Page 25 of Fast Fury

Abby blushed and didn’t know what to say, relieved when Kai led her inside to the entryway.

“Take off your shoes,” he whispered, sliding off his flip-flops.

Abby did the same, lining them up neatly at the door. His grandmother was already in the kitchen, and whatever she was cooking smelled so good that Abby’s stomach growled. She followed Kai into the cozy, tidy space, taking in all the bright colors and tropical plants lined up in vivid clay pots on the windowsills. “Can I help with anything?” she asked.

“No,” his grandma answered, smiling at Abby over her shoulder. “Kai told me how much you love food. I like a girl who likes food.”

“Well then you and I are going to get along great.”

The old woman grinned. “He also said what a fabulous cook you are, but tonight, we want you to just relax. We want you to feel at home, so we cooked you our favorite Hawaiian dishes to sample.”

“We?” she said, looking at Kai. “You made this together?” It was sweet that he’d told his grandmother that she was a good cook. If he’d been talking to her about Abby, that had to mean something, right?

“Yes, ma’am. I wanted your first home-cooked Hawaiian dinner to be memorable.”

Warmth filled her chest. None of the men she’d been with had ever appreciated or understood her love of food. She wasn’t sure whether Kai had done this in a deliberate attempt at seduction, but that’s exactly what it was. And it was working.

“Well I can’t wait to taste everything.” She was fascinated by the various foods laid out on platters, thrilled at the prospect of eating local cuisine prepared by Kai and his grandma.

The older woman flapped a hand at Kai without looking up from what she was doing at the counter. “Go pour her a glass of plantation tea and take her out onto the lanai.”

Kai winked at Abby and moved to the fridge to pour her a glass from a chilled pitcher. “It’s iced tea with pineapple juice,” he said, handing it to her.

“Freshly squeezed pineapple juice,” grandma interjected, stirring something over by the stove. “None of this juice from a carton nonsense. Fresh Maui pineapple and home-brewed tea.”

Abby resisted the urge to put a hand over her heart. She was all about making things from scratch and ditching the processed crap. “I think I already love her,” she murmured to Kai.

He grinned back. “Knew you would. Come on.” Setting a hand on her lower back, he guided her through the small living space that adjoined the kitchen, and out through a large set of sliding glass doors onto the lanai.

“Ohhh,” she breathed when they stepped outside onto the wooden deck. “This is incredible.”

“Yeah.Tutuhas a real gift.”

It was like a little wonderland back here. The wood deck led to a small brick patio, and everything was enclosed by a wall of green, lit up by strands of fairy lights. And thesmell. She’d never get enough of it.

Palm trees anchored the corners, their curved fronds rustling gently in the warm breeze, carrying the sweet scent of flowers and bringing the soft music of wind chimes to life. A variety plants in various shades of green, red, orange and pink surrounded the space, giving it the feel of total seclusion. Little statues and figurines peeked out from their hiding places where they’d been tucked in amongst the plants and pots.

“It’s so private and peaceful,” she said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath to better enjoy the lush scents.

“Here’s the best spot,” he said, lacing his fingers through hers and tugging her to a swinging bench set in the far-left corner, tucked beneath a wrought iron arbor dripping with some kind of multi-colored flowering vine. Bougainvillea, Abby thought it was called.

She sat next to him, savoring the private moment and the chance to lean into his hard frame, the glass of ice-cold tea in her hand. Draping an arm over the back of the swing, he played with the back of her hair gently, setting the suddenly oversensitive nerve endings in her nape on fire. “Look up,” he murmured.

Feeling a little drugged by his nearness and the gentle caress of his fingertips, Abby tipped her head back. There in the midnight blue sky, a half-moon glowed through the palm fronds, bathing everything with a pale silvery light. “This is unbelievable,” she whispered. Romantic. Magical. A thousand times more poignant because she was sharing it with Kai.

“You should have seen her old place, where I grew up. It was close to the ocean, so at night we would sit out back in the garden and look out over the water. It was really something.” He glanced down at her. “How’s your tea?”

She took a sip, sighed at the refreshing, not overly sweet taste. “It’s my new favorite drink.”

His low chuckle made her insides flutter. “I thought you’d like it.”

What wasn’t to like? This…date, if that’s what it was, wasn’t what she’d expected, but it was better. And something she never would have had the chance to experience if they’d gone for dinner back in town somewhere.

Abby studied him, letting her gaze travel over every line of his proud, chiseled face. She needed to know where they stood before this went any farther, what he wanted. Because she didn’t want to risk her heart all on her own, and there was no way she could keep her heart out of the equation if they continued down this path.

She’d just opened her mouth to ask him where they stood when his grandmother called out from the house. “Time to eat. Bring Abby in here so we can show her what we made.”

She and Kai shared a private smile. This time she reached for his hand, her heart skipping a beat at the way he squeezed hers in silent acknowledgment. Anticipation and arousal built inside her, every brush of his arm against her, every time she breathed in his scent adding to the heat between them.

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