Island Child

by Roz Denny

  Off and on throughout the day, Sarah fantasized about Gabe's reaction if she did show up. She could just picture his shock. In the midst of relishing one such vision, Harvey and his attractive client returned. They were two hours late and Sarah wasn't bothered a bit.

  By then she'd made up her mind to forgo working overtime. With Mike busy, if she left on time she could treat herself to a leisurely bubble bath, something she never did during the week. Maybe it wasn't exactly outrageous, but the fact that she was free to indulge such a fancy seemed just a little luxurious.

  The moment Sarah picked Mitzi up, her friend noticed something was different. "I can't put my finger on it," Mitzi said, "but you've definitely changed since morning. You look happier. Say, you didn't go shopping on your lunch hour without me, did you?"

  Sarah laughed. "Mitzi, who but you equates happiness with shopping? Can't a person feel good for other reasons?"

  "You bet," Mitzi said in droll tones. "But it isn't likely you did that on your lunch break, either."

  "Mitzi, you're terrible. Osamu really should stay home more. Not everyone equates a quick roll in the hay with happiness, either."

  "Who said anything about quick?" Mitzi wrinkled her nose and grinned. "So, if not a man, what?"

  "If you must know, Gabe called unexpectedly. He's taking Mike out for hamburgers tonight. So I'm going home to soak in the most lavish bubble bath in history. Now, that may not sound exciting to you, but for a single mother with a child who's liable to parade little friends through the house at all hours, it's a slice of heaven."

  Mitzi cocked her head. "Gabe Parker is spending a lot of time with Mike. Is that normal?"

  "Normal, how?" Sarah's smile slipped. "Surely you don't mean—"

  "Of course not," Mitzi interrupted. "I just wondered if he's hanging out with Mike because the boy has a gorgeous mother?"

  Sarah jerked her car to a stop in front of Mitzi's house. Her furious silence spoke volumes.

  "Okay, okay. Forget I said anything." Mitzi wasted no time climbing out. She shut the car door firmly behind her.

  Leaning across the seat, Sarah rolled down the passenger window. "Wait, Mitzi. Don't mention anything of the sort to Sam. Not even in jest. If a rumor like that got back to Gabe… I mean, I'm not exactly in his social circle. I wouldn't want him to think I was interested."

  Mitzi tossed her famous backward wave and continued into the house.

  Sarah sat for a moment, debating whether to follow her— to make her position on the matter absolutely clear. But if she did that, Mitzi would no doubt say she was protesting too much. And she wouldn't have time for her bath.

  "Ooh, but that woman can be so maddening," Sarah sputtered, grinding the old car's gears as she let out the clutch too fast. Tomorrow, she'd lay it on the line for her friend once and for all.

  At home, it was as if fate conspired against her plans. First, Sarah's absentminded neighbor called her over to complain that she thought someone was stealing Kukui nuts from her trees at night.

  If the woman hadn't been dead serious, Sarah would have laughed it off. The polished nuts sold well to tourists, but she'd never heard of anyone stooping to rustle them. More than likely, Mrs. Lawrence had raked them and forgotten. Still, Sarah knew the old woman was often lonely, so she spent an extra few minutes listening.

  When she finally broke away and let herself into the house, the phone was ringing. It was Jim Cline's mother wanting to discuss the end-of-season soccer banquet. Sarah thought it was a little early since the season had just started, and she said so. She'd no more than hung up when Mrs. Cline called again about another fund-raiser for the uniforms. Sarah would have forgone her bath in favor of parental duty—if the woman hadn't kept turning the conversation to Gabe Parker.

  Sarah thought afterward that she hadn't been altogether nice in her attempt to nip gossip in the bud. But darn! She stalked into her bedroom, shed her clothes and shrugged into a robe. She turned both taps on full and was pouring in her bubble mixture when the telephone rang again.

  It had to be that nosy Mrs. Cline calling back. Sarah swore and grabbed up the receiver. "Yes? What is it this time?"

  "Hi!" Gabe sounded somewhat mystified. "Sarah? Is that you?"

  Sarah flopped down on the bed and snatched up her clock. Had it stopped? "Where are you?" she asked breathlessly. "Is anything wrong? Where's Mike?"

  "Whoa. Stop," he said. "Your line's been busy. I wanted you to know Mike and I are at the restaurant. We won't be long. Practice ended early and we didn't want you to worry in case you saw some of his teammates out playing in the neighborhood. Is everything okay with you?"

  Sarah had one ear tuned to the rush of water in her tub. Funny, but until this minute, it hadn't even occurred to her that Gabe might not be there to meet her son as he'd promised. She felt a little guilty. "I planned to treat myself to a bubble bath, but it doesn't really matter. I'll let the water out, since you're early."

  Gabe's low chuckle sent a tiny prickle of awareness up her spine.

  "Need someone to scrub your back?" he teased. "I could be persuaded to give up a hamburger for such a worthy endeavor." She didn't respond and he waited through her tense silence. "Don't go all huffy on me, Sarah. I'm only kidding. We'll give you plenty of time. Happy bathing!"

  Sarah sighed as the phone went dead. But she took him at his word and dashed back to wrench off the faucets. Quickly, before anything else could happen, she stripped off her robe and slid in up to her chin. Before long, warm aromatic steam curled soothingly about her head. The day's strain began to ease away.

  Sarah tried blanking her mind by identifying all the individual flower scents in her new bubble-bath mixture. Sweet pikake blended smoothly with the pungent spicy scent of plumeria. Her mind drifted.

  Idly she pictured herself frolicking in the foaming surf wearing nothing but stacks of leis. Travel posters had a way of making Hawaii's secluded beaches extremely appealing. All at once there was Gabe Parker riding a wave on his bright yellow surfboard and insinuating himself into her private dream. "So much for that," she lamented around a yawn as she settled deeper under the slick scented water.

  "Mmm. Nice," she murmured sleepily. Here, in the privacy of her bath, she could be cool and aloof, or tempting as Lorelei. A fantasy Sarah could do things the real Sarah would never do. For instance, she could dance along white sandy beaches and play naked in the surf.

  She used her toe to add more hot water. Fantasy was wonderful. Why, it allowed her to explore those ropy muscles of Gabe Parker's arms. Let her savor the salt of the sea on his skin. To kiss and be kissed in return. Time slipped away. The water cooled. And Sarah drifted off.

  "Mom!"

  Her son's sudden shout, the sound of running footsteps and the realization that he was crying, jerked Sarah awake. Panic-stricken, she leapt from the tub and with shaking hands threw on her robe. Why was it so dark? She started for the door, but nearly lost her footing in a puddle of water that had sloshed over the edge of the tub. Somewhere in the back of her cobwebby mind she heard heavier footsteps pounding down the hall.

  "Sarah!"

  She headed into the hall, groping for the light switch, then collided with someone breathing hard after running full-tilt.

  All at once a bright light blinded her. "Gabe?" She tugged the edges of her robe together and blinked. His hand left the light switch, then reached out to steady her. "Mike! I heard him crying. What's wrong?"

  "My question exactly." Yet even as Gabe's eyes softened with relief, his arms tightened around her back, and before either of them had time to think, his lips covered hers, driving her panic deeper—then away.

  For a moment her heart pounded. Then one by one her bones dissolved until she clung to him helplessly, kissing him back as she had in her dream.

  The front door slammed, but it was Mike's shout that broke them apart. He could be heard running down the hall. Sarah stepped into the bathroom, away from Gabe, and stumbled. Eyes wide and not fully comprehending, she
grasped her robe tight beneath her chin and dropped down on the edge of the tub.

  None too steady himself, Gabe braced an arm against the door casing.

  The boy reached them and stopped. "Is she all right? What's wrong? I went back and shut the Porsche lights off like you said. Oh, Gabe, is she gonna live?" Not only was there a quiver in the small voice, but the light dusting of freckles stood out against a pasty white face.

  Gabe shook off his sudden unexpected desire and placed a comforting hand on Mike's shoulder. "Everything's fine, son. I'm not sure, but I think your mom fell asleep in the tub." It struck him then how unsteady his own hand was, and his voice was decidedly rough around the edges.

  He urged the boy through the doorway to check for himself.

  "You okay, Mom? I—I was scared." Mike's voice faltered.

  Sarah held out both hands and her son ran to her, flinging his arms around her neck.

  "You scared us half to death, Sarah," Gabe said. "The house was dark, so I walked Mike inside. We knew you'd planned a bath, and he ran down the hall to check. I died a thousand times when he tore back, crying that you'd drowned. I sent him outside on an errand and came in myself, not knowing what I'd find."

  "But you said I had time for a bath," she said, smoothing a hand over her son's hair.

  Gabe arched a brow. "It's two hours since I called, Sarah. I assumed that was time enough. As it was, we blew an extra hour at the Queen Emma Museum."

  "The museum?" she squeaked. "No kidding?"

  "Yeah, Mom!" Mike exclaimed, pulling back to look at her. "I came to tell you the museum was cool. But the onliest light on was the hall night-light and you didn't hear me." He buried his face in her neck and hugged her again. "You didn't move! I thought you was dead."

  "Were," she corrected, although she cradled him close. "I'm so sorry. I'd never scare you on purpose." A shiver swept through her, and her voice caught. "My mother was sick a lot—an invalid. Military duty kept my father away from home. I was always afraid something terrible would happen to Mother when we were alone." She rocked him gently. "I don't ever want you to worry like that. Remember we discussed all this when I showed you pictures of your grandparents?"

  Mike sniffed and nodded. "I 'member."

  Gabe's heart lurched. And he'd thought he was neglected because his father was off building a fortune. Compared to Sarah's life, his had been a regular picnic. His mother doted on him and his brother. If only he'd known some of this before.

  "Come on, kicker," he said gently, grasping the boy's shoulders and pulling him away. "How about if I have a look at that radio you said quit working? We'll let your mom get dressed before she takes a chill."

  Although he addressed the child, his darkly troubled gaze rested on Sarah a moment before skipping away.

  She loosened her grip on her son and drew her robe closer. "I'm fine, really," she assured Mike when he hesitated. "I do need to dress. Why don't you two take the radio into the kitchen where the light's better?"

  What exactly was that look in Gabe's eyes? she wondered. Pity? Sorrow? Regret that he'd kissed her? None of those prospects seemed particularly flattering, considering what had just happened between them.

  Rather self-conscious now, she stood and urged them toward the door.

  Unable to help himself, Gabe let his gaze drift back over her face and the hair she had piled atop her head, now falling loosely about her cheeks.

  She glanced up and caught him unawares.

  Without thinking, he reached out and ran a finger along her jaw, just to convince himself she really was all right.

  "You comin', Gabe?" The boy paused in the hallway, sounding unsure.

  "Um, yes." He spun on his heel, adding, "You bet. Let's go take a look at that radio."

  A minute ticked by as Sarah imagined she still felt the sensual touch of his fingertips and saw the look in his deep blue eyes. Her pulse climbed.

  Letting out the water, she began to reconstruct what must have been a frightening scene. She hurried to dress, deciding that Gabe's kiss had been the understandable result of the moment's tension.

  But what, if anything, did his last look mean? Did he find her attractive?

  No. That was preposterous. Gabriel Parker moved among the really beautiful people. Like Sheena Maxwell. But Sarah wasn't so naive that she didn't realize he might dally outside his circle if a woman was willing.

  Was that how he saw her? Willing? Attempting to brush her hair, she encountered snarls. She threw down her brush. Well, she wasn't. But one good thing had come of this incident. Mike did love her. So Gabe hadn't siphoned off as much as she'd imagined.

  Sarah pulled on a pair of clean jeans and a knit top. Was it losing her son's affection to the age-old allure of male bonding that had her running scared? Or was she simply afraid for her own heart?

  Somber brown eyes gazed back at her from the mirror. What they suggested was that it might already be too late. She ran a shaking finger over her lips. Maybe she was willing. It wouldn't be such an unpleasant experiment finding out. Her step quickened as she went in search of her son— and Gabe.

  But Mike was alone in the kitchen, his radio blaring.

  "Where's Gabe?" she asked casually, thinking maybe he'd gone to put away his tools.

  The boy glanced up, "He left."

  "Left?" Sarah heard the disappointment in her own voice.

  "Yep." Mike nodded. "Said he hadda go meet Sheena. But don't worry, he 'splained to me about missing my next game."

  Sarah's mouth opened and closed. "Explained," she corrected, all the while feeling her short-lived joy shrivel. She should have known. Men like Gabe Parker were masters at explanations and excuses. How could she have allowed herself to be taken in by another no-good charmer?

  CHAPTER SIX

  Once again, morning came too soon. Sarah stared at her reflection in the mirror and told herself sternly that the sleepless nights had to stop. She was an adult. A mother. Not a love-struck teenager.

  Her feelings for Gabe had run temporarily amok, that was all. So he had a date with Sheena. Big deal. The simple kiss she'd shared with him was due to nerves on both sides. The telephone rang as Sarah battled a stubborn little voice insisting that nothing about Gabe's kiss was simple.

  " 'Lo," she said, snatching up the receiver of her bedside phone. Gabe's warm chuckle drifted across the line when she'd been expecting Mitzi.

  "The word, I believe is hello." He enunciated clearly, correcting her the way she corrected Mike. "So, Sarah, good morning," he said into her silence. Then his slow easy humor vanished and his voice took on an intimate quality. "I couldn't go to work this morning without knowing how you were. I hated leaving last night before you came out. What took you so long?"

  His sincerity battered at the walls Sarah had rebuilt around her heart. "I'm fine…really," she said, her tone rivaling his for intimacy.

  "That's good. You gave Mike quite a jolt. Me, too," he added after a moment's hesitation. He almost felt her waging some internal battle and didn't want to come on too strong in case he scared her away.

  Sarah twisted the telephone cord around her index finger. More barriers tumbled down. "It was good of you to take time from your date to help Mike fix his radio. I'm sure that helped him put the incident from his mind."

  There was a silence on Gabe's end, then he said rather gruffly, "I didn't have a date. Sheena's family and mine are good friends, that's all. After her time in France, she's experiencing some difficulty fitting back in with her old crowd. For crying out loud, Sarah, there's ten years difference in our ages."

  Sarah's heartbeat accelerated. "I didn't mean to offend you. Mike said…" She frowned, trying to remember what exactly Mike had said. "Well, maybe I assumed it was a date," she offered a bit defensively.

  "I'm not a man to go from kissing one woman to a date with another. I know society columnists link me with lots of women, but they're wrong. I do not hop from bed to bed." Now that was dumb, he thought. Would she translate it to mea
n he only wanted to take her to bed? He waited, holding his breath.

  Even in the privacy of her bedroom, Sarah blushed. She had never learned to talk openly about sex. "I… ah… I'm going to be late for work," she ventured at last. Why was he telling her all this? Unless… unless he was interested?

  "Don't let me keep you," he said quickly. Lord, he didn't need another misunderstanding with this woman. "Uh… I called to make sure Mike told you I'll pick him up next Tuesday. We'll practice kicks and blocks in the school soccer field."

  Sarah's heart slid back into its rightful place in her chest. "No. He didn't say a word." She rubbed her brow. Next Tuesday was the night she and Mitzi were shopping for dresses.

  "I'll drop him off afterward, but I can't come in," Gabe continued. "I'm going to Kauai on business and I'll be gone until late Friday. Is there a problem?" At her murmured response, he added, "Did I hear some hesitancy in that no?"

  Gabe was observant, Sarah would give him that. Not many men, or at least not the ones she knew, would have picked up on so subtle a nuance. "No, no problem. It's just that Mitzi and I are doing some shopping Tuesday after work. Coach agreed to take him to her mother's around six."

  "If you're not going to be too late, I'll stay with him."

  "It may be close to eleven."

  "Give me the address. I'll take him to the sitter myself."

  "It's out of your way," Sarah protested.

  "Sarah." He sounded exasperated. "If it's on this side of the island, it's not out of my way. So what are you shopping for? Anything exciting?"

  "Not really," Sarah said. "Dresses for the Maxwell party."

  "I didn't realize you were going." And what a pleasant surprise it was, too. Just the thought of it made the event more palatable to Gabe.

  "We aren't gate-crashing. Mitzi's husband was invited," Sarah said when he fell silent. "I'm only going because Lou insists on it."