“Hey, mister, you’re the one that has lived here…how long? Five months? And all you have to drink is cheap margarita mix in a pouch?” Gia sipped her half-unfrozen drink, wincing at the taste. “If I get drunk from this, I swear, my Nonna Maria will kick open her casket and take away my Italian card or something.”
“Italians don’t drink margaritas?” Kai asked, grinning into his glass.
“Excuse me, junior, but Italians are classy and like real grownups, we drink wine, red preferably. White if we must.”
Kai’s shoulders shook as he laughed, choking on his drink. “Oh…hoo, excuse me, granny. I didn’t realize your delicate Italian sensibilities couldn’t handle cheap margarita mix.” He rolled his eyes when Gia waved him off, dismissing the insult. “Now, if we were in Hawaii, I’d ply you with oke. That would make your nonna proud.”
“Hawaiian moonshine? Yeah, I’ve had it,” she said, enjoying the shock that rounded Kai’s eyes. “See? I’m full of surprises, young grasshopper.”
“Oh, I have no doubt.” He kept his gaze on Gia’s face as she drank, adjusting in his seat as she stretched her leg, leaning up to drape her ankle on his bent knee. “Keep it elevated.”
“Uh huh. If you say so.” Gia didn’t comment on how Kai held her leg still at his knee or how relaxed they were reclining against the wicker loungers on his balcony, watching the rain crash against the city around them. Damn that spark. It was back and seemed to have no intention of leaving. It was black everywhere now, the electricity shutting off an hour before. Now there was only Kai’s company and the crashing of thunder and the sound of the rain against the metal balcony roof to break apart the quiet of the night.
“When did you have oke?” he asked, pulling her attention from the darkness around her.
“God. I must have been…twenty-three? Couldn’t have been any older than that. I went to O'ahu with my friend Claire. It was her present to herself for passing the bar.”
Kai rubbed her bare leg as she spoke, a lazy, absent-minded gesture Gia wasn’t sure he knew he did. She felt serene, calm even if she wore loose boxers rolled up and knotted at the waist and one of his black Steamers tees that fell off her shoulder every time she moved her hand.
“And what did you do in O'ahu?”
She smiled not sure how honest she should be. But there had been nothing between them save some mild flirtation. Besides, Gia had a past before him. She was sure to have one after he’d stepped out of her life.
“A fire dancer from Waipahu.”
The stroking on her leg stopped, then the lounger next to her shook and Gia looked at Kai, joining in his laughter. “And did the fire dancer do us proud?”
“Most definitely.”
Kai shook his head, and the rubbing continued. “There are always people who like to give the tourists the whole Hawaiian experience.”
“Did you ever offer anyone the whole Hawaiian experience?”
“Never a tourist.” He looked at Gia then, pressing his lips together. “But I’m keeping my options open.”
She wasn’t drunk enough for this. Not for the glint in his eyes and what it told her. Not for the smooth, slow stroke of his finger against her thigh and how it made her feel. Not for the slowness of Kai’s movements when he set her leg on the lounger, making sure that her ankle was out of the way before he came on his side to face her.
“Gia,” he said, taking the glass out of her hand. There was nothing he needed to say to her. No convincing that would make her change her mind about anything happening between them.
None of it was needed.
“My God,” she started, her tone sounding awed even to her own ears, “how you look at me.” She wanted the words back inside her mouth seconds after they left.
It was too late.
Kai was already moving.
His palm to her face, fingertips moving her chin up and Kai held his mouth inches from Gia’s, ready, waiting, breath warming her lips.
“This is a profoundly bad idea,” she said, just as she smoothed her fingers over his wide arm and up his shoulders, running them along his neck to rest against his cheek.
“Then tell me to stop.”
She didn’t. Of course she didn’t.
“Can’t,” Gia said, meeting Kai’s kiss when it came for her.
Then Gia knew what every look Kai had given her meant. He was fierce with every sweeping brush of his lips against hers, with