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“Come on,” he pleaded. “Just for tonight. So that I can maybe relax and enjoy this amazing dinner and the traditional performance.”
She supposed he did at least have a right to that. Given that it was his sister’s wedding they were all here for. Besides, she’d been thankful to Clint so many times in the past. Like when he’d bought his sister the car they’d both used to get from their off-campus dorm to their classes in the dead of winter. Or during junior year when their preferred choice of housing had fallen through and he’d pulled all sorts of strings to get them a place to stay.
Just admit that the prospect of spending the evening with him isn’t exactly a turnoff.
She gave him a nonchalant shrug. “Why not?”
Somehow, against her better judgment, she’d just agreed to spend the evening close by Clint’s side.
* * *
“I take it you won’t be indulging in the main course,” Clint said as he escorted Rita toward the numerous buffet tables laden with island food. So far, she was being a good sport about their earlier agreement to help him keep Tessa at bay. She’d stayed by his side and made sure to keep the conversation going between the two of them. Just generally staying in his company which he was enjoying way more than he should.
Truth be told, he hadn’t been expecting to get much pleasure out of this evening. He wasn’t exactly a luau type. Thanks to Rita, however, the evening was so far turning out quite differently than he’d imagined. In a very pleasant way.
The way the other woman was shooting daggers at him from across the serving area made it clear she’d noticed the camaraderie between them.
“You would be correct,” Rita responded as they reached the first table.
Sarita. No wonder he hadn’t recognized her. He could hardly be faulted for not realizing at first glance that she was the bespectacled, purple-haired, shy girl he’d see occasionally when he visited Lizzie at school. Hard to believe this was the same woman standing before him now.
“It’s not like I’ll go hungry,” she added, breaking into his thoughts and motioning to the massive number of dishes laid out before them. He didn’t even recognize half the plates. Tropical fruit, various pulled meats, grilled vegetables. In the center of every table sat a bowling-ball-sized bowl of some kind of pinkish pudding-like substance.
“Any idea what that is?” he asked her.
“I believe it’s what’s known as poi.”
“Pa—what, now?”
She laughed as she handed him an empty plate, then grabbed one for herself. “Based on some reading I’ve done, it’s made from some kind of native plant. It’s supposed to be full of essential vitamins and minerals. It’s supposed to be very good for you. Particularly for—” she paused midsentence “—um... Never mind.”
Judging by the way she suddenly ducked her head, something had clearly made her uncomfortable.
“What were you going to say?”
“Nothing. Just an article I read.”
“I’m a little hurt that you aren’t willing to educate me. Perfectly okay that I’ll remain woefully ignorant about whatever this pwah is.”
She granted him a small laugh. “Poi. It’s just very popular with the men in particular.”
“Yeah, why’s that?”
They both reached for the same serving spoon and the brush of her fingers against his sent a spark of awareness down to his center. Suddenly, he realized what she was referring to. The poi must be considered to lend some kind of boost to male performance.
She quickly pulled her hand away.
“I think I figured it out.” He reached for the next item. “Not that someone like me would be concerned about that.”
Why the hell had he just said that?
Damn it, now the air between them was awkward and strained. When they’d been having such a relaxed conversation earlier.
“That was just a joke,” he said by way of explanation.
“Does that mean it’s not true? That you could perhaps use the poi?”
“What? No! I mean, yes. I mean, of course it’s true.” Saints above. It was like he didn’t even know how to speak around this woman.
She popped a pineapple chunk into her mouth and winked at him with bemusement. He had to remind himself to breathe.
“Ha, ha.”
Just to be funny, he scooped a ridiculous amount of the poi and dropped it in the center of his plate.
The show was just starting as they took their seats. He stole a glance at Rita next to him as she watched. She seemed thoroughly entranced by the story the performers were enacting on the stage. Tales about native islanders leaving their home to find more hospitable islands. Kings and queens leading their people to new lands, the culture and customs that they brought with them and how they mixed with inhabitants already living there.
Rita looked like she could be one of those queens. Or a regal princess adjusting to life on a new island. Her sundress swayed softly in the breeze. The glow of the lit torches brought out the dark golden specks of her eyes. Rather than wearing the flower lei they’d received upon arrival around her neck, she’d loosely wrapped it around the crown of her head. The overall effect was mesmerizing.
So much so that Clint barely noticed when the story depiction part of the show was over and the hula dancing had begun. Rhythmic drums filled the air as the dancers bounced to the music, their hips moving in ways that seemed to defy anatomical possibility. The dancers then formed a circle around the tables. Lizzie and Jonathon sat at the table next to them. The woman onstage spoke into her microphone. “I understand there are a bride and groom here celebrating with us.”
One of the dancers extended a hand to Lizzie, who took it and then stood from the table. Jonathon stood as well with another dancer leading him by the elbow. All four started making their way toward the stage. Various other couples in the dining area were similarly led.
“Please come participate with us in a traditional celebratory dance,” the woman said into the mic.
On her way to the stage, Lizzie suddenly stopped behind him. “Come on, big brother. I don’t want you to miss out on this.” She grabbed him by the crook of the elbow and pulled.
“Oh, no, you don’t. I am not a dancer.”
“Tonight you are.” She tugged on his arm until he had no choice but to stand.
His sister wanted him to dance. Onstage. A traditional Hawaiian hula. Well, he wasn’t going down alone.
“Rita? Care to join us?”
Her jaw fell. “Uh... I’ll sit this one out.”
“Come on. Don’t make me suffer this alone.” Before he could finish the sentence, the female dancer behind him took Rita by the hand and made her stand. Essentially making the decision for her. Clint decided he’d be forever indebted to the woman. They made their way toward the stage.
Once there, he found himself thrust in Rita’s direction as everyone coupled up to dance, the women in front of the men. A dancer in the front led them, instructing how to move the hips just so. Rita did as instructed. And she seemed to have quite a knack for it. Her hips moved in swift circles in front of him and he thought perhaps his lungs would stop functioning.
Sweet heavens, perhaps he shouldn’t have had any of the poi. Not that it would have made any kind of difference.
* * *
The early-morning jog along the beach was supposed to clear his head. But images from the previous evening kept invading Clint’s mind as he ran at a punishing pace along the water. Rita’s smile as she was teasing him about the local delicacy. The way she’d tried to avoid looking at the main dish.
How her hips had moved as she danced in front of him.
So he thought he must have been imaging it when he looked toward the horizon and saw her in the water climbing onto a surfboard, assisted by a tan, blond man. She appeared to be taking a surfing lesson. The man grabbed her about the waist as he held her steady on the waves.
How many times last night had his fingers itched to do the same thing? He couldn’t count the number of times he’d awoken after midnight from a dream that prominently featured a dark-haired beauty with a flower lei adorning her head.
He watched her laugh as she toppled off the board and splashed in the water once more. The instructor immediately grabbed her and assisted her back on. Clint suddenly felt an irrationally intense dislike for the man.
This had to stop. He couldn’t be having these thoughts. About her or anyone else. He didn’t need any kind of disruption in his life right now. Didn’t have time for it. He certainly didn’t have the time or the inclination for a serious relationship with anyone, let alone a woman like Rita. She deserved nothing less than total commitment. Something he wasn’t sure he’d ever be willing to give.
Good thing there were no group activities planned for today. He could use the time to clear his head. The next outing on the agenda wasn’t until after midnight tonight, when they’d be picked up to go to Haleakala to see the sunrise atop the volcanic crater. He’d be sure to steer clear of her then.
You Fallon men have no idea how to fall in love without completely sacrificing your souls.
His grandmother was right. Not that he had any kind of notion that he was falling for Rita. It was simply the romantic mood of this wedding and the sensuous setting of the tropical island. Still, he would have to make sure not to let silly whims get the better of him from now on. Asking Rita to pretend they were interested in getting to know each other better had been a mistake. He would have been better off just dodging Tessa’s advances.
Much better off than what he was feeling now.
CHAPTER THREE (#ulink_06e14f75-330b-5f5f-920a-134866a86aed)
IF HER TEETH chattered any harder, Rita was sure to crack a molar. Given that they were supposed to be in one of the warmest climes on the planet, she hadn’t expected it to be this chilly at any point during this trip. But being on top of one of the world’s tallest volcanos, it made sense if one thought about it. Especially at about four thirty in the morning. Well, that particular bit of wisdom wasn’t doing her any good at the moment.
Their tour bus driver said they had to get here this early or all the viewing spots would completely fill up. If she’d known about the biting chill, she might have argued to take the risk. People around her were bundled up in coats and scarves. A few had thick, plush blankets. Even members of the wedding party had somehow come prepared. Had they received some kind of memo she hadn’t?
Probably not, Rita thought and hugged her sweatshirt tighter around herself. They had just somehow planned better than she had. Story of her life. It wasn’t even a terribly thick sweatshirt.
She heard a shuffling behind her and turned to find Clint approaching. She knew it was him, though it was somewhat hard to see in the predawn darkness. He had a thick leather jacket on. Yet another person better prepared than she.
“You’re shivering,” he stated, noting the obvious.
“Ye-e-es. I—I a-a-am.” Okay, so the stutter was a bit exaggerated. But not by much. Her lips were practically flapping together from the cold.
He started shrugging off his coat. “Here, take this.”
She stopped him with a hand to his chest. “No way. I am not that s-selfish.” The cold stutter made the word sound like she’d said shellfish and she had to stifle a laugh.
“I don’t know you very well, but that’s the last term I would use to describe you.”
The words took her aback. In fact, she’d heard herself described that way countless times over the last several months. By people she cared for the most. When all she’d wanted to do was find her own way and discover what made her happy. Correction, she’d wanted to discover what made her feel.
Though she didn’t want to examine exactly what it was she was feeling right now. Neither did she want to admit that she’d been hoping Clint would find her at some point on top of this mountain.
“I can’t take your coat,” she insisted through the chattering.
“Well, I can’t take watching you succumb to frostbite.”
Before she knew what he was up to, he’d stepped behind her and enveloped her in his embrace, the coat wrapped around them both. “Here. In the interest of compromise.”
A cocoon of heat suddenly surrounded her, along with his woodsy masculine scent. In her desire for warmth, she didn’t bother to stop him or step away. Right. Like that was the only desire driving her at the moment.
“This is supposed to be one of the most spectacular sunrises on the earth. You don’t want to turn into a frozen popsicle before you get to see it, do you?”
“I suppose not.” She resisted the urge to snuggle her back closer to his chest. “Thank you.”
He shrugged against her. “It’s the least I can do. After the way you helped me the other night.”
“Ah, you mean your evasion mission.”
“It seems to have worked. Ms. Campbell seems to be wrapped around one of the other groomsmen at this very moment.”
The way he was wrapped around her. “I’m sure she’s simply trying to stay warm too.”
“No doubt.”
“She wasn’t terribly happy with me that night after the luau when she came in,” she told him, remembering the slamming of the suite door as she was brushing her teeth. Rita had felt somewhat guilty. She had nothing against Tessa; they’d actually been study partners for some core subjects back in school. “I got a bit of the silent treatment before we both retired for the night.”
“I think she may forgive you pretty soon. If she hasn’t already. Judging by how she’s moved on and all.”
“I hope so. She did say one thing that night though.”
She felt his warm breath against her cheek when he responded. “What’s that?”
“She mentioned being surprised you were alone to begin with.”
“So you guys were talking about me.”
Uh-oh. “I won’t deny it. Tessa said there had to be a story to explain why you were here stag at your own sister’s wedding.”
“Not really. Just one argument too many. Considering it wasn’t a serious relationship, this seemed as good a time as any to end things. Rather than pretend during an island wedding full of activities. Some things simply aren’t meant to be.”
“I see. So it was mutual?” Rita wanted to bite her tongue as soon as the words left her mouth. She was giving Clint every indication that she was interested in his personal life. When she had absolutely no reason to be. No logical reason. She had to be careful. It would behoove her to be more guarded about such things, now that she was single again. “I’m sorry. It’s not really any of my concern.”
He remained silent at that. A strong gust of wind suddenly whipped through the air and she reflexively nestled closer against him.
Mistake.
A current of electricity shot through her core. She was no prude; she’d been a married woman for heaven’s sake. But being in Clint’s arms was triggering a reaction she hadn’t been expecting. One she couldn’t relate to anything else.
She’d loved Jay. She really had. But she couldn’t recall feeling an electric jolt in the pit of her stomach when he held her. Not like she was feeling this very moment.
“What about you?” Clint surprised her by asking.
“Me?”
“If I recall, Lizzie mentioned a couple of years back attending a traditional Indian wedding. I believe you were the bride.”
“You would be correct.”
“But you’re here alone.”
“It’s like you said, some things simply aren’t meant to be.”
