Hawaiian Sunset, Dream Proposal

by Joanna Neil

  ‘It’s a surfers’ paradise along this part of the coast,’ Ethan told her. ‘The ocean is calm now, but in winter the waves are higher than any you’ll ever see.’

  Amber looked out over the ocean, shielding her eyes from the glare of the sun. ‘What’s that I can see in the water?’ she asked. ‘I can’t quite make them out.’

  ‘They’re green turtles,’ he told her. ‘They nest further along the coast, and sometimes they come up on the beach. Occasionally, you’ll see whales or dolphins out at sea.’

  They watched the turtles for a while, and then Amber went on with her search for shells. She had taken off her sandals and was walking barefoot across the warm, wet sand at the water’s edge. Ethan pointed out white-breasted sanderlings hopping to and fro, searching for small crustaceans or insect larvae that might dwell among the damp grains of sand, all the while deftly avoiding the incoming waves.

  There were turnstones, too, searching for any tasty morsels that might be lurking under rocks and seaweed. Every now and then they would take flight, moving their prized finds out of reach of other birds.

  After a while, Ethan suggested that it was time they set off for the house. ‘Molly will be waiting for us,’ he said. ‘She was planning on giving us quite a feast, though I doubt Martyn will manage very much of it. He wasn’t eating too well in hospital, was he?’

  ‘He’ll have to take things gradually, and with any luck his appetite will improve.’

  She had certainly worked up an appetite herself by now, and her earlier sleepiness had dissolved, blown away by the faint breeze and the exhilaration of walking along this beautiful bay. The fact that Ethan had made it his business to charm her along the way had probably helped.

  Molly had been true to her word, Amber discovered as Martyn showed her into the dining-room just off the main kitchen. The table had been laid with a variety of colourful dishes to tempt the palate, along with a coffee pot, cream and sugar and jugs filled with freshly squeezed juice.

  ‘I hope you settled in all right last night,’ Martyn said. ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t show you around the house, but tiredness suddenly swept over me.’

  ‘I’m amazed you coped as well as you did,’ Amber told him. ‘I thought the idea was that you should take things easy, so you did exactly the right thing in going to bed.’

  ‘Well, I had a wonderful night’s sleep. Come and sample some of Molly’s glorious food. Ethan, you sit yourself down opposite Amber, and both of you eat up. I really want you to enjoy this breakfast. It’s a special occasion with all of us together this way.’

  Ethan sat down by Martyn’s right-hand side. ‘You should try these delicious Hawaiian wraps,’ he told Amber. ‘You can make them yourself in a matter of minutes, and they’re a wonderful start to the day.’

  Each wrap consisted of a tortilla filled with egg that had been scrambled and mixed with lightly browned chopped ham and red and green peppers. There was a hint of pineapple in there, too, and the wraps were served with wedges of watermelon.

  ‘You’re right,’ Amber agreed, adding one to her plate and taking a bite. She savoured the mouth-watering flavours. ‘What a lovely way to begin the day.’

  ‘Molly’s made my favourite, the Hawaiian royal,’ Martyn said. ‘It’s made with Portuguese spicy sausage, green onions and eggs over a bed of rice. If you add a touch of mustard to the dish, it’s absolutely out of this world.’

  He helped himself to the food, but Amber noticed he only ate a very small amount. He looked better than he had done in a long while, but she knew that he had to be careful.

  ‘I hope you’re going to sit back and relax now that you’re home,’ Amber said, giving him a quick glance.

  ‘Certainly, I am,’ he murmured. ‘I had it in mind that, since Ethan isn’t working today, he could show you around, maybe even take you into town to look over the hospital where you’ll be working. It’s entirely up to you, of course. You might prefer simply to spend some time on the beach.’

  ‘We’ve already been down there this morning,’ she told him. ‘It was a wonderful experience.’

  Martyn looked pleased. ‘That’s good.’ He dabbed his mouth on a serviette and then put the linen to one side. ‘I thought I would go and spend some time in my study,’ he said. ‘I want to reacquaint myself with a few things.’

  ‘You mean, you’re going to be looking over the plantation records, don’t you?’ Ethan said, giving him a stern look. ‘Do you really think that’s a good idea?’

  ‘Absolutely, I do,’ Martyn said with a smile. ‘I can’t think of any better way to spend my time. I love that plantation. It’s been my life’s work.’ He pushed back his chair and carefully stood up. ‘Forgive me if I leave you two together for a while,’ he said.

  He put out a hand to stop her when Amber would have stood up and gone with him to see him out of the room. ‘I can manage,’ he said, ‘and if I have any problems later, I know how to get in touch with you.’ He indicated the pager that was clipped to his belt. ‘I don’t anticipate any trouble, and I have Molly and Ben to look out for me. You should concentrate on settling in and getting used to your surroundings. Perhaps I’ll see you later this afternoon?’

  ‘Of course, if you’re sure you’ll be all right?’ Amber sent him a doubtful look.

  ‘I’ll be fine.’

  Martyn left the room, and Ethan commented softly, ‘He’s a strong-willed man, and it doesn’t do any good to try to oppose him, once he’s made up his mind. He knows what he wants, and sometimes it’s less wearing on him and everyone else to let him have his way…or at least to let him think he has what he wants.’ He gave Amber a thoughtful look. ‘So, what would you like to do today? I could take you to see the sights, or perhaps you’d like to do some shopping in town?’

  ‘Actually, I think I’d quite like to see the plantation, if that wouldn’t be too much trouble.’

  His eyes narrowed on her, and she wondered if he was debating with himself why she would want to see the source of the family’s wealth, so she hurried to explain, ‘I’ve heard so much about it, and it seems to be very dear to Martyn’s heart. Perhaps once I’ve seen it, I’ll understand more.’

  ‘That would be no trouble at all. It’s just a short drive away from here. In fact, now I come to think of it, I believe there will be a luau later on today, to be held on one of the beaches nearby. It’s one of the events staged by the company, and the proceeds will go to local charities. It will go on late into the evening, and I think it’s something you might enjoy.’

  ‘That sounds good to me,’ she said brightly, but then she frowned. ‘Your uncle asked if I would spend some time with him this evening. Is it something that he would enjoy?’

  ‘I’m sure he will, though I doubt he’ll want to stay to the end. I’ll let him know what we’re planning.’

  With that decided, they spent the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon wandering around the plantation. Amber was amazed by the sheer size of it, and she was impressed by the colour and beauty of everything around her. There were hundreds of plants and trees of many varieties, and it was clear that these were of interest to visitors of all ages. She saw lots of children excitedly rushing about while their parents tried valiantly to keep up with them.

  ‘We don’t just specialise in pineapples,’ Ethan told her. ‘As I said, we grow coffee, along with cacao, bananas, papayas and mangos.’

  ‘It looks as though you grow flowers, as well,’ Amber said, her eyes widening as she tried to take in everything about her. ‘I’ve never seen so many varieties, and such beauty.’

  ‘The hibiscus is native to Hawaii,’ he explained, ‘but we grow flowers for the traditional leis, the garlands that people wear around their necks, as well.’

  Amber was overwhelmed by the scale of everything. ‘I had never imagined it would be as vast as this,’ she murmured. Just to get around the place, they’d had to use a motorised cart. ‘No wonder Martyn worries about it. It’s such a responsibility.’
/>
  ‘We employ a lot of people,’ Ethan said. ‘I suppose the key to good management is to delegate. It’s something Martyn’s going to have to learn to do.’

  It was mid-afternoon when they returned to the house. Amber discovered Martyn sitting out on the veranda, taking the air, so she went and sat beside him and told him all about the tour. He seemed pleased that she appreciated the extent of his life’s work.

  Amber chatted with him for a while and made sure that he was feeling as well as he said he did. She took his blood pressure and checked his pulse, and then looked at his tablet dispenser to see if he had taken his medication on time.

  ‘Aloha auina la…good afternoon,’ Molly said, coming out onto the veranda with a tray of cold drinks. She placed it down on a table. ‘I hope you had a good day with Mr Ethan,’ she added, looking at Amber. ‘You don’t need to worry about Mr Martyn. I took good care of him. I made certain that he took his tablets at the right time.’

  ‘Thank you for that, Molly,’ Amber said with a smile. ‘I felt sure that I could rely on you to remind him.’ She looked at the tray that Molly had set down. ‘These drinks look delicious.’ There were jugs of various kinds of fruit juices, decorated with slices of pineapple, cherries and limes.

  Molly returned the smile. ‘Enjoy,’ she said, leaving them and going back into the house.

  Amber turned back to Martyn. ‘So, do you feel rested?’ she asked him. ‘Will you come with us to the luau later on?’

  He nodded. ‘Yes. I’d like that. I’m glad that Ethan mentioned it to you. It will be a good way for you to celebrate the beginning of your time here.’

  Amber sat with him for a while longer, until he looked at the watch on his wrist and suggested that it was time to start getting ready for the luau. ‘Ethan said he would come and pick us up at six, so perhaps we should prepare for the evening.’

  Molly appeared out of nowhere and began to help him to his feet. ‘Do you want Ben to give you a hand?’ she asked. ‘He’s finished clearing the weeds out of the vegetable garden, so he’s got nothing at all to do right now.’

  Amber didn’t hear his muffled reply. As the hours wore on, she was becoming more and more doubtful about why she was actually there. Martyn didn’t need her, that was for sure. He had ample help already.

  It didn’t take her long to get ready for the party. She changed into a simple shift dress that clung softly to her curves. It would be cool enough to counteract the heat of the evening, and yet it was dressy enough for the occasion. She let her hair hang loose about her shoulders and added a dab of lipstick to the generous curve of her lips.

  By the time Ethan called for them, she was up at the house, ready to help Martyn into the car.

  The beach where the party was taking place was just a few minutes’ drive away. Ethan parked in the shade of trees, and then took Martyn’s arm and helped him to a seating area set back a little from the water’s edge. Amber went to join him at the table, her senses taken up with the sights and sounds all around her.

  Hawaiian music was playing in the background, and girls dressed in traditional costume, wearing leis around their shoulders and flowers in their hair, were dancing barefoot just a short distance away. The scent of roast pork came from a barbecue stand just to the back of her, and all the tables were set with platters of fruit, a variety of salads, along with bowls of chicken, rice and sweet potatoes.

  Amber leaned towards Martyn. ‘If you keep spoiling me with treats like this, I’ll never want to go home.’

  Martyn gave a soft laugh and squeezed her hand. ‘I’m really glad that you like it here. Relax and enjoy yourself.’

  ‘I thought you might like to try some of our island cocktails,’ Ethan said, coming towards them with a tray of drinks. He glanced from one to the other, and Amber knew that he had witnessed the gentle show of affection between herself and his uncle. She tried not to let it bother her. Ethan could think what he liked. She wasn’t going to let him put her on the defensive all the time.

  ‘Perhaps we should drink to King Kamehameha,’ Ethan said, pushing a long glass of something golden towards Martyn and handing her a cocktail glass filled with a bright red concoction and decorated with fruit and a sparkler that fizzed coloured light in all directions. He raised his own glass and then sipped slowly from it.

  ‘King Kamehameha? I don’t think I know anything about him.’

  ‘He was a king who founded a dynasty out here. It’s said that when he was born his grandfather was warned that he would slay the chiefs and usurp his position when he grew up, so his grandfather ordered that he should be killed.’

  Amber stared at him in horror. ‘Tell me that didn’t happen.’

  ‘It didn’t happen.’ Ethan smiled. ‘Instead, the child was hidden away and brought up by a childless couple, who kept him safe. Then, five years later, his grandfather discovered that he was alive. He was full of remorse for what he had tried to do, and so the boy was allowed to return to court, where he was taught the ways of court diplomacy and served as a loyal aide to his uncle. After that, he became a successful warrior and fought wars to unify Hawaii. I suppose the slaying of chiefs was to do with enemies rather than any family hostilities.’

  ‘And so now we celebrate with feasting and music,’ Martyn said.

  Just then there was a blaze of light all around as torches were lit and someone began to blow into a conch shell. An expectant hush descended on the gathered crowd.

  ‘What’s happening? What does it mean?’ Amber asked in a whisper.

  ‘The royal court is arriving by boat,’ Ethan told her. ‘It’s all symbolic. The fire dancers will signify the battles that were fought, and after that it will be time for celebrating. There will be dancing and feasting and generally making merry.’

  It was all good fun, and as darkness fell the entertainment began in earnest. Amber’s eyes widened as the fire dancers swooped and swirled and flirted with danger.

  ‘You look as though you’re enjoying yourself,’ Martyn said softly. ‘I’m glad about that. It’s good to see a sparkle in your eyes.’ He looked around and saw that Ben was coming towards him. ‘I’m going to let Ben take me home now,’ he added, and when Amber would have stood up to leave with him he shook his head and laid a hand on her shoulder. ‘You stay and have a good time,’ he murmured. ‘I expect Ethan will dance with you and show you how we celebrate our good fortune out here. I’ll see you in the morning.’

  She watched him go, a slight frown gathering on her forehead, and then Ethan was urging her to go and dance with him, just as Martyn had said. He reached for her, clasping her hand and drawing her out on to the flat sand where people were swaying to the rhythm of the music.

  His arms curved about her, and perhaps it was the intoxicating effect of the cocktails she had been drinking, but it seemed after that as though the world was made of pure sensation. She was aware of his hard body pressed against hers, the nudge of his leg against her thigh, the gentle glide of his hand over the small of her back, drawing her ever closer to him. And over all was a canopy of stars, sprinkled against the backcloth of a midnight sky.

  The haunting music lulled her senses, filling her being, and she and Ethan moved together in harmony with the gentle rhythm. It was perfect, sensual, a throbbing heartbeat of heavenly experience, and even though she realised she had sipped just a little too much of the alcoholic drinks that Ethan had been bringing her throughout the evening, it was the fact that he was holding her that was making her feel this way.

  Why did Ethan have this effect on her? She barely knew him. She had only met him a few weeks ago, and yet all her thoughts were taken up with him. As he lowered his head towards her, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world that he should kiss her. His lips descended, touched, tasted, settled, lingering to explore the sweet, curving line of her mouth.

  Her whole body tingled with the exhilaration of that kiss. It spread through her like flame, burning like a fever. She kissed him in return, her lips cli
nging, tasting, savouring the feel of him, so that her whole world took on a golden, warm glow.

  ‘You see,’ Ethan murmured, reluctantly dragging his lips from hers, so that they could both come up for air, ‘you and I could have it all. You fit so perfectly into my arms as though you were made for me alone. I could give you whatever it is that you want.’

  He gazed down at her, his blue eyes glittering in the darkness. ‘I’m here, now…I want you, and I know you feel the same way about me. I can feel it in the way your body quivers next to mine, in the way your lips soften when I kiss you. Isn’t that the truth? Don’t you feel it the same way I do, running through your veins like quicksilver?’

  That was exactly how she felt. Her soft, feminine curves were crushed against him, and she wanted to be even closer, if that was possible, but the music was sounding a drumbeat in her head, and the thunder of her heart was overwhelming, setting off an alarm throughout her body.

  She pressed a shaky hand against his chest. ‘I don’t know what I want,’ she said raggedly. ‘This is all happening so quickly. I only know it’s too soon…It’s this Hawaiian paradise weaving its spell on me. I’ve had too much to drink, and I’m not thinking straight.’

  She tried to ease back from him, to allow a faint, cool breeze to clear her head, but he wasn’t about to let her go.

  His gaze meshed with hers. ‘I have wealth and power, too…you can have whatever you want. You only have to say the word and it’s yours.’

  Amber was bewildered. ‘I don’t understand…Why would you say something like that?’

  ‘You already know the answer to that one, don’t you?’ His hands caressed her, smoothing over the curve of her hips and lightly pressuring her towards him once again. ‘I wanted you the first moment I saw you. You’re so beautiful…you stir a man’s blood until he doesn’t know what he’s doing any more.’

  She started to shake her head. This sort of thing didn’t happen to her. She was caught up in the island’s spell, and her inhibitions had dissolved in the heat, and everything from then on had gone haywire.