Bevis expertly aligned the small light aircraft with the portable runway lights Electra had lit ten minutes ago, and lightly touched down. He taxied neatly to the end of the runway, turned, and then parked the plane near a stand of hua trees, where it was partially hidden.He went through his checklist, making sure all the systems were shut down, then locked the cockpit, grabbed his overnight bag, and jumped lithely to the ground.At thirty-eight, he looked a good ten years younger, and still retained the well-built but fat-free body that would be the envy of many men his age. His short hair was still as dark as a raven’s wing, with not a hint of grey at the temples.He gathered up the landing lights, turning them off as he went, and stowed them away in their small wooden shed, hidden in the small copse of trees, padlocking the door after him.During the short walk to Electra’s luxurious bungalow, ‘Makai Hale’, he ran a tired hand through his hair. It was good to have a break from the
King Koki’Hana reached the end of the welcoming line, and finally shook hands with the last person to be presented - a tall, thin Portuguese man, whom Electra had introduced as their head groundsman. It was his job to keep the gardens outside the glasshouses looking good.Koki’Hana quite liked meeting the people who made businesses tick. Oahu, like all the islands, was a large ethnic mix of people - Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Polynesians, Portuguese and American. Here at the Orchid House, he was pleased to see that Electra Stapleton’s only criterion for picking her staff was their having the right qualifications for the job. He operated a similar policy where his own business affairs were concerned.‘Well, Alii Koki’Hana, I’m sure you can see now why the Orchid House is such a success,’ Electra said quietly. ‘My staff are simply the best in the world.’ She said with it quiet pride but total sincerity.King Koki’Hana nodded. ‘So I see. And you are rapidly expanding, I underst
George Dixon watched the large crocodile of people emerge from the intermediary house by the east wall.As the owner of fifteen per cent of the Orchid House, he’d been asked to attend the full day’s festivities, of course, but he’d only just decided to put in an appearance.It was three-fifteen p.m.The extra waiters and waitresses hired for the lunch had been circulating in the grounds all afternoon, laden with trays of champagne, fruit juice and little nibbles. He hijacked a waiter and grabbed a glass of cold Moet et Chandon and a few smoked salmon pastries that melted in the mouth.He was lounging against the fountain that was the centre-piece of the outer grounds. Round, made of stone, and full of fish and water-lilies, it shot a fountain of water nearly thirty feet into the air.It was cooler there.George didn’t much like the heat. He was a small but very fat man, with a round belly and short, stocky legs. He could only imagine what the heat must be like inside the hot-houses.G
Lohano Tiki drove his bright yellow Ferrari up the long gravel incline and parked in front of the huge pillared portico that was the entrance to the Black Orchid Palace.He climbed out of the car, and quickly ducked down to check his hair in the wing-mirror.Good. Nicely wind-ruffled and carefree.A handsome, square-jawed face looked back at him, tanned a deeper colour by the desert sun.By the Nevadan desert sun, to be exact.His shirt was dazzling white and casually opened at the throat to reveal a strong dark column of neck and the first few wisps of dark chest hair.His jacket was white linen, faultlessly tailored, his slacks a dark green. His loafers came from Rome. His only piece of jewellery was a modest, leather-strapped watch from Switzerland.He was dressing to impress Koki’Hana as much as his rebellious and strong-willed granddaughter.He sprang lithely up the four rounded steps, that were spread out like a fan and led to the huge, impressive, carved oak doors of the palace
A bateau-mouche glided over the dark water of the Seine. The glow from the lamplight joined the silvery light of the moon to dance on the spreading wake.It had been a long day, Nathan Damaron reflected, casually slipping his hands into his pockets as he strolled along the rough stones of the quay. But Paris never disappointed. The city was like a beautiful woman, seductive in her diamond lights and intriguing scents. Spring was in the air and lovers were in each other’s arms.“Excuse me?”A young woman materialized in front of him. So suddenly had she appeared, he was instantly forced to halt before he walked right into her. He caught sight of a lovely face, long brown hair, and a smile.“Would you mind kissing me as if you’re madly in love with me and are never going to let me go?” she asked in a rush. Without waiting for his answer, she threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his.Instantly, he grabbed her upper arms, intending to imtangle them from around his neck a
Surely they’d heard the same thing. The Hotel Crillon had formerly been a palace, built for Louis XV. Royalty. Palace. It had seemed funny to her, but her little attempt at breaking the ice fell flat. Instead of cracking jokes, she counseled herself, she should concentrate on accomplishing what she’d come for, then getting out with her skin still intact.“The Hotel Crillon is the closest exclusive, high-priced hotel to the place where—” She stopped again, this time for a different reason, and cleared her throat. “Where—”“Where you threw yourself at me and kissed me,” he supplied, his tone helpful, his expression anything but.At the second mention of a kiss, the attitude of the other two Damarons changed slightly. Now they seemed more interested than hostile. With a glance at each other, they settled back in their chairs, obviously having no intention of going anywhere.Danielle passed her fingers across her forehead. She could feel her face growing hot with embarrassment. “Look. If
He’d been smiled at by many beautiful women, but there was something unique about Danielle.Very few things he could think of would have gained her his complete and undivided attention as quickly as the Idss had. It had been a sucker punch. He hadn’t seen it coming, and when it did arrive, he’d been helpless to guard against it.He’d been thinking about it ever since.He’d looked forward to their next encounter, because he’d thought he would be able to make her pay for kissing him as she had, for making him want her, then for running away with another man.But she’d fooled him.“Isn’t a scavenger hunt kids’ play?”“I suppose it depends on your point of view. My friends and I thought it was great fun, and we didn’t break too many laws.”“Too many?”She shrugged. “More importantly, no one got hurt.”“I suppose that depends on your point of view.”“You’re talking about the kiss, aren’t you?”“That was the only part of the scavenger hunt I was personally involved in.”Firmly she shook her
He slowly smiled. “Dani.”By the time she returned to the apartment, her friends had already crashed for the night. She threaded her way across a floor full of sleeping bodies and made it to the bathroom. There, she undressed, washed up, and finally, in a T-shirt and boxer shorts, sHpped into her own sleeping bag.“Dani?” she heard her friend Marcia whisper.She rolled over to face her. “Yeah?” she whispered back.“How’d it go?”“Somewhere between the Spanish Inquisition and a meat grinder.”“Hey, at least you’re back in one piece.”“I’m not so sure.”“Why?”“He wants me to fly back with him on his private jet tomorrow and attend a ball Saturday night.”“Hey, way to go. Sounds like you caught yourself, Damaron.”“I don’t think so. It’s more like he caught me.”There was a subtle grace about Dani, even while she slept, Nathan reflected as he watched her. They hadn’t really talked since they’d boarded the jet in Paris. As was his custom, he’d pulled out his work even before the jet bega