Aloha, page 15
“Yep, every summer for the past four years. They have a house on the island, and they bring friends and their kids on vacation.”
“How long does that take?” Amiya asks.
“It takes two weeks at sea to get here. They usually stay two to three weeks, and then we sail them back,” Sebastian explains.
“So, your entire summer is bringing them here and taking them back?” I ask.
“Pretty much, but they pay us very well, and we get to stay on the yacht for free while we’re on the island. So, it’s a sweet deal,” Parker replies.
“Damn, that’s a cool gig,” Amiya says.
She looks at me. “It sure beats waiting tables all summer.”
“Where are you ladies from, and what brings you to Oahu?” Anson asks.
“We’re from Atlanta, and we both attend the University of Georgia. We’ll be graduating next spring,” Amiya answers.
Parker leans back in his chair. “I knew it. I knew I heard a sweet Southern accent.”
We fall into an easy conversation as we are served a delicious feast of poi, fish, roasted kalua pig, limu, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, lau lau, opihi, and a selection of fresh fruits and haupia.
As the night wears on, we find ourselves on the dance floor.
Our laughter mingles with the music as Amiya and I try our hand at hula dancing, following the instructions of the locals.
The boys join us, and before I know it, Sebastian and I are moving in harmony, our bodies swaying to the melody. In that moment, it feels like the crowd has faded away, leaving only the two of us.
As the luau reaches its end, we steal away to the shoreline with our bellies full of wonderful food and cocktails in our hands.
The moon’s soft glow illuminates the waves, casting a magical spell upon the beach.
Sebastian and Anson build a fire, and we sit and enjoy the night breeze and the sound of the waves meeting the sand.
Parker receives a text from a girl he met earlier in the week, and he and Anson talk Amiya into accompanying them to the tiki bar a few miles down the beach.
“You sure you don’t want to come? It’s still early,” Amiya asks.
I shake my head. “Nah. I just want to stay and enjoy the moonlit beach a while longer,” I say.
“I’ll stay and keep her company.”
Her eyes slide to Sebastian, and she smiles.
Then, she turns back to me and leans down to whisper in my ear, “Remember what I said about getting under a hot stranger.”
I push her away, and she winks at me.
“All right, you two kids have fun. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” she says as she follows the guys, and I watch them fade out of sight.
“They’ll take good care of her. You don’t have to worry. Trust me,” Sebastian assures.
They should be the ones worried.
I turn back to him and smile. “I do.”
And it’s true. I just met him, but for some reason, I do trust him.
It’s probably the cocktails.
“What do you say to a night swim?” he asks.
“I do have my bathing suit on under my dress,” I muse.
He stands and offers me his hand. I take it, and he helps me to my feet.
He watches intently as I shimmy out of my dress, letting it fall to the sand.
Then, I take off running toward the water, and he gives chase.
I dive into the dark depths of the ocean, and when I surface, Sebastian is at my side.
He wraps an arm around my waist and tugs me close.
Before I have a chance to overthink, I bring my lips to his.
His hands slide down to my ass, and he hoists me up onto his hips. My legs wrap around him as his teeth nip at my bottom lip, and I moan.
Taking the opportunity, he deepens the kiss, and my fingers slip into the wet hair at his nape, holding on.
When we finally come up for air, I drop my legs and release him. Then, I slink back into the water and take off under the rushing waves.
He catches up to me in minutes, and when he reaches out to clasp my waist again, I twist and kick, splashing water in his face. Squealing, I attempt to edge past him, but I can’t escape his firm grip.
Finally, I give in and slip my arms around his shoulders.
“You’re beautiful, Avie,” he whispers against my skin.
I rest my forehead against his and let him hold me.
An electric current runs between us, and I can feel his cock twitch as my heat brushes against him.
I gasp, and his eyes widen slightly as his lips part.
I can feel the loud thump of my heart beating in my chest as my breath quickens.
I can hear Amiya’s voice in my head. “A hot and heavy summer fling is just what the doctor ordered.”
I go still as the water laps around us.
“Avie?”
I bring my eyes to his, and my legs tighten around him, my core nestling against his erection.
That’s all it takes.
He brings his lips to my shoulder and peppers a trail of kisses to my collarbone as he walks us back to the shoreline.
I toss my head back to give him better access, which causes my chest to press into his.
The thin, wet fabric of my bikini leaves nothing to the imagination.
He marches us up the steps to the dock that leads to the yacht as he cups one breast with his hand and gently kneads it.
I close my eyes and moan, and we walk aboard the yacht and down a hallway that leads to a small bedroom.
He kicks the door shut behind us, and we fall onto the tiny double bed.
He lets go of me long enough to reach around, undoing the straps tied at my neck, and pulls the white fabric down.
Plump pink nipples greet him.
“Fuck,” he groans.
He sucks one between his teeth and gives it a rough tug. I buck off the bed, and he releases it, licks it gently, and blows across it. It tightens to a hard peak, and he wraps his lips around it once more.
My hips start to rock into him, and as soon as I find the contact my body is searching for, I hasten my movement.
The friction feels so good as I slide up and down on him.
His mouth moves to the other breast and sucks it as I continue to glide against his eager cock.
When I can take no more, I reach between us and into his trunks.
He bites down on my nipple, and I gasp.
I wrap my fingers around him and pull him free.
“Give me your mouth, Avie,” he commands.
I lean in and do just that.
Our tongues wrestle as I continue to caress him.
His hand shimmies down and brushes across my core.
I bite my lip, and my body trembles as he guides a finger inside my bottoms, where he finds my entrance wet and ready, and begins to pump it in and out slowly.
His head falls to my shoulder, and I take all of his weight as I lose myself to the pleasure.
“Oh God,” I groan.
I release him, hook my thumbs into the band of his shorts, and tug them down.
He bears up so I can skim them down his legs, and then he kicks them onto the floor. Then, he shimmies my bottoms down my thighs.
He takes hold of his cock and guides it to my opening, and his eyes come to mine, searching for permission.
I raise my hips to meet him, and he slides inside of me.
It feels so damn good as he thrusts forward, picking up the pace and going deeper and deeper until he fills me completely.
My muscles start to tighten around him, and I scream his name as he finds my clit and circles it with his thumb, applying just the right amount of pressure I need.
I rotate my hips and move more urgently, seeking the release my body wants so badly.
My legs tense around him, and I begin to shudder as I get closer.
“Look at me, Avie,” he commands.
My head snaps up, and he watches as I lose the battle and shatter around him.
My cries fill the cabin and echo against the walls.
Then, he stiffens atop me, and his cry mingles with mine as I milk his orgasm from him. It’s the guttural sound.
His head stays buried in my neck as our breathing calms.
When he finally looks up, he asks, “Are you okay?”
I nod.
He brings his hand to the side of my face and cups my cheek.
Then, he leans down and kisses me gently.
“That was incredible,” he whispers against my lips.
Then, he falls to the side, tugs me into his chest, and pulls the covers over us.
Before I can even wrap my head around what just happened, I hear the rhythmic panting of his breath in my ear, and I know he has fallen asleep.
Carefully, I untangle myself from his arms and climb quietly from the bed.
I gather my suit and tiptoe out into the hallway of the boat and shut the door gently.
Then, I make my way back to the beach to gather my dress and sandals and head back to my bungalow.
Chapter 5
I awaken to the sound of the covers rustling and the feel of Amiya climbing in bed beside me.
I peek over at her.
“What time is it?” I ask.
“Six in the morning,” she mumbles.
I blink against the sunlight bathing the deck and sit up.
“Are you just coming in?” I ask.
“Yeah, I ran into the hunky crewman from the Coral King at the bar, and the two of us took a bottle of rum and a couple of beach towels to the shore and made good use of it all. I woke up with a pounding head and sand in all the wrong places,” she grumbles.
“That’s going to cause some uncomfortable chaffing,” I say as I plop back and pull the duvet up to my chin.
“Worth it,” she says.
“We’re not going to make it to the waterfall today, are we?” I ask.
She opens an eye and looks at me. “Nope.”
I shrug. “I’m good with that.”
The truth is, I’m exhausted. Deliciously so.
We snuggle in and drift off to the sound of the light rain that has begun to fall on the deck.
And I dream of sailing the open seas on a yacht with a beautiful stranger.
I awaken to ringing coming from somewhere in the bungalow.
I roll over to see Amiya is still dead to the world.
The chiming stops, and I sit up and swing my legs over the edge of the bed.
Standing, I make my way to the bathroom.
The ringing begins again, and I follow the sound to the coat closet in the foyer beside the door.
I open it as the sound halts and then starts once again.
I find Amiya’s bag and fish the phone out just as it stops again.
The screen illuminates, and the wallpaper of me and my parents smiling stares back at me with a notification of six missed calls.
All from Conrad.
What the hell does he want?
I turn off the ringer so it doesn’t wake up Amiya and carry the phone into the kitchen with me.
I debate on whether or not I should return the calls.
What if it’s an emergency?
The thought crosses my mind just as a text comes through.
I read it and freeze at his words.
Amiya emerges from the bedroom, yawning and rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
“I need some hair of the dog,” she mutters, stopping short when she sees my face.
Her eyes fall to the phone in my hand.
“What’s wrong?” she asks.
I burst into tears.
She rushes to me and wraps her arms around me.
“I think I made a mistake,” I whimper.
The phone slips from my hand, and she reads the message from Conrad.
“Fuck me,” she hisses before dropping it to the counter.
She lets me cry into her chest for a few more minutes, and then she leans back.
“Let’s go get some breakfast and talk about it,” she suggests.
“Okay.”
I sniffle, and she wraps an arm around my shoulders and leads me to the bedroom to get dressed.
I let Amiya talk me into taking the rest of our days in Hawaii to get my head together and decide what I want my future to look like.
Since I was a little girl, it has been my dream to graduate with a degree in marine science and apply for a job as an aquarist at the Georgia Aquarium.
Is that still what I want in life?
She doesn’t leave my side as we take the glass-bottom boat and dinner cruise tour.
I stare down at the natural beauty at our feet.
This is what I love. The ocean. The sea life.
We spend our last day on the island on the beach with Pika serving our breakfast, lunch, and dinner in our cabana.
I decide to stay at the bungalow and spend time in the sauna as Amiya gets dressed and attends the final party at the resort.
I don’t want to risk running into Sebastian. I wouldn’t know what to say to him. I snuck out that night without even leaving a note.
It was for the best.
We hadn’t exchanged phone numbers, and we don’t even know each other’s last names. Our night of passion will forever be a beautiful memory of my time here in paradise, but that’s where it needs to stay.
In my memory.
When Amiya returns, she informs me that there was no sign of Sebastian or the other guys, so I guess he feels the same way about our brief tryst.
The next morning, we pack and say goodbye to our cozy bungalow as Pika comes to help us with our things and loads us into a car.
“Thank you for everything,” I tell him as I wrap him in a tight hug.
“You’re very welcome, Miss Carrigan. I hope your life journey leads you back to Oahu one day,” Pika says as he returns my embrace.
“Me too.”
The driver whisks us away to the airport, and we get checked in for our flight and make our way to the waiting plane.
I take my seat beside the window and stare out at the island as Amiya holds my hand.
Goodbye, palm trees and blue seas.
We were only here for a week, and yet it felt like a lifetime. I’m not the same girl who boarded the plane in Atlanta.
This island changed me.
I fish my phone from my purse before tucking it in the back of the seat in front of me as Amiya chats away with the gentleman across the aisle.
Tapping the screen so I can place it into Airplane mode, I pull up the text from Conrad one more time.
Conrad: I miss you so damn much. I’m sorry. I fucked up. Please come to New York.
New York …
Thank you for reading. To continue in my world check out my popular series, Balsam Ridge and Poplar Falls.
A Mermaid and Her Star
Angelina M. Lopez
A Mermaid and Her Star
Marina Torres didn’t know how she got here.
She floated cheek-down on the paddle board, her toes trailing in the water as the gentle sun warmed her back and the tender breeze wandered over her skin. She didn’t think she’d ever felt anything as delicious as a Hawaiian summer day.
She opened her eyes. Across the expanse of teal blue water, a voluptuous green-blue she couldn’t believe was real, she stared at the Mokes, twin tiny islands of sand and yellow grasses, rising out of the water like the undulating humps of a sea monster. In the 21years of her life, this was the farthest she’d ever been from her hometown of Freedom, Kansas. But there was nothing scary here.
How in the world, she thought again as she dabbled the fingers not holding onto the paddle through the water, did she end up here?
She knew the steps. She’d filled out the application last fall for the Medina-Esperanza Internship Program, which connected talented citizens from billionaire Roxanne Medina’s hometown of Freedom with paid, temporary opportunities in her global organization. Marina got her reply while she was still at KU finishing her fall-semester finals: She’d been invited to use her soon-to-be degree in journalism with a minor in music to create social media and content for rock star Aish Salinger, Roxanne Medina’s brother-in-law, who would be recording an album that summer at the world-famous Island Sound Studios in Honolulu.
Marina had cried, nearly thrown up, called her mom, then her Grandmo Loretta, then been bombarded by calls, texts, Instagram DMs, and SnapChats from everyone in her family. She’d responded to the invitation and accepted the position.
Over the course of the spring, she’d received the plane ticket, location of the huge beach house where the whole team chronicling the making of the new album – including Aish Salinger and his wife, winemaker Princesa Sofia – would be staying, and suggestions on what to bring for their two-month stay on Oahu. In Hawaii.
Hawaii!
Physically, she knew how she’d gotten here. A week ago, she’d stumbled out of the plane after a nine-hour flight, bumping her guitar case into everything before a flight attendant had steadied her and then slipped a flower lei over her head. They’d driven across the island from the airport, through the lushest green with the world’s tallest, most-terrifying cliffs, to emerge on the other side in front of the world’s longest, most beautiful shoreline. It was her first cliffs and her first shoreline, but she was certain she was right. The driver had driven them until the road ran out at a gate. When the gate rambled back, it revealed two, many-decked beach houses separated by a bridge of black lava rocks, a stretch of sand, palm trees hanging over the water, and the Mokes. Their little corner of paradise came with tiny islands.
How in the world did she get here?
Today was her first day off after three days chronicling Aish in the studio and while she wanted to explore Oahu, she figured she would spend the day drowsing on the paddle board that she’d gotten pretty good at as a first-timer and adjusting to the fact that she was hanging out with a rock star and a princess. When was someone going to pinch her and wake her up?
Her board bumped into the black, jagged lava rocks that made up the jetty between the beach houses that were in sight of each other but far enough away to provide space and privacy. A shadow fell over her.
