Page 192 of Lau Ahi
He took my hand after soaking in one last look at the top of the mountain.
“You’re not going to ask me to cook for you?” Ori picked his way down the trail, holding my hand the entire way.
“Asha, as much as I’m happy it’s you I’m married to, we’ll have a real problem if you drop some fucking baked beans, blood pudding or burnt ham on my plate. I’m trying to make this marriage last longer than the weekend. Let me handle breakfast.”
ASHA
“Where are we going?”
After he’d made breakfast Ori began to pack up some of our items inside our suitcases but only toiletries. The cold weather gear he’d brought for me he left hanging in the closet. A sign that this was our place and he would keep his word for me to return whenever I needed. And everything would already be waiting for me.
“Helicopter.” He closed the back door to the large black SUV that, despite its massive size still seemed to be dwarfed by his stature.
“A helicopter? For what?” With a hand at my back he led me to my side of the car and helped me in.
“Because we’re heading to our honeymoon.” Another kiss, this time on my forehead, before he moved out of my reach and shut the door.
Bewildered, I watched him round the car his eyes still checking the woods that surrounded the house. It was a large and elegant structure all wood and glass and I knew it would look amazing once the snow fell.
As soon as he slid into the driver’s side of the car I was on him to clear up my confusion. “Wait, I thought we were on our honeymoon.”
“You think that I’m going to continue to have you roughing it in the woods?”
I nodded toward our house, which was getting further away as he backed down the paved drive and onto the gravel and dirt road. “I mean… it’s beautiful here.”
His brows lifted and I knew my words pleased him. “I’m glad you think so. But this was only the first part.”
It only took a second before I realized why he’d done what he’d done. “Throwing off someone who might have followed us here?”
“Potentially. But mainly having them think we’re still here when we’re somewhere else.”
My hand went to his thigh, which pleased him judging by the way the head of his ladder was brushing against my palm just that fast. “You don’t have to keep things from me, Ori. I’m not fragile and knowing that you’re doing everything you can to ensure that we’re safe makes me feel more secure in what we have, not less.”
“So keep you informed.” He seemed to test the words in his mouth before he said them. Like the idea of not protecting me was foreign to his nature.
“Please.”
Ori looked at me then, unable to deny me anything when I asked nicely. “I just want you to have a peaceful time without having to worry.”
My eyes went out the window watching the scenery as we seemed to move parallel on the mountain instead of heading back down it. “So you’re trying to carry the burdens solo again. Thought we had that discussion already.”
I cut my eyes to him in the watching the bashful look of a man caught stewing in his trauma would do. “We did.”
I smiled sweetly and I could tell he could see me from the corner of his eye by the way he shook his head. “Good. Because I truly hate to repeat myself, Ori Nakoa.”
He gave me a mock salute that made me feel like a woman who owned the world. “I hear you, Semira Nakoa.”
This yacht was something out of a dream. Although we only had three days here I was enjoying every moment. Ori wanted to get back so he could schedule his retirement before he got pulled back into a case. We were forced to wait until all the evidence came back on Christopher Clancy. His DNA matched the male profile that was found on Natalie Rawlins and since he’d denied knowing her, there was no other explanation of how his saliva got inside one of her wounds and his teeth impressions were on her flesh. The case was officially closed and he could put in his papers and no longer be bothered with the government.
From the moment I stepped foot on the boat, something in me lightened considerably. The gentle swaying of the boat was relaxing but Ori stuck a seasickness patch to the inside of my wrist as a precaution. The staff was almost invisible only coming out to speak when it was time to announce a meal or check to see if we needed something. It wasn’t my first time on a yacht but this one was extraordinary. Maybe I felt that way because it was ours but it was gorgeous. Named theKanaloaafter the Hawaiian god of the sea it was sleek and painted a beautiful marine blue. There were three separate levels; the boat itself almost a hundred and fifty feet. It was brand new and was called a performance yacht that could hold up to twelve passengers in its three bedrooms. I was used to luxury but this was a level I hadn’t indulged in. The family’s affinity with the water and loveof sailing was only confirmed when Ori informed me this was only one of several yachts and the smallest of the fleet.
We’d been out all day playing with the water and one another in between sessions in the ocean. We were sailing between the Keys, Cuba and the Bahamas. Ori walked over in just swim trunks having been on the upper level enjoying using the inflatable slide that went from the top of the boat and into the ocean. The water moved him in a way few things did. Maybe it was because of his roots, since both sides of his family had always been stationed near water but watching him in the Caribbean waters he came alive.
“Are you having fun?” I shielded my eyes to watch him come closer since I only had sunglasses to protect me against the water. Ori packed like the horny man he was, focusing on how little he wanted me to wear and not thinking I might want more sun protection than just his sunscreen.
“It’s not home but it’s a good substitute.”
He bent down and kissed me on the forehead before allowing his body to fall onto the lounge chair next to me. It was impossible to take my eyes off him. The mere size of him was impressive but his tan was even deeper, his body oiled to perfection with his entire right side covered in shark tooth tattoos. I couldn't believe that he’d sat for so long and allowed someone to ink that many on his skin but he wore them proudly along with a multitude of Adinkra symbols on the opposite side. I could only make out two: theakofenaor sword of war and thefuntunfunefuor the Siamese crocodiles. The ink seemed to be a perfect blend of both his cultures highlighting their differences and similarities.
