StealingThe Bride (7 page)

“Good
morning,” he said, not wanting to let her hand go just yet even after she was
on board.

A
wave came by and rocked the boat causing her to bump into him.

“Morning to you, too.”
She smiled and tilted her head
down for a moment, as if she were shy at been so close to him with people
around after what they had shared the night before.

“Okay,
Kolby, everything’s locked up. We’re ready,” Mita shouted to him as she waded
through the surf to the boat. Not needing help, after years of practice, Mita
placed her hand on the side of the boat and hoisted
herself
out of the water.

Leya
took her seat and he went to the front of the boat to beginning the excursion
at Manta Point. There wouldn’t be any more time to fantasize about a woman he
needed to stay far away from. He had a job to do for the next few hours and it
was damn time he remember that fact.

*
* * *

“Oh
my God, that was the most amazing of experiences.” An older man was saying as
all the scuba divers stood in line handing in their tanks to Mita at the water
sports cabana.

Leya
smiled at the older man as she unzipped her neoprene suit. “It truly was. I do
believe swimming beside those manta rays was a memory I’ll never forget.” She
was glad she’d taken her water camera. She couldn’t wait to get back home and
show the pictures to Kathryn and
Summer
.

“For
me it was all the schools of fish. So many fish moving in sync around the reef
and nibbling on the underbelly of the big fish,” a young woman with short blond
hair standing behind Leya, next to a middle age man, added.

Leya
remembered the woman announcing during the adventure that she and the middle-aged
man, who looked old enough to be her uncle, were on their honeymoon. Leya
couldn’t help but think that the woman had caught herself a rich sugar daddy.
Mentally, Leya shook her head. Finding some wealthy guy and living off him was
not her thing. She much preferred having her own career and making her own
money. Even if she didn’t use what she earned very often.

Finally
up to the front, she handed in her tank and told Mita which tote bag was hers.
While she waited for the Indonesian woman to return with her things, Leya
wiggled out of her suit. When Mita came back to the counter, Leya exchanged her
wetsuit for her bag. She pulled out a short sundress from her bag, another item
she had purchased on her first day here. Stepping away, she called out a
good-bye to the few remaining from her group as another group stood in line
awaiting their snorkeling gear from a middle-aged Indonesian man.

She
hadn’t seen Kolby since he helped everyone off the boat. She’d forced herself
not watch where he went or to look out on the ocean and see if he was still on
the vessel. Most likely he had other groups to manage. Besides, they’d had
their one night now it was time for her to focus on what to do the remaining
part of her vacation.

She
rounded the hut and headed toward the path back to the main portion of the
resort when she heard her name.

“Leya!”

Her
stomach tightened and heat radiated along her spine. Those signs alone let her
know before she turned around who called her. Pivoting she saw Kolby a few feet
away from her moving closer, his shoulder length hair blowing in the breeze.
Now out of his short wetsuit, he was dressed in black trunks and a white T-shirt
with
beri bantuan
on it.

She
didn’t even attempt to calm her rapid-beating heart, which had kicked up speed
seeing that he sought her out.

“I
just wanted to tell you that I didn’t sneak away this morning.” He wasn’t even
a little out of breath from his run to her.

“No?”

“Not at all.
You looked really tired, so I
didn’t want to wake you. I had to take care of a few things before the
excursion.”

She
was happy to hear that. When she had awaken and found him gone, she figured
that he was just trying to make things easy on them both by not having to make
awkward good-byes.

“That’s
good to know.”

“I’m
sure you’re hungry after all that swimming, I know I am.”

Hungry
wasn’t the word for it. She felt as if she could eat a ten-course meal. “I
could eat.”

A
few people passed them on the path and thanked Kolby for the scuba lessons and
trip. He replied graciously. Once the last person moved further along the
walkway, he asked, “What are your plans today?”

The
sun made his eyes appear more blue than gray.

“I
wanted to tour the city and find a local spot to eat.” Her hand fiddled with
the straps of her bag.

“Well,
I know of a great place where the people are friendly and the food is really
good. If you don’t mind spending more time with me, I’d love for you to join
me.”

“I’d
like that.” The words tumbled out before her mind could decide if it was a good
idea or not.

His
mouth stretched wide in a smile and surprise lit up his eyes, as if he hadn’t
expected her to agree.

Hell,
she was shocked herself.

He
led the way up the path around the side of the resort to the employee parking
lot to a dark green moped. “Hop on.” Kolby patted the back of the seat behind
him.

“One
second.” She opened her bag and removed a sky blue cotton scarf that matched
her dress. She was sure the salt water had done a number on her hair and riding
on the back of a scooter would really make it unruly. Tying it under her braid,
she removed a pair of hoop earrings, slipping them in her earlobes and added
lip gloss to her lips. Last she took out a small travel bottle of lotion and
quickly slapped a thin coat on her face, arms and legs.

Hooking
the bag on her shoulder, she moved to the bike.

“You
sure you’re ready now?”

Climbing
on, she said, “Trust me. You didn’t want some ashy, wild-looking black woman
going places with you in public.”

Glancing
over his shoulder, his gaze traveled up and down her body, heat flared in his
eyes as if he were recalling what she looked like beneath her clothing. She
shivered in response.

“I
think I like you wild.”

Heat
rose from her belly to her face.

He
winked. “Hold on.”

She
slipped her arms around his waist, feeling the taunt muscles of his abs against
her palms. Leaning in she could smell his scent of sea water and a unique musk
that was all Kolby. She pressed her chest against his back then held on tight as
he pulled out of the lot and onto the main road.

As
long minutes passed them by, the touristy part of Sanur began to fade away.
Soon the hotels and fancy stores and businesses became dirt roads and vibrant
green foliage that gave way to small rundown homes and children playing
alongside of the road. She wondered where they were headed and what kind of
restaurant would be located so far from the city.

Soon,
he guided the moped up a dirt path between large bushes, they past a bright
yellow and white sign with words on it that she couldn’t understand. A quarter
mile in the trees broke and there was a large area before them displaying three
buildings in a U-shape, one long in the middle and two shorter buildings. Two
were painted sky blue with mint green trim, but one of the buildings had a roof
held up by columns with no walls. Stopping the moped and shutting off the
engine Kolby patted her leg.

“We’re
here.”

Before
she could ask where a light brown-skinned older woman came rushing out from the
smaller painted building wearing a button down tan shirt, long flowing skirt
and a large smile. “Ah, Mr. Kolby, so good you can make it, today.”

“I
would not miss it, Citra.” He got off the bike then took Leya’s hand. “This is
Leya, a friend.”

Stepping
closer to her, Citra clasped her hands and gave a small bow of her head. “It is
nice to meet a friend to Mr. Kolby. His heart is very big.”

Leya
didn’t know what to respond to the woman’s words about Kolby. She had only
known him a couple of days and this situation was unexpected. She smiled and
said, “
It’s
nice meet you as well.”

“Are
we in time for
makan
siang
?” Kolby asked rubbing his stomach
and giving the woman a big grin.

Releasing
Leya’s hand, the older woman patted Kolby’s arm. “Oh, Mr. Kolby we always have
extra for you for the midday meal.” She looked at Leya and then him again and
said, “And
your…
friend as well.”

Leya
noticed the sly look the woman gave Kolby as if she believed there was
something more between him and Leya then what was being said. Citra led the way
back to the building.

Glancing
around, Leya frowned. “What kind of restaurant is this? It doesn’t seem as if
they get many customers.”

“It’s
not a restaurant. Besides, most people in this area walk where they need to
travel and some have bicycles or mopeds.” He pressed his hand to her back and
urged her to follow the lady.

“She
seems to know you very well. How often do you come here to eat?”

He
shrugged. “I don’t keep track. I’ve known Citra for about seven years.”

They
went up two steps to a long porch that expanded the length of the building. Removing
their shoes, Leya and Kolby entered the front door behind Citra into one area
almost the entire space of the building.

As
soon as they entered, children began to wave and jump up and down beside their
chairs, chanting, “
Saya teman
Mr.
Kolby!”

Over
forty children and six adults clapped and grinned with excitement around the
room filled with long tables and chairs.

Leaning
closer to him, she asked, “What does
saya
teman
mean?”

The
hand on her back flexed as he glanced at her for a moment.
“My
friend.”

“Oh.”
This was no occasional food stop; these people recognized and knew Kolby.
Knowing that he spent his time away from the tourist locations and mingled with
the real locals made her heart beat hard against her chest and her stomach
tighten. Who was this man? She wondered to herself.

Kolby
announced to everyone that her name was Leya and she was a friend here for a
short visit. A few children rushed over to her and took her hands, pulling her
down the aisle of tables to a seat. She glanced over her shoulder a little
nervous, but when she saw Kolby’s eyes, a warm ocean blue, on her, her nerves
settled.

Moving
around the room, Kolby greeted the children and adults, calling them all by
name and commenting on haircuts or new school uniforms the children were
wearing. Soon, he was seated across from her.

She
realized soon that most of the children spoke enough English for her to
communicate. It didn’t take much for her to realize it was a school and the
children were having lunch with their teachers. The meal in the bowls sitting
in the middle of the tables wasn’t lavish like at the hotel, but instead a
simple fair of steamed vegetables, fish kebabs, rice, and a soup accompanied by
glasses of a sweet, creamy tea.

Soon
the meal was over and a man Kolby introduced to her as Entji came to get him to
help out back.

All
the kids helped to clean the dishes off the table than hustled out to their
next session.

Kolby
turned to her. “If you don’t mind, Entji needs a hand with a water pump. I
shouldn’t take that long.”

“Go.
I will be fine. I’ll help Citra with things until you’re done.”

He
leaned toward her as if he was going to kiss her; instead he took her hand and
squeezed it. “Thank you.” Then turned and walked away.

In
that brief touch and the light in his eyes, she could tell how much her acquiescence
meant to him.

Moving
to the older woman, she said, “Citra I’ve come to help with the dishes.”

“No,
no. The girls will care for it.”

Sure
enough as she said it, three girls looking to be around fifteen came into the
door. They greeted Citra and immediately collected the tubs filled with the
dirty dishes as the older woman waved Leya out the door.

“The
rice kitchen will open soon. Can you help me with this?”

Leya
agreed and followed the shorter woman across the field to the wall less
building.

“What
is this building used for?” Leya asked.

“It
is used to distribute rice bags and other donated goods to the families of our
students. The shipment comes once a month and a lot of the locals depended on
it to get by and care for their families,” Citra explained.

“Does
the rice really help?” Leya could not imagine that something so simple could
really make a difference.

Looking
her way, as they moved until the covering, Citra said, “Oh, yes. It is very
much needed. Without the local rice grown by most of the family farms, it is
too expensive for them to purchase and they have to use different grains and
beans to feed their household. Most of the time this is not enough.”