Malakai (Stone Society #13) - Faith Gibson Page 0,9

but not intimately. Not that I’m intimate with places. Or people for that matter. Not that you care about my lack of love life. But you know, I mean, no. I’ve never been there, but my sister takes a kickboxing class from a guy named Kai, and I’m assuming that’s you, unless there’s more than one hottie named Kai who works there.”

“Who’s your sister?”

“Presley. Tall, blonde, well put together?”

“She’s in one of my classes. I must say, you don’t look alike.”

“Yeah, she takes after our father’s side of the family, where I look just like my mom.”

“Your personalities are as different as your looks. Do you take after your mom that way too?”

“I do. My mom’s great. Not that I’m saying I’m great because we’re alike, but we’re more laid-back than my dad or sister.”

“I’m glad you’re nothing like Presley.”

“Why’s that? She’s gorgeous and successful.”

“She is that, but I prefer someone a little less intense. More bubbly.”

Bubbly? Was he talking about Josie? Impossible.

“Do you like your job?” Kai asked, and that was a strange topic change.

Josie wasn’t sure how to respond. Did she tell him the truth? Because she didn’t know him. Didn’t know if he’d turn around and tell her sister about this conversation. “I’m good at my job.” There. That was sort of the truth. And it was weird, having this conversation on the side of the road with this man. Why was he so interested in her?

“I’m sure you are after eight years of doing the same thing, but that’s not what I asked. Did you always want to be a paralegal?”

Wait. Had she mentioned how long she’d been a paralegal? She didn’t think so, but her mind was a little preoccupied. “No, but I didn’t want to be swimming in debt from student loans, so I did what my father wanted, and he paid my tuition. That probably sounds spoiled or selfish.”

“It sounds realistic. If money hadn’t been an object, what would you have studied?”

“Music. The cello specifically. Not that I can play one, but I saw this movie, August Rush, and I fell in love with Keri Russell. Not that I’m a lesbian because I’m not. I love men. I meant I loved her character and how the cello filled something in her life she was missing. Her child. I like kids. Love them. And I love music, but it doesn’t pay the bills, so…” Oh god. She should really shut up.

“Do you want kids?”

“Do you?” Josie wanted at least two, but if she had two girls, she would keep trying for a boy because being a girl with an older sister sucked. At least in her life.

“Yes. I want at least seven.” Kai winked, and Josie’s heart flipped. He had to be a good man to want so many kids, right? Seven little Samoan-god babies? That thought had her biological clock tick, tick, ticking.

“Little Samoan-god babies?” Kai smirked. Again.

Shit! She’d said that out loud. “Are you sure you won’t kill me now? Put me out of my misery?” Josie was mortified. Why couldn’t she be like those people who clammed up when they were nervous? But no. She had to be one who rambled incessantly without a fucking filter!

“No, Sunshine. I do not want to kill you. I want to change your tire then make sure you get inside safely. I want to kiss you on the cheek after I get your phone number so I can call you and plan that dinner date.”

“Date? Uh, am I being Punk’d right now? Like, is there a hidden camera filming this so the world can watch the Pacific island god pretend to be interested in the plain Jane from the city, who then gets her hopes up for a kiss on the cheek, although Jane wouldn’t mind some lip action, and then get told it was all a joke later?”

Malakai was shaking. He was holding onto the frame of the trunk, head bent, shoulders shaking his whole body. When he turned, his smile was huge. “I think I’m in love,” he muttered. Malakai picked up the jack and walked around to the side of the car. As he placed the jack on the ground, he asked, “Do you know how to change a tire?”

“In theory. I’ve seen it done. Once. We got a flat tire on our way to the beach. My father called Triple-A, and I watched the man change it. Let’s see if I remember. The jack goes under the frame, you crank it