by Sue Seabury
“And now?”
“He’s into surfing.”
“He should come here then.” His gap teeth showed as his lips curved up.
“He should.” Happy butterflies flapped around in her stomach. Did that mean Hugo wouldn’t mind seeing her again?
He removed the cloth. “Good as new.”
The page really did look fine. And Hugo was acting more like himself again. Maybe they could hit the reset button and start over as friends.
And no reason to waste her remaining time here fretting about a job. There was always retail.
Hugo folded the board and coiled the cord to the iron.
“Don’t forget your first aid kit,” Kat said.
He was already holding the other items. Kat looped the strap over his one arm, all the way up to his shoulder. There was no avoiding touching his smooth, warm skin. His hair got caught under the strap. She freed it.
He cleared his throat. “Thank you.”
“Thankyou.”
“I should go.” He stayed put, his eyes on something behind her. He already saw her piggy panties. What could be worse? She turned. Just an unmade bed. Heck, she was on vacation. He should send Coraly to straighten it.
Kat longed to touch him again. She twisted her fingers together. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you where I was going yesterday. I know you worry.”
“Yes, well, it all turned out fine, as you said.”
“I saw a turtle. I’m not sure if it was a Hawk’s Bill though.” Kat was proud of remembering the name from the field guide. She didn’t have Alzheimer’s, it was normal absentmindedness. When she concentrated, she could remember. “Do you know what kind nest there?”
“It could have been a Hawk’s Bill. But it could also be a Leatherback. I’m not an expert.” He held up the book. “Did you check?”
“Oh.” Kat blushed. “I didn’t get that close. I wasn’t sure.”
“Mr. Pete probably knows.”
Pete. He wasn’t the most thrilling person, but thrilling wasn’t working out for her so far.Supportive wife was a job she knew how to do to perfection. “Good point.”
“I believe the others are discussing a parasailing trip for today. Are you interested?”
“Is the wind right? Because Pete told me optimum speed was between twelve and twenty-seven miles per hour.”
Kat had said it jokingly, giving Hugo one last shot, hoping to share a laugh over Pete’s obsession with detail, but he only nodded absently. “That’s true. I’ll have to check.”
Strike three.
The door to the room was standing open. A strong gust of wind blew the trees outside.
“So, what’s the news on the hurricane?” Kat asked.
Hugo sagged. “Still watching it, but it looks like it’ll miss us. Everything should be fine.”
Kat gave him two thumbs-up, but berated herself for mentioning it.
“I’d better go,” Hugo repeated. This time he followed through.
Kat shut the door behind him. Her piggy panties lifted on the breeze it created. She scooped them up and hit herself over the head with them, then flung them at the door.
*
Kat flopped onto the bed. Maybe she should go home. Between panting after a young stud while simultaneously scheming to snare a meal ticket, she didn’t deserve to be here. She could give Carver her remaining days as a Christmas gift.
She pulled her suitcase out from under the bed and opened it, then retrieved the pig panties and tossed them in half-heartedly. The judgmental snouty face glared at her.Weenie, it snorted.
Her cell phone rang. Kat shoved the suitcase aside and scooped it up.
“Josie!”
No response.
“Josie? Can you hear me?”
“So she didn’t show up.”
Why hadn’t she checked the caller ID? Kat flopped onto the unmade bed. “Darren.”
“I knew you were making it up when you told me she was going to follow in two days.”
Kat shut her eyes. She felt like a little girl being reprimanded by the school principal. Why had she lied? “It didn’t turn out the way we hoped. She’s still thinking—”
“Of flying down in a hurricane? Katherine, enough is enough. I want you to get on the next plane out of there.”
Kat opened her eyes and looked out the window. “It’s a nice day here.” Her voice was thin, unconvincing, even to herself. So Hugo was putting a positive spin on it. Not wanting to worry his guests was blinding him to reality.
“All the more reason to catch the next flight. If you wait, it’s going to be impossible to get one.”
Kat chewed her lips. That sounded sensible. But to leave because Darren had ordered her, no.
“Our host assures us we aren’t in any immediate danger.”
“Yourhost? Where do you think you are, Fantasy Island? This isn’t a TV show. It’s a real class-five hurricane headed straight for that helpless island. You’re doing this just to be contrary, Katherine.”
His condescending tone made something snap.
“Darren, first of all, I think you’re the one watching too much TV. Media loves hype. There is no storm breathing down my neck. Second, whateverwillful things I choose to do are my business, not yours. And third, while I appreciate your concern, I’m old enough to take care of myself.” She pressed ‘end.’ Her whole body was shaking, but she’d done it. Not only stood up to him, but taken control. It felt good.
Better than good. Amazing.
Still shaking, Kat shoved the suitcase back under the bed. She wasn’t going anywhere.
A bit ridiculous she was willing to get caught in a killer storm to prove him wrong, but this was her vacation, possibly the only real one she would ever get. No way was she leaving Puerto Rico before next Tuesday unless the National Guard ordered her out personally.
25
Kat sat next to Pete on the parasailing boat. The PTAs would have to lump it. She still wished the other Cigarbellies had come, if only for Queenie’s sake. But Kat was done playing tour director.
She turned to Pete. It would have been rude not to engage him in conversation.
Following her near-meltdown that morning, she’d made a few decisions herself. She wouldn’t go after Pete like a predator, but she was open to getting to know him better. It wasn’t wrong to be practical when considering a life partner.
Her second decision regarded Hugo. She would stop getting her head turned by him. Being swept off one’s feet was best left to Hollywood.
Captain Raoul’s lilting accent made parasailing sound more or less fool-proof: strap on a harness attached to a sturdy rope, and the wind which was blowing a perfect eighteen miles per hour under clear skies would do the rest.
“I’m excited!” Kat said. No response from the crowd. For an excursion, the overall mood wasn’t very festive. “Got a joke for you, or more of a riddle. What gets wetter the more it dries?”
“Hm, I’m stumped,” Pete said. “What?”
“A towel!”
Should have saved it for a more private moment. The PTAs practically rolled their eyes in unison.
“Good one,” Pete said. “Yep, should be fun.” It was only after they left the dock that he introduced her to the concept of salt water enemas. This activity had more perils than she first imagined.
A cat fight nearly broke out among the PTAs regarding who would have the privilege of going first. The one plus to come out of the argument was that Kat now knew three of the PTAs’ names: Special Snowflake was Paige, Rude Roots was Sloane, and Tiny Tot was Blaire. Helmet Head was something like Mickey or Nicky; the wind made it hard to hear.
Paige won the privilege of leading. No surprise there.
“I’m just going to have a word with the captain about whether he uses the winch or splash down landing,” Pete said.
Kat was interested to hear the details, and find out which was least likely to result in an enema, but Queenie wrapped her talons around Kat’s arm before she got t
he chance to rise, then proceeded to bend her ear with a retelling of the previous night’s wild card game.
That was why the Cigarbellies hadn’t come. They needed to recover, both financially and physically, according to Queenie. Kat wasn’t a prude, but drugs scared her. One boy back in high school had reportedly taken acid and forever after thought canned fruit was trying to murder him.
“So, Stan?” Kat pinched her fingers.
Queenie nodded and sucked at her water.
“Pete?”
Queenie shook her head. “Nah. Total boy scout, that one.”
Kat exhaled. Another check in Pete’s plus column.
“Miss Katherine, you ready?” Raoul asked.
Why were the PTAs now being so generous? Kat was wary, but Pete’s smile clued her in. “Yes.”
She’d never experienced anything like this sensation of weightlessness, with only a slender tether connecting her to Earth. If the skinny rope snapped, ping! She’d fly away, vanish, never to be seen again. It was terrifying.
The adrenaline charge of fear turned to thrill. She’d been tied down with something or other, Darren, Carver, her mother, for so long. This new feeling of freedom was exhilarating.
Her return to the boat came too soon, but Kat was grateful to escape the Caribbean Rear End Cleanse. Sloane wasn’t so lucky.
Between Sloane’s discomfort and Queenie’s unhappy discovery that no “real” drinks were to be had, the vote was to return to the resort.
Back on dry land, the party dispersed to fulfill their various needs. Kat headed to reception to see if she could find any pamphlets about a day trip. Pete had mentioned the rain forest again. The storm was obviously a non-issue. The weather was perfect.
Hugo slumped in a chair at the front desk, gripping his hair and staring at the wall. No brochures in sight. She’d have to ask him. Her pulse sped up. Her sandal scuffed against the tile.
He looked up. “You’re back already. I didn’t realize that much time had passed.” He turned as if searching for a clock.
“Queenie was thirsty and some of the others wanted to come back too.” Kat left out the reason why.
“Coraly didn’t pack any water?” His tone was hard.
“Oh, no. She did. Just, Queenie wanted something stronger. Ramsey’s fixing it for her now.”
Hugo threw up his hands and muttered something that sounded like, “He sure is fixing it.”
Kat didn’t ask. She repositioned a vase of flowers so they were in the exact center of the glass-topped table. “So, I was wondering if there are any shuttles to nearby attractions? The rainforest maybe?”
Hugo was still shaking his head and muttering to himself. He blinked and retucked the towel in his waistband. “Yes, I have some brochures in back.” He went through the doorway into the office.
She heard a thump.
“Ach,” he said. “What a day.”
“Everything okay?”
“Fine, fine, just dropped something.”
Kat walked behind the reception desk, then stopped in the doorway. Leaflets were scattered across the floor. “Want a hand?”
“That’s all right.”
“I don’t mind.” Kat knelt down and started stacking.
There were at least a dozen different types of brochures. Hugo’s expression said sorting bits of paper was not something he had time for today.
This was all her fault. She knelt, and began to stack them on the floor when she thought of a joke. “What did the janitor say when he jumped out of the closet?”
“What?”
“Supplies!”
Hugo laughed, which put Kat at ease.
Their hands touched a few times while sorting. Neither retreated, nor lingered. Sticking to her resolution to tame her attraction for him was easier when he wasn’t within reach.
Kat licked her lips. “You seem . . . upset.”
Hugo’s collection of the slippery papers slowed but he didn’t respond.
“Here, let me have those.” Kat reached out to take the blue ones about horseback riding.
Hugo tapped them against his palm and watched Kat from the corner of his eye.
She smiled uncertainly. “Once upon a time, you said I was easy to talk to.”
Hugo’s shoulders sagged. “The police were here.”
“What? Why?”
Hugo’s magnificent chest expanded as he took a deep breath. “Got a tip Ramsey was dealing again.”
Kat sat back on her heels and covered her mouth.
Hugo tapped the pamphlets, then threw them to the floor. They hit the tiles with a sharp slap. “So I’m the only one who doesn’t know.” He leaned back against the desk and ran his hands through his hair, making it stand out in wild corkscrews.
Kat scooted over next to him. “I didn’t know exactly, just, Queenie told me she had smoked last night, probably with Stan and the other men. But not Pete.”
Hugo cut his eyes sideways at her.
“I mean, Queenie said Pete was a boy scout and didn’t. I wasn’t there to witness any of it.”
Hugo pressed his lips together.
“So what happened?” Kat asked. “With the police, I mean.”
His shoulders fell. “A warning that they’re keeping an eye on the place.”
“Did you talk to Ramsey?”
“Of course. He denies it.” He ran his hands through his hair. Wild springs stood on end. “His father is a very powerful man. I don’t know what to do.”
“You have to get rid of him.”
Hugo’s eyebrows lifted.
“I mean, fire him.”
His eyes raked over her, faint amusement on his lips. “Glad to learn you didn’t mean the other kind of ‘get rid.’ But, who knows? You are from New Jersey.” He tapped her with an elbow.
She elbowed him back. Their gazes locked. Arms somehow got tangled. Then his strong hands were pulling, their lips touching again. This time it couldn’t be called a mistake.
His hands slid down, gripped her waist, and pulled her onto his lap. His mouth was urgent, demanding, insatiable, just like hers. It was like they were trapped on an alien planet and the only available oxygen was located inside each other’s mouth. Kat wove her fingers through his hair and drank deeply.
It was better than any rainforest, any horseback ride on the beach. A beautiful sunset didn’t come close. She felt higher than she had parasailing. To hell with practicality. YOLO.
They eventually needed real air.
Panting, Hugo pulled away. He traced a line along her chin and whispered, “This isn’t right.”
Kat wasn’t breathing nearly as hard. She had more stamina, apparently. “I. Don’t. Care.” She pulled his mouth back down on top of hers.
They toppled over. A cold, cramped tile floor and some glossy pamphlets weren’t the most comfortable things to lie on, but Kat wriggled out of her dress and used it as a pillow.
Hugo had just undone her bikini top when there came a “Hello? Anybody home?” from out at the reception desk.
It sounded like Josie. Kat had to be hallucinating.
Hugo lifted himself silently from the floor and pressed a finger to his lips. He grabbed at his curls. Kat pulled the elastic from her hair and held it out. Hugo’s hand took a circuitous route accepting it, passing via her hip and breast. She stifled the groan and worked on reattaching her top while Hugo tamed his hair. Her hair band was pink and gold, but it didn’t show, much.
“Yoo-hoo! Hello?”
Hugo took two quick steps toward the doorway. Kat grabbed his ankle and jerked her chin at his sarong. He straightened the fabric, but it didn’t hide the bump. He positioned his ever-present towel over it, then blew her a kiss combined with a sad shrug and went out.
“Hello. I am sorry to keep you waiting. How can I help you?”
“I’m checking in.”
Kat’s whole body went numb. Itwas Josie. She stood automatically and almost walked through the door with her boobs hanging out. Fortunately or no
, she slipped on some pamphlets. She gripped the desk and just managed not to hit the floor.
“Ehem,” Hugo said. “A bird got into my office.”
“Okay,” Josie said. “So, can I check in?”
“Oh, um, well, the thing is, it’s by reservation only.”
“But I have a reservation.”
“Your name?”
“Josephine Beaumont.”
“Oh, yes, Miss Beaumont. You had cancelled due to illness.”
“I got better.”
“I am very glad to hear it, but I don’t have a room prepared.”
“Well, no prob. Just ring up my friend, Katherine Dixon, and let her know I’m here. We can share.”
Kat’s heart was thudding so loud, she was sure Josie could hear it.
After a brief pause, Hugo said, “She is not in her room. If you would like to head over to the bar, I’ll see if I can locate her for you.”
“That’ll work.”
“Just leave your bags here. I’ll handle them for you. Go straight through. The dining area is on your right. You can’t miss it.”
“Thanks, Cutie.” Josie made a hitching sound like people do at horses. And what Josie did at men she fancied.
It seemed an eternity before Hugo returned. Face blank, he walked past her and sank onto his office chair. “Your friend is here.”
The fun was clearly at an end; Kat worked on retying her bikini strings. “I heard. Her ear must have healed. Which is good.” She couldn’t wish a bum ear on Josie, but her timing could have been better.
Hugo’s nod turned to a shake. “It never works.”
Kat moved to the edge of the desk closest to him. “What doesn’t?”
“I keep the walls up for years, and the second I let them down. . .” He lifted his hands and let them drop. They slapped hard on thighs. His white sarong had black stripes like prison bars along the hem. “This.”
“Itis an odd coincidence, but not the end of the world. We can find time. I mean, can’t we?” She held out a hand.
Hugo took it, kissed it gently and let it go. “If I did, the hurricane would probably pull a one-eighty and destroy the island.”
Kat laughed but it hurt.
