Page 32 of His Hawaiian Heart
His smile curled his lips as mine curled mine and when they met, it was a promise of what was to come.
The gasp I gave was swallowed by Sam as something pushed against me. I had a moment of panic remembering the panther when I heard Sam grunt and felt him rock back a bit. Then he steadied himself and the pressure disappeared. I opened my eyes and had to laugh. Sam’s hand was on McNut’s forelock as he urged the horse to take a step back.
“He’s jealous,” Sam grumbled.
“He’s hungry,” I countered and turned to give the horse a pat. “Thank you again, Maximus. Now, take your master home safely so I can see him again.”
Sam pulled me against him once more. “There you go again, using words that you know will drive me crazy.”
I batted my lashes up at him. “Why, sir, whatever do you mean.” I yelped as his hand dropped to swat against my ass. Adelicious shudder raced through me and I smiled. “So you really were keeping a tally.”
“Oh, baby, you have no idea. I figure I owe you a whole lot more than a single swat.”
“Promises, promises,” I said as I ducked beneath his arm, grabbed my journal and started walking back toward the mess tent. It was only when I remembered the page that I turned back. “The page, please.”
“Don’t be greedy,” he said, gesturing toward the journal. “You’ve got plenty to look at. This one goes home with me.”
Again, I could only stare as I watched him fold the sheet and tuck it into his pocket. “Sweet dreams, babygirl. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
“Tomorrow,” I said softly as I watched him swing up onto McNut’s back and continued watching as they disappeared. It was the end to a day I’d never considered when I’d awakened this morning, but I also felt it was the beginning of something I’d never truly allowed myself to dream would ever happen.
I stopped off at my tent to place my journal inside, but not before carefully removing a second drawing. A page that I hadn’t bothered removing as there was nothing obvious about it. Only two people would know it’s significance. Smiling, I tucked it into my personal journal. The blossom from the lei now had a companion. This drawing I’d made in the forest had Mr. Eupithecia holding the ant he’d consumed, but he wasn’t balancing on the edge of the log. Instead, he stood on the ridge of the leaf that Sam had discovered held so much more than his eye could see.
As for the drawing that was now in the same pocket as that leaf? Well, that one bore the likeness of Sam, but not as he peered through my magnifying glass down at the caterpillar. And in it, Sam wasn’t alone. I was with him and we stood, not in the forest, but where the waterfall fell. Though I’d takenartistic license and instead of his lying on the ground, his head in my lap, we stood there on the cliff’s edge, foreheads pressed together and arms around each other. As for clothing? We wore nothing but fig leaves.
Chapter Fourteen
Samuel
Having played hooky the day before, I had plenty to keep me busy, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t thinking of Samantha. In fact, I’d been picturing her beside me as I showed her whatmyworld consisted of. Would she be as accepting of it as I’d been of hers? Even though I’d not mentioned a word about what had occupied my time yesterday, those who shared in my day-to-day life seemed to know something was pulling me away.
“So? We’re good?”
“Huh?”
A chuckle had me shaking off yet another image of Samantha smiling as she looked up at me. “Sorry, I didn’t hear you.”
“And I think that’s about the tenth time you’ve apologized for the same thing. Are you sure you don’t need to go have your hearing checked?”
“Smartass,” I mumbled, but it didn’t hold any heat. Kekoa had been my right-hand man as I’d been his since childhood. We’d not only grown up together, we’d served in the Army together as well. He was more than just a friend; he could alsotake whatever I dished out and toss it right back. If anyone knew me almost as well as I knew myself, it was this man.
“Seriously, Sam, are you all right? It isn’t Tutu Harriett is it?”
“No, no,” I assured him. “Harriett’s fine. Though, come to think of it, she played a huge part in this.”
“What’s this?”
I shook my head. “I ran into Katrina?—”
“Aww, so now you’re worried Harriett knows that you… let me see, how can I put this without offending your precious sense of self?” He drummed his fingers against his chin for a few beats and shrugged. “Sorry. I’m not sure there is any other way to describe the fact you like to demonstrate your expertise with whips and we both know I’m not talking about with any cows.” He gestured toward the field where several head of cattle were currently grazing.
“No, it’s not that,” I said, taking my hat off to run my fingers through my hair before settling it back in place. “It’s Sam, and before you think I’m speaking in third person, it’s not me. Her name is Doctor Samantha Laughlin. She’s a scientist on the island doing research on bugs. Can you believe I spent all day looking for a caterpillar and loved every damn minute? Not only is she a scientist, she’s an incredible artist. I’m telling you this woman is… the most intelligent, most joyful, most fascinating woman I’ve ever met.”
“Well, fuck me.”
Kekoa very rarely startled me, but that had me looking at him as if he was a total stranger.
He slapped me on the back. “Put your eyes back in your head. I’ve listened to you talk about a lot of women. Hell, I had to listen to you whining when you were too chicken-shit to ask Marissa to that dance in the sixth grade and made me ask her for you. I was there when you went through that shit with Candace and I watched you change, and not for the better. Hell,we’re members of the same club and I’ve watched submissives throwing themselves at you, and I’ve watched you make damn sure not a single one of them considered the possibility you would become more than a Dom wielding a whip, no matter how many times they scened with you. But now? Hearing this? Well, I’ll say it again. Fuck me.”
