Technically, the party wasn’t supposed to start
until sunset. But hours before the blazing sun sank down over the
distant watery horizon, celebrations were already in full swing.
Huge kegs of beer had been tapped; roasting meats were being lifted from
steaming firepits dug deep in the golden-white sand. Wreaths of
fragrant, colorful flowers hung from every tree and building that
bordered the main encampment.
Several crew members were musical, and had been
welcomed on stage by the rollicking band. So the twang and thrum
of nearly two dozen different instruments competed with laughter and
happy voices. Bawdy songs and impossible tales were traded over
brimming plastic mugs, while the delicious scents of a huge tropical
feast filled the air.
Alex could hear the raucous noise all the way up
the mountainside.
Somewhere down there, he knew, Kayla was mingling
with the cast and crew, enjoying her newly-recovered mobility.
That alone was cause for celebration! She’d been trapped in that
wretched wheelchair for too long...she deserved to laugh and have
fun, and dance the night away!
As he covertly prepared for his own special
celebration, he wondered whether he’d be able to claim a dance before
she collapsed from exhaustion.
• • • • • •
She’d planned to
dance the night away! But when the first eager couples took the
floor, Kayla found herself hanging back, clinging to the shadows. Too
many people, too much excitement, she told herself, bewildered by
her own conflicting emotions. I’ll dance later when
things calm down a little.
Allie was already
gyrating her slender hips to some wild tune she didn’t recognize.
Four different men were trying to partner her and, as Kayla watched in
amusement, a fifth joined the circle. Now would be such a perfect
time for Tommy to ease in, to take control and show Allie how deeply he
cared! Why wasn’t he out there where he belonged?
As if her thoughts had
summoned him, Tommy was suddenly at her elbow, clutching two foaming
plastic wine glasses. "Here you are!" he exclaimed, pushing one
into her hand. "Come celebrate with us!"
His buoyant enthusiasm
was impossible to resist. "What are we celebrating?" she shouted
back, pitching her voice to carry over the raucous music.
"Life! The
universe! Everything!" he laughed, tossing back his glass in one
long, thirsty gulp. "Who needs a reason?"
"I do!" She saw
Alex across the fire, and would have dug in her heels, but Tommy was
already tugging her toward the makeup tent. "Tommy, what..."
"Go talk to Renee!
Trust me, she has incredible news!"
Before she could move,
Jimbo turned around and spied her through the crush of people. The
next instant, she was spinning through the air in wild, dizzy circles.
Her wine glass went flying, but no one seemed to notice in all the
confusion. "You are the best good luck charm in the world!"
he yelled in her ear. "We’s havin’ us a baby!"
"A baby!"
Kayla gripped Jimbo’s broad shoulders as he spun her one last time, then
wrapped her in a fierce bear hug. "Oh, that’s wonderful!"
"It’s a miracle!
The doctors, they said it couldn’t happen. But the tests, they
showed positive both times! Ain’t no way they can argue wit’
that!"
Renee laughed as he
plopped Kayla down again, and she staggered. "Grab a seat!" she
shouted, offering a steadying hand.
"Look at you, you’re
glowing!" Kayla exclaimed at the same time, and they both laughed.
"Oh, but it’s true!" she insisted, gripping Renee’s hands. "When
did you find out?"
"An hour ago! Took
the first test this morning, then another one tonight, just to make
sure," Renee laughed. "We were scared stiff that the first one had
been a misfire!"
Kayla hugged her tight.
"I did the same thing when I was pregnant with Sean."
A wistful smile curved her
lips. Perhaps she’d never stop seeing her precious son in every
towheaded little boy she saw--but time really was dimming the raw grief.
Nothing, she knew, would ever dim her sweetest memories.
"Patrick and I celebrated
with champagne that night, too."
Behind them, someone
threw more logs on the campfire. A million glittering sparks
lifted the pungent scent of burning palm fronds into the dark sky.
Kayla watched them soar and then drift away. Inside her chest, a
long-held ache slowly eased, and flowed away with them on the warm night
wind.
Someone pressed another
wine glass into her hand. She drank deeply, and giddy pleasure
pumped through her veins. She’d been so alone, so terribly lonely,
for such a long time! Now she was part of a huge, energetic family...and they were having a baby! Life had never felt quite so
sweet before.
Before she could catch
her breath, someone grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the crowded
stage. "You promised me the first dance!" old Willy Barton cackled
in her ear. "I don’t see no crutches, girl! So git your feet
movin’!"
Kayla laughed, and dipped
into a shallow curtsy. She was ready for anything! But to
her surprise, Willy swept her into a rusty waltz, and held her like the
finest delicate china as he slowly spun her around the dance floor.
The boisterous music was from a totally different era, but neither of
them noticed nor cared. For Willy, it was the chance to be young
and debonair one last time. For Kayla, it was simply delightful.
She was strong, and healthy, and rejoining a world she’d thought was
lost forever.
"I’m next!" Charlie
blushed bright red, from the base of his neck to the roots of his
white-blond hair. But he stood tall and proud as he claimed his
dance, and swung Kayla into the circle again. He couldn’t quite
manage a waltz--but what his steps lacked in tradition, they made up for
in flamboyance. Kayla was dizzy, but laughing, when they finally
staggered to a stop.
A dozen more men were
eagerly vying for the next dance, but Tommy casually waved them away.
"Let the girl rest!" he shouted, over the mingled groans and protests.
"We’ve got all night!"
"I may not survive that
long!" Kayla chuckled, sagging dramatically against his sturdy shoulder.
"My throat is parched!"
Someone pressed a
frothing mug into her hand, but she was whisked back onto the floor
before she’d taken more than a sip. Laughing, she gave into the
inevitable. Tonight was her chance to shine, to regain all she’d
lost. Why waste a single minute?
Eventually the band took
a well-deserved break, and she hobbled off the floor to rest her aching
feet. She was quite sure she’d danced with every single man on the
island--except for Alex. Though she’d caught occasional glimpses
of him over someone’s shoulder, he hadn’t joined the dancing once.
Not that he’d lacked for
company. A never-ending stream of women had surrounded him all
evening. She couldn’t help wondering, with a gut-wrenching pang of
jealousy, which one he’d pick to share his bed that night.
"I keep losing you!"
She glanced up in surprise as Tommy suddenly reappeared, and flopped
down in the sand beside her. "Surely you aren’t calling it quits
already!"
"I’m not," she grinned,
"but my feet just might. I haven’t danced this hard since I was a
teenager!"
"Then isn’t it a good
thing that they’re playing a slow song next," he teased, canting his
head toward the stage. "And I promise not to step on your toes!"
The first strains of a
poignant love song filled the air, and she caught her breath in
wondering surprise. "This is my very favorite song."
Tommy heard her, and
smiled. "What could be more perfect?" Before she could
protest, he’d hauled her up, and was deftly guiding her back to the
dance floor.
"You should be dancing
with Allie right now," she chided as he pulled her close, and began to
sway with the music. "This is the perfect dance..."
"All in good time.
Let’s get you settled first." His response was low and filled with
laughter. That should have warned her, but still she was caught
off guard when he swung her out in a graceful ballroom twirl--right into
Alex’s waiting arms.
Time itself seemed to
stop as Alex’s long fingers closed around hers, drawing her firmly into
his arms. "I believe this is my dance." His voice was mild,
but the warning glance he shot at Tommy over her head was firm.
"If you’ll excuse us?"
Tommy spread both hands
wide in amused defeat. "By all means! Enjoy yourself, darlin’,"
he grinned, as Alex nimbly swept her away. And whistling
cheerfully under his breath, he turned to cut in on Jerry and Allie.
"May I have this dance, milady? So sorry, old man..."
• • • • • •
Paradise.
The single word echoed
in Kayla’s mind, like a litany, as Alex’s strong arms tightened around
her, and her own arms rose to circle his neck. Her head fit
perfectly against his broad shoulder. His big hands felt
delightfully sensual as they glided over her back, molding her to his
long body. Every nerve in her body hummed with blissful
anticipation as he brushed a light kiss against her temple.
It couldn’t last.
Of course it couldn’t. Nothing this perfect could possibly last
for long. But oh, how wonderful life would be until then!
"Walk with me tonight."
Alex’s voice was husky with emotion as he turned her away from the
lights and the music. "Please, Kayla!"
She knew what he wanted.
She could feel it in every taut muscle when he tilted her face up toward
his. There was no mistaking the raw need in his deep navy eyes.
And she could no more refuse him than she could stop her own heart from
beating a rapid staccato against her ribs.
There would be a price to
pay. She knew it with every fiber of her soul. But for
tonight, for this one precious moment in time when life was sheer
perfection, she would take the risk. It would be one last golden
memory to warm her nights, when cold reality once again controlled her
life.
Smiling, she tucked her
hand in his, and stepped into the cool sand.
• • • • • •
They talked about
everything and nothing as they wandered along, pausing to look at a
glistening shell or sniff a fragrant night-blooming flower.
Suddenly the glowing night seemed endless. Right now nothing
existed but the stars, and the moon, and the restless ocean.
Tomorrow’s stress and pressure felt a million years away.
A low rumbling echoed
from the ski lift. Kayla’s eyebrows rose in surprise as Alex
guided her over to the ungainly contraption, and swung her onto the next
approaching chair.
His sturdy arm circled
her shoulders as they rose smoothly through the trees. She
couldn’t resist twisting around to see the ocean recede behind them.
Moonlight filtered through the overhanging trees, casting his face in
dappled silvery light and shadows. The yearning to touch, to
caress, was overwhelming. Kayla gulped hard, and fought to control
her racing heart. Nervous tension began to pulse through her veins
like a thudding drum beat.
"I thought they’d have
dismantled the ski lift by now." It was an idiotic thing to say,
but her brain seemed frozen in neutral. What was she supposed to
say, what was she supposed to do? How was she supposed to respond,
when her heart was turning flips in her chest, and the terror was
spiraling out of control again? It had been too many years since
she’d been intimate with a man. And she knew that was exactly what
he wanted.
Alex leaned his head
back, and watched shimmering stars wink in and out above the passing
thick foliage. Hot tension was thrumming through his veins, too,
pounding in his gut like a sledgehammer. But he kept his voice
casual. At all costs, he didn’t want to scare her again!
"Didn’t you know?
This is a permanent fixture. They use it for every movie that’s
filmed here. It’s one of the reasons Jerry agreed to this
location. Although the price did go up substantially after
CastAway hit the theaters."
"CastAway?"
Oh God, what a perfect way to shatter the growing strain! It was
totally wicked of her, but Kayla just couldn’t resist. A
strangled laugh escaped her as she bolted upright, and stared at him
with deliberately huge eyes. "You mean, Tom Hanks was actually
here? On this island?"
Alex slanted a
disgruntled look at her. "Yeah, so what? What’s so special
about Tom Hanks?"
"He’s..." Kayla
bit her cheek to hold back a peal of laughter. "My God, Mac, he’s
Tom Hanks! In a loincloth, no less! You wanta talk
sexy! Have you actually met him?"
Alex scowled. This
sudden fascination with another man, another actor, was downright
annoying! "He puts his pants on one leg at a time, just like the
rest of us," he muttered.
"Yeah, but..."
Kayla’s eyes sparkled with impish delight. "Oh, wow! He
might have actually sat in this very chair! I mean, think
of it, Mac! I’ve been walking down a beach that Tom Hanks
walked on! I’m sitting right where Tom Hanks sat!"
In a crisis like this, he
could see only one viable solution: distraction. Total and
complete distraction.
Before she could gush
again, he pulled her close, and kissed her.
Whatever else she’d
been planning to say spun away on the fragrant night wind. The
world tilted at a crazy angle, and then vanished entirely. Even
the ski lift’s deep rumbling faded into oblivion as Alex’s mouth moved
seductively over hers.
The rickety wooden lift
chair was hard and cold against her back. Kayla couldn’t have
cared less. Vibrant heat was swirling through her body, lifting
her up.
Alex’s long body pressed
intimately against hers and, oh God, she could feel every glorious inch
of his muscular torso! His broad shoulders were wide and strong
beneath her searching hands. His lean hips, pressing so tightly
against hers, sparked a million nerve endings she’d never thought to
feel again.
"Mac!" Panting, she
drew back just enough to whisper against his thick black hair. His
lips instantly shifted to the smooth curve of her throat, wringing a low
moan of ecstasy from her. "Mac, wait! We can’t, not here!"
"Anywhere!" His
ragged breath was hot against her tingling skin. "I won’t let you
fall!"
This was madness!
Her legs were dangling free off the swinging chair, and only his sturdy
arm, braced hard against her midriff, held them both from tumbling down
the steep rocky hillside. She wanted to protest...but she
couldn’t catch her breath. And her willful body was moving of its
own accord, molding against the hardened length of his taut frame.
The chair shuddered
violently as it rumbled past one of the support beams. Gasping,
they broke apart, and gripped the thin wooden slats for balance.
Then they were past the heavy metal wheels, and silence blanketed the
night again.
"We missed our stop."
Kayla released a shaky breath as the chair swung around the summit, and
began to glide smoothly downhill again. She didn’t know whether to
laugh or cry that the intense moment had been interrupted. What on
earth was she thinking of, abandoning sanity so recklessly?
"Looks like we’ll have to
make another complete circuit." Alex’s low drawl was soft in her
ear as he helped her slide up into the seat again. "However shall
we pass the time?"
She could hear the muted
laughter in his voice, and managed an answering chuckle. "Discuss
politics?" she suggested in her best ‘bubbly blonde’ chirp.
"Heaven forbid!"
Before she could recommend any more appalling ideas, he distracted her
again. But this time he kept the mood light, teasing her with
light feathery kisses that made her tremble. That fierce moment of
passion had shaken him more than he cared to admit. And on a
rickety old ski lift, no less! Had he lost his mind completely?
Halfway down the steep
mountainside, he whispered, "Open your eyes, Kayla."
Her pupils were wide,
dilated with pleasure. It took her several moments to focus.
Then she caught her breath in awe. The chair was gliding through a
break in the trees. Below them stretched the ocean, silver-tipped
with moonlight.
Off to the left, she
could see the cast party still in full swing. Several dancers were
cavorting wildly on stage with the musicians, while dozens of couples
clustered on the dance floor. Raucous music and laughter drifted
along the night wind, just barely audible over the sweet trill of
crickets and night-flying birds.
Kayla barely spared the
bright lights a second glance. The ocean was too beautiful, too
awesome in its vast rippling expanse. And overhead, the full moon
was gleaming, smiling down like a lover, casting a mystical glow over
sand and trees. Stars sparkled in the thick velvet sky like
diamonds.
"I wish I could stay here
forever." She barely even realized that she’d said the words out
loud. The beauty was like an ache inside, filling her with such
longing that she could barely even think.
"Keep the memory safe,
and it will stay with you forever."
For an instant she heard
a faint echo, a ghostly voice murmuring through the trees. Then it
was gone again. And she smiled--because she knew that Patrick had
whispered in her ear, "Keep my memory safe, and I’ll stay with
you forever."
