The Dare (The Bet 3)

Grandma yelled obscenities into the night sky, but I wasn't paying attention, because Beth had somehow managed to lean against my shoulder, and my shoulder had decided in those brief seconds that it liked being leaned on. So I stayed, paralyzed by her touch, debating whether or not I should put my arm around her or just stand there like a limp idiot.

"You kids stay here. This is just…" Grandma didn't finish; instead she continued yelling and walked off down the beach, cell phone in hand.

Beth didn't move. Instead, she leaned further against me while I closed my eyes and let the smell of the islands permeate my senses. The air was thick with the humidity of flowers. For the first time in two years, I felt semi-relaxed.

That is until a horn sounded in the distance.

I blinked a few times as a boat. Scratch that, it was more like a freaking yacht. Of course, when dealing with Grandma Nadine what else could I expect? The woman didn't do small, in any capacity, so if the Titanic suddenly rose from it's watery grave and made it's way across the ocean to our destination, yeah, I wouldn't even blink. A the yacht got closer it was harder and harder not to look away. I'd always had a thing for them and this one was beautiful. Stark white with its lights reflecting off the water. I could retire on it and live comfortably for the rest of my life. The side said Titus Enterprises, maybe we were having dinner on it? . A man in a blue Hawaiian shirt pulled up to the dock and waved us over.

"I think that's our ride," I whispered in Beth's hair, shamelessly allowing myself a few deep breaths.

"Hmm..." she answered and started walking down the dock.

I blindly followed, Hypnotized by the sway of her hips as she made her way down toward the water.

The captain helped her into the boat. She was tired, but I was at least still functioning.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Are you Jace Brevik?"

"Yes?"

"And Beth Lynn?" He pointed to Beth who looked absolutely dead on her feet.

"Yeah…"

"Great!" He clapped his hands together. "I'm your captain. Your grandmother is going to follow in the next boat. She said something about needing to use the restroom again, so I was given the go-ahead to drop you kids off so you can eat."

"Food." I grunted. "Fine, how far away is it?"

The captain gave me a funny look then answered, "Things are only as far away as you allow them to be. Now sit back and relax. There's rum punch in the back. Help yourself."

"Alcohol." I nodded. "Score."

"Right, because that hasn't caused us any problems in the last twenty-four hours," Beth joked sleepily.

Ignoring her, I grabbed two paper cups and went to the little mini-bar at the back of the boat. Filling both cups to the rim with the pink juice, I grabbed a bag of Maui Chips to share with Beth and returned to where she was sitting.

"Eat." I handed her the chips.

"Food!" She snatched the chips from my hands and opened them.

"You respond like this to all types of food, or is it just junkfood, like chips and cookies?" I laughed.

Beth closed her eyes and slowly placed a chip on her tongue then closed her mouth and started chewing. Who the hell ate chips like that?

"All food," she said, still chewing. "I love salt."

Well, that explained the weird chip placement. She reached for another chip and did it again. I swore and looked away. What the hell was my problem?

I lifted the rum punch to my lips and took a sip. The liquid was cold and sweet, but not too sweet. It had a hint of ginger and basically tasted like heaven after that flight.

"It's pretty." Beth sighed, drinking her punch.

"What is?"

"The sky. The hotels. The water." Beth pointed to the shoreline as all the hotels of Waikiki Beach lit up the dusk night sky. "I've only been here once. I promised myself I'd come back after graduation, but then I got a job, and you know how that goes. Ten years later you wonder why you haven't ever taken a vacation."