Нина Сингх – Tempted By Her Island Millionaire (страница 7)

How her hips had moved as she danced in front of him.

So he thought he must have been imaging it when he looked toward the horizon and saw her in the water climbing onto a surfboard, assisted by a tan, blond man. She appeared to be taking a surfing lesson. The man grabbed her about the waist as he held her steady on the waves.

How many times last night had his fingers itched to do the same thing? He couldn’t count the number of times he’d awoken after midnight from a dream that prominently featured a dark-haired beauty with a flower lei adorning her head.

He watched her laugh as she toppled off the board and splashed in the water once more. The instructor immediately grabbed her and assisted her back on. Clint suddenly felt an irrationally intense dislike for the man.

This had to stop. He couldn’t be having these thoughts. About her or anyone else. He didn’t need any kind of disruption in his life right now. Didn’t have time for it. He certainly didn’t have the time or the inclination for a serious relationship with anyone, let alone a woman like Rita. She deserved nothing less than total commitment. Something he wasn’t sure he’d ever be willing to give.

Good thing there were no group activities planned for today. He could use the time to clear his head. The next outing on the agenda wasn’t until after midnight tonight, when they’d be picked up to go to Haleakala to see the sunrise atop the volcanic crater. He’d be sure to steer clear of her then.

You Fallon men have no idea how to fall in love without completely sacrificing your souls.

His grandmother was right. Not that he had any kind of notion that he was falling for Rita. It was simply the romantic mood of this wedding and the sensuous setting of the tropical island. Still, he would have to make sure not to let silly whims get the better of him from now on. Asking Rita to pretend they were interested in getting to know each other better had been a mistake. He would have been better off just dodging Tessa’s advances.

Much better off than what he was feeling now.

CHAPTER THREE

IF HER TEETH chattered any harder, Rita was sure to crack a molar. Given that they were supposed to be in one of the warmest climes on the planet, she hadn’t expected it to be this chilly at any point during this trip. But being on top of one of the world’s tallest volcanos, it made sense if one thought about it. Especially at about four thirty in the morning. Well, that particular bit of wisdom wasn’t doing her any good at the moment.

Their tour bus driver said they had to get here this early or all the viewing spots would completely fill up. If she’d known about the biting chill, she might have argued to take the risk. People around her were bundled up in coats and scarves. A few had thick, plush blankets. Even members of the wedding party had somehow come prepared. Had they received some kind of memo she hadn’t?

Probably not, Rita thought and hugged her sweatshirt tighter around herself. They had just somehow planned better than she had. Story of her life. It wasn’t even a terribly thick sweatshirt.

She heard a shuffling behind her and turned to find Clint approaching. She knew it was him, though it was somewhat hard to see in the predawn darkness. He had a thick leather jacket on. Yet another person better prepared than she.

“You’re shivering,” he stated, noting the obvious.

“Ye-e-es. I—I a-a-am.” Okay, so the stutter was a bit exaggerated. But not by much. Her lips were practically flapping together from the cold.

He started shrugging off his coat. “Here, take this.”

She stopped him with a hand to his chest. “No way. I am not that s-selfish.” The cold stutter made the word sound like she’d said shellfish and she had to stifle a laugh.

“I don’t know you very well, but that’s the last term I would use to describe you.”

The words took her aback. In fact, she’d heard herself described that way countless times over the last several months. By people she cared for the most. When all she’d wanted to do was find her own way and discover what made her happy. Correction, she’d wanted to discover what made her feel.

Though she didn’t want to examine exactly what it was she was feeling right now. Neither did she want to admit that she’d been hoping Clint would find her at some point on top of this mountain.

“I can’t take your coat,” she insisted through the chattering.

“Well, I can’t take watching you succumb to frostbite.”

Before she knew what he was up to, he’d stepped behind her and enveloped her in his embrace, the coat wrapped around them both. “Here. In the interest of compromise.”

A cocoon of heat suddenly surrounded her, along with his woodsy masculine scent. In her desire for warmth, she didn’t bother to stop him or step away. Right. Like that was the only desire driving her at the moment.

“This is supposed to be one of the most spectacular sunrises on the earth. You don’t want to turn into a frozen popsicle before you get to see it, do you?”

“I suppose not.” She resisted the urge to snuggle her back closer to his chest. “Thank you.”

He shrugged against her. “It’s the least I can do. After the way you helped me the other night.”

“Ah, you mean your evasion mission.”

“It seems to have worked. Ms. Campbell seems to be wrapped around one of the other groomsmen at this very moment.”

The way he was wrapped around her. “I’m sure she’s simply trying to stay warm too.”

“No doubt.”

“She wasn’t terribly happy with me that night after the luau when she came in,” she told him, remembering the slamming of the suite door as she was brushing her teeth. Rita had felt somewhat guilty. She had nothing against Tessa; they’d actually been study partners for some core subjects back in school. “I got a bit of the silent treatment before we both retired for the night.”

“I think she may forgive you pretty soon. If she hasn’t already. Judging by how she’s moved on and all.”

“I hope so. She did say one thing that night though.”

She felt his warm breath against her cheek when he responded. “What’s that?”

“She mentioned being surprised you were alone to begin with.”

“So you guys were talking about me.”

Uh-oh. “I won’t deny it. Tessa said there had to be a story to explain why you were here stag at your own sister’s wedding.”

“Not really. Just one argument too many. Considering it wasn’t a serious relationship, this seemed as good a time as any to end things. Rather than pretend during an island wedding full of activities. Some things simply aren’t meant to be.”

“I see. So it was mutual?” Rita wanted to bite her tongue as soon as the words left her mouth. She was giving Clint every indication that she was interested in his personal life. When she had absolutely no reason to be. No logical reason. She had to be careful. It would behoove her to be more guarded about such things, now that she was single again. “I’m sorry. It’s not really any of my concern.”

He remained silent at that. A strong gust of wind suddenly whipped through the air and she reflexively nestled closer against him.

Mistake.

A current of electricity shot through her core. She was no prude; she’d been a married woman for heaven’s sake. But being in Clint’s arms was triggering a reaction she hadn’t been expecting. One she couldn’t relate to anything else.

She’d loved Jay. She really had. But she couldn’t recall feeling an electric jolt in the pit of her stomach when he held her. Not like she was feeling this very moment.

“What about you?” Clint surprised her by asking.

“Me?”

“If I recall, Lizzie mentioned a couple of years back attending a traditional Indian wedding. I believe you were the bride.”

“You would be correct.”

“But you’re here alone.”

“It’s like you said, some things simply aren’t meant to be.”

He was silent for a moment, then she heard him take a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”

“For?”

She felt his arms tighten around her. Sympathy? She certainly hoped not. “It’s one thing when a short-term, frivolous relationship ends. A marriage failing is a bit more life altering.”

He had no idea. The end of her marriage was only part of it. Someone like Clint would never understand. He could never grasp how someone like her had never truly felt untethered. She was a daughter first. Then a wife. Her identity had always been tied to someone else.

She’d never felt like just Rita. Just herself.

No, she wouldn’t even bother to explain. There would be no point.

“Was it one particular thing?” he asked above her head. “That led to your split, I mean.”

His question wasn’t as simple as it appeared on the surface. There were so many particular smaller issues. And one major underlying one. “Yes. And no.” It was the most honest answer she could give.

“So you’re saying it’s complicated.”

She could repeat her answer and be correct once again. “Only in that we wanted different things.” Things she was in no way ready for. While Jay wanted them more than anything. Things like a family, children, a house. Things she wouldn’t be able to walk away from and then it would be too late, making her stay for all the wrong reasons. “So yes, in that way it was complicated.”