Zachary shrugged his shoulders. He held out his hand, the palm down as he waved it from side to side. “He didn’t know who I was.”
“Some days he’s really, really good. Some days not so much. I was hoping this was one of his good days.”
Sadness settled in Zachary’s stare. He didn’t bother to respond, thinking about the last couple of hours he’d spent visiting his friend Kai.
Barbie continued the conversation. “When do you plan to take her to visit?”
Zachary’s shoulder’s jutted skyward for the umpteenth time. “I’m not so sure this is a good idea. I still have doubts about telling her.”
“Normally I would agree with you, but now that I’ve met her and had some time to talk to her, I think you have to bring them together. Besides, I’ve said it before: Kai was not in his right mind when he forced all of us to make that damn promise!”
“Yeah . . . still . . . it was so much easier when none of us knew his daughter. I’ll be honest with you. I never really thought she’d come looking for him.”
“Well, I did. He always spoke so fondly of his baby girl that I just knew there’d be a day when she would come calling. It was inevitable. What surprises me is that you have fallen head over heels in love with her!”
Zachary shot his friend a look.
Barbie laughed. “No need to confirm or deny. I see it all over your face every time she comes into the room. Kai would have paid her off and put her on a plane back to where she came from with the way you’re acting. It’s a good thing you don’t have a fight coming up because she would have you all off your game!”
Zachary laughed. “I’ll admit she’s been a bit of a distraction.”
“What does Mr. Montri think?”
“Gamon thinks I need to make this reunion happen and then get back to work.”
“I’m more of a romantic. Make it happen, and then you and she should have whatever happy ending your little hearts desire!”
“Well, I don’t know if we can get happy out of this situation. It’s a total cluster fuck, and unfortunately my girl is going to be hurt. And it’s my fault. I should have told her weeks ago.”
“Told her what?” Kenzie suddenly interrupted the conversation, moving into the room. “What are you two talking about?”
The two men both looked stunned and nervous, each eyeing the other as if they’d been caught with their pants down. Both spun around to face her.
“Don’t you look beautiful!” Barbie exclaimed excitedly. He clapped his hands together, his head nodding his approval.
Kenzie had changed into a pair of black stretch leggings, a black printed, long-sleeved T-shirt, and her running shoes. A black cotton sweater was tied around her waist, and she’d twisted her two braids into a bun at the nape of her neck.
She shook her head. “Don’t change the subject. You two were whispering about me, so one of you spill it. What does Zachary need to tell me?” Her eyes darted back and forth between the two.
Zachary chuckled. “That is just like a woman. Nosey!”
She cut her eyes at him. “Don’t try it. You’re trying to avoid the conversation. First, you sneak out and this one covers for you, and now you’re trying to turn things around on me like I’m crazy or something. But I know what I heard, and I know how squirrely the two of you have been acting this morning.”
Zachary shook his head. “We’ll talk about it later. We need to go.”
“I don’t want . . .”
“Cut me some slack, please!” Zachary exclaimed, tossing up his hands in frustration. “I swear it was no big deal. Franklin was telling me how perfect we are for each other, and I needed to point out some of my flaws. It wasn’t that serious!”
“At least you addressed your flaws first,” she said matter-of-factly.
Barbie laughed. “I really like her!” he said as he wrapped his arms around Kenzie and gave her a tight squeeze. “She is definitely a keeper!”
“You don’t get off that easy either,” she said, squeezing the man back. “I know you’re covering for him. And I know you two are up to something. Don’t think I won’t figure out what it is and why!”
Both men chuckled.
“You got us,” Zachary said smugly. He rolled his eyes. “Franklin, we will see you later.”
“You’re bringing Kenzie to my show tonight, I hope?”
“We wouldn’t miss it,” his friend answered.
“Fabulous!”
Chapter Eleven
It turned into a fight, and neither Zachary or Kenzie had wanted that. But by the time he pulled his jeep into the parking area at Dan Pier in Phang Nga Bay, both had said some things that they’d instantly regretted.
Zachary shut down the car’s engine. They both stared out to the long-tail boat that rested just offshore, awaiting them. He blew a loud sigh, air rushing past his full lips. “Kenzie, I don’t understand why you’re making an issue out of me not being there when you woke up. It’s not a big deal!”
She tossed up her hands, ire washing over her expression. “It’s not about you not being there when I woke up!” she hissed. “I could care less if you’re there when I wake up! I don’t like that you are keeping me in the dark about something that’s bothering you, Zachary. I don’t like it at all. You’re keeping secrets. Add that to you sneaking around, Barbie covering for you, and it all feels wrong! That’s what I’m saying!”
“I don’t know what you want me to do,” he finally muttered.
“I want you to be honest with me. I just want you to tell me what’s going on! Is that so damn hard? Don’t you trust me?”
Zachary blew another sigh, his head shaking. “Fine. Tonight we’ll sit down and talk, and I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”
“Tell me now.”
“I said we’ll talk later,” he snapped. He pushed the car door open. “Let’s go, Kenzie. Let’s try to have a good time, please!”
“Aargh!” Kenzie screamed, frustration furrowing her brow. “I swear you are this far from me pushing you off this damn rock you want to climb!”
Light suddenly flickered in his eyes. “If you push me, I won’t be able to tell you all my secrets,” he said, a smug smirk piercing the look he gave her.
He exited the car, grabbed his gym bag and slammed the door. Kenzie sat in her seat, watching as he moved toward the entrance of the pier. Zachary turned, tossing her a look over his shoulder. She hoped the look she gave him back showed her displeasure, and then she snatched her gaze away to stare down into her lap. She was suddenly kicking herself for ruining what should have been a good time between them. It had not been her intent to pick a fight with him, but she’d had questions, and when it became obvious that he wasn’t going to give her answers, it had all just rubbed her the wrong way.
She looked up and he was gone, having disappeared down the length of the pier, and it dawned on her that Zachary might actually leave her sitting there until he returned. Zachary didn’t coddle her mood swings, and he would have found it quite amusing to go climb rocks by himself while she sat pouting in the car. She had no intention of giving him that satisfaction, she thought.
Jumping from the vehicle, she grabbed her own bag and hurried after him, practically tripping her way to the boat, where he and two other men sat waiting. She stopped abruptly as the trio turned to stare at her. Zachary smiled, meeting her gaze briefly before turning his attention out to the oceanic waters. A thin Thai man extended his hand to help her into the boat. When she was settled, he untied the launch, and they set sail.
Minutes later, Zachary shifted forward in his seat, inching his body closer to hers. “You still mad?” he asked, lifting his eyes to her eyes.
For a good few minutes, they sat staring at each other, Kenzie not bothering to respond.
Zachary shook his head “Are you always this stubborn?”
“Mad and stubborn. I must be making quite an impression on you,” she finally answered.
“Oh, you’ve made an impr
ession alright.” He smiled and lifted his eyebrows.
His mouth was lifted in the sweetest bend, and Kenzie suddenly wanted to be kissed. She licked her own lips, her tongue slowly rolling from one side to the other. Zachary grinned, and he inched even closer, a large palm dropping against her knee. Kenzie lifted her gaze skyward, feigning disinterest. Zachary laughed.
Taking a deep breath, Kenzie eased her body against his, falling into the warmth of his body heat as she slid into his side. She leaned her head onto his shoulder as he reached his hand out to hold hers. The rest of their conversation was silent, everything that needed to be said exchanged in the gentle touches, his fingers tap dancing inside her palm, her fingers entangling with his. As she stared out to the blue waters that carried them to their destination Zachary pressed a damp kiss to her forehead.
The trip took thirty minutes. Kenzie had a ton of questions that she asked in Thai, their guide excited to converse in his native language with the exquisite woman. The captain of the long, lightweight canoe hull eased his watercraft through the still waters with the help of a second-hand engine and a propeller mounted directly on the driveshaft. There was a makeshift canopy to shield them from the sun if they were so inclined, but she and Zachary both were enjoying the ride beneath the mid-morning sun.
They landed at Ko Panyi, a fishing village in Phang Nga province. Nicknamed the “Sea Gypsy Island,” it was a floating landmark on stilts built within the protection of the bay. Forty limestone islands surrounded them, rising some thirteen hundred feet above the calm, blue-green waters that filled the bay. The entire area was rich with history, and Kenzie enjoyed the stories their hosts shared.
Her introduction to rock climbing began with basic climbing techniques and safety training. An old pro, Zachary interjected as the moment moved him, but there was no ignoring that he was anxious to get started. For Kenzie, learning how to climb and rappel on the limestone cliffs was not without its challenges. But his enthusiasm and her own competitive spirit had her excited to do what she was witnessing him do.
They started with top rope climbing, a climbing style that was typical of indoor climbing walls. A sturdy rope ran from the foot of their climbing route through one or more carabiners connected to an anchor system at the top of the route and back down to the climber’s harness. A climbing team stood at the bottom of the climb to help her up and down. After she got the hang of holding on and pulling herself up, she was ready and excited to test the training further, moving from a straight up-and-down route to ones that were more difficult.
They took a quick lunch break of fresh fish and grilled vegetables over rice noodles. It wasn’t until the first bite that Kenzie realized she was hungry, that cup of coffee and sliced mango long gone. After the short break, they moved her to the rock formation that Zachary was besting.
Kenzie was in awe. What they had her doing was safer, less demanding physically, and psychologically easier. Zachary was a true sport climber, and he clipped pre-placed bolts in the rock as he ascended. He took risks, testing his abilities beyond her comfort zone, and he was having the best time doing so. She couldn’t wait until she was there, following in his footsteps, pushing past her own limits by his side.
After his final climb, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. With one arm holding his equipment and the other looped around her waist, he kissed her back.
“That was so much fun!” she exclaimed. “When can we do it again?”
“I told you it would be a good time,” Zachary laughed. “We can come back again soon.”
She hugged her arms around his neck, leaning up to whisper into his ear. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I don’t like when we fight.”
Zachary nuzzled his nose in her hair. “Neither do I. So stop.”
She laughed. “I’ll own it. I know I start things, but you don’t help matters.”
“I probably don’t, but I’m not going to let you push my buttons and not do or say anything. If you want to fight, I will give you a fight back.”
“But you don’t fight fair. You spar and then throw one big punch that always takes me out, and sometimes you do it by not doing or saying something, which totally infuriates me!”
“Fighting is my career, remember? Letting my opponent get the best of me isn’t what I do. I will always give as good as I get. So if you throw a punch at me, I’m throwing one right back.”
“Well, stop, because I will. I hate when we’re ugly at each other.”
Zachary grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “Let’s go home, baby!”
* * *
Their late-afternoon nap had absolutely nothing at all to do with getting any sleep and everything to do with makeup sex. They had stripped out of their clothes, pouring themselves into a hot shower and then their bed before either could remember what it was they were fighting about in the first place.
It was bliss! Kenzie sat straddled above him, her body plunging up and down against him. He filled her, the length of his erection bottoming out with each downward stroke. She controlled the momentum, her gyrations slow and easy one minute, then hard and fast the next. He clutched the cheeks of her ass to guide her and then palmed her breasts, twirling her hardened nipples between his fingers. Their loving was heated and intense as she teased him, pulling him to the edge of ecstasy and pushing him back.
When it became too much for either to bear, the intensity of their connection painfully sweet, Zachary lifted his torso from the bed and wrapped his arms around her. In one swift move he rolled them both, her body lying flat beneath his as he plunged himself into her. He orgasmed, screaming her name, and she came at the same time, her whole body convulsing with pure pleasure. Muscles quivered, nerve endings burst with sheer joy, and then he captured her mouth beneath his own, kissing her until the last twinge of heat and fire ceased to simmer.
That nap lasted a whole forty-five minutes before they had to get ready for their night out with Barbie at his cabaret show. Pulling themselves from each other, they showered a second time. An hour later they were dressed, standing in front of the full-length mirror to take in their reflections. Zachary wore a silk suit in a beautiful shade of gray, with a white dress shirt, no necktie, and Gucci red suede smoking slippers. His dreads were freshly twisted into two French braids down his back.
Kenzie was totally in love with the dress that Barbie had surprised her with. It was strapless, formfitting, and stopped just a smidge above her knees. It was a chevron print in white and silver, the bodice shimmering with silver sequins. It complemented her warm complexion and flattered her curves. With her thick curls flowing free and full, she was stunning.
Zachary extended his elbow, and she slipped her hand through to hold on. She lifted her face to his and smiled sweetly.
“Damn!” Zachary said. “We look good, girl!”
As they moved into the other room, Barbie echoed the sentiment. “Fabulous! Aren’t you two just the prettiest!” their friend exclaimed. He clapped his hands together excitedly.
“Thank you, Barbie! I think so, too,” Kenzie said. She pressed one palm to his chest as Zachary pulled her close, the two posing for Barbie’s camera. After a series of snapshots and selfies, they were all out the door, headed to Barbie’s favorite place in the whole wide world.
* * *
Club She was a hidden gem nestled in one of the area’s historic neighborhoods. Go-go bars lined both sides of the street. Hawkers with megaphones and girls barely dressed stood outside trying to lure tourists and residents inside. The entrance to Club She was staid, lacking the bright neon lights of the establishments next door and across the street from it. Everything about the exterior belied what was hidden behind the entrance.
The club was all Barbie, from the hand-painted floors to the lush, velvet fabrics that dressed the windows. The interior was theatrical, dramatic, and totally unexpected. Kenzie stared about in awe as she took it all in. Just past the entrance was a hand-carved, walled courtyard with pools of goldfish spl
ashing about. It was like entering a whole other realm with walls of murals, original art, crystal chandeliers, and sumptuous silks.
As they moved farther inside, the stage sat room center, elevated a few feet off the floor, and there was an extended carved-wood bar along the back wall. The entire space was upscale and sexy, the clientele pretty, and obviously wealthy. Barbie moved off in one direction, and one of his staff escorted the couple to a VIP table that was front and center, in the middle of all the action.
Having the local champion in the room had everyone beside themselves with excitement. For the first few minutes, Zachary signed autographs, shook hands, and took pictures. When he’d had enough, he signaled their waitress to bring a bottle of champagne and gestured for the club’s bouncer to wave off any lingering fans. By the time they’d poured their second flute of drink, he and Kenzie were grateful to have a moment alone.
The music playing was seductive and dirty, an intoxicating mix of jazz and blues. Everything about the rich sounds encouraged slow, cheek-to-cheek dancing and much pelvic grinding; to Kenzie, it felt like a blue-light basement party from years gone by.
“This is pretty cool,” Kenzie whispered as she leaned against Zachary. He sat with his arm draped casually over her shoulder, his fingers playing with her hair.
He nodded. “This place is special. Barbie has put a lot of his heart into this space. He loves it, and the clients love him.”
She nodded. “The women are beautiful,” she said, her eyes skating around the room.
Zachary laughed. “Most of them aren’t women,” he said casually, his eyebrows raised.
Kenzie shot him a look. “Really?”
“If I’m correct I think Keiko, the girl behind the bar, is the only one who was actually born female.”
Eyes wide, Kenzie glanced around a second time. “Damn!” she exclaimed. “Then the men are beautiful!”
“They’d be offended if you said that out loud. They’re transsexual, and they consider themselves women. Franklin gives me a lecture every time I come here.”
Perfect Pleasures Page 14
