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  Throughout the entire evening Tony was wonderful. He told Claire he loved her, how beautiful she was, how honored he was to have her as his wife, and how he couldn’t wait for the reception to be over so he could show her. Under it all, Claire continued to have feelings of misgivings. She worked diligently to keep them all buried under layers of make-up, hairspray, crinoline, slips, satin, lace, pearls, and pretense.

  Everyone enjoyed themselves. Claire even saw John and Emily laughing with Tom and Bev. Once the first course was served, Brent stood, lifted a glass of champagne, and offered a toast to the newlyweds. “May I have your attention, ladies and gentlemen? I want to take this opportunity to welcome Claire Rawlings to our world. Claire, Tony has been my friend, my confidante, and my boss…” The crowd giggled. “…for a very long time. I’ve watched as he has succeeded in business and failed in love…” Another snicker. “…but recently, Courtney and I have watched as Tony has experienced success in the area of love. Claire, when you’re present his smile is brighter and his eyes have a spark. Perhaps you haven’t noticed, but sometimes Tony’s eyes can seem dark. That isn’t the case when he’s with you. You are the light of his life. You have given Tony the part of his life that was missing, and as we look around, it’s obvious that not a lot was missing.” There were smiles and agreement all around. “Now with you by his side, I believe my good friend is truly a man who has everything. Thank you, Claire. We’re so happy to welcome you, and we look forward to an eternity of a happier Tony Rawlings.”

  This precluded a standing ovation, lifting of glasses, and claps of agreement. After they cut the cake and gently fed each other a bite, Claire chocolate and Tony vanilla, the conductor fired up the jazz band. The music resonated soulfully, rhythmical and lively. The lights of the tent dimmed and the dance floor glittered with intensified brilliance. Tony led Claire onto the dance floor hand in hand. His eyes, soft as crushed velvet, beheld his beautiful new wife. She was lost in his gaze of complete love and adoration. Swiftly, her doubts and fears faded away. He had the most amazing ability to dissolve her heart and soul. Gallantly he took her hand, encircled her small waist with his strong, powerful, yet tender embrace, and her body immediately molded to his. They moved in sync. He turned, twirled, and spun her around the floor. The bustled wedding gown swayed to his slightest inclination. They had only danced together a few times, but their bodies moved together on numerous occasions. She became lost in his stare, and without thought or consciousness he had complete control and dominance over every aspect of her being and every movement of her body. With each crescendo of the music, Claire’s heartbeat accelerated.

  Soon, the dance floor was surrounded by guests watching the newlyweds waltz. Tony tall and dark, Claire petite and light, their contrast intensified the beauty and sensuality of the moment. Claire didn’t notice the gathered crowd until the music reached its final fermata. Up until that moment, her brilliant emerald green eyes could only see her husband. When the music stilled, he gently kissed his bride and the guests applauded. Claire blushed and smiled.

  The band began again and Tony charmingly bowed and asked Emily to dance. John nodded to Emily and extended his hand to Claire. Whispering in Claire’s ear, John said, “You’re beautiful in love.” The four of them danced for a few minutes until the emcee asked the guests to join them. Promptly, the floor burst with couples.

  Sometime after 11:00 PM, Claire and Tony, no longer in their wedding attire, kissed their friends and family goodbye and said adieu to the others as they left to begin their honeymoon adventure. Once again, Claire was being led by Tony to an unknown destination.

  After their flight reached its cruising altitude Tony began to seduce his wife. He caressed, kissed, and tantalized her. He told her in a raspy, sensual tone he loved her, how amazing she had been and she was. He also told her what she already knew. “Mrs. Rawlings, you are now mine—completely. You belong to me.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Tomorrow is a mystery. Yesterday is history. Live today, it’s a gift, that’s why they call it “present.”

  —Unknown

  Claire awoke to the sensation of their plane decelerating on a runway. She’d been somewhere in a dream as her body lay upon the leather sofa wrapped in the soft cocoon of a luxurious blanket. The sudden increased roar of engines combined with the screech of brakes transported her to the present. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been asleep or if they’d reached their mysterious destination, but she remembered the excitement in Tony’s eyes as he talked about their romantic journey. Willingly, she continued to allow herself to be taken to places unknown.

  Looking down at her left hand, she saw the familiar engagement ring now with its new mate. Her wedding band glistened with embedded diamonds matching the circle around the large solitaire. They were truly beautiful. Pondering the past nine months, it boggled her mind to think she was wearing such an amazing set of rings and more importantly their meaning: she was married. She was married to Anthony Rawlings.

  Slowly, she turned to see her husband. His bare feet were elevated as he lounged in a reclining chair. Watching him, she marveled at his relaxed pose, a stark contrast to how he usually looked when they flew. His attention was focused on the laptop resting on his long legs. Her cheeks and the tips of her lips moved upward as she noticed his jeans. They were the ones he’d worn when they left the reception. It seemed they were both wearing what the other preferred. He in his jeans and her out of hers. She snuggled into the soft blanket and closed her eyes. The engines hummed as she felt the plane taxi toward its stop. Claire recalled the past twenty-four hours and admitted Tony was right. Brad and Monica had created the perfect ceremony and reception. She remembered the estate and decorations. Even the snow obeyed, as if requisitioned, to complement the final product. She thought about their friends, her family, and the guests. She recalled John’s kind words and Brent’s welcoming toast.

  Smiling, she remembered Tony, incredibly handsome in his tuxedo and incessantly complimentary of her and her gown. Cinderella at the ball couldn’t have felt more special. Like Prince Charming, he only had eyes for his bride. That admiration continued onto the jet. Once the cockpit door closed and the lights dimmed, his devotion grew to fervent passion.

  Suddenly, Claire realized the implication of her blanket. If they’d reached their destination, she needed to dress and quickly. “Are we at our honeymoon?”

  He turned from his computer and smiled. “You didn’t need to wake. You look so beautiful and peaceful.”

  Keeping the blanket wrapped around her, she went to him and knelt beside his chair. “I think I was worn-out.” Her emerald eyes glowed as she put her arms around his exposed midsection. Looking into his milk chocolate eyes, feeling his warmth, and inhaling his scent, she thought to herself, he’s really my husband.

  Tony’s eyes met hers, then scanned toward her blanket. Smiling, he said, “It was a busy day, Mrs. Rawlings.” The Mrs. Rawlings made Claire’s eyes sparkle. He gently kissed his wife and playfully attempted to see under her blanket.

  “And an eventful night, Mr. Rawlings.”

  “It isn’t over. We’re just stopping in LA to refuel. We have much more flying before we reach our destination.”

  This made Claire think. “So, we’re going to Hawaii?”

  “Would you like to go to Hawaii?” Claire said she would, she’d never been. He loved to make her squirm. “Well, we’ll have to find out where we end up, won’t we?” He kissed her again.

  The plane was now standing still. Eric and the pilot entered the cabin and bid hello to Mr. and Mrs. Rawlings. Apologizing for the interruption, they promised to be airborne in less than thirty minutes. Tony told them it was fine, just please do whatever was necessary, as soon as possible. They had a honeymoon to get to. The two men promised they would and opened the outside door to the cabin. The rush of fresh air was no longer cold. They definitely weren’t in Iowa anymore.

  Tony placed the laptop on the floor and invited Claire
to his lap. She climbed up, rested her head on his strong chest and listened to the beat of his heart as he spoke about Los Angeles. His hands tenderly explored under her blanket, gently caressing her soft skin. He asked if she’d ever been there. Claire said no, she’d been to northern California, San Francisco when she was young on a family vacation. She remembered going to Alcatraz. Her dad, being a policeman, thought it was neat. But she didn’t. She recalled during the tour actually going into cells. There were audiotaped voices and sounds of cell doors closing. She didn’t like it at all. He hugged her. “I promise not to plan a visit to Alcatraz in our future. How old were you when you went there?”

  “I think I was twelve.” Claire looked up at his face. “Why do you ask?”

  “Oh, I was just wondering.” Tony went on to tell her about Eli and MaryAnn’s home in LA, actually in Malibu. Tony said he’ll need to bring Claire to one of their parties. He wasn’t much into the whole Hollywood scene, but even he had to admit, Eli and MaryAnn could throw an awesome party. Eli’s guests usually included people Claire had seen in movies or on TV. Eli could be an ass, but he was great at what he did, and there were multitudes of people who would kill to attend his parties. Tony described MaryAnn and Eli’s house as an architectural marvel situated on Malibu beach, hanging off a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

  “I would love to see it sometime. Do you stay with them when you travel to LA?”

  “No, I-I mean we…” He smiled. “…we have an apartment in Hollywood, not far from Malibu.”

  Claire smirked. “Maybe sometime you could tell me how many apartments we have?”

  “We have many residences. It’ll take time to familiarize you with all of them.”

  She couldn’t wrap her mind around the idea. She had places in Iowa, New York City, Chicago, Hollywood, and other locations.

  “They’re not all as grand as New York and Chicago. I spend more time there.”

  “Yeah, well you never saw my apartment in Atlanta,” Claire replied. “I’m pretty sure compared to it, they’re all palatial.”

  Claire and Tony were talking and laughing when the door reopened. She quickly closed the blanket as the pilot announced they were ready to leave. She began to stand when Tony pulled her toward him.

  “Umm, don’t you think I should be in a seat belt when the plane takes off?”

  Reluctantly he released his hold, but not before opening her blanket and grinning. Claire kissed him, moved to the other chair, situated herself, her blanket, and buckled the seat belt. Within minutes they were airborne, and she drifted to a fitful sleep.

  Still at cruising altitude Claire awoke with Tony sleeping soundly in the neighboring recliner. Finding her air legs, she eased her way to the back of the cabin, which held a small shower and dressing room. From twenty thousand feet the view out the window held only blackness separated by a scattering of stars differentiating sky from sea. She found an overnight bag, undoubtedly packed by Catherine. It contained shower, hair, and cosmetic supplies, as well as a black negligee and a summer blouse with capris. She smiled. The negligee would have been nice, but Tony didn’t seem to mind the blanket.

  After a quick shower and fresh clothes she felt more alert. Her watch read 8:20 AM, but a glance out the window told her it was still dark wherever they were. They’d been traveling over eight hours; she assumed they’d be in Hawaii soon. Finishing her make-up she smiled, thinking of sunshine and beaches. She didn’t know how long they would be in Hawaii or on which island. The idea sounded wonderful and Tony enjoyed surprising her, but she wistfully thought about being involved in the planning.

  Walking unsteadily back into the cabin, Claire found Tony sitting at the table with his laptop and coffee. He turned to watch her enter. “Good morning, Mrs. Rawlings, you look beautiful. I wish you would have awakened me. I could have joined you in the shower.” He grinned over his cup.

  “I don’t think we both would fit. Besides, you looked too peaceful.” She sipped the warm auburn liquid and allowed its robust aroma to revive her senses. Tony explained they’d be landing on Oahu in Honolulu in an hour. It would only be about 3:00 AM, but they would deplane, find some breakfast and walk around before continuing their flight. She asked, “Continuing? We aren’t staying in Hawaii?”

  “No, Hawaii is just a fuel stop, but we’ll need to revisit sometime for you to sightsee. It’s a lovely place.” His eyes taunted. “But not as lovely as where we’re going.”

  “And we are going where?” Claire asked, intrigued. Tony’s eyes sparkled, the black almost completely overtaken with the soft brown hue. His grin mischievous, he didn’t answer. “And how much longer until we get there?”

  “Mrs. Rawlings, you’re very inquisitive. What if I told you that we won’t reach our destination until tomorrow?”

  Claire thought about that, twenty-four more hours of flying and realized he wasn’t talking about twenty-four hours. He was talking about the next day. “Well, Mr. Rawlings, I’d say, it sounds like we are crossing the International Date Line.” She smiled smugly.

  He looked at her with admiration, and addressed Eric, who was refilling their coffee cups. “My wife is not only beautiful, she’s also incredibly intelligent.” He kissed her head as he stood. “I believe I’ll freshen up before we begin our descent.”

  With that, he disappeared behind the wall at the back of the cabin. Claire noticed his laptop open on the table. A quick Google search of land west of the International Date Line would’ve been beneficial. The screen was, of course, locked, so she’d just need to rely on her memory. Then she wondered if they were staying in the northern hemisphere or heading south? Sighing, Claire sipped her delicious coffee. She’d have to wait. She didn’t have a choice.

  Before they left the plane, Tony told Claire to get her purse from her overnight bag. Jokingly, she asked if she needed it to pay for breakfast. No, she needed her passport. “When did I get a passport?” He reminded her they’d discussed it months ago and Brent had filed the necessary paperwork. Apparently, this all happened while she was recovering from her accident. She couldn’t remember any of it, yet there it was: her picture, her signature, and her name Claire Nichols. Tony promised to apply for a new one with her real name Rawlings as soon as they returned to Iowa and a new ID. He smiled. Her new credit cards had already been requested.

  Hawaii was anticlimactic. She smelled the humid sea air as they descended the steps to the solid ground. The gentle tropical breeze enticed her skin, but they didn’t see anything other than the inside of the Honolulu International Airport, as they searched for and found a restaurant that served breakfast.

  After eating, they needed to pass the TSA desk. Eric handled the inspection of the plane and bags. Tony and Claire needed to show their passports. When they were with the TSA agent she asked their destination. Claire didn’t know. Begrudgingly, Tony answered, “Fiji. Nadi, Fiji.”

  Claire remembered Fiji was a group of islands. She wasn’t sure how many, in the South Pacific. As they walked back to the plane she squeezed his hand and smiled. He wasn’t pleased his surprise was spoiled, but she knew where they were going, and it made her happy. They had six more hours of flight.

  They landed in Nadi, Fiji, at 10:30 AM Monday, December 20, after flying over eighteen hours. As their plane approached Nadi, Claire watched out the window, mesmerized by the turquoise water and sparkling white beaches. If Tony were upset about the TSA agent, witnessing Claire’s anticipation returned his own excitement.

  Once they landed, Eric loaded their luggage onto a small plane with a propeller and pontoons. He wished them an enjoyable honeymoon and promised he would be waiting when they returned. Apparently, their final destination could only be accessed by air.

  Tony and Claire then took a forty-five-minute flight to a private island. Their altitude was low, allowing them to enjoy the sights: dolphins swimming, gorgeous secluded white sand beaches, palm trees, and tropical rain forest vegetation. Outside the open windows of the plane was a true pa
radise, an oasis away from the rest of the world. Claire had never seen anything like it, and told Tony over and over how amazing it all looked. They landed on a crystal-clear aquamarine lagoon lined with a horseshoe of pristine white sand.

  Waiting on the beach was their personal staff: two chefs, maid, hostess, and boat captain. Claire had become accustomed to being waited upon, but these individuals lived to please Mr. and Mrs. Rawlings. The staff gathered their luggage, and they all walked a winding path to their bure, a Fijian word for straw hut. The humid tropical breeze blew Claire’s hair as her sandals sank into the white sand. Holding her husband’s hand, they approached their temporary dwelling.

  It was the most luxurious straw hut Claire had ever seen. Situated on a cliff above the water, they had stunning views of the ocean. First, they entered a gracious living room with a cathedral thatched ceiling, woven bamboo covered walls, and polished mahogany floors. Each room of their bure contained ceiling fans as well as the possibility of air conditioning. Claire couldn’t fathom why anyone would possibly want air conditioning. There were huge bi-folding doors which opened the entire frontage to private decks overlooking the water or tropical vegetation. Each deck contained lounge furniture for relaxation. The front deck even had a private infinity pool. As they stood in the living room and looked, the pool appeared to extend into the lagoon and beyond into the ocean below. The staff took their luggage to the large master bedroom complete with a four-poster king-sized bed. Roaming from room to room, Claire found a luxuriously designed bathroom which opened to a private outdoor lava rock shower and generous soaking tub designed for two. Thankfully, surrounding the outdoor shower and tub were lush tropical plants. After the tour of their temporary home, their hostess, Naiade, asked if they were ready to dine. Claire was famished. Tony informed Naiade they would be pleased to dine on the deck.