Chapter 18

Maura sniffed at the air and smiled. "God I love the smell of plumeria. It"s fantastic."

Zeke couldn't help but smile as they walked along the path next to the Hilton. "Yeah, there is something here you can"t get anywhere else, especially on the mainland. It's like being in another country in a way, they're so unique."

She looked at him from the corner of her eye. "Don't let the locals hear you say that."

"Hey, I thought they liked to be known as one of the most original states."

"They do, but I don't blame them for having a little chip on their shoulder about being considered the US. You hear people say when I get back to the states…it is kind of annoying."

"That's the truth."

"So, Rory, what meals do you plan to make for me."

That was Maura. While her figure was trim, it wasn't due to her lack of eating. She'd been graced with a high metabolism. And now that she knew Rory liked to cook, she would badger him until he made her several meals.

"I don't know. I thought we would be eating out more often."

She lifted her head and grinned at Rory. "That was before I found out you could cook. Tell me, how are you at Italian?"

Zeke groaned. "Oh, god, she is going to have you making pasta every night. I can't handle the carbs."

"Suck it up, Zeke," Maura said. "So, what can you make me?"

"Are you more of a Northern or a Southern Italian lover?" Rory asked.

Maura let go of him to clap. "Anything, all, I want it all."

"I'll make a lasagna this week."

"With béchamel sauce?"

"Of course," Rory said.

"I will be your slave for life."

Rory gave him a look then leaned closer to her. "I'll make sure to remind you of that next time I have you naked."

Her face turned red, then she looked around them.

"What?" Rory asked. "You're not embarrassed, are you?"

She shook her head and shrugged. "I feel like someone is watching me. Weird."

Immediately, Zeke's alarms went off. Maura wasn't a woman who worried about being followed on a regular basis. He knew Conner didn't get calls in the middle of the night from Maura.

"What?"

"When we got into Ala Moana, I felt it, but it's gone just like that. Might be my imagination."

He looked back at Rory who was already looking around. The fact that neither he nor Rory felt it was enough to satisfy him, or it should be.

"You don't have an imagination."

She rolled her eyes. "Way to romance me, Zeke. The flattery is going to make me faint."

"Maura," he said, lowering his voice in a warning.

She patted him on the cheek. "It's probably because I'm tired. It's been such a long day. Even with a few cat naps, I need some rest."

"Yeah, that's probably it," Rory said, but Zeke wasn't too happy with it. He knew not to blow it out of proportion and coming to Hawaii had only been a precaution, but still, it was something he would have to think about.

"It has been a long day. Let's head back."

She sighed and set her head on Zeke's shoulder as they walked. "That sounds great."