Sydney's Dogs Ch. 06

Each knew, in his own way, that Miss Sydney's heart wasn't the kind of heart that could survive long cold spells. Her heart was meant for warmth and care and great feats of love. Something had made her shut down—almost defensively—and it was up to them to figure out what had happened, if only so they could serve her better.

"Come on," Zaide said, moving towards the food court again. "Let's get some lunch."

After being alone for a few minutes, Sydney had read the same paragraph four times and was reading it for a fifth when someone sat down beside her.

"That was a fast lunch," she commented absently, assuming it was one of the boys and refusing to look up.

"I actually haven't had lunch yet, but I heard your stomach growl and I was wondering if you would join me at least for a drink," said an unfamiliar voice.

Startled, she looked up into the hazel eyes of a complete stranger. He was tall—not as tall as Talon or Zaide, but he certainly had a few inches on her—with short blond hair and a well-groomed matching goatee. He was dressed in a designer polo shirt and kakis, exactly like a businessman on company retreat.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she quickly apologized. "I thought you were someone else."

"I'm Mason Kirk," he said holding out his hand. "You know, like the captain."

"Captain?"

"Kirk. James T? Star Trek? The original series?" he clarified with a crooked smile. "Wow, that's the first time I've had to explain the reference."

"Sorry, I don't watch a lot of TV," she apologized again and quickly shook his hand. "I'm Sydney Tobin."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Tobin. Now, pardon the rude question, but has your boyfriend left you here or is he waiting for you in Hawaii?"

"I—I don't have a boyfriend," she quickly assured him. Talon and Zaide didn't count—they were just...boy toys. Internally, she winced at the name. They were more than that, but they were not boyfriends.

"I see luck is with me today!" Mason Kirk crowed with a self-assured smile. "I assume you are also traveling to Hawaii on this flight. Could I get you a pre-flight piña colada?"

"That sounds really nice. I think I'd like that, Mr. Kirk. Or should I call you captain?" she smiled. This was dating. This was how male-female relationships were supposed to be. This was normal.

"Captain has a nice ring to it," he admitted as he stood up and held out his hand in a very gentlemanly way to pull her out of her chair. "But you can call me Mason."

"Thank you very much for your generosity, Mason," Sydney took his hand with a glowing grin.

They walked to one of the restaurant bars in the terminal and Mason ordered two piña coladas. While they waited for their drinks to be made, Mason and Sydney chatted about their plans for Hawaii.

"I'm going for the swimming," she said. "I've always wanted to free-dive some of the reefs, and I might try to get my Scuba Certification while I'm at it."

"Ambitious," he praised her and held up his just-delivered drink in salute. "But aren't you afraid a shark might take a bite out of you?"

"I doubt any sharks would be interested in me. There are more tender things in the sea than my tuff old hide," she replied.

"I don't believe you," he replied, his free hand gently stroking her arm, a wicked glint in his eye. "If I were a shark, I would eat you up."

Sydney giggled. Maybe she wasn't so inept at dating as she thought she was. "It's a big ocean; you'd have to find me first."

"Where are you staying?" he asked.

Warning bells went off in her head—more than once she had answered that innocent question on vacation and wound up with a freeloader and an empty mini-bar. She took a sip of her drink to stall, and finally answered. "I haven't decided yet. I was going to just cruise the coastline and see what I could find."

"I don't want to be too forward," he started, and she braced herself for the worst, "but if you can't find a place, you're welcome to share my suite at the Embassy."

He was offering her a room? Maybe she had misjudged him. Maybe this was the first decent man to take interest in her. Maybe this could also be a way to escape the boys, if just for a night or two. Her heart pounded with excitement, and she flashed her most winning smile. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Miss Sydney?" interrupted an all-too familiar voice. Sydney turned to see Brandt anxiously waiting for her just outside the entrance to the bar. "They're going to start boarding the flight soon."

"I'll be right there," she assured him, holding back a sigh.

"Is that your little brother?" Mason inquired kindly, if somewhat stiffly.

"No—Heavens no, I have no siblings. He's an intern with my company—a favor to a friend—we're meeting with some business associates on the Big Island," she explained, trying to add enough lacy fabrication to the truth that he wouldn't assume anything detrimental to a first date. "He's a bit of an over-achiever when it comes to coordinating my schedule."

"Well, I had better let him have you," he teasingly agreed. "Wouldn't want to upset the carefully laid plans of mice and men, now would we?"

Sydney smiled back again. Then she drained her drink—which was still mostly full. "It was good meeting you, Mason. Aloha!"

"A-looooo-ha!' he replied, giving her an appreciative once-over. She could tell he meant it in the "hello [hotstuff]" sort of way. Maybe it was the piña colada clouding her judgment, but she kinda liked that sort of attention. She waved as she left to join Brandt and the others.

Talon and Zaide looked politely concerned, but didn't comment on her impromptu drink-date. Still, for some reason she felt the need to apologize for not staying where she said she would, and that made her angry. She was not accountable to them—responsible for them, yes, but she did not need to answer to them like she was some wayward teenager. So she clamped her lips shut against any excuses that might slip out and lead the way to the boarding line.

They found their seats in the first class section and Sydney took the window seat this time, pulling Brandt after her to provide a barrier between her and the other two. Brandt was safe, she decided. Brandt was only in it for the basic life necessities.

The plane seemed to take forever to board, and then even longer to get up to the air. Once they got to cruising altitude, Sydney ordered another piña colada from the drink cart. Finally sauced, she could settle down to read her romance novel in peace. She got through several chapters before she dozed off, lulled to sleep by the warmth of the alcohol and buzz of the airplane's engines.

Brandt woke her with a tentative touch on her forearm.

"We're making our decent," he said softly.

Sydney smiled for a moment and stretched. She was still a little groggy and a little buzzed from the drinks, but she felt relaxed. Hawaii with her boys. She liked the sound of it.

Then she remembered that Brenna had pushed her here so they could take their "honeymoon," and her good mood faded again.

"Well, I guess I should at least start figuring out what we'll do once we land," she sighed. Then her stomach growled again. "I guess we should get dinner. And I need to go shopping for a swimsuit. And then we need to check into our hotel—do you know the local time?"

"It's about three-thirty in the afternoon," he said.

"But we flew for seven hours—Oh, right, that time change! Perfect!" she cried delightedly. "I need to get a few things since we didn't repack."

Brandt smiled, happy that Miss Sydney's mood had turned around with the nap. "Shopping again?"

"'Fraid so. It'll be just a quick trip before dinner, and then we'll pick up the keys to the house," she rambled, thinking out loud. "Did you get any sleep on the way here?"

Brandt shook his head. He had been admiring her while she was sleeping, but he wasn't about to admit it.

He was secretly excited. Miss Sydney was so generous, giving him more than he'd ever dreamed. He knew he couldn't repay her with sex—that was forbidden—but there still had to be some way to show his gratitude. He could cook, but not as well as Zaide, and he wasn't talented with music or organizational skills like Talon. Like all attendants, he'd been trained in every kind of physical contact, from the pleasurable to the painful.

"Could...would it be alright if...Igaveyouabackmassageafterwesettledinthehouse?" he asked in a rush.

Sydney blinked in surprise. "What for?"

"You look stressed," he mumbled, his face coloring with embarrassment.

She considered for a moment. It was awfully forward of him to suggest something as intimate as a massage, but given his training, he could probably do little else. It was probably ingrained in him to offer such personal services when sex wasn't an option. Well, she could certainly do with fewer knots in her shoulders, and if it helped him along the path of becoming an independent individual, then it was all for the good.

"As long as you remember our first rule, I would enjoy that very much. Thank you," she said with a gracious smile. Brandt looked very pleased. Then the "fasten seatbelts" sign dinged and the stewardess announced that they'd be landing in Honolulu International Airport momentarily.

The plane landed and Sydney rushed out of the airplane without waiting for the boys. They would undoubtedly be hot on her tail. She was right; they all met up at the baggage claim. Then she rented another car—this time a swank convertible—and they drove into Honolulu city.

It was easy enough to find tourist traps full of all the things vacationers would need to survive island life. She pulled into a parking spot and everyone but Lucy got out. Lucy was still in her carrier, but seemed happy to snooze the afternoon away. In front of the car, Sydney motioned for all of them to gather around her.

"Alright, this is going to be priority one shopping—find swimsuits and island wear, even a few accessories we've forgotten so far, like wallets. Don't get any souvenirs—we'll have time for those later," she instructed. "Ready?"

They all nodded. Talon and Zaide looked moderately pleased, and Brandt was grinning. Sydney hooked arms with Brandt and lead the way into the first shop. She knew she was avoiding the two older men, but she was not going to sleep with them tonight and she didn't want to give them any encouragement to try anything that would make her change her mind.

They browsed racks and Sydney found a bright red hibiscus bikini right away. She bought the matching sarong too. Brandt found a pair of green board shorts to add to the purchase. In the next shop, she found a pair of cork wedge sandals and a tropical print sundress. She also insisted Brandt get several Hawaiian button-down shirts. Two shops down, Sydney found a coffee shop and got her espresso fix for the afternoon. It would tide her over for dinner. She hummed after her first sip of Kona coffee and felt some of the tension in her shoulders lessen. With coffee in her hand, all was right in the world.

After a few more shops, they went back to the car and followed her cellphone's GPS directions to the rental office. They arrived just before 5pm and the office was just closing up when they pulled up. The real-estate agent gave them the key without any protest, although she did give Sydney more than one odd look. After all, she was a woman in the company of three men and a large dog—and anyone could see she was the one in control, just as much as anyone could see that these men weren't her blood relatives. Her little group stuck out like a sore thumb, and left the real estate agent wondering which one she was banging.

Ignoring the odd looks, Sydney accepted the keys and ran back to the car. Her phone provided better directions than the printout the agent had given her and in 10 minutes of slightly awkward ukulele-music-filled driving later, they were at the house.

It was a beautiful house. The front stairs weaved up a slight hill and between patches of tropical plants. Inside the door, the house was filled with light earthen tones and teak paneling. Sydney closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. She was here to relax. Not to get her brains screwed out. Relax.

She turned to the boys with a military-click of her heels. "Alright, there are only three bedrooms—sorry guys, but two of you are going to have to share. I will take the upstairs bedroom and I'll be sleeping alone. So pick your sleeping arrangements and unpack. After that, we'll order take out or something.

Then she turned and ran up the stairs as quickly as she could while hauling her suitcase behind her. She closed the door and sat down on the floor with her back against it, her heart racing and her chest heaving.

This was it, she told herself. She would force herself to stay away from them—and prove that their previous intimacies were purely superficial exchanges. They were all adults after all. Sex didn't have to mean anything.

Then why did her heart twist at the idea of never kissing Talon again? Why did she feel like crying when she thought of the lonely nights without Zaide's muscular body keeping her warm?

No, it was just her hormones getting the better of her. Logically, they could not continue like this, she reminded herself. There was no future for her with either of them. They were victims of brainwashing and behavioral conditioning and she was doing the right thing by refusing their attentions. She had to be.

After a few deep breaths, she got up and unpacked her bags. It seemed silly, now that she was in Hawaii, to put away all these jeans and flannel pajamas in the drawers. She'd never wear them in the 78 degree weather. She smiled as she unpacked her shopping bags. She knew the bikini would look great on her, and the dress was super-cute! For the first time in her life, she had really enjoyed picking out all kinds of over-priced island wear. When had shopping become so much fun?

Oh, right. When the boys had gone with her. Somehow, twirling in the fitting-room mirror felt different when she knew that Talon or Zaide would soon see how wonderful she looked.

Annoyed with herself all over again, she decided she needed a swim. She pulled out her new bikini and put it on. The warm evening air felt good on her skin and she had been right about buying this suit—she was dynamite!

She opened the bedroom door just a crack and looked out. No one was in the hall or in what part of the living room she could see at the end of the stairs. She listened, but she couldn't hear anything. Relieved that the boys were otherwise occupied (probably unpacking, and maybe even avoiding her), she crept out of her room in her underwear. She tiptoed down the stairs and out the back door without seeing anyone else. She reached the pool and smiled to herself. The pale blue water looked so inviting.

Without any hesitation, she jumped off the edge of the pool, tucked her legs under her, and plunged into the warm water. She let herself float for a minute near the bottom of the pool. She loved the weightless feeling. Then she extended her limbs and leisurely kicked to the surface. She grabbed a fresh lungful of air before slipping again under the water and dolphin-kicked her way to the shallow end. She rested against the wall and wiped the water out of her eyes, just in time to see Talon descending the pool stairs.

Sydney rolled her eyes and sank under the water. Talon was in a new pair of black and white board shorts, and he looked smoking hot in them too. She pushed off the wall and swam to the other end of the pool. She should just get out of the pool and go back to her room, but she hadn't even started her swim and she was still full of negative feelings. She pushed off the wall, turned over and drifted on her back staring up at the early evening sky while she thought. Maybe if she didn't talk to him...

Her head hit something semi hard and startled, she rolled under the water and stood up. She flipped her hair and wiped the water and hair out of her eyes to see what she had hit. It was Talon. He had deliberately waded right into her path. She glared at him. He looked at her with wide and sad eyes, and she could feel it plucking at her heartstrings.

"What's your problem?" she demanded.

Talon looked down and softly replied, "Please, Miss Sydney. Please tell me what I can do to make you happy."

He sounded so forlorn that her first impulse was to hug him. She instead held back by hugging herself.

"Nothing. It's not you," she tried to convince him. "I just...don't want anything...from you...right now."

"Are you going to return me then?" he asked, sounding defensive and desperate.

"NO!" she cried, waving her hands in front of her in denial. "I'm not going to send you back. Not ever!"

"But...if I can't serve you, I don't belong by your side...I don't belong in your house," he protested.

"What a load of—you're great at the office administration stuff. Why can't you just do that?" she offered.

"Is that all I am to you?" he whispered, his throat croaked up with emotion. "A secretary?" He looked about to cry. She couldn't resist putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. He seemed to melt slightly at her touch.

"What? No! Not all. I'd like to think of you as my friend—even part of my family eventually," she assured him. It was so odd to see him so out of sorts.

"I have only one purpose in my life. I accepted that a long time ago. If you have no need of me, I will accept that, too, in the only way I can," he retorted. "Send me back, if you refuse to use me."

"How can you ask me to do that? To sign your death warrant?" Sydney hissed, horrified. She gripped both his shoulders and stared deeply into his eyes.

"I am nothing without you," he said simply.

"You are so much without me—you don't need me to define your existence—to give your life meaning! You are a wonderful man, Talon. A beautiful, intelligent, strong, compassionate man. I refuse to send you back to certain death. I would never do anything to hurt you," she vowed. I would like to do a lot of other things, she thought to herself.

"You can chain me, whip me, cut me, beat me and starve me, but the only way you will truly hurt me is if you deny me your company," he insisted.

Sydney jerked her hands away from his shoulders as if they burned her palms. She plunged them under the water to cool them, but the shape of his muscles was imprinted on her fingertips. How could he be so...intense? So potent? She backpedalled franticly, trying to find more fuel for her anger. Anger was good at keeping people at a distance.

"So is this what it comes down to? Is sex the be all and end all of your life?"

"You are the be all and end all of my life," he replied. "You are unhappy now. I can feel it in my bones."

"And one bad day is enough to determine your failure in...in attending me?" she snapped. "How do you know I'm not just in a bad mood? Or that I don't have cramps that would kill a wallaby? Or that I'm not more fed up with myself, wrestling with my conscious, and lashing out at you?"

"I wish you really would lash out at me because the pain would be easier to bear than this emptiness. Every time you've looked at me today, your mouth puckers in a disgusted snarl." Talon said. "You haven't talked to me or given me any hints. You've been blocking me and Zaide all day. What can I conclude but something about me is repugnant?"

Sydney looked up at him guiltily. "I haven't really been snarling at you all day...have I?" She knew she had. She hadn't meant to, but every time she'd glanced at Talon or Zaide, she'd heard Brenna's distressing observation. Married.

"It breaks my heart every time I see it," he whispered.

"Talon, can't you just find someone else to dote on?" she moaned, close to defeat. He was so lost and she wanted to wrap her arms around him. She wanted him to wrap his arms around her. She had been lonely without their touching all day, and even though she was lavishing attention on Brandt, it just wasn't the same.