“I’ll think about it a little,” she said softly. She managed a tremulous smile that made his heart ache. Though still splotched with tears, her face took on a luminescence and beauty that stunned him. He hugged her closely and breathed deep her fresh scent.
“Good lord woman, you take my breath away.”
Diana hugged him back, turning in his arms so that she could press her full length against him. He pulled her closer, loving the feel of her, the smell of her, and everything else about her. She was an enigma, a tease, and the very best thing that ever happened to him. He had never known just what was missing in his life until he saw her again. Finally, after all the years of work it all seemed to make sense. And now his heart pounded painfully as he thought how close he had come to losing her.
~
“A luau? Tonight?”
Devlan merely smiled with eyes shining with amusement. She glared at him furiously. After all, had nothing she had told him the day before meant anything to him?
“I can’t go out tonight. What if people see me?”
“Diana, you can’t hide.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “How can you not go to a luau while on vacation in Hawaii? And, besides, I want to show you off. It’s only a couple of friends. It will be a big gathering with tourists who won’t know who we are anyway.”
“I don’t know. Maui’s busy. It will have lots of people.”
She reached up and toyed with the open buttons on Devlan’s casual shirt. His skin had grown dark in the daily sunshine, and through the open neck of his shirt she could see his golden tan and the dark curling hair peeking through.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, tipping her chin up to meet his gaze. “There’s something else bothering you, I can tell.”
The fact that he had read her so easily caught her off guard. Her chin lifted stubbornly, even though she knew it was useless to try to hide it. “Do your friends know about those horrible stories?”
“Hugh is the one who told me,” he said with a lopsided smile. “But he’s used to it. He says all the time that the first rule in Hollywood is that you don’t believe everything you hear or read.”
Diana snorted in disbelief. Suddenly Devlan swept her into his arms and spun her around the room. His feet were smooth and skilled, and she laughed aloud as he continued to dance.
“You once told me that you could dance all night. Well tonight is the night to do it since our time here is almost over. It’ll be just you and me, and we’ll dance until dawn. I’ll have Mike keep an eye open for photographers, and Lani can stay on board with Hannah. Okay?”
He dipped her then and pressed a loud kiss to her neck. Diana held on to him with a yelp of surprise. Graceful she was not, but he made her feel like a ballerina.
“Lessons?”
“Of course.” He grinned and his eyes danced mischievously. “I dance so well now that I make anyone look good – even Mrs. McLean.” At her look of surprise, he continued speaking. His lack of modesty made her want to laugh. “She was my date at our annual Christmas party a couple of years ago. I danced with her all night. She could barely move the next day.”
Diana could feel her smile spread. The idea of him dancing with a stout housekeeper he described as a cream puff was comical.
“She particularly liked the tango.”
Diana laughed and held out her hands in resignation. “All right, but promise me that if we see any unusual people we’ll leave?”
“You have my word,” he said solemnly.
Pulling her back up and releasing his hold on her, he stared at her until she reluctantly nodded. As she watched Devlan saunter away triumphantly, the feeling grew to dread. All her humor drained away as she considered being the center of attention again. Devlan could not shield her from everything. Things were bound to get worse. They always did.
~
They spent the rest of the afternoon sailing in the hot sun to Maui after a glorious day in Lanai’s Manele harbor. Lanai had been a truly splendid place, one of the last untouched beauties in the world. Devlan had surprised her again with an off-road trip to the top of Lanaihale. They had been lucky. The day had been clear enough to see the other islands in the distance. It was a sight that left her breathless.
Afterward, he satisfied Hannah by bringing them swimming at Hulopo’e. Like a true family, they had splashed in the water and played on the beach together. Hannah enjoyed every minute, and if Diana was not mistaken, Devlan had too. The three had held hands on the ride back, and Devlan was reluctant to let them go when they returned. He returned for several more kisses from them before heading back to work in his study. But she had not seen him the rest of the day, even when Hannah and Lani went to eat their supper. Diana made sure they were all squared away before she went to prepare for the evening.
The stateroom was quiet when she entered. Tucked away in his office, she heard the deep timbre of Devlan’s voice on the phone through the wall. There was tension in his voice that she was unaccustomed to hearing from him, so she tiptoed in and flipped on the lights as quietly as she could.
What met her eyes when the room was illuminated was a pleasant surprise. Strewn across the huge bed was a brightly colored mu’umu’u. She approached it slowly and fingered the cool material, taking in all the bright colors with an appreciative eye. Loving Devlan all the more, she held the dress to her chest. That he took the time to think of something so simple touched her heart. And that he had done it without Kathy’s input warmed her to her toes.
Diana placed the cotton dress back on the bed and stripped out of her bikini. She glanced in the mirror as she passed and took in her newly tan body. Even she had to admit that she was looking better than she had in ages. She was blooming almost as fast as Hannah was under Devlan’s care.
Careful.
Ignoring the ever present voice of reason, she slipped into the bathroom and turned on the tap. The shower was tight and the water pressure not so great, but Diana still managed to enjoy a leisurely warm shower that relaxed her frazzled nerves enough to feel more excited about the luau. Of course, she and Lani had discussed the rumors, and Lani had displayed a true sense of confidence in her new boss. She was certain that Devlan would take care of everything.
As she was rinsing her hair she felt Devlan’s hand on her arm. Crying out in surprise, she opened her eyes and found his smiling countenance.
“I called you, but you just weren’t listening.”
“Right,” she muttered. She turned away from his grin and shut off the water, very conscious of her nakedness. He held a towel for her but was reluctant to hand it over.
Sounding more like a petulant child, Devlan winked at her. “I did, honest.”
“Well, what’s wrong?”
“I was wondering how I could fit in there with you.”
Diana left the shower and squeezed by Devlan’s tall form to the safety of the bedroom. “It’s far too tight.”
“I know,” he said, raising his brows suggestively.
Though she rolled her eyes at his humor, she continued to smile. He was staring at her again as though she was the most beautiful woman in the world, and Diana wished with all her might that it could remain like that.
“I’m running a bit late. I need to shower, and then we’ll take the launch over,” he said as he stripped off his shirt.
It was now Diana’s turn to stare, and she did so as unabashedly as he had. He was so beautiful, so virile - so male. His shorts fell into a pile and she watched his taut buttocks as he ducked into his shower.
“Unfair that he’s that old and looks that good,” she muttered.
When Devlan again reappeared with only a pristine white towel around his waist, Diana stared and Devlan raised a brow in question. “Like what you see?”
Grinning at him over her shoulder, she nodded. “Very much so.”
“Good answer.” He smiled and released the towel. As it dropped to the floor he reached for a long, thin box that rested next to thei
r bed. He came to stand behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders.
“Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?”
“Yes, actually you have.”
Her abandoned lip gloss rolled towards her, and she reached for it quickly. She was not fast enough though, and it rolled to the floor. Devlan watched it go idly. His fingers began to massage the muscles of her shoulders, and she closed her eyes and allowed her head to fall against his abdomen.
“Well, I mean it, Diana. You are truly a most beautiful person.” He glanced down at the new dress. “You like the dress?”
“Yes,” she said softly. “Actually I do, even with all the colors.”
“I’m pleased you finally decided to wear something I’ve given you.”
She smiled saucily, though her eyes remained closed. “Well, you’re slowly spoiling me rotten.”
“I have another gift for you.”
“I don’t want it. You’ve given me and Hannah far too much already.”
“If you were my wife you would be entitled to everything and then some,” he said dryly.
“But I’m not your wife,” she said carefully, aware that her heart had leapt to her throat.
“No,” he said cheerfully. “You’re right. But what we have here, how we’ve holidayed and spent all this time together, is the closest I’ve ever gotten to being married. Let me spoil you. I have all this money and no one to give it to except you and Hannah... Here.”
He opened the box and handed it to her. Her eyes opened even wider. Displayed in front of her was the most beautiful gold locket she had ever seen. Such a simple gift, and yet she was totally enraptured.
“I picked it out all by myself,” he said proudly.
The fine gold chain was a round snake design, sturdy and deceptively heavy when she picked it up. In the center was a locket carved with Hawaiian flowers and hearts. She opened it to find a picture of him and Hannah already within.
“Pretty arrogant of me, eh?” he said, smiling down at her.
Still too breathless to speak, she nodded wordlessly as her fingers smoothed the shining gold. He took it away and removed the necklace from the box.
“Wait,” she said.
Reaching for the necklace as he raised it over her head, Diana caught his hand within hers. On the back of the locket were engraved words surrounding a tiny, intricately carved ring. “A Vila Mon Coeur, Gardi Li Mo? I only took Latin in school. What does that mean?”
Devlan secured the necklace around her neck and bent to place a soft kiss there. Then he straightened with a secretive half-smile. His face bore a strange expression as he moved away from her to dress. She watched him go, but her fingers still toyed with the heavy gold around her neck.
“I’ll tell you later what that means,” he said, nodding towards her necklace. “But for now you’ll have to wait and stew.”
When they boarded the launch, Devlan looked as handsome and debonair as usual. With his dark hair combed back and wearing white slacks with a Hawaiian shirt, he fit right in with the tourists. Surprisingly, the loud colors on his shirt actually complimented his dark good looks, and she proudly took his arm as he assisted her into the motor boat.
“I like that red dress on you,” he murmured huskily, nuzzling at her cheek. “And I like your hair up, it leaves your neck wide open.”
She was pleased that he noticed the extra care she had taken with her appearance. Because she wanted to make him proud in front of his friends, she had done her best to look good. However, she was at risk of losing it all with Devlan’s nuzzling. Pulling away from him nervously, she glared at him.
“Do you mind? Don’t mess my hair.” She pushed playfully at his chest, and then placed a scarf around her head, trying desperately to protect her fragile inside-out French braid from the blowing trade winds.
“I can’t help myself. You look and smell so good.”
Though she rolled her eyes, she could not hide her laughter. He joined her as well, which earned them both a speculative look from Mike. Devlan winked in his direction and wrapped his arm around Diana’s shoulders.
“You’re something else,” she said wryly.
Still smiling, he nodded in agreement. “That I am.”
For the remainder of the ride she relaxed against him and watched the shoreline grow closer. An SUV was waiting, and Hugh was standing alongside it when the launch pulled up to the dock. Devlan kept a proprietary hand around her waist as they all piled in and drove to the luau.
Just as Devlan had predicted, there were a few photographers hanging around, but they were tourists searching for autographs from Hugh Davis. While a small group of people descended on Hugh, it was Hugh’s companion, a buxom blonde wearing a tight sequined dress more appropriate for a gala than a cookout, who urged them to continue to their table. Despite her nagging she was quite lovely, and with a touch of jealousy Diana glanced in Devlan’s direction. Much to her surprise and pleasure, he appeared to not even notice her presence at all.
The luau was just getting under way when they found their seats. There were people mingling around in all directions, and the entertainers showered their group with beautiful leis. Diana accepted hers with a wide smile. Everyone was so happy and joyous that she could not suppress her growing enthusiasm. It would be near impossible that she not have a great time.
Not long after they had found their seats they were called around the hollow to watch the pig come out of the imu pit. Diana could feel her mouth begin to water as the main dish was presented to all the guests.
“Looks good,” Devlan commented, nodding in satisfaction.
“I’m starved,” Diana said.
“Good thing. Looks like there’s plenty to go around,” Hugh said enthusiastically.
The buffet dinner consisted of the succulent pig, lomi lomi salmon, teriyaki beefsteak, chicken long rice, and a selection of Hawaiian dishes that made her mouth water. Devlan insisted that she try a taste of everything and laughingly filled her plate to overflowing. Diana went along with his idea and tasted everything, including the exotic Polynesian drinks from the bar, and pretty soon it took all of Devlan’s power to keep her in her seat.
Hugh was more personable in the flesh than in the movies. He was childish and high-strung but funny and courteous at the same time. He sent her charming smiles and went out of his way to include her in their conversations even when he was promoting his new project to Devlan. Diana reached under the table to squeeze Devlan’s leg in a show of support, and she smiled when he turned his attention to her.
“You must hear this kind of thing a lot,” she said.
They had just cleared away dessert, a wonderful selection of banana cake with delicious frosting, macadamia nut bars and coconut cream cake. Diana had tried a little of everything on those plates as well, much to everyone’s surprise. Hugh’s companion stared at her with envy in her eyes, and Diana had smiled back. It was a slight consolation to see that she had to go without to keep her voluptuous figure.
Having finished his second pitch, Hugh and his date disappeared to try their lot at Hula dancing in the rear of the show. Devlan was staring straight ahead at the beautiful dancers, watching their hips sway in time to the music. When she spoke he glanced down at her and shrugged one shoulder, but his exasperation was evident.
“It wouldn’t be so bad if I wasn’t on vacation.”
“Vacation?” Diana blurted. “But you’ve worked at least four hours every day.”
“You’re absolutely right, and I am sorry if that bothers you.”
“It doesn’t bother me,” she replied quickly. “I get angry that you never seem to be able to fully let go.”
“Ah, but I’ve had fun letting you relax me after a long day’s work,” he teased.
She chuckled at his soft tone. Feeling the effects of the alcohol she had consumed, she reached up and laced her fingers in his thick hair. Slightly tugging on the silken strands, she pulled him closer to whisper in his ear. “And I really like he
lping you relax after a long day.”
Her suggestive tone caused Devlan to raise a brow. He stared down at her for a moment, taking in her moist lips and heavy lidded eyes. His observant gaze also noted her growing intoxication.
“Perhaps I should’ve monitored what you drank instead of what you ate,” he said thoughtfully.
“No, I’m fine,” she said smiling.
“Well because of you I’ve been reconsidering all the work I’ve been doing, but unfortunately changes don’t happen overnight.”
“That’s true… But you can relax now and enjoy the show.”
Diana spun slightly to lean into Devlan when his arm came to rest on her shoulders. It felt good to have his arm around her. She felt warm and snug, but unfortunately their respite was brief. Taking in their cozy postures, Hugh frowned dramatically.
“Oh no, you don’t. We can’t have any of this. You’re here with me tonight, so let’s start the par-ty!” Clapping his hands together, he smiled widely at Devlan just moments before he reached for Diana and pulled her to her feet. “Come on Diana, let’s dance.”
Before Devlan could object, Hugh sped her away to a clear spot on the dance floor and swept her gracefully into his arms. His movements were fluid and steps light, and Diana noticed that in addition to being charming Hugh was a skilled dancer. After several moments of feeling like a gawky schoolgirl, Hugh came to her aid by guiding her movements. She responded to his familiarity by dancing like never before, and she thanked the potent alcoholic beverages for helping her release her inhibitions. Fortunately she was a quick learner, and soon Hugh was watching her move with new interest in his eyes.
From his seat Devlan watched moodily.
“You dance well,” Hugh remarked.
“Not at all, really. It’s all you, Hugh.”
“Well if it is, you make me look very good. Doyle is jealous as hell,” he said with a broad grin.
“I don’t know about that.”
He shrugged. “At any rate. I’ve got you on my side. You’ll plug this project for me, right? Any help you can give me would be great.”
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