Tropical Kiss Or Miss (Tropical Kisses Book 1) Read online

  Tropical Kiss Or Miss

  Tropical Kisses Book 1

  Liwen Y. Ho

  Contents

  1. Attraction

  2. Consequences

  3. Distance

  4. Reunion

  5. Connection

  6. Hope

  Afterword

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Also by Liwen Y. Ho

  Tropical Kiss or Miss

  Copyright © 2016 by Liwen Y. Ho. All rights reserved.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  The author acknowledges the copyrighted or trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Lost, Locke, The Others, Cal, Netflix, BART, Pulitzer Prize, Superman, Clark Kent, Man of Steel, King and Country, It’s Not Over Yet, Kahala Mall, Hawaiian Punch, Polar Blast, The Hulk, Lego Minifigures

  Cover and Interior Design: 2 Square 2 Be Hip (www.2square2behip.com)

  Publisher: 2 Square 2 Be Hip (www.2square2behip.com)

  First Edition

  Created with Vellum

  For our two munchkins, E and C. You make our hearts full.

  Attraction

  Eleven years ago

  Olivia

  “Hey Olive, back to feed your addiction? I still don’t get why you like that show so much.”

  “Matt, shh! Not so loud. I can’t hear.” Olivia grabbed the remote off the leather couch and aimed it at the TV. The large LCD provided an almost movie-like experience, which was why she loved coming over to use it. Living across the hall from her older brother might cramp some people’s style, but for her, it had its perks. She turned up the surround sound speakers and leaned to her left as a tall figure in navy blue sweatpants strode in front of her. “Now I can’t see!”

  “You should make an appointment at the health center. Seems you’re going deaf and blind.”

  Olivia groaned as she craned toward her right. Her brother’s roommate was fast becoming a pain in the neck—literally. She only put up with his wisecracks for the sake of her favorite show. Which, at the moment, he was preventing her from watching. She glanced up, expecting to see Matthew Chan’s cocky grin. What she didn’t expect was a view of his bare chest. Her cheeks heated and she forced her mouth shut.

  No guy had made her react like that before, and she wasn’t going to give Matt the privilege of knowing he’d gotten her attention. He was confident enough with his boy-next-door good looks and open personality. He didn’t need another reason to puff out those pectoral muscles that she had to admit she wouldn’t mind seeing again. She lifted her lashes oh-so casually, then stuck out her tongue when she spotted him smirking.

  “Looks like you can see fine now.” Matt paused from toweling off his wet hair and jumped to the side. Catching the pillow she threw his way, he teased, “On second thought, your aim’s not so good.”

  “Move, please! Locke just discovered a secret message. It might be the clue they need to get off the island!”

  “I wouldn’t get your hopes up.” He slung his towel onto the back of the couch and sat down beside her. “Popular shows always drag on for years.”

  “No, they have to figure it out by May.” She turned to face him as the screen cut to a commercial. “I won’t have a TV after you guys graduate. I’ll have to wait for the episodes to go online and I hate waiting.”

  “Well, you could use that time to study like all the other students around here.”

  Olivia rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Like you don’t hear the parties going on every night upstairs. I am studying,” she pouted, partly because he had put a shirt on. Blue cotton with the word Cal in gold letters covered up the toned abs she’d secretly been eyeing. “Psych majors are supposed to study people. I happen to be studying the ones on TV.”

  “In case you have to counsel someone in the future whose plane crashed on a deserted island?”

  “Totally. And it’s not deserted. There’s a whole group of ‘The Others’ who are trying to kidnap them.” She crossed her arms when he laughed again. “Don’t diss my show. If you don’t like it, you can go find some boring real-life story to write about.”

  “Guess what? I already turned in my article for Friday, so I’m free to enjoy some fictional entertainment.” He raised his feet onto the glass coffee table in front of them and sank back into the cushions. “Let’s see how good this show really is.”

  Hmm? As a lead beat reporter for the university paper, Matt was usually busy researching, conducting interviews, and meeting deadlines. Yet this was the fourth time he was joining her this month. Truth be told, she didn’t mind his company. Especially when he was close enough for her to breathe in the fresh, minty scent of his soap. “Fine. But no talking.”

  A sly smile crossed his lips. “What about chewing?”

  Olivia’s eyes widened in delight. “You didn’t—”

  “I did.” Reaching behind the couch, he produced a black bag and tore it open. “I’m surprised to see you empty-handed.”

  “I ate my last bag yesterday. Care to share yours?”

  He pretended to ponder her question. “I guess I could.”

  “Taro chips, my favorite,” she gushed, grabbing a white chip with purplish lines running across it. She shoved it into her mouth and brushed some crumbs off her black leggings before reaching for another one. “Thanks, Matt. You can definitely stay now.”

  He chuckled. “You know this is my apartment and my TV you’re watching. Not to mention”—he held the bag up—“my chips you’re eating. If anyone should be begging, it’s you.”

  “But I’m your best friend’s sister. That’s gotta count for something.” Kneeling on the couch, she reached for the bag he kept dangling farther and farther in the opposite direction. “You should know I’ve been playing keepaway with my brother my whole life and I always win.”

  “We’ll see about that.” He stretched out his arm and held the bag high over his head, jerking it away as Olivia got close. “Not bad.”

  “Come on, the show’s starting.” She yanked his arm down, surprised at the effort she had to exert. “It’s not fair. You have more muscles than Brian.”

  “That’s no surpri—stop!”

  “Huh?” Olivia stared in disbelief as Matt doubled over in pain, his gasps for breath mixed with laughter. “You’re ticklish?”

  “Here, take it!”

  She had obviously hit a sensitive spot on his body. Make that several spots. The poor guy had dropped the bag onto her lap like it was on fire, his face contorted in fear as she wiggled her pink fingernails at him. It was too much fun. She gave his side one last poke and sat down. Stuffing a few chips into her mouth, she savored the salty and crispy taste of victory. She couldn’t help but flash a cheeky smile. “I told you I’d win.”

  He narrowed his eyes and smirked. “I’m just letting you hold the bag”—he cocked his head in her direction—“so I can do this.”

  She shrieked as droplets of cold water flew onto her face. “Ew! You’re like a wet dog.”

  “I thought you liked dogs?”
<
br />   “Not slobbery ones.” She fell back onto her elbows and tried backing up toward the other end of the couch. Her oversized gray sweatshirt caught beneath her body, preventing her from making it very far. “No more—stop! You can have my chips!”

  Playfully shaking his hair in her face, Matt leaned in close until they were nose to nose. “You mean my chips.”

  Olivia swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry. Everything around her—the sounds coming from the TV and the glare from the lamp beside the couch—faded away. She could only hear the mesmerizing tone of his voice and focus on the intense look in his eyes. Eyes that made her wonder if he wanted to kiss her. Could he be attracted to her, too?

  “Olive—”

  They both froze as the apartment’s front doorknob jiggled. Matt pulled her up and they quickly resumed their places on the couch. Olivia tucked her short black hair behind her ears, while he pretended to study the ingredients on the bag of chips.

  Olivia’s brother walked in carrying an open take-out box with a pair of wooden chopsticks sticking out of it. He set his dinner on the kitchen table and called out, “Hey, guys. What’s going on?”

  Olivia answered over her shoulder, “Nothing much, just watching TV.”

  “It’s that show about being stuck on an island,” Matt chimed in.

  “That’s cool,” Brian yawned. “I’m going to take a shower, then hit the books. Don’t stay up too late, sis.”

  “Okay.” Olivia took a deep breath to calm her racing heart.

  Thankfully, Brian hadn’t walked in a second earlier or he wouldn’t be smiling as he passed by on the way to his room. The couch also shielded him from seeing any proof of what had just happened. She blinked quickly and glanced down. If Matt didn’t have his fingers laced together with hers, she might not believe it herself.

  “Is this okay?” Matt asked, his voice low and unsure.

  The expectant look in his eyes jumbled up her insides, like she had shown up to an exam without studying. But when he squeezed her hand, she released the breath she had been holding. This was one test she wouldn’t be facing alone. Nodding, she whispered, “More than okay.”

  * * *

  BONUS SCENE

  Eleven years ago

  Matt

  Matt Chan pulled on his sweatpants and opened the bathroom door, his hair still wet from his shower. He listened intently and caught the low timbre of male voices coming from the living room. Next came the slow and steady rhythm of a suspenseful tune, confirming what he already knew: it was Wednesday and he was right on time.

  Towel in hand, he strode into the living room of the two-bedroom apartment he shared with his best friend. Lucky for him, Brian was out that evening and the one person he did want to see was sitting in her usual spot. Matt’s heart did a funny flip-flop in his chest at the sight of the young woman on his couch. Her profile came into view and he couldn’t help but smile at the way her eyes were fixed on the TV screen, entranced. He didn’t know who enjoyed their home entertainment system more, him, Brian or Brian’s sister, Olivia. On second thought, it had to be him. Only because the LCD and surround-sound speakers he’d spent a fortune on guaranteed that she would show up at their place once a week, every week.

  “Hey Olive, back to feed your addiction? I still don’t get why you like that show so much.”

  “Matt, shh! Not so loud. I can’t hear.” She grabbed the remote off the leather couch and aimed it at the TV, turning up the volume. “Now I can’t see!”

  Matt grinned. He had positioned himself directly in front of Olivia, forcing her to dodge from side to side like a goalie to see the screen. He took his time toweling off his hair and teased her, “You should make an appointment at the health center. Seems you’re going deaf and blind.”

  She groaned long and low, her lips pursed in annoyance.

  D’oh. She looked harmless enough, even sweet, with that expression of hers, but he was pushing the limit. If Olive had a “man cave”, this was it, and it was sacred ground. She put up with his teasing now and then, but she did not appreciate being interrupted during her favorite activity. Or maybe for once she did.

  When she finally looked up at him, her jaw dropped.

  He smirked. It seemed his bare chest had stolen the show. If he’d known she’d react this way, he would’ve walked around shirtless months ago. “Looks like you can see fine now.” He caught the pillow she chucked his way and shook his head. “On second thought, your aim’s not so good.” Neither was her attempt at playing it cool. She had lowered her gaze, but her cheeks were pinker than ever.

  “Move, please! Locke just discovered a secret message. It might be the clue they need to get off the island!”

  The urgency in her voice convinced Matt to put her out of her misery. He moved aside and slung his towel onto the back of the couch, trading it for a sweatshirt that was lying there. He put it on before taking a seat beside her. “I wouldn’t get your hopes up. Popular shows always drag on for years.”

  “No, they have to figure it out by May.” She turned to face him as the screen cut to a commercial. “I won’t have a TV after you guys graduate. I’ll have to wait for the episodes to go online and I hate waiting.”

  She sure was cute when she pouted. “Well, you could use that time to study like all the other students around here.”

  Olivia rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Like you don’t hear the parties going on every night upstairs. I am studying. Psych majors are supposed to study people. I happen to be studying the ones on TV.”

  “In case you have to counsel someone in the future whose plane crashed on a deserted island?”

  “Totally. And it’s not deserted. There’s a whole group of ‘The Others’ who are trying to kidnap them.”

  He cocked his head to one side and feigned a look of disbelief, even though inwardly he was enjoying every second of their banter.

  “Don’t diss my show. If you don’t like it, you can go find some boring real-life story to write about.”

  “Guess what? I already turned in my article for Friday, so I’m free to enjoy some fictional entertainment.” And most of all, her company. He raised his feet onto the glass coffee table in front of them and sank back into the cushions. “Let’s see how good this show really is.”

  “Fine. But no talking.”

  No talking? What fun would that be? Good thing he came prepared to break down her defenses. “What about chewing?”

  Her brows rose in delight. “You didn’t—”

  “I did.” Reaching behind the couch, he produced a black bag and tore it open. “I’m surprised to see you empty-handed.”

  “I ate my last bag yesterday. Care to share yours?”

  He pretended to ponder her question, although he didn’t think he’d ever be able to resist those big brown eyes of hers. “I guess I could.”

  “Taro chips, my favorite.” She stuffed one in her mouth, then reached for another. “Thanks, Matt. You can definitely stay now.”

  He chuckled. Was that right? “You know this is my apartment and my TV you’re watching. Not to mention”—he held the bag out of her reach—“my chips you’re eating. If anyone should be begging, it’s you.”

  “But I’m your best friend’s sister. That’s gotta count for something.” She knelt on the couch to reach for the chips. “You should know I’ve been playing keepaway with my brother my whole life and I always win.”

  “We’ll see about that.” He stretched out his arm and held the bag high over his head, jerking it away as she got close. “Not bad.”

  “Come on, the show’s starting.” She yanked his arm down and frowned. “It’s not fair. You have more muscles than Brian.”

  “That’s no surpri—stop!” Matt doubled over, gasping for air and laughing at the same time. Great, she found his weakness. This was not going to end well for him.

  “Huh? You’re ticklish?”

  “Here, take it!” He dropped the bag onto her lap and crossed his arms against his chest. His
eyes watered as he tried to catch his breath.

  She gave his side one last poke and sat down. Stuffing a few chips into her mouth, she flashed a cheeky smile. “I told you I’d win.”

  He narrowed his eyes and smirked. He wasn’t going to let her off the hook so easily. Especially not after she tortured him with her fingers. “I’m just letting you hold the bag so I can do this.” He cocked his head in her direction and shook it, spraying drops of cool water onto her face.

  She shrieked, “Ew! You’re like a wet dog.”

  “I thought you liked dogs?”

  “Not slobbery ones.” Olivia fell back onto her elbows and tried backing up toward the other end of the couch, but she didn’t make it very far. “No more—stop! You can have my chips!”

  Oh yeah? He leaned in close until they were nose to nose. “You mean my chips.”

  She stilled, her lips parted in a small o. She blinked quickly as she stared back at him.

  Matt’s body warmed as he became aware of their closeness. This was just like a scene from his dreams, except that Olive was actually here, her breath caressing his lips, drawing him in. The chemistry between them was intense, their attraction almost tangible. She had to know how he felt. “Olive—”

  They both froze as the apartment’s front doorknob jiggled. Matt pulled her up and they quickly resumed their places on the couch. He grabbed the bag of chips from where it’d fallen on the couch and pretended to study its ingredients.

  “Hey, guys,” Brian called out as he entered. “What’s going on?”

  Olivia answered over her shoulder, “Nothing much, just watching TV.”