"Hello, A pretty girl like you shouldn't be watching the sunset all alone." A voice deep filled with determination stilled her breath. No one had ever said pretty the way this man did, with his eyes driving that single word into her mind.
"I......" she began and then was cut off as her mother shouted her name from the door way of the store. Her stomach plunged to her feet at the caustic sound of the voice.
"I have to go," she whispered, her eyes large and frightened.
"Wait..........What's your name?" he asked as she turned about to rush away.
"Ka Nani Sala," she said a bit frantically, turning to look where her mother stood. A sudden thought occured to her. Twisting a small intricate band from her finger, the only jewelry she ever wore, she handed it to the man. "Show it to the woman in the market. She'll tell you where to return it." As her hand touched his, a warm heat rolled along her skin. "Your name?" she asked, moving slowly from him, step by step backwards, never loosing the point where their eyes met.
"Dorie. Dorie Miller," he called, cluthing the tiny silver object in his hand.
******
"What kept you?" her mother scowled.
"I ....I lost my ring." The excuse came quick and easy off her lips. She held her hand up for her mother's inspection and was rewarded with a agitated humph.
"What did the haole want?" The questions continued as Ka Nani knew they would. She hated the word for the non-native islanders -- a word that had a narrower meaning of simply white had began to encompass all main landers. How ironic that her mother was calling a black man white in their native tongue.
"He tried to help me find my ring, mother! That's all!" she huffed, but not daring to raise her voice in disrespect.
"That filthy haole probably stole it himself to give to some girl for a night of pleasure," she spat at her daughter. "That is why your father will see to your marriage. He will know the right man for you, not one of those ignorant sailors."
BY:Loria
Max Stevens walked out of one the offices as the sun was setting he was now done for the day… Thank God! He was looking forward to sitting down with a couple of mates and a cold beer. He quickly walked across the harbour to get to where he had left his car, then he saw her, it was her hair that caught his eye first the beautiful golden locks the flew behind her. Then he realised just how close to the edge she was while all around her people hurried past fixing up Pearl Harbour. Quickly Max walked over to the girl. "Excuse me Miss?" He said reaching the girls side. Meg jumped as she was pulled out of her own little world and looked up at the handsome officer stand beside her. "Sorry." Said Max with a smile. "I didn't mean to make you jump it's just that non naval personnel aren't really allowed down here." Meg smiled and looked at the floor. "I know. I kind of talked an officer into letting me in." Then she looked back at Max and there eyes meet and for a moment they both felt it… The warm feeling in your stomach, the feeling you get when you've finally come home. Max could tell that she was upset; he looked down and noticed the red flower in her hand then back up to her face. "Well I'd better be going." Said Meg she looked at his name badge. "Lieutenant Stevens." Max watched Meg look back into the water as if saying a silent prayer and then dropped the floor into the water. She looked back up at Max, picked up her two bags. "Thank you Lieutenant." and she hurried back to the entrance. Max watched her go and then hurried after her. "Can I help you with that." He said holding out his hand to take one of her bags. "Thank you, but I'm not too sure where I'm going." Said Meg looking around feeling a little lost. She had been so determined to get to Pearl Harbour to see and understand what had happened to her brother that she hadn't even thought about where she was going to stay. "I was so worried about getting her that I didn't think about where I was going to stay." "Hey!" Said max with his drop dead smile. "Why don't I shout you a coffee and we can figure out where you can stay." Meg looked at the ground. "I don't want to put you out… I'm sure you have better things to be doing." "Course not… Come on." He said taking her bag from her.
BY:Jo
The offending man held his hands up in surrender and backed away. Dianne Miller's temper was notorious in Pearl Harbor. It was rumored that she had all ready scared off six suitors in Chicago, which was the reason her father had brought her to Pearl.
Dianne walked haughtily away, her nose high in the air. Her heels clicked on the deck of the ship as she headed for the stairs. The men parted for her as she passed by; no one wanted to get in the self-proclaimed "bitch-queen's" way.
The U.S.S. Oregon tilted slightly just as Dianne reached the end of the stairwell. Losing her balance, she fell, and slid a foot across the smooth deck. Spurning the hand of a seaman, she pulled herself to her feet and dusted herself off. "Thank you, but I can do it by myself."
"Would you like some help down the stairs, miss? The waters are getting a bit choppy, and another roll like that might send you flying back down the steps," the polite sailor offered.
Dianne looked him in the eye. "Do you know who I am? I am Lt. Colonel John Miller's daughter, Dianne. Heard of me?"
The sailor's smile dimmed. "I believe I may have heard a story or two."
Her grin became almost malicious. "Then you'd know if I did fall down the stairs and break my neck, there would be a party right after the funeral. So, thank you kindly for the offer, but I don't think you really mean it, now do you?" With that barb, Dianne grasped the chain-railing firmly and climbed to the higher deck.
Seating herself on a bench out of sight of the sailors below, she leaned back and let out a long sigh. By tilting her head slightly, she could look out on the harbor, but she didn't. Instead, she took a compact mirror from her purse and checked her make-up. "For a total bitch, you're decent looking, Dianne Laura Miller. A bit too tall, but that's all right. You'd make a good soldier, if you weren't a girl." She snapped the mirror shut a little too hard after that statement. "Too bad for me, right?"
Fifteen minutes later, she descended the stairs and glared at a few more sailors, just for good measure. She knocked on the door to the room her father was secluded in with all the officers stationed at Pearl Harbor. A petty officer opened the steel door a foot. "May I help you?"
"Tell Lt. Colonel Miller his daughter is at home." She turned and muttered to herself, "If he even notices I'm gone." Dianne strode to the edge of the ship and descended. She waved to the sailors watching her. "I hope we meet again sometime, boys," she called, her voice thick with sarcasm. "I enjoyed my stay ever so much."
As she walked away, a cheer rose from the crowd on board.
BY:Kari Jo
A soft knock on the door brought her head up from where it rested on her folded arms. She met her reflection in the mirror for a half a second contemplating the spark in her eyes that had seemed to dull over the last couple of years before she answered the hesitant summoms.
"Yes?" she called over the strains of Ma Poupée Chérie that flowed from the phonograph near her.
"We'll be leaving soon," a voice called through the door. She couldn't at all be sure who it belonged to. Sandra was the first to come to mind, but it could have easily been Martha or Barbara. She had been grateful the nurses had taken her into their little family. She'd never been good at being alone, being a solitary figure among the masses. Old habits were hard to break, impossible at times. Faces and voices were what she needed -- what she needed like oxygen, at times like a drug.
"I'll be right there," she called back. She heard the retreating foot steps and moved to the wide closet. She shoved through the elegant gowns that hung in rows of colors along the wooden rod. The choice was easy tonight -- canary yellow satin, a matching hand bag, and just the right heels. Moving back to the mirror she admired the deep red of her sculpture lips as she pulled the mass of blonde curls into place at the back of her head and pinned them. A practiced elegance reflected back from the mirror and she nodded her head in satifaction.
"Knock 'em dead, Kid," she smiled at her reflection, feeling the jolt of energy that would see her through the night's preformance like the professional she was.
BY:Loria
A soft knock on the door brought her head up from where it rested on her folded arms. She met her reflection in the mirror for a half a second contemplating the spark in her eyes that had seemed to dull over the last couple of years before she answered the hesitant summoms.
"Yes?" she called over the strains of Ma Poupée Chérie that flowed from the phonograph near her.
"We'll be leaving soon," a voice called through the door. She couldn't at all be sure who it belonged to. Sandra was the first to come to mind, but it could have easily been Martha or Barbara. She had been grateful the nurses had taken her into their little family. She'd never been good at being alone, being a solitary figure among the masses. Old habits were hard to break, impossible at times. Faces and voices were what she needed -- what she needed like oxygen, at times like a drug.
"I'll be right there," she called back. She heard the retreating foot steps and moved to the wide closet. She shoved through the elegant gowns that hung in rows of colors along the wooden rod. The choice was easy tonight -- canary yellow satin, a matching hand bag, and just the right heels. Moving back to the mirror she admired the deep red of her sculpture lips as she pulled the mass of blonde curls into place at the back of her head and pinned them. A practiced elegance reflected back from the mirror and she nodded her head in satifaction.
"Knock 'em dead, Kid," she smiled at her reflection, feeling the jolt of energy that would see her through the night's preformance like the professional she was.
BY:Loria
"You're wonderful and you know it. Just be yourself," the dark skinned Hawaiian girl said, smiling like they were on a secluded Island grove instead of a club filled to the brim.
"I don't think I know who that is anymore, Ka Nani," she returned the girls smile. "But thank you!"
"For what?" the woman asked, tilting her head.
"For what you said, the way you say it, and for sneaking out to be here. If you get caught I'm never going to forgive myself." She impulsively hugged Ka Nani.
"Oh, hush! I'd gladly take the trouble just to watch you sing. You know that!" Ka Nani hugged her back , shaking her head slightly.
"Please make welcome the lovely and talented Miss Charlene Ferris!" came the voice from the front of the club, followed by a round of rowdy applause.
"Gotta go, hon," Charlie said breathlessly, feeling she might swoon at any moment -- that is, until she stepped in front of the crowd.
Seated at a table, Ka Nani tried to listen to the song the Charlie was singing with electricity that lit the room. But her wayward thoughts kept going to that afternoon -- to the man that had appeared at sunset and with a smile made her want to know him, made her want to see him this very moment. She ran a finger along where her treasured ring used to reside, hoping the ring would show up again, hoping it would show up attached to a dark man that she had all but given an engraved invitation into her life.
BY:Loria
"This is really kind of you to help me Lieutenant Stevens."
"Please, call me Max."
"Max." Said Meg. "I'm so rude! Sorry. I'm Meg. Megan Flynn."
Max leaned onto the table. "So Megan Flynn, what brings you to Hawaii?" Meg looked down at her hands. "My brother, he was a sailor stationed here when the Japanese attacked."
"Really! Which ship?" Asked Max.
"He was on the Arizona." Meg looked up. "He's still on the Arizona."
Max held her gaze. "I'm sorry." He said thinking about all his friends he had lost on that day and since then.
"It's been eighteen months, but I had to see where he was. He was all I had."
Max resisted the urge to reach across the table and hold her hand. "So that's why you were at the Harbor?"
Meg nodded. "I needed to say good bye. So I sold up and came out here."
"Are you going to be staying here?" Asked Max hopefully.
"Well." Said Meg with a smile. "I'd like to. My brother always wrote that this place was paradise and how I would love it here. He would write about going sailing, surfing and the strange cocktails they would try."
"Yeah those sailor do like their cocktails. Now me I'm a beer man. But if it's cocktails, sailing and surfing you want then I'm your man!"
"Really?" Asked Meg. "You'd teach me how to surf?"
"Sure." Max looked down at his watch he was meant to be meeting the others at Paradise Island.
"I'm sorry do you have to be somewhere?" Asked Meg. "I'm not keeping you am I?"
"Oh no." Grinned Max. "Just hitting a club with a few friends but I've got a bit of time before I have to head out."
The waitress came and place two cups of coffee in front of them. Max watched as Meg took hers in both hands and stared into the black liquid. She was beautiful, there was no denying it, not his usual type but there was something about this young lady that had captivated him, that held him in a trance.... Maybe it was those beautiful blue eyes, eyes as blue as the sea on a hot summers day or her hair that hung down her back in golden waves... Whatever it was Max was hooked, like a drug and he wanted to know her better and see her more.
"So what do you do Meg?"
Meg looked up at him with those blue eyes. "I'm a school teacher, I teach five to eight year olds." She said with a smile.
"Well that's a good start, we have school teachers here. Specially at the base, theres a school there you see, for the kids of officers and staff. After the attack a lot of people took off and left, didn't want to be around just incase it happened again so there are a lot of jobs that need to be filled. I'll have a word for you."
Meg's face lit up. " Really? You'd do that for me?"
"Sure... Now we've just got to find a place for you to stay. How about a hotel... I know a nice little place, nice but cheep!"
Meg nodded. "Sounds great."
Max grinned. "Great, lets have another coffee to celebrate and then I'll take you over!"
An hour later Max was driving Meg to the small hotel with over looked the beach and the sea owned by a friend called Peter Royland. The hotel was called The Pearl, named after the harbour. He pulled to a stop outside and then helped Meg with her bags.
"Hey Pete! Got a room?"
"Rooms! Since the attack I've got rooms coming out of the ears!" Then Pete noticed The girl with Max. "Hello Miss, sorry, business is slow at the moment!"
Meg smiled.
"So Pete, how about it a nice room, seaview for Meg?"
Pete smiled. "Sure, just sign here." He said pushing the book infront of Meg. Meg signed her name and Pete grabbed a key and passed it over the counter to her.
"Room 1232,"
"Thank you." Said Meg with a smile and she took the key.
Max carried Meg's bags to her room.
"Thank you very much Max... You've been very kind."
Max smiled and tipped a imaginary cap. "All in the service miss!"
"Thank you... So much."
"Good night Meg." He said as he turned to walk away. The stopped and looked around at Meg opening her room door. "Hey Meg."
Meg stopped and turned around.
"How about I pick you up in the morning and we can look for a more permanent place sort out a job and then if there is time left, we can go to the beach, I can give you your first surfing lesson."
Meg smiled. "I like that?"
Max nodded. "I'll pick you up at ten?"
"Ten's great."
"Excellent." Said Max grinning. "Good night Meg."
"Good night Max."
And Max turned and walked back to his car and headed to Paradise Island.
BY:Jo
"GOOD GOD DAMN!" she shouted, jumping to her feet and racing after the
stud. He was a money horse that could cost her her job. Grabbing the lasso
looped over the post near the gate, she slipped between the rungs and
sprinted down the path that lead to the beach. Just as she rounded the
path above the beach she heard a chorus of "Whoas".
"What the sam hell are you doing?" she shouted, seeing two men trying to
box in the stud, their hands grabbing for the halter to capture him.
"Take your hands off that animal!" She raced toward the men, swinging
the lasso over her head. She landed it smoothly over the horse's head.
Once she regained control of the jittery animal she turned on the two.
"Are you both complete morons? I'll have you know this horse could take
you head off ," she hissed, leading the horse back toward the path.
Looking over her shoulder she realized with some contempt that they were
military. The one with sandy colored hair, taller than his friend, was
leering at her retreating back.
"Just what do you think your looking at?" She quickly tied the stud to a
mango tree near the path and marched back towards the men.
"Nothin, ma'am," the sandy haired one said, while the other chuckled.
"You'll have to excuse my friend Gooz, here. He needs to brush up on his
manners. We were just trying to help," the other man explained.
"Look, boys. I could give a tinker's damn who you are or why you're here.
This is a private beach and you best take you hides somewhere else
before I decide to have the hands throw you off," she hissed, eyes
narrowing and her honeyed southern accent growing thicker with her ire.
"Yes, ma'am!"
She turned, intending to retrieve the tied horse, but a blur in the
darkness dashed past her. As her hand came down on the knot she'd tied
a hand covered hers. A second strong arm wrapped around her middle and
pulled her against the solid wall of muscle. It was the one she knew to
be Gooz. His lips descended on hers before she could move, before she
could draw a breath. He was kissing her deeply, tongue pressing into her
mouth and, without knowing why or exactly when, she accepted the thrilling
probing of his tongue. By the time he lifted his hand she was panting,
a fine sheen of moisture beading her skin. She smiled seductively just as
she delivered him a hard crack across the cheek. To her suprise, he
didn't even flinch.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" she asked with a deadly calm.
"A woman like you should be kissed and often," he chuckled, releasing
her and strolling back down the path.
"Not by the likes of you!" she shouted after him.
She slipped onto the bay's back, even though she wasn't suppose to be
riding him. She needed to make a quick retreat and her sudden rubbery
legs were not going to make that possible. Her heart raced as she thought
about that kiss, her fist kiss. For half a second she thought about
turning the horse and riding back to the beach. She was wanton, a wicked thrill,
with the desire that coursed along her veins.
BY:Loria
Five minutes later Max pulled up outside Heaths house and knocked on
the door.
BY:Jo
"Hey, Max." Grabbing his keys, he walked out of the bungalow, closing the
door behind him. "I'm driving," he said matter of factly. Settling into the
driver's seat of the cherry red convertible, he let his mind clear. This was
a night for fun. He needed to unwind and let loose. Needed to just relax.
The drive to Paradise Island was filled with boisterous conversation. As
they pulled into the parking lot, a car full of women yelled at the men
invitingly.
"I can feel it, Heath old buddy. This is going to be OUR NIGHT." Max
slapped Heath on the back and guided him toward the door.
* * * * * *
Inside the club, rowdy sailors and beautiful women drank, danced, and
basically celebrated life. After an hour, Heath was moving toward
intoxication and was preparing to leave .... and then the lights went down.
He vaguely heard the announcer, but didn't really come to life until he
caught a vision ... a goddess in bright yellow satin that sung as if she were
singing directly to him. Her hands teased the microphone and her eyes
flirted with the crowd ... then landed directly on his wide, appreciative
eyes as the words floated across the crowded room.
Falling in love again,
Falling in love again.
Max shrugged. "A new singer, I guess. Nice, huh?"
Heath leaned back. Nice? Nice? She was more than nice. She was
spectacular. She was stunning. She was incredible. And he suddenly
realized -- he HAD to meet her. There was no choice in the matter. It had
to happen. He smiled seductively and downed the rest of his drink as he
waited for her to finish her set.
BY:Teresa
BY:Jo
"HELLO BOYS," Gooz bellowed, extracting the cigar from his mouth. "The party
can now commence!"
A group of soldiers applauded as the confident man strode toward his friends,
bowing dramatically along the way. Rafe walked behind him, a lopsided smile
on his face.
"Be nice to him, boys! He has a tale to tell!"
"Well, hell man," Earl said, wiping the beer from his lips with his sleeve.
"Don't keep us in suspense!"
"Yeah!" Red spurred on. "Spill it!"
Rafe sat, placing his hat on the seat next to him and continuing to grin.
Gooz pulled a chair from the table and turned it to straddle the seat and
lean his elbows on the chest-high back.
"Well, ladies," Gooz began. "Picture this."
Moans erupted from the table. "Come on, Gooz!" Red grinned. "Just hit the
high points."
"Shut up and listen," came the reply. "Now ... as I was saying ... picture
this." He paused for effect, making certain every eye was on him, then
continued.
"A horse, running unchecked on a public beach! Well, old Rafe and me, being
good citizens and all, we try to grab this guy before he hurts someone ... or
himself!" He grinned. "We're sensitive that way, you know."
"Oh, sure," Anthony snipped. "You're sensitive and I'm from Mississippi.
Get outta here and get on with the story, huh?"
Gooz glared at him. "Button it, Brooklyn. I'm getting there, okay?" He
cleared his throat. "Anyway ... so we try to pen this horse and ... all of a
sudden we start getting screeched at by this banshee telling us to get the
hell away!"
"And you trying to help," Earl sniffed. "The bitch!"
"HEY!" shouted Gooz. "You watch the way you talk about the gal!" He
grinned. "She plays her cards right and she might get a shot at the old Gooz
man!" He lifted Red's beer and toasted the whoops that followed.
"So, anyway. The gal uses a lasso. A LASSO, for god's sake! She tosses it
around this stud's neck ... calms him down, ties it to a tree ... all the
time never once breaking from her screeching." He leaned back and shook his
head. "I tell ya, it's enough to make a man sit up and say ya-hoo!"
Red looked surprised. "So you two just stood there and let her scream at you
just for trying to help?"
Gooz grinned. Anthony pushed. "So what then, big guy? You get whipped by a
lady with a lasso?"
With a grin, Gooz shook his head. "I told her that she was the kind of woman
who should be kissed, and kissed often."
"YOU DID NOT," chortled Earl. "What did she have to say to that?"
Gooz shrugged. Rafe grinned. "Nothing at first ... you see ... Gooz said
that after he actually stamped over to her, grabbed her, and gave her a whole
lot of smacky-mouth!"
The men stared with shocked looks painting their faces. Rafe slapped his
friend on the back. "And ... he's alive to tell the tale! Now, gentlemen
... GET MY BOY A DRINK!"
The silence was broken by a round of cheers as Gooz leaned back, tugging on
his cigar ... grinning ... and mentally reliving the most sensuous kiss he
had ever experienced in his life.
BY:Teresa
"Sorry, Max. What did you say, buddy?"
With a laugh, Max repeated his question. "Haven't you ever wanted a more
meaningful relationship with a woman, Anderson? You know ... one woman, one
guy, forever and ever ... all that?"
With a low sigh, Heath lifted his drink, downed the amber liquid, and cut his
eyes back to the vision in yellow before returning his gaze to Max. "Every
day of my life, pal. Every day of my life."
Max's brow knitted in confusion. "I don't understand. You're a good dancer.
You shower everyday. You're not TOO bad to look at. Add to this the fact
that you're filthy rich ... you should have your choice of women. What
gives?"
Leaning back, Heath considered his words carefully. "I could have my choice
of a dozen different women as we speak. But, once they heard my name and
found out who my father was, I would never know. I would never know if they
were interested in me or my father's name ... and bank account." He shook
his head and motioned for another drink. "I can't live like that." He
sighed. "I can't love like that."
Max nodded, hand patting his friend's shoulder. "Must be hell."
Heath chuckled. "It ain't pretty, my friend. It certainly ain't pretty."
He took the fresh beer from the waitress and downed half the contents in one
gulp. Then, his eyes returned to her. What did the words of her song say?
Can't help it!
BY:Teresa
Max grabbed his bottle. "I never did… I was quite happy playing the
field until…" Max trailed off looking at the amber liquid in his
bottle.
Heath looked at him. "Until?"
Max leaned back into his seat and sighed. "Until today… It's stupid
really, I meet this girl. I mean I hardly know her but it was just…"
He struggled to find the right word to explain his encounter with Meg.
"Just?" Encouraged Heath.
"Perfect, she was enchanting." Said Max with a big smile.
"Jeeze, Perfect, enchanting are you feeling alright buddy?" Asked
Heath laughing.
Max grinned. "I felt like I could tell her anything. She a
schoolteacher… But god was she beautiful, the bluest eyes you've ever
seen and gold hair that fell down her back like waves of the finest
silk."
Heath raised his eyebrows and laughed. "I never knew there was a poet
in you Stevens."
"Ha, ha, laugh it up Anderson." Said Max starting to laugh
himself. "But she wasn't even my normal type."
"Has anyone got a normal type?" Asked Heath
"True. Maybe it's the full moon, don't they say people act different
on a full moon?"
"So are you going to see her again?"
Max nodded. "Tomorrow… I said I'd take her to the beach."
Heath went back to watching the singer.
"Jesus Christ Anderson…" Laughed Max. "Go and talk to her. You'll
never know if you don't and if you're really bothered about whether
it the money that they are attracted too… Say you someone else… Say
you're…." Max thought about it for a while then hit the table. "Say
you're Me."
BY:Jo
"You were.........." she tried to complement her friend. But she was quickly
cut off.
"Do you see him!" Charlie smiled, leaning close to the other woman's ear, the
only way to have a measure of privacy in the club.
"Who?" Ka Nani's brows knitted together in confusion.
"HIM!" Charlie, motioned with a finger over her shoulder. Ka Nani stretched
up to look in that general direction.
"NO! Don't look at him!" Her eyes grew wide at her friend's perceived lack of
courtesy.
"Charlie! How am I supposed to know who your talking about if I can't look at
him."
"Oh, just never mind! I guess if he's interested........."
Charlie sighed, striking an elegant pose as she took the chair across from Ka
Nani. Please, be interested!
BY:Loria
"See you later, Max."
His friend smiled. "Go get her, Lieutenant."
The walk seemed surreal as Heath closed the distance to the table where she
sat with the Hawaiian beauty. His obsession was talking with the dark girl,
but all discussion stopped as she straightened her shoulders and turned her
face up to meet his gaze.
"Excuse the intrusion." Even to his own ears, his voice was surprisingly
rich and smooth. "I felt compelled to come over and tell you just how
remarkable I think you are."
He was rewarded with a brilliant smile. "Well, with words like that you can
intrude anytime you want," she paused as she glanced at his uniform sleeve.
"Lieutenant....?"
He drew in a deep breath. Now was the moment of truth. For a split second,
he actually did think of using Max's name.
"Anderson, ma'am. Lieutenant Heath Anderson."
Her smile turned into an impish grin as she extended an elegant, perfectly
manicured hand, which he instantly brought to his lips in a soft, proper
kiss. He wondered if she felt it? The electricity that ignited the moment
their skin connected?
"Won't you join us, Lieutenant?"
"Heath," he smilingly corrected as he slipped in to the seat next to her,
extending a polite nod to her friend. "Please, call me Heath."
"Charlie," she replied, brushing a wayward blonde tendril from her eyes and
leaning an elbow on the table, inching closer to him. "This is my friend, Ka
Nani."
He shook the hand of the darker woman. "A pleasure."
"The pleasure's mine," came the polite reply. "Charlie, if you'll excuse me,
I need to be getting home. It's a little later than I anticipated." She
smiled sweetly in his direction. "Good-bye, Heath. I hope to see you again
sometime." She turned to Charlie and hugged her affectionately, whispering
something in her ear that Heath could not hear.
As the young woman left, he turned to focus his complete attention where is
was deserved. Reaching into his pocket, he extracted a silver cigarette case
and lighter. He silently offered one to Charlie, never once taking his eyes
from hers. She kept the contact, leaning over to gently touch his hand and
accept the flame from the lighter, then leaned back and slowly exhaled a long
puff of smoke as he lit his own. Her sultry smile made his stomach feel as
if he were doing a barrel roll for the very first time.
"Come here often, soldier?"
It was his turn to grin. What a line ... and he actually liked it! He
leaned in to her.
"A lot more now that I know you're singing here."
She chuckled, a husky, sensuous sound. "Good answer, Ace. How many women
have you practiced that one on?"
"How many men have you called 'ACE'?"
The smile slowly spread wider. "Touche." She leaned in to speak softly
across the music. "Are you gonna offer to buy me a drink, or ask me to
dance. Either way, the answer is a definite yes."
His heart began to race. "Actually, I thought you might like to take a drive
... along the beach?"
She pondered the possibility. "I have to be back in an hour for my last set."
He grinned. "Then we should hurry."
He stood and slid her seat out, gently placing his hand on the small of her
back to guide her through the throng. He passed Max, nodded an unspoken
message, and moved her toward the door and into the warm, tropical breeze.
Don't get too worked up, Anderson, he warned himself. Remember, Daddy's
money can do wonders. But, at this moment in time, with his hand still on
the small of her back as he opened the car door, he really didn't care.
BY:Teresa
BY:Jo
What do I say? You're the most attractive man I've ever met? NO! Anything
but that! Well, it's the truth. But ......
"Tell me, why a club? Why that club?" he suddenly asked, turning a
heartbreakingly beautiful smile on her. "Someone as beautiful and talented as
you should be on Broadway."
Oh, that's trouble! she thought trying to formulate a response in the part of
her brain that hadn't suddenly turned into a soupy puddle of bottom mud. She
added to that the fact that it took a supreme act of concentration to keep
her heart from doing the back stroke in the pit of her stomach. She totally
amazed herself when she opened her mouth and out came words, actual words.
"I was close for awhile. I left New York to come here to Hawaii. I just
wasn't willing to do favors to get my shot back in New York."
She blushed, lowering her eyes for the first time since she had gotten into
his car.
BY:Loria
"Hey, Jen!" Anthony called out, pushing Red from his seat. "Gotta place
right here for ya!"
Jennifer Martin settled into the spot reserved for her, smiling at the
soldiers she now considered her friends.
"Hello, boys." She brushed a long yellow lock under the flower strategically
placed her ear. "How is everyone?"
A rund of voices began to speak as one ... merging into nothing but noise.
She laughed as she noticed every man at the table talking. Every one, that
is, except one. She sighed internally. She could not understand what she
had done to cause him to ignore her ... to act as if she wasn't there. It
unnerved her -- upset her -- and she didn't know why. She let her eyes
linger to his strong profile, and was caught by his gaze. He quickly looked
away and began a conversation with Earl. Jenny looked down, nervously
twining her fingers, until Red stood over her.
"M-m-m-ma-a-a-ay I have this d-d-d-a-a-a-nce?"
Jenny smiled with relief, took one last look at Rafe, and slipped her and
into Red's.
"I'd love to!"
They moved gracefully to the dance floor, moving slowly to the strains of
waltz music. Jenny tried, but she could not keep herself from letting her
eyes continue to cut to the table every now and then, subconciously praying
that he would show the least sign of interest.
BY:Teresa
"Oh, wait!" she said with an impish smile. Leaning down, Charlie quickly
slipped her shoes off and tossed them in the back seat. "There! That's
better." She allowed him to help her out of the car, grinning as her
stockinged feet touched the warm sand.
He kept her hand in his as he helped her down to the shore. The bright
moonlight illuminated their path as he continued the conversation from the
car.
"I admire you, Charlie." He grinned, looking all the more like a little boy
at the moment. "It takes a lot of courage to have things thrown at you and
not take the easy way out. You have a lot of integrity."
For some strange reason, it was important to him that she understand how much
integrity meant to him. He glanced at her, revelling in the beauty of her
face. The golden streaks in her hair were intensified by the rays of the
moon and he felt, for a moment, that he could be swallowed by the feelings
just looking at her produced inside him. But he didn't know. He couldn't be
sure. He had to know her. Had to know if it was him, or the name. And the
only way to figure that out was get to know her. Really get to know her.
And he was prepared to do just that. He had a strong feeling that she was
worth the risk.
BY:Teresa
The the darkness was banished to the deepest island groves with the full
moon pouring over the landscape from above -- a full moon that illuminated
the paddock where Taylor lead the big bay stud around by the halter,
looking at the horse's conformation appreciatively. He was a fine animal
with an obviously smooth gait. The only vices she could determine with
the stud was his head-shyness. Even knowing that, she had chanced taking
him out of the stall without a shank. On the third turn around the
paddock she stumbled on clump of dirt. A stupid and clumsy mistake by
her estimation but it was to late for second thoughts. The bay
sidestepped and then reared jerking the leather halter from her hand. He
took off for the opposite side of the wide paddock at a dead run and
cleared the top rung. Taylor watched, mortified, pounding her fist against the soft black
dirt.
Max slowly walked back to his black convertible and climbed in. He
looked at his watch quickly then settled back on his seat and looked
up at the sky, it was a beautiful night the stars were shining
brightly they looked as if they were thousands of fairy lights
against a black velvet sky. It was perfect for a night flight, he
loved flying at night, when he felt as if he could reach out and grab
a handful of stars. Everything seemed so peaceful from way up there
in the dead of night. He looked back at the hotel, Meg's light was
now on. He couldn't describe how he was feeling; even now he was
reluctant to leave the hotel. He felt in his jacket pocket and pulled
out a cigar and lit it, blowing the smoke up into the sky. He looked
again at his watch…. He was running late. He pushed the key into the
ignition and the engine jumped to life and he pulled out of the
parking lot and drove down the road to Heath's place.
Heath took one last approving look in the mirror before answering the knock
at the door.
Never wanted to,
What am I to do?
Can't help it.
Love's always been my game,
no matter how I play,
I was made that way.
Can't help it.
Men cluster to me like moths around a flame.
And if their wings burn, I know I'm not to blame.
Never wanted to.
What am I to do?
Can't help it.
The slow, blues sound sent his head spinning. Heath was mesmerized. He was
enthralled. He was becoming breathless. He leaned toward Max and whispered,
"Who is that?"
Smiling Max leaned back into his seat and took a lug of his cigar. He
watched Heath with his arm leaning on the table watching the
beautiful singer. She was beautiful, there was no denying it but Max
seemed to be blinded by Megan Flynn. Normal he would walk into
Paradise Island and there would be numerous girls he would talk to,
chat up, by now there would be at least three girls sitting at the
table with them… Ladies always seemed to be a sucker for a pilot's
uniform. But tonight he just walked in straight to the round table
near the front, sat down lit up his cigar and ordered a beer. He
wasn't sure if Heath had notice the change in him. He couldn't
explain it but he felt different since meeting Meg, he felt
bewitched, as if she had put a spell on him and now watching his good
friend it seemed Heath was being put under that same wonderful spell
by the beautiful singer. Max leaned forward onto the table. "You
should go and talk to her. The old Anderson magic has never failed
before."
Max saw Heath grin but his eyes didn't leave the singer. Max leaned
closer to Heath. "Hey Heath, have you ever wanted more…. You know
like a proper relationship with a girl?"
The door to Paradise Island flew open with a boisterous bang.
Heath watched in contented amazement as the beauty in yellow sang the last
bars of her song. Taking a slow bow, she left the stage, walking down the
steps with the graceful moves of a dancer. He never once took his eyes from
her form as she moved from table to table, charming the customers and
chatting more intently with a few. He vaguely remembered and unanswered
question.
"How about you?" Asked Heath still watching the singer.
Charlie took a deep breath releasing a night's worth of pent up tension as
she moved from a particularly boisterous table back to where Ka Nani sat.
The first lively notes filled the room from the band as she neared, a trumpet
blaring from the stage. Her eyes went to the table across the room to see if
his eyes were still on her. How she hoped they were. She'd noticed him the
moment he walked into the place. Military, of course, but he was not at all
like the others. He had a sophistication that propelled him above his
brethren -- made him stand out -- drew her eyes to him like a moth to a
flame. A delicious flame. Ka Nani looked up from where she sat gingerly
sipping a Coca-Cola.
Heath barely heard the last words his friend was saying to him, so strong was
the pull from the siren's aura. Eyes still on her, he gulped the last of his
beer, licked his lips, and stood.
Max smiled to himself as his friend walked past with the beautiful singer. He hoped Heath would be lucky and
happy, if anyone deserved to be it was Heath. Max looked around he didn't really feel as if there was much point
in hanging around now Heath was gone. He finished the rest of his beer and walked out of the club and few
ladies tried to stop him but he wasn't in the mood.
As Heath drove north along the coast, Charlie simply watched him. Her eyes
never left his strong profile that the full moon washed across leaving
shadows in all the right places. Turning slightly in the seat, her legs
folded under her, she sighed.
The soft click of red stiletto heels could barely be heard over the music as
the attractive blonde walked toward the table of regulars, waving excitedly.
Heath parked the vehicle on the edge of the sandy bank. Easing out of the
driver's seat, he moved to her side of the car, opening the door and
extending a hand. She smiled and accepted it, stopping short just as her
legs slid out.