by Anna Collins
From his description, I thought the man who owned this place would be more rigid and have the feel of being closed off. However, it wasn’t even close. This man was dressed in all white. His shirt was wide open, showing his wealth with the bling around his neck. He was not a local, and his whole demeanor screamed of a person using this place as his own personal haven.
“I see from her expression you’ve been telling lies about me again. I have to admit I was a little concerned when Rita mentioned you were not coming alone. I knew there would come a time some girl would get into the middle of your good time. It’s funny, but she really doesn’t take me for your type, and maybe that’s a good thing. Come in. Dinner will be served shortly. Rita has expressed her concern you haven’t been around in quite some time. I tried to tell her you are a busy man, but you know how she is when she gets something in her head,” This man said with his hands moving over the golden locks of his Fabio-like hair and physique.
I wasn’t much for a hairy body, but on him, it seemed to work. I wasn’t attracted to him, but I found myself anxious to learn more about what brought him to the island in the first place. For him and Casper to strike up a friendship seemed unlikely, but the proof was in the way they were glad-handing and giving each other fist bumps.
“I couldn’t help myself. The look on her face was priceless when we arrived. She really thought we were going to come to some kind of hovel with old world charm. I shouldn’t have deceived her, but I only told her what she wanted to hear,” Casper said as he was speaking about me like I wasn’t even in the room.
“I have so many questions, and I have no idea where to begin. I guess the one on the tip of my tongue is how the two of you could possibly meet. I’m sure there’s a story there, and it’s not like he doesn’t have other stories he needs to tell. I’ve been trying to weasel information out of him, but he has been quick to shut me down,” I said hoping this man would have some information that would give me a better insight into whom Casper really was.
“That’s one thing I can’t help you with. I mostly talk about business. I’ll leave the way we met for dinner. I found he had some interesting ideas I was able to implement into my own business to make it run more smoothly. The one thing I can tell you about Casper is that he is smarter than he looks. He makes you believe everything about him is boring, but peeling back the layers of the onion would reveal something entirely different,” He said making me feel like we were on the same wavelength. It was evident from the way Casper was bouncing on the balls of his feet he was not exactly happy to be left out of the conversation.
“If you think for a second ganging up on me is going to work, then you have another thing coming. By all means, share information and see how far it gets you,” He said with a trace of disgust in his tone; it had me wondering if I had stepped over some invisible line in the sand.
“There’s no reason to get defensive. Let’s go and find Rita and see what kind of trouble she is getting into. I still don’t know why she insists on cooking when I could easily hire some local creative genius to come up with dishes able to make a grown man cry. I do admit I love to see her dabble. There are times we can get quite frisky putting our own creative touches in the kitchen. I don’t need to paint you a picture,” He said as I realized he did not mention his name.
“I would think as a host it would be customary to introduce yourself. Let me be the first. My name is Angel Adams, and I’m an aspiring novelist,” I said to break the ice.
“I mistakenly thought he filled you in. It’s Wes Cannon. It’s nice to meet you, Angel. The name suits you. If I didn’t know any better, I would swear you had wings and a halo, just a little bit crooked. Being around him, I think you’re going to find your morals corrupted. I have to keep my eye on him and Rita. They would be all over each other if I wasn’t here to cool things down. Come to think of it, having you around might keep them from giving those telltale looks over dinner. They believe they’re fooling me, but I don’t mind them flirting. He gets her all hot and bothered and then I take over when he leaves. It really does benefit my love life, and this is the only reason why I keep him around; to spice things up,” He said making me unsure of his honesty and if he was just taking a jab at my funny bone for fun.
“I don’t know how I feel about another woman making eyes at him. Our relationship is still in the infancy stage, but I still feel I could get seriously jealous over nothing. I probably know about as much about him as you do and that’s not saying much. I will say, though, he’s good with his hands,” I said with them both smiling with a bedeviled smirk coming from a locker room mentality.
“I see I have somebody who can help me put these two in their place,” Rita said as she came forward with more of a passionate hug as a greeting than a handshake. She was blonde, stacked and had the youthful appearance one would expect with a firecracker of a petite body
It was a little bit too personal, but I got the feeling these two were more the touchy feely type. The hug lasted a little bit longer. It was possible she wanted to make it awkward and leave me with a feeling she was trying to mark her territory. If I didn’t know that before, it became painfully obvious when she kissed Casper. This was not the kind of kiss you would give a good friend or your grandmother. This was a lover’s embrace. I looked at Wes and found quite surprisingly he wasn’t angry by their public display of affection.
She slapped him on the ass and turned to do the same thing to me. It was a bold statement and one she had no problem inflicting on either one of us.
“I knew there was a reason why I married you. I’m sure I’m going to have to make my apologies for your behavior after everything is said and done. I believe I smell something good cooking in the kitchen. I’ll open a bottle of wine. What kind should I get for dinner? You have a better understanding about these things than I do. You know I would just open up any bottle,” He said letting me know Rita was the worldly one who demanded certain luxuries.
“I had a feeling you were going to say that. There are times I think you just pretend not to know so that I’ll have to do practically everything around here. I took the liberty of opening up a bottle and pouring a glass for all four of us. The least you can do is help me set the table. I believe the occasion calls for something more classic. I don’t get the chance to have a dinner party often, and this is a good time for us to use the good China,” Rita said as she looked at me out of the corner of her eye like she was judging me this way to Sunday.
It was most likely her way of telling me I could never measure up. It was possible she wanted to make sure Casper had found a girl who was going to turn him into an honest man. They hadn’t actually mentioned anything at all, except for the fact that Casper was quiet and reserved. It’s not like I didn’t already know that myself.
“I’m going to join you in the kitchen to help you get things ready. We’ll let the boys stay out here and gossip. Besides, I would love to hear your unbiased opinion about Casper without worrying about how he’s going to take what you have to say. Let’s just call this girl talk,” I said as I followed her into the kitchen.
She turned abruptly and pushed me up against the cold surface of the steel fridge. It had happened so suddenly I wasn’t prepared. There was a knife in her hand, and she had her arm up against my throat in a menacing fashion. I wasn’t sure what I had walked into, but it had definitely not taken a turn for the better.
“I might be overreacting, but I want you to tell me what your intentions are. I’m a little protective of Casper. He’s very naïve. I’ve tried to tell him to stop caring for stray dogs,” She said comparing me to a stray dog and giving me a reason to dislike her from that moment on.
“I’m not planning to marry him if this is what you’re worried about. We’re just having a bit of fun, and he’s doing some work at my place. Where it goes from there is anybody’s guess. To be honest, I’m not sure he’s ready for a long-term commitment, and that’s perfectly fine by me. I doubt we will ever see each othe
r again after I leave the island. I’m not really sure how long I am going to stay here, but I have no plans to return anytime soon,” I said trying my best to remain calm, feeling my feet ready to run like never before.
“I don’t like strangers. I’ll be watching. I want to make sure you’re not going to hurt him in any way. I don’t know what it is about him, but I get the feeling he allows women to run all over him like a steamroller. I like to make him bashful showing some skin or saying something off color. As you can probably tell, I have a weird and sick sense of humor. There’s nothing funny about you encroaching on my territory,” Rita said as that knife gleamed brightly and was painfully close to touching my neck.
“Your reaction is a bit extreme. I see the way you look at him, and it’s not like your husband doesn’t know you would gladly take him to bed if given a chance. It’s one thing to look, but it’s another thing entirely to act on those feelings. I would like to remind you, you have a good thing. He’s off the market,” I said hoping I was soothing her worries and giving her a reason to put down the knife before she did something she was going to regret.
“Wes might say I’m a little unstable, but to me, this is perfectly reasonable. If you can’t stand the heat, then you can certainly get out of the kitchen and not come back. You wouldn’t hurt my feelings anyway. Are you so delicate you can’t take a good-natured ribbing?” She asked as she turned and put the knife back into the butcher block from where it came from.
“I don’t know if there’s any truth to it, but guys are said to be into the kind of sex they can get from the crazy ones. I’m not suggesting you’re crazy by any means, but you’re certainly not playing with all your marbles. I’m just going to have to be very careful of what I say to you,” I said with her whistling a tune and not even paying attention to me as she choreographed her movements from one thing to another.
“Did you say something? I’m sorry, but when I get into a frame of mind, there’s very little that can break through. I hope you like local cuisine. This is a traditional dish, and it has been passed down from one generation to the next. I made it my mission when I came to live here, to learn everything there was to learn. I take cooking classes with an old man who doesn’t speak much English, but his expertise far exceeds any need for conversation,” Rita said as I looked at what she was making; I knew from my research it was a dish called Nasi Goreng.
There were many variations on the recipe, but the one she seemed to be making was a combination of egg and dried fish. The aroma was intoxicating, and I had to bow down to the chef. It was interesting to see how her gears turned in her head. She had literally threatened me with a knife, and now she was playing it off like it had never happened.
I could smell the spices; the strongest of them all were the garlic and the tamarind. There was also Satay grilled to perfection. The meat was tender, and I had a feeling it was going to fall off those skewers made of coconut palm frond. It was a combination of meat and chicken with a spicy peanut sauce on the side. I dipped my finger in and had it poised to go into my mouth when she slapped me with a look of distaste on her face.
“Manners are not just words, and you need to learn some,” Rita said as that scowl on her face turned to one of the smile of the Cheshire cat.
There was still a bit on my finger, and I was able to sample the sauce; I was quite surprised to feel like I had been literally transported to Bali. I was here already, but the food was the crowning achievement to the paradise.
Chapter 9
The conversation around the dinner table was spirited. You wouldn’t know it from looking at her, but Rita really was unhinged. Wes wasn’t much better. I was getting a better idea of why they were secluded and away from the population. They really couldn’t be trusted to act in a civilized manner, when they really didn’t know the meaning of the phrase.
“I was a little hesitant to welcome her into my home, but she seems to be all right. I’ll reserve judgment for the time being. You know I only want you to be happy. We’ve offered to have you stay here, but you were not exactly receptive. I hope this means we will see more of you, even if it happens to be with her,” She said while mentioning me like I was some kind of Typhoid Mary to be avoided.
“I’m not sure of what our plans are, but there’s no reason why we can’t fit you into our schedule. I do have to compliment the chef. You have outdone yourself. I don’t get a chance to really enjoy a home cooked meal. I usually buy from the market down the street from my place. They know me by name, and yet, I get the feeling I’m paying a little bit too much. I doubt they are going to bring this to my attention,” Casper said. Laughter followed the comment from everybody around the table but me.
“These people do see a sucker coming from a mile away. They don’t mean any harm, and you can imagine money is a rare commodity for some of these people,” Wes said as he was looking at me, making me feel like the dress I was wearing was inappropriate for the occasion.
I wasn’t ready for his attention, nor his slightly insulting comments. He had already complimented me on my breasts in a band handed way and even took some liberty with squeezing my ass. I thought Casper would come to my rescue, but he took it in a jovial manner.
“I’m learning, but I haven’t been here for as long as the both of you. I haven’t got up to speed on the culture or what is considered acceptable behavior. I try my best to glean information watching like a fly on the wall. I will say Angel is a breath of fresh air. She looks at everything with rose colored glasses. It's good to see that wide-eyed wonderment and be able to look back at when I felt the same way. If I could only go back and do it again, I would gladly take her by the hand, and we could learn these things together,” Casper said as he moved to pick up his plate to take it into the kitchen.
It did not surprise me Rita was right behind him. She most likely was going to corner him in a sensual way and play a little grab ass. I would have liked to have been his savior, but Wes grabbed my hand and pulled me out onto the deck overlooking the ocean.
“I'm sure Rita mentioned how important Casper is to us. I don’t think it comes as any big surprise he’s damaged. Marriage can take its toll on anyone, but his pain is more psychological than physical. You must have noticed the scars. We tried to get him to talk about it, but he doesn’t like us digging into his past. He needs to talk to somebody. He can’t talk to his wife; she has pretty much cut him out of her life entirely,” Wes said giving me the impression his interest in Casper was more in a caring manner.
“I see something is bothering him. He’ll open up when he wants to. I’m not going to try to force the issue. You both care for him deeply, and you may go about to keep him safe a little on the extreme side, but I think I understand. I have no plans to hurt him psychologically or otherwise. I like having him around, and he makes me happy,” I said this close to blurting out the sex was phenomenal, and there was no way I was going to kick him out of bed for eating cookies.
“I would ask that you tread carefully with him. He hasn’t said as much, but I believe in my heart his reason for being here is not just to get away from his wife. I see the way he looks towards every exit. Something or somebody is out there waiting for him, and he’s worried he won’t see it coming. I hope for his sake you don’t distract him and leave him vulnerable to whatever is causing him those sleepless nights. He did stay overnight one time. I passed by his bedroom to see him thrashing in his sheets,” Wes said as he was cut short with Rita and Casper coming out to join us.
Casper got behind me like I was his personal shield against the advances of a woman who wouldn’t take no for an answer. She looked pretty damn pleased with herself. Her lipstick was smeared across her face, and Casper was wiping his mouth. I should’ve been angry, but I had learned the hard way Rita was a woman to get her way one way or the other.
We polished off the wine with everybody having a good time, including me. They were an odd couple, and there was no way I was going to turn my back on them anytime soon. R
ita had already put a knife almost up against my throat. She claimed to be a little out there, but I think she was underplaying it.
“I know I shouldn’t have, but I want to show you my latest acquisition. I’ve been telling Rita for quite some time about my need for speed. The Kawasaki Ninja in the driveway really does handle the curves of the road, but what I wanted most of all was something to glide over the water with speed capable of outracing anything. If you cast your eyes towards the dock, I think you’ll understand what I’m talking about,” Wes said as he put his hand on the small of my back and played his fingers down my spine trying to get a rise out of me.
I was not going to give him the satisfaction of slapping him across the face and making a scene. He hadn’t gone too far, and I would know when it was time to put the brakes on. It was evident he was testing me to see if I could take everything he was doing in the spirit it was given.
“I know you talked about it, but I didn’t think you were going to go ahead with it. I doubt very seriously Rita is happy about it. The Sun Dancer comes in at a whopping $1.8 million. I guess it comes with all the bells and whistles including the 32-inch television,” Casper said as we looked at the acquisition and was quite impressed.
