before she winked at me and left us alone in the kitchen. The Kumaka family was gathering around the television in the living room, and Makoa spun me in his arms until we were facing each other. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he kissed my nose, eyes searching mine.
We didn’t say a word.
We didn’t have to.
My throat was sticky and dry, heart pounding in my chest as we stood there, holding each other, his sister’s words on repeat in my mind.
He’s not afraid to love…
Makoa framed my face with his hands, kissing me sweetly and slowly and surely before he grabbed my hand and led me into the other room with his family.
And I realized that when it came to him, maybe I shouldn’t be so afraid, either.
Makoa
It was after midnight by the time my family finally let me take Belle home. My mom hugged her for what felt like half an hour when the time came, and only let go when Belle promised to come visit them all in Hawai’i soon.
I drove her to her condo across town, and we were quiet the entire way, my hand holding onto her thigh. Belle was so tired she had her head against the headrest, eyes closed, dozing in and out while I watched the streetlights float across her face.
When we made it up to her door, I walked her inside, chuckling as she fought back yawns and peeled off her high heels.
“I’m going to sleep like a baby tonight,” she said with a croaky voice.
“Hopefully better than a baby. Those things scream all night,” I countered, pulling her into my arms as soon as she was barefoot. I swept her hair behind her ears, searching her eyes for any sign of her never wanting to see me again after everything that had ensued tonight.
“Hi,” I breathed after a moment.
She gave me a sleepy smile, wrapping her arms around my neck. “Hi.”
“You okay?”
She nodded, but just as she did, she yawned so long and big. I thought she’d get lockjaw.
I chuckled, leaning in to press a kiss to those lips as soon as she’d shut them again. “I had a completely different idea in mind for tonight when I took you to my place.”
“That makes two of us.” Her smile widened. “But it was fun.”
“Yeah?”
“You didn’t think so?”
“I did, I just… I know that had to be a lot for you, meeting my family. And unexpectedly so.”
Belle tickled the hair at the back of my neck. “It was definitely a surprise… I haven’t ever met a man’s family before.”
I shook my head. “That’s so crazy and hard to believe, because you just knocked it out of the park.”
“They’re easy to get along with.”
I scoffed. “You didn’t grow up with them.”
“Don’t lie. You loved it.”
I wrapped her up even tighter. “I really did.”
We stood there for a long while with her in my arms and my heart in my throat. That heart beat faster and faster with every passing second, and every pulse said the same thing.
Tell her.
Tell her.
Tell her.
But when I opened my mouth to, Belle yawned again, and this one watered her eyes. She shook it off with a smile, laying her head on my chest. “Okay. You gotta put me to bed before I pass out.”
I chuckled, kissing her hair before I swept her up in my arms and carried her back to her bed. I helped her undress, and it was then that I realized just how tired she was, because she didn’t even try to make a move toward having sex. She climbed under the sheets, pulled the covers up to her chin, and sighed, wiggling around with a giant smile on her face.
“I think this is what it feels like to do a hallucinogenic drug,” she said.
I barked out a laugh, brushing her hair back from her face. “That good, huh?”
“I’m the kind of tired only a straight day of sleep can fix.”
“Well, get some sleep, then,” I said, leaning down to kiss her. She held that kiss for a long time before she let me go. “Can I see you tomorrow?”
Belle sighed. “I’d love to, but I’ll be working all day.”
I frowned. “I hate that you’re working on a Saturday.”
“Again, that makes two of us.”
“How about tomorrow night?”
Belle squeezed my hand. “Your family is in town. You should spend time with them.”
My frown deepened.
“Hey, I’m not going anywhere,” she said on a chuckle. “They flew a long way to see you. Besides, I