I fixed my belt and the plane began to taxi.
“Hold my hand,” Ari pleaded, outstretching her hand towards me. “Please?”
I gladly took her hand.
“Don’t let go,” she pleaded.
I wouldn’t. I didn’t want to.
***
We arrived in Hawaii, and I couldn’t get off the plane fast enough. I dragged Ari behind me, and we nearly fell down the plane steps. The sun was shining high and bright above us, the day already scorching hot. I looked up at the blue sky and the few clouds floating above us. My whole body vibrated with the need to grab my board and head out into the water. I was sure the guys felt the same way.
Ollie and Talia came off the plane next. “Whoa-oh, man. This place is nice. I forgot how much I loved Hawaii.”
Jeremiah and Brady got off behind them as an SUV circled around to pick us up.
“There’s a place Talia and I know,” Ollie began, rubbing his hands together, “it’s got a sick view and there’s a jump. Wanna go?”
“A jump?” Ari questioned, confused.
“Cliff-jumping,” I told her. “It’s more fun, and less scary than it sounds.” To Ollie I said, “Yeah, we should all go once we get settled at the hotel. After that, I need to get in some surf time.”
“Hell yeah.” Jeremiah grinned. “This is gonna be one epic vacation.”
The car driver of the SUV hopped out and opened the door so we could get in. Brady took the front seat while Ari, Talia, and Ollie took the third row. That left the two middle seats for Jeremiah and myself.
I loaded the bags into the trunk of the car, much to the driver’s dismay.
I hadn’t discussed it with Ari, but she was staying in my suite. It had two bedrooms since it was one of the larger rooms in the hotel, so I hadn’t seen the point in asking her if she was okay with it. I mean, she stayed at my house in her own room, so what was the difference? For some reason I suddenly felt unsure and thought maybe I should’ve said something to her. Too late now.
We pulled up to the hotel after a thirty-minute drive. The place was nice. More than nice. Everything seemed to…sparkle. Like it was coated in glitter or something. The outside was a bright white and it boasted towering columns. The place screamed money, and it definitely wasn’t cheap. My room was covered by the competition hosts, but I’d paid for my friends so I knew this place was the likes of which celebrities stayed at.
We filed out of the car, and while everyone else oohed and ahhed, I went to check us in.
The receptionist was polite and friendly, and spoke in a tone of voice that was supposed to make you feel calm. I wondered if she was trained to speak that way.
Armed with four room keys, I joined everyone where they lingered in the lobby. All of them looked around in awe. The lobby floors were a shiny white marble, with white walls, and white furniture. Large chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, adding to the opulence. The place was certainly minimalistic, but you’d have to be an idiot not to notice how expensive everything was.
The six of us filed into an elevator, along with a bellhop rolling a cart with our bags, and I doled out the room keys.
“Where’s mine?” Ari asked, looking at the lone key left in my hand.
I held the slender credit-card-like key between my index and middle finger. “You’re staying with me.”
She paled, and her Caribbean blue eyes widened. Her mouth opened and closed several times before she finally managed to utter, “What?”
I decided to mess with her. “Yeah, I couldn’t get another room. You’ll have to sleep in my bed. I don’t snore, so you don’t have to worry about that, but I love to cuddle.”
She inhaled a shaky breath. “I can sleep on the floor.”
My friends watched us in amusement.
“It’s a king bed, Ari, it would be silly for either of us to sleep on the floor. Don’t be ridiculous.”
She leaned her back against the wall of the elevator like she needed the support. “Still, I think that would be for the best.”
“Are you sure?” I drawled, tapping a finger to my lips. “All we’d be doing is sleeping. It’s not like I’d touch you or whisper sweet-nothings in your ear. Sleeping, that’s all we’d be doing.” With a smirk, I added, “Unless you’re afraid you’ll want to touch me. I’m pretty irresistible, so I wouldn’t blame you.”