What To Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection Part Two (58 page)

Down the aisle, a very hunky surfer-type guy was heading her way. She positioned herself on the armrest in such a way that she was slightly in the aisle. As he brushed past, she leaned out a bit more and felt his warmth against her arm. His unwitting participation in her adventure pushed her over the edge. Her hands clenched as her orgasm rolled through her. She bit her lip to hold back her cries and desperately tried to keep her breathing even.

The man to her right lowered his paper. “Are you all right, Miss?”

“Yes, yes I’m fine,” Tabitha gasped.

“Are you sure? You’re not having an asthma attack are you?”

“No, I’m fine, really.” She gave him a reassuring smile and he went back to reading his paper.

Tabitha stifled her erupting laughter with a cough, astounded by her audacity. This type of daring behavior was unusual for her, but she had her moments. She was on vacation, right? Why not kick things off with a bang?

As Tabitha deplaned in Oahu, the first thing she noticed was the air. It wasn’t like the thick, heavy air in New York. An indistinct floral fragrance tinged with faint saltiness from the ocean filled the space. It reminded her of the candles she had in her apartment bathroom.

Restraining herself from doing an impromptu two-step into the terminal, she tamped down her excitement. She’d been planning this trip with Barbara for months. They were childhood friends, but Tabitha hadn’t seen Barb in at least five years. Between jobs and commitments, they’d had infrequent contact. There had been a phone call here and there and exchanged holiday cards, but they had drifted apart. Barbara had proposed they take a trip. They’d take a vacation together and get all caught up. It would be just like old times.

When Barb had first suggested Hawaii, Tabitha had been resistant. She didn’t think she could afford the cost, but they had gotten a good deal by planning ahead. Barb’s plane from Houston landed twenty minutes before Tabitha’s, and they planned to meet at the coffee shop in the airport terminal.

After exiting the jetway, Tabitha turned on her phone and almost immediately, it signaled that she had a voicemail. To her horror, it was from Barbara. She was not coming. There was an unspecified “family emergency” and she hoped Tabitha understood. Tabitha sank into a nearby seat, stunned. She’d never expected to spend a week in Hawaii by herself. She had imagined the two of them going to the beach, sightseeing and even learning to surf. Now Tabitha faced a week of solitary meals and loneliness. Not only that, she would probably have to pay the entire hotel bill herself.

Tabitha did a quick mental calculation trying to determine if she could cover it. Things would be very tight financially when she returned home. For an instant, she experienced a mixture of irritation and mild anger, but it quickly passed and her normal good mood reasserted itself. Barbara would not have canceled without an extremely good reason. Both of them had changed over time, but surely Barb had not changed that much.

As her negativity dissipated, Tabitha began to worry.
What am I doing thinking about my vacation when Barbara has an emergency?
Tabitha dialed Barb’s number but the call went directly to voicemail. She left a message telling Barb not to worry and that she hoped everything was okay.

Tabitha returned to her feet, making her way via the posted signs. She exited the secured area and headed toward the baggage claim. When she arrived, some of the bags were already traveling around on the belt. She felt relief at not having to wait, yet what was the point now? She wasn’t in any hurry.

As she waited, she studied the people congregating in the baggage area. People watching was a favorite pastime of hers. In New York, there was an endless supply of interesting characters to observe. It wasn’t long before her eyes settled on an attractive, dark-haired man. He appeared to be in his mid-30s and held himself with an air of self-confidence that indicated wealth, position or both. She mentally speculated on the reason for his visit. Was he a doctor here for medical conference? Gorgeous Guy did have that look about him.

Tabitha’s thoughts shifted to an elderly couple. She wondered if they were moving to Hawaii for retirement or if it was a special trip for a milestone anniversary? Her bag arrived and she pulled it off the belt. With a leisurely gait, she headed toward the taxi stand.

As the taxi traveled toward Waikiki, Tabitha considered her options: stay and make the best of it or go home early. Changing the ticket might cost a hundred dollars or more, and she would lose the deposit at the hotel. She would miss her long-planned Hawaiian vacation to boot.

Tabitha stared out at the bright sky and saw clouds reflected on the side of a mirrored building. The vast blue ocean beckoned her from the right and the green-covered mountains drew her from the left. Diamondhead glittered in the distance.

No, she didn’t want to leave. She would stay and make the best of it. She could still have a good time, couldn’t she? She was not the traveling-alone type. It made her feel self-conscious. She knew a woman at the office who did it often. Kim traveled alone all the time and raved about it, saying how great it was she didn’t have to conform to anyone else’s schedule or see anything that she didn’t choose to see. Tabitha pondered that attitude for a moment.

Tabitha didn’t normally go out to restaurants alone. It reminded her of wandering through the high school cafeteria trying to find a place to sit and feeling incredibly conspicuous.
Get a hold of yourself, Tabitha. Don’t be stupid. You’re in Hawaii for goodness sake.
Eat great food, have a hula lesson, and spend some time on the beach. That was the new plan.

Her mind made up, Tabitha found a new sense of confidence. She would enjoy herself, make great memories and have a few stories for the water cooler.

When the taxi pulled up in front of the hotel, she was awed. The setting was breathtaking. Tall majestic palms lined the drive. Tabitha stepped out into the fresh, light breeze that had its own unique scent. Check-in was smooth and soon she was in her room enjoying the view from the balcony. Hers was a so-called city view, as an ocean view was considerably more expensive. However, the city view was beautiful too, encompassing the mountains that formed the backbone of Oahu and the tall buildings of downtown Honolulu.

Tabitha changed into a bathing suit and made her way to the hotel lobby. She had everything she needed in her tote: sunglasses, suntan lotion, and a book. She was going to find herself a refreshing tropical drink and a little plot of sand. Although it was cliché, she just had to get herself one of those drinks in a pineapple husk or coconut shell.

She spied a bar on her way out to the beach and within minutes, her taste buds were tingling from a piña colada. The bartender had even provided the ubiquitous paper umbrella. She exited the beach side of the hotel and marveled at the view. Palm trees swayed in the breeze at the edge of a silky sand beach. Gentle waves rolled in to the shore and sparkling blue ocean beckoned as far as the eye could see. The sky was bright and clear with a few puffy white clouds that simply heightened the contrast of a beautiful, sunny day.

Tabitha slipped off her sandals and dug her feet into the soft sand. The tension of the trip drained away. It was so gorgeous it seemed almost unreal. It was like walking into a picture postcard. The beach wasn’t even that crowded. She’d been to beaches on the mainland and, on a day like this, people would be stacked wall-to-wall on every square inch of sand.

Tabitha ensconced herself in a beach chair in a shady area and let the breeze flow over her skin. Fresh ocean air. Gentle waves lapping the beach. She could get used to this. After indulging a bit, she opened her book. It was a recent bestseller she had picked up before leaving New York. She read for a few minutes and then set her book aside, thinking about the various sites and activities. There was no one to please but herself. No one she need compromise with or accommodate. It was rather freeing. Perhaps Kim was onto something.

Tabitha definitely wanted to look into taking a whale-watching trip. And a luau. No tourist returned without taking in a luau. She was tempted to make a list, but she had neither paper nor pencil.
Relax Tabitha
. She was famous for list making, but this was a time to give it a rest.

Tabitha gazed at the water, spotting several people on surfboards approaching the shore.
No wait
, she thought,
that’s stand-up paddleboarding.
She’d read a description of it in the guidebook. As they moved closer, she saw clearly what they were doing. It looked like fun. Maybe she should try that too.

A pair of paddleboarders approached the beach. When they reached the shallows, they both hopped into the water and guided their paddleboards the rest of the way. Two hotel employees caught Tabitha’s gaze. They jogged out to meet the couple. The employees gathered the boards and paddles, and the man and woman strolled up the beach toward her.

As the paddleboarding couple drew closer, Tabitha couldn’t resist staring. The man was as fine a male specimen as she had ever seen. He was fit and muscular but not muscle-bound. His short hair was wet and slicked back. Given his air of command and the behavior of the hotel employees, she wondered if he was someone important. She studied his face. He seemed familiar to her. An actor? Suddenly, it clicked into place. It was Gorgeous Guy from the baggage claim.

Tabitha closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair.
What would I do with a man like that?
So many nice things! She was surprised at how much he caught her imagination. She envisioned herself in his arms, trembling in a passionate embrace. It made her shiver just thinking about it. Apparently, her body considered her plane interlude a warm up and was ready for more. She twitched inside and felt a strong desire for a blockbuster orgasm. It had been a while since she’d experience that, the kind of orgasm that went on forever, straining her whole body until she couldn’t take more. To achieve it solo though, she’d need something she didn’t have: a vibrator.

Tabitha tossed her book back into her tote bag and headed into the hotel. She stopped at the concierge and asked for directions to the closest shopping area. He advised her that a large mall was a quick taxi ride away. She hurried to her room and changed into shorts without showering off.
This is what happens when you don’t get any for a while
. She was making a run for sex toys. What would one call that? It was like a cross between a beer run and a booty call.
Booty run?
She laughed, grabbed her purse, and was out the door.

Once at the mall, she wandered around for a few minutes trying to find a likely shop. She finally settled on the drugstore anchoring the end. Surely they sold those “massager” wands. The way she felt, anything would do.

Her new plan was to find a vibrator, return to the hotel, and order room service for later. Tabitha tried to guess why she was so stimulated. She didn’t know but, Gorgeous Guy, as she’d nicknamed him, had surely helped. She needed to come and satisfy her persistent craving.

Once in the drugstore, some of her shyness reasserted itself.
Can I buy this in person?
On the rare occasion when it had been necessary, she had ordered through the mail. Items arrived in the clichéd brown paper wrapper. Buying in person would be a different experience. Everyone knew what these things were for.

Tabitha ambled up and down the aisles trying to find where they kept such personal appliances. Fortunately, she found them, right near the hair dryers and curling wands. There was only one kind so she didn’t need to dither over her choice. She snatched up the box and headed for the checkout area. There was only one lane open since the store was not busy. Wasn’t it just her luck that the cashier was a teenage boy.

She could do this.
What do I have to be embarrassed about?
Nothing, that’s what. She smacked the box on the counter with defiance, keeping her face impassive. She dug out her wallet as he rang up the sale. When he relayed the total, her eyes met his and a blush crept up her neck. She imagined that she saw a knowing glint in his eye. After finishing the transaction with haste, she exited the store.