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‘Darling, that’s no way to treat your mother.’
Air hissed over Olivia’s lips. ‘Keeping an endless supply of gin and tonic isn’t either.’ She rubbed her thumbs over her eyes. ‘You said there was something you wanted to talk about.’
‘I think I should sell the house. It’s time to move on with my life. But you’re going to say no to anything I suggest.’ Petulant as well.
Being one of the trustees for her mother’s property and banking details came with its own set of difficulties. But if left to her own resources her mother would’ve gone broke long ago. ‘Mum, we’ve discussed this so often I can’t believe you’d bring the subject up again.’
‘You are so unfair. About everything.’
Yep, a right old cold fish with a bank account tighter than a fish’s backside. That’s me. ‘Where would you live if you sold? Another house? Or an apartment somewhere?’
‘I could move in with you. There’re more rooms here than you know what to do with.’
That was never going to happen.
Never say never.
Olivia shuddered. She did love her mother, but for sanity’s sake preferred to keep her at a distance. To share the same house day in, day out would send her climbing the harbour bridge and leaping off.
CHAPTER NINE
‘TOKORIKI.’ THE HELICOPTER pilot pointed to an island ahead of them.
Olivia gasped. ‘Oh, wow, it’s tiny.’
Zac grinned. ‘Perfect. You won’t be able to get away from me.’
She elbowed him. ‘Want to spend the night outside in a hammock? Alone?’
Zac just laughed. Damn it. ‘A night in a hammock would be a novelty. I wonder if there’s room for two.’
She did an exaggerated eye roll. ‘Not to mention mosquitoes.’
Zac stared down at the bright blue sea as the pilot brought the helicopter around to line up with the landing pad on the resort’s lawn. ‘Isn’t it stunning?’
Olivia leaned over Zac to get a good look at the island. ‘Pretty as a picture.’
‘Yes.’ Zac’s head was right beside hers, his scent tickling her nostrils.
Pulling sideways so that she no longer touched him, she tried to ignore the buzz of excitement fizzing along her veins. Not easy in the confined space with the smell of aftershave and hot-blooded male teasing her. How was she going to remain immune to him when they’d be sharing a bure? The photos on the internet had been a reality check, like a dousing under cold water. The one large room containing an enormous bed towards the back and lounge furniture at the front looked so romantic and had set her heart racing—and that had been back at home. Couples didn’t come here to sleep in separate beds. Not unless they were Zac and her.
The helicopter touched down with a bump and Olivia snapped open the clasp on her safety belt. A big, strapping Fijian man opened the door and held out his hand to help her out. Feet firmly on the ground, she looked around and was greeted by two young girls.
‘Bula,’ they said in unison, before placing leis made of pink and yellow hibiscus flowers around her and Zac’s necks.
‘Bula,’ she replied.
Zac took her hand. ‘Welcome to paradise.’
The bure was gorgeous, made from dark wood and covered with thatch. Wide doors and large open windows let the sea breeze through. An overhead fan spun slowly. A perfect spot for a couple to enjoy themselves and each other. Even with the sex ban? A second shower stall, outside and without a roof, made her smile. ‘All the better to stargaze.’
‘Come here.’ Zac still held her hand and now he tugged her over the lawn to stand on the beach twenty metres from what was to be their home for five nights.
‘It’s going to be dark shortly,’ she sighed. The day had sped by getting here.
‘Let’s pop the cork on that bottle of champagne I saw in an ice bucket on the coffee table. We can sit out on our front porch and pretend we do this every night after a hard day at work.’
Olivia started walking backwards so she could watch Zac. ‘You’re as excited as a kid on his first holiday, aren’t you?’ His eyes shone, his mouth the most relaxed she could ever remember it.
‘I reckon. This is like my first holiday, only way better.’
‘We’ve barely started.’ She stopped so that his next step brought him right up close. Close enough to lean in and kiss that happy mouth, which she did. But when his hands spanned her waist she reluctantly pulled back. ‘Sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.’
‘Did the rule state no kissing?’ He was shaking his head at her, his smile only increasing. Was nothing going to mar his enjoyment? ‘I must’ve missed that.’
‘Maybe you didn’t put it in.’ She hoped not. Kissing Zac was too much fun not to be able to do it whenever she wanted. But then there’d be consequences. Looking around for something else to talk about, she spied two hammocks slung between nearby trees. ‘There’s your bed. You even get a choice.’
‘I am not spending my nights slapping at the mozzies, thank you very much.’ Zac caught her hand, laced his fingers through hers, then swung their joined hands up to his lips and kissed her knuckles.
Careful. That might start a fire I can’t put out. And we have rules. She slipped her hand out of Zac’s. ‘Where’s that champagne?’
He tried not to look disappointed, but she saw it and felt a heel. He’d only been having fun, and she had instigated the kiss.
Inside, Zac picked up the card leaning against the bucket in which the ice was rapidly turning to liquid. ‘Compliments of Andy and Kitty. They say thanks for the gala night and hope we have a wonderful time.’
‘That’s lovely. It’s not as though they haven’t got enough to think about at the moment.’
Minutes later they sat in front of their bure and watched the sun turning the sky red and yellow. ‘That’s an abrupt change from day to night,’ Zac commented.
‘Guess that’s the tropics for you. Hard to believe we left winter behind.’ The warm, heavy air made her clothes stick to her skin. She wouldn’t be wearing much for the next few days.
‘What’s your favourite season?’ Zac asked.
‘Summer, followed by summer. I hate being cold.’
‘Yet you bought an old villa that must be freezing in winter. Though, come to think of it, I didn’t notice a chill when I was there.’
‘First thing I did was improve the insulation in the roof and some of the walls. Then I had that firebox installed to replace the open fire. There’s also a heat pump in the hall.’
Zac chuckled. ‘I bought a very modern apartment and you went for the opposite.’
‘I love old villas. There’s something magical about them. Yes, they come with loads of problems, but get them sorted and there’s an amazing home waiting to be loved.’ She sipped her champagne. ‘There’s history in the boards. When I bought the place the vendors passed on to me a book written about the family who originally built it. The man had been an excise officer and his wife a nurse in the First World War.’
‘So you’re a history buff.’
‘Only when it comes to my property, but it’s neat knowing about the original owners.’ She laughed softly. ‘It was also a surprise finding I enjoy working on the redecorating. In spring I’m going to start putting in a garden to grow a few salad vegetables.’
‘I saw your pot plants in your hallway. Just go to the markets. That way you won’t starve.’
‘Thanks, pal.’ He was right. She always forgot to water the plants until they were drooping over the edges of their pots.
‘You grew up in Auckland, right?’
She nodded. ‘Remuera.’ One of Auckland’s most sought-after areas, where many of the city’s wealthy lived. On a street where fences were metres high, hiding a multitude of sins. ‘I went to a private school for girls, played the cello and joined the debating team.’ That was after the in-crowd had worked their number on her because her mother had followed her around dressed in identical outfits to hers, trying to look way
younger than she was.
‘Was your childhood home another old house?’
She blinked, got back on track. Her mother wasn’t welcome on this holiday. ‘Yes. A massive, six-bedroom edifice with half an acre of gardens, a tennis court and a swimming pool.’
‘You played tennis?’ He didn’t hide his astonishment.
‘Me run around chasing a ball to bang it back over a net? Not likely.’
They were getting close to things she didn’t want to talk about when she was sitting in paradise. ‘I can’t wait to go snorkelling amongst the fishes.’
Zac went with her change as easily as butter melted on warm toast. ‘We should take a boat trip to Treasure Island and the marine reserve where the best array of fish is supposed to be.’
