her skin like satin. He could feel the heat of her body, and she smelled like temptation.
    Something about witnessing the raw sexuality of Camille and Li’s encounter had him feeling reckless. And, what the hell, he’d wanted this wahine since the first moment he saw her. Had that only been a few hours before?
    Even more since she’d brought him that guava. She’d watched him eat with a covert intensity that had been as arousing as it was surprising. She was a study in contrasts, from prim executive director to alluring, feisty Hawaiian wahine.
    He bent his head very slowly, watching to see what she’d do. She stood very still, but her arm trembled a little against his, her fingers tightening on his.
    “A night like this sort of calls for a kiss, don’t you think?” he asked.
    “Maybe.” Her whisper was a breathy tease. In the moonlight, her lips parted, soft and luscious.
    Damn. So luscious he’d never be content with just a kiss. He already wanted to haul her against him, feel those little breasts pressed against his bare chest and grind his erection into the vee of her thighs, get his hands on that ass of hers. If he kissed her, he wouldn’t be able to resist doing the rest. And then she’d probably raise all kinds of hell, slap him with her capable little hand and a lawsuit.
    He let her wait, drawing the moment out while the surf shushed against the shore and a night bird called softly from the trees overhead. “Nah, better not.”
    Straightening, acting as if he’d never intended to kiss her, was one of the hardest things he’d done in…a long time. Taking a fortifying breath of the warm night air, Joel pulled her after him, toward the camp.
    “Too bad,” she murmured. “I was gonna use my trademark move.”
    His pulse leapt, his hand tightening on hers. “Is that a twisted, kinky move like we just saw, or a friendly kind of move?” he asked, as if he could’ve cared less.
    She wriggled her hand from his grip.