Page 42 of Riptide

“You need a lesson perhaps? I can think of a few ways to teach you.” His voice dripped with sexuality.

As his thumb stroked her palm, it fired off an awareness inside her she found difficult to resist. Something about this man would drive her into submission. Anticipation of his touch stirred within her. Like a drug addict, she craved him.

Kaimana looked up to him, her heart pounding in her chest. “Okay…let’s do this.”

“It will be fun,” Seth promised.

She held tight to his hand as they descended into the maze. The dirt path, lit with dim multicolored lights along its edges, wound through three-foot high stone planters. Thick towering stalks of bamboo created a never-ending labyrinth with music filtering into the night.

Faceless laughter erupted around them. Startled by the noise, she kept close to him as they moved in the darkness. Kaimana’s heart pounded in her chest as one of the paths came to a dead end. “Did I mention I’m not a fan of mazes?”

“Trust, sweetheart.”

“It’s really dark in here,” she commented her eyes still adjusting.

“Just think of all the prizes.” Seth turned right and led them down an empty path.

“If we go back the other way, I think we might be able to—” Kaimana lost her words as they turned another corner and bumped directly into a fairy princess.

Flickering lights illuminated her shimmering dress. With a delicate rhinestone tiara crowning her long raven locks, the princess giggled while extending two golden glittered bags. “Welcome to nirvana. May the night liberate you and fill your soul with happiness.”

“Hello,” Kaimana managed, her eyes wide, still taking in the sight of the elaborate costume. The princess’s white teeth beamed through her cherry-red painted lips.

“I come bearing gifts to the first guests who find me.” She blew a kiss to Seth, who remained silent.

“This one? Or that one?” she asked in a high-pitched sing-song voice.

“Um, what?” Kaimana glanced at Seth who shrugged.

“A gift bag, silly. Choose wisely. For I bestow special gifts.”

“I don’t do drugs.” Kaimana set a hand on her hip.

“You are new here, aren’t you?” The princess giggled. “We don’t ever do that here. We’ve got our own high going. But these gifts are very special. The kind you open in private if you know what I mean. Or public, depending on what you’re into.”

Seth nodded at Kaimana whose head was spinning. “I don’t know. I guess this one.” She pointed to the bag on the right and accepted it as the fairy princess slid the gold-corded handle over her fingers and onto her wrist.

“Thank you,” Kaimana told her.

Seth nodded without speaking and leaned over, giving an oversized bow to the crowned woman.

“Silent but sexy type.” The princess winked at Seth.

“He’s mine,” Kaimana snapped, unable to hide the growing possessive feelings stabbing at her.

“This way.” Seth tugged at her hand, pulling her deeper into the maze.

“Let me put this bag down,” she told him, but he didn’t stop moving.

Seth ducked into a semicircular alcove and turned to face Kaimana. “No, no, my jealous sweetheart.”

“I’m not…I didn’t mean anything.” Kaimana craned her head around him as a shirtless man chased a nude painted woman through the maze.

“I think it’s time we explored this thing between us,” he said.

“But we should find our way out first,” she protested.

“You claimed me back there. The princess is a witness.”