by Lakes, Lynde
She stood on her tiptoes and scanned the club for a table. With none available, she guided Cortz toward the dance floor. He abruptly stopped at the edge of the polished wood like a rebellious donkey and studied the other dancers. “You do dance, don’t you?” she asked, looking up at him.
“Yes and no. It is quite different where I come from, more of an exercise in total muscle control.”
“I’m dying to ask you where that is, but since the subject is off limits until tomorrow when you tell me about the diamonds, I won’t. But you have no idea how frustrating it is to wait.”
His grin suggested that her admission amused him. She spied a tall drink on a nearby table and wondered if he would still be smiling if she threw it in his face. What’s happening to me? I’m not usually so hostile. “At least show me your dance style,” she said, forcing a playful tone.
“Later,” Cortz said. “In private.”
“No one’s looking,” she insisted. “Surely you can give in on one small request to show good faith.”
“Later!” he said. He pulled her so close she almost lost her breath. His foot came down on her toes. “Sorry,” he mumbled. He glanced down, then stopped dead in his tracks. He studied the other dancers, shifting his gaze from one couple to another. A muscle in his jaw twitched; the ruby glints in his eyes brightened.
“We don’t have to do this,” she said.
“Patience. I will master the steps soon.” Slowly, he began to move, pulling her with him in stiff, precise steps.
By the third song, he had relaxed and was doing superbly. “It was an act, wasn’t it?” Darli glanced up into his warm brown eyes. “You had me fooled.”
He smiled and guided her head to rest against his chest. His silk shirt was warm and smooth against her cheek. It felt so good to be in his arms.
They danced until the band took a break. “Since there’s still no table,” Darli said, “how about taking a walk on the beach?”
“Splendid idea,” he said and grabbed her hand. Together they stepped out into the warm, moonlit night.
Waikiki shoreline teemed with activity. Couples and groups sat or strolled along the sand. The soft breeze caressed her skin. It felt good after being in the stuffy night club.
“What’s that on that man’s shoulder?” Cortz asked.
Darli glanced at the shirtless, deeply tanned man in white trousers. A parrot with green, red and yellow feathers sat on his shoulder.
Darli looked up at Cortz in surprise. “Haven’t you ever seen a parrot before?”
Cortz shook his head.
Was he from Mars, not recognizing a common tropical parrot?
Before she could think any more about it, a Hawaiian woman rushed up and placed a plumeria lei around her neck. “No, thank you,” she told the woman. Darli started to remove the lei.
“Leave it on…it’s lovely on you.” Cortz rummaged in his pocket and held out a fist full of bills for the woman to take what she wanted. She grabbed them all and scurried away.
“That was sweet of you,” Darli said, touching the delicate flowers with her fingertips. “But you really overpaid that woman big time.” She hated her uncharacteristic critical tone.
Cortz gave her a strange look then smiled. “It’s not important.”
She glanced at his profile. He was too generous for his own good. And a puzzle. Open and naïve, yet closed and mysterious. What he did with his money wouldn’t bother her if she could be sure it wasn’t illegal gains.
As they strolled, tiki flames flickered above the torches dotted along the walkway, adding to the radiance from the full moon. Music floated from nearby hotels. All those things along with the breeze tousling her hair and the pressure of Cortz’s hand entwined in hers were too perfect for doubts. For tonight, she would push the concerns about him to the back of her mind.
Cortz paused where the sidewalk ended. Nothing but sand stretched in front of them. He removed his shoes and socks and wriggled his toes in the sand like a playful child. Smiling, she slipped out of her high-heeled sandals and joined him, joyfully shuffling her bare feet in the soft, cool sand.
“It’s been fun tonight,” Cortz said. “Dinner was another delightful eating experience.”
Her heart opened wider. That was one of the many things she liked about him, he seemed to delight in everything. “It was perfect. But wasn’t that waiter a mess?” She hadn’t meant to say something so cruel and negative, but it just popped out.
“I felt sorry for him,” Cortz said. “He was so nervous. It was obvious he was new on the job and hadn’t been speaking English long.”
“From his accent, I’d say he’s a new arrival from Thailand. It was really very sweet of you to leave him a big tip in spite of his forgetfulness and clumsiness.”
Cortz shook his head. “He tried so hard. The first days in a foreign environment are extremely difficult.”
Darli smiled. Cortz had such empathy and understanding for others.
They walked a distance further holding hands. A comfortable silence settled between them. When they returned to the night club, it was smoky, even more crowded, and there still wasn’t a table available. “Who needs this?” she asked.
“The proprietor,” Cortz said, “to make money.”
Darli shook her head. Cortz said the oddest things. “Well, the owner is raking in this crowd’s money, so he doesn’t need ours.” She squeezed Cortz’s hand gently. “Let’s go back to the apartment. We can dance to CDs. And you can show me your dance method.”
Cortz grinned. “Great.”
Darli drove through the bustling Waikiki midnight traffic with the ease and skill of a practiced city driver. The radio played a medley of Hawaiian tunes. Cortz accompanied the music with hauntingly enchanting whistling. She glanced at him. He was a baffling man. Had he abruptly left the beach earlier in the afternoon because he was upset over the near drowning of the boy? Or did it have something to do with Fox? What about Cortz leaving her alone in the store? His wet hair and bloodshot eyes had told her the reason wasn’t just to buy flowers. They’d just come from the beach, so why would he have gone swimming again?
Most disturbing was the large sum of money and the diamonds. And something else…something she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Was it the precise way he spoke or his evasiveness? That too. But something beyond that. He was unlike anyone she’d ever known.
She touched the cool smooth petals of her lei. He’d let the woman help herself to his money. He’d been doing that often…just handing money to people and letting them take what they wanted. He spent money as if it were grains of sand. Darli gripped the steering wheel with both hands. She couldn’t let her speculation about him, the money, and the diamonds go on much longer. She had promised to give him another day—well, it was past midnight, technically another day. And no way was she going to bed without the answers.
Chapter Eighteen
They stopped at a small neighborhood grocery and picked up some champagne and cheeses, then continued home.
She slipped into her apartment, kicked off her high heels, strode directly to the radio and dialed it to her favorite mood music station. Cortz slipped off his shoes too. She got the only two champagne glasses out of the cupboard while he moved the dining room table against the wall to make room for dancing.
She put the champagne in a bucket of ice and placed it and some cheese and crackers on the coffee table. When she straightened and smoothed the lines of her clinging white knit dress, she felt Cortz’s gaze. She blushed, realizing that while leaning over, her modest V-neck had probably shown too much cleavage.
“Come.” Cortz opened his arms. “I’ll teach you my special dance now.”
As she walked barefoot into his arms, she felt like a seedling next to a giant Koa tree. His stance was firm. Their bodies scarcely touched, yet she felt the warm undulating vibration from his torso to hers.
He put his hand on her midriff. “You start here, roll outward, circle, then pull your stomach tig
ht.” His touch was warm, his voice deep and mesmerizing. The dance resembled a combination of belly dancing and dirty dancing.
She tilted her head and looked up at him. Her heart quickened as reflections from the low-set living room lights sparked fiery, ruby flecks into his eyes—dangerous eyes that held secrets. His intensity absorbed her while his warm hands guided her undulation. She felt weightless. Her heart raced and panic gripped her. She couldn’t allow passion to overcome reason. “Do you hear something?” Darli cupped her ear. “I think the champagne is calling my name.” She was talking nonsense, feeling silly, girlish and totally terrified.
He grinned down at her. “Maybe you find my style of dancing disturbing.”
“Perhaps.” She twisted out of his arms and practically ran from him. When she sat down on the couch, he followed. The amused expression on his face irked her. “You’re far too sure of yourself.” She thrust the champagne bottle at him. “Here, open this!” Please let my demanding tone hide my vulnerability.
Cortz struggled with the wire, then grinned triumphantly as the cork shot to the ceiling and the bubbling liquid overflowed. “I’m getting the hang of opening these things,” he said as he poured the fizzling liquid into her glass.
“So I see.” She leaned back against the pile of cushions, trying to appear relaxed.
“Let’s toast to a merging of purpose…of wills,” Cortz said, raising his glass.
“I don’t know about that.” Thank you, God for helping me hold my voice steady. “What purpose do you have in mind? And you must know that a merging of wills goes against the concept of free will.”
“Complete free will may not be possible with hearts in love.” He touched her glass with his. “Don’t you believe in love at first sight?”
At the moment she didn’t know what she believed or what she was feeling for him. He could raise her hackles and charm her in almost the same breath. The relationship was progressing too fast. Without the answers she needed, she couldn’t allow her runaway emotions to go unchecked. With him so near, she couldn’t rationally assess what was happening to her. Play it slow, she told herself. Calculating her words carefully, she said, “I’ve always felt love should mature from a strong, honest friendship.” She glanced at her watch. “It’s way past midnight—your day of grace has ended. Time for my questions,” she said firmly. “And I want direct, honest answers.”
Cortz moved closer and trailed a finger down her bare arm. His magnetic gaze held hers as his arms closed around her. “Let me guess the first question.”
“You don’t have to guess. You know very well that I—”
He interrupted her by touching his lips briefly to hers. Her heartbeat raced. Before she could gather her thoughts, he murmured, “You want to know what I think about your eyes. Right? They are the most incredible green.”
Like a child charmed by the Pied Piper, she was drawn into his playful mood. “Your eyes are nice too,” she said, “deep and rich like brown velvet; rather like those of a cow.”
“A cow’s eyes! The eyes of an animal?” He feigned outrage and began to tickle her. She laughed delightedly. And they began to wrestle.
She got caught up in the exhilaration of the struggle. Finally, a little out of breath, she paused to rest. Cortz’s grip didn’t ease. Strength and power radiated from him. His heat burned through her clothes. He traced her face with his fingertips. She was barely aware of the touch, yet it sent tingles down her spine. He lowered his head until she felt his breath on her lips, then his hot mouth closed over hers. It happened so quickly and naturally she was completely disarmed. After a few moments, he leaned back and looked into her eyes. “You’re like a newfound star, exciting and worth exploring for a lifetime if that is what it takes.”
She parted her lips to speak, but before she could say anything, he touched his lips to hers in quick feather traces that teased. Then his lips lingered. The kiss slowly grew in intensity. The slightly vibrating pressure of his warm, moist mouth on hers sent tingling sensations to the innermost intimate parts of her body. She felt yielding, pliant. Her body willingly molded into his hard frame, while her mind fought to regain control. The pulsating kiss and his caressing hands were more than she could endure. She pulled away, barely reining in the building passion. It was time to stop now or it would be too late. She wanted to ask something…but what? Her mind felt dazed.
Cortz reached behind her to dim the light on the end table. Before she could protest, he drew her again to his chest and closed his mouth over hers. Between intermittent kisses, he whispered, “You’re my choice…the one I want.”
Darli tried to force her mind to think…did she love Cortz? The emotion felt like love. Her mind and body were disconnected. She couldn’t compel them to function together. Cortz lavished hot kisses down the arch of her neck.
His hand slipped beneath her dress and stroked her thigh, his touch sending little explosions through her mind, blocking all rational thought. Her body grew weak, as if her willpower was being sucked out toward a tumultuous sea. He slipped his hand lower and massaged her pleasure point. The tsunami of passion pummeled her to its depth while her body arched toward his hot vibrating fingers, begging for fulfillment. Panic gripped her. What about the diamonds? She couldn’t love a criminal! With her last ounce of resolve, she shoved him away. “No, Cortz! You must tell me about you and the diamonds…now!”
Chapter Nineteen
She leapt up and away from Cortz. She steadied herself on the back of a chair, then on shaky legs, preceded to the breakfast bar, putting a distance between them.
Cortz started to get up.
She thrust a trembling vertical palm toward him. “No! Stay where you are.” Her panic inched higher. “Explain now or leave!”
He sighed and shrugged. “What do you want to know?” His words tumbled out heavy with passion and disappointment.
“Start with the diamonds.”
Cortz exhaled deeply and gave a lopsided grin. “You’re missing the best part. I was about to show you that I am an accomplished lover—”
“Maybe too accomplished,” she said, cutting him off.
“How can one be too accomplished?” he asked, still grinning. “If we made love, my talents in that department would tell you more about me than the diamonds ever could.”
She sent him a stern look. That’s what I’m afraid of. “Get serious. In some ways, even though we’ve only known each other a short time I feel like it’s been forever. But, the fact is, I don’t know anything about you. Who the devil are you, Cortz? Where do you come from? And how do the diamonds fit into the picture?”
“You may not be ready for all that. Nevertheless, I believe after you hear me out, you will understand my reluctance to reveal too much too soon.” Cortz patted the couch. “Come sit next to me. I can’t talk with you so far away.”
“I’m fine here,” Darli said, folding her arms staunchly across her breasts, hoping she looked more formidable than she felt.
“Do you want to hear this or not?” He copied her folded arms across the chest posture.
His tone and body language made it very clear that he wouldn’t tell her anything until she sat down. “All right, all right.” She eased onto the far end of the couch.
Cortz sighed. “I’ve been devious and I apologize for that. It does not come easily to me.”
“Skip the rationalization and get to the point,” she said sharply to hide her vulnerability.
“Let me start at the beginning.”
“Start anywhere you want, only tell me!” She wanted to shake him.
“Remember when I came out of the water when we first met? You asked if I had seen something silver fall into the ocean.”
She tried to ignore that he had inched closer. “Yes…yes.” She remembered how excited she had been that night. And even now, just thinking about the silver object sent a quiver rippling through her.
His eyes darkened, making the ruby flecks there seem brighter. “When you asked, I
couldn’t tell you…but, it was me.”
Her mouth went dry. She had half suspected it all along, feared it.
For a few seconds before meeting her gaze, Cortz looked up at the ceiling fan rotating in an even rhythm above them. “I’m not from here,” he said finally.
She wished he had only admitted that he wasn’t from the mainland.
But that wasn’t it. Cortz inched closer, until his knees brushed hers. She couldn’t go on with this cat and mouse game. “Say it!”
“I’m from a different planet! The planet Uraticus. Do you understand? It was my spaceship you saw go into the sea!”
Darli forced her body deeper into the couch until the pillow behind her scrunched into a ball. Now that he’d admitted it, doubt rose in her again. “Do you expect me to believe that?”
“That’s why I didn’t tell you before. I knew you wouldn’t believe me.”
“You’re right about that, spaceman,” she quipped, hoping to bolster her tough act. Her mind ping-ponged between certainty and disbelief. She thrust forward in readiness to escape. Cortz’s powerful arms encircled her. Her gaze flew to his. She withered under his piercing stare.
“We aren’t going to get through this unless you give me the benefit of the doubt,” he said. “I know what I am telling you is hard to believe. But, I will prove everything.”
“This is an insane conversation.” Oh my God! she thought. That’s it…this seemingly sweet guy is a nut. She had to get away from him.
As if he could read her mind, he grabbed her wrists and held her in a vise lock. “You started this,” he said evenly. “Now you’re going to stay here and listen to what I have to say.”
“You’re hurting my wrists.” Darli tried to jerk free.
“I don’t want to hurt you, but I won’t let go until you hear the whole story.”
Darli met his piercing look—they were glaring at each other, both unyielding. “What if I scream?” Conflicting currents charged between them.
