Chapter Two

Sarah had no idea what had possessed her to come to this stupid nightclub, dressed like some hooker. She hated all this pancake make up on her face, it made her skin itch and she was sure she would end up with rash on her face. And to top things off the people she had come with. They were just a pathetic attempt to try and fit in. Natalie was the only one she knew and even though she was an old friend, Sarah didn't really enjoy socializing with her.

Sarah had just moved to Hawaii and she was in need of some company, and she had thought, what the hell, lets just have some fun. So she had bought a new dress that she would have never worn usually and tried to change her look for the night. And then that silly dare from the group of Natalie's friends – hit on a guy. Maybe get a date out of it. Sarah knew she should never have said anything about never having a boyfriend. Saying that was like waving a red rag in front of a bull – the bull being Natalie. She should have anticipated Natalie's reaction.

The two girls had practically grown up together in New York, but they had both taken different paths in life. Natalie was the more glamorous one choosing to become a model, traveling around the world, attending glamorous parties. Sarah on the other hand had chosen the more modest profession of a teacher, and her idea of partying was spending an evening with her close friends at a pub or bar that featured a good live band or going out for a quiet dinner again with her close friends.

Before Natalie had become a model, the two girls had been close, if not inseparable. Intellectually Natalie had never been interested in the same things, while Sarah was a reader, Natalie was not. Even their choice in movies was different. So she should have anticipated the disaster that was this night. Sarah would have preferred to stay at home with a book and a nice bottle of wine listening to her favourite Bob Dylan CD.

As Sarah made her escape from the guy from the club, she felt her embarrassment. It was humiliating to try and pick up a guy, following Natalie's instructions. She had never had a boyfriend although she did go out on quite a few dates, she had never picked up any of them. And they had never been as good-looking or sexy as this guy was.

As she walked away as fast as she could she heard someone running behind her. She turned and saw sexy guy, almost on her. When Nat had picked him as her target she had been shocked. There was no way that she could pick up a guy like that.

First of all he was tall even if he was sitting on a bar stool, second of all he was gorgeous with his dark hair and from what she could tell blue eyes, but who could say it was dark. He would never go for someone like her; chubby and trying to look sexy in a dress that was two sizes too small for her. And she had been right. He had taken one look at her, the expression of scorn adorning his handsome face.

Well he could keep his scorn to himself, since she was not interested in anything. Having not had a boyfriend had given her the ability to be immune to the desperation that some women had.

Just then she felt a hand on her arm, turning her around, "Hey, hey stop". Sarah really hoped Mr. Sexyguy wasn't stalker guy either.

"What do you want now?" asked Sarah as she looked at him, or tried to, he was so tall.

Sexyguy, he had told them his name but she couldn't remember what it was, asked, "I just wanted to know if you had a ride back home?".

"I'll just get a cab, no big deal" she told him, to which he only shook his head, a frown marring his forehead.

"No, that's going to do, come on I'll drop you" Sexyguy presumptuously turned and expected her to follow him, and when she didn't he stopped, turned around and gave her a bored expression, "You coming or not?"

"Not. Considering the fact that I don't know you, and I'm not the kind of girl who just walks off with strange guys" no matter how sexy they are.

Sexyguy, laughed sardonically, "Oh really? You just walked out of the club with me", when Sarah did not budge, he came closer, "Look" he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a wallet, opened it "Lt. Commander Steven McGarrett, U S Navy SEAL, at your service ma'am. So rest assured you will be safe, safer than a cab guaranteed, especially this time of night".

Sarah took his ID from him and looked at the small picture of him next to his stated name and rank. Wow, he was the real deal. "Fine you can drop me home".

Steve drove Sarah in silence, at one point he actually thought she had fallen asleep. But when he looked at her sitting in the passenger seat he found her looking out the window. He looked at her exposed legs and had to admit they were rather shapely if a little short. The skirt had ridden up and she periodically pulled it down as much as it would go.

"So I take it you're not originally from the island?" Steve asked.

To which she gave a small laugh and said, "is it that obvious?"

"Yeah kinda" he laughed with her. He had to admit she had a cute laugh and brought out a small dimple under her mouth.

"Well you would be right. I am originally from The Big Apple. And I came here for my job" she didn't elaborate further.

Steve being the inquisitive guy that he was asked, "And what job is that?"

"I teach grades 10 onwards. English and History" she told him. He just smiled and mumbled that it sounded interesting. "Well, I can bet it's not as interesting or cool as being a SEAL".

Steve laughed at that, "It's definitely safer. Unless it's one of the special case schools". He looked at her and knew instantly she was part of the latter.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I've just started to so I haven't had any extreme cases, but I have heard from some of the teachers about things that happened previously. Scary stuff, but it's something you have to face when one makes this choice", Steve admired her attitude. She was quite relaxed about it, probably because she had not had any bad experiences and he hoped for her sake she never did. As she directed him to her place, he recognized the area as being one of the safer neighborhoods. She had told him earlier that she lived in a share house with another girl and her boyfriend.

They stopped in front of a mid sized bungalow that over looked the beach, much smaller than his but nice enough. Before he could get out and open the door for her, since he was such a gentleman, she had already jumped out, her being so short and the car being a huge SUV.

"Thanks for the lift. And I'm sorry for all the silly flirting and yelling afterwards. I'm just a bit high strung, I assure you this is not me" for some reason Sarah found herself justifying her actions to this stranger.

"Hey don't worry about it. so if you're in any trouble at the school and you need help just give me a call" he handed her a card which stated he was head of a special task force, "Actually let me give you my cell", he quickly wrote it down for her and repeated if she needed any help to call him.

He then jumped back in his SUV, waited till she was safely inside the house and then left.

Sarah looked down at the card, re read his name and felt a funny feeling inside, kind of gooey. Just then Jack, her roommate's boyfriend walked toward the kitchen mumbling that she was back early. Sarah chucked her keys and the card on the hall table and headed to join her roommate's in the living room.