Michael is on the deck when we arrive. From the smell coming from his grill, he’s already started dinner. Grabbing my hand, Stacy pulls me up the steps. At the sound of our footsteps, he looks over his shoulder and a grin lights his face. He really is beautiful. I’m sure he would scoff at being referred to as beautiful. Just thinking about his response brings a smile to my face.
“Is that smile for me, gorgeous?”
Shit! I was too busy thinking about the man himself to notice he is now standing toe to toe with me, his hot breath against my ear.
“Food smells good,” I respond.
“So do you,” is his reply before he stands to his full height and walks back toward the grill.
Fighting my body’s reaction to him, I take a seat at the table next to Stacy. “That boy wants in your panties,” she whispers.
“Pfft. There’s nothing boyish about him.”
“Trust me, girl. I have eyes.” She licks her lips and winks at me.
“Ladies . . .” His deep voice flows over me. “ . . . these are just about ready. I’m going to bring the rest of it out and we can eat.”
I watch his every move as he steps through the French doors and makes quick work of collecting items in the kitchen. A few minutes later, he has two big bowls in his hands and a swarm of other things. I know the polite thing to do would be to ask him if he needs help, but I can’t. His arms are huge and look even more so as they flex to carry it all. I stare at his tattoos gracing each ripple of muscle on both arms. One arm has a full sleeve while the other seems to stop just above his elbow. I can’t pull my eyes from him.
“Let us help,” Stacy says as her elbow meets my arm. This effectively breaks the spell I’m under.
Focusing on the task at hand, she and I set up the plates, potato salad, and baked beans. Stacy opens a bag of chips and I finish pouring us each a glass of iced tea just as Michael sets a platter in the middle of the table filled with steaks that appear to be grilled to perfection. My mouth waters just looking at them.
“Dinner is served.” He winks and begins piling his plate with the feast he has prepared.
“Did you make all of this yourself?” Stacy asks.
He laughs. “No. I’m not really much of a cook unless it can be grilled. I actually called a place in town and had them put together the rest,” he admits.
“So you cheated?” I have no idea why I asked that question.
He doesn’t reply, but his eyes, the color of the very ocean we are sitting in front of, sparkle with mischief.
“So what brings you to Hawaii?” Stacy asks.
He chews the bite of steak he just took and even that is hot. “Just needed to get a way. My career is very demanding, so it’s nice to step back from it. What about the two of you?”
“We actually just graduated from college. This trip was a present from our parents. We’ve been roommates since freshman year, so they thought it was a good idea to send us off to this beautiful place to celebrate,” Stacy spills.
He nods. “That’s a great gift. You must have great parents.”
“Yeah, we’re really fortunate,” I chime in. Can’t let him know he affects me.
We finish our dinner and both Stacy and I insist on helping him clean up. Afterwards, Michael suggests we walk down to the beach. He grabs us each a bottle of beer and we head for the water. Michael and Stacy stop just before the waves, but I continue on, letting the warm water flow over my feet. This place is breathtaking, and I’m sure it will be a memory I will cherish forever.
“Mind if I join you?” His voice causes me to jump.
He reaches out and rests his hand on my bare shoulder. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”
I offer him a shy smile. “I was lost in thought.” I turn back to the expanse of the ocean before us. “I want to commit this view to memory.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean,” he says.
Turning to face him, I mean to ask him where Stacy is, but the look in his eyes stops me. He’s not looking at the sunset; he’s looking right at me. I swallow the lump in my throat. Those eyes, I’ve never seen eyes that shade of blue before. This view is just as breathtaking as the one I was just admiring. I remind myself that I’m Paige to him. Live a little, that’s what I promised Stacy I would do.
Forcing my eyes from his, not wanting to seem like a crazy girl, I look over my shoulder and discover Stacy isn’t there. “Where’s—”
He answers me before I’m finished. “She said she wasn’t feeling well. Something about too much sun. She said she was going to go lie down and that you should stay and enjoy the view without her.”
It’s with those words that I realize she’s pushing me toward him, to take a chance on a fling with this sexy stranger. I’m also positive the view she’s talking about is six foot two and standing right in front of me; it has nothing to do with Mother Nature.
Michael reaches out and takes my hand. He laces his fingers through mine and leads me back to the dry sand. “Let’s sit.”
I settle beside him on the sand, and he doesn’t release my hand. “Tell me more about your family,” he asks.
Okay, this is not what I was expecting. Is this how a fling works? Do you . . . talk first? “Well, my parents have been married for twenty-five years. They met in college and married right after graduation. I have a younger brother who is starting Ohio State University in the fall. Not sure what else there is to tell.”
“I just like the sound of your voice. I don’t care what you say, just . . . talk.”
There is sincerity in his voice, mix that with my already nervous state, and I start spewing words just like he asked. I talk about college and how Stacy . . . Lynn and I have been roommates and best friends since day one. I talk about my major and how I have a new job I’m starting next week. I leave out where I’m working and he doesn’t seem to notice. I try to leave out as many identifying details as I possibly can. This is a fling after all, and I don’t know this guy. I stop talking as panic sets in. I’m sitting with a complete stranger in the dark on a private beach. What the hell am I thinking?
“Hey, you okay?” He places his large hand on my knee. How is he already in tune with my emotions?
“Yeah.” I scoot a little further away from him.
“What happened? What did I do?” Again, the sincerity in his voice is telling me I can trust him. “Tell me.” He tucks a piece of hair, which has broken free from my ponytail, behind my ear. “Talk to me,” he urges.
I suck in a deep breath, letting the ocean air fill my lungs, and then slowly exhale. “I was just thinking that I don’t really know you, that I’m sitting on a private beach with a complete stranger,” I admit.
I watch as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out his cell phone. “G, hey man, it’s me. Yeah, no I’m good. Listen, I need you to do me a favor. I’m sitting here with the most gorgeous girl I’ve ever met. We just had dinner and watched the sun set over the ocean. Her name is Paige. I want you to answer any questions she might have about me personally.” He then hands me the phone.
“Hello?” I say hesitantly.
“You must be something else to have my boy tied up in knots like this. Paige, was it?” he asks.
“Yes,” I answer.
“So what do you want to know?”
“I just . . . well, I just was thinking that it might not be the smartest move to be sitting on a private beach at night with a guy I barely know,” I repeat the words, not really knowing what else to say.
A deep chuckle booms over the line. “Let me tell you something, sweetheart, you couldn’t be in better hands. My boy will take good care of you. Hell, he sounds excited to be there with you, and lately, well, let’s just say that lately he’s not been himself. I can already tell this trip has been good for him. I assume I have you to thank for that,” he says.
“We just met earlier today,” I argue.
“Doesn’t matter. Something has him sounding like his old self, and since I’m not there, you get all the credit.”
“Thank you,” I say, because what else do I say to that? I hand the phone back to Michael, and he tells his friend thank you and then hangs up.
“I know talking to a friend of mine isn’t the best form of reassurance, but I hope it at least helped a little?” he asks, hopeful.
“He said I couldn’t be in better hands,” I tell him.
This causes him to smile. “G and I go way back. Listen, Paige, I would like to spend more time with you while we’re both here. I’ll be gone most of the day tomorrow, but the next day, can I see you?” Again, his voice sounds hopeful and maybe a little hesitant.
“I’d like that.”
“Good, let’s get you home.” He stands and offers me his hand once again, lacing his fingers through mine. We walk in silence with nothing but the sound of the waves between us.
When we reach my house, I let go of his hand and turn to face him. “Thank you for dinner and for your company tonight. I really did have a good time, even though I freaked out a little there at the end,” the words spew from my mouth.
“I can’t wait to see you again.”
His words cause a flurry of butterflies in my stomach. I’m excited to spend more time with him. Deciding to take a chance, I stand on my tiptoes and place a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you for tonight. I’ll see you soon.” And without giving him a chance to reply, I begin my journey up the steps leading into the house, not once looking over my shoulder.