Meet Me in Hawaii by Georgia Toffolo (best affordable ebook reader TXT) 📗

and he was powerless to stop it. Try as he might, he couldn’t dampen his instinctive response to her and the effect she had on those around her – another reason to keep these interactions brief, even as the appeal of working from the beach and hanging around more persisted.

‘Come and see what I can do!’ Tara beckoned and he realized he’d slowed to a halt, Jonny now several strides ahead.

‘I’m coming.’ He picked up his pace, the reminder to play it cool on repeat in his head. He lay his surfboard down next to Louis and ruffled the boy’s hair as he examined his moat. ‘Looking good, mate.’

Louis grinned up at him. ‘You going in?’

‘Yup, you coming?’ The more kids around him and Malie the better!

‘In a bit.’ He went back to his task, scooping up sand with his hands and piling it to the side. ‘I told Tara I could get down as far as my armpit.’

Todd laughed. ‘Good luck with that.’

And then he carried on into the surf, every step closer to them, to Malie, teasing his quickening pulse. That sensation would surely ease at some point, she couldn’t hold this power over him for the entire duration of his stay. He would become accustomed to her beauty, her smile, her fun-loving and caring persona, wouldn’t he?

He reached the board. Malie looked at him from the other side, her face so vibrant, and he knew she’d been as caught up in Tara’s joy as he had been. Her eyes sparkled off the water, her brown honey-streaked hair a mixture of windswept and sea-crisped curls that blew around her flawless bronze skin. He wanted to reach out, take hold of one corkscrew curl and wrap it around his finger, lean in to kiss those lips that he knew would taste of the sea now and be just as sweet as they had been last night… distance, keep your distance.

‘She’s learning to pop like a pro,’ Malie said, her eyes dropping to Tara, but not so quick that he missed the way her lashes flickered, a hint of colour streaking across her cheeks. Had her thoughts gone down a similar route or had she simply read it all in his face?

Way to go at playing it cool…

He snapped his attention to Tara.

‘Pop like a pro, you say?’ He gave a wide-eyed nod, grateful his voice sounded suitably impressed, rather than strained. ‘How cool.’

‘It’s totally rad, Mr Masters.’

‘Learning the language too, even better, I’m sure your parents will approve.’ He gave her a wink and she giggled.

‘They’ll be happy when they see what I’ve learned.’

‘I’m sure they will, they’ll be along shortly to pick you up.’

She gave him a pout. ‘Can’t I just go back with the rest of the gang?’

‘Not today, kiddo.’

She huffed. ‘Fine.’

‘Hey, don’t be like that, I want to see the fun from seconds ago – don’t forget I’m here to see you surf.’

Now she grinned. ‘Too right, you are.’

But the girl had a point, the fact her parents insisted on being her transport to and from the hotel was madness. And he knew it stemmed from their over-protectiveness. It was something he would have to work on if he was to help Tara feel normal, just a part of the group this holiday, and have her parents relax, take some decent time out together.

‘You OK, Todd?’ Malie’s voice was soft and he realized she was frowning up at him.

‘Yeah, of course.’

She nodded and studied him a second longer before breaking off to scan the sea and bend down to Tara. ‘You ready?’

‘Yup… ready, Nalu?’ Tara nodded to the dog who gave a quick woof and wriggled back into position.

Malie moved to the rear of the board. ‘You best stand back a little, Todd.’

He did as she asked and braced himself for the wave that was approaching.

‘1… 2… 3!’ She shoved the board forward with the surge of water and it caught the wave. In the blink of an eye Tara was up on her feet, crouched low and not a wobble in sight.

‘That’s awesome, Tara!’ he called out.

The other kids were all watching her now and yelled out their own much cooler accolades and his entire body lifted with happiness for her, their group and… he turned to look at Malie as she gave an excited whoop and his breath hitched. She was captivating. Her grin electric, her eyes alive and sparkling with… tears… tears of joy?

She must have sensed his eyes on her as she flicked him a quick look. ‘Sorry… it’s just such a rush when your kids catch a wave.’

‘No apology necessary.’

It was such a rush and he could witness it all in Malie: the colour in her cheeks, the brightness of her eyes, the elation in her voice. He could feel it in himself, too. And the connection that had been building from the moment they’d met tugged at him now. He’d never needed to share his passion with another, never craved the companionship of a friend or anything more, but he couldn’t ignore the glimpse of what that connection might be like, if he stopped fighting it and let her in.

And then what?

It ends in whatever way life dictates and you go the way of your father.

No. Just no.

She turned to look at him properly now and he snapped himself out of it. He was being ridiculous and fanciful, and he blamed it entirely on the euphoria of seeing the kids excel. Nothing else.

‘I love that you still get a kick out of it, regardless of how long you’ve been doing it.’

She gave him a smile and started to walk towards the shore. ‘I can’t imagine ever not. I’m sure it’s the same for you, no matter how many children you help.’

He followed close behind her, ‘That’s true enough.’

‘Although I can’t understand how you have the time to do it all…’ She looked back at him briefly, her frown curious.

‘All?’

‘Yes, your work and your charity. I thought you were just the