by Mason, Dana
“Oh, well, business trips don’t get much better than that. You should have told me. I have a condo there, I could’ve joined you and kept you company while you’re working.” That’s exactly why I didn’t tell him.
“Well, I’m not sure we’re ready for taking trips together. Actually—”
“Well, we’ll never reach that point if we don’t start somewhere.”
“Let me rephrase. I’m not ready for that, Grant.” I pause but then say, “I’m not sure dating is in the cards for me right now. It’s been lovely getting to know you but I’m just still not ready.”
“Let’s talk about it over dinner when you return.”
Ugh. It’s like I’m talking to myself.
“Bec told me we were meeting with a contractor when I return, is that true?”
“Yes, I have the perfect guy for you. He’s the best builder I know and he’s capable of doing the designs as well. You’ll get the design and construction for the price of one.”
“Thank you for setting that up for us.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll see you then. Try to have some fun while you’re on the island. Let me know if you need restaurant recommendations.”
“Thanks again. I’ll give you a call if I need any island advice.”
I end the call and groan. At least he hears me when I talk about work, it’s the personal stuff he seems to glaze over.
I quickly call Drew’s room and I’m a little relieved when he doesn’t answer. I leave a voice message thanking him for last night. After disconnecting, I hold my phone out to send a quick hungover selfie to Mac then stand, thinking about a good hearty breakfast to help me clear my head––and help me forget what a fool I was last night…
* * *
Hungover hiking… it’s the order of the day. I know, it’s stupid, but I can’t help it. I need some fresh air and some good clean exercise. I park the rental car at the trailhead, and I’m thoroughly shocked at the lack of other hikers. I guess everyone else prefers the beach… I look up and see a few heavy clouds, marring what was a perfect sky earlier. I’m happy to see my wish is coming true even if it means I have to get wet.
I throw my pack on and head out. The Hawaiian air is thick, and I’ve already started to sweat in the humidity, but for the first time, I don’t mind. I’m happy… The height gives me a clear view of the ocean, and the wilderness is such a refreshing change from living in the middle of flat-land Sacramento. Not to mention the lack of people.
So far, the trail is pretty easy, and I’m stopping every few yards to snap pictures for Mac. The abundant ferns and greenery flow over the lifts and hills in waves of different shades of green with the occasional rock face jutting out from the vegetation. Little pops of color show themselves in the form of native wildflowers. Some I recognize, but others I couldn’t name to save my life. I wish I’d picked up a book about the island before I left home.
After walking for a while, I come to a clearing, and I’m stunned by the view. I can see for miles and miles. The luscious hills of Maui slowly roll over until they spill into the endless ocean. So different from the low, golden hills surrounding Sacramento. I take a panoramic photo before moving on.
Within an hour of following the trail, the sky turns dark, and I’m starting to get nervous. I was expecting a little rain, but these look like full-on storm clouds. I pull out my cell phone, praying I can use the weather app, but no, there’s no signal at all. I continue to climb, hoping the darkness is just due to the fog. When I enter a thicket of trees, and climb further, I’m wishing I brought a flashlight. I keep going carefully, knowing there’s a waterfall coming up soon. When the trees part, I continue through the ferns and realize I’m following a cliff-side trail. I carefully lean to look over the edge. Rock cliffs jut out from the mountain side – besides these, it’s a straight drop of at least a hundred feet. It’s frightening enough to keep me on the left side of the path. I’m not afraid of heights but the dirt is a bit slippery, and I definitely don’t need to die on vacation.
When the trail turns from dirt to rocks, and I hear the rushing of water, hope blooms. Another ten yards and I see the falls. “Wow,” I mutter to myself. The water freefalls from a cliff about thirty feet up with a four-foot ripple into a basin between walls of steep peaks. The pool under the falls is a dreamy green and I’m almost tempted to go swimming.
With my phone in hand, I step forward to get a better view for a photo. But my foot slips and twists. “Ouch! Son of a bitch!” I shout, thankful that nobody is around to hear me.
I sit on another large rock and gently slide my foot out from where it’s wedged. Blood is oozing from a gash above my ankle, so I quickly slap my hand over it and apply pressure. But it’s slippery, and I can’t get a good grasp. Sliding my backpack off my shoulder, I tug the zipper before grabbing the extra pair of socks I brought. Folding one in thirds, I place it over the cut, then wrap the other around my leg and tie it tight.
I take a moment to collect myself, breathing deeply, and then turn my ankle to make sure it’s not sprained. It’s tender but not so bad that I can’t walk on it. Relieved, I stand and carefully walk over to a sturdier rock and have a seat. I take out my water bottle and get a good guzzle, and as I screw the cap back on, the loudest bang of thunder sounds over my head and causes me to cry out.
“Holy shit!” A second later, the sky is alive with lightning. Before I can react, heavy rain starts dropping rapidly around me. Within seconds, I’m soaked.
I quickly get up, crawling into a little cove under the ledge of a huge rock. Now I just have to hope the rain stops before dark.
Six
Drew
When I return to my room after breakfast, the first thing I notice is the red, blinking message light on my phone. I grab it and check the voicemail.
“Hi Drew, this is Emily Thomas. I can’t thank you enough for taking such good care of me last night. I feel fine, and I’ve actually decided to go for a hike. I’m craving fresh air and wilderness. Maybe even a waterfall. Thanks again and I hope we can get together again before you leave.”
Hiking! Hasn’t she seen the weather reports? Jesus, woman, are you trying to kill yourself?
I disconnect and call the concierge.
“Concierge desk. How may I help you?”
“Gerry, Drew Whitney, Room 820. I need a favor.”
“Anything you need, Mr. Whitney.”
“Ms. Thomas from Room 819 left me a message to say she was hiking today. I’m a little worried about the weather. Did she ask you about hiking trails, by chance?”
“Ah, yes, Ms. Thomas stopped by my desk yesterday to pick up her itinerary for the week and she did ask about hiking locations. I suggested two trails. She didn’t mention she was going today, otherwise I would have suggested against it with the incoming storm.”
“I’m going to look for her, I don’t think she knew the storm was coming. If I stop by on my way out, will you point me toward the trails?”
“Of course! Is there anything else I can do to help? Should I call the park rangers?”
“Um, that might be overkill. Save it for now. If we’re not back by dinner, you can go ahead and call them for us both. She’s a pretty smart lady, I’m sure she went prepared. I would just hate for her to get stuck in the weather alone.”
Twenty minutes later, I leave the resort packed for a hike, and hoping I’m not overreacting. I’m guessing on the trail she chose. Since she mentioned a waterfall, I pick the one I know for sure has one. It’s also the less dangerous of the two trails, I’m relieved to find out.
When I arrive at the trailhead, there’re three cars in the lot, and one has a family getting ready to leave. I ask them if they’ve seen a woman matching Emily’s description.
They have, and fortunately, they passed her less than an hour ago. I look up at the darkening sky. I might just be able to find her before the storm starts. What can I do but take a chance?
I head out in a rush. Luckily, I’ve hiked t
his trail several times, and I’m familiar with it. As I make my way toward the falls, the sky grows darker. I’m hoping she took her time as she walked. That’ll make it easier to catch up with her. If she’s smart, she’s heading back this way already.
I’m an hour into my hike when thunder and lightning crack above my head. Jesus! It’s loud, which means it’s close. I’m about ten to fifteen yards from the falls, so I follow the rocky path until I see the water. There’s nobody around, so I call out, hoping Emily has sheltered under the cliffs.
“Emily!” I shout. I don’t hear anything at first, but then I see her head pop out from behind a large sheer rock face.
“Hello?” Her eyes focus on me, and I see the confusion before the recognition.
“Emily? You okay?”
“Drew?” Her brows scrunch together. “What are you doing here?”
I teeter down to her. “I’m looking for you. Are you okay?” As I say this, I try to wipe the water from my face.
“I’m fine.” She drops her fists on her hips and asks, “Why are you looking for me?”
I fight not to laugh. Apparently, she doesn’t realize what’s coming. “Emily, there’s a huge tropical storm coming. Didn’t you know?”
She gestures toward the sky. “I figured it out when the sky turned black, but it’s not like I can’t handle a little weather.”
That makes me feel a bit stupid. I have no idea where she’s from and just because I’m not used to the weather, doesn’t mean she’s not. “I, um, well, it’s more than a little weather. I didn’t want you to get stuck in a washout or flood.” Her face falls a little, and that makes me feel better about my decision. “These mountains can get ten to fifteen inches of rain in hours.”
She looks around as the water runs past us in rivulets to the pool under the falls. “I was planning to turn back when it calmed down a bit.”
“It’s not going to calm down, at least not today. It’s best to head back now.” I look down at her ankle and see a makeshift bandage. “Are you okay?”
“Of course.” She looks down, and points to the injury. “It’s nothing. Just a small gash. I’m fine.”
“I brought a first aid kit. Should I wrap that up a little better?”
She sits and takes out a small plastic bag from her backpack, wrapping it around the wound. “This will keep it dry enough. Don’t worry, it’s just a scratch, I’m fine.” After she secures the plastic around her ankle, she turns and looks out at the falls.
“I’m sorry you have to shorten your hike,” I say.
Her gaze cuts to me and I finally see her features relax. “Thanks for coming to fetch me, but I think I would have been fine.”
“I didn’t mean to imply you couldn’t take care of yourself. I just know how quickly things can change up here.”
“I found shelter, though. I would have been fine here for a while.”
I try not to laugh when she says this. “Actually, you wouldn’t be fine here.” I glance around and point toward the falls and the basin pool. “You’re sitting inside the basin. With this much rain, this spot will be underwater very soon.”
Her eyes travel around then lift toward the sky, her cheeks flushing. “I didn’t think of that.”
“The sooner we get out of here, the better.”
“All right.” She lifts into a crouching position and is about to step out from under the rock when I grab her arm.
“I am really sorry, Emily.”
“You don’t have to apologize for wanting to help me. Really.” She shakes her head and grimaces. “I’m sorry. This is the second time in twenty-four hours you’ve had to rescue me.”
This surprises me. I never once thought I was rescuing her…just looking out for her. “I wouldn’t say I’m rescuing you. You’re not a damsel in distress. I’m just trying to help.”
A pained look mars her face. “It’s just a little embarrassing.”
“In what way?”
She gives me an incredulous look. “In what way? Jesus, Drew. I…” She stops abruptly and closes her eyes. Then she inhales deeply. “How dumb of me not to check the weather before I left.”
“Any other time, you would have been fine. July is the middle of hurricane season on the islands. They get lots of storms this time of year. They come in fast, like today.”
“I should have checked. Thank you for finding me.”
I grin at her, glad she’s not pissed at me. I feel bad for not having more faith in her ability, but I’m also relieved. God knows how much worse this is going to get. “If you’re up for the walk, we should get back to our cars.”
I pull two plastic ponchos out of my backpack and give her one. “Use this.”
She takes it and tosses it over her head. “Thank you.”
I then hand her a waterproof flashlight. “Do you mind if I go ahead of you? I’d like to watch for trail washout.”
She gestures toward the rocky path back to the trail. “I don’t mind.”
“Shout out if you need to stop or if your ankle starts hurting. We can take a break whenever you need it.”
“I’m completely fine. Please, go ahead.”
When she says this, I realize I’m pushing it. She doesn’t need to be taken care of. With this thought, I hit the trail.
Over the next two hours, we make our way down the trail, and Emily has zero trouble keeping up with my pace. I try not to seem surprised. She’s obviously in great shape, and this is far from her first hiking experience. I’m simultaneously impressed and a little intimidated. It’s not that I don’t know any strong women. Hell, I was raised by a strong, independent, single mother who takes crap from no one. It’s just that I’ve not experienced a woman who can manage a hike like this, in the rain, after a night of drinking like Emily had.
When we reach the peak of the next incline, I stop to examine the trail ahead. It’s hard to see with the pouring rain and the darkness from the storm clouds. I step forward gingerly and lose my footing. My right foot slips out from under me, and the forward momentum takes me down the hill sideways. After sliding about ten feet, I somehow stop. Digging my left boot in for traction, I look back to see Emily grasping my backpack with both hands, holding me from slipping further.
When I’m vertical again, I lean forward to catch my breath. Then I nod at her.
“Thank you!”
“You okay?”
“Yeah, I think so. Besides my heart pounding out of my chest.”
She squats to see the blood trickling down my leg then leads me toward the shelter of two banyan trees.
“Sit down and let me take a look.”
“I think it’s fine,” I say, looking down at myself. I lift the leg of my cargo shorts to see the trail rash. It’s angry red with embedded dirt and rocks from the slide, but due to the adrenaline rush, I barely feel it.
She drops her backpack and squats to examine my outer thigh. “How high does it go?”
“Ms. Thomas, are you asking me to take my pants off?”
“We need to get it cleaned.” She’s dead serious, so I straighten my expression and stop trying to be funny.
I tug on the shorts to lift them above the trail rash on my outer thigh and she sits on a lifted root near the base of the tree. “Lean over a bit, please, so I can have a look.”
“Okay, okay…” I ease over as she pulls out her water bottle. Before I realize what’s happening, she’s pouring water on my leg and gently brushing at the dirt. I instinctively pull away. A jolt of heat shoots through me, causing an internal shiver so strong it nearly takes my breath away.
“Oh, sorry. Does it hurt?”
“No, it’s fine. The water just surprised me.”
She glances up at me through her long, wet lashes. “It’s not too bad,” she observes as I pass her a pad of gauze.
“It’ll be fine until we get back to the resort. Thank you though.”
She lifts to her feet, and as I turn to do the same, we’re nearly nose to nose. I want to touch h
er, but I resist the urge.
I can see the frustration dancing in her eyes, but I’m not sure why until she reaches out and smacks my chest. “Dammit. Don’t scare me like that again.”
This surprises me. I can’t resist grabbing her wrist and pulling her closer. “Scared you, huh?”
Her breathing hitches slightly and damn, I want to taste her. Her eyes drift to my mouth, and I can’t hold back any longer. I pull her the last couple of inches toward me, into a deep kiss. I’m worried she’s going to pull away, but she doesn’t. She leans in for more, and I’m a little dizzy from the rush.
She tastes so good. The moment lasts longer than I expect and surprisingly, the storm around us seems louder than it did seconds ago. It’s like a soundtrack to our first kiss. We’re both soaked through, but I don’t care. I’ve wanted to kiss this woman since laying eyes on her in that uptight business suit. I wrap a hand around her to tug her closer. We’re against the tree, and I’m grateful for the support since I’m a little light-headed, not to mention that all the blood is rushing to my cock.
Emily reluctantly withdraws and opens her eyes. She doesn’t say anything, and I’m afraid to speak––I don’t want to ruin the moment.
The sultry expression on her face is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen, and I fight not to kiss her again. Then she smiles and I take the time to thank her properly. “Thank you for keeping me from dying. You have a good grip. If it wasn’t for you, I might have slid over the edge.”
She chuckles. “Nah, you would have been fine, just more trail embedded in your ass.”
I’m still holding her tightly, but when she tries to pull away, I release my grip.
“It’s amazing how strong a person can be when they need to be.”
I stare at her because I’m not sure what to say. She is amazing—downright courageous—and it’s been a long time since someone has surprised me.
I’m about to suggest that we keep moving when the sky is lit with a bright flash of lightning and the ground shakes with the force of the thunder booming. We both instinctively duck.