Bora Bora Chapter 5

Bora Bora Chapter 5

Jade was escorted to her cabana by a nice valet named Joseph who moved to the resort from the big island of Tahiti, “to get away from it all”, he said. He politely opened the sliding glass doors and ushered her into luxury. The king sized bed was centered between the palm leaf ceiling fan and smooth bamboo floors. Marble and granite gleamed along with the brass fixtures in the Jacuzzi tub bathroom, and both windows looked out onto open water. In the middle of the floor stood a 3 foot square, glass box. There was no floor underneath it, just water straight below. The valet flipped a switch on the wall and watery blue light glowed through the box, filling the room.

“Underwater lighting attracts the fish at night.” he said.


Jade could see a man-made reef directly under her cabana, teeming with tropical fish of all colors and shapes. She could watch this for hours.


One last rundown of the amenities and Joseph took his tip and left Jade alone for the first time since she arrived. She felt the warm breeze dance on her skin from the open window and could hear the saltwater lapping under her feet. She wanted to be enveloped by it, but the bed called her name. Stripping down to her birthday suit she climbed into the soft, white covers. Burying her face in the warm down pillow, she laughed inside at her good fortune. This is a dream, she thought, I hope I never wake up from it.


Insomnia does not take a vacation. Nor does it stay behind for one. Jade dozed for few hours, drifting in between sleep and awake. In that place where your dreams are real and you can still feel the world around you. Small sounds catch your attention and won’t let you go. Sleep was not to come this night. Well, she thought, if I’m not sleeping, at least I’m not sleeping in paradise.


Jade got out of bed and flipped the switch on the underwater light. Pale blue light glowed through the glass box and the fish came in swarms. She grabbed a soft terry cloth robe and sat on floor. Her legs crossed like child sitting in a reading circle in Kindergarten, waiting for the story to unfold. Rainbows of fish in all colors and all manner of sea creature swam in and out of her view. They shimmered and danced in the glowing light. They fed off the small reef and played games with each other. Shining lights reflected from their glittering bodies. Blues and yellows, large and small, round and thin. They danced in circles and enthralled her. She had never seen such a beautiful display of color and grace. So fluid, so peaceful. The light reflected off their sleek bodies and moved with the water. Silver and gold.


Gold. A golden colored fish just at the edge of the light, caught her eye. It didn’t come closer to the reef and play with the other fish. It stayed just at the border of the glowing shafts of light, as if it was scared to come in. It stayed. It didn’t swim like the other fish. Indistinct in the watery beams. Was it moving at all?



Jade focused on the golden fish and realized that fish don’t stay still this long. What was it, if it wasn’t a fish? She stared through the glass and tried to focus on this new find. It was nearly impossible to make out at the edge of the darkness. It stayed perfectly still, shining like gold. What is that? she thought. Immediately she decided that she had to know.


Dropping the robe, she opened the sliding glass door, the warm night air breathed over her bare skin. She wouldn't bother to put anything on. It must be around 3am, no one was up. She looked down the walkway connecting the bungalows to the shore. Small lights spaced along the path glowed a soft yellow. She could see the main hotel and make out the roofline of the beachfront suites. The moon was nearly full and the clear water inviting. She hadn’t even dipped her foot in since she’d arrived and thought, what a perfect time to start my real vacation.


A short set of curving stairs directly in front of her door led into the water. She stepped down softly and glanced back toward the hotel, just to make sure no one was watching. The water touched her toes and she sank into the sweet warmth of tropical paradise. Enveloped by the welcoming water, she slowly sunk under. No sound, no world. Just serenity and peace.


Bit by bit she broke the surface of the water. A few smooth strokes and she floated, looking up at the near full moon. No one could see her here. She heard no sounds of life or the world. No stress of phones and faxes, voicemail and meetings. She was alone and she loved it. She let the tender water wash away the weight of every day and felt reality slip past. Jade held up her hand and watched the water run through her fingers, tinkling back to where it belonged. She could almost believe that she belonged here too. The world would wait for her. And if it didn’t, would she really be missing anything?

Bora Bora Chapter 4

Bora Bora

Chapter 4

Jade sat across from Connor at the table, staring into those deep, dark eyes. She compared him to his brother. They were both tall, Connor had maybe an inch on Steve. Similar build, though Connor's shoulders were much broader and arms more defined. The similarities ended there. Steve was a blond-haired, blue-eyed surfer boy while Connor had dusky skin, dark hair and strong features.

"You're brothers? You don't look like brothers." Jade commented matter of factly.

Steve laughed and punched Connor lightly on the shoulder, "What are you talking about? We're twins, can't you tell?"

"Yeah, but I kicked him out of the womb before he was done cooking. Needed more leg room. That's why he's such a white boy" Connor joked, kicking Steve under the table.

They sure acted like brothers. Colleen rolled her eyes and explained, "They were both adopted by the same family when they were babies. They're only 2 months apart."

"I'm the older, more mature, big brother." Steve said as he threw a cocktail shrimp at his "little" brother.

Connor looked straight at Jade and said frankly, "I'm taller."

"I can see there is no competition whatsoever between the two of you. That's so sweet." Jade drawled sarcastically.

The familiarity and ease she felt at that table was enveloping. She had always been close to her sister, though they did have their teenage moments. And here they were, sitting at a table in paradise with the two most handsome men on the island, laughing and joking like they've all been together forever. Everything about that moment felt so right. It scared her. She had felt that fast comfort before and it had not bode well in the past. For some reason, despite the peaceful locale and easy conversation, she was on her guard. He was devastatingly handsome, lethally sexy and she could tell from his quick banter with his brother, that his tongue could be sharp. That combination is dangerous, she knew too well. Much more research, she decided and sat back to observe him.

He knew she was watching him. Her eyes inspecting him, her mind calculating the...possibilities?

No!, he thought savagely to himself and looked down to refold his napkin. This woman is going to be in my life for a long time. She is not a fling. She is not a one-night stand. She is not an option. She is off-limits. God, she's gorgeous.

He thought back to the moment he took her hand in the plane. She was so terrified, so helpless, so vulnerable. It was intoxicating. He wanted to save her, to protect her and fight for her. When his hand touched her's, he felt her emotions pass through his skin, and into his soul. She was already inside him, under his skin, in his breath. In his heart? No! he yelled at himself. Dammit, you idiot Connor, shut the hell up and get her out of your head!

He forced his attention back to the table and the approaching waiter.

"One more please." He asked, motioning with his empty glass. He sure as hell needed it.

“We will have to go snorkeling and there is this amazing private little beach on the other side of the island that we can reserve for the whole day.” Colleen began telling them all about the activities that were planned for the next week.

“We can go scuba diving and they give windsurfing lessons too. It’s so amazing here. Jade, you’re going to love it!” She said excitedly.

“I already do love it.” Jade answered. Why was she so careful to avoid his eyes when she said that?

Steve brought his own opinions into to conversation, “Honey, maybe they want to relax tomorrow and unwind. We have a whole week here together, we’ll do everything we want to do.” He winked at Colleen across the table.

“I saw paragliding in a brochure. Do they have that here?” Connor asked. “You would have to be pretty brave to do something like that.”

His easy smile was such a challenge to her. OK, she thought. She had lost her cool on the plane. Ok, he had come to her rescue. Ok, she wasn’t so brave when it came to planes and landings and everything involved, but she wasn’t a wimp.

Game on! she thought as she stared him down.

“Maybe we could hunt some sharks and wrestle an octopus while we’re at.” She raised her eyebrows to him.

“Sounds like my kind of fun.” He said, licking his lips.

“The closest I’m getting to a shark will be on my plate.” Colleen stated as she picked up her menu. Steve studied his menu and noted “Hey, they do have shark.”

With perfect timing, the concierge arrived. “Miss Jade, Mr. Connor. Your luggage has been placed in your cottages. When you are ready, I will be honored to have you escorted to your rooms where you will be shown the highlights of the suite. We are at your service. Thank you so much for this opportunity. Please enjoy your stay with us in paradise.” He bowed to both and turned on his heel.

“Miss Jade.” Connor said mockingly.

“Mr. Connor.” She followed, sitting up a bit taller.

They laughed and both blushed.

Whoa, Steve and Colleen thought as they looked at the two then back to each other. They studied their menus with renewed interest.

Connor leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms behind his head. His broad shoulders and chest stretched against the black silk button-down shirt. He took a deep breath and flexed his arms, yawning. She didn’t want to stare, but couldn’t rip her eyes away from him. From his arms, his chest, his shoulders. Her mind saw through the shirt and she gazed at his bare chest, hot from the sun. She saw her hands running over his pecs, and down his arms. She saw his arms, so strong and firm, wrapping around her tiny waist. His mouth on her throat, his hands in her hair.

Connor stretched out his legs under that table and accidentally rubbed his calf against hers. The feel of her warm, smooth skin against his sent shockwaves up his spine. He sat straight up in his chair, knocking the table with his knees.

“You alright there, little brother?” Steve asked, questioning the sudden movement.

“I’m fine.” Connor stated defiantly. “What are we all ordering?”

He didn’t mean to move so quickly, but feeling her skin against his was more than he could handle at that moment. He pulled his chair closer to the table and picked up his menu. He was a man, and she was a beautiful woman. He had a very male reaction and just needed to calm down and focus on something other than her. He needed to not think about her skin, her hair, the way she smelled, and the way she looked at him. The way she was looking at him right now.

Interesting, she thought, as she watched him be uncomfortable for the first time. The way he moved back so quickly, then pulled his chair up close to the table. Oh really?, she mused. She looked at him and smiled knowingly, biting her lip.

He read her mind. Don’t think you’re all that girl, he thought. He shook his head and ignored her, focusing on his menu. She took his head shake as dare. She loved a challenge. We’ll see, she thought and pulled up her menu, blocking him from view.

The waiter reappeared and they all made their selections. She ordered shark, just for spite. Steve raised his glass in a toast. “To new family, new friends and love that lasts forever.”

Bora Bora, Chapter 3

Bora Bora
Chapter 3

The island transfer plane was a sea plane, or as Jade's father called them, a "puddle jumper". She had never been on a plane that took off from and landed on water and wasn't sure how she felt about it. The six passengers, pilot and stack of luggage seemed far too much for the little plane to handle, yet the pilot didn't bat an eyelash as he loaded the luggage into the back of the plane. As she climbed into her seat and cinched her seatbelt, she said a silent prayer. Flying was never much fun for her, but she was willing to try new things and have new adventures. This would certainly be an adventure.

There were exactly 8 seats in the plane with a small aisle separating the two columns of single seats along the windows. Everyone had a window seat and the co-pilots seat was full of maps, a thermos and the pilot's jacket. Each couple sat across from each other leaving the handsome stranger next to her. As he stood in the aisle and arranged his backpack, she got a whiff of his cologne. Is that really Calvin Klein's Eternity or am I dreaming? she thought. He looked at her and smiled. She feared she may have said her thoughts aloud, or perhaps it was her unconsciously leaning toward him. She turned suddenly and stared forward, pretending to be interested in the back of the seat in front of her. She had not felt this awkward since, since ever.

The pilot sputtered the engine to life and the plane took off smoothly from it's watery runway. Looking out her window, Jade could see the dots of light on the various islands below her and the sheer blackness of the surrounding ocean. Being a city girl, she had never seen anything so black and vast. It drew her in. The flight was short, just 20 minutes, and the plane slowly veered down for the landing. Jade held her breath and pressed her eyes shut. She hated flying and landings brought the fear of God into her. She knows her fears are irrational and over dramatic, but she can't help it.

The pontoons bounced off the surface of the water and she was jostled in her seat. A tiny scream emanated from deep in her throat, through her pursed lips. Images of fiery crashes, drowning waves and a crushing watery grave flashed through her mind. She reached out with both hands to grab onto anything. Her left hand grabbed the window frame while her right hand clawed at the open air over the aisle. The nothingness she felt created even more fear in her. Her heart pounded. A hand reached out and grabbed hers tightly, sending waves of comfort and safety through her. She gripped this hand with all her might as though it were the only thing keeping her alive at that moment. Her white knuckles and acrylic nails dug into the skin, but she wouldn't relinquish her grip. The pontoons bounced one last time and then smoothly glided the plane to a rolling stop. Jade heard the engine die and dared to open her eyes.

The hand she was holding in her death-grip was his. He had reached out and held her, comforted her, saved her. Their eyes met and she saw genuine concern in his.

"You OK?", he asked sincerely.

His honest desire to protect her stopped her words. She sat still and silent, lost in his eyes. Still holding her hand, he turned his gently over so their palms were facing. He placed his other hand on top and held her, softly stroking the back of her hand.

"We made it. We're here. No more plane rides, not for a while at least. Maybe we'll build up that courage while we're here. Fight off some sharks or something." he said teasingly.

Jade smiled faintly and took a deep breath.

"Thank you." she said. "I don't like flying. Especially landing."

"I noticed. And you're welcome. Anytime I can help a damsel in distress." he smiled sweetly.

The passengers exited the plane and were met by valets who rushed their bags to the front and quickly checked everyone in. The lobby was stunning with soft lighting, bamboo floors and a tasteful seashell chandelier.

"Jade!" she heard from behind her.

Her sister Colleen came flouncing up to her dressed in a yellow bikini top and white wrap skirt.

"I'm so glad you made it. How was the flight?" Colleen asked.

"Fine, until the end where I thought I was going to die."

"Oh, you always say that. I'm so glad you're here. I can't wait for you to meet Steve. Come on."

Colleen pulled Jade by the hand toward the bar where Colleen's fiance' Steve was waiting. Jade has heard all about Steve and had talked with him on the phone a few times, but they had never met in person. Steve was a surgeon at the teaching hospital Colleen worked at as an Orthopaedic Tech. Colleen and Steve met during a surgery to replace a knee joint of a woman in her 50's. The only problem Jade had with people in the medical field is that they always seemed to try to diagnose her. She was careful not to complain about aches and pains around her sister for fear of getting a full blown physical. When Steve saw Colleen his face lit up and he pulled her into his arms as though they'd been apart forever. Jade was sure they had only seen each other 5 minutes ago, but she still felt a tiny twang of jealousy at her sister's good fortune. She wondered if she would ever get married.

"Steve, I would like you to meet my sister Jade. Jade, this is my future husband, Steve."

Steve grabbed Jade in a bear hug and lifted her off the ground. He was a big guy, 6'2" maybe 225.

"I'm so glad we finally got to meet and that you could make it out here to be with us." Steve said appreciatively.

"Of course. I'm excited we finally got to meet. Colleen has told me so much about you. All good, I promise." she said, winking at her sister.
"Thank you for inviting me out here and making all this possible. This is like a dream come true for me to be here."

Steve had paid for her trip and arranged all the travel details. She would not have to spend a dime the whole time here, except on souvenirs and personal things. It was an all expense paid trip, a present from Steve to Colleen to have her sister here. Pretty sweet deal, Jade thought.

"Now I want you to meet my brother Connor." Steve said, turning to the man sitting at the bar who had been watching this whole exchange.

Jade had not seem him sitting there. It was him. The ballcap. The eyes. The smile. The saving hand. It was him. He was Steve's brother?

"Connor, I'd like you to meet your future sister in law, Jade." Steve introduced them.

Connor reached out and took Jade's hand again, a bit more firmly this time but still warm and sweet.

"It's very nice to finally meet you." Connor said, smiling knowingly at Jade.

"N-Nice to meet you too." Jade stuttered. Nice, she thought, real smooth.

He was still holding her hand and watching her as Steve began directing them to the restaurant for dinner. She never wanted him to let go. If he held her hand for the rest of her life, she would die happy.

Bora Bora Chapter 2

BORA BORA

Chapter 2

Red and orange swaths streaked the sky as the blazing sun set over the Pacific. Travelling west meant that they flew directly into the sunset, Jade had never seen the sun set for so long. It felt like hours that she watched the colors change and dance as the blue ocean slipped quietly beneath them. The effect left her speechless and in awe of the beautiful world that had been created for her. Created for all of us.

The flight from LAX to Papeete had been routine and uneventful, except for the dramatic light show God put on outside. As the wheels touched down, she felt her heart jerk. Landings always worried her, almost as much as takeoffs. But she could relax now, she was in Tahiti. Exiting the plane onto the tarmac, she looked for the main gate to find directions for her island transfer to Bora Bora. She also, casually and non-chalantly, looked for the ballcap. Was someone meeting him at the airport? Surely, he did not travel all this way to go on vacation alone.

She saw the sign for Island Transfers and walked to the Customs gate. Getting through Customs was not as bad as she had feared, and the new stamp on her previously virgin passport made her smile. She was now officially a world traveler! Lugging her two bags and backpack through the small concourse to the waiting van, Jade vowed to learn to pack more efficiently for her future trips. She was going to become a pro at this if it killed her. The driver helped her with her bags and she copped a seat by the window. Four other tourists, both couples, were already seated.

The air was sultry and her light silk shirt and linen capri's clung to her moist skin. She didn't worry, she would be spending the next week in the cool blue water and lying on the sand in her new string bikini. Oh! Her friends will be so jealous of her tan when she gets home. Jade wondered if there was a place on the small island for her to go sans bikini and avoid those pesky tan lines.

She closed her eyes and saw herself lying nude on a white sand shore. Out of the cool, clear water came the tall, dark stranger. He still wore his ballcap, but nothing else. He stood over her for a moment, dripping the cool water on her hot skin. She laughed and pretended to pull away as he knelt in the sand, kissing her soft belly. His hand made his way up her thigh and the van driver asked if everyone would put on their seatbelts. What?

Rudely awakened from her short-lived fantasy, Jade opened her eyes and almost died. The tall, dark and handsome stranger in the ballcap was sitting in front of her on the van. He was leaning against the window facing inward in his seat toward the aisle. He smiled at her as she looked up. Blood burst into her cheeks as she choked on her words. She had just been thinking of this man naked, and here he sits right in front of her. He didn't need to be a mind-reader to see the embarrassment on her face. The questioning look he gave her spoke volumes.

"Long time, no see", he said playfully, nodding and smiling. His white teeth gleamed behind his deep red lips. "Yeah", was the smartest response she could muster, as she wished she could crawl into a hole and die! He had no idea of her lustful thoughts, yet her face and necked burned in humiliation as if she had spoken her fantasy directly to him.

What was wrong with her?! She had fantasized about other men before. She had talked dirty to more than one. And yet, this man made her feel like a schoolgirl. She pushed the image of a short plaid skirt and white thigh-highs out of her mind. Just in case he could read it. Casual, Jade. Cool, calm and collected. Pull yourself together woman! She drug her consciousness back and forced herself to calm down and relax. She counted to ten as she breathed in slowly, held it for the count of five and let it out with a slow count back down to 1. She opened her eyes to see him watching her.

"Does that lamaze stuff really work?" he asked. She laughed.

"It's not lamaze, silly." she said. "That's for when you have a baby. It's yoga breathing. And yes it does work, very nicely." Jade smiled warmly at his naive attempt at stimulating conversation.

"Oh, yoga, right. Not lamaze. I'll have to learn that. The yoga I mean, not the lamaze" He added coyly, "Maybe you could teach me."

His left eyebrow raised as he winked at her, and she swooned. She actually swooned. She didn't know she could do that, or even what swooning was until that moment. But that is the only word to describe the vertigo-like feeling of imbalance and lust that overtook her at his wink. She would have taken him right there on the vinyl seats of this tourist van if she could have. Not allowing her fantasies to grow again, Jade smiled knowingly and turned to her left to watch the Tahitian town pass by.

Bora Bora Chapter 1

Bora Bora

Chapter 1

Airports are always great for people-watching. The international terminal of Los Angeles International Airport has by far the best assortment of human eye candy, of both the sweet and sour kinds. A sea of colors and sounds wrapped around her mind. Languages she neither understood nor recognized. Clothes showed tradition on the older generation while electronic gadgets were the religion of the younger crowd.

Jade recognized him from the San Diego Padres ballcap he wore. It wasn't everyday you see a tall, dark and handsome man showing support for her favorite baseball team. Okay, maybe you could see that everyday in San Diego, but something else struck her about him. Was it his eyes? So dark and deep she felt like she could sink right in and not find her way back. Had she seen him before? Possibly, they seemed to live in the same town.

She had seen him in the San Diego airport, and now that same ballcap sat a few rows in front of her in LAX. He better be careful, this was Dodgers turf. Jade was on her way to meet her sister and her sisters fiance' in Bora Bora. Just the sound of it was exotic. Her world traveling experience was pretty limited to a trip to Chicago and another to New York. A week in Savannah was as far and as long as she'd spent away from home, so Bora Bora for 6 days, 7 nights was a dream come true.

She tried to pay attention to her book as she waited for the flight to be announced, but she kept peeking over the top to check out the ballcap. What was it about this random stranger that had her so curious, and a bit tingly? Giving up on her book, she watched the next stream of passengers slip past her. Thanking God she had no children to travel with she watched in silent horror as a travel weary, jet lagged couple drug their equally worn children through the terminal. The older boy was loudly complaining about walking and sitting and standing and walking some more. The young girl hung limp in her fathers arms, crying that pitiful 'I'm too tired to fall asleep and can't do anything but cry'. For that minute, she was grateful to be single.

She was grateful again when the tall, dark and handsome ballcap stood to stretch and make his way past her as he searched for a soft drink. His eyes found their way to hers and a little curl to his lips told her that he had looked for her, and knew she had watched him. Interesting. She wondered where he was going when the announcement for her flight came over the speakers. "Air Tahiti flight 713 to Papeete, Tahiti. Now boarding at gate 12."

Bora Bora! An eight and a half hour flight, then an island transfer and she would be in paradise. Jade had no idea what the local time would be when she got there, and she didn't care. She hadn't bothered to bring a watch. She could always check with the hotel if she had the strange desire to know the time, but she knew that she would never ask. Time will stop while she lies on the white sand and lets the small waves lick at her toes. She can almost smell the ocean as she hands her ticket to the flight attendant. Stepping onto the ramp, her heart starts to race. She's almost there.

As Jade arranged her carry-on and grabbed a pillow for the long flight, a Padres ballcap made it's way down the aisle. She failed miserably at hiding her surprised smile when she recognized him and saw those deep dark eyes. He was going to Tahiti too?! Maybe this trip would be more exciting than she thought.