Malakai (Stone Society #13) - Faith Gibson Page 0,8
Stupid tire! Aaaagh.” She was rubbing her toes when she heard the distinct sounds of flip-flops. Josie looked over her shoulder and froze, her foot in her hand, mouth hanging open.
“Is everything okay?” the flip-flop-wearing man asked. Josie couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen a grown man wearing a pair when he wasn’t on the beach. If anyone belonged on the sand, it was the stunning stranger standing mere feet away from her. No, everything was not okay because in what world did fate throw someone like him in the path of someone like her?
Josie continued to stare. Not only was the stranger gorgeous, but he held his hands out to the side as if he were approaching a skittish dog. Maybe he was. He had to have heard her cursing a blue streak. Mister sex-on-two-long-legs had tanned skin like he was Hawaiian or Samoan. His hair was cropped close on the sides, and his eyes were dark. If he hadn’t been wearing flip-flops, she’d have thought he was a biker. Ripped jeans rode low on his hips, and his white T-shirt stretched across a firm chest. Josie knew because she was checking him out. That might not be the smartest thing to do under the circumstances, but Holy Mother of God, the man had Josie wanting to lick him. All over.
“Ma’am? Would you like some help with your tire?”
“Oh, that.” When she realized she was still holding her foot, she dropped it, forgetting about the pain in her toes. “Uh, I can just call the car service.” Josie looked around, finally coming to her senses. There were cars passing by, so she didn’t think he would harm her with others around to witness a crime. She really hoped he was a nice man and not some hot-as-sin creature with a black soul.
Lucifer was beautiful, and look how he turned out.
“Or I could change it now so you don’t have to wait on them.” The man offered her a smile that rendered her momentarily mute. She should say no. This was a stranger, albeit the sexiest stranger she’d ever encountered, but she was a red-blooded woman who was not immune to so much alpha testosterone coming from the perfect male specimen.
Josie cocked her head to the side and studied him. There was something familiar about him. Something that told her she knew him from somewhere. His smile never faded while he waited for her to decide. She didn’t know how long it would take for the repair service to arrive, and who was she to deny the stranger his good deed of the day?
“I’d appreciate that.”
Chapter Three
“It’s no problem.” The man held out his hand. “I’m Malakai Palamo, but you can call me Kai if you wish.”
Josie took his hand and shook it. “Josie Pierson, and I really appreciate—” Holy shit on a shingle. Malakai. Kai. The hottie from the gym, Kai. Oh, no. No, no, no. Josie jerked her hand away, turned around, and started to walk off, but Malakai grabbed her bicep. His grip was strong and gentle at the same time.
“Josie, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Not a thing. I…” Josie shook her head. The hottest man she’d ever met was offering to help her, and she was a bumbling idiot. No time like the present to prove otherwise. “Let’s get this done, shall we, Malakai?” Oh, she loved his name. Presley had only ever called him Kai when she and Elise were talking about him.
Josie popped the trunk, and while Kai bent over to retrieve the spare, she most certainly did not look at his tight ass because Josie Pierson was better than that. What the fuck ever. She ogled and drooled and — “Eep.” — squeaked when caught ogling.
Malakai was smirking. “Everything okay?” He lifted the tire like it weighed nothing and placed it on the ground next to the flat. While he was retrieving the jack, he bent back over, but he turned and looked at her, once again catching her looking at his ass.
Josie was glad it was darkish out because her cheeks had to be scarlet. “Kill me now,” she muttered to herself.
“Why would I do that? If I killed you, I wouldn’t be able to take you to dinner.”
Josie laughed at the ridiculousness of his comment. If this was the same man from the gym, there was no way he was serious when he wouldn’t give Presley the time of day. “Where do you work, Malakai?”