“Don’t worry. He’s all yours.” Nikki waved her hand. “Let me text him. I’m sure I can find something for Carol to do. We can drive around and sightsee the caves and coves.”
Jolie yawned and rubbed her eyes. Something didn’t make sense. Nikki was usually so competitive about men—always making sure she had all the attention. She was a petite and bubbly Asian woman who made averaged-sized guys feel big and brave. Her eyes were another alluring feature, slanted at the corners and so dark they shone like polished onyx.
Yet Ken had obviously chosen Jolie, the jilted bride with all of the food allergies, over her attractive friend. He’d insisted on accompanying her to the ER, but Jolie had just as firmly insisted he and Carol stay for the show. There was no way she’d ruin their vacation, especially since it was the first one after Carol’s accident.
“I’m going to turn in,” Jolie said, entering the bathroom to brush her teeth. “I’m half asleep as it is. Hopefully, all the hives will go away by tomorrow.”
Besides, she had to process the kiss. How had she allowed a complete stranger to kiss her when she was supposed to be married to Warren? He still hadn’t contacted her and no one seemed to know what had happened to him after he was caught with the stripper.
How could it be that he preferred a stripper to her? Maybe he hadn’t wanted to marry her, and the stripper was a convenient excuse to get out of it. Then why didn’t he just say so?
As she looked in the mirror at her puffy lips and skin pink with rash, she couldn’t help wondering about Ken. The kiss had tingled throughout her body. It could have been an allergic reaction, but it was definitely hot, and something she’d never felt before. Warmth had bloomed in her heart, and a hunger she’d never had was awakened. Her skin prickled and her face was flushed, and the itch to crawl out of her skin and rub herself against Ken was overwhelming.
When she came out of the bathroom, Nikki was nowhere in sight. Someone knocked on the door.
“Room service,” a male voice called.
“Nikki?” Jolie scanned the empty room. Her stomach growled at the memory of the uneaten steak. She crossed the room and opened the door.
Ken stood there, all blond, tanned, and smiling with a bouquet of fresh flowers and a silver platter. “I came to see if you’re okay. I’m so sorry.”
“Sorry about the kiss?” She let him in. “Or that we didn’t finish.”
“Definitely the latter, if you’re all right.” His blue-gray eyes twinkled. “But first, my lady. Flowers and food.”
“You didn’t have to,” Jolie said, even as her heart swelled with joy. She took the flowers, a fiery orange collection of orchids and lilies. “Where’s Carol? Did you leave her alone?”
“She’s playing gin rummy with Nikki. Seems they have a lot in common.” He moved into the room and set the platter on the table. “Sorry, no wine. I figured they gave you medicine for your allergies.”
“You’re really too kind.” Jolie rubbed her hands which still itched. “Why are you being so nice to me?”
“Other than the obvious reason?” Ken feathered his fingers over her shoulders. “You’re not only gorgeous, but you’re strong and brave, and I want to get to know you better. Will you let me be your honeymoon date?”
Jolie giggled and her heart did a cartwheel. “You make me sound like a cheater. Whoever heard of a honeymoon date?”
“Fine, then, honeymoon hunk, but that would be too arrogant, wouldn’t it?”
“Honeymoon honey.” She tapped his nose. “Sure beats the bittermoon I was on before I met you.”
He closed in, slanting his head. “Don’t worry, I washed the peanuts out of my mouth.”
“Then what are you waiting for, honeymoon honey?”
“Hunk,” he muttered right before their lips touched.
Jolie closed her eyes and leaned into the kiss. She carefully wrapped her hands around his broad shoulders and inhaled his sweet, minty breath. Even after her brush with death, she felt safe and protected in his arms.
As soon as their lips were pressed together, heat rushed through her like the gas jets in a hot air balloon. Lazily, she swept her tongue across the seam of his lips and sighed into his mouth. Kissing him was like a fairy tale dream, where colors brightened and music chimed. She, who had been numb, picture perfect, plastic, was now alive and awake, in the embrace of her delicious prince.
Somewhere in the fuzzy parts of her mind, a voice told her she was behaving badly—that she was Warren’s fiancée and that she wasn’t fast—not at all. She never threw herself at men, especially a stranger she met at a hotel. How sleazy did that sound?
But the tender way Ken kissed her, as if he cherished her, the way he moved slowly, savoring her like fine wine, drew tears like raindrops from a sunny sky. She should be floating with happiness. She was still desirable, wanted, and even admired.
It wasn’t just how hot he was physically, but the way he cared for her and her welfare. She didn’t deserve how considerate he was. She was a woman men left at the altar, and if he really knew how obsessive she was with her schedules, lists, and restrictions, he’d be gone too.
Wetness flowed down her cheeks and she hoped Ken wouldn’t notice, that he’d keep the sweet nibbles going—that he’d overlook the things she lacked compared to other women—qualities no amount of makeup, which she wasn’t wearing, could cover.
“What’s wrong?” He kissed a tear from her cheek. “Are you feeling blue?”
“It’s those blue memories. I’m sorry, it’s not you.” Jolie hastily wiped a tear. What was wrong with her? She could spoil a romantic evening, not once, but twice. “Did you and Carol see the end of the show?”
“I stayed because you made me promise to stay, but I wanted to be with you.” He wiped the corner of her eye. “Am I making you uncomfortable by coming on so fast?”
“No, I love kissing you. I don’t want this to stop. Bet you think I’m this crazy, needy chick who got dumped at the altar.”
“That’s not what I’m seeing.” He twisted a strand of her hair around his finger and swept it over her ear. “You don’t know how grateful I am you’re not married. That was a close call, I’d say.”
“One door closes and another one opens?”
“Exactly. Are you okay with hanging around with me and Carol? How long are you staying?”
“Five days, four nights. Warren went all out for the honeymoon. It’s the only thing he spent money on. I’m lucky he used my account to set everything up.”
“Then I’m in luck, because Carol and I are also staying the same time. All here in Honolulu?”
“Yes, with day trips to the other side of the island.”
“Great. Let’s enjoy our open door.” He caressed her cheek. “No more tears.”
“I can’t promise that. I’m the tearing type. I even cry when I’m happy.”
“Then I’ll kiss them all away, every last drop.” He feathered his lips over her eyes.
Jolie shuddered. It was no use tamping down her feelings. Everything was raw, an open wound, pain and pleasure heightened, extra sensitive. After the way Warren hurt her in front of three hundred guests, what did it matter if sweet talking Ken hurt her at the end of her bitter honeymoon?
She’d go with the flow, but no way was she getting her heart knotted up over Ken in Shining Armor, no matter how perfect he seemed.
She tilted her lips up to his and dissolved in the gentle rainfall of his kisses, until drowsiness overtook her, and she ruined a romantic evening for the third time, thanks to the antihistamines in her blood putting her to sleep.
Nine
The next morning, Ken, Jolie, Nikki, and Carol were assembled at the entrance to the Diamond Head National Monument. Even though they’d come early, the trail was half-full of hikers.
“There’s only a tiny section of walkway before you have to turn back with that wheelchair,” a park ranger said at the kiosk.
“It’s okay, we can enjoy the views however far we get,
” Carol said. “I used to be an avid hiker. Mt. Whitney, Mt. Fuji, I even made it up Half Dome once.”
Someone behind them snickered, so Ken said, “You’ll make it to the top of this hike, too. No worries.”
Laughter burst out and Jolie whipped around. “Laugh all you want, douche canoes. You’re seriously tempting God by making fun of the disabled.”
Wow. She was a spitfire, and pride rose in Ken’s breast at how tigress Jolie became, sticking up for his sister. He could really fall for her, if he wasn’t already halfway there. It wasn’t easy finding a woman who wasn’t jealous of his devotion to Carol, and so far, he liked everything he saw about Jolie, even her strange little habits of wiping door handles with alcohol wipes.
“Can you believe we’re inside the volcano’s crater?” Nikki asked, taking pictures of the switchbacks in front of them. “It’s like a death march. Look at those rows and rows of people. I’ll stay with Carol and interview the hikers coming back.”
“You won’t have to. Carol’s going to the top,” Ken said. “There’s more than one way to climb a peak.”
“You’re going to carry her?” Jolie’s face flushed as her eyes widened.
“I’m going to try, and to make it easier for me, I want you to tell me something interesting about yourself.” Ken puffed out his chest, feeling like a schoolboy telling tall tales to get the girls. Too bad, Jolie showed no signs of remembering him from fifth grade, or maybe that was for the better, considering how unpopular he’d been.
“You mean you two didn’t talk last night?” Nikki sniffed, rolling her eyes. “Carol and I wore out the card deck, didn’t we?”
“I was half asleep from the antihistamines,” Jolie said. “Ken brought over a nice safe dinner, and well, I fell asleep.”
“Yes, she snores, too,” Ken joked. “Sleeping Beauty missed the good parts.”
“Too much information,” his sister said, plugging her ears. “I don’t want to know what you did to put her to sleep.”
Ken looked at Jolie and she stuck her tongue out at him.
Had she any idea what that did to him?
“I’ll take Carol while there’s still sidewalk,” Nikki said. She took over pushing the wheelchair and drove forward.
Ken took the chance and clasped Jolie’s hand. “Now we get to talk. I’ll tell you something about myself first, then it’s your turn.”
“Is this speed dating?”
“Yes, I like to move fast. Here goes. I used to be a professional surfer. Hit the big fifty-foot waves at Mavericks and wiped out.”
“You’re a surfer?” She turned her greenish blue eyes on him. “Is it hard? I don’t think I could ever balance well enough to do it.”
“Sure you can. Waikiki is perfect for beginners.”
“I’ve always thought it would be cool to surf, but I’m a redhead. Me and beaches don’t mix.”
“A tube of sunscreen would fix that. Want me to teach you?”
“I’d love it, except it’s not on the list of activities Warren bought tickets to.”
The small bushes and trees became sparser the farther up they walked. Ken swallowed and cleared his throat, not sure how to respond. Nikki had told him Jolie insisted on following her fiancé’s itinerary. Was she still pining after him, and trying to live as if it were her real honeymoon? Or, she could be going through a ritual of happiness, because in her mind, her carefully planned wedding and honeymoon had to be perfect. No wonder Nikki had tried to order a groom substitute. It was all about an orchestrated appearance, not reality.
Maybe even now, he was only a stand in for Warren.
Should that matter? This was his chance for the girl he’d crushed on since fifth grade.
He squeezed Jolie’s hand and brought it to his lips. “The offer to surf is still open. We can rent some long boards. If Agatha Christie could do it, so can you.”
“Seriously? Agatha Christie, the great mystery writer, surfed?”
They were approaching the end of the concrete sidewalk. A pitted and rocky dirt path lay beyond.
“You’ll be surprised what you learn hanging around the theatre crowd. My second obsession is acting and drama. Now, that’s two for me, and zero for you.”
“I’m a makeup artist,” Jolie said. “Except I’m on strike, so I didn’t bring anything but lip gloss, sunscreen, and mascara.”
“Do you do stage makeup?”
“I love doing that. I’m part of the backstage crew for the Evergreen Theater back home.”
Ken’s ears perked with that news. “You must know the director. I’m trying out for Romeo. Can you put a good word in for me?”
“Maybe.” Jolie gave him a sideways wink. “Depends on how well you play with me.”
His heart skipped a beat, and a grin widened across his face. “We might play at being honeymoon honeys, but one thing I’ll never do is play with your heart.”
“I’ll hold you to it, Ken in Shining Armor,” Jolie said. “Looks like the sidewalk’s ending.”
They caught up to his sister and Nikki. Ken reached for the wheelchair and put on the brakes. “Okay, Carol, up you go.”
He squatted in front of the chair and lifted his sister onto his back while she put her arms around his shoulders. The hardest part of the hike was still in front of them. There were the switchbacks and the killer steps, tunnels and more steps, but he was ready to prove to Jolie he was a man of his word.
“This is torture,” Nikki said, barely able to catch her breath. “We’re at the bottom of the longest flight of stairs I’ve ever seen.”
“I don’t know if I can make it.” Jolie peered up the long narrow stairway walled on both sides. Metal handrails were provided, but so many hands had touched them and they were definitely not clean.
“You can do it. Go ahead, I’ll bring up the rear.” Ken nudged her as Carol gave her a thumbs up. Of course she was getting a piggyback ride on the back of Sir Hunk-a-Lot.
Nikki went first, and then Jolie, although she wasn’t sure about having Ken directly in back of her. He could be checking out her butt cheeks. She’d worn shorts and a thin tank, because the trip would be hot. Passing out from kissing was embarrassing enough after the anaphylactic shock. What more memorable moments would she experience?
“Have fun going up the ninety-nine steps,” a tourist on his way down said. “The view’s totally worth it.”
After what felt like hours later, they completed the grueling set of stairs, went through a dank tunnel, climbed a spiral staircase and emerged, bathed with sweat, onto an observation deck with a three-hundred-sixty degree view.
Nikki’s camera went crazy, snapping away, and the breeze at the top was refreshing after the humidity of the tunnels and staircases. Jolie dabbed herself dry with a tissue and cleaned her hands with a wet wipe. That felt great.
“This is the reward,” Ken said, resting against the rails. “Carol, can you see?”
“Yes, it’s breathtaking,” Carol agreed. “Turn around so I can see everything.”
Jolie spotted the famed Waikiki Beach below, as well as airplanes traveling by and landing at the airport. The mountain ranges to the north and west were green and lush, and the ocean below was a patchwork of blues, ranging from turquoise to aqua to cerulean and the darker azure. Definitely better than the disastrous shades of pink wedding she almost had. Maybe next time, she’d go with blue. That color was lucky for Terri, and Leanna had leapt in front of Nikki at the bouquet toss and snagged the blue forget-me-nots. Besides, Ken’s eyes were blue too. Maybe blue should be her go-to color from now on.
“I want to remember this special honeymoon moment,” Jolie said, her hair whipping in the breeze. “I always dreamed of standing here, and here we are. We made the climb.”
“We sure did.” Ken leaned toward her, pursing his lips.
It was so natural to kiss him, so she did. She’d take what she could get, and she closed her eyes and savored the salty taste of his mouth, dipping her tongue with his, and lettin
g the feels wash over her.
Warren had never kissed her just to kiss, but always as a prelude for the next step—something to check off, but with Ken, he never rushed, and each peck and caress drew shivers of delight up and down her spine.
“Enough, you two.” Nikki pointed her camera at them. “Or I’m taking pictures.”
“Go ahead,” Carol said. “I think my brother’s finally found his missing half.”
Jolie dropped back and stared at her feet. Did they think she was desperate or on the rebound? She’d better cool her heels or she’d be in for another broken heart.
Casting for something to do, she fished a tissue from her purse and dabbed Ken’s face. “You’re sweaty, and I bet you hadn’t had a drink the entire way.”
“You noticed.” He grinned and drank from the water bottle Jolie held. “Carol’s thirsty, too.”
“I didn’t do any work,” Carol said.
“But you shouldn’t get dehydrated,” Ken argued. “Go ahead and drink.”
Jolie held the water for his sister, too. After she finished, they lined up for the pictures. Ken offered his elbow and she leaned close to him. As Nikki snapped them against the mountains on one side and the bright blue sky over the ocean on the other, Jolie wished she didn’t come with so much baggage, that this was the beginning of something new and exciting.
All she had to do was finish Warren’s plan, and she could check honeymoon off her list of things she had to do with her life. Then maybe, she would finally be free of him.
Ten
“We are not going to Big John’s Famous Shrimp Truck,” Nikki said, ripping the printed itinerary from Jolie’s hand. “You’re allergic to shrimp.”
They had finished the hike, and Ken was busy putting Carol back on her wheelchair. Everyone was sweaty, and Jolie was about to collapse.
Her pulse jittered, and her palms itched. Changing plans was scary and uncertain. “But this Shrimp Truck is famous and people sign their names on it. Of course, I can’t put a heart around my name and Warren’s anymore.”
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