Chapter 22

Rory watched Maura walk out of yet another tent. She smiled at him as she walked in his direction. She was so damned cute. There was that word again—but she was. She looked years younger wearing a pair of board shorts and a University of Georgia T-shirt that had seen better days. He didn't like the looks she had been getting since they arrived and that had bothered him even more. He had never been that possessive of a woman, even a sub. But, with those long legs and those tiny shorts, she was getting a lot of looks from men. It had been hard for him to allow her to walk into the tent by herself, but he'd started to avoid them because of the increasing number of shoppers. It had gotten so damned hot he thought he would pass out.

Inwardly he snorted. He hadn't lived in Ireland in over ten years, but he still couldn't stand heat for long. He did it for the job, but he definitely wouldn't do it for shopping.

"So, you brought me here for what reason?" Rory asked amused.

She had another bag full of junk—he was pretty sure it was junk—and normally he would be irritated with doing something that was such a waste of time. But Rory couldn't help but enjoy walking around the tent city that surrounded Aloha Stadium. Maura took such joy in the hunt for a bargain that he couldn't really deny wanting to walk with her.

"To buy something Hawaiian. If you want to buy something to commemorate your trip, you come here. You have a few malassadas?—"

"Now, I have to agree that is a good thing to have. Along with that pineapple crack you fed me, that almost makes it worth it.

She snorted. "Yeah, you ate all mine. We need to make another pit stop because I love that pineapple stuff. But, to get back to what I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, this is the place to come for anything touristy. I always make sure I'm here on the weekend or on a Wednesday. It's too much fun."

He smiled. "And you needed that coconut bra for what reason?"

"It's for Jennifer. She'll love it."

He thought of the former FBI agent. "Uh, do you know another Jennifer? I would never buy something like this for her."

"That's why she'll love to get it. People like stuff like that."

He raised his eyebrows. "They do?"

She stopped and huffed at him. "Of course they do. It isn't the gift, but it's the fact you thought of them while you were gone."

"Is that so?" he asked but she ignored his disbelieving tone. She was already making a beeline to a tent with hats. Normally, he would get irritated with a sub who acted this way. Of course, he didn't spend much time outside of the bedroom

"I need a hat, you should get one too. Not good for people who are fair like us."

"You're not really blonde." He slipped his arms around her waist, pulled her against him and kissed her neck. "I have inside knowledge of that fact."

She laughed and swatted at his hands. "Behave in public. I meant our skin. Turtles!"

She was working her way through the crowded tent by the time he caught up with her. She picked up a ridiculously large straw hat with a turtle pattern on it. She put it on and smiled at him. "What do you think?"

For a second he couldn't actually think. She was smiling at him and his tongue was stuck to the top of his mouth. Her eyes were sparkling with happiness and her grin was bright and wide. He had never seen a human so happy with her lot in life as he did looking at Maura right then. And in that split second, the only thought that came to Rory's mind was he wanted to see that smile every day for the rest of his life.

"Does it look stupid?" she asked apparently not realizing that he had a life altering thought. "I don't care. We are in Hawaii and I can look like an idiot like other tourists." She spied something behind him and grabbed the straw hat off one of the mannequins. She plopped it on his head.

"There, I like that. Now we need to get Zeke a hat. He can't be left out."

He stopped her by grabbing her hand and pulling her back to face him. He still couldn't utter a word.

"Rory?" she asked, her smile dimming just a bit. "Something wrong?"

He shook his head and then brushed his mouth over hers. She sighed. It was noisy in the tent, crowded and hot, but he heard the small sound over everything. It feathered over him as if it had been blasted on a loud speaker.

He pulled back and she was watching him now warily.

"Are you okay?"

"Sure, love. Let's get something for Zee. He really likes red."

She smiled again and he felt like he owned the whole fucking world.

"You're right. That would be fabulous. Let's look."

She grabbed his hand and pulled him through the tent. This time, he went willingly as he tried to figure out just what the fuck he was going to do about her.