“No, of course not,” she said, shaking her head. “I've hardly been outside of Tennessee.”
“That's why I want to take you there,” he replied. “A city will be full of people that want to take our pictures and force us to blend in. Let's take a flight to Hawaii today and make this the best trip of our lives.”
Her heart was beating wildly now. She felt like jumping up and down, and she probably would have if she wasn't still naked underneath the covers.
“That sounds incredible,” she said, as she brought her face closer to his.
Their lips collided and that exact moment was when she felt it. It was as though the entire world shrunk down and the only two people that existed in it were she and Marco. This man, the one who was the last person she should have ended up with, was also the same one who had her heart. She couldn't put the feeling into words or even an organized thought, but in that moment she realized that this was a man she could truly love. Of course, only if she allowed herself to do so.
Marco broke the kiss, but kept his eyes locked with hers. “So that's a yes?”
“Of course that's a yes,” she said. “I'll call Valetta and get the trip scheduled. You said you wanted to leave today, right? I'll run down to the front desk in a bit to tell them that we'll be checking out early.”
Her words stumbled out of her mouth quickly. She was so excited that she could hardly breathe. She had known that this job would entail some traveling and sight-seeing, but never could she have imagined that it would take her to a place as magnificent as Hawaii. But in addition to being excited about the hot sun and the warm water of Hawaii, she was also looking forward to spending the time there with Marco.
This is going to be so romantic. Hawaii, really? Could this job get any better? she thought. I can't wait to tell my parents about this. They probably won't even believe me when I tell them where I'm headed.
“Well, what do you think?” Sabrina asked Marco, as the cab driver dropped them off at the end of a paved driveway.
They gazed up the hill to where a beautiful little cabin stood, its backdrop the lush jungle. Huge windows overlooked the both the greenery and the ocean on the other side.
“I think this is absolutely perfect,” he said, throwing his duffel bag over his shoulder and then grabbing Sabrina's hand.
“Valetta suggested a hotel, but I thought this would be better,” Sabrina explained. “Here, we don't have to worry about anyone else.”
“I think that this will be so much better than a boring hotel,” he said, squeezing her hand. “Besides, this place is only a few minutes from the beach. What more could we ask for?”
Marco's private plane had landed them on the big island of Hawaii a half an hour prior and they had taken a private car to their place. Sabrina was tired from the long journey, but had a renewed energy now that the reality of the situation had finally settled in.
I can't believe I'm actually in Hawaii right now, she thought.
The closest she had ever come had been while looking at travel magazines during a dentist's visit. She'd always get lost in the articles, imagining what it would actually feel like to be there. She had always thought of it as a place reserved for rich people, but those ideas faded quickly as she walked up the driveway toward the cabin.
The house was stunning. Huge floor to ceiling windows seemed to line every wall, giving amazing views of both the jungle and and the ocean. Several of them were open, allowing in the scent and sound of the water. Sabrina set her bags down and walked around back. She could hear the ocean and wanted to see just how close they were.
“Whoa,” she whispered, stepping out onto a wooden deck through an open door.
The large opening in the trees behind the cabin revealed a panoramic view of the ocean. The water was deep blue in color, contrasting against the white sand. It was breathtaking and Sabrina found herself staring at it. She wasn't sure exactly why, but a tear came to her eye and slid down her cheek. Standing there, looking at the ocean that she thought she'd never see, was a very emotional experience for her. It represented a lot. She'd come so far in life and seeing the ocean was proof to her that dreams sometimes actually do some true.
The moment was bittersweet, though. She thought of her parents, who were back home working hard to just pay the bills. She felt a bit of guilt, wondering why she got to be so lucky and they never had the chance.
Maybe someday when I'm making steady money and have a good career, I can take them out here to see this, she thought. I can already imagine my mother's smile. Even Dad might smile if I told him I was flying them to Hawaii.
A clattering sound came from the cabin and Sabrina spun around. She ran inside, where she saw Marco standing in the kitchen looking down at a broken plate.
“I'm terribly sorry,” he said. “I was going to make us a quick dinner so that we could take a walk before it gets dark. Clearly, though, I've no business attempting to cook.”
Sabrina put her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. Marco looked so disappointed, but she found it to be cute. “It's just a plate, Marco. It happens. I'll clean it up.”
She found a broom in the closet by the front door and went to sweep up the remnants of the porcelain plate. Marco stood outside of the kitchen, as though he were afraid he'd break something else if he got too close. Once the floor was swept, Sabrina looked across the room to Marco. “What were you going to cook, if you don't mind me asking?”
Marco shrugged. “While you were outside, I looked through the cabinets. I saw a pack of dry noodles and I was going to add some eggs and vegetables to them.”
The cabin came fully stocked, which was another reason Sabrina had chosen to go with it over the hotel. A full fridge and pantry meant that they wouldn't have to run to the grocery store, which in turn meant that it would be less likely someone would find out that Marco was in Hawaii.
“That's sweet of you,” she said, her heartwarming from the kind gesture. “But I'm happy to cook some food. There are lots of things to eat here.”
“I'm sure you're exhausted from the flight, though,” Marco said, hesitantly stepping back int