ANTONIO
“Come one, Stella! We’re gonna be late.” I call over the music she’s blasting in her bathroom while packing. She pokes her head out, glowering right at me.
“We own private jets, Antonio. We have no timeframe.”
“If you want to get to Maui before dinner, then we have to get a little pep in our step, babe. And by we, I mean you.”
“Don’t call me babe.” She grunts while lugging her suitcase out of the bathroom. Clothes are falling out of it, leaving a trail the further she pulls. She swings it to the center of the room and is huffing around, doing everything in her power to close it by straddling and bouncing on top of it. I don’t even attempt to hide the smirk curling at the corners of my lips at the hilarious show she’s putting on.
“Is this amusing to you?” She growls through the hair covering her face as she continues to force the zipper shut.
“Move over.” I laugh, and she stands up in a huff, straightening her white sundress and fretting over her hair that already looks perfect. I collect the trail she left, stuff it in the bag and force it to shut without breaking a sweat. She watches as I pick it up and roll it to the door.
“Come on.” I wave, and she slips on a pair of sandals and meets me as I’m stepping into the hall.
“Thanks.” She mumbles, and I grin down at her as we enter the elevator. Alk is at the bottom when the doors open. He looks up from his watch with exasperation.
“Hurry!” He ushers us from the bottom of the elevator, pushing us to the front doors and down to the car.
“Why’s he in such a hurry?” I lean across the seat to whisper to Stella.
She shrugs, then realizes how close I’ve gotten about the time that I do, and we pull away from each other quickly. But it’s not quick enough to stop that feeling that always comes when we’re near each other. It’s a fucking crazy experience where we’re pulled together like magnets and can’t figure out how it happens. It’s usually what brings us together.
Fuck, this is gonna be a long trip if I can’t even be near her without wanting to touch her. And then touching leads to kissing, and kissing leads to sex. There is no in-between with us. It’s all or nothing.
Traveling all day really drains my energy. Even with a private jet, endless food at our fingertips, drinks when we want them, and not to mention avoiding every line at the airport— it’s still a massive ordeal.
“It’s nice here,” Stella says on the drive to the hotel as we squeeze through a one-lane road that’s supposed to fit two passing cars, winding around a mountain with no guardrail.
“Gorgeous.” I sarcastically quip, holding on to the seat as tightly as possible, as if that will help when we topple over the edge. She tilts her head to me when she notices my discomfort.
“Are you scared?” She places a hand on my leg, and I shake my head.
“No, I’d just like to live, that's all.” I grit my teeth and think I catch her hiding a laugh. It doesn’t cross my mind currently because I’m too uncomfortable with the idea of free-falling off the edge of a cliff to my death. But after we’re on a stable road, I glance at Stella’s wide-eyed wonder at the scenery, and something clicks.
“Is this your first time in Hawaii?” She nods, and my brows go high.
“Well, then we need to make sure you see enough of it before heading back to LA.” Her eyes light up as she agrees. I like that look. The one that is genuinely happy, and I’ve played a part in causing it.
The sun’s almost set by the time we get to the hotel. It’s in a private location, with lush greenery, resting right on the beach. Our suite will face the ocean; that’s all I made sure of when I had Barker set the reservation.
We arrive out the front of the towering white building, lined with emerald plants and large balconies spanning the circumference. There are a few other buildings around, but I can see where nature meets the edges of the tiny town. The actual city is in the direction from where we came. That means more backroads.
The boys unload the car for us as we walk up the steps and through the large glass entrance. We walk through a courtyard of some sort before we reach the front desk on the other side.
“Welcome to Maui!” Attendants hand us white and purple flower lays as they walk past.
“Thank you!” Stella is grinning from ear to ear, and I feel a sense of pride. Funny that I do, but I’m gonna stop overthinking this shit. Today, and the rest of the week, I am going to enjoy everything I can about this escape from reality. Including Stella. Whatever that looks like.
“San Giovanni?” Stella asks, bringing me out of my thoughts, and I nod.
“Yes. San Giovanni.” I smile politely at the receptionist, who hands me our keys.
“Kalani will show you to your suite,” He points to a woman with big curly hair, a gentle smile and kind eyes. “Enjoy your stay!”
“Thanks.” I nod once and place my hand on the small of Stella’s back. I don’t think this is for show. I think I want to do this— touch her any way I can. We walk down a hallway that opens up to an atrium in the center of the hotel, connecting to every room on every floor. The top is an all-glass roof, and the ground level is like a miniature world. There are levels of restaurants, trees, plants, a garden, and a small waterfall that echoes throughout the area.
“Holy shit,” Stella whispers in my ear, and I take her hand. She lets me. That’s a win, though it could be because we’re in public.