Growing up in the beautiful state of Hawaii, Leilani Sommers had always been around the water. She remembered swimming before she had even learned to walk. Her father teased his little girl that she was part dolphin. The petite beauty loved the sunshine and the water and would never have dreamed that one day, she would not be living in Hawaii and that she would be so far away from the beaches and the heat. Wild horses - or perhaps, wild
sea
horses - could not have dragged her away.
She was a young woman of considerable beauty, great intelligence and charm and talent. From an early age, Leilani loved anything that had to do with the arts. Music, dance, poetry, painting, all of it was a vital part of her, part of the essence that made up her soul. Almost as much as she loved the water, she loved to dance and sing. She envisioned a future in performing and took as many classes as time and her parents' money allowed.
Some people would have not let dreams rule their life; such people were a puzzle to the young beauty. What was one meant to do in life if not to try and live out one's dreams? She took advantage of every opportunity she had in life. She had good looks and talent and she planned to use both to take her far. Perhaps she might become a famous dancer, or, at the very least, be discovered and work on stage, maybe even on Broadway. She would be able to stand leaving the islands if stardom was looming on the horizon.
Life has a way of taking odd twists and turns and it did just that in Leilani's case. She was dancing in a revue in one of the hotel lounges. It wasn't stardom she had been seeking, but it paid well and she met interesting and exciting people. She got along well with the other girls, none of whom resented her dancing skills or her lovely singing voice. A few of the cattier girls thought that she had gone far because she was sleeping with the director of the show. Those girls didn't last and Leilani was privy to the fact that Jack was in the closet.
Life showed Leilani what it had in store for her when Wayne Sommers came to see the show. He came to the first show and stayed for the second. His eyes didn't leave her for a second and what eyes they were. Dark and piercing, he himself was a large man with broad shoulders and wavy black hair. To petite little Leilani, he looked as if he could break her in half. He also resembled a Mafia Don, although she learned that he was an old friend of Jack's who had backed a lot of his most successful shows. "He has so much money that if someone dropped a $100 bill on the street, it wouldn't be worth Wayne's time to pick it up," Jack quipped.
Wayne was the kind of man Leilani wanted to know better. She wasn't a gold digger; she had refused advances from rich men before. She did like success and Wayne had an aura of that surrounding him. He also dressed very well and was very gracious to everyone in the club that evening, tipping well and smiling at his servers. Still, whenever Leilani was on the stage, that's where Wayne's eyes were.
"Wow, has Wayne got it bad for you," Leilani's friend Jessica smiled as they changed out of their costumes. "If it isn't love at first sight, it sure as hell is infatuation."
"Oh, don't be crazy," Leilani laughed. Secretly, she hoped the leggy blonde dancer was right. "Do you know Wayne personally?"
"Oh sure, for a few years now," Jessica said to Leilani. "He comes to all of Jack's revues, he never misses a one. I made a play for him, but he shot me down - guess I'm not his type. Too bad, I hear he's a real high roller."
"Do you mean he's a gambler?"
Jessica nodded. "Yes, he's won more than his share of poker tournaments and he travels a lot. Jack told me he comes here whenever he isn't at home in New York or in Vegas or Monte Carlo. From what I hear, he invests his winnings well, so he doesn't have to work - just play. Babe, if you want my advice, if he asks you out -
go!
"
Leilani didn't tell Jess that she had already decided on that before they had even left the stage. Why not? It had been almost a year since her last relationship had ended. Even if Wayne ended up as a little fling, what of it? She wasn't even twenty-five yet, fucking for fun was allowed.
"Want to come with?" Leilani teased. Perhaps Wayne was the kind of guy who liked to have more than one piece of eye candy on his arm and she knew Jessica needed a night out almost as much as she did. It was early Sunday morning and they didn't have a show that evening.
"Why would you want me along to crimp your style?" Jessica asked. Leilani would have liked Jessica along because her friend knew how to live it up. Leilani enjoyed life, but she was not the "party girl" her best friend was. She would have taken pointers from her blonde buddy and followed her lead. "Here comes Diamond Jim, just stop worrying and be yourself. Let's face it baby, you're the one he's interested in." Jessica gave Leilani a peck on the cheek and sprinted out the door on her stiletto-clad heels.
"YOU are marvelous," Wayne said to Leilani as he presented her with a bouquet of purple roses. They were beautiful and she wondered how he had gotten such unique flowers. She supposed if one had enough money, he could obtain almost anything. "You're radiant onstage, but off, you're a shining star. Can this poor man take you to dinner tonight? Or lunch? Buy you a Ferrari, perhaps?" He joked.
"Poor men can't afford Ferraris," Leilani shot back with a laugh. "Yes to dinner, but a late one, if that's okay. I did two shows and I'm beat. Would 9 PM be alright?"
"Okay, I will buy you a Honda then," Wayne retorted. "Seriously, I would have said yes even if you had said midnight," Wayne smiled with teeth almost as white as Donny Osmond's. "I'll send a car for you." She scribbled down her address and phone number as he told her he was looking forward to it. When she got home, she called Jessica right away. Despite the hour, she knew her friend would be awake. They were alike in that, both needed a few hours to unwind after a strenuous show.
"Hey, maybe you've found Prince Charming," Jessica chirped happily. "Good for you, I've kissed too many frogs already."
"And more than your share of toads," Leilani teased her, recalling Jess'
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