“My grandparents took over hotel operations again. They’d retired when they handed it over to my parents, but they knew Kal and I weren’t ready for the responsibility. Kal dropped out of school for the rest of the semester and came home to take care of me. I think he felt guilty. He wouldn’t leave my side for a minute.”
“Why? Survivor’s guilt?”
“Not quite. I think he decided none of it would’ve happened if he hadn’t wanted us to come to his game that night. It’s ridiculous, really, but even though he won’t say it, I think he believes it. His life has turned into a penance. He completely changed course and seemed to pick up my life where I left it off, so my dreams could still be fulfilled in some twisted way. The Maui hotel was my plan. He opened it for me, which isn’t the same, but I appreciate it. When I was old enough, I took over the Oahu hotel since I was familiar and more comfortable with it. I converted one of the penthouses into my apartment so I didn’t have to commute or worry about the world outside the Mau Loa. And here we are.”
“And what about Jenna?”
For the first time since he started telling his story, Mano turned to face the sea. His jaw hardened. Hoku seemed to sense the change in his mood and rested his head on Mano’s thigh in support. Mano placed his hand on the dog and stroked absentmindedly. “We had big dreams, too. We were going to go to college together, get married and run the new resort as a team like my parents and grandparents had. At first, she was right there by my side, but I think she had a naïveté about the accident. Like if she hung on long enough, I’d get my vision back and we could continue on with our plans. When that didn’t happen, she left.”
“Really?” Paige’s heart ached at the thought.
“Yes. She said that she was too young to throw away her whole life taking care of me. And she was right. I don’t blame her for going. I was enough of a burden on my family. I’ve no interest in being a rock that drags her—or any other woman—down.”
Paige sat back on her heels and considered this confession. She’d seen the same thing with her soldiers. While they would die for their brothers, they refused to hold each other—or anyone else—back. She worried that some of them would’ve rather died on the battlefield than come home and be a strain on their family and friends. A lot of them pushed people away, not letting anyone close.
“So, is that why a handsome, rich hotel magnate is single and sitting on a beach with me instead of charming his beautiful wife and playing with their children?”
He shrugged. Mano didn’t seem to want to get too introspective about the whole thing. “There’s no sense wasting my time in real relationships. Spending this week with you, or another week with another woman every now and then, is all I need. I get the excitement, the passion, and it all ends before things can turn sour.”
Mano had been right. As much as she wanted to know about his past, the story had certainly taken their afternoon on a darker turn. The oily shrimp started to churn in her stomach. She knew their time together would be short and without strings, but somehow knowing that he deliberately kept women, including her, at arm’s length made her sad. She wasn’t entertaining any romantic delusions about the two of them, but she still found herself caring more for Mano than she intended to. He did care about her and the baby, too, in his own way. He wouldn’t have offered to help her if he didn’t. He wouldn’t be trying so hard to make her feel better about herself if he didn’t worry at least a little about her. But it was different. She wanted him to be happy and she just didn’t see that in him, despite his protestations.
Instead of dwelling on it, she tried to make light of his confession. “So you just want me because I’ll be gone in a few days,” she teased, thankful that he couldn’t see the glimmer of hurt in her eyes. “Tell the truth.”
He instantly brightened, happy to put all that aside. “You bet. I want you more the shorter our time together gets.” Mano leaned toward her and beckoned her to kiss him. She complied, pressing her lips against his. She let herself give in to the kiss. That was what this week was about anyway. Enjoyment. Pleasure. Not dwelling in the past or worrying about the future. She just found it hard to turn those parts of her brain off.
When Mano’s hand found her breast and cupped it through her tank top, she finally succeeded in focusing on the here and now. She moaned softly against his lips as his thumb stroked her nipples though the thin cotton. She hadn’t worn a bra today—one of the perks of being a thin, nearly flat-chested woman. That meant there was very little separating the two of them.
She lay back on the blanket and let Mano roll onto his side next to her. He tugged gently at the neckline of her top, exposing her breast so he could capture it with his mouth. Paige buried her fingers in the long, dark waves of his hair and pulled him closer to her.
Paige loved getting lost in the feel of being with Mano. His mouth and hands and body on her were like nothing else in her life before now. There was no hesitation in his touch. Mano seemed convinced that she was beautiful and, for now, she’d let him believe that. Maybe they’d make it through the week before he learned the truth.
Eventually, someone would tell him. Staff at the hotel, maybe? Perhaps he’d overhear someone ask aloud why a man like him was with a woman like her. That would have to make him wonder. But until then, she would try to enjoy it.
There was a freedom in being with a man who couldn’t see her. It took a while for her to adjust to the idea of not feeling self-conscious all the time, but once she got used to it, she really loved it. Some might find it a cruel irony that an unattractive woman would end up with a blind man, but to her, it was such a relief. At least until he realized that he was the one getting the short end of the stick.
She tried not to let those thoughts ruin the moment and focused instead on his touch. Mano’s hand slipped beneath her shorts and sought out her center. He started stroking her, gently at first, then harder. Her breath caught in her throat as the sensations starting exploding inside of her. Within a minute she was close to coming undone. She couldn’t believe how quickly he could manipulate her body into doing whatever he wanted it to do.
Paige looked around in a panic as she got closer... Anyone could see them together like this. Mano didn’t seem to care, of course, but he wouldn’t know if someone was watching.
“Someone is going to see us,” she panted.
Mano raised his head from her breast. “I doubt it.”
“What if they hear us?”
Mano chuckled and nuzzled her neck, never slowing his sensual exploration of her body. “Are you planning to be loud?”
“I may not have a choice in the matter.”
“Good.”
Mano rubbed harder, dipping his finger inside of her and stroking her from the inside, as well. The combination was explosive, sending her over the edge without a care if someone were watching them or not. He kissed her just as she reached the pinnacle, smothering her cries with his mouth until she finally stilled beside him.
Just as she returned to reality, a sound caught Paige’s attention. She pulled Mano’s hand away and quickly adjusted her shirt as she sat up on the blanket. Behind them, another car had pulled up beside theirs. A whole family climbed out, talking and laughing all at once. She watched the father haul out chairs and a cooler and knew that their private oasis was gone. They’d just barely made it.
“I think we’ll have to finish what we started back at the hotel,” she said.
“It’s probably for the best,” Mano agreed as he sat up and dusted the sand off his legs. “A little make-out session is one thing, but any more serious action and sand gets everywhere. It’s very unpleasant.”