by Freda Ann
* * * * *
Freshly showered, Brandon couldn’t get the smile off his face even if he wanted to as he relaxed in the chair on his lanai. He felt a twinge between his legs when he remembered how good it felt with Mindy rubbing up against his backside and when her breasts touched him as she leaned in to talk. The excitement shot through him again.
He thought about every time he changed gears - how her entire body banged up against him sending shock waves through him that made his groin ache. Damn, what is it about her that makes him feel this way? He felt like a horny school kid as he remembered the heat of being close to her.
Listening to the sound of the waves, he looked out at the beach as the moon was rising and thought about yesterday when Mindy walked the beach with her horse talking to Faith.
He thought of how today started at breakfast and how he almost blew it with her by putting his foot in his mouth twice before finally recovering. Then remembering the events of the day relaxed his mind and made him feel at peace. This is a feeling he hasn’t felt for longer than he could remember. He knew that Mindy was a big part of it and he knew he had to spend as much time with her as he could.
He heard a loud knock on his door and knew it had to be Stephen banging like that. He reluctantly got up from his chair, readjusted his manhood trying to let his testosterone neutralize, and slowly went to let him in.
“You interrupted some pretty great thoughts buddy.” He said with a smile flinging the door open when he headed back to the patio and sat in the same chair crossing his legs to cover what was left of a slight bulge.
Laughing, Stephen sat down across from him. “I don’t even need to ask who you were thinking about. The look on your face the entire day said it all.”
“Hey, I had a great day. What can I say. - Isn’t that why I’m here?”
“That it is my friend and it’s really great seeing you so relaxed and happy. It’s been too long since that look has seen your face.” He gave Brandon a grin. “Actually, I had a pretty good day myself.”
“I noticed.” He winked at him with a chuckle.
Looking down a bit and shaking his head a few times, “Faith is a pretty cool woman, not to mention sexy and gorgeous. We hit it off right away and talked most of the ride.” Hesitating a bit before continuing, “And they’re both eligible, single ladies who haven’t really dated for at least a year from what I gathered.”
Brandon looked in Stephen’s direction, “Hmm - you really did talk a lot.” Looking towards the beach and taking a deep breath before letting it out slowly, “Glad to hear that though. I’m not looking to add more complications to my life, even though I get the feeling Mindy would be well worth it.”
“You’re really into her aren’t you? - And I’m not talking about a one nighter.”
He didn’t need to respond to his remark because they both knew it was true. They sat on the patio for a while enjoying the evening breeze and the sound of the waves rolling in as an occasional couple walked by talking and laughing.
Looking at his watch, “8:30, maybe we should get a bite to eat before it gets too late. Room service - or you want to head to the restaurant?” Stephen sat up in his chair waiting for a response.
“You want to order room service and watch some football?” Brandon leaned forward with his arms on his legs looking at Stephen.
“Sounds good to me. Though I’m surprised you don’t want to head to Ka Hiwa in case the girls are there eating dinner.”
Grabbing the room service menu, “I thought about it but I was afraid it may seem like too much for one day. Don’t want to push my luck, you know? Nice and easy.” He winked at Stephen and asked what he wanted to eat.
After he told Brandon what he wanted, he couldn’t help but rib his friend. “So much for not wanting to complicate things.” He shook his head smiling as he watched Brandon place the order with room service.
* * * * *
“I don’t know about you but I’m whipped!” Towel drying her hair Faith looked at Mindy wrapped in her bathrobe curled up on the couch.
“Yeah, I know what you mean. It was a long, fun day of sightseeing. This island is everything I’ve heard it would be and then some. I can’t wait to see more of it.”
Combing her hair and adding a thin layer of gel to it Faith continued. “It really was nice of Stephen and Brandon to rent the Harleys and show us around some of the island. I don’t think we could ask for two nicer or better looking tour guides.”
“They really were pretty awesome and knew their way around without even looking at a map.” Mindy laughed at the thought. “It probably would’ve taken us three days to see what we did in one day since we have no clue what’s here to see. - We definitely would have gotten lost if we tried to find the Hana Highway on our own.”
Mindy spoke louder when Faith went in the bathroom to wash her hands. “I couldn’t believe the views from the top of the cliffs and the waves crashing against the bottom as water splashed halfway to the top.” She shook her head in disbelief.
“We got some of the coolest pictures to show everyone. That’s the only way they’ll believe us when we tell them about everything we saw and experienced. Who knew places like this even existed?”
“And just when I didn’t think I’d see anything more amazing, waterfalls appeared out of nowhere when we rounded the curves on the bike. I never thought I’d climb a three tier waterfall and live to tell about it.” Mindy laughed at herself glad she didn’t lose her footing on the slippery rocks.
Faith glanced over at her. “And to think we almost didn’t go because you were afraid to let them show us around.” They both laughed. “The guys were true gentlemen the whole trip.”
“Yeah - yeah, I agree.” Mindy smiled. “They were pretty great the way they took two strangers under their wing. Who said chivalry is dead?”
“We’ll have to find a way to make it up to them, you know? Though I could tell they enjoyed the trip just as much as we did. Stephen and I talked and laughed at each other.” Faith smiled, “he loves my accent. I think that’s why he kept asking me things.”
Mindy got up and rummaged around the desk looking for the room service menu. “I could tell he was into you.” Flipping through it page by page then handing it to Faith. “You want to order in and chill out for the night? I’m sure we can find a good movie to watch. We can rest up for tomorrow.”
“Sounds like a plan.” She handed the menu back to Mindy pointing at what she wanted to order. “And speaking of being into me, Brandon was drooling all over himself every time he looked at you.” Faith chuckled as Mindy picked up the phone with a grin shaking her head and turning her back to her.
Mindy was so thankful to have Faith as her BFF. They’d met in a local gym they both went to and really seemed to hit it off, not to mention they made each other laugh. Mindy had mentioned something about the stress in her life. Faith told her she may want to try yoga to relieve some of it and told her she teaches yoga in Orlando and would let her try a few classes free to see if she likes them. Needless to say, Mindy became one of her regulars in class.
Faith helped her get through her husband’s affair and eventual divorce. And when everything happened with Chase she was there again to help keep her from completely losing her mind. It was so hard to put on a brave face for her kids when her heart felt completely shattered. But Faith helped her with a lot of positive reinforcement along with daily yoga and three times a week cardio. Mindy credits her with how toned she is now.
Mindy was also there for Faith when she ended a three year relationship a year ago with a guy who finally admitted he didn’t want to get married. He knew she was at the point in her life where she was ready to get serious, get married and have children and he didn’t want any part of it.
Though Faith realized deep down that she didn’t see him as her soulmate, the break-up still hurt. Mindy was the rock that got Faith through months of loneliness and fear of being an old maid with no husband or kids in her life. Th
ey both agreed their friendship will withstand any future relationship either of them may have.
Chapter 5
Feeling well rested and energetic, Mindy and Faith wanted to go out on the beach to do yoga before breakfast. They both loved the relaxing environment and the sound of the waves rolling in with the breeze.
Walking down the beach Mindy remembered the first time she tried yoga after Faith convinced her to take her class. She felt so uncoordinated and had no idea that breathing the right way while doing the poses could maximize the benefits. It took her about a month to learn the difference between warrior II and warrior III, not to mention cat and cow poses. Faith kept reminding her to think about how the body looks while in each pose and it should help her. Mindy shook her head saying, ‘yeah - OK’. Faith could only laugh. But thankfully after several weeks, she started getting it and was noticing how yoga was toning her body more than some exercises do without the overexertion.
After a thirty minute yoga session followed by ten minutes of meditation, they grabbed their stuff and headed back to the room to clean up before going to eat.
“What better way to start our day.” Mindy smiled peacefully at her friend.
“More importantly, what better place!” Laughing, Faith looked over at Mindy as they walked towards the room. “In case I haven’t told you - thanks for bringing me along on your vacation.”
Moving her bag to her left hand Mindy put her right arm through Faith’s left arm tugging her closer. “You were the first person I thought of when I found out I won this trip. I knew you would be the perfect one to bring with me and I knew you could also use a vacation.”
“We do have some great times together don’t we?”
“Absolutely! We like doing a lot of the same things and have such similar tastes. Annnd - we know each other pretty well by now. It’s just fun hanging out with you.” Mindy felt Faith’s arm tighten around her’s as if agreeing with her.
When they got to their room, they both washed up and put shorts and a tank top on with sandals then headed down to Ka Hiwa for breakfast and much needed coffee.
“Two for breakfast?” The hostess asked.
“Yes please - and we’d like to sit on the lanai if possible,” Mindy inquired. They both loved the fresh air and the sounds of nature.
The hostess grabbed two menus and started walking when she looked over at them. “No problem. This way please.”
They were seated in the middle of the lanai near the railing which separated the garden from the restaurant. Perfect. They both thought how peaceful it was out there.
Faith grabbed the menu to look at but couldn’t help looking around to see if the guys were tucked in a corner or sitting inside somewhere.
“Are you looking for someone?” Mindy quickly surveyed the room, also curious, trying to hide her grin.
Briefly making eye contact, “It seems we always see Stephen and Brandon here so I was just checking the room for any familiar faces.” She raised the menu to figure out what she was in the mood for.
“Uh huh,” Mindy grinned browsing the menu without saying anything else.
The waitress took their order as they sipped their coffee and discussed possible activities for the day from the brochure they picked up in the lobby.
“So - do we want to hang out near the resort and do some water sports like kiteboarding, surfing, jet skiing -,” Faith flipped the brochure over and continued. “Or we could rent a car and venture out to do some browsing and shopping in Lahaina. It’s one of the main attractions on the island with an entire street of shops and restaurants leading to a wharf where people set sail from. We could do a little souvenir shopping and eat some lunch while there.”
Hesitating when she briefly thought about it, Mindy finally spoke up. “Why don’t we hang out around here today and enjoy some of the activities in the area? And maybe later we can head to the pool and lay in one of the cabanas to unwind before dinner.”
“Sounds good. Especially after being out all day yesterday, not that I’m complaining.” She looked away for a moment as if distracted by a thought then turned back to Mindy. “I think there’s more to Stephen than meets the eye, if you know what I mean.” Faith winked with a devilish grin on her face.
“Faith Roche! I know that look. Get your mind out of the gutter. You hardly know the man.”
“And you hardly know Brandon but that didn’t stop you from salivating every time you got to look him over from head to toe yesterday.” She put a piece of croissant in her mouth. “Not that I blame you honey. He is quite the hottie and he’s only got eyes for you.”
Looking out to the garden, “So I noticed how fine the man was. It doesn’t mean I want to get all hot and heavy with him. You know my thoughts on dating since a certain someone left me high and dry.”
“Come on, you can’t punish all men, or yourself for that matter, because of one asshole that broke your heart a couple years ago. You deserve some fun and happiness and Brandon seems like a really nice, genuine guy. - After all, what happens in Hawaii stays in Hawaii.” Faith laughed out loud patting her friend’s arm and continued eating.
“What kind of friend are you? You’re supposed to be the voice of reasoning.”
“I might have an agenda of my own. We came here for fun and relaxation, right? Well these guys definitely seem like fun plus they said they know the island well which will help us out in the long run. Just think about it.”
Their eyes met briefly as Mindy squinted at her friend before finishing her breakfast. They decided to head back to their room, change into their bathing suit and cover-up before going to the resort activity desk for a day of fun.
* * * * *
Since the guys were up late watching football and drinking beer, they decided to sleep a little later than usual. Brandon hadn’t heard from Stephen so he called his room.
“Yeah - hello?”
“I was beginning to think you were still sleeping since I haven’t heard from you yet.”
“Sorry man, I slept longer than I planned to. Guess I should’ve asked for a wake-up call or set my alarm. Between our day on the bike in the sun and the beer relaxing me, I passed out once my head hit the pillow.” Looking around the room for his deck shoes, Stephen continued. “I’ll be at your room in five.”
“No problem. Just yanking your chain. See you in a bit.” Brandon said laughing as he hung up the phone.
By the time they got to the restaurant it was pretty crowded. They saw Jacques in the back surveying the buffet area to see what needed refilling. They tipped their head to each other as the hostess asked how many for breakfast.
“Just two.” Brandon piped up.
“Yes sir, this way,” she said as she grabbed two menus and walked ahead of them.
“I don’t suppose you have anything on the lanai?”
Stopping at a two person table near the buffet area, “No sir, I’m sorry it’s full at the moment. This is about all we have right now. Would you like to wait for one?”
“No, no, this will be fine. It’s getting late so we better eat now.”
“Enjoy your meal.” She nodded at both men with a smile. They nodded back and sat down.
Glancing over the menu before laying it down Stephen spoke. “I think I’m going to do the buffet.”
“I was kind of thinking that too. I’m pretty hungry.” Brandon put his menu on the table as the waiter stopped by to get their order.
“Good morning gentlemen. Are you ready to order?”
“We’ll both do the buffet with coffee and orange juice.” Brandon piped up before Stephen had a chance.
“Of course sir. Help yourselves and I’ll get your beverages.”
“Thanks.” Stephen stood up and headed to the buffet with Brandon just behind him.
They filled their plates and sat back down. Unrolling his napkin and laying it on his lap Brandon looked across the table. “So what should we do today?”
Letting out a low laugh, “Funny you ask. I
was thinking of asking you the same thing.” Picking up a strawberry with his fork, “I’m sure the ladies ate earlier. They seem to be early risers since they’re usually here before this.”
Smiling at the thought of Mindy, “Either that or they didn’t want to feel like they’re being stalked.”
“Oh come on. You know they enjoyed yesterday just as much as we did. I think we all had a great time together.” Picking up another strawberry. “And when they headed to their room after we got back, they said see you.”
“They were probably just being polite.” Brandon stabbed a piece of pineapple and put it in his mouth.
“No way. I saw Mindy looking you up and down more than once when we stopped along the highway. She definitely liked what she saw - and it wasn’t me. Her eyes were like a magnet on you. Wherever you walked, her eyes followed. Even though I could tell she was trying not to be obvious. Faith and I both noticed it but neither of us said a word.”
Blushing at the thought of her eyeing him up and down, “It was hard to keep my eyes off her, I’ll tell you that. And my hands wanted to follow along with my eyes. That’s why I put them in my pockets a few times.” Brandon laughed at himself. “That’s one hell of a lady and I don’t just mean her looks. She’s the type that can dig deep in your soul without trying.”
“I was wondering when I was going to see you ass wipes again.” Jacques patted Brandon on the back and pulled up a chair that was against the wall next to their table.
Brandon shook his head with a grin. “Shouldn’t you be in the kitchen trying to whip up something instead of harassing paying guests?”
Laughing at each other Jacques stopped the waiter that was walking next to them and told him to bring him a cup of black coffee. “I haven’t seen you since you tried to suck up to one of the ladies in my restaurant. How’d that end up working out for you?”