Order vs. Chaos

by Mary E Thompson

  “First Spam burger?” she asked.

  I nodded, surprised she even spoke to me. “I figured I would try it eventually. Now seemed like as good a time as any.”

  She laughed softly. “We all grew up on this stuff. It’s like fish around here. We eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

  “Fish I can get behind for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Spam is going to take some getting used to.”

  She laughed again. “Before long, you won’t even miss the beef.”

  “Huh?”

  “Most burgers around here are Spam. It’s one of the reasons it’s so popular. Beef is expensive because we don’t have the facilities to process high volumes in Hawaii. It’s shipped to the mainland then returned, which adds up. There are cattle farms on the islands, but they’re not big enough to supply all the restaurants and the grocery stores. It’s not like I’ve seen on the mainland.”

  “You've been to the mainland?” I asked. Kapena said neither of them had been, but I wanted Kiana to tell me.

  She paused then shook her head. “I’ve seen it on TV and stuff like that.”

  “Oh.”

  We ate in silence for a few minutes, me trying to convince myself I could one day like Spam and Kiana acting like it was the best juicy burger she’d ever eaten. I finally managed to finish mine and pulled out the bag of cinnamon sugar donut holes. Kiana’s eyes lit up.

  “You got them?”

  I nodded. “They looked good. Do you want some?”

  She reached for the tiny bag and grabbed one off the top. A small one. I knew she wanted more. Hell, I’d let her have all of them if she kept smiling like she was.

  “Have another.”

  “You don’t want any?”

  I grabbed one and handed her the bag.

  “I can’t.”

  “Sure you can. Enjoy. I’ll get out of your hair. I’ll be outside, if that’s okay?”

  She nodded, already ignoring me in favor of the donut holes.

  I grinned and left her office.

  One point in my favor.

  Chapter Three

  I was ready to go when the bride and groom arrived. It always bugged me when they took pictures before the ceremony, but hey, it was my first wedding. I went with it, wondering if that was the new tradition.

  Hell, if no one was waiting until marriage to have sex, why did they have to wait for marriage to take wedding pictures?

  And I was definitely on board with the first one.

  The bride wanted to direct the show, but Kiana stepped in and told everyone what to do. She had me taking pictures of them in front of the altar, near the water, and with the bright green palms behind them. She had a hell of an eye.

  I shot them for an hour, maybe longer, getting plenty of pictures of the bride and groom and their small wedding party. When Kiana said it was time to start, I moved into position near the back so I could catch the bride walking in. It seemed ridiculous to separate them when they’d already seen each other, but Kiana was the pro. I was just along for the ride.

  The wedding went off without a hitch, and Kiana almost smiled at me after the ceremony. I guess she thought I was going to do something to disrupt the whole event. I was never happier to disappoint a woman in my life.

  Not that I’ve disappointed many.

  A crew appeared from out of nowhere and transformed the ceremony to a reception. The couple wanted a traditional Hawaiian luau, complete with fire dancers and hula lessons.

  Kiana really did whatever her customers wanted.

  “Impressive, isn’t she?” a man in a pressed gray linen suit asked, walking up next to me.

  I turned. “Definitely. She runs things like a drill sergeant.”

  He laughed. “That she does. I’m Jack. She amazes me every day.”

  Jack? The guy she mentioned earlier? “Do you work here?”

  He nodded, straightening his teal tie and smiling at me. “I’m her bitch, more or less. Officially, I’m called her assistant.”

  “Sounds like a tough job. I’m Sawyer,” I replied, extending my hand.

  “Ah, the new photographer. I can see why she hired you,” he said, looking me up and down.

  I laughed, shaking my head. Got it. “Wrong team, dude.”

  He shrugged. “Worth a shot. When did you get here? Kiki was flipping out all week that you weren’t around. She was convinced you weren’t going to show up.”

  “I got in yesterday afternoon. I missed her emails saying there was a wedding today. I couldn’t get into my room until yesterday though.”

  Jack grinned. “That’s right. You’re living with Kapena. He’s a fun one.”

  I laughed. “Something like that.”

  Jack tipped his head back and laughed. “Kapena is an acquired taste, but he’s a good guy. He’s very protective of his sister. I forgive him for just about anything because of that.”

  “You and Kiana are close?”

  Jack nodded. “Very. We’ve known each other forever, it seems. Grew up together. I was with her when she found out her parents died. We’ve been through a lot together.”

  “It’s good to have friends like that.”

  Jack smiled. “Damn right it is.” He looked past me and nodded. “She needs me. Nice meeting you, Sawyer. We should grab a drink.”

  “Definitely,” I said. “I’m guessing you know my schedule.”

  He smiled. “Honey, I make your schedule.”

  I laughed as he walked away, straight to Kiana. She didn’t look overly happy that he was talking to me, but he waved her off. I had a feeling Jack didn’t answer to Kiana, even though she was his boss.

  I jumped into my job, not interested in risking her wrath. I snapped pictures of the bride and groom shaking their hips to some random beat, and not the one the band played. The groomsmen gave the groom, Rick I think, shit for his rhythm, which prompted him to snag his bride around the waist and dip her low and kiss the fuck out of her.

  Yeah, I got that shot, too.

  The party was a lot of fun. They were my kind of people, which sucked because I couldn’t really enjoy the reception. I was simply the hired help.

  So, I took my pictures and enjoyed the show, making sure I had plenty of shots of both the wedding party and the professionals dancing. When they took a break to eat, I did the same, then got right back to work, wishing I could enjoy the food more.

  Damn, it was good.

  The groom carried the bride off to their limo over his shoulder with the tiki torches lighting their way. Their friends and family hooted and hollered, enjoying that show as much as they did the fire dancers.

  When the guests all drove off, I stashed my equipment in my bags and packed it into the saddlebags on my bike. I was exhausted from being on my feet so long, but I was not going to have Kiana think I was the type of guy to finish the job and run off.

  In any aspect of life.

  I found her in the middle of the tent talking to one of the guys who’d helped with set up. She smiled broadly at him, and fuck if I didn’t want to knock his teeth out. Why did she like him so much and hate me?

  The guy walked away with a nod to me. Kiana started in the opposite direction without noticing me, so I called out to her.

  “Hey! Kiana!”

  She spun, her eyes meeting mine. “What are you still doing here?”

  I shrugged. “I figured I could help clean up.”

  She was clearly shocked by my offer but shook her head. “I have a crew for that. You can leave.”

  “What about you? Did you eat? Can I handle something for you so you can get off your feet for a few minutes?”

  She blanched, her eyes revealing just how rare it was for someone to ask what she needed. But just that quickly, the pissed off mask was back on.

  “I can take care of myself,” she said firmly.

  “Okay, got it. I’ll take off then.”

  “Good.”

  “See you Monday?”

  She nodded curtly, then tu
rned, leaving me to watch her walk away.

  I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to hang around. I got halfway to my bike and sighed. I went the rest of the way and tossed my jacket over the seat, then turned and went back to the reception.

  I asked Jack where things went as I saw him flying across the yard.

  “There’s a storage room in the back room. Opposite Kiki’s office. Go in the back door and it’s on your right. Follow those guys.”

  I nodded and jumped in to help. I carried stacks of chairs. I rolled tables inside. I even loaded liquor bottles into a locked room when Jack produced a key.

  After an hour or so of helping, one of the guys asked who I was.

  “Sawyer. I’m the photographer.”

  He looked me up and down, his dark eyebrows tugging together in a questioning look. “You’re the new guy? Are you screwing the boss, too?”

  “Excuse me?”

  He shrugged. “That’s what everyone says. She was sleeping with the last photographer. Figured you were her new boy-toy. That was why she got rid of the last one.”

  I shook my head, storing the information away for later. Kapena didn’t mention anything about Kiana and the last photog, which meant he either didn’t know or didn’t want me to know.

  Or, most likely, it was all bullshit.

  “I just met her yesterday. We have a strictly working relationship.”

  “She’s pretty, though, huh?”

  I nodded. “Gorgeous.”

  “She’s—”

  “What are you doing here?” I heard behind me.

  I looked over my shoulder to Kiana, arms crossed under those plump tits. My mouth watered, and damn if I didn’t get hard right then.

  Oh, yeah. She was pissed.

  “I’m working.”

  “I told you to go home.”

  I shrugged. “It looked like these guys could use some help.”

  “I pay them well for their work. They don’t need you doing it for them.”

  “I was just helping.”

  “And I told you to leave.” She shook her head and walked off, mumbling to herself.

  “You fucked up, man,” the guy I’d been talking to said. “She talks to herself when she’s pissed off.”

  “Yeah, I noticed,” I said, taking off after her. “Kiana!”

  She kept going, not that I was shocked by that. I followed her down the slope toward the water. I could tell she needed some space, so I walked behind her, knowing I’d catch up to her at the beach.

  She paced inches from where the water slapped the sand. Moonlight reflected off the water and off her skin. She glowed, especially with the light purple color of her suit offsetting her dark skin.

  “Are you trying to destroy my business?” she asked, spinning on me. “Did he send you here to mess with me?”

  “Who?” I asked, even though I had a pretty good idea.

  She glared at me for a full minute, but I didn’t back down. I couldn’t let her think I’d work with someone who hurt her. Or that I was going to run when she pushed.

  “Forget it.”

  “Why am I not allowed to help those guys?”

  “Because I pay them to clean up. I pay you to take pictures. What if you smashed your hand between two tables? Then I’m out a photographer who should have just packed his equipment and left. And I have medical bills to cover since you’re my employee.”

  Fuck. She made sense. I’d never worked a job where they worried about me getting hurt. Or cared for that matter. It was considered a shock if you didn’t come home with some kind of injury most of the time.

  “I apologize, Kiana. I wasn’t trying to overstep. I’ll leave the clean-up to the clean-up crew. What else can I do?”

  “Seriously? Do you have a problem hearing? I told you to go home.”

  “I’m here, Kiana. I’ve watched you running around all night. You have to be exhausted. If I can’t help clean up, I can help with something else so you can get out of here.”

  She sighed and that vulnerability snuck back into her eyes. “Why do you care?”

  I shrugged. “What kind of person would I be if I didn’t care?”

  “You don’t even know me,” she whispered, making me wonder if she was talking to me or herself.

  “That doesn’t mean I want you to run yourself ragged or get hurt. You need to take care of yourself.”

  “I do fine.”

  “I didn’t say you didn’t. I care about the people I’m around. And that starts with you.”

  She looked up at me with eyes so big she looked like a cartoon character. She was close to me, close enough that I could smell coconut rolling off her.

  Her pulse fluttered in her neck, and her breath quickened. I stepped closer to her, unable to resist the tug between us. I’d felt it the moment I saw her, and it only got stronger as she stared up at me with those eyes that begged me to take care of her.

  I wanted nothing more.

  She rose to her tiptoes as I leaned down. Our lips met somewhere in the middle, a spark shooting through me. Her lips were soft, delicate, tentative. I didn’t know if she was single, if she even liked me, but in that moment, nothing mattered except kissing her.

  Her hands wound around my neck, dragging me closer to her. I slid one hand into her hair and the other low on her waist, desperate to feel her curves.

  She moaned softly when my tongue traced her lips, then parted them for me. She tasted as sweet as I knew she would. Like everything good in the world wrapped up in one beautiful wedding planning package.

  Which reminded me…she was my boss.

  I put my hands on her waist and separated us. Her lips were wet from our kiss, begging me to dive right back in and keep going. She looked up at me with lust-filled eyes, her lips drooping as realization sunk in.

  The anger flooded on the heels of shame, and I wanted to throttle myself.

  “Kiana, I—”

  “Good night, Sawyer.”

  “But—”

  “That was a mistake. It’ll never happen again. Good night.”

  I pulled in a breath, wanting to drag her back into my arms and prove her wrong. Dammit, it wasn’t a mistake. But she was pissed, and it was my fault. I never should have kissed her. I should have walked away when she told me to. I knew getting involved with her was a mistake, but I couldn’t resist her. That had never happened to me before. I never had trouble turning down a woman, no matter how badly I wanted her.

  But Kiana?

  “Please leave, Sawyer,” she said again, her voice bordering on begging.

  I had to go. I could give her that. “Have a good night.”

  I walked off the beach, past the crew still cleaning up from the party, and to the parking lot. I straddled my bike and backed it out of my spot. Then rolled it to the parking spot next to Kiana’s car.

  And waited.

  Two hours later, after everyone else was gone and all the lights were off, Kiana dragged herself to her car. Her heels were gone, replaced by flip flops that echoed in the still night.

  “Finally leaving?” I asked.

  “Ah!” Her hand flew to her purse as her eyes searched for me. When she found me, she glared. “What the hell are you still doing here?”

  “I didn’t want you here by yourself so late. Sue me.”

  “I told you to go home, Sawyer.”

  “Yeah, well, I can’t leave knowing you’re here by yourself.”

  “This is my business. This is a safe area. And I told you to leave.”

  I grinned. “After you, boss.”

  She glared at me, that spark filling her eyes, then got into her car. She snapped her seatbelt on and cranked up her SUV, then backed out and drove off without a glance at me.

  I chuckled and shook my head.

  “One day you’ll like me,” I said into the dark.

  I woke up Sunday morning sore all over. The worst of it was my cock. Shit, that kiss had me hard all night. I had a dream about her, which was a
nice change from my usual. I almost came on my sheets like a teenager.

  The woman was going to kill me.

  But she was hands off. She was my boss. And my roommate’s sister. And countless other things that made getting involved with her not only stupid, but completely fucking insane.

  Been there, done that. Had the emotional scars to prove it.

  I saw Kapena when I got up. He was leaving the house, something about breakfast with Kiana. Yeah, like I needed more thoughts of her. Kapena invited me to go, but I declined.

  We both needed a break.

  I had no idea how I was going to face her. I was seconds away from pressing my erection against her when I remembered who she was. I tried to tell myself I was just horny, but it felt like more than that when I had her in my arms.

  My phone buzzed with a new text message. I grinned when I read it, then made a phone call.

  “There’s a damn good reason I never had a sister,” I said when Tara answered the phone.

  “You’re right. You never could have handled a woman all the time. She would have driven you crazy.”

  I laughed. I loved Tara. She was like a sister to me and would actually be my sister in a few months. Why she loved my knucklehead brother as much as she did was a mystery, but he was a lucky bastard.

  “You’re right. I never could have dealt with you growing up. A pest that never let me do what I wanted to do.”

  “Oh, please. If I had my way, you’d still be here instead of me dealing with a moping fiancé. He’s pathetic.”

  “I heard that!” my brother yelled in the background.

  Tara laughed. “I love you!” she called to him. Then to me, she said, “How was the first wedding?”

  I groaned, thinking back to the night before. “It was good. Point and shoot.”

  Tara was an actress for years and had been in front of too many cameras for her taste. She never hit it big, but she had enough attention to have a general distaste for photographers. One of my many covers had been taking pictures in Hollywood and it was a job I fell into when I left my job with the military. I knew some of the assholes who’d hounded Tara, and she was completely justified in hating them.

  “It doesn’t take much talent,” she teased me. “What do you think of the place? And your new boss? Do you think it’ll be good for us to get married there?”