Paradise Wild (27 page)

Corinne settled back in a wicker chair. Michael was on a large rug in the center of the patio where she could keep an eye on him. A tiny brown puppy was sniffing around him and making the baby squeal with delight.

The pup had been an unexpected surprise. He was just a mongrel, or poi pup, as the Hawaiians called dogs of mixed breed. But he was darling, with floppy ears and a short tail that never stopped wagging. Jared had found him for Michael, or so Akela had said.

Corinne hadn’t seen Jared. He had been gone all morning, returning with the present. It was his way of making amends, she supposed, his way of letting her know he was sorry for not believing her story. But it was too late for that. Her heart was hard once more, tightly sealed so he couldn’t hurt her.

Voices from the kitchen drifted out the open window to the patio. Florence was there, helping Akela make taro biscuits. Florence’s curiosity about the islands was never quenched. She was constantly grilling Akela with questions. Corinne listened with only half an ear to the history lesson in progress.

“There were maybe sixteen
Kahunas
in old days before missionaries come.”

“But I thought you said the
Kahunas
were like priests, and every community had one,” Florence interrupted.

“Yes, they were
Kahunas
who spoke with gods. I talking now about other
Kahunas
, men who knew history, other men who read stars and tell future. Have
Kahunas
for healing and magic. All things important rested in hands of these wise men.”

“And to think you were called savages,” Florence laughed. “It sounds rather civilized to me. It must have been very peaceful back then.”

“Was good life, but not so peaceful. We have many wars, just like rest of world.”

“There, you see! You really
were
civilized.”

Corinne could imagine Akela grinning. “With each new king, lands were given to favorite chiefs of new ruler. This uproot the old chiefs and sometimes make civil war. Bad thing, civil war. Kalaniopuu, the old king who ruled when Cook came to islands, was king because of such a war—when the rightful heir, Keaweopala, was murdered.”

Corinne shut out the voices when she saw Leonaka crossing the backyard, coming up from the beach. He dropped the long board he was carrying and came into the patio. He wore only shorts, and these were wet. He smiled when he saw Corrine.

“We meet again.”

“Yes, it looks that way, doesn’t it?” Corinne returned his smile. “How are you?”

“Enjoying my vacation while it lasts.” His eyes were drawn to Michael on the floor and he came over to him and squatted down for a better look. “So this is the baby.” Corinne watched as the giant young man scrutinized her son. Leonaka put out one long finger and
Michael latched onto it and giggled as he tried to shake it.

“When are you going to tell your husband the truth about this little fellow?”

Corinne gasped and nearly jumped out of her chair. Leonaka saw her frown and stood up.

“I’m sorry. It’s none of my business. I won’t mention it again. I came up here to ask if you would like to learn how to surf.”

He had dropped the subject of Michael as quickly as he’d brought it up, and Corinne let it go at that. She silently cursed Akela and wondered who else she had told.

“It’s nice of you to ask, Mr. Naihe, but I must decline.” There was a slight note of stiffness in her voice.

“We’re going to be friends, so you call me Leo. And you can’t come to Hawaii without getting your feet wet at least once.”

“No, I couldn’t.”

He frowned. “I suppose you never learned to swim, living in a cold city?”

“As a matter of fact, I’m a good swimmer,” Corinne answered, and a smile came to her lips. “I learned when I was a child and went with my father to the shipyard. When he was busy with the workers, I went out into the street and found other children to play with. At first they were shy because my father owned the shipyard, but after a while they taught me all their games. We used to swim under the docks—Florence never could understand why my hair was damp when I got home, because I never told anyone. They would have stopped me. One of the kids, Johnny Bixler—he must have been about eleven—took me under his wing. I learned quite a lot from him.”

Corinne suddenly laughed. Why on earth had she told
him that? She hadn’t thought about little Johnny Bixler for a long time. She used to wonder what had become of that tough kid who had taught her to swim, swear, and use a knife during that one wild summer when the harbor became her fascination, and her playground.

Leonaka was grinning at her. “So you took up with a gang of street toughs, huh?”

“Heavens, I was only ten. And it was only for one summer. But you know, I never forgot the freedom I had that year. It was marvelous.”

It was also what had made her determine to be independent all her life, Corinne reflected. But for some reason, that didn’t seem too important anymore.

“Since you know how to swim, you have no excuse for not learning how to surf. The waves are good today,” Leonaka encouraged. “Jared and Malia are both surfing.”

So that’s where Jared was—out playing. Corinne felt her anger rising. So he had dropped off the puppy, thinking that would pacify her, and had then gone off to surf without giving her another thought.

“Well?”

Oh, how she wished she could show Jared that it didn’t matter to her, either, that they were at odds again.

“I’m afraid I don’t have anything I could wear into the water.”

“Nonsense,” Leonaka scoffed. “My aunty can get you a sarong from her sewing chest.”

Corinne reddened at the thought. She shook her head. “No.”

Leonaka shrugged. “That’s too bad. Jared said I wouldn’t be able to get you into the water, but I thought you had more daring.”

Corinne stood up instantly, never one to ignore a
challenge. “Please give me a few minutes to change. I would be delighted if you would teach me how to surf.”

Leonaka grinned as Corinne left the patio, calling Florence to come watch the baby. Jared hadn’t said anything to him about Corinne not wanting to swim. In fact, he hadn’t said more than two words all morning.

It was too bad about the trouble John Pierce had caused. But what better way to make a truce than for Jared to see his beautiful wife in a wet sarong? Let desire bring him to his senses and realize what Leonaka already knew—Jared wouldn’t be complete without this woman.

Corinne blushed as she peered at herself in the mirror over the dresser. With the sarong, she might as well not be wearing anything at all. Her arms, shoulders and half her legs were bare. And the rest of her shapely curves were outlined in vivid detail.

“I just can’t wear this, Akela.”

“Why?”

“It—it shows too much.”

Akela shook her head with humor. “You see Malia wear same thing. All
w
hine
wear that to swim,” she chuckled. “Even me. This not Boston, Kolina. You stay Hawaii, where we have fun.”

Corinne grinned.

“Good thing you no wear breast wrapper no more,” Akela was saying as she took Corinne’s clothes to hang up. “Or the sarong no stay up so good.”

Corinne swung around with rounded eyes. “I don’t wear any such thing!” she snapped, wondering at the same time how on earth Akela knew.

It was true. She didn’t have to wear the binder anymore. She still had ample milk for Michael, but it was under control now and her breasts didn’t leak.

“Why you no tell Ialeka the truth, Kolina?” Akela
asked reproachfully. “I see where your friend put the breast wrapper after she wash clothes. She put them in your room, not hers. I could show Ialeka, but I keep quiet. You have to tell him.”

Corinne bit her lip. Deciding to trust the other woman, she said, “Don’t you see? Jared is better off not knowing. I’m going back to Boston eventually, with Michael. Jared will never see either of us again.”

“You wrong, Kolina. Ialeka not let you go. And one day he will know you lie about Mikáele and he be plenty mad. Mo’better you tell him now.”

“I swear there’s just no point in talking to you!” Corinne said in exasperation.

She picked up a towel and left her bedroom. The woman was impossible. Would she never give up?

Leonaka was waiting for her in the back yard. Corinne put Akela from her mind and decided to enjoy herself. Riding the waves would certainly be something to tell her friends about back home.

Jared and Malia were both still in the water. Corinne kept her eyes averted from her husband as she listened to Leonaka explain what she had to do.

“Perhaps you should watch for a while first,” Leonaka suggested, wondering now if he hadn’t been a bit hasty in pushing Corinne into it. The sport wasn’t without risk.

She shook her head adamantly, her long golden hair floating about her waist. “Let’s go.”

It took Corinne about an hour to get the knack. She was afraid at first that she might have forgotten how to swim after so many years, but that came back. And riding the waves on a sleek long board seemed easy too, with Leonaka behind her calling out support and instructions. Jared had left the water and was sitting on the beach watching her progress. That made her deter
mined to master the sport. She would show him what she could do.

“I’m ready to try it alone.”

They were far from shore, each treading water and holding onto the board.

“Are you sure, Kolina?” When she nodded, he added, “Ride the first few waves lying prone until you get used to the board.”

“I will, teacher,” she grinned and climbed on top of the flat board.

Malia was only a few feet away, sitting confidently on her board. She caught a big wave and rode it expertly to shore.

Corinne gritted her teeth, scowling. Damnation! Malia was showing off!

“Don’t mind Malia,” Leonaka was saying. “You will surf as good as her soon.”

I will do it now, Corinne vowed to herself. She waved to Leonaka as her board started moving toward shore. She helped it along, paddling with her arms on each side of it, gaining speed. Finally she felt it was time, and inched herself very slowly to a crouched position. Slowly, she straightened her legs with one foot forward as Leonaka had shown her.

She made it! Her spirits soared. She was riding the waves, just as the ancient Hawaiians had done, as well as Jared and Malia. But Corinne’s triumph was short-lived. Her balance deserted her and she tumbled sideways, plunging into the surf. Then just as she broke the surface, sputtering and coughing, another huge wave rolled in from the sea, crashing down upon her. The current pushed her toward the shore, scraping her along the ocean bottom in the process.

Corinne fought to reach the surface again, but she was tangled in her own hair and in seaweed. Stronger
currents kept pushing her down, until her lungs were on fire. Just when she couldn’t stand it anymore, strong hands yanked her to the surface and she was crushed against a hard chest and lifted out of the water. She coughed spasmodically, gulping air. Her eyes burned from the salty water and she kept them closed as tears mixed with salt. Her whole left side was on fire.

“You crazy fool! What the hell were you trying to do?”

Jared! So he had saved her.

Jared didn’t put her down on the beach, but carried her all the way to the house. Corinne managed to wipe her eyes with one hand so she could see, and as soon as Jared entered the patio she protested.

“Put me down, Jared, this second! There is nothing wrong with my legs.”

He didn’t answer.

She started to squirm, but Akela and Florence rushed out of the kitchen to demand what had happened. Jared explained as he passed them, and Corinne’s pride was doubly crushed. What a fool she had made of herself!

Jared laid her down on his bed, then stood back and looked at her. “Are you all right?”

“Of course I’m all right!” she cried. “You didn’t have to carry me all the way up here.”

Akela came into the room then with a jar of ointment and Jared took it from her. “I’ll do it.”

“What’s that for?” Corinne demanded and started to sit up, but moaned and eased herself back down slowly.

When Jared lifted her left arm she grimaced, seeing the red welts all over it. Her left leg, too, was bright red. And her cheek was burning.

“You took a pretty bad scraping, but this mixture will take the sting away and the red should be gone in a few days. If you didn’t have that sunburn, it wouldn’t
be so bad. You’re too fair to stay in the sun that long, especially in the water, where the reflection is intensified.”

He was right, of course. The rest of her body was just as red, though without abrasion on the right side.

“I can do that,” Corinne said as he sat down on the bed and started to rub the ointment on her arm.

But Jared held the jar out of her reach. “Would you just be still and let me take care of you.”

Corinne leaned back and closed her eyes, grudgingly letting him have his way. His fingers were gentle as they massaged the ointment into her arms and legs. She suddenly felt very sensual. His every touch was a caress that took away not only the pain, but her anger as well.