Annie's Rainbow - Fern Michaels [80]
“I was wrong to say the things I said. Your life was none of my business. I’m sorry for that. The truth is, I’m embarrassed,” Annie said.
“No, you were right. Old traditions die hard. I thought I was doing what my parents wanted me to do. I tried to make it right. It took me a little while. I wanted to call you and tell you how it all went, but you were so vehement that day. I guess I thought you’d say something like, you know, too much, too little, too late. Kiki says it’s never too late if you mean what you say. Thanks to you, I have a family again. You could have called me to tell me how you were or just to talk business, Annie. I spent hours, days, weeks, and months waiting for the phone to ring.”
“I wanted to call you. I picked up the phone a hundred times, maybe two hundred.” Annie smiled. “I guess I didn’t want to hear you tell me to mind my own business.”
“We lost a lot of years, Anna Daisy Clark.”
“I know that, Parker Grayson.”
“I thought there was a rainbow behind the waterfalls when I first got here. I’ve done everything in the world to find you with the exception of calling out the National Guard. Today I finally gave up and came here to lick my wounds.”
Her hand was suddenly in his. It felt cool and soft. He inched closer. “I fell in love with you that day, Annie.”
“I fell in love with you, too, Parker.” At least I think I did.
“Does that mean we are in love, Annie?”
“I can only speak for myself. I am.” Liar, liar, liar.
“Me too. What should we do about it?”
“You think about it, Parker, while I go for a swim.”
Parker watched as the rainbow-colored island dress slithered to the ground. A second later, two pieces of lace sailed backward, and then she was gone, through the falls and down into the sparkling blue pool.
“My mother didn’t raise any fools,” Parker muttered as his bathing trunks fell on top of the rainbow dress. He executed a perfect dive, slicing through the water and then rising to the top like a phoenix, his body glistening with diamondlike droplets of water.
“Great dive! I just jumped,” Annie said, treading water.
“As children we spent most of our days diving from the rock. You should see my sister Teke dive. She’s good enough to be an Olympic champion. I was the worst compared to them.”
“A pity she never got the chance to do that,” Annie said.
“You’re driving home a point, eh? You’re right, though. Teke’s son is following in her footsteps. He’s a great surfer, too. He’s one of the top three to surf the Banzai Pipeline. He wants to be a dentist.”
Annie laughed, then did a perfect jackknife, diving down into the crystal waters and coming up behind him. She reached for his head and pushed him under. They frolicked then like children until they were both exhausted.
“I think it’s time to get out. Even my toenails are puckered,” Annie said. She had a bad moment when she realized she was stark naked. Being naked in the water was different from being naked and climbing up on a ledge with your butt in the air. “You go first,” she said magnanimously.
Parker laughed. “I’m a gentleman, first, last, and always. After you.”
Annie grimaced. “Then turn around!”
“Not in this lifetime. After you,” Parker said, waving his arm gallantly.
“I need a boost.”
Parker cupped his hands for Annie to step into. She did and then gave one kick that sent him flying backward into the pool. She scrambled upward, and by the time Parker made his way to the stone chair, she was dressed in the rainbow island dress. “Nice buns,” she giggled. “Turn around!”
“Cold water does . . . It isn’t always . . . just you never mind, Annie Clark,” Parker said hoarsely.
“What should we do now? Shouldn’t we be having adrenaline rushes and fast-beating hearts?.” Annie continued to giggle.
His bathing trunks secure, Parker reached for her hand and yanked her off the stone chair.
“Wherever are you taking me, Parker Grayson?” Annie asked coyly as she was dragged alongside Parker, her feet barely touching the ground.
“To my lair, that’s where.”
On the last bounce before