Chapter 5

Spike and I headed right to The Local Gentry in search of a T-shirt to replace the one he’d peed on. My friend Palu’s cousin tittered when she saw my bare torso.

“Hi, Alice.”

“Hello, my handsome friend. How are you?”

“Good. Enjoying the festivities.”

“He likes his bow tie, I see?” She pointed a chubby finger toward Spike. “Still no luck finding his owner?”

“No, I found her. She’s getting ready for the parade so I’m on dog-sitting duty.”

“Well, he looks happy to be with you.” She reached behind the counter and pulled out a small cookie. “May I?”

“Sure.”

Spike gobbled it up as her eyes devoured my nakedness. “Hot outside?”

“I’m sorry, I know I need a shirt. My buddy here had an accident on me. That’s why we’re here.”

“Oh, no need to apologize. Usually they say no shirt, no shoes, no service…but in Lanai City we make exceptions…at least when Alice is on duty.” She released a high-pitched laugh that made her shimmy all over. “Would you like a lei to adorn that spectacular chest?” She grinned at her joke.

“Um…no, thank you, just a T-shirt would be fine.”

“Ah, I have just the thing for you.” She waddled over to the men’s department, which consisted of one T-stand loaded with shirts, shorts, and bathing suits, and pulled out a bright orange shirt that read, I GOT LEI-D IN LANAI CITY.

“That works.”

“Good. You get a discount for being such a good customer. What’s your name?” she asked as she held Spike’s leash while I threw on the shirt.

“Lance.”

“Lance, that will be eight dollars.” I passed her a ten and said to keep the change. On our way out I then said, “Dude, you owe me eight bucks.” But Spike wasn’t amused.

Out in the scorching heat we shared a pineapple shaved ice and listened to a few Don Ho cover songs played by the Lanai City Lovers—as the quartet called themselves.

When the parade started, we stood on the sidewalk for the fifteen minutes it took from start to finish. The whole thing consisted of a fire truck, local merchants holding up banners advertising their businesses, a waving Palu as he led a small band, two vintage convertibles, and a flatbed truck carrying an enormous papier-mâché replica of King Kamehameha.

Zara waved to me from the pink Cadillac she rode in with her friend, and I loved that she did…even if she waved the entire length of the parade.

While standing among the locals, Spike was recognized by quite a few of them, and they came over to pet him in passing.

I lifted him and muttered so only he could hear me, “It’s pretty pathetic you’re more famous around here than I am.”

But he wasn’t listening, instead his eyes were busy checking out every dog we saw.

With each one I’d ask, “You like her, dude?”

Pant…pant…pant.

“No? What about her? She’s hot.”

Pant…pant…pant, before he rolled his puppy dog eyes.

“Hey, I’m trying here. You’re very picky.”

Suddenly, he started squirming in my arms at the sight of a small black poodle coming toward us.

“Oh, so you’re a poodle-loving guy, huh?”

His incessant barking caused a few to turn to see what the commotion was all about. The poodle never gave him a second glance. I shrugged apologetically to those annoyed with Spike’s outburst while muffling him with my hand over his mouth.

“Seriously, dude, zip it. You’re going to get us kicked out of Kamehameha Day. And you aren’t going to nab the chick behaving like this.”

A beautiful voice speaking in a South African dialect said, “He actually hates that dog.” When I turned to face her, Zara giggled. “Nice shirt.”

Seeing her smiling and looking all hot and sexy, I couldn’t help but grin back at her. “Thanks. I like it, too.”

“Now you really look like a tourist.”

Torr–est. It was so fucking sexy listening to her talk.

Spike’s squirming and yapping brought my attention back to him. “I thought Spike was flipping out because he liked her.” My loud voice carried, causing more heads to turn.

“Him. He’s a him.”

My eyes moved over to the little black prissy dog as he pranced down the street.

“Huh, I was wrong again. When Spike and I met I also assumed he was a girl. I’ve never owned a pet, but in my mind I guess I feel certain breeds should only be female, while others should be male.” At her blank stare I continued, and with each word I sounded more and more dumb. “Like a tiny white Maltese or black poodle both screamed female to me. But a big-ass German shepherd or a pit bull should always be male.” The way she openly laughed at me caused another grin to spread over my face. “What?”

“That’s complete rubbish.”

“No, it’s not. It makes perfect sense.” Spike went nuts, growling, snarling, and making a complete fool out of himself. The entire conversation grew louder and louder, as we competed with his hissy fit. “Damn, he really does hate that dog.”

Zara pulled him from my arms and reprimanded him. “Quiet.” Instantly, he calmed down, and the sexiness of her firm and forceful command traveled right to my nuts.

“What’s the troublemaker’s name?”

“Max,” she added.

“Ah.” I looked down at a whimpering Spike and nodded. “I get it now. Spike’s jealous of his name.”

“You’re terrible,” she scolded, but the smile contradicted her words.

“You’re beautiful.” Her honey eyes looked away, embarrassed, before she moved them back to my face. I shrugged apologetically. “I couldn’t hold that in anymore.”

“You’re also a flirt.”

Without warning, she started walking down the center of the street, veering around people who came in her way. She was clearly embarrassed by the compliment. How could someone so stunning not know that she was?

“Wait.” Like a lost puppy, I followed without invite. Even though I was a flirt, and she’d pegged that I was, I still asked, “What makes you say that? Do you see me flirting with anyone else?”

Without breaking stride, she looked over at me and shrugged. “Just a hunch. You’re right, I guess I shouldn’t assume you are after knowing you all of five minutes. Besides, you’ve had on those sunglasses all day, and I can only read someone by looking into their eyes. I do apologize.”

My eyes cut left and right. Now that Spike had finally shut up no one was paying attention to us, but a small part of me worried just the same. Regardless, I removed my sunglasses and tucked them into my neckline.

The next time she glanced my way, her steps halted.

I stopped as well, and stared into her eyes. “Okay, here are my eyes. What do you see? Am I a flirt, or just a guy who would like to get to know you better?” She raised her brows as her lips parted, but nothing came out. “Well?” I prompted.

That adorable blush began to spread over her cheeks. She must have felt it coming, because she looked away and nervously fiddled with Spike’s bow tie.

“What are you thinking?”

“A lady never reveals her secrets,” she said softly.

Never came out sounding like nev-ah…and fuck if that didn’t stir me up.

“I can respect that.” I stepped closer, forcing her head to tilt upward to maintain eye contact, and Spike followed suit. Her eyes were absolutely hypnotizing. In them I could see vulnerability and uncertainty, but also curiosity and intrigue.

I needed to get to know her, and I would. I was fully aware that meant she’d have to get to know me, and she would. Not Landon Price the movie star version of me, but Landon Price the real man that I’d hidden from everyone I knew.

I decided there would be no acting on my part, no censoring what my real thoughts were, or what I really wanted to say. Without knowing it, Zara had just signed up to meet the real me, whether she wanted to or not.

“Are you attending the luau?” I asked when my long pause caused her to fidget nervously.

My change of subject made her widen her eyes in confusion. “Yes.”

“You give me the perfect reason to attend.” Spike barked, forcing me to add, “Both of you do. Where do you live?”

“Why?” she asked defensively.

“I’ll come by and pick you up.”

“That’s not necessary,” she said with a firm shake of her head. I got it, she barely knew me. But that wouldn’t deter me in the least.

“Okay, then you come get me. I’m staying at Hulopoe Haven. I’ll meet you in front of bungalow two at six o’clock. We’ll walk over to the luau together.”

She hesitated slightly before saying, “Okay.”

“See you at six, Zara.”

I turned in time to bust her gazing after me as I walked toward my Jeep. At my immediate grin, she offered a bemused smile before scurrying in the opposite direction.

Here’s something hilarious:

I, Landon Price, had attended dozens of award shows with millions of people watching my every move while never breaking a sweat. I had given countless interviews to some of the biggest publications in the world and never once felt nervous. I’d met with some of the most influential men and women in the business without ever feeling the least bit self-conscious.

Yet, there I was, nervously pacing the stretch of beach in front of my bungalow while sweating profusely as I kept glancing at my wristwatch.

Suddenly, a white ball of fur came charging down the beach, yapping incessantly to announce their arrival. When he reached where I walked in front of the porch, he literally defied gravity and leapt into my arms.

I couldn’t help but laugh as he greeted me in his usual way, licking me every place his little tongue could touch.

“Nice jump, dude.” I had to give props when props were due, since I was six-three.

Zara appeared from around the bend, smiling at Spike’s enthusiasm. The closer she got, the more I realized I was in big trouble.

A black bikini top molded over two perfect breasts, a long floral sarong was tied around her hips, and the way it split open to reveal a smooth, tanned thigh with each alternating step was what caused my cock to say, Let’s get lei-d!

I glanced down at my crotch to see how bad things were getting. The black nylon fabric of my swimsuit had started to swell like someone was pumping air into a balloon. With a few steps left to take, I panicked by tugging on my T-shirt, but that made it worse. Out of options, and not wanting to say, Oh, hey, Zara. Ignore the man behind the curtain, instead, I subtly shifted Spike down over my crotch in an attempt to hide myself.

“Hallow, Lance.”

“Hi, beautiful.” She smiled shyly and tucked her hair behind her ear. “You look amazing.” My eyes raked over her, appreciating every tanned inch of exposed skin.

“Thank you.”

Spike’s head moved from looking up at me to looking over at her. Her honey eyes focused on where I awkwardly held him like a shield. He didn’t seem to mind, which bought me a few moments to think of something unsexy.

My agent, Roger, and the day I’d walked in on his bare ass as he fucked an intern popped into my mind and thankfully helped with my predicament.

“Are you ready to head over?” she asked.

Selfishly, I wanted to suggest we just stay where we were, to maybe skinny-dip or roll around in the sand. Deciding it was too soon in our relationship for frolicking naked while Spike looked on, I nodded and said, “Sure. Let’s go.”