Chief Distraction (16 page)

“Nope. Can’t waste the water on this. We need
every drop in that jar.”

“Hey, wait a minute.” She dropped her hands and
rummaged through her stylish satchel, pulling out a small package of baby
wipes. “These might work.”

“Baby wipes? Is there something you’re not
telling me?” He smirked and then winced in pain.

“Uh, no, definitely not. I carry them in case I
have to fix my make-up before going on camera.”

At the mention of the word camera, Blythe’s gaze
dropped and her sadness emanated.

“You’re thinking of Lou.”

She nodded. “Big Lou touched a soft spot in my
heart and the thought of never sharing time with him again is devastating.”

“It was a terrible thing, Blythe. That won’t
happen to us, I promise. I’ll get us out of here.” Mak reached up and touched
his forehead lightly.

Blythe took her cue and stepped closer to help.
Her breasts were right in front of his face and he couldn’t control his
response. Frankly, he didn’t want to anymore. For one thing, it would be agony.
For another, he loved the power she held over him, her ability to make him
respond this way simply by breathing and smelling so damn good. Like peaches or
mangoes – something sweet, succulent, and juicy. Even after all the
walking they’d done and the dust and beating sun, she still smelt great.

Mak’s fingers curled into fists on his thighs.
He groaned, clenching the muscles in his legs. It was torture having her this
close. His jaw tightened. But he couldn’t chance getting close either,
especially since it looked like Blythe was here to stay. It was only a matter
of time before she discovered, like so many others had, what being involved
with him romantically might result in…frustration, pain, or death. If she
didn’t realize this by now, what more would it take to convince her that the
curse was alive and kicking – she was smack-dab in the middle of its
furious rage.

“You’re in such pain, I can tell,” she said
quietly.

If she only knew how much pain she was causing
him in certain regions of his body, regions completely unrelated to the gash in
his eyebrow. Mak’s heat was rising and he willed his libido to cool. He looked
straight ahead, her breasts in a direct line with his vision.

“It’s going to leave a nasty scar, but I’ll try
my best to keep the steri-strips tight and even. That might make a difference.”

                 
<><><>

She
gently stroked away the caked-on blood with a wipe, being careful not to widen
the wound. Applying the antiseptic ointment to his brow, she kept her touch
light, delicate, not wanting to hurt him anymore than she apparently was.
 
His skin scorched beneath her fingers,
the sensation of being so close consuming her and sending threads of
anticipation racing through her body. Though the act was simple, even innocent,
the moment seemed heavy with sensuality.

Mak groaned, but Blythe could tell it wasn’t
caused by her tender touch on the cut. It was a groan of blatant need. Sensing
his arousal, her nipples tightened as if to advertise her hidden thoughts.
Feeling the intensity of the moment, she turned to reach for the steri-strips
as a distraction. She couldn’t ignore the heat between them, the blazingly hot
cravings.

Blythe turned back and positioned her legs
between his, leaning in close. She suppressed a nervous grin, finding it very
hard to control anything. She looked down into his face, his gaze piercing her
with inexplicable emotion. There was no hiding his desire. It was all out there
now, even more unabashed than the look they’d shared earlier. She matched his
growing need, the intensity almost unbearable, but a million little warning
flags waved in her conscience, breaking the spell once more.

“That should do it,” she took a step back and
put her hands on her hips, breathing deeply to calm her rising heart rate.
Staring at him, all bandaged and tense with frustration – sexual as well
as fight-or-flight frustration – she decided she didn’t want to wait any
longer. For a moment, she stood there as tension split through the night.
Striding forward, her mouth found his in a tender connection. Mak kissed her
back forcefully, placing a hand on the back of her thigh and pulling the kiss
deeper – a magical, lusty kiss teaming with pent-up want. Her lips were
warm and gentle…cautious at first, then she matched his forceful need. She
settled her body against him and felt his heart beat wildly. She was so thirsty
– thirsty for him. She murmured for more.

Chilled to the bone, Mak’s powerful kiss warmed
her to the core – a pure, fiery heat. Mak took the kiss even deeper,
their tongues entwined in a dance of discovery. Time stood still and Blythe had
not a care in the world; their shared kiss was the best escape ever. She clung
to him, her hands reaching out to touch the hard planes of his taut body as he
brought his arms around her protectively. She felt safe, if only for that
instant. No one had ever caused her heart rate to accelerate from calm to warp
steed like that – ever. There was no denying the strong connection they
shared.
Mutual
lust.

                 
<><><>

Mak
broke the unexpected kiss, shaking his head slightly. “Wait,” he managed. Her
eyes latched onto his. They were sensuous, making his pulse race. He inhaled
deeply, calming his inner drive – a drive that wanted to move things forward
in a hurry. He captured her fingers with his hands and held them at his chest
as he leaned in and whispered, “Slow down a second.” His voice now sounded
raspy and hoarse, like every word, every breath was a struggle to maintain
self-control.

Blythe looked at him longingly. “Did I do
something wrong?”

“No, not at all. But it’s not uncommon to
experience a rush of passionate adrenaline during a hazardous situation. I’ve
heard of this kind of thing.”

“And have you experienced it personally?”

“Hell, no. This is a first for me. I’m very
attracted to you and was since the moment I hauled your ass into that fire
truck at the cane burn. I guess I’m drawn to the stubborn kind.”

“Oh, really. So I’m stubborn?” She took a step
back. As her agitation and confusion grew, her face became puzzled.

“As stubborn as they come. Yes. I won’t fault
you for it. Like I said, I’m attracted to your fiery disposition. But let me be
perfectly clear. I would never take advantage of you.”

“I understand.”

Mak sensed her disappointment. He rose from the
boulder, wincing, and put out a hand to invite her. She placed her hand in his,
the action igniting a flurry of sparks between his legs. Although he was
lending a helpful hand so she’d hurry and keep up with him as he half dragged her
up the mountain, Mak knew something had changed within. It would be easy to
pull her back into a strong kiss that led to more, right here on the path with
a billion stars overhead and murderers on their tail. It was like something out
of an adventure book, but the reality of escaping far outweighed desire. He had
to get them to safety before indulging in Blythe Davenport. He knew deep down
she’d be worth the wait.

“The minute we get off this island…” Mak let the
phrase drop as they kept walking. The possibilities were endless and his mind
wandered the prospects. He’d love to lay her gently on his bed, peel off her
clothes and explore every inch of her with his hands and mouth. Make her squirm
with hot, sweet desire. The flame between them burned brightly, the heat
threatening to scorch him if he couldn’t have her. Dwelling on the heated
thoughts made it difficult to walk, his growing manhood tricky to hide.

Would things change between them once reality
set in? Once they were safe in Maui again? If they were ever rescued, that is.
The thought of making love to Blythe without the risk of being killed gave him
a surge of hope. It kept him pushing onward.

“How much farther?”

“Not much. Up at the top of that ridge.”

The air grew thin as they climbed and Blythe’s
breath was forced. “We can do this. We’ll make it, I have a good feeling, like
luck’s on our side.”

“I thought you weren’t superstitious?” Mak
jabbed playfully. The impenetrable ice had been broken between them as they
crossed a lusty line.

“Lets call it optimistic.”

Mak began to see her in a different light. Maybe
all reporters weren’t soul-sucking piranhas out to ruin innocent lives at all;
at least maybe not this one. “So what brought you to Maui?” Mak asked, trying
to keep her mind on something other than the dangers they faced, something
other than the difficult climb. That, and deep down he knew he wanted to know
this woman on every level.

“I wanted a change of pace from the bump and
grind of Chicago. You were right when you mentioned how competitive it can be
in the world of journalism. I found it quite distasteful at the end. What about
you? I know you have nephews, so you have a sibling. Tell me about your
family,” she asked as they climbed the endless incline.

“I have a brother named Noki and a sister,
Shayla. She’s had a tough couple of years. Her husband left her for another
woman and moved to the big island. The boys have only seen him a handful of
times since he left. It was quite upsetting and totally out of the blue.”

“How’d you feel about that?”

“Angry. I was tempted to track him down and
teach him a lesson, but I know the way our world works and he will receive was
he deserves.”

“What, you mean like karma? What goes around
comes around?”

“In a way. Our omens are what make us unique,” Mak
looked out over the ocean, lost in a memory. “I’m proud of my Maui traditions.”

“Even if they limit your happiness? Like this
curse, why can’t you leave and start fresh?”

Mak looked over, confused. “Because the island
is my home. It’s not as easy as that, not as factual or clear-cut. We’ve been
over this already, Blythe.” His tone was clear-cut though, razor sharp.

She seemed to get the hint. “Sometimes I find it
hard to relate to that kind of passion. We moved around a lot when I was little
and that sense of belonging eluded me. You have to adapt when you bounce
around.”

“I’ve rarely left Maui. Sure I’ve travelled, but
I always come back to my roots.” Mak stopped for a moment. “We should go around
the mountain that way and up behind the ridge. See how the path forks toward
the direction of the docks? If we stay on this path, we risk running into more
of those men. Come on.” Mak began walking off the beaten path and Blythe
hesitated before following.

“Don’t we risk stepping on a live landmine?”

He watched as she tenderly stepped around
anything that looked like a lump in the earth. “Just stick with me. Stay
close.”
 

Chapter
Fifteen

The arduous climb seemed endless. The urgency to
get up and over the ridge off the beaten path without being blown to
smithereens by hidden landmines inhibited idle chatter. Mak guided Blythe over
the final ridge that led to a small clearing. A large grassy patch stood dead
center surrounded by large boulders.

“It’s like a guarded fortress up here,” Blythe
huffed, her chest heaving from exertion and altitude.

“Welcome to Lua Makika. This’ll do, right?” Mak
said as he let go of her hand.

Blythe nodded and watched him circle the space,
assessing the security of it.

“They’ll never see us up here thanks to these rocks.
And look,” he pointed to a large rock face that leaned up and out, creating a
giant lean-to. “Shelter. It’s not the best, but it’ll keep us protected.”

Everything was cast into silver silhouette now,
the full moon offering enough light to see their surroundings. Looking out over
the water, Blythe locked her eyes on the lights along the distant shoreline,
wondering if she’d ever see civilization again in one piece. It was all so
surreal.
She
crouched down in the soft soil and peeled her designer satchel off, letting it
fall to the ground. Her entire body throbbed with an ache she’d never
experienced. A cocktail of fatigue and adrenaline jostled her insides, making
her want to sleep and fight all at the same time. It was exhausting. Her feet
were filthy, the dust covering her recent pedicure completely.

“How long will we have to wait up here?” she
asked, knowing deep down Mak couldn’t provide the answers.

“There’s no telling. Could be hours, I don’t
know. We’ll have to wait until they receive their shipment. The guy at the
bunkhouse said they had a few hours to kill, remember? They’re waiting for
someone to arrive. Still, we’ll have to take precautions.”

Leery, she knew her next question would sound
like she doubted his abilities. “Do you really know how to use that gun or were
you just putting on some bravado back there?”

Mak shot her a look. “Like I said before, I was
in the Armed Forces for six years, remember? I have experience.”

She liked the sound of that.
He was
experienced
.