Getting Lei'd (7 page)

I notice a pathway that has various smooth stones sticking up from the concrete, so I decide to go investigate. “I see you’ve found my reflexology path.” Kai has come up close behind me. “Try it out,” he encourages me. I set off down the walkway but quickly find that it hurts, so I jump to the side and off the path.

Kai takes my hand and leads me back to the beginning. “You’re going too fast. Slow down and enjoy it. Slowly roll your feet through each step.” Not letting my hand go, Kai steps onto the path, leaving me no choice but to join him. This time, I follow his instructions and am amazed to find that slowly pressing my feet into the stones feels like a relaxing foot massage. I close my eyes as we traverse the path in super-slow motion. By the end, my entire body is zinging with energy from the rock massage of the pressure points on my feet—and the hand-to-hand connection I am sharing with Kai.

After we finish enjoying the reflexology path, I circle around to what appears to be a hot tub. “That’s an icy plunge.” Kai informs me. I stick a finger in and jerk it back, shocked to discover numbingly cold water. “You take a dip in there to rev up your circulation,” Kai tells me, and I can’t help but think that my circulation is already plenty revved when he is near. “Then you get in the hot tub.” He gestures to a large in-ground swirling infinity pool of water. “The fast temperature change gives you pins and needles in your limbs, but it’s a good tingling. Go ahead and give it a try. You’ll never feel more alive,” he promises.

My body already feels more alive than it ever has before just by being near him, but I don’t want to embarrass myself by saying it. “I wouldn’t want to wash off my magic jelly,” I tell him, silently thinking that I can’t be so near him in a hot tub, either. My fantasies about him don’t need any more fuel added to the fire.

“If you’re sure, then I’ll take you back to the resort,” he tells me before adding, “I’m already late for work, anyway.”

I can feel a panic attack starting over his words. “I’m so sorry,” I gasp. “Let’s get going.”

“It was so worth it,” he reassures me. “Besides, what are they going to do, fire me?” He chuckles, but I can’t help thinking that he is taking this much too lightly. Is this some kind of stereotypical “island attitude” about time and work? I would feel horrible if he lost his job for saving my life, even though from the looks of his house, he evidently doesn’t need the money. He clearly wants to work, and I don’t want to get in the way of that.

Kai walks me to a white Jeep and opens the passenger-side door before indicating he’ll be right back and running into the house. When he returns, he has on shorts and a polo shirt and is carrying a large brown bag. I look down at myself and suddenly feel silly in my dark blue racer-back Speedo swimsuit. As if he had anticipated my discomfort, he tosses me a T-shirt from the bag before placing the bag in the backseat. I catch a whiff of his scent as I lower the T-shirt over my head.
I’ll be keeping this
, I think to myself as we take off in the topless Jeep.

Once we park at the resort, he retrieves the bag from the backseat and hands me three jars of magic jelly. “How much do I owe you?” I ask him.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” he responds.

“No, I pay my own way,” I inform him in my no-uncertain-terms tone.

“Okay then, I’d like a kiss.” He leans toward me, smiling.

There is nothing I’d rather do than press my lips against Kai’s, but an image of Leilani flashes into my mind. “I can’t,” I tell him before turning and running toward my room.

When I return to the room, Baggy and Ruthie are awake and beginning to move. I give them each a jar of the magic jelly with a brief explanation of the morning’s events. Baggy is slightly bummed to learn that Kai’s brown-bag dealings at the bar are not something seedier, but her eyes light up when she tells Ruthie and I about her latest scheme.

She confides to us that she and Howie are going on a top-secret sting operation to catch a jewelry thief at the Marriott a few hotels down the beach. “Howie?” Ruthie and I ask in unison, looking at each other to see if we had missed something important.

“Oh, Howard is Jim’s real name,” Baggy tells us, as if that explains everything. When we continue to look perplexed, she adds, “He only uses Jim—his code name—when he is undercover on super-secret spy operations.” I am tempted to tell her that the very fact that he has shared all of this information with her proves that he is not a real spy, but I don’t want to rain on her parade. She seems almost giddy with happiness, so I suppose a little pretend danger won’t hurt anything.

Ruthie tells us that she is going to try snorkeling today. For someone who normally only dips her toes in the water to bathe, she sure is turning into quite a fish. I’m pretty sure it’s only because of her latest conquest (whose wardrobe seems to consist solely of shorty wetsuits and long board swim shorts), but I decide not to call her out on it.

I inform them that again I intend to spend the day painting, and they both head out, excited to begin their next adventure in paradise. I pull out my easel, admire my waterfall rendition for a moment before I set it aside, and stare at a blank canvas. I’d like to replicate the emotion of being pulled into Kai’s strong embrace as he saved me from the smack of jellyfish, but I can’t paint a muscular arm wrapped around a damsel in distress. I had enough trouble attempting to explain away the waterfall scene. If Kai saw a water rescue scene, he would think I am some kind of deranged stalker.

In the end, I decide to create a super close-up impression of a jellyfish. As is usually the case, I lose myself in the pleasure of painting and have no idea how much time has passed, other than the fact that my tummy is growling angrily. I stand back to look at the finished piece and am pleased. I have captured the iridescent essence of the animal and somehow found a way to express the beauty in a creature that I now fully despise. Feeling rather pleased with my emerging talent, I head in to shower off the paint and grime of a long day’s work.

Jim, or Howie, or whatever we are supposed to call him, joins us for dinner. He regales us all with tall tales of his spy adventures. I wonder if he is delusional and really believes the stories he shares, or if he is just eccentric and likes to entertain. Either way, he is funny and charming, and Baggy seems to be completely taken with him. When he takes her hand and says, “Let’s go cut a rug,” Baggy giggles like a schoolgirl before following him to the dance floor.

I sit back in my chair to enjoy watching them for a bit. Their effervescence for life is apparent as they flounce around in each other’s arms. We should all be lucky enough to find someone to share that with, even if he is a little crazy. Besides, she’s more than a little crazy herself.

Ruthie spots her crush at the bar and saunters off. It’s so odd to see her being the chaser, when she is so accustomed to being the chased.

I sit at the table for a few minutes pondering my life and wishing there was a luau tonight. Kai drops into Baggy’s vacated chair and asks me if I’d like to take a walk along the beach. I smile and agree to go with him.

As we walk, I can’t help but wonder if it is part of the resort employees’ jobs to help entertain the lonely, loser guests who don’t have anyone special in one of the most romantic spots on Earth. The thought dampens my spirits, and I decide to relieve Kai of his duty. “You don’t have to spend time with me,” I tell him. “I know it is part of your job to make sure the resort’s guests have fun.”

He gives me an odd look. “I don’t know what you think is in my job description, but it’s nothing like that. I’m not a gigolo.”

“I thought this might fall under the ‘other duties as needed’ category,” I tell him, only half-joking.

“No, I’m here with you because I want to be.”

His words are sweet and perfect—exactly what I want to hear—and it frustrates me beyond reason. I run a hand through my hair before calling him out on it. “I know that Leilani is pregnant.” I let that hang in the air for a bit. Kai is silently looking at me, like he needs more of an explanation than that. “Well, don’t you think you should be going on a romantic stroll along the beach with her, not me?”

“No,” he tells me before understanding dawns. “Oh, you think the baby is mine. Leilani and I are just friends—have been since we were kids.” Relief floods through me at his explanation, until he bowls me over with a surprising statement. “The baby is Honi’s.”

You could have knocked me over with a feather.
Huge, sweet, high-voiced Honi is the father of Leilani’s baby?

“Honi has always been in love with her, and I think she feels the same way about him, but she’s scared to admit it, even to herself.” I nod, trying to absorb what he is telling me. Honi seems like a terrific guy, but he is not at all the type of person I pictured being with someone like Leilani. “He’s not exactly who she envisioned herself ending up with, but love sneaks up on us sometimes.” Kai’s words mimic my thoughts exactly.

“Whoa,” is all I can say. Suddenly, it sinks in with me that all of the barriers between Kai and I were figments of my imagination. His shady dealings behind the bar and his gorgeous, pregnant girlfriend were things I had blown out of proportion in my own mind.

I am in paradise with a sweet Hawaiian hunk, and there is no reason why I can’t have a hot, sexy fling with him.
The realization washes over me. We have stopped walking and are standing very close. The moon isn’t quite full, but it’s big and shining brightly over the ocean. There is a light breeze tossing my hair back. This is the perfect moment for a kiss. I tip my head back and wait, but nothing happens.

He asks if I’m ready to head back to the resort and the moment is gone.
Maybe I have misread him? Is he just being friendly?
We walk alongside the pool and I torture myself with these thoughts.
Why didn’t he kiss me? Should I have kissed him? There must be a reason why he didn’t. I wonder what it could be.

Suddenly, he stops and turns to me. He hesitates as if undecided about what to do. Finally, he steps closer to me and drops his lips down to mine in a tender, tantalizing kiss. I open my lips seeking more, but he pulls back.

“Goodnight, Roxy.” He says the words, and then he is gone. I stand there with my eyes closed, feeling like I am floating for a minute. I bring two fingers up to my lips, savoring the feeling of having just received the best kiss of my life.

“Wow.” I say the word aloud since no one else is around. Finally, I return to our cabana, even though I know there is no chance of my heartbeats slowing enough to allow for sleep anytime soon.

Apparently, my heart rate did eventually calm down because I sleep like the dead. I awaken with a start and realize someone is knocking on our door. As I stumble to answer it, I’m surprised to see daylight. I am alone in the room, so I must have slept through Baggy and Ruthie getting up and leaving, which can’t have been quiet.

I fling the door open and am only moderately surprised to see Kai on the other side. He doesn’t seem taken aback by my appearance, which I’m sure is a hot-mess mix of disheveled bedhead and raccoon-eyed smeared makeup.

“The market is open today. Would you like to go with me?”

I have no idea what the market is, but if Kai wants to take me somewhere, I am there. “I should probably shower first.” I point in the general direction of my head and smile with closed lips, careful not to show my fuzzy, unbrushed teeth or spew any of my dreadful morning breath in his direction.

“I’ll wait by the bar,” he tells me and spins on his heel to head that way.

I shut the door and spring into action. I want to get ready quickly so he is not waiting on me for too long, but I also want to look great and be ready for any adventure he wishes to embark upon. I finally decide to wear a bathing suit with a cute sundress over it.

I take my choices to the bathroom and glance in the mirror after starting the shower. My reflection is downright frightening. The fact that he didn’t go running from this room at the sight of me is amazing. I take the speediest shower I can without skipping shaving, which isn’t an option. I do take the time to rub some magic jelly on my dry knees and elbows. It feels so great on my skin that I decide to douse my entire body in it. Why not? Besides, I smell like a delicious coconut concoction that Kai might blend behind the bar.

I take the time to apply sunscreen on my face. After adding mascara and ChapStick, I pull my hair into a low ponytail and declare myself presentable. Not just presentable, I decide as I catch a glimpse of my swingy skirt in the full-length mirror. I’d give myself a 6.5 today, maybe a 7. I’ll just try not to think of the fact that Kai is a 9.5, possibly a 10.

When I join him at the bar, he beams at me like I am the most beautiful woman in the world, and I instantly forget all the one-to-ten rating-scale nonsense. I look around to tell Baggy and Ruthie that we are leaving, but can’t find either of them. I decide to just go. That is what they would do. Besides, they can call my cell if they really need me.

Kai leads me to the limo that he picked us up from the airport in. “You’re allowed to drive the resort’s limo when you’re not working?” I ask him.

“Nana Lana needed the Jeep today.” I try to picture a grandmotherly type tooling around the island in Kai’s Jeep. His grandma must be even more like Baggy than I had imagined. “Besides, I am working,” Kai adds.

I raise my eyebrows in question, so he continues, “I’m picking up fresh fruit and juice at the market.”

“Oh, you just invited me along to help tote and carry, eh?” I tease him. Going to a grocery to pick up supplies for the resort isn’t something I would have thought I’d want to do on a Hawaiian vacation, but I’d be willing to do about anything with Kai.

“You’ve figured out my evil plan. Gorgeous and smart—I am a lucky man.” I beam at his praise and successfully fight the urge to deny its accuracy.

I get to ride in the front of the limo this time, and I’m thrilled when Kai reaches over to hold my hand in his much larger one. We ride mostly in silence. I enjoy the scenery and the wonderful feeling of connection with Kai. Occasionally he points out something of interest, like the elementary school he attended, but for the most part we are quiet.