by Beth Michele
“It’s eleven a.m. Sam Stone. And we’re in Hawaii. Get your ass up. I’ve got an adventurous day planned for us.”
Us?
“And by the way,” he added, smacking me in the chest as he shouldered past me into my room, “who the hell wears a t-shirt and boxers to bed? Sleeping in the buff is the only way to go.”
More information that wasn’t welcome. I was already sporting morning wood and did not need any additional help from him. Not the verbal kind anyway.
“How did you know what room I was in?” I asked him, captivated by the way his throat dipped as he swallowed.
He capped his water bottle, exhaling a satisfied breath. “I charmed the pretty girl at the front desk.”
And with every word out of his mouth my fantasy was disappearing right before my eyes.
“So what’s the plan?” I perched on the edge of the bed and tried not to stare at the sweat dripping down his neck and trailing underneath his shirt. At least he was wearing one this time.
Drew crossed the room and peered out the glass doors to the ocean. “You’ve got two choices.” Turning, he waggled his brows over his shoulder. “Bungee jumping or parasailing.”
“Next.”
He chuckled and pivoted to face me, leaning his weight against the sliders. “What was it your character said in Shun Me?” His eyes lifted in thought. “Carpe Diem?”
I stood, scratching the back of my neck. “Yes, and he was also holding a bloody knife when he said it.”
“Minor detail.” He winked and I had to remind myself this was not flirtation. He was simply having fun.
“How about… jet skiing?”
He made a buzzer sound with his throat. “You’ve done that. Something new.”
I looked down, trying to hide my smile. “Paddle boat?” In three short strides, he was standing in front of me. His scent fell under my nose and I subtly breathed him in. Even sweaty from his workout, he smelled… amazing. My gaze rolled up to his, and the teasing in his eyes persuaded me to play along, too. To do whatever he asked of me. “Okay, I’m game for…” I waved a hand between us. “Whatever.”
His victorious smile made me chuckle. “Excellent. I’m going to shower. Meet me outside the front entrance in one hour.”
As he walked by, the brush of his elbow against mine elicited a shock along my forearm. There was something about his playfulness that riled me up in a place inside my chest that had long been quiet. Coming to terms with it was difficult, given I was supposed to be married right now. But none of that mattered because I wasn’t married, nor would I be anytime soon. The more pressing question at hand was how to shower, shave, and relieve myself of this massive hard-on—and still be on time.
I SPOTTED DREW right away and stopped in my tracks. Took a second to admire him from afar. He was reclining against the stone wall, face pointed toward the sky. Everything about him exuded self-assurance. From his hair that was a perfect mess of dark waves, to the sexy way he wore those damn Aviator sunglasses. Even the women who walked by found it hard not to stare. Like he had this gravitational pull. I could totally relate.
Our eyes met, and I bristled at the fact that I’d been caught looking. He pushed off the wall and sauntered toward me, a slow grin spreading across his lips. He glanced down at his watch. “Man, you don’t play around. That was like sixty minutes on the dot.”
While he was busy eyeing the time, I was busy staring at him. Noticing the small bump on the ridge of his nose, the lopsided curl of his smile. A long, raised scar sat alongside his brow, and I wondered why I hadn’t noticed those things before.
“I’m kind of a stickler about time. Can’t stand being late.”
“Good.” That grin came out in full force again. “Because I don’t like to wait.” He jerked his chin curbside where a taxi was idling. “You ready?”
A hesitant smile slipped out and I followed behind him. “I’m ready. I just wish I knew what I was ready for.”
“All in good time,” he replied as we slid into the back seat of the cab.
The driver navigated through the hotel parking lot and my attention shifted to Drew. “You seem a little too excited about this.”
“Hell yeah.” He pushed his Aviators up and grinned. “You need some adventure in your life, my friend. And I’m just the person to enlighten you.”
My laugh was filled with air. “Are you now?”
“I am, Sam.”
My brow lifted and he chuckled, letting his sunglasses slide back down his nose. “Whatever you do, don’t even think about quoting Dr. Seuss right now.” The seal on my lips loosened, my smile too big to hold them together.
The remainder of the trip was filled with silence but it was in no way uncomfortable. Inside, though, flutters of anticipation danced in my chest. All this was new to me. Traveling alone, hanging out with someone I barely knew. While it was foreign, I couldn’t deny it felt good. I’d gotten accustomed to hiding behind my desk writing, day after day, and spending evenings at home with Glenn. I led a fairly boring life and at twenty-nine, suddenly that didn’t seem like enough.
I wanted more.
My glance wandered to Drew and I studied the hard angles of his profile before trailing lower. His legs were spread, fingers splayed across his knees. He was so at ease with himself and I found that attractive as hell. I knew, of course, I couldn’t act on it. But there was certainly nothing stopping me from appreciating the view.
He turned, and for the second time, I was caught. His lip edged up and the excitement that flickered in his eyes made my heart hammer. I decided I would enjoy my time with him while I was here—and then go back to my mundane little life and let the pizza boxes pile up.
“Here we are.”
I blinked out of my thoughts. Through the window, I observed a landing pad and several metallic helicopters with the words Blue Hawaiian printed in white block letters. Nothing registered in my brain. For some reason, I was still confused.
“Wait, what are we doing here?”
The expression on Drew’s face was comical. The way it contorted made him look like Daffy Duck. “You really need to get out more. We’re taking a helicopter ride to see the island.”
I couldn’t swallow. “No, we’re not.”
He opened the door of the taxi, nailing me with a glare over his shoulder. “Yes, we are. Come on. Trust me when I say this is fucking spectacular. You don’t want to miss it.”
“Drew…” I had no idea what I was going to say next, but I liked the way his name rolled off my tongue.
“Sam…” He held the door open for me and peered in. “Turn your brain off.”
I groaned, submitting to whatever was in store for me and climbed out of the taxi. “A writer’s brain can never be fully turned off.”
“Okay, then put it on pause. Let’s go.” His voice teetered between demanding and alluring. I decided I liked both sides and found myself wanting to know more about him.
“What’s your last name?” I questioned out of nowhere.
“Mariano.”
“Fine, Drew Mariano.” I fell in step with him. “I’ll go on your damn helicopter ride. But if we fall into the ocean, I’m holding you fully responsible.”
He flipped me a sideways grin. “Deal.”
Pilot Dan, as evidenced by his flashy name badge, sauntered up to us. Sweat gushed from my pores because this guy appeared to be no more than seventeen years old. I was about to ask for his identification and flight history when Drew extended his hand, chatting with him like they were old friends.
“Danny boy, how the hell are you?”
“I’m good, Drew.” He craned his neck from left to right. “I was pleasantly surprised to hear from you. Never expected to meet up with you in these parts.”
“Shit happens and here I am.” He gestured my way. “This is Sam Stone. And this is his first time in a helicopter so go easy on him.”
Dan chuckled and my blood pressure shot up. “Ah, a first timer. Definitely nothing t
o worry about here. I can fly with my eyes closed.”
“Good to know,” I chimed in, “but if you could keep them open, I’d really appreciate it.”
Drew slung an arm over my shoulder, catching me off guard. His clean scent and the accidental brush of his hair against my cheek forced goose bumps to rise along my skin. “Let’s do this. Shall we?”
I’d be the first to admit the helicopter was gorgeous. The interior boasted six blue and grey bucket-style leather seats. Two up front, four in the back. The floor was covered in a faux grey carpet and the thing had more controls than I could fathom. Dan climbed into the front and Drew sat beside me in the back. I watched him secure his lap belt and grimaced as I proceeded to buckle mine.
“That’s it?” I swallowed. “Just a lap belt. Doesn’t seem secure enough.”
Dan turned around to address me. “You won’t find five point harnesses here. This isn’t a military copter and we aren’t doing anything dangerous.” He waggled his brows and winked. “You’re safe with me. I know these skies like the back of my hand.” My expression must’ve shown my fear because he laughed, and Drew joined in.
“Lighten up, Sam. Danny here is a great pilot.” Words of reassurance that did little to calm the queasiness in the pit of my stomach. Nonetheless, I blew out a breath as Dan and Drew continued chatting while we prepared for take-off. Apparently, the two of them were college buddies who had gone their separate ways after graduation. I learned Dan had been flying helicopters since he was eighteen and his dad was also a pilot, which helped a little to put me at ease.
Dan handed each of us a pair of headphones to wear. Glass surrounded us on all sides, as did the stillness that lasted only for another minute. Muffled engine sounds coupled with vibrations from the spinning rotor blades had me grabbing a fistful of Drew’s shirt. My body grew rigid as I braced for lift off, clenching my teeth to the point of pain. A second later, Drew’s warm hand landed at the base of my neck. As I shifted, he mouthed the words, ‘It’s okay,’ with a small smile. I could only nod in return before facing forward again, grounding my feet against the floor of the helicopter.
My fingers finally loosened and I released Drew’s shirt, only to dig them into my wristband instead. I squeezed my eyes closed and kept them that way, even when we were airborne and the helicopter leveled out. It was only then I noticed Drew’s hand was no longer on my neck and, to be honest, I mourned the loss. His touch was gentle, contradictory to his personality. Although I wasn’t sure that was entirely accurate either. I only knew I wanted to find out for sure.
“Sam,” I heard Drew say. “Open your eyes.”
I’ll admit I squinted at first, allowing myself to take in our distance from the ground. But that’s not what made my eyes pop. Maybe it was the teal-colored sea or the moss-covered cliffs, or an everywhere sky that stretched for miles, but my mouth fell open and for the first time I was at a loss for words. The view was indescribable and probably one of the most beautiful I’d ever seen. Certainly the closest thing to paradise—if not paradise itself.
“You should see your face right now.” There was so much warmth in his smile that I felt it in my bones. “It’s incredible, isn’t it?” I nodded my response, the light inside the helicopter making the color in his eyes spark, reminding me of the ocean below.
The copter veered off to the left and I tore my gaze away, continuing to marvel at how magnificent everything looked from up here. It made me question why I’d never done anything like this before. Growing up, Mia was always the adventurous one, and of course Glenn’s idea of adventure was going out to a movie or heading to Boston for the weekend.
By the time we landed safely on the ground, I was ready to do it again. We exited the helicopter and passed our headphone sets to Dan. He jerked his chin in my direction. “What did you think?”
“It was spectacular.” I held out my hand between us and we shook. “Thanks for taking us up.”
“My pleasure.” He grinned, gesturing to Drew. “You want to do it again, you know where to find me.”
Drew playfully smacked him on the back. “Thanks, man, and hey, don’t be a stranger.”
“You bet,” Dan called over his shoulder as he walked off.
“So.” Drew looked away but I caught the corner of his smile. “You liked it?”
I stopped, and he circled back when he realized I was no longer beside him. “I loved it. Honestly, thanks for taking me up there. I never would’ve done anything like that on my own. I’m not a risk taker.” I shrugged, dropping my gaze to the pavement. “I’m not brave like that.”
“Bullshit,” he countered, and my eyes snapped to his face. “You write books. You put yourself out there in a way that forces you to be vulnerable to millions of people. If that’s not brave, I don’t know what the hell is.”
On edge, I started walking again, shoving a hand inside the pocket of my shorts. “I don’t know. Writing is something I don’t have to think about. It’s ingrained in me. I just do it.”
“I sure as shit couldn’t do it, I know that.” He gestured to the taxi sitting at the entrance and we headed in that direction.
“What about you?” I tossed him a quick glance. “What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever done?”
He stared off into the distance and when he met my gaze again there was a story behind his eyes. “Live a genuine life. By my rules only.”
“Is that your subtle way of telling me you rob banks?”
He chuckled. “No, and that’s not brave. That’s fucking insane.” We slid into the cab and he grew quiet, but I knew there was more. Like a war was being waged inside his brain. I could almost see his thoughts bouncing around. But he didn’t say anything else, and just like before, something told me not to push.
Instead, I changed the subject. “So what’s next?” Lost in his head, his finger moved back and forth over the scar near his brow. “Drew?”
“Huh?”
“I asked what you’re up for now?” He was still off somewhere else and I wanted to bring him back. Without overthinking it, I reached out to touch his arm. “Hey, you okay?”
That snapped him out of it because his eyes drifted to my fingers and he frowned, pulling his arm away. “Yeah, I’m good. Thanks.” I fidgeted with my hands in my lap, not knowing what to say or do at this point. If I knew him better, I wouldn’t let this go so easily. “I think maybe I’m going to go back to my room and sleep for a bit.”
“Sleep? It’s afternoon. I thought we could do something else. I don’t know. Maybe grab a bite to eat?”
His gaze turned icy as it darted to mine. “Shit, Sam. Did you think we’re going to spend every second together now? Because, I don’t know about you, but I came here to be alone.”
My entire body reared back as if I’d been hit. “Whoa. Wait a second. You’re the one who showed up at my room this morning. So, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
A rush of breath left him as the driver pulled up to the hotel. Drew didn’t waste any time, grabbing the handle and pushing open the door as if he couldn’t get away fast enough. “Enjoy your trip,” were the last words he said before he paid the cabbie and disappeared. And for the second time in less than a week—I was left by myself—without any explanation as to why.
TWO DAYS DRAGGED by before I saw Drew again. Most of that time was spent in my suite, ordering room service and watching crappy movies. Unable to even muster the desire to write. I was never one to feel sorry for myself, always willing to take responsibility for my choices. However in this situation, it felt like the choices had been ripped away from me.
In some odd way, I missed Drew. My brain had difficulty reconciling that detail given we’d only known each other a few days. But he had this energy, this larger than life presence that made me want to be near him. He lit me up in a place that had been dim for far too long. The prospect of going another day without seeing him made my spirits take a dive.
Finishing half the croissant that no longer appe
aled to me, I tossed the other half onto the tray and hiked my legs over the side of the mattress. The bedside clock indicated it was already eleven. I’d been showered and dressed since nine as if I actually had somewhere to be. The problem was, I knew where I wanted to go. I just didn’t know if I’d be welcomed once I got there. Although at this point, I probably had nothing to lose.
Before I changed my mind, I grabbed my wallet and slid my feet into my shoes. Anticipation pumped through my veins at the prospect of seeing Drew again, of catching a glimpse of a smile that seemed awfully rare. On a mission, I swung the door open only to come face-to-face with Drew. Dark circles ringed his eyes. His hair was a disheveled mess as if he’d repeatedly run his fingers through it.
“I was just coming—” I started, before he finished my sentence for me.
“To find you.”
“Yeah.” I held the door open for him. “Come in.”
He parked himself on the edge of the bed and I found a spot on the only chair in the room. With my elbows on my thighs, hands steepled under my chin, I sat quietly. After realizing he wasn’t going to initiate the conversation, I decided to again be brave. There was no easy way to broach the question except to spit it out.
“How did you get that scar on your forehead, Drew?”
His thumb drifted up, trailing back and forth over the jagged line. His gaze was unfocused, and I sensed he was back there. Wherever there was. “My father, he slammed my head into the bathroom counter.” I sucked in a breath and his eyes flew to mine. “He didn’t like the way I was living my life, and apparently thought he could change it.” His tone carried a hardened resolve and my heart squeezed in my chest. I couldn’t imagine my father ever laying a hand on me. He was a big guy, played football his whole life, but he was a gentle giant.
“Jesus.”
