After some grilled food, the bonfire show officially began.
The performers put on an amazing traditional Maldivian fire dance, followed by local dancers circling the bonfire. Then the entertainers started pulling audience members in to join the fun. Everyone was singing, dancing, and totally letting loose.
Thanks to Griffin’s sneaky planning, Anastasia got pulled into the circle right between him and Cassian, making it look like she was dancing with Griffin. Cassian was totally pleased with Griffin’s arrangement and spent the whole time grinning while watching Anastasia. After dancing for a while, everyone was exhausted and headed back to their seats.
Yinsen couldn’t help complaining. “Griff, the bonfire thing was cool, but maybe skip it next time.”
“Why?” Griffin asked.
“It’s hot as hell, dancing around a giant fire, sweating buckets while getting roasted alive. I felt like a pig on a spit,” Yinsen said.
Griffin: “…”
“Only single guys feel like roasted pork. For couples, it’s like adding fuel to the romantic fire,” Griffin said with a knowing look toward Cassian.
Sure enough, even though Cassian and Anastasia were sitting apart, they were making serious eye contact across the space – the kind that practically had visible sparks.
“I can’t see this. I’m blind,” Griffin said dramatically.
PDA kills. Though he’d never dare say that in front of Cassian.
Anastasia’s group was getting grossed out too. “Can you just go over there? This eye–fucking is giving me goosebumps,” Tamia told her.
“Seriously, I feel like the boss is staring at me. It’s so uncomfortable,” Sharlene added.
Just then, a shadow fell across their view. Someone had walked over and blocked their line of sight. Anastasia looked up to see a guy’s face – the same man who’d asked for directions earlier. His asking for directions had been just a random encounter that Anastasia hadn’t thought twice about, but apparently he was back.
“Um…” The guy put on a shy expression and scratched the back of his head. “I lost a game and chose truth or dare. Will you give me your number?”
Anastasia didn’t hesitate. “No.”
What does his losing a game have to do with me?
The guy looked stunned, then annoyed. “You have to. You were totally flirting with me first.”
Anastasia was so amused by this idiot that she laughed. “When exactly did I flirt with you? If your eyes are broken, go see a doctor."
“I think he needs to get his brain checked first,” Tamia said, standing up and stepping protectively in front of Anastasia.
Nobody messes with Ana on my watch!
Chapter 226
“You…” The guy’s face got even darker, like a storm cloud. “When I asked for directions, you smiled at me. Wasn’t that you giving me bedroom eyes?”
His confident delusion was actually hilarious.
“Delusional asshole! By that logic, when you checked into the hotel and the front desk smiled at you, were they hitting on you too?” Sharlene said.
“Obviously! They were totally into me. Look how hot I am.”
That’s when Cassian and the guys arrived.
“Why waste time talking to trash like this? Just handle it,” Yinsen said, grabbing the guy’s collar and yanking him backward. “Get lost!”
“Who the hell are you? Do you know who I am–”
The guy’s words died in his throat when he turned and saw Cassian. His face went white. “Mr. Rhodes?”
This batch of guests were all people Griffin had invited to boost the vibe – they mostly knew each other in business circles. Seeing Cassian, the guy’s legs turned to jelly. Griffin and Yinsen had also come over. Griffin gave the man a cold stare. “Well, well, if it isn’t Ron. You’ve got some balls causing trouble on my turf. Trying to pick up girls without knowing your place! Going after Cassian’s wife – that’s like playing with dynamite.”
“I didn’t mean to,” the guy said, practically in tears and shaking. He just wanted to hit on some girl – how was he supposed to know he’d picked the wrong target?
“Get the fuck out!”
“This is getting boring. Want to go play cards?” Griffin suggested.
Anastasia’s eyes immediately lit up. “Really?”
Griffin’s mouth twitched, realizing he’d forgotten about the card–counting freaks. “Actually, I’ve got another awesome activity lined up for you guys,” Griffin said quickly.
No way am I playing cards with two memory–savant psychos!
“What kind of activity?” Anastasia asked curiously.
“Trust me, it’s perfect for you two,” Griffin said.
“Let’s go,” Cassian told Anastasia.
“Okay.”
They all left together, so everyone else just assumed Anastasia’s group was tight with Cassian’s crew – nobody suspected Anastasia and Cassian were actually together. More accurately, they didn’t think Anastasia was with Cassian, but rather that she and Griffin definitely had something going on.
“I didn’t believe it when Narissa said Anastasia was hooking up with Mr. Orlando, but now I’m convinced,” someone said.
The woman who’d brought Cassian the grilled skewers earlier looked furious. She pulled out her phone and sent a photo to someone.
After heading back to the hotel, Anastasia’s group took a different route to avoid the company people. Cassian held Anastasia’s hand tightly the entire way.
Chapter 226
Anastasia turned to look at him curiously. “Where are we going?”
“I have no idea, but we’ll find out when we get there,” Cassian said.
Anastasia: “…”
If even Cassian doesn’t know, this feels like a trap. Griffin seemed unreliable, and she had a feeling he might be setting them up for something.
Cassian seemed to read her thoughts. “Don’t worry. Griffin might seem sketchy sometimes, but when he’s being serious, he’s actually trustworthy.”
Anastasia’s mouth twitched. Is that really true?
“Right this way, please.”
Soon, a hotel staff member led them to a hot air balloon. Anastasia was stunned, then delighted. “I can’t believe he arranged a hot air balloon!”
“Mm,” Cassian said.
When Anastasia turned to look at him, she noticed he was pressing his lips together and looking pretty tense. Something occurred to her, and she asked tentatively, “Cassian… you’re not afraid of heights, are you?”
Cassian kept his expression neutral. “No.”
Anastasia hugged him and looked up with sparkling eyes that seemed to hold all the stars in the sky. “Really? You’re not lying to me?”
Cassian’s body went rigid. “No.”
“Then let’s go up!”
“Okay.”
Anastasia climbed in first and reached out her hand to him. “Come on.”