Dani was relieved he hadn’t seen her enter the party with Earl Wiggins.
“No I brought a date. He’s in the mens’ room. Thanks,” she said as she accepted the drink and took a sip.
“The mens’ room? I’ll bet we probably just missed each other. I was just in there and there was some poor schmuck vomiting in one of the stalls. Jesus it sounded like the guy was hacking up a lung.”
Danielle decided to quickly change the subject.
“Well I’m surprised to see you stag here tonight. I mean……. with you being such a great catch and all,” she said smiling proudly after her little zinger.
“I didn’t come alone,” he corrected her with a laugh. “I brought Ms. Grummond my secretary. She’s around here somewhere,” he said as his eyes searched the crowd. “Probably at the bar, two-fisted drinking, knowing her.” He laughed again.
Danielle couldn’t help but smile at the remark. “I like that lady. I can’t wait to get to know her better while she’s in Maui.”
“I’m sure the two of you will get along famously. You’re both such strong, fiercely independent women. But did I tell you how amazing you look?” Shane’s voice trailed off as his eyes locked onto hers. He couldn’t help but wonder about the man she was there with and exactly how big an obstacle he might be in his quest for Danielle. He quickly shook off the annoying thought, confident he’d be able to get rid of him when the time was right.
Shane decided to seize the opportunity to strike before the guy had a chance to return. He took two steps closer to Dani, backing her against the wall.
“Yes….. Yes you did tell me that already,” stuttered Danielle as she stared up at him. He had succeeded in his effort to shake her sensibility. She swallowed hard when she caught a whiff of his custom-blend shaving lotion. The intoxicating scent was enough to make her head spin. She knew she needed to get a grip, and fast. Dani you’re pissed at this ego-maniac, remember? Stand firm. Don’t fall for his game. Be strong.
Shane ran his hand down the small of her back, letting it come to rest on the fullness of her derriere. The black satin slip dress hugged her incredible curves in all the right places, revealing her aroused nipples to him. He longed to take her full ripe breasts into his mouth right there and then. Shane took one final step toward her, closing the gap between their bodies.
When Danielle felt his hardness pressing into her own flesh, memories of fucking him came flooding back over her and she could feel the moisture of her own desire seep into her silk panties. She felt powerless against his masculine wiles. She cried out for help in her own head and wondered where her resolve was when she needed it most?
Shane wet his sensuous lips lightly with his tongue preparing to take Danielle’s mouth into his own. As his hand slid the rest of the way down her behind, he cupped her rounded cheek and pulled her into his embrace. “Danielle I want you,” he whispered into her ear. As he pressed his lips into hers and their mouths melded together, he felt her body beginning to surrender to their inevitable passion.
Suddenly a familiar chipper voice chimed out behind him.
“Hey you two! Why don’t you join the party? People are asking about you.”
Danielle opened her eyes, instantly jolting her out of her romantic trance. It was Marguarite Grummond. A flood of relief washed over her body except for the throbbing parts that so desperately wanted Shane Tanner.
“Margie. I’m so glad to see you here,” Dani said breathlessly.
“I thought you might be dear,” Margie said with raised eyebrows.
Shane turned around and glared angrily over his shoulder at his secretary and in doing so noticed a rather rotund man with an ill-fitting toupee approaching.
“Ah there’s my lovely date! Dani I’ve been looking all over for you.” Earl Wiggins sauntered up next to her side. “Sorry I took so long in the mens’ room. I feel so much better now though. I think I just ate a bad oyster. How ‘bout we take a little spin around the dance floor?”
Shane’s demeanor immediately changed from anger to amusement as an ear-to-ear grin spread across his face.
Danielle swallowed hard and tried, unsuccessfully, to stammer out an intelligible explanation.
Shane could not contain his delight as he gave Earl a congratulatory slap on the back, “So you’re Miss Kane’s date? You are one lucky fella.”
“Yesiree, Earl Wiggins is the name. I work in accounting. Remember we met the other day Mr. Tanner?”
“Yes of course I remember you Earl,” he lied convincingly. In reality he had no memory of their recent introduction. When he glanced back over at Danielle she was staring down at the ground in embarrassment.
Shane was pleased as punch that his earlier question had just been answered for him. The man Danielle was with that evening would be no obstacle whatsoever.
Nine
The following morning Danielle and her longtime friend Allyssa Caswell paddled Dani’s twin kayak out into the Auau Channel, which was the body of ocean between the islands of Maui and Lanai. The calm water was ideal for that type of boating, the name in fact translating to “take a bath”.
The two women had roomed together in college and Allyssa now worked as a marine biologist, studying the effects of land-based pollution on the islands’ coral reefs. Allyssa’s fair porcelain skin was a constant source of concern to her, given her daily exposure to the sun, but she was extremely diligent in her use of sunscreen and hideously wide-brimmed hats.
After an hour or so of paddling in the gentle waves, it became apparent to the usually forthright friends that their current conversation was strangely superficial and guarded. Allyssa decided to broach the subject.
“So how was that big reception last night, Dani? You haven’t said anything about it at all. I’m surprised. I thought you would have given me all the juicy details by now. You haven’t even mentioned your new boss.” Allyssa was seated behind her in the kayak, so as not to block her friend’s view with her oversized straw bonnet.
Danielle was keenly aware of her uncharacteristic silence but she just didn’t quite feel up to regurgitating all that she had been through in the past week. So she decided to avoid answering the question by deflecting it back onto her friend.
“The reception was okay. But what about you? You haven’t mentioned your work at all. Usually you’re bubbling over with the latest scientific studies and news of various environmental activism around Maui. I wish I had gone into your line of work Allyssa. You really have an awesome job; studying and protecting this amazing place. Look at it…..it’s so incredible.” Dani waved her oar pointedly at the panoramic beauty. A green sea turtle surfaced for a moment and blinked at the intruders before diving back under the water.
Allyssa realized it was time for both of them to stop beating around the bush and time for her to lay out the cold hard facts to her friend.
“Dani the truth is, I do have plenty of news. I’ve just been trying to think of the best way to break it to you.”
Danielle immediately spun around in the kayak to face Allyssa, resulting in her friend doing all the paddling. “What are you talking about? Tell me what it is. It sounds bad.”