Hawaiian Heartbreak (3 page)

The
game started to pick up speed, as she continued quickly sinking balls. She
didn’t trust herself to keep flirting, so kept the conversation focused on
their competition. It made the ground feel slightly steadier under her feet.

“I
win!” Kayla jumped up from the edge of the table as the black slipped into a
corner pocket. “Ha! In your face!”

“Gracious
in victory, I see,” he grumbled, but he couldn't quite wipe the smile off his
face. “The inside of this bar has witnessed both my team's defeat, and mine.
How about we get out of here before I totally lose the will to live?”

“Sure,”
she grinned at him, buoyed by her success. They headed back down the wooden
steps together, the warm tropical air doing nothing to clear Kayla’s head. She
hadn’t had a drink for hours, but the more time she spent with Jay, the more
off-balance she felt.

“I know
it's late, but how about a detour past Waikiki?” He asked. She nodded happily, skipping
down the last of the steps, and they set off. Even the last of the tourists and
street performers spilling over the street didn't delay them for long, and they
soon arrived at the famous strip of beach.

They
both kicked off their shoes and sat together on the white sand, not quite
touching. Attraction arced and crackled in the space between them. Kayla
wondered if it was as obvious to anyone watching as it felt to her.

“I love
this,” Jay murmured, so low he was almost whispering. “When all the crowds,
families, and honeymooners go back to their hotels. Then you can just see this
beach for what it is. A beautiful spot, with perfect lazy waves. No wonder the
royals claimed it for themselves, back in the day.”

Kayla
smiled into the darkness.

“You
live in paradise, do you know that?” She told him. “I can't imagine having to
go home.”

He
shrugged. “Yeah, but everybody does, you know. All that changes is the
timeline. You meet lots of people here, but hardly anyone stays in Honolulu
permanently. A couple of years, at most, and they're gone. It gets hard.”

His
unexpectedly serious tone got her attention, and she turned to sit
cross-legged, facing him.

“Are
you going to stay, then? Why not go back home? You must have friends and family
there?”

“I
don't know. Like you say, it's paradise. I like being surrounded by the ecosystems
I'm studying. And I'm not done having adventures, taking off to a new place
whenever I feel the need. Maybe I’ll graduate, go somewhere new. Maybe I won’t
even wait that long. I could always transfer to another university.

“If I
go back, is that it? Am I supposed to settle down and live the same life as
everyone else? But then, it's always in the back of your mind, how easy it is
to delay things here, when you're on island time. I don't want to be one of
those people who heads home with just a tan, and some weird stories from
tours.”

Kayla
nodded. “I get it. When you're younger, you think you've got it all mapped out.
People ask you what you’ll do when you grow up, and you tell them, so
confidently. This weird timeline of when you'll achieve certain milestones, and
who you think will be there with you to celebrate. Then you get older and you
realise it's just so much... messier. So much is out of your control.”

They
sat in silence together for a while, watching the waves crash onto the beach,
and suck back out to sea.

“Come
on,” he said eventually. “They'll be closing the beach soon, and they really do
enforce it.”

They
clambered back to their feet, and he linked his arm through hers again for the short
walk back to her hostel. As they neared the doorway, he slowed, then suddenly
grabbed her by the waist, whirling to pin her against the wall of the building.

“Just
because I know how to lose at pool, don't mistake me for a pushover,” he
growled into her ear.

Kayla's
breath hitched in her throat, and suddenly his mouth was on hers. Gentle at
first, then as she responded, growing harder and more possessive. Her arms
wound involuntarily around his neck, and she let out a small moan. His arms
tightened at her waist, and he moved closer, pinning her more firmly against
the wall. He scattered kisses along her jawline, and down her throat, before
coming back to her mouth.

Jay pulled
back and paused for a moment, his eyes searching hers. She felt dizzy and out
of her element, but wanted more. As if he knew, he bent his head again, and his
lips found hers, just as hard as before.

This
time, his tongue plunged into her mouth, and she moaned again. Her back arched
and she pressed herself against his muscular chest. He made a noise deep in his
throat, and the kiss deepened. His fingers wound into her long hair, their
mouths working against each other, bodies pressed tightly together, the crackle
of electricity between them making it impossible to stop.

It was
Kayla who pulled back first, gasping for breath. She looked up at him and saw his
eyes were dark with desire. He closed them, shaking his head slightly as if to
clear it, and his body relaxed. When he opened his eyes again a slow smile
stole his face. Jay reached up and ran his thumb along her bottom lip.

“Well
then. If I haven't tired you out too much tonight, I think you'll need to make
time for me tomorrow. Have you been up Diamond Head yet?”

Kayla
shook her head, still not trusting herself to speak.

“It's
supposed to be the best view of Honolulu there is. I'd say you're in need of
your own personal tour guide. I'll pick you up tomorrow afternoon, OK? Wear
sturdy shoes and lots of sunscreen.”

He
smiled once more, and walked away into the night.

Kayla
woke to the fierce Hawaiian sun pouring through the windows. In her disoriented
state last night she'd forgotten to close the curtains. She stretched,
luxuriating in the moment of peace to enjoy last night's memories.

She
felt so comfortable with Jay, as if they'd known each other for years. It was
so easy to talk to him. He was certainly far too easy to flirt with. She
blushed, remembering how she'd distracted him during pool. She wasn't usually
so forward. The combination of the Hawaiian heat, a couple of drinks, and a man
who was too good looking for her own good had emboldened her. Kayla smiled to
herself. She liked the change.

That
kiss though... The mere thought of it sent ripples of excitement shooting
through her body. His lips, pressed into hers, wanting and needing. The feeling
of his hard body, pressed into her own, softer, and unresisting. She'd been
caught off guard when he pressed her up against the building, and the spike of
adrenaline had only added to the heady feeling of passion.

Her
hand moved down across her stomach at the memory. She imagined it was his. How
would he touch her? Probably a little rough, and definitely confident. He'd
certainly been confident last night. Her fingers clenched as she remembered his
hands in her hair. Yes, rough, but never painful. She hesitated for a second,
then darted her hand under the elastic of her underwear, skimming across the
opening of her womanhood, once, twice.

She
stroked her clit, and felt it stiffen at her touch. Her breath started to
quicken, and she remembered how Jay's had rasped in his throat as he bent his
head to kiss her a second time. She stroked herself more urgently. The image of
his face burning with desire leapt out of her memory. Her other hand reached up
to caress her breast, rolling her engorged nipple between her fingertips.

She was
so wet. Kayla wondered how quickly Jay would make her wet. If last night's kiss
was anything to go by, it would take no time at all. The way his kisses had
seared along her neck made every muscle in her body sing. The heat between them
was so intense, they should have gone up in flames. She could feel the imprint
of his mouth on hers as if he was there now. Her body ached for more.

Kayla
changed the angle of her hand, and slid two fingers inside herself. Using her
palm, she continued to press and stroke on her clit. It felt so good after a
night of crackling sexual tension. She wanted more. She wanted relief. Most of
all, she wanted his hands. His hands, which had barely restrained themselves
from travelling across her body. She'd felt his burning desire for her, and she
wanted to feel it again. She gasped for air, and finally came.

* * * * *

By the
time mid-afternoon rolled around, Kayla felt sure time was passing slower than
usual. Sunning herself on the beach had proved no distraction, even with one of
her favourite books in hand. When Jay eventually rounded the corner, Kayla
practically skipped down the hostel steps to greet him. She wasted no time
bouncing into his Jeep, slamming the door shut behind her, and beaming at him.

“Well
hello beautiful, what do you have to smile about?” He raised his eyebrows at
her, and Kayla shrugged in return.

“Oh,
nothing. Had a good morning, hoping to have an even better afternoon,” she
said, smiling wickedly.

“About
that. I haven't worked out how much of a rebel you are yet. What sort of
feelings do you have about breaking the law?”

Now it
was Kayla's turn to raise her eyebrows.

“Ah,
well, maybe if I knew what I was getting myself into? Murder is strictly off
the table.”

“Just a
bit of light trespassing,” Jay answered. “You see, we have two options for this
afternoon. We can hike up Diamond Head crater the way everyone does. It's hot,
and it's crowded, but it's adequate, I guess. For those who want to play it
safe.” He raised an eyebrow at her quizzically, and she gave a cool stare in
return.

“For
those who don't?”

“For
those who don't, you can hike up a trail that only some locals know about. Then
you avoid the rangers, stay past closing time, and get an even better view of
the city at night.”

Kayla
thought quickly. She didn't really have a rebellious bone in her body. As for a
brush with the law, she'd never had so much as a parking ticket. But where had
that got her, so far? Surely even if they were caught, they wouldn't be too
hard on a tourist?

“To be
clear, if we get busted, I'm blaming you. I'm going to play the innocent
tourist who had no idea of the rules, and was talked into something silly by
the local rebel,” she said sternly.

“That
sounds close enough to the truth,” Jay grinned. He started up the car and
pulled into the Honolulu traffic.

It was
slow going until they were right under the shadow of Diamond Head, then the
traffic finally eased. Jay drove straight past the official entrance, and
looped around some back roads. Eventually, he pulled over in a quiet spot, next
to a chain link fence.

“Ready
for some rule breaking, apprentice rebel?” He asked.

Kayla
smiled at him and nodded, but inside felt a squirm of nervousness. She wasn't
sure how serious this could be. The big orange signs bolted to the fence,
warning “No Trespassers”, weren't helping things.

Jay
bent down and motioned for her to put a foot in his hand. He boosted her to the
top of the fence, and she gracelessly scrambled over, before dropping down on
the other side, stumbling slightly as her feet hit the ground. As soon as she
was over, he agilely pulled himself over as well, dropping lightly to his feet.
She tried not to look impressed, hoping he wasn’t paying attention during her
own attempt.

“Right,
come on then,” he smiled at her. “It's going to be hot, so tell me if you need
to stop for a breather. Don't grab any of the plants to try and help pull
yourself up. It's so dry up here they'll just snap straight off, and you could
go for a tumble.”

They
started up the faintly marked trail. Clearly they weren't the only ones who'd
been this way, but it looked like it had been a while between hikers. The path
began to tilt sharply upwards, and Kayla focused on steadying her breathing.
The sun beat down from overhead, and she was glad of the small protection from
her wide-brimmed hat. The side of the old volcanic cone was littered with the
remnants of old war fortifications, the surrounding scrubby vegetation crispy
from day after day of exposed, baking heat.

“What's
that?” What looked like an old abandoned swimming pool, covered in graffiti,
had come into view as they rounded the curve of the cone. Kayla was half
curious, and half in need of a break from the steep climb.

Jay
seemed to sense her hidden motive, and paused, handing her a water bottle.

“I'm
not actually sure. Could be an old bunker, there's heaps of them around here.
Or, someone once told me it was the onetime foundations of a light house.” He
shrugged. “Looks cool though, doesn't it? What I do know for sure, is local
kids use it to practice graffiti.”

“Huh. I
guess I never really thought about the need to practice that. All the stuff
I've seen looks pretty awful anyway.”

Jay
smiled. “Guess it's in the eye of the beholder. Don't tell the kids you don't
appreciate their 'art'.”

They
stood in silence for a while, Kayla taking another long drag on the water
bottle.

“OK,
fine, lets keep going.”

“Yeah?
Good to go?”

Kayla
grimaced. “Well, everyone says the view from the top is worth it. I'd rather
get the bits between now and then over and done with.”

“Come
on then, tough guy,” Jay chuckled.

The
path got steeper and more exposed as they climbed higher. Kayla was thankful
they'd come up at the end of the day, so at least the sun's ferocity was
decreasing. Post-breakup wallowing in sadness and ice-cream had taken priority
over fitness recently, and this hike was starting to make her seriously regret
it.

The
last part of the trail was a near-vertical scramble over loose rock. Kayla
focused on not stumbling or sending rocks skittering into Jay, who was close
behind her. She suspected he was so close behind because he was worried she
might fall. The thought had also occurred to her. Finally, she heaved herself
to the edge of the crater, and turned to see Honolulu spread out below them.

“Wow,”
she breathed. The ocean was a clear bright blue from here, the noise of the
waves a dull roar. Skyscrapers and old, stately hotels jostled for space along
the shoreline. Far above the bustle of the city streets, Honolulu looked
beautiful and serene. In an instant, the heat and sweat of the trail was all
worthwhile.

“Aren't
you glad you broke the rules, trouble-maker?” Jay said from behind her. “If
we'd gone the regular way, you'd be fighting for space now, cheek to cheek with
other tourists wanting the perfect picture for Facebook.”

“Well,
maybe I want a picture for Facebook too!” She re-joined.

“Go for
it! Why waste the perfect vista, when you've got no one fighting you for it?
I'll even take one with you in it, if you want.”

Kayla
peeked sideways at him.

“We
could always take one... you know... with both of us in it?”

Jay
rolled his eyes. “A selfie? Fine. But just so you know, I don't usually share a
picture with someone who'll outshine me. I'm making an exception for you.”

Kayla
glowed at the compliment, and whipped her phone out of her back pocket. A click
of the button, and they were preserved on the screen of her phone; smiling into
the camera together, Jay pulling her close, with Honolulu shimmering in the
heat behind them. It really was the perfect picture for making friends jealous.
She smiled and tucked her phone back into her pocket.

“So... What
do we do until it gets dark?” Kayla asked, after a beat.

“We sit
and enjoy the view, gorgeous. I might even look at the city once in a while.”

Kayla
blushed again, and they sat at the edge of the crater together. Jay draped an
arm across her shoulders as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Her
skin felt on fire where it touched his.

“Have
you had the spiel yet about why it's called Diamond Head?” Jay broke into her
reverie, and Kayla shook her head.

“Well,”
Jay continued. “When British sailors first came here, they thought they'd hit
the jackpot. They saw calcite crystals on the beach, and thought the whole
place was full of diamonds. Clearly, they eventually figured out they were
wrong, otherwise this cone would probably have been blasted into oblivion. Must
have been quite a disappointment when they eventually figured it out, huh?”

Kayla
laughed. “Oh dear. You think your life as an impoverished sailor with scurvy is
over, but no, false hope!”

“Yep,
tough luck on that one. It's given people all sorts of funny ideas, though. If
we'd gone up the regular trail, I bet we'd have seen someone proposing to their
girlfriend.”

Kayla
whipped her head round to look at him. “What?”

“Yeah,
it happens all the time. People like the name, the view is gorgeous, I guess it
makes sense to them.”

“Ah,
no,” Kayla spluttered. “We just did that walk. My face has barely returned to a
normal colour yet. Lots of people take videos, or at least pictures, of the
proposal. You'd be a hot, sweaty mess! That's not a moment you want captured
forever!”

Jay
burst out laughing. “Well, I guess I'd never really thought of it that way
before.”

“Well,
you should have,” Kayla huffed in mock seriousness. “When you inevitably
propose to me, that one's out of the question. My vanity demands it.”

“Oh,
really? What if I did, hmm? Would you turn me down, break my heart?”

“What,
now? It’d have to be a really big rock to win me over this quickly, sunshine,”
Kayla retorted.

A smile
flitted across Jay's face, only to be replaced by a more serious look that she
couldn’t quite read. He reached out to put one finger under her chin, and
tilted her head up to his. He paused, their faces only inches away from each
other.

His
lips met hers again, but it was a softer kiss than the night before. His mouth
searched against her own, gentle, with just a taste of hunger hinting at how he
felt. She could tell he was trying to hold himself back from the intensity of
the night before.

Her
hands reached for his face of their own volition, each cupping the side of his
head. He groaned into her mouth and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss.
Kayla felt a warm heat uncurl low in her belly. She hadn't wanted anyone this
badly in a long time. It was clouding her judgement, covering everything in a
haze of hormones and lust.

Jay
shifted again, pushing her backwards on to the crispy grass, his body half on
top of hers. The change gave away how badly he wanted her, his manhood pressing
against her hip. She let out a strangled gasp and arched into him, pressing
every inch of her body against his.