Читать книгу Tempted By Her Island Millionaire - Nina Singh - Страница 10
ОглавлениеHER DIVORCE WAS hardly a cause for celebration.
Rita was just getting used to the idea that she was single again. The breakup had been her idea. She’d been the one who wanted out of her marriage. Still, it wasn’t something she wanted to party over. Jay hadn’t been a bad person. He hadn’t even been a bad husband. In fact, he’d make someone else a fitting spouse one day. Just not her.
But Lizzie’s heart was in the right place. So Rita figured she’d drink Clint’s champagne with her. Speaking of, she hadn’t missed Clint’s curious glance in her direction when Lizzie had spoken of her breakup. Now, as they passed through the open-air lobby on the way to his suite, she could feel his intense gaze on her back. The knowledge sent a tingle of awareness along the surface of her skin.
Cut it out.
She was simply reacting to seeing her crush again after all these years. And that’s all Clint had ever been: a crush.
“And it all starts tonight!” Lizzie chimed with excitement.
Rita was paying just enough attention to know Lizzie was rambling on about the various sightseeing tours and excursions planned for the wedding party. Apparently, it all kicked off with a traditional Hawaiian luau this evening.
Good thing one of them was talking; God bless her old friend for never being at a loss for words, as Rita wasn’t feeling particularly chatty. Heaven knew she hadn’t said much to Clint on the plane ride over. But what would she have talked about? Her stalled career? Her failed marriage? And she certainly didn’t want to get into her currently very strained relationship with her parents.
At least she wasn’t the only one here alone. Clint was also without a plus-one. Looked like they both were leaving some part of their pasts behind.
They finally reached his door and Clint used his card to let them in. Rita had to bite down a gasp as she stepped inside. His suite was the size of a small apartment. A wall of glass stood opposite them, the view a spectacular one of the ocean and the island mountain in the distance. Pity the woman who was supposed to be here and was now missing out on all this.
Among the other things she was missing out on.
Rita couldn’t help but study Clint as he walked to the veranda and pulled the sliding door open. She’d certainly had good taste all those years ago when she’d first started crushing on the man. Tall and lean, he seemed to be quite fit. And he had the most striking facial features. Where his sister was fair with a patrician nose, Clint had more the look of a well-mixed genealogy. Lizzie had mentioned once that there was some Asian blood in their family ancestry. Though those genes hadn’t found his sister, Clint clearly had what would be described as such characteristics. Overall, it made for a dashing, exotic look that definitely made him stand out in a crowd.
“They gave you the good stuff,” Lizzie said as she pulled a green glass bottle out of the ice bucket.
“And I’m giving it to you two,” Clint replied.
“I suppose we can let you have a glass. Not a big one though.” Lizzie pinched her fingers in a demonstration of how much his pour would be. “We probably shouldn’t have too much right now anyway. There’ll be plenty of food and drink at the luau later this evening,” she said, then glanced at Rita as if looking for agreement.
“Right.”
“By the way—” Lizzie addressed her brother “—Tessa Campbell has been asking about you since she arrived. She happens to be your roommate, Rita.”
Clint gave her a distracted nod as he stood staring at the majestic view in front of them. “Which one was she again?”
Lizzie gave an exaggerated roll of her eyes in Rita’s direction, the effect so comical it made her giggle. “How can you not remember?” she asked her brother as she gave him the bottle to uncork. “She’s been hitting on you since the tenth grade. Wait till she finds out you’re here alone.”
He actually groaned. “Now I remember. What are the chances I’ll be able to avoid her?”
“Slim to none,” his sister replied. “She is a member of the wedding party after all.”
“Great.”
Clint’s tone held every hint of resignation. He was a man used to such attention. She wasn’t surprised. It was all merely an annoyance for him. He deftly uncorked the bottle with a pop and grabbed two flutes off the serving table then began pouring. Tiny florescent bubbles floated through the air. He handed each of them a glass.
Lizzie suddenly let out a laugh that had her snorting bubbly champagne through her nose. The sight, in turn, made Rita laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Clint wanted to know.
Lizzie rubbed the tip of her nose. “I just had an image of you ducking behind palm trees during the luau when you saw Tessa approaching.”
Rita laughed harder at the visual that invoked. Clint glanced from one to the other, a resigned expression on his face. “I’m glad you two find this so amusing.”
“I’m sorry,” Rita told him but she couldn’t seem to stop one last giggle. When was the last time she’d really laughed? The past few months had been an emotional hailstorm. She was so glad to be here, finally able to get away. To have it be for such a happy occasion was just icing on the cake. This chance to step back from her troubles for a while was exactly what she needed right now.
But then Clint focused those dark chestnut-brown eyes on her, his lips curved into a smile. She had to suck in a breath just as her stomach did a dive straight to her toes. Perhaps she’d found trouble yet again.
* * *
Clint’s intention to get some rest before the luau with a quick nap was not going well. Every time he started to drift off, a set of dark brown eyes framed by silky jet-black hair sprang into his mind’s eye and jolted him awake. What was wrong with him?
He was simply here to see his sister married off and to give her away. Not to explore a wayward attraction to a friend of hers.
A glance at the wall clock across the room told him the shuttle to take them into town for tonight’s festivities would be arriving right about now. He had to get going. Lizzie didn’t tolerate lateness. Not even from the big brother who was paying for this whole shindig. He didn’t mind. Somehow his sister had escaped the cynicism spouted by their grandmother all those years. Bless her for it.
Maybe Lizzie would prove him and his grandmother wrong and make her marriage work. Maybe she’d be the one to break the Fallon chain of doomed relationships.
Lord knew, he wasn’t going to be the one to try.
If that made him cynical, so be it. At least Lizzie had found love. Or what she thought was love. But then she’d always been the dreamer. While he’d had to be the responsible, serious one. He’d had no choice. With both parents gone and only an elderly, bitter matron in charge of them, the burden of responsibility had fallen solely on his shoulders.
He figured he’d done okay. They both had, he and his sister. Hokey as it sounded, he’d have to say he was proud of the woman his sister had become. And happy for her that she’d found someone. Jonathon was a good man. He’d make Lizzie a good husband. Someday, he’d make a good father.
Not that Clint was in any kind of hurry to become an uncle, he mused as he walked to the bathroom and turned on the shower. It would have to be a short one. Officially, Clint was the main host of this wedding. He couldn’t be missing shuttles and ending up running late to the events. That also meant he had to be very cordial and very polite to every one of their guests.
So it galled him that there was only one in particular he was thinking of right now, wondering if they’d be seated anywhere near each other. Or maybe even together. He didn’t know the full wedding party details; he had left Lizzie and Jonathon pretty much to their own devices when it came to planning.
Now he wished he’d been more involved. It might have avoided the whole fiasco at the airport when he couldn’t even remember who Rita was. That had been wildly embarrassing. Had he apologized to her? He couldn’t recall. If he didn’t run into her tonight, he’d have to make it a point to find her and do so.
Right. And that would be the only reason for him to want to seek her out.
Damn it. Why couldn’t he stop thinking about her?
Shutting off the water and toweling off, Clint realized he barely had time to make it downstairs in time for the shuttle bus. Throwing on a pair of khaki shorts and a Hawaiian shirt, he didn’t bother to button it as he ran toward the hallway stairs that led to the lobby. Waiting for the elevator would be too risky.
In his hurry, Clint realized too late that someone else was on the stairway making their way down. The crash was unavoidable. Unable to stop himself at the speed he was going, he collided hard with an unsuspecting, soft body. He just barely managed to catch her in his arms and avoid what was sure to be a harrowing tumble down several sets of steps.
Turned out he wouldn’t have to go looking for Rita after all.
“Oh, my—” Her words cut off as chocolate-brown eyes blinked at him with shock. Her gaze drooped down to his bare chest for a split second before snapping back up to his face.
“I’m so sorry,” he began. “Are you all right?”
She blinked once more. “You’re not even dressed.”
Clint made himself release her in order to pull his shirt together. He began hastily buttoning. “Yeah, part of the reason for my rush. I’m running a little late.”
“I guess running would be the operative word.”
“And colliding. Don’t forget colliding. You never answered my question.”
“Question?”
“Are you all right? I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“I’m fine, just a little startled.” She adjusted the hem of her sundress, which had shifted somewhat as a result of their collision. And what a pretty dress it was, a shiny number with thin straps that rested delicately on her toned shoulders. The navy blue of the fabric brought out the deep, rich hue of her silky, smooth skin.
Had he ever noticed a woman’s dress before? Or how it brought out the color of her skin?
“I’m really sorry, Rita.” To think, he’d intended earlier to apologize to her for something completely different: forgetting who she was. His mea culpas when it came to her were accumulating.
“Why are you taking the stairs?” he asked her. “Aren’t you on a much higher floor?”
She shrugged. “I always take the stairs. It’s better for you.”
Well, she certainly was fit. And that dress made no bare bones about it. It showed off her long, toned legs and narrow waist.
This was getting ridiculous. He’d nearly caused her to wipe out down the stairs for heaven’s sake. Not to mention he’d hauled her against his bare chest to keep her from falling. And now he couldn’t stop ogling her. In a deserted stairway, no less.
“We should probably get down there,” he said and motioned for her to go ahead down the final flight of steps. As he followed, he forced himself not to look at her shapely, rounded behind. Though it wasn’t easy.
* * *
There was a whole pig twisting around on a spit. Head and hooves and all. Rita couldn’t bear to look at the sight another second. She wasn’t a strict vegetarian by any means. But her profession as a veterinarian made such a scene difficult to watch. In fact, she felt a bit queasy.
The rest of the crowd stood next to the open fire pit, oohing and aahing at the large animal about to be served as their dinner. A crowd that included the entire wedding party. She walked toward the water, away from the buffet area where the rest of the feast was being set up.
The party faced the sea, with a majestic view of the mountains on one side and crystal-blue water as far as the eye could see on the other. Banana-leaf-covered cabanas surrounded a large stage area in the center. Tables and tables of various dishes were already being set up.
Clint Fallon had spared no expense for his sister’s wedding. Rita nudged the sand at her feet with her sandaled toe. She glanced over to where he stood with the rest of the crowd. Lizzie had been right about Tessa Campbell wanting to corner him. The woman had made a beeline to Clint’s side as soon as they’d exited the shuttle bus. She’d been within two feet of him ever since. Several times, when Rita had ventured to look their way, Tessa had her hand on his arm or his shoulder. She’d definitely dominated his full attention so far.
Though Rita got the distinct feeling Clint was merely being polite. Actually, Clint looked somewhat uncomfortable with the constant touching.
Not that it would bother her if there was anything more than that developing between them. And the frustration she felt at that thought wasn’t something she was going to dwell on. She thought of their near disaster on the stairs earlier. Like she’d fallen against a hard wall of pure male. She rubbed her cheek where it had landed against his bare chest when he’d barreled into her. Lord, he’d felt solid.
“Thought you’d taken off.” A masculine voice sounded behind her and made her jump. Clint. Rita turned to find him no more than a few feet behind her, as if her thoughts had conjured him.
“Just wanted to admire the water for a bit.”
He came to stand beside her, both of them facing the coastline. “You find it a much more palatable view than the one back there over by the fire pit.”
He was an observant one. “Yes, well, there’s that too.” He must have been watching her. So maybe Tessa didn’t have so much of his attention after all. “Was it that obvious?”
He smiled. “Your disdain was clear.”
Oh, no. She hoped she wasn’t coming off in that way. As if she were turning her nose up at the chosen venue or choice of entertainment. Sometimes her shyness was known to come off as a haughtiness. It had gotten her into trouble more than once. “It’s just that when you spend your days taking care of animals, seeing one spinning above a fire pit that way is a little off-putting.”
Something shifted behind Clint’s eyes. Then he actually thwacked himself in the forehead with the palm of his hand. “It’s you!”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Sarita. With the neon purple hair. Lizzie’s roommate off and on during her school days. You were studying to be a veterinarian.”
Ah, so now he was finally remembering. Took him long enough. “Wow, that didn’t take you long at all,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
He had the decency to duck his head as if chagrined. “I’ve been meaning to apologize for that.” He spread his hands. “But you gotta cut me some slack. You never looked the same those few times I saw you. I mean, was your hair ever the same color?”
She had to give him that. Her puny attempts at college-girl rebellion centered around changing her hair constantly. Her father absolutely hated it. Which was the point, wasn’t it? Still, Clint could have registered some recognition before now.
“And Rita’s not your name,” he declared. “That threw me off too.”
“It’s a shortened version of my name. As is yours.”
He pursed his lips, as if that thought hadn’t occurred to him. “I suppose you’re right.”
He supposed? Of course, she was right. Clint was short for Clinton. How was that any different than shortening Sarita to Rita? She didn’t get a chance to ask as they were interrupted.
“There you are! I lost track of you.” Tessa ran up to Clint and wagged her finger at him.
Clint actually groaned out loud. Tessa didn’t notice. Or she didn’t really care. Then he shocked her by placing both his hands around Rita’s waist. That Tessa definitely noticed. Her eyes grew wide with shock. And annoyance.
“I was just looking for Sarita. We ran into each other at the airport and I’ve been meaning to catch up with her ever since.”
He was? Or was he just trying to use her to deflect Tessa’s attentions? She wasn’t sure how she felt about that last possibility. But when she glanced his way, his eyes implored her to go along.
His expression was so desperate, she almost felt sorry for him for a split second. “Yes, I’m hoping to hear about what Clint’s been up to all these years since we’ve last seen each other.”
Tessa would not be deterred. She crooked her hand into Clint’s elbow. “Well, we can’t have you two off by yourselves. This is a party after all.”
“You know, you’re absolutely right,” Clint agreed with a wide smile that almost seemed genuine, even as he gently pulled his arm free. “We’ll just be another minute.”
Tessa’s face fell. It was the first time Rita had actually observed such a physical embodiment of that expression. Tessa cleared her throat. “All right then. Don’t take too long,” she added before walking away.
“Very smooth, Mr. Fallon.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean the way you dismissed her while somehow agreeing with her. Very, very smooth.”
“I told her the truth. I really do want to hear more about you. What better time than tonight? In this wonderful setting?”
She couldn’t read too much into that comment. “Now that you finally remember who I am?”
He started to object but then apparently thought better of it. “And yes, I could use a break from Tessa, sweet as she is. Just stay by my side throughout the night and maybe she’ll leave me alone.”
“So I’m supposed to let you utilize our newly rediscovered friendship to allow you to avoid a potential suitor?”
He grabbed his chest in mock outrage. “That’s only the secondary motive, remember?”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why would I agree to do that?”
He quirked an eyebrow. “Because you can’t resist my charm?”
Rita gave him a thumbs-down. “Try again.”
“Because you’ve taken pity on me?”
This time she shook her head.
“Come on,” he pleaded. “Just for tonight. So that I can maybe relax and enjoy this amazing dinner and the traditional performance.”
She supposed he did at least have a right to that. Given that it was his sister’s wedding they were all here for. Besides, she’d been thankful to Clint so many times in the past. Like when he’d bought his sister the car they’d both used to get from their off-campus dorm to their classes in the dead of winter. Or during junior year when their preferred choice of housing had fallen through and he’d pulled all sorts of strings to get them a place to stay.
Just admit that the prospect of spending the evening with him isn’t exactly a turnoff.
She gave him a nonchalant shrug. “Why not?”
Somehow, against her better judgment, she’d just agreed to spend the evening close by Clint’s side.
* * *
“I take it you won’t be indulging in the main course,” Clint said as he escorted Rita toward the numerous buffet tables laden with island food. So far, she was being a good sport about their earlier agreement to help him keep Tessa at bay. She’d stayed by his side and made sure to keep the conversation going between the two of them. Just generally staying in his company which he was enjoying way more than he should.
Truth be told, he hadn’t been expecting to get much pleasure out of this evening. He wasn’t exactly a luau type. Thanks to Rita, however, the evening was so far turning out quite differently than he’d imagined. In a very pleasant way.
The way the other woman was shooting daggers at him from across the serving area made it clear she’d noticed the camaraderie between them.
“You would be correct,” Rita responded as they reached the first table.
Sarita. No wonder he hadn’t recognized her. He could hardly be faulted for not realizing at first glance that she was the bespectacled, purple-haired, shy girl he’d see occasionally when he visited Lizzie at school. Hard to believe this was the same woman standing before him now.
“It’s not like I’ll go hungry,” she added, breaking into his thoughts and motioning to the massive number of dishes laid out before them. He didn’t even recognize half the plates. Tropical fruit, various pulled meats, grilled vegetables. In the center of every table sat a bowling-ball-sized bowl of some kind of pinkish pudding-like substance.
“Any idea what that is?” he asked her.
“I believe it’s what’s known as poi.”
“Pa—what, now?”
She laughed as she handed him an empty plate, then grabbed one for herself. “Based on some reading I’ve done, it’s made from some kind of native plant. It’s supposed to be full of essential vitamins and minerals. It’s supposed to be very good for you. Particularly for—” she paused midsentence “—um... Never mind.”
Judging by the way she suddenly ducked her head, something had clearly made her uncomfortable.
“What were you going to say?”
“Nothing. Just an article I read.”
“I’m a little hurt that you aren’t willing to educate me. Perfectly okay that I’ll remain woefully ignorant about whatever this pwah is.”
She granted him a small laugh. “Poi. It’s just very popular with the men in particular.”
“Yeah, why’s that?”
They both reached for the same serving spoon and the brush of her fingers against his sent a spark of awareness down to his center. Suddenly, he realized what she was referring to. The poi must be considered to lend some kind of boost to male performance.
She quickly pulled her hand away.
“I think I figured it out.” He reached for the next item. “Not that someone like me would be concerned about that.”
Why the hell had he just said that?
Damn it, now the air between them was awkward and strained. When they’d been having such a relaxed conversation earlier.
“That was just a joke,” he said by way of explanation.
“Does that mean it’s not true? That you could perhaps use the poi?”
“What? No! I mean, yes. I mean, of course it’s true.” Saints above. It was like he didn’t even know how to speak around this woman.
She popped a pineapple chunk into her mouth and winked at him with bemusement. He had to remind himself to breathe.
“Ha, ha.”
Just to be funny, he scooped a ridiculous amount of the poi and dropped it in the center of his plate.
The show was just starting as they took their seats. He stole a glance at Rita next to him as she watched. She seemed thoroughly entranced by the story the performers were enacting on the stage. Tales about native islanders leaving their home to find more hospitable islands. Kings and queens leading their people to new lands, the culture and customs that they brought with them and how they mixed with inhabitants already living there.
Rita looked like she could be one of those queens. Or a regal princess adjusting to life on a new island. Her sundress swayed softly in the breeze. The glow of the lit torches brought out the dark golden specks of her eyes. Rather than wearing the flower lei they’d received upon arrival around her neck, she’d loosely wrapped it around the crown of her head. The overall effect was mesmerizing.
So much so that Clint barely noticed when the story depiction part of the show was over and the hula dancing had begun. Rhythmic drums filled the air as the dancers bounced to the music, their hips moving in ways that seemed to defy anatomical possibility. The dancers then formed a circle around the tables. Lizzie and Jonathon sat at the table next to them. The woman onstage spoke into her microphone. “I understand there are a bride and groom here celebrating with us.”
One of the dancers extended a hand to Lizzie, who took it and then stood from the table. Jonathon stood as well with another dancer leading him by the elbow. All four started making their way toward the stage. Various other couples in the dining area were similarly led.
“Please come participate with us in a traditional celebratory dance,” the woman said into the mic.
On her way to the stage, Lizzie suddenly stopped behind him. “Come on, big brother. I don’t want you to miss out on this.” She grabbed him by the crook of the elbow and pulled.
“Oh, no, you don’t. I am not a dancer.”
“Tonight you are.” She tugged on his arm until he had no choice but to stand.
His sister wanted him to dance. Onstage. A traditional Hawaiian hula. Well, he wasn’t going down alone.
“Rita? Care to join us?”
Her jaw fell. “Uh... I’ll sit this one out.”
“Come on. Don’t make me suffer this alone.” Before he could finish the sentence, the female dancer behind him took Rita by the hand and made her stand. Essentially making the decision for her. Clint decided he’d be forever indebted to the woman. They made their way toward the stage.
Once there, he found himself thrust in Rita’s direction as everyone coupled up to dance, the women in front of the men. A dancer in the front led them, instructing how to move the hips just so. Rita did as instructed. And she seemed to have quite a knack for it. Her hips moved in swift circles in front of him and he thought perhaps his lungs would stop functioning.
Sweet heavens, perhaps he shouldn’t have had any of the poi. Not that it would have made any kind of difference.
* * *
The early-morning jog along the beach was supposed to clear his head. But images from the previous evening kept invading Clint’s mind as he ran at a punishing pace along the water. Rita’s smile as she was teasing him about the local delicacy. The way she’d tried to avoid looking at the main dish.
How her hips had moved as she danced in front of him.
So he thought he must have been imaging it when he looked toward the horizon and saw her in the water climbing onto a surfboard, assisted by a tan, blond man. She appeared to be taking a surfing lesson. The man grabbed her about the waist as he held her steady on the waves.
How many times last night had his fingers itched to do the same thing? He couldn’t count the number of times he’d awoken after midnight from a dream that prominently featured a dark-haired beauty with a flower lei adorning her head.
He watched her laugh as she toppled off the board and splashed in the water once more. The instructor immediately grabbed her and assisted her back on. Clint suddenly felt an irrationally intense dislike for the man.
This had to stop. He couldn’t be having these thoughts. About her or anyone else. He didn’t need any kind of disruption in his life right now. Didn’t have time for it. He certainly didn’t have the time or the inclination for a serious relationship with anyone, let alone a woman like Rita. She deserved nothing less than total commitment. Something he wasn’t sure he’d ever be willing to give.
Good thing there were no group activities planned for today. He could use the time to clear his head. The next outing on the agenda wasn’t until after midnight tonight, when they’d be picked up to go to Haleakala to see the sunrise atop the volcanic crater. He’d be sure to steer clear of her then.
You Fallon men have no idea how to fall in love without completely sacrificing your souls.
His grandmother was right. Not that he had any kind of notion that he was falling for Rita. It was simply the romantic mood of this wedding and the sensuous setting of the tropical island. Still, he would have to make sure not to let silly whims get the better of him from now on. Asking Rita to pretend they were interested in getting to know each other better had been a mistake. He would have been better off just dodging Tessa’s advances.
Much better off than what he was feeling now.
