White Ginger (13 page)

Lili looked at Arne and Amelie for a moment and shook her head. “Perhaps tomorrow. You’ve had a big night.”

“Melie? Please? You stayed with me. Now it’s my turn. I want to stay in your cabin. Pleeease?” How could she resist Lani’s pleading eyes? She turned to check with Lili, who shrugged.

“She’ll talk your ear off. Now listen to me, young lady, you go straight to bed when Amelie tells you to.”

“Yes, Mom.” Lani tugged on her hand. “Let’s go, Melie.”

The cabin.
She wasn’t supposed to stay alone. How could she have forgotten? She couldn’t let the child down, but she didn’t have the right to put her in danger either. “Umm, Jeff told me not to stay alone. Maybe we should have your sleepover another night, Lani.”

Arne sighed. “Come on. Amelie will have to make up your bed before it gets too late. And one for me on the couch–I can’t have two of my favorite women staying in that cabin alone.”

Lani squealed and clapped her hands.

“Yahoo! Melie
and
Unca Arne!”

They drove home with an excited Lani chattering away in the back seat. While Amelie made up the spare mattress, Arne let Lani make a good-night call to her parents on his cell phone, and kept her occupied with a glass of milk as he discussed possible treats for the morning.

Her excitement kept her going until the moment Arne carried her to bed in the corner of Amelie’s bedroom. Kissing her gently on the forehead, Arne tucked the sheet around her shoulders. “Good night, sweetheart.”

“Night, Unca Arne. Night, Melie.”

Tiptoeing from the room, Arne pulled the door closed behind them. “She’s so tired she’ll sleep soundly.”

“I’m glad no one else decided to sleep over. I haven’t any more bedding. Well, that’s your bed made.” She looked doubtfully at the sofa, sizing up his length with his rapidly shrinking bed. “Do you think you’ll be comfortable?”

He shrugged. “I’m used to hard sleeping places when I camp out on the islands. I’m sure this will be fine, thanks, Amelie.” He hesitated. “Are you tired or could we have a nightcap?”

“Of course. Cointreau, or would you prefer an Irish coffee?”

“Cointreau, thanks.”

By silent consent, they wandered onto the veranda with their drinks. Moonlight glimmered along a silver path and stars hung, huge and close in the clear sky. They sat in the double hammock, their bodies rocking against each other. Amelie rested her back against him, head on his shoulder. At this moment, she asked for nothing more.

Crickets rubbed their legs together in the hibiscus, and a night bird warbled nearby. Through the starlit night, the perfume of her favorite white ginger beguiled their senses. She would always associate it with Kauai and with Arne.

* * * *

“Amelie?”

Now was a good time for the conversation he wanted to have with her. He’d delayed it long enough if young Tom’s reaction to her tonight was anything to judge by. When Lani asked to sleep over at Amelie’s, he’d come close to overstepping the bounds and telling her no. But it wasn’t his place to, and now, he was glad of the excuse to stay in her cabin. Perhaps it would help her recover from the burglary by replacing the unpleasant associations with pleasant memories.

He dropped a kiss into her hair and smelled her jasmine shampoo. Jasmine, and the white ginger growing beside the veranda. Her favorite flower, she had said. The perfumes entwined as he closed his eyes and breathed them in.

She mumbled something.

“What did you say?”

He leaned around. Her eyes were closed, long lashes curled down over rose-tinted cheeks, her drink tipping dangerously toward his lap. Gently, he eased the glass from her hand and placed it on the cane table beside his own before carrying her to her bed.

As he lowered her slumbering form to the snowy sheets, she turned toward him, muttering in her sleep. He brushed her hair back from her cheek and lightly kissed her lips. Carefully, he unzipped her light top and eased it off her shoulders. When he eased her back onto her pillow, soft, rounded swells of honeyed breast pushed up over the top of her lacy bra. He groaned at the memory of the taste of her pert nipples in his mouth.

Steady, boy.
But he couldn’t control his body’s response. He raked a hand through his hair. Why did she have to fall asleep now? Sure, he’d wanted to talk–and
then
make love to her.

Come on, man. Your niece is asleep in the corner. Get real!

Unzipping her skirt, he slid the soft material down her legs. Moonlight streamed through the window, silvering her skin. God, she was beautiful. And she was his soul mate.

After nearly losing her on the reef, he knew for certain he loved her. He would not, could not, live without her. Whatever it took he would do, even if he needed the patience of Job to rein in his desire until she recovered from her disastrous love affair. Until she saw only him.

He leaned over to kiss her softly and her arm curled up around his neck. Even in sleep, her body recognized him. Was that sexy little murmur his name? His resolution faltered as she held him.

She was sound asleep. He planned to be gone early, and Amelie’s queen size bed was entirely more appealing than the couch, especially when she mumbled softly.
Don’t go
…

“Your wish is my command.”

He lifted her arm from his neck then stripped off his shirt and trousers. Leaving them in a heap beside the bed, he slipped in beside Amelie, pulling the sheet over the two of them. Her back toward him, she fitted in to the length of his body perfectly. He rubbed his cheek over her hair, smelling jasmine again. He would associate that perfume with her forever.

He tucked her in closer, his arm along hers, his warmth enfolding her. “You are mine,” he whispered. “We belong together. I need nothing more.
A`ohe mea `imi a ka maka.”

* * * *

In the early hours of the morning, Lani got up to go to the bathroom. Returning to her bed, she noticed Uncle Arne asleep with Amelie curled up in his arms.

“Oh goodie! I get to be bridesmaid!”

Chapter 11

“Wake up, Melie.”

Lani was bouncing on her bed. What was she doing in her bedroom? Momentarily confused, Amelie recalled bringing an overly excited Lani home for a sleepover. Was it morning already? She lay wrapped in the warmth of her dream, still feeling Arne’s arms and lean, muscled body folded around her.

Mmmm…
The sensation was too delicious to give up. She kept her eyes firmly closed, wriggling closer to her dream Arne. Why were they wearing underwear? If this was
her
dream then it should conform to
her
desires, shouldn’t it?

“Unca Arne? Wake up!” Lani bounced some more.

Arne? The last thing she recalled was sitting with Arne on the veranda, sipping a Cointreau. He must have carried her to bed and undressed her. But why was Lani telling him to wake up?

A bristly chin rubbed against her shoulder. A thigh shifted against hers and she realized Arne was wrapped around her.

Arne!
In my bed! How…what…

Her eyes flew open. The bed rocked and there was Lani, all too observant for her age, bouncing on the bed they were sharing and grinning hugely. Heat spread up her cheeks.

“Sorry.” Arne leaned up on his elbow, a wicked and unrepentant glint in his eyes. “I thought I’d be awake first.”

She grabbed the sheet to cover her scanty lace bra. “And that really worked out for you.”

Arne smiled wryly and looked at Lani. “Go to the kitchen and find something to eat, sweetheart. We’ll be out soon.”

“Okay, Unca Arnie.”

“And shut the door,” he called. Amelie heard the door click, followed by giggling and the sound of running feet.

“I’ll get up to help her. Not that I’m hungry. More embarrassed.” She rolled over to face him, holding the sheet to her chest. “Do you want breakfast?”

“Maybe. What did you have in mind?” He kissed the tip of her nose and ran his hand down her sheet-covered form, shaping her bottom. His erection clamored for attention against her hip and the hunger in his dark-eyed gaze set her heart thundering.

“Nothing out of a box,” she whispered.

“Something not on the menu, perhaps?”

His fingers skimmed the sensitive skin from her stomach to her thighs. Her nipples peaked and her thigh muscles tightened. Reaching around to cup her bottom, he tipped her onto her side until they were nose to nose, hip to hip. His arousal pressed against her stomach.

She ran her foot along his calf, creating a subtle friction where their hips joined, and his breath hissed against her cheek.

His lips slid from her chin, along her jaw and up to her ear. He nibbled her lobe. “I wonder how long Lani takes to eat her breakfast?”

He feathered caresses on her inner thighs. She bit her lower lip and held back a tiny moan. With agonizingly slow sweetness, he trailed kisses down her neck, his warm breath raising goose bumps down her arms and legs. Could a girl die from sheer bliss?

He rolled her beneath him, taking his weight on his elbows, and kissed his way down to her stomach, pausing to circle her navel with his tongue. Stubble scraped her belly as he looked up, a roguish smile playing round his mouth. “You know, I never expected to actually
sleep
with you.”

She grabbed his head and drew his lips to her stomach again. How delicious would it be to stay in bed all day? Running feet gave them just enough warning to pull the sheet back up before Lani burst into the bedroom.

“Your phone was ringing so I answered it and Mum asked why I did and I said that you and Amelie were in the bedroom and hadn’t got up yet. She wants to talk to you.”

Arne laughed, taking his phone from Lani’s outstretched hand. Amelie groaned and pulled the sheet over her head.

“Hello, Lili…Yes, we’ll drop her home after we’ve had a swim.” He listened a moment. “You’ll just have to wait to find out.”

Amelie peeked over the top of the sheet as he flipped his cell shut. Catching her glance, he winked wickedly. Groaning, she pulled the sheet back over her face. She knew what Lili had asked.

Arne laughed and tugged the sheet down to her chest. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll tell her it was all perfectly innocent. Unless you’d prefer to make it what it looks like!” He traced an erotic line down her throat.

“Arne…!” Amelie nodded toward Lani, who watched intently with her big brown eyes.
 

Lani bounced again. “Are we going for a swim now?”

Arne nodded and she bounded out of the room, whooping with delight. In her world, everything was just fine, but Amelie wondered how she was going to look Lili in the eye.

Arne offered to cook breakfast while Amelie changed into her swimsuit. “Unless you need my help?” He quirked his eyebrow.

Her well-aimed pillow gave him her answer. He escaped, and soon the sounds and smells of coffee pot and sizzling bacon drew Amelie out to join him.

Playing on the beach with Lani wouldn’t be a good road test for her new bikini. Her old one piece was still on Arne’s boat, so she improvised with a sarong, tied halter-style around her neck. When she emerged from the waves, the light material clung as she strolled into knee-deep water.

Elbows wide, she lifted wet hair from her neck and turned to see if the others were coming in. Arne bodysurfed a wave in behind Lani, who ran laughing along the beach, arms spread wide.

He stood, water streaming off his bronzed shoulders. Wiping his face, his gaze locked with hers. She licked her lips to ease the sudden dryness. Slowly, he waded toward her and the scene from that old movie flashed into her mind. Waves running up the beach, crashing over two bodies entwined. She stepped toward him and he reached for her. Holding her shoulders, he bent his head…

“Hey, Unca Arnie, wanna play tag?” Lani circled them, splashing as she ran, and the moment was gone.

The rest of the morning passed pleasantly, playing in the sea below the cabin. She swam well, proudly displaying her skill by beating her uncle in a race back to Amelie.

“I’ll bet your uncle taught you to swim.”

“Yup. And I’m gonna be a rescue swimmer too when I’m old enough.”

By the time they got back to the cabin, it was lunchtime.

Leaning close, he murmured into her ear. “If we don’t take Lani home soon, she’ll demand to stay another night. And I have other plans.” Her breath caught at the promise in his dark eyes.

Sure she’d feel embarrassed seeing Lili when they took Lani home, she was thankful when Lili said nothing. Not even sisterly teasing, knowing it would discomfort her guest.

Promising to return before dinner, Arne dropped Amelie back to her cabin. “I wish I could stay but I’ve paperwork I can’t put off any longer. I’ll bring the meal and tonight, no Lani and no interruptions. Does that sound good?”

“Yep. No interruptions.” Her lingering kiss promised much.

* * * *

Arne pulled up late in the afternoon behind an unfamiliar rental car parked in his spot. A stranger sat on Amelie’s veranda.