"Yeah. I'm getting all three shorts and a few extra shirts." He glanced down athis bare feet. "I, uh, didn't think my black socks and shoes went with the outfit."

"Good thinking. It just so happens the shoe department is right over there. Let'ssee what size you are and we'll get you fixed up right away."

By the time they reached the condo it was late afternoon and both of them hadtheir arms full of packages. Once inside, they dumped them in the middle of thefloor.

"I think we bought out the stores," he said, staring at the pile in wonderment.

"I still can't believe you actually bought a ukulele. You must be a glutton forpunishment."

"How can you be in Hawaii and not want to play some of their songs? Now you havethe songbook to help you."

"Uh-huh," Jodie replied, sounding skeptical. She looked around. "All right. Let'ssort them out."

"What did you sneak off and buy while I was trying on shoes?" Dean asked, sortingthrough and picking out his purchases.

"A dress to wear for the luau tonight. I thought as long as you're going native, Imight as well join you."

They carried the packages and sacks to their respective bedrooms. Before goinginto hers, Jodie looked at him and said, "I'm going to need a nap if I'm going tostay up late tonight."

"I was thinking along the same lines. I'll set my alarm to ring in a couple ofhours."

"Thanks."

Once inside her room, Jodie leaned against the closed door, dropping her packages.What in the world was wrong with her! She felt as though scales had dropped fromher eyes. How could she ever have thought Dean wasn't attractive? Maybe it was theenvironment and seeing him away from the business. He seemed so earnest aboutlearning how to vacation. She wondered if he'd ever done anything like this before.How sad if he hadn't.

What bothered her was the amused affection she'd felt for him all afternoon asthey'd looked at clothes. When she'd run her hands across his shoulders, she'd feltthe ripple of muscle beneath her fingers and had a sudden longing to continuetouching him.

Without a doubt, she was in trouble. They'd been gone two days, and here she wasgetting all tingly whenever she looked at him.

Of course, she wasn't going to do anything about it. That would be too foolish toconsider. But there was no law against looking-if she could keep herself from doingsomething obvious, like drooling.

Five.

His wristwatch alarm woke Dean and he was surprised how soundly he'd slept. He saton the side of the bed and looked out the sliding glass doors. The sky was turningto a deep blue as the day faded. Checking his watch again, he went down the hallway and knocked on Jodie's door.

There was no response.

Finally he opened the door and saw her sound asleep, a cover thrown over her.

"Jodie?"

No answer.

He walked over to the bed. "Jodie, it's time to wake up."

"'Kay," she mumbled into the pillow without moving.

Giving in to temptation, he turned on the radio on her night table and turned up

the volume, which certainly did the trick. She jerked up on all fours and lookedall around in alarm.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you," he said, trying not to smile.

She sat back on her heels. "Oh. Guess I should have warned you. I'm a soundsleeper."

"I gathered that. I'll let you get ready and meet you in the living room."

"Are you going to wear your new clothes?"

"Absolutely," he said and removed himself from the room.

"Wow," she said to him when she joined him later.

"You've definitely gone native."

"When in Rome..." he said with a shrug, trying not to stare.

She wore a tropical print with a sea-blue background. It looked to be wrapped

around her, revealing her shapely shoulders and hugging her delectable body. Therewas little evidence of the secretary tonight.

"What do you think?" she asked and slowly turned in a circle.

He swallowed. "Looks good. Fits nicely."

She laughed. "Actually it's a wrap. The clerk showed me how to put it on. I'mwearing an honest-to-goodness sarong."

That's when he knew he was in serious trouble.

She walked toward him. "I also bought this shell necklace to go with it." She tookhis arm. "This is going to be so much fun, I just know it."

He silently agreed-if he could survive the evening without grabbing her andkissing her senseless.

Jodie decided that the luau was everything she'd dreamed about and more.Foods-some she liked better than others-and mai tais, a drink she'd never hadbefore and found delicious, all added to the occasion. The native dances called toher. She had no idea how the women moved their hips so rapidly to the beat of thedrums.

It was the drums that kept her pulse throbbing. She glanced at Dean beside her,who seemed to be enjoying himself and the entertainment. She glanced back at theyoung women. They really were something. Every man there watched them with avideyes.

She leaned against his shoulder and gave him a slight nudge. "Think you coulddance and play the drums like that?"

He glanced at her. "I wouldn't attempt to try. Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Oh, yes."

"You might want to go easy on the rum drinks. They have a delayed kick."

She looked at her almost-empty glass. Was that her second one or her third? "Oh.They taste like fruit juice." She glanced over at his glass. "What are youdrinking?"

"Pina colada. Want to try it?"

"No, thanks." She sipped on her drink. "There can't be much rum in this or I'd beable to taste it."

"You're not much of a drinker, are you?"

"Not really." She grinned. "But I'm on vacation, so I thought I'd indulge."

The drums came to a sudden stop and Jodie looked around. The dancing girls werecarrying leis in their arms and placing them around each guest's neck.

She liked the way Dean looked with the flowers draped over his shoulders.

"Are you ready to go back to the condo?" he asked.

"Sure." They had walked along the beach to this location and would walk back. Hehelped her up and she realized that she was a little dizzy. Maybe Dean had beenright about the drinks.

He slipped his arm around her waist and she naturally did the same to him. Helooked good tonight. The shorts he'd chosen to wear showed off his muscular legs.She smoothed his shirt beneath her hand, enjoying the feel of him. She smiled toherself. This was definitely a romantic evening, and Dean was fulfilling herfantasy of a midnight stroll with someone she cared about.

As they ambled along the edge of the water, she looked up into the sky and said,"I've never seen the stars so bright."

"Big cities tend to put off too much light to see the stars."

"That explains it." She rested her head on his shoulder. The sound of the surfadded a sensuous rhythm to the night. She'd never been this close to Dean beforeand she inhaled the scent of his aftershave.

His warmth radiated along her side, and her body tingled everywhere they touched.

"It's going to be hard to top this experience," she said dreamily to break thesilence that had fallen between them. They turned toward the path that led to thecondos. When he didn't answer, she lifted her head and looked at him. He looked grim as he stared ahead of them. She eased away from him and promptly stumbled.

He grabbed her arm to keep her from falling.