*Shelby*That had worked out so much better than I could have imagined. As we wandered through the rest of the aquarium, I felt elated. My heart pounded, and my cheeks tinged red, no doubt from the excitement that, yes, things were working out. I could actually relax, at least for now. I was free. I stared at some tropical fish displaying a menagerie of colors, going over just how much of a dream my time with Michael had been. Except, now it didn’t have to just be a dream or a few days of luxury. This all could be a reality while I advanced in my career like I was meant to. Well, somewhat. I was jumping to conclusions. I furrowed my brow, refocusing on Michael, who was standing behind me, and focused on the fish. It took him a few seconds to realize I had turned to look at him. “Something the matter?” he asked, his voice dripping with concern. He inspected me, no doubt trying to discern if stress was still weighing on my shoulders. A much less potent version of i
*Shelby**4 Months Later*“That’s a cute bikini. I’ve said it once, and I will say it again. Michael is one lucky man,” Lin said as I folded a light blue bikini top in my suitcase.“Do you think he will like it?” I asked as my cheeks warmed at the thought of an entire week alone with Michael.We had been surviving the long-distance relationship with late-night phone calls and short weekend trips to see each other. Michael had begged me to take a vacation with him during my Thanksgiving break, but the guilt of leaving my grandfather home alone over the holiday put an end to that daydream. “Shelby, Michael would like you in just about anything. I don’t know why you’re worried about what you’re wearing anyway. If I had an unbelievably rich silver fox that was taking me on a week-long vacation to Maui, I’m pretty sure I’d be naked the whole trip,” Lin responded with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.I wadded up a pair of shorts I was just about to pack and c
*Shelby*I gladly took the glass of champagne from Michael as he guided me up the steps of his private jet, his hand gently resting on the small of my back.The cabin was decorated in cool tones accented by black leather seats and couches. The shades were halfway drawn on each of the windows, and the lights slightly dimmed, giving a romantic glow to the space. I stood in the center of the cabin, unsure of where to sit or how to behave on a private flight. “Make yourself comfortable, and I will let the pilot know that we are ready to take off,” Micheal said. Before walking away, he slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me in for another slow kiss. The smell of his sandalwood cologne enveloped me, and I instantly felt at ease.I took a seat on one of the couches, embellished with a caramel-colored fur blanket over the armrest. I took a sip of the champagne, and Michael returned, taking the seat next to me. “We are about ready to go. We will b
*Michael*Shelby squeezed my hand tightly when the wheels hit the tarmac. I could tell that flying made her nervous, so I reached out and placed my hand on her thigh. She looked up at me with a weak smile which I returned.“You are absolutely going to love this resort. I stayed here on business, and since we started dating, I have been thinking about how much you would enjoy it here,” I said, hoping to distract her from the jet landing.“I can’t wait to see it. Can we explore the island a little tomorrow? I have always wanted to visit Hawaii. The wildlife here is so diverse. I really hope we get a chance to see some in the wild,” she said.I wasn’t sure if she realized that the jet had fully landed and was pulling into the hangar.“We can do whatever you like tomorrow. I know a guy who funds a bird sanctuary here; maybe we could stop in if you are interested.”“That sounds amazing,” Shelby said with a bright smile.With the plane on the ground, I stoo
*Shelby*I woke to a soft breeze dancing across my face, the open windows letting the sunlight stream into the giant space of the bedroom. I lay there awhile, enjoying Michael’s warmth next to me and watching the curtains drift lightly, each gust of wind brought in the clean smell of the ocean air.Michael started to stir next to me, and eventually, he opened his eyes and greeted me with a sleepy smile.“Good morning, beautiful. I could get used to this,” he said.“Get used to what exactly,” I pushed, even though I knew what he was talking about.“Waking up next to you every morning,” he said as he brushed his hand up my exposed thigh.“I could get used to it, too,” I said, leaning down and letting our lips brush lightly together. “What is for breakfast?” I asked, my lips still touching his. “How about you go make yourself comfortable on the back deck, and I will call room service,” Michael said, kissing me again.I wrapped a satin robe ar
*Shelby*“Would you care for another drink, miss?” one of the maids asked.“I would love one, thank you,” I said and then turned my attention back to the book I was reading. I’d spent the last hour on the back deck next to the infinity pool, reading the book Michael gave me. The past few days, we’d spent our time exploring different hiking trails across the resort, swimming in the ocean, and relaxing by the pool. The heat was starting to get to me, so I set down my book, slipped off my coverup, and eased myself into the pool's refreshing water. I waded around for a few minutes, careful not to get my hair wet.Michael took me to a fancy restaurant every night, and I wouldn’t have time to get my hair dry again before it was time to leave.“I will just set your drink on the table. Oh, and miss? Your phone is ringing. Would you like me to bring it to you?” the maid said as she set a fruity drink down next to my things.“Oh, would you mind?” I asked wad
*Shelby*“Shelby, I didn’t hear you come in,” Micheal said softly.“Yeah, obviously,” I said in response, my eyebrows knitting together in concern.“Where would you like to go for dinner?” he asked, clearly trying to change the subject. “I have been wanting to try that barbeque place that is at the far end of the resort.”His phone started ringing in his pocket; he pulled it out, silenced it, and shoved it back into his pocket.“Who were you just talking to? It sounded pretty intense. Are they calling you again?” I asked, taking in Michael’s frustrated expression. I had heard him be stern over the phone before, usually with the higher-ups of his company, Express Air. However, I had never heard him so angry. He also never kept things from me. Usually, he would get off those phone calls and tell me exactly what was upsetting him. He would tell me the entire situation and ask for my opinion on how to respond to the situation. What was he hiding from me
*Shelby*“That is where we are having dinner,” Michael said, referring to the small island we were coming up on.Michael went back to the wheel and left me to watch as we got closer and closer to the island. A weathered dock floated on the water, and a pebbled pathway led further onto the island. Michael expertly docked the boat, and by the time we disembarked, the sunset had faded, and darkness was creeping into the sky. The pathway was lit by tiki torches on each side, illuminating our pathway.“How did you get this set up so fast?” I asked, awestruck.“Don’t ruin the magic,” Michael said and leaned down for a kiss. My fingers intertwined with his, and we walked side by side down the pathway. Within five minutes, the path gave way to a clearing with a wooden table set up in the center. A stream bubbled off to one side down a series of mini waterfalls. The entire clearing was illuminated by the light of tiki torches. “This is unreal,” I w