Where or When: A Pearl Harbor Romance Page 5

  #

  It hadn't taken Rick more than thirty seconds to realize he'd made the mistake of his life. When he'd held Eden in his arms a few hours ago he'd been in charge, looking for a way to put the pampered princess in her place while he secured his own place with her father. Maybe it was her perfume. Or maybe it was that incredible fiery golden hair that wreathed her perfect face. He didn't know what in hell it was but he did know he was in big trouble.

  If he'd had half the brain he was born with, he would have driven straight past the burning sugar cane, no matter how compelling it might be, and gotten his beautiful young passenger home ASAP. Bad enough to be spending time in close quarters with her during the day; nighttime spelled nothing but trouble.

  She was a means to an end, nothing more. If he managed to stick it out as her driver until her cast came off, he'd score big points with her old man. That was why he'd gotten involved with her in the first place, wasn't it? She needed a driver not a boyfriend and he sure as hell didn't need any trouble.

  He'd had a momentary lapse of common sense but it wouldn't happen again. If it did he'd opt for that cold shower.

  Chapter Six

  Something had changed as they'd watched the burning sugar cane but Eden was hard pressed to fathom exactly what it was. Rick's bantering died and visibly withdrew from her, almost as if he was building a wall between them in the confines of the darkened car. She could sense that it wasn't indifference this time that was fueling this change of manner, but something more complicated and fraught with undercurrents she could only guess at.

  Eden hated undercurrents. She believed life should be as clear and free flowing as the tranquil blue waters that lapped against the lush beaches of Waikiki. She didn't want to feel out of control or vulnerable and she certainly didn't want to feel all warm and tingly just because a sailor touched her.

  She glanced at him as he silently steered the Oldsmobile down the pitch-black dirt road that he claimed would take her home. His jaw was set in a stubborn line and his knuckles looked white as he clutched the wheel. Fine, she thought. She didn't want to talk either. He'd made his dislike for her patently obvious and it wasn't in Eden's nature to waste her time charming an enlisted man with a grudge against the boss's daughter.

  So why on earth did his lack of interest bother her so much?

  Many more important young men had found her quite alluring. Heaven knew, she'd never been at a loss for dance partners or dinner companions in her entire life. She was aware that most men would jump through hoops for the chance to stand close to her in the dark, far from prying eyes. But not Rick Byrne. She certainly wasn't about to shed any tears for her indifferent driver, no matter how handsome he was, but she longed to know why he found her so unappealing.

  #

  Why did she keep looking at him like that, Rick wondered as he steered around a fallen tree stump. You'd think she could keep her eyes on the road, the way he was trying to do. But, no, she kept shifting in her seat and breathing in a way that made it tough for him to look at anything but the tantalizing way her dress clung to her, defying all he'd ever learned about gravity and physics.

  Girls like Forrester's daughter should come with warning signs, he decided as the light, sweet scent of her perfume filled his head. Despite her delicate frame, Eden was larger than life. She seemed to fill a room with her presence. It was hard to imagine her ever going unnoticed. He'd sure as hell noticed her, whether or not he was willing to admit it even to himself.

  Forget it, he said to himself as they approached the final hill before the Forresters' street. It was weeks since he'd been with a woman. Hell, he couldn't even remember the last time he'd gone over to Mama Kate's. There'd been a pretty little redhead he'd taken a shine to and while she didn't have the class that Forrester's daughter possessed, he'd bet she'd be a lot easier to talk to and a whole lot more willing.

  There was something to be said for a willing woman, one who didn't question your every move or look at you like you had the brain power of one of those palm trees swaying in the night breezes. He hadn't known Eden Forrester for an entire day and already he understood that the differences between them could span the distance from Pearl Harbor to Chicago where he’d grown up. She probably hadn't known a bad day in her entire life. He'd bet this broken leg was the worst thing that had ever happened to her and she'd even managed to turn that into a conversation piece. He'd watched the way she'd flirted with every guy at the party, gaily calling them over one by one to sign her cast with idiotic sayings like "Hubba Hubba" and "Go Annapolis!"

  Girls like her were everywhere in that world he wanted to be part of, girls who played tennis on Sunday mornings and mixed perfect martinis for guests on Sunday nights. Back in Chicago girls learned how to diaper babies and wash floors. By the time they were Eden's age their hands were red and work-worn. A woman's place was beside her man in Chicago, working hard to keep a roof over their heads and food in the children's bellies.

  It was different in the world he longed to join. A navy wife's place was beside her man, too, but she was dressed to the teeth. To get ahead you needed a wife who could throw smart parties and invite all the right people and smile even when she wanted to throw a plate at your head. Rick wasn't entirely sure he liked that kind of woman.

  Charm was another form of deception, if you asked him, but much of getting ahead in the navy had to do with who you knew, not how well you did your job. You had to be able to get along publicly with people you wouldn't give the time of day privately, and if learning how to put up with this particular one would help him somewhere down the line, then Rick was ready, willing and able to do whatever was necessary to keep himself in her old man's good graces.

  Someday he'd have himself a wife who would make even the beauteous Eden Forrester look like a backward little kid on her way to nowhere.

  "Make a right here," she said, her lilting voice breaking into his thoughts. "We're the last house in the cul de sac on the left."

  The street the Forresters lived on was typical of that section of Honolulu. Sprawling one-story buildings with lots of glass and greenery and the smell of the ocean not more than fifty feet from the back windows. He whistled low. "Not bad," he said. "Sure beats the heck out of the barracks."

  To his surprise she laughed. "Isn't it wonderful?" she said leaning forward. "I couldn't believe our luck.” She told him of a terrible little house they'd rented in Florida that came complete with termites.

  "I would've figured your old man would always get the best digs in town."

  "So would I," she said with a rueful shake of her head, "but you'd be surprised.” She tossed her head in a way that made her fiery hair bob around her shoulders. He thought of a dozen ensigns who'd sell their commissions to be close enough to catch a hint of her perfume. "Daddy wasn't always an admiral, you know."

  Was he crazy or did he catch a glint of something akin to friendliness in her eyes? "Could've fooled me," he said, slowing down as they approached her house. "I figured he was born in his full-dress uniform."

  "So do most people, but I can assure you he once was a lowly commander."

  "Commander.” He shook his head in dismay. "I'm not even gonna tell you how far I've gotta go to be a commander."

  She gave him a sidelong look. "To Annapolis, for one."

  "Not necessarily, princess. These days there are other ways for guys like me to get a commission."

  "None that I know of."

  "How does hard work sound?"

  She wrinkled her nose. "Not very appealing. Most of the people I know went to Annapolis."

  He threw back his head and laughed out loud.

  "Excuse me," she said, sounding vaguely affronted. "Did I say something amusing?"

  "That bit about Annapolis--” He stopped. "You were being funny, weren't you?"

  "No," she said, looking slightly flustered--and altogether too adorable for his taste. "I'm afraid I don't get the joke."

  He considered telling her that most of t
he Annapolis grads he'd met had been lazy as a tree stump and about as smart. As far as Rick was concerned, none of them would last five minutes on the streets where he grew up. But what would telling her that prove? He already knew her well enough to know she'd get all prickly and hot-tempered and this friendly interlude would come to a crashing end.

  He smiled at her, and to his surprise, she smiled back. "It wasn't very funny," he said, wondering how her hair would feel, drifting between his fingers.

  Eden smiled back. To her surprise, she was elated that they had actually managed something akin to a pleasant interlude.

  He pulled into the curving driveway and came to a stop behind a jaunty red convertible and a green car of indeterminate age.

  "I know the convertible," said Rick, shifting into neutral and setting the brake.

  "Everyone knows the convertible," said Eden, chuckling. "Daddy says he's been taking a good deal of teasing over being seen in my little auto.” Admiral Forrester had handed over his Oldsmobile to his daughter for the duration because it was easier for her with the cast and crutches.

  Rick nodded toward the green vehicle. "Who owns the jalopy?"

  Eden had been so busy congratulating herself on winning over the diffident sailor that she hadn't noticed the rented car. "Tony's here!” She clapped her hands in delight. "I haven't seen him in absolutely ages.” Since his marriage her brother had become an infrequent visitor. Eden hadn't acquitted herself very well with her sister-in-law but she wasn't the only one. Her father's feelings on Tony's marriage were well known to all. She knew she was the apple of her brother's eye but things were different now. She adored Tony, but Tony was no longer the sophisticated college man who used to visit her at school and charm the bobby sox off her friends with his tall tales and outrageous good humor. This Tony would rather gaze into his wife's eyes, not see to it that his little sister was having a good time.

  "Isn't your brother a teacher or something?"

  "Doctor," she corrected proudly. "He graduated second in his class from Cornell.” She neglected to mention the fact that Lilly Aoki Forrester graduated first.

  Rick was obviously impressed, just as she'd hoped he would be. What was the use of having a genius brother if you couldn't impress somebody with his accomplishments?

  "Where does he practice?" asked Byrne. "Park Avenue in New York City?"

  Now that would have been something to brag about. Eden had high hopes that one day Tony would come to his senses and do exactly that. "Lanai," she said, her voice subdued.

  "You're kidding."

  "Hardly.” She lifted her chin. "My brother is attending physician for the families working there."

  "I thought only pineapples lived on Lanai."

  She giggled despite herself. "Well, my brother takes care of the people who grow the pineapples."

  "Must be lonely for him."

  Eden shrugged. "I doubt it. He's married."

  They fell silent. There was a great deal more Eden could say about her sister-in-law but she held her tongue. She'd much rather think about her wonderful older brother and how splendid it was that he'd come to Honolulu for a visit. Her spirits brightened. Maybe he hadn't brought Lilly with him! Wouldn't it be grand if Lilly had had to stay behind to watch over their patients?

  Next to her, Rick shifted awkwardly in the driver's seat. If this had been a date he would have stretched grandly then inched his hand across the back of the bench until his fingertips grazed the warm skin of her shoulder. He would have shifted a little in his seat then leaned over kind of casual-like, until he got close enough to see by the look in her eyes that the lady was willing. Unfortunately this wasn't a date and the moment seemed to stretch uncomfortably between them while he waited for her to get out.

  "Geez," he mumbled under his breath. "What a jerk.” He leaped from the Oldsmobile and rounded the front of the auto, then opened the passenger door. She waited while he pulled the crutches from the back seat then rested them against the fender. "Okay, lean on me," he said, reaching for her hand. "Count of three..."

  It wasn't anything like the last time with the primitive fire burning in the darkness and the exhilarating feel of his muscled chest against her cheek. Rick was all business, his movements spare and efficient as he helped her from the car and adjusted her crutches.

  "I'll see you to your door."

  She readjusted the right crutch to a more comfortable position then shook her head. "No need. I'm fine."

  "You'll need someone to unlock the door."

  "You must be from the city. We don't lock our doors here."

  His face reddened. He'd have to remember not everyone lived in fear. "I'll see you to your door," he repeated. "I promised your old man."

  "Daddy thinks I'm still a little girl," she said with a small laugh. "If he had his way, I'd be in pigtails and knee socks until my twenty-first birthday."

  "If I were your father, I'd keep you under lock and key until your twenty-first birthday."

  She stopped walking and looked up at him. "You'd do what?"

  His face grew redder still. "Forget I said anything."

  "You'd keep me under lock and key," she said. "Isn't that what you said?"

  "I'd keep any daughter of mine under lock and key," he answered, struggling to find some way out of it. "Not just you."

  Eden suppressed a self-satisfied, extremely female smile. So you aren't immune, Rick Byrne, she thought. It was good to know that, broken leg or no, she hadn't lost her touch.

  Chapter Seven

  Although she would rather die than admit it, Eden was grateful to have Rick by her side as she maneuvered along the gravel path that led to the front door. It had drizzled earlier and her crutches showed a dismaying tendency to slip out from under her. His strong hand at her elbow kept her upright through more than one near miss. He'd never let you fall. The thought both comforted and frightened her.

  "House is dark," he observed as they reached the porch with its bamboo welcome mat. "Never figured your old man for an early bird."

  "Daddy believes in schedules," she said. "Tony and Lilly are just like him.” Eight hours sleep. Three square meals a day. Regular exercise. As predictable and boring as the afternoon winds that blew across the islands like clockwork.

  "How do you fit in?" His expression was openly curious. "I mean, you don't seem the type to stick to a schedule."

  "I'm not. I guess I take after my mother.” Marguerite Forrester had been a free-spirited artist, as unsuited to being a military wife as anybody you could possibly imagine. And yet Marguerite had managed a successful marriage and two children and never once become dull or boring in the process.

  "Do you look like her?” Rick couldn't believe he'd asked such a stupid, transparent question. As if she needed to know one more idiotic sailor thought her beautiful.

  "I have her hair and her eyes. Everyone wishes I had her disposition. Unfortunately, I'm as stubborn as Daddy.” She had also inherited her mother's artistic talent but she still lacked the patience to do much of anything with her ability beyond random sketches and paintings. She wanted everything now, this minute. Yesterday would be even better. There was so much to see and experience in life that she begrudged each moment spent sleeping--or waiting for her foolish leg to mend.

  Rick shifted his weight from foot to foot. If he'd thought the moment in the car was awkward, this beat it all to hell. She looked so lovely there in the moonlight, so damn kissable that he questioned his sanity in letting the opportunity slip through his hands.

  Eden could feel the tension building between them as they stood near each other on the narrow porch. She knew all-too-well the intoxicating effect a Hawaiian night could have on even the most recalcitrant male and if she intended to keep the upper hand in their relationship she should make it her business to get inside post haste. If there was one thing Eden recognized, it was a man with kissing on his mind. Rick Byrne might not like her very much, but that didn't stop him from wanting to kiss her and Eden had the f
eeling that he just might do exactly that.

  And what if he did, she thought. It's not like she hadn't deflected a thousand passes in her day. Why, she'd summarily put poor Billy in his place earlier that very evening and not given it a second thought except for worrying about her father's ire. Of course this time it might not be so easy. She cast a surreptitious glance at Rick who was busy inspecting the porch railing. Her father had certainly done his homework when he chose this eighth--and final--driver. She had the feeling Rick Byrne wasn't intimidated by very many things and certainly not by a 5'2" admiral's daughter.

  If he wanted to kiss her, he would kiss her. There was nothing she could do to stop him if he decided to do so. Her breath caught at the very notion. Any second he would bend down and sweep her up into his arms, crutches and all, the way he had back on that darkened patch of highway when he'd wanted to show her the burning sugar cane fields. He hadn't kissed her then but he would now. Her heart beat faster as she imagined his mouth on hers, the demanding pressure of his lips, the heat of his hands against her back, her—

  "I'd better shove off," he said, stepping off the porch and plunging his hands into his trouser pockets. He met her eyes but she could read nothing in his expression. "What time do you want me back tomorrow?"

  She blinked, struggling to banish the disturbing image of herself in his embrace. "Wh-what?"

  "Tomorrow," he repeated, the faintest glimmer of a smile flickering at the corners of his mouth. "You. Me. Your daddy's Oldsmobile."

  "Right," she managed. "Of course." She'd been so sure he was going to kiss her that his sudden disinterest left her reeling. She had originally planned to spend a lazy day sunning on the patio but that was before she knew her sister-in-law would be there. The house hadn't been built that was big enough for Eden and her sister-in-law. "I think I'd like to go over to the club for lunch then spend the afternoon on the beach."