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Chapter 1
“Not interested,” Sadiq told the busty blonde leaning over his table with her tits practically sitting in his omelette instead of inside her hot pink tube top. He’d tried to be nice but between her and her two friends propositioning him, he feared his breakfast would be ice cold by the time he got to eat it. And that was a damn shame because the one thing he’d enjoyed since landing on the island was the food.
Her hot pink painted lips curved into a smile. “You should have just said you were gay,” she giggled, tracing a long painted nail down his arm. “But if you give me an hour I’m sure I could change your mind.”
Sadiq’s dark eyes narrowed at the woman who thought she was sexy and witty when she was neither. “I am not gay, I simply have no interest in what you so graphically offered. If you don’t mind, go away and let me eat in peace.” If there were more of them he wasn’t sure he could keep his temper in check. The blonde turned on her heels, letting out an offended shriek before stomping away. He laughed, grateful for a moment of peace and damn quiet. It had been this way all week, women of varying degrees of attractiveness would come up to him and say the most outrageous things—usually about his large size in conjunction with his package—and offering up wild sex without so much as a “hello”. Even in his younger days he was a more discriminating lover, a too serious young man who’d preferred good conversation over casual hook-ups.
Any other man would probably be thrilled to receive so much attention, but not Sadiq. No he was here in Fiji with one purpose, to enjoy his last few months of freedom before giving it all up to serve the people of Kaza’ah as their leader. Their Sheikh. Hell it might be nice if he could muster up a bit of excitement about the mostly naked women throwing themselves at him since he was also in the market for a wife. But a wife that was the equivalent of a blow up doll wouldn’t serve him well. No, he needed someone he could talk to like a professor or someone he could ride horses with like an outdoorswoman. Not a high maintenance woman looking to spend his money. The three women who’d just tried to snag his attention were definitely fortune huntresses.
Not wives.
“Wow this place is packed!” The petite brunette flashed smiling green eyes over at him as she set down two plates piled high with pancakes and a crab omelette. And laughing. “Sorry to just crash your table at breakfast but there are no other free tables if you can believe it.” Sadiq could only watch her send the young Fijian holding her glasses a heart stopping smile, giving him a thanks in a soft smoky voice. “I’m Abby if you want to talk. My friend said I needed to be bolder and introduce myself to people,” she babbled sending him a sexy look that made him take a closer look. “If you don’t want to I completely understand.” When he said nothing she shrugged and tucked into her food, making the most arousing sounds he’d ever heard at the breakfast table.
Unintentionally. Instantly he was on alert. Was this wide-eyed ingénue routine simply to get his attention or was she for real? He stared at her smile, refusing to return it until he figured out if she was just a nice girl or a gold digging woman? Since the former was just a myth he went with the latter. “Forget whatever it is you’re thinking because I am not interested.”
She glared at him, green eyes furious. “I don’t recall asking you for a single thing. I only sat here because this is a big table and, like I said before there is no place else to sit. You arrogant jerk!” She let her fork fall to her plate and pushed it away. “What is it you think I want from you?”
His laugh was bitter. “What else?”
“Sex?” Her sable brows lifted with a question before she scanned his face. “You are easy on the eyes but you’re a jerk. Is that all?”
What on earth was happening?This tiny little woman was questioning him? “Are you serious?”
She nodded, fighting a smile and he scowled. “As a stroke. Tell me what about you is so amazing that I must have sidled up to you in order to get your attention.”
“I am a not in the habit of explaining myself to women I don’t know so if you’ll kindly go away and leave me to my breakfast I might actually finish it before lunch!”
She stood, still glaring at him but he could see the hurt in her eyes. “I guess it’s a good thing you’re rich and powerful because your attitude sucks.”
And elderly foursome glared at him, the women shaking their heads in disappointment. Great. His appetite now gone, Sadiq decided a bit of sunshine might be just what he needed to get out of this funk.
***
What an insufferable jerk!After storming out of the resort’s restaurant Abby kicked off her yellow flip flops and let her feet sink into the soft nearly white sand. Since she didn’t get to enjoy breakfast she could afford to take the long way back to her bungalow. She wiggled her toes and the warm sand immediately relaxed her and the warm breeze felt like a caress. Why should she let some arrogant jerk she didn’t even know ruin her day? She shouldn’t. She’d left behind one jerk and wasn’t in the market for another, thank you very much.
Sure the ogre was big—practically a giant compared to her five-foot frame—and drop dead gorgeous in a desert prince sort of way, but apparently he knew it. Friggin’ jerk. She just wanted a place to sit after those mean girls had shut her out of their table. Like she wanted to sit with those plastic surgery addicted bimbos, but she hadn’t wanted to give the pirate the wrong idea by sitting with him. Worked out well, didn’t it?
Whatever,she grumbled to herself and turned to face the sea in all its glory. The calming blue waters, the soothing sound of crashing waves and birds calling out all combined to remind her what was important. The water was warm and the sky was blue, clear and magnificent. She was determined to make this summer a memorable one so she’d spent her first day in Fiji canceling all the couples crap she’d scheduled with Charles and opted to make this summer a true adventure. She would step outside her comfort zone, push the envelope and see what she really was made of this summer.
On the plane over she changed her plans. Instead of forgetting Charles and having a fling she would find herself. She would be herself, doing what came naturally to her in all ways. She would respond honestly and do only the things that appealed to her. It might not be the path to her very own happy ever after, but a little personal growth never hurt anyone.
Right?
She would go hiking, splash in waterfalls, visit a volcano. Maybe even go down in one of those shark cages. Maybe not. All kinds of things she would have never done with her ex. Like hiking the Tavoro waterfalls, which she was scheduled to do this afternoon. A quick stop to change and gather her gear plus a few energy bars to make up for her lost breakfast and Abby made her way to the shuttle idling just in front of the resort to take her and the other tourists to the start of the trails.
Tavoro waterfalls was a brilliant sight to behold and Abby was determined to finish the three hour hike that would take her to see all three waterfalls. Each trail became a little more difficult as you went forward but it was said to be worth it. And she needed something that was worth the effort she put into it.
Armed with a small backpack and dressed for a tropical hike, Abby checked that her phone was in a side pocket the moment she laid eyes on several different gorgeous orchids. The surroundings were a breathtaking combination of colors, sights and sounds. The thick green leaves hanging from the trees lazily swayed on the breeze, a rainbow of tropical flowers and foreign plants she’d never seen before rose up around her ankles. With aromas so fragrant and enticing she couldn’t resist plucking a petal and rubbed it over her skin before starting her hike in earnest.
It was all so incredible Abby couldn’t decide where to look first so she slowed down and looked at everything. She took it all in, knowing she would never forget these scents. This was a once in a lifetime vacation and she didn’t plan to miss a moment of it.
The first waterfall was near, she could hear the sounds of rushing water up ahead, probably around the next bend in the trail. Abby picked up her pace, eager to slide into the mossy green waters. And test out my brand new string bikini, she thought with a smile. Yep she’d bought it to entice Charles to see her as something more than his trusty girlfriend and partner, but now she was simply proud to wear it and know she looked good, despite her distinct lack of feminine curves. She ran or swam everyday to stay in shape, unfortunately that shape was rather shapeless.
“Come on in honey, we’re just finishing up.” An older woman with blonde and grey curls framing her face waved her down with an open friendly smile. “The water is incredible, so warm and inviting. My husband nearly fell asleep so we have to keep him moving,” she whispered with a conspiratorial smile.
Abby smiled and made her way down the foot carved path that led to the first waterfall in all it’s splendid green glory. She watched the group go laughing and leaning on each other as climbed the few feet up to the walking path and sent a friendly wave before shimmying out of her clothes and stepping into the water. She drew closer to the falls, letting the small spray droplets cool her skin before the water drenched her. “Oh!” The water from the falls was much cooler than the water in the pool which was weird, but the view from her spot was too beautiful to worry about the water. That was a thought for the next leg of her hike. The falls and pool were protected by all the greenery, creating a private paradise for just a moment.
The warmth of the water made her feel weightless and she kicked her feet out in front of her and let her body float across the small body of water, smiling whenever the icy droplets landed on her. The clear blue sky soothed her and she felt the annoyance of the past few days fade away on the lone puffy white cloud that floated by.
