“I’ll be right back.”
She turned and walked to the back of the small house. It took every bit of his power not to watch that full, round ass sway, but he did it. He turned his attention to her brother.
“Morning, Chris.”
Chris stood there, his frown dark, his arms crossed over his massive chest. Kai wasn’t afraid of him. He might be a bit bigger, but as May liked to point out, Kai spent a lot of his time on the docks. “Morning. You want to tell me what this is about?”
“I thought we went over that last night.”
Chris shifted his feet. “I’ve been thinking about it, and I’m still not sure this is a good idea.”
Kai held up his hands. “Give it a rest, bra. Your sister mentioned that she thought Oahu was crowded, I said I would show her some of the other spots that weren’t.”
“You aren’t making any moves on her.”
Not a question, a statement with a threat attached by way of his tone. Kai knew his life would be easier to deny it completely, but Chris was too smart. It wasn’t in Kai’s ability to lie, not when he was this attracted to a woman.
“Your sister is an attractive woman who is discovering Hawaii. What goes on between us is just that. Between us.”
Chris said nothing.
“Look at it this way, man. You want me to take her around, or some other man? Your sister is gorgeous and bright. Men are attracted to her because of her looks, but I am sure they stick around because of the personality. You know you can trust me.”
For a second, he was sure that Chris was going to argue with him, but then his shoulders relaxed.
“Sorry. I really am. All of us have been a bit overprotective since her hospital stay. I know I can trust you, it’s just…”
Kai smiled. “She’s your sister. I understand. Listen, I’ve been in your shoes. May always attracted a lot of men.”
He nodded and opened his mouth, but Jocelyn breezed back in, a silk scarf wrapped around her head and sunglasses on. She looked like a fifties movie star. Glamorous, sexy and downright tempting.
“Ready?” she asked with a smile.
He nodded.
“You can lock up, right, Chris?”
Her brother looked from one to the other, then said, “Yeah, I can lock up.”
Kai took her by the elbow and led her out of the house and down the steps. A few minutes later, they were speeding down the road.
“Sorry about that.”
He shrugged, trying to ignore the way it had made him feel. He never saw color, just the person beneath.
“All of my brothers have been insane since I was in the hospital.”
He nodded. “I said I understood. You know, when you were in the hospital, so was May. I know what it was like.”
“Yeah, but I hate that they question my ability to be able to make my own decisions.”
He shot her a smile. “We always secretly think that. We just keep it to ourselves.”
She laughed as he’d hoped. “I always thought that. I figured they were always thinking it when I was at culinary school.”
He turned onto Kam Highway and headed to Kaneohe. “I thought I would show you some pretty scenery, including where they filmed part of the first Jurassic Park.”
She smiled. “That sounds fabulous.”
“And then maybe we can hit some of the lesser known beaches, just so you can get a feel.”
She was quiet for a few moments, then asked, “Is there a reason you’re doing this?”
He didn’t answer as he passed a slow compact. “What reason would I have?”
Again, she paused. “Not sure.”
He looked at her then and noticed that the smile she’d had before had dimmed.
“Listen.” He waited until he felt the weight of her gaze on him. “I am doing this for a few reasons. One, you don’t know anyone. Since I grew up here and know just about everyone on the island, I can’t even imagine what you are feeling. Two, I know what it feels like to be the third wheel.”
“Kai Aiona doesn’t have a problem getting dates.”
He shot her a quick look. “What do you mean by that? I don’t even know you.”
She laughed. “Honey, I grew up with three brothers and I work in an industry dominated by men. I know your species. I can tell you don’t have too many problems getting dates. You’re hot, you’re nice and I saw the way women reacted to you the other day on the boat. You have your pick of women.”
He could feel heat in his cheeks, but he tried to ignore it. “Oh, I thought maybe you had heard rumors.”
She laughed. “Cynthia said you do have a steady stream of women.”
Anger surged, but he tamped down on it. The truth was, he had been that way for a long time. But something had changed in the last six months. Part of it was May’s marriage, he knew that. But the other part of it had been Keisha.