The shower pulsated against Janie’s back, waking her slowly out of her erotic haze. She could still feel Wyatt’s arms around her and his lips on hers.

Janie tilted her head back and let the water wash through her long hair, making it heavy. Tilting her head farther back, she let the water sluice her face. Instead of washing off Wyatt’s impact on her body, the water seemed to allow his touch to settle even more firmly on her.

As the water rolled down her body, it seemed to trace Wyatt’s path. This is the face he kissed, it pointed out. This is the back he caressed. This is the shoulder he rested his head upon. She turned in the shower and enjoyed the feel of the water run off the length of her.

The memory of their time together was heaven. She had never felt so womanly before, never felt her power as a woman so strongly. She had been kissed by several men in her life, and many times by Stanley, but she had never experienced anything so explosive before. She recalled her head swimming. Her heart racing. Could a woman die from such a kiss?

Lust.

Lots and lots of lust.

I am too old to succumb to lust, she thought doubtfully. Janie searched her heart and knew that she felt more than lust towards Wyatt. She had fallen for him deeper than just physical attraction. She respected him, liked him, and maybe more. She deserved more from him than kisses. She had spent a life of settling. She was determined never to settle again.

Slowly, she began to sober up out of her reverie. Wyatt was obviously attracted to her. He made that more than apparent. However, he evidently did not want any kind of relationship with her. Knowing this, she had to be resolute and stay away from him as much as possible, if not physically, at least emotionally.

“No more kisses,” Janie declared to the steamy bathroom. She wiped the mirror with a dry towel. “And no more, long moony looks into each other’s eyes,” she added, looking at her reflection. Silly, she thought. She was like a school girl, a romance novel character. “Get over it,” she commanded herself and dried her hair.

Wyatt had slowly returned to himself after a long swim. He was starting to get used to the ever-present feeling of frustration and unresolved feelings. This must be what priests feel like, he thought. “But they don’t kiss hot women like that,” he commented ruefully. Surely, they couldn’t stop themselves if Janie were around. How could any man resist her?

He was coming to the conclusion that he could not resist her. He had tried so hard to avoid her, to resent her, yet he could not stop himself from being drawn to her. It was not only physical; although, God knew that there was so much physical between them.

Truly, he had never known such a beautiful woman. Even when she was working outside, when her hair a mess and her skin caked with salt water and sand without a trace of makeup on her face, she was the most glorious woman Wyatt had ever seen. It was all he could do sometimes not to grab her and kiss her.

But this was more than physical attraction. Wyatt wanted to be with Janie. He was happier when she was around. He loved to hear her talk, loved to see her in his house. She belonged here in his life, and he desperately wanted her to belong to him.

Under any other circumstances, his choice would be cut and dry. He would pursue Janie until she was his totally. And never let her go, he thought with a sigh.

However, these circumstances couldn’t be helped. He wouldn’t let a woman come between him and his life’s work. He had to be sensible, rise above his emotions. The consequences would be too great if he gave in to what he wanted instead of what he knew was right.

Wyatt grabbed a tall tumbler of orange juice and several oatmeal cookies from the kitchen and went to the living room to watch some bad TV. He hoped the dose of sugar and 70’s action movies would bring him back to his old self where he didn’t moon at women with long hair and green eyes. “Green eyes flecked with gold,” he added, aloud.

“What?” Janie surprised Wyatt, half of a cookie wedged in his mouth.

She was sitting on the couch, her feet resting up on the coffee table. The large family photo album lay open on her lap. Her hair was freshly washed, and he could smell its honey scent standing near her. He thought of cowardly turning around, but he couldn’t resist when she beckoned him, and he sat next to her on the couch.

He broke the awkward silence. “I see you found the family album.”

“Oh,” she stammered, slightly shamefaced. “I hope you don’t mind. I was looking for something to read, and I stumbled on this.”

“That’s fine, really. I haven’t looked at it in years. Let’s take a look.”

The book began with a photo of Sam in the hospital where she was born. Janie smiled at Wyatt’s look of proprietorship. “Miss Smoosh Face,” she joked.

Wyatt blinked hard. “Yeah. I don’t really remember her like that. I was out of it the first month.”

“You were in shock,” Janie provided gently.

Wyatt was quiet for a moment, searching for words. He felt, somehow that he owed Janie the truth of who he was and what he had gone through. “It happened so quickly. At first, I didn’t believe it happened at all. I couldn’t believe it. Then, Miles came from New Jersey and moved in with us. He let me grieve, and he took care of the baby, of Sam. I was shocked, depressed, angry. It was exactly like the stages of grieving they talk about. Then, my brothers started coming over.

“First James came. When I protested, he said that he was moving here for the waves, not for me.” Wyatt smiled, remembering his conversation with his little brother, who had tried to protect his ego. “Sweet James. He traded in his 200K job to live in a shack by the water. He hung up his own shingle, and he probably makes even more, now. In those days, he would tiptoe around pretending he wasn’t here until I needed him, and then he would appear in his light-hearted way and make me feel instantly better.

“Then, Virgil came over, wanting to make everything better in a loud and decisive way. He’s always been an authority freak. Then, Morgan managed to land the general manager job at the biggest resort on the island, and Doc the head of the trauma center at Honolulu hospital. They all pretended they were coming for their own reasons, and I selfishly let them think that I believed them. We were all reunited, which we hadn’t been in years, not since Mom and Dad died, anyway. They all came to help their big brother, and believe me, I don’t forget it.”

Janie was silent, as Wyatt finished his little speech. He wondered what she thought of his moment of weakness, when he couldn’t cope on his own.

“Cookie?” Wyatt offered Janie, attempting to lighten the moment.

Janie snatched the cookie from Wyatt and took a big bite. They sat for a while, chewing together. Janie was so thankful to Wyatt for opening up to her. She reflected on this tight-knit family of brothers, united to combat Wyatt’s grief.

Janie spoke before she thought. “I love your family,” she blurted out.

“What?”

“I mean, I think your family is wonderful. Your brothers are so kind and great, each in his own way. And Miles, when he can drag himself away from his backgammon group, has been sweet to me.”

Wyatt grunted. “That’s the first time I’ve ever heard anyone describe Miles as ‘sweet.’”

Janie giggled. “Perhaps that is the wrong word,” she agreed.

“I think the word you’re searching for is ‘curmudgeon.’”  They both laughed in earnest.

“I wouldn’t have minded a curmudgeon or two in my life, growing up,” Janie muttered. “My parents were very serious professors with their heads in books. They barely knew I was around.” Janie could never recall her parents ever coming to a school event or even tucking her in at night. They felt it was completely normal to work on a paper, do research, or go to a conference rather than do the little ordinary things a parent usually does with a child. Janie was taught to believe that their behavior was normal, but nevertheless, it left her lonely and wanting more.

“That’s hard to believe. I can’t imagine anyone ignoring you,” Wyatt said softly, unaware how ironic his statement was when he had done his best to ignore Janie since she arrived on the island.

Janie turned the pages of the album. They were filled with pictures of Sam at different ages. Occasionally, Miles, Wyatt, or one of his brothers would appear with her.

“So, who’s idea was it for the names?” Janie had been wanting to ask him for a while, but she hadn’t had the courage to do it before.

“I’m sorry?”

“Don’t play dumb, Wyatt. The names. Wyatt, Virgil, Morgan, James, and Doc. It’s the Earp brothers plus Doc Holiday.”

Wyatt squirmed a little, adjusting his body. He wiped his palms on his thighs and ran a hand through his unkempt hair. “Oh, that. Everyone always asks about that. It’s a long story.”

“I’ve got all night,” said Janie, smiling. She loved seeing Wyatt squirm, and was that the slightest tinge of a blush on his cheeks?

“Are you sure?” he asked in a weak attempt to get her to change her mind.

“Yes, I’m dying to know.”

“Well,” he started, reluctantly. “It was my father’s idea. You see, he never wanted children. He married my mother because he was head over heels in love with her, but he told her that under no circumstances were they to have any children. ‘I can’t abide any children,’ he used to say.

“My mother never argued with him. She would always tell him he was right and then do what she wanted, and he would come around to her way of thinking.”

“Sounds like heaven,” Janie interrupted.

“Indeed. Well, anyway, my father was a western fanatic. He read and watched only westerns. He decorated his office in western motifs. For their first vacation when they were married, they went to Tombstone, Arizona. Not the most romantic setting, but…”

“The okay Corral!” Janie was getting into the story.

“Right! The okay Corral. And when they were touring the okay Corral, site of the great gunfight against the Earp brothers and Doc Holiday…”

“With Wyatt Earp leading them,” Janie interrupted again, excitedly.

“Do you know this story already?”

Janie covered her mouth with her hand. “I’m sorry. I won’t interrupt again. I promise.”

“Like you said, Wyatt Earp led them. So, while my father was reenacting the gunfight, playing the roles of all the players and getting my mother to play Frank McLaury – a bad guy – my mother told him matter-of-factly that she was four months pregnant. Of course, my father didn’t think this was good news at all, but he said it was okay as long as he could name the child.” Wyatt paused waiting for Janie to speak, but she still held her hand up to her face. “You can interrupt again if you wish. I know you want to,” he prompted.

“And so he picked Wyatt, the top Earp brother. And then he continued naming you guys for the good guys at the okay Corral,” she blurted out.

Wyatt smiled broadly. “Yes, although James Earp was not at the gunfight at the okay Corral. That was a mistake that Dad realized when James was seven years old. He wanted to change his name immediately when he found out, but my mother put her foot down.”

Wyatt looked intently at Janie and smiled. “Good story?”

“Great story,” Janie answered. It was the fun kind of family story that was totally absent in her life.

“Well, then I guess it’s worth looking ridiculous, if you liked it.”

“It’s well worth it. Thank you for telling it to me.”

They grew silent, and the silence became awkward. Thankfully, Janie remembered the photo album and began looking at it, again.

“I’m sorry.”

Janie looked up at Wyatt.

“Sorry about the kiss,” he continued.

“Don’t worry about it. I understand,” Janie cut him off. She was weary of his flip-flops – kind and romantic one minute and brusque and insulting the next. “It was the sunset’s fault. I understand,” she declared, trying to end the conversation.

“No. You don’t understand,” Wyatt said, firmly. “I’m sorry I couldn’t control myself. That’s why I’m sorry. But it had nothing to do with the sunset. Look, Janie. There isn’t a moment when I see you that I don’t want to kiss you. Kiss you and more. From the moment I first saw you, I’ve wanted you. It’s torture when I’m near you.”

They locked eyes, and Janie found that she was hypnotized by the deep blue, which was fixed on her so intently. Surely no one else had eyes like that. Dark, yet brilliant, blue, she thought dreamily. She had looked into those eyes several times, but she couldn’t recall ever seeing that particular expression staring back at her. What was he trying to convey?

He wanted her. Wanted her every time he saw her. That was what he had said.

Well, if Janie were honest with herself, she felt the same way. Although in her case, her feelings went deeper than animal lust, and she needed Wyatt to want more than that, too.

“Tortured.” The word came out of her mouth in a gentle exhale, a breath more than a whisper. The tiniest of smiles formed on her face. She stood up.

He was tortured by her? No, he was torturing her with this back and forth, with an attraction that went nowhere.

It had taken years for Janie to gain self-respect and a good self-image. Armed with new confidence, she wasn’t going to settle for a man who didn’t love her. Wyatt Templeton – accomplished scientist, activist humanitarian, loving father, family man, and the best-looking man who ever filled out a t-shirt – would have to find someone else to torture and be tortured by.

She looked down at Wyatt, who remained seated, looking up at her with a shocked expression on his face. She forced a yawn and a stretch.

“My goodness, what a day. I’m tired. I think I’ll go on up to bed. See you tomorrow bright and early. No rest for the weary, you know. Remember, my evaluation isn’t over, yet. I still have a lot of work to do.”

Janie saw Wyatt’s face grow hard as she turned and walked out of the room. She supposed he didn’t like a taste of rejection. Enjoy a taste of your own medicine, she thought a little vindictively, leaving Wyatt on the couch.

Wyatt sat for a long while, allowing the ice in his orange juice to melt and the remaining cookies to crumble uneaten in his clenched fist. After opening up to Janie more than he had ever opened up to any other human being, she rejected him.

Rejected him with a smile on her face!

She definitely proved to him that his first impression of her as a wolf in sheep’s clothing was entirely correct. Her behavior made it easy to see how she could be seemingly gentle and sweet and then turn around and cruelly cut off the funding for the Dolphin Freedom Project. She was a hatchet lady all right.

How could she kiss him like she kissed him tonight and then reject him so completely when he opened up to her? She seemed to take pleasure in telling him that her evaluation wasn’t over. Well, his evaluation of her was over. He wasn’t going to think of her anymore.

Who was he kidding?

He couldn’t stop thinking about her. One kiss gave him a taste of what being with her could be like, and he was going mad wanting her.

Only one point made Wyatt happy…Janie would be gone soon enough, and then he could concentrate on salvaging his work and his life.

Janie watched Sam scoop the deviled egg mixture into the hardboiled egg white halves. “You got it!” They high-fived in celebration. “You really a really are a natural in the kitchen, Sam.”

“You think so?”

“You’ve caught on to everything I’ve shown you faster than anybody. I may be looking at a future chef.”

Sam beamed. “It was a great idea to do the practice runs with all the party food. Now, it will be a snap to get it done before the party.”

“And with your help, it’s going to be a really impressive spread. People are going to be talking about this party for ages.”

“You really think so?” Sam smiled from ear to ear and continued to scoop. Janie couldn’t help feeling a little maternal pride as she watched Sam accomplish something so important to her.

Janie and Sam had grown very close all week, while they prepared for the party. They had discussed every detail of the party and had spent countless hours shopping and preparing. Since there was no party store in Kunolei, they had made frequent trips to Honolulu to find the perfect streamers, balloons, and other party decorations.

They designated the hall closet as the decoration storage area, and it was already bursting. Janie realized that all the preparations were a little over-the-top for a kids’ party, but she felt it was important that it was completely perfect for Sam. During their time together, Janie had grown to know her as a sweet, responsible girl. Outwardly, she seemed more mature than her 10 years, but inwardly, she was still a little girl, desperate for motherly love. True, she was not lonely like Janie was at her age. Unlike Janie, Sam had a large, extended family that showered her with affection daily.

Her uncles were ever-present, and Keiko, her family, and the whole town had adopted Sam as one of their own. Even gruff Wyatt was a doting father, constantly doing activities with Sam and always sure to sit down to meals with her, which few families did these days.

Despite all this attention, it was Janie’s company that Sam sought the most these days. Sam seemed to relish the girls-only conversations they would have. They also had fun manicure/pedicure sessions, and a hair and makeup tutorial that made Wyatt furious.

He was fit to be tied when he saw his little girl with mascara on. “It’s temporary. It will wash off. It’s just for fun,” Janie assured Wyatt, but he wasn’t happy until Sam had washed off her face and promised to never wear makeup again.

Janie laughed to herself. It tickled her when Wyatt was over-protective towards Sam, which came to think of it, was nearly always. He was obviously head-over-heels in love with his little girl, and it pained him to watch her grown up; although, he was also very proud of her as he watched her make great strides. He couldn’t stop talking about her excellence in school and in surfing. 

The feeling was mutual, of course. Sam was definitely daddy’s little girl and looked at Wyatt as a knight in shining armor, and for all intents and purposes, he was. He raised her in a warm and comforting home after her mother died. In fact, he had been the only parent she had ever known. He was over-protective, sure, but he also let her stretch her wings in whatever direction she wanted. Janie couldn’t help but think of Wyatt as a knight in shining armor as well. That is, until he opened his mouth, she thought half-joking.

She realized that Sam would have loved for Wyatt and Janie to have become serious, romantically. If they were a couple, it would be the family that Sam longed for. Janie sighed. She would have loved to make Sam’s wish come true, but one thing was for sure: Wyatt and Sam would never be a couple.

Since their kiss, they had been clumsily keeping their distance from each other, even though they spent almost every waking hour together. At meal times, they spoke around each other, either to Sam when they ate at home (which they were doing more often, now that Janie was cooking and teaching Sam how to make the dishes they would serve at the party) and to Keiko, Miles, and the other Templeton men when they ate at Keiko’s. At work, Wyatt barked curt orders, and Janie complied. She liked it better that way, actually, since she didn’t want to engage in any uncomfortable conversation.

Otherwise, she found herself with Sam, preparing for the party and doing fun, girl stuff. In the evenings, Janie cowardly stuck to her room to work on her report, which was nearly finished. Cowardly yet productive, she thought sensibly.

Her attempts at avoiding and ignoring didn’t seem to work all that well, however, in her attraction for Wyatt. At work, she would find herself stealing glances at him while he worked. She recalled one embarrassing moment at the lagoon where she became entranced by the movement of muscles in his back as he fed the dolphins. She must have been staring at his torso for quite some time because he became aware of her ogling, and she had to quickly avert her eyes and pretend that she was looking elsewhere.

She had become increasingly aware of his presence whenever he was near. She could swear that she felt him when he was around, as if he was speaking to her through his pores. It was as if Wyatt was becoming more handsome as the days passed. More than once, she had to fight a strong desire to run her fingers through his thick, unruly hair, and she wondered frequently what it would feel like to kiss him when he was unshaven.

It wasn’t just that he was an attractive man. She loved how he moved – his ramrod posture was that of a man who was completely sure of himself. He was pure masculinity of a sort that bookish Janie was not used to.

Janie was woken from her thoughts by the sounds of loud bickering from outside. “I have a mind to give you a ticket.”

“I have no idea what you’re going on about, Virgil. I’m simply dropping off the sound system for the DJ for Sam’s party.”

Janie stepped outside to see what the fuss was about. A large truck from the resort was parked in the driveway. Morgan had one hand on the driver’s door and was attempting to get down, but Virgil, who had pulled up in his unmarked police car was blocking him. To make him seem even more imposing, Virgil was holding up a ticket book, waving it around in threat.

Virgil - who stood around six-foot-five, weighed about 240lbs of pure muscle, and was the biggest and tallest of all the Templeton men - was the most imposing man Janie had ever seen. He seemed like he was made of granite, and he obviously had the habit of using his authority. However, Morgan seemed totally unfazed by his older brother. In fact, in typical Morgan fashion, he didn’t break a sweat, blink an eye, or crease his gorgeous designer clothes.

His cool demeanor, which would have sent Wyatt into a tizzy of frustration, didn’t affect Virgil, however, who opened up the book and took out a pen. “You do not have a license to operate this vehicle, Morgan.”

“Oh, my license. Why didn’t you say so? It’s right here.”

“This is not a commercial license, Morgan. You need one of those to drive this truck.”

Morgan looked at Virgil, who kept his pen hovering an inch above the ticket book. “So, if I were driving my BMW, I wouldn’t have a problem?” he asked quietly.

“BMW? No, I think there’s a problem with the BMW.”

Morgan nodded in understanding. Janie, however, had no idea where this was going.

“What if I were driving my Jag?”

“Still a problem.”

Morgan stiffened visibly as he understood something unpleasant. “No. No way.” Morgan steeled his expression and slammed the door of the truck.

“That’s too bad,” Virgil murmured and moved the pen ever-so-slightly nearer the book.

“Okay! okay!” Morgan waved his hands and yelled at Virgil to stop. It was the first time that Janie ever saw this charming man lose his cool. “The Maserati. The Maserati,” he muttered.

Virgil beamed as if he had won some contest, but Janie didn’t know which one. He flipped the ticket book closed and slipped it in his back pocket of his jeans. He loudly clicked the pen closed in a flourish. “I need it for the whole weekend,” he smirked.

Morgan’s face was total defeat; although, he never let his smile falter. “You can have it,” he said, resigned. “You probably won’t fit in it, anyway.”

Virgil grinned. “I don’t mind being a little cramped. You want some help getting the stuff out of the back?”

Morgan jumped down, and Virgil slapped him on the back. Typical Templeton brothers, Janie thought fondly. They were constantly teasing each other. They were best friends, favorite playmates.

And Wyatt, their oldest brother, got the worst ribbing. But with all the teasing and playing, they also seemed to revere Wyatt. Despite all of their strong personalities, Wyatt had the last word in all important matters. Janie had witnessed that on several occasions.

It was no accident that they all met at Wyatt’s hangout – Keiko’s Café – even though it was big commute for some during the day. He was the center of their world.

“So, you’re borrowing Morgan’s Maserati?” Janie stood next to Virgil and Morgan.

“Hey there, lovely lady,” Virgil greeted her. “Yes, but just for the weekend.”

“Got something special planned?” Janie pried.

“Not as lovely as you, but special? Yes.”

“Good for you!”

As they walked to the back of the truck to unload it, Virgil draped his arm over Janie’s shoulder.

“Aren’t Maserati’s expensive?” she asked him in a whisper.

“I think they are.”

“How much does a general manager of a resort make, anyway?” Janie felt comfortable enough with Virgil to pry even further, and she thought that Virgil might just know how much Morgan was actually making.

Before Virgil could answer, Morgan – who obviously was listening to their conversation – answered for him.

“It’s a very nice resort, Janie.”

The three laughed out loud, sharing the joke. Suddenly, Morgan and Virgil stopped, leaving Janie to giggle alone for a moment before she looked to see what had grabbed their attention.

Wyatt had walked up and was looking at them with an expression she had never seen on him before. Specifically, he was looking at Virgil and Janie with a murderous expression on his face. Quickly, Virgil – the big imposing police officer who appeared to fear no one – dropped his arm from Janie’s shoulder, as if it was on fire. Wyatt looked at him sharply in the eye, and something passed between them, unspoken.

“Hey, Wyatt,” Morgan called out, good-humoredly, breaking the tense moment. “We were just getting the sound system out of the trunk. You want to help?”

Everyone seemed to hold their breath while they waited for Wyatt’s reply. “Fine,” he said softly.

While the three men started to unload the truck, Janie slipped away to go back into the house. As she was leaving, she heard Virgil’s soft plea to Wyatt. “Sorry, man.”

Janie opened the screen door to the house and heard Wyatt grunt in response.