“I used to figure skate when I was younger, I guess all that balancing paid off.”
“Oh yeah, that definitely would help. Hey, listen, can I buy you a drink or lunch or something before we go back to the Hibiscus? I just want to make sure you’re really fine before I leave you.”
I’m pretty sure my jaw dropped open as soon as he asked me. Oh my God, close your mouth Caroline, you idiot! I scolded to myself as I forced my mouth closed and smiled at Mark in a way I hoped was charming.
“Yeah, that sounds nice,” I replied. I refused to let myself say anything else. If I did, I knew I was going to put my foot in it. This crazy sexy guy that had just rescued me on a beach in Hawaii was now asking me out? What the hell was going on? This wasn’t the sort of thing that happened to me, this was the sort of thing that happened on cheesy TV shows. It just didn’t happen in real life. Especially not to me.
Get a hold of yourself. He just wants to make sure you’re ok.
“Awesome, there’s a bar I like over here, we’ll get a great view over the beach,” Mark replied, leading me towards a row of buildings. We passed through a number of small shops before ending up almost on the beach, at a bar that sure enough, had an absolutely incredible view.
“Aloha, Mark,” a beautiful woman with curly brown hair greeted Mark only seconds after we’d arrived. “Your usual seat?”
“Yes please, Alisa,” Mark replied, and she led us straight to the rail, with a perfect view overlooking Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head.
“Wow, the view here’s incredible!” I told Mark as I sat down. “You come here often, by the sound of things.”
“Not as often as I like. I’m lucky that I get to work in Hawaii from time to time though. It’s a beautiful place.”
“So you’re not here on holiday?”
Mark shook his head. “No, that was a little white lie. I work all around the west coast and Hawaii. Today’s a day off though, so I wasn’t lying when I said I didn’t have anything to get back to. Usually I’m in San Diego.”
“What is it that you do?”
“I help my dad run a couple companies, mainly,” Mark replied.
For the first time I sensed a shadow forming across his face. I could tell there was something he wasn’t telling me, something he wasn’t happy with. I decided to change the subject.
“All these trips to Hawaii and you’ve never taken surfing lessons before?” I asked, and Mark grinned.
“Yeah, I guess I deserved that. Seriously though, it had never really interested me before. I’m a licensed scuba diver and I was even out doing some dives yesterday, but I’d never really considered surfing. My sister called my yesterday, we got to talking about it, she wished she could come to Hawaii and then asked me about it. She eventually said it was because I was too chicken, so I actually just went out today to prove her wrong,” he finished, sheepishly. Oh God, he looked so adorable with that sheepish look on his face, I just wanted to grab him and kiss him everywhere.
Instead, I burst out laughing.
“Well, I guess you did show her!”
“Yeah, Stevo said he’d send me some photos he took so I could prove to her I did it.”
We had a late lunch and a few drinks, sitting by the ocean, and the more time went on the more comfortable I was, and yet the more I needed Mark. It was like an all encompassing desire, taking over my body, inch by inch. My heart pounded when he looked at me. My sex throbbed with desire. I could feel my bathing suit under my clothes, soaking wet even though I’d dried myself off after getting out of the water.
This wasn’t me at all. I was career focused. I chose what I wanted to get out of life. I’d had enough of the choices in my life being made for me, I decided years ago that I would make my own decisions. And ever since that moment, I had. I had decided to finish high school, I had decided to pay my way through college. I had decided I would work two jobs to pay for it while minimizing my student loan balance, and I had decided I would get a good job when I was finished. I had also decided I was finished with men. Whenever I decided to do something, I did it. I had a one track mind. And yet, right now, my body was telling me I wanted Mark without me deciding whether or not that was a good decision. What was going on?
*
Before I knew it, the sun was making its way towards the horizon as the blue of the ocean got a little bit deeper. I’d had a couple of drinks, but I definitely wasn’t drunk. There might have been a little bit of a buzz, but I honestly wasn’t sure. After all, every second I spent with Mark made me feel high, alcohol or no.
“I didn’t realize how late it was,” Mark sheepishly replied when I pointed out the time.
“Me neither. It was nice talking to you.”
“Hey, no problem. Same here. Let me get you back to the resort.”