Her Hawaiian Homecoming. Cara Lockwood
trees with mud. Dallas straightened his hat as he walked out to save the damsel in distress.
That was when she opened the door and got out to inspect the stuck wheel.
This was no gangly preadolescent girl, like the one in the dated photo on Misu’s fridge. This was a full-blown woman, late twenties, with long, lean legs in formfitting jeans, and thick raven-black hair that fell long and straight past her shoulders. She did look like Misu’s kin, had the same chin and pronounced cheekbones. But she was clearly an ethnic mix: not wholly Japanese, but not wholly something else, either. She had flawless olive skin and dark eyes, her thick lashes magnified by mascara. Her thin, just-defined arms that jutted from her short-sleeved T-shirt showed just how fit she was. She had a sweater wrapped around her tiny waist, a wool remnant from Chicago, no doubt, as were her high-heeled leather ankle boots. She flicked a long, shiny strand of hair from her eyes, and as she inspected the damage, the muddied wheel sank three inches into the dark muck. If she were out on the main road, at least three cars would’ve stopped, men stumbling over themselves trying to help her.
“Wow, that is not the Allie I remember,” Kai said, voice low.
Dallas didn’t like the way Kai said that, and suddenly he felt like calling dibs, as if they were at a bar.
She hadn’t seen them yet. Dallas wondered what she would do now. A gorgeous girl like that probably wasn’t used to fending for herself. No doubt, she’d be on the phone instantly, asking for help.
Instead, she looked at the wheel, and then, without missing a beat, ducked inside the car to put the gearshift in Neutral. She walked around the car in her sexy but decidedly impractical heels, the black leather boot soles sinking into the mud as she went. She put two perfectly manicured hands on the back bumper and gave it her best push. He had to admire her spirit, even if the effort was futile. She probably couldn’t have weighed more than a hundred and ten pounds. One of her boots slipped, but she caught herself on the bumper.
“That’s the Allie I remember,” Kai said. “Never afraid of a little dirt.” Kai stepped forward. “Allie!” he called, drawing her attention. The woman’s head whipped up, and she squinted. “It’s Kai! Remember me? Kai Brady?”
“Kai,” Allie repeated, slowly at first and then once more, recognition dawning. “The boy who’d always steal my mango candy.”
Kai laughed. “Guilty,” he said, and wrapped his old friend in a hug.
“You’ve grown up!”
“So have you.” Kai backed away. Dallas found he couldn’t take his eyes off Allie. He’d seen his share of pretty girls, but something about her was just...striking. Flawless skin, a heart-shaped mouth and perfect cheekbones. Her big dark eyes turned to study him, and he felt rooted to the spot. “Uh...” She paused, her eyes flicking down to his bare chest, and it was then he remembered he’d forgotten to put his shirt back on. Where were his manners?
“This is Dallas,” Kai said. “He’s a good guy, once you get past the cowboy act.”
“It’s no act,” Dallas drawled, glad he could interrupt the little reunion. He wanted more of Allie’s attention. “I was raised on a ranch in Texas. I’d offer to shake your hand, but mine are...” He opened his palms to show the dirt from the water tank pipes.
“So you’re Dallas.” She said his name in a guarded way, which made him think they might have gotten off on the wrong foot, probably because he was nonfamily included in the will. His own father didn’t believe in giving out land to anyone but family and he had a very narrow definition of what that meant. He couldn’t blame her for thinking the same.
“Can we give you a hand?” Dallas asked.
“That would be great,” Allie said, but she looked at Kai. Dallas tried not to take offense as he rounded the back of the car. Still, he had to wonder, was there something between them? He watched the two carefully, but saw nothing hinting at sexual tension. She looked at him like a long-lost brother. Good.
“We’ve got this,” Kai assured her.
“Go on and get in and ease on to the gas when I tell you,” Dallas said.
Allie left her post at the back bumper and wobbled her way to the driver’s seat, her heels covered in mud. He watched the firm bend of her rear as she ducked into the car.
Dallas grabbed a huge leaf that hung near his head from a nearby banana tree and put it in front of the back tire for a little grip. Kai stood at the other side of the bumper.
“Okay, ready... Give it some gas.” Dallas put his shoulder into the back of the car and heaved with all his might. Kai did the same. Allie revved the engine, the wheel spinning and flicking serious mud all over his favorite pair of Wranglers. He gritted his teeth and pushed harder, digging his worn cowboy boots into the mud for leverage. On this push, the car gave a little. He leaned in, and the car broke free of the rut, rolled over the leaf and on to the main driveway again. Kai gave a whoop.
“Teamwork!” he said, and gave Dallas a high five.
She paused on the road, and he jogged up beside her driver’s-side window. She gave him a sparkling smile, showing even white teeth and a dimple in her right cheek. Right then, he could see a little of Misu in her, in the childlike glee of her expression. This is what it looked like when her guard came down, he thought. He felt a little light-headed. He wanted to reach straight into that front seat and kiss this girl on the lips.
This was not going to do at all. He couldn’t be lusting after Misu’s granddaughter, for heaven’s sake. It wouldn’t be right. Misu wasn’t here to give her blessing, and besides, Allie still had serious questions to answer.
“Thanks, Dallas,” she said now, smiling even more broadly. Her dazzling smile made him forget just what those questions were. “Where should I park?”
Dallas realized the only real pressing question on his mind right at this moment was what that tight little body looked like without clothes on. Kai nudged him, hard. He ignored his friend.
“Uh...right there,” he said, pointing to a spot near the water tank, recovering himself, even as he tried to get his dirty thoughts under control. “Misu’s house is the yellow one there.” She nodded and rolled up the window, maneuvering the car to the spot.
“I thought you didn’t like locals,” Kai murmured at his shoulder.
“I don’t.” Dallas watched her brake lights flash. “She’s not a local.”
“Allie is like a little sister to me. Just like ohana. Family.” Kai studied his friend. “Careful, Dallas. Don’t look so relieved. She’s not someone you play with. You get me?”
“I thought you said you didn’t believe the rumors.”
“I don’t. But what I know as fact is that you haven’t been yourself since Jennifer.”
That was the understatement of the year. Before Jennifer, he would’ve never spent his time babysitting drunk tourists. But a lot of things had changed since then.
“Dallas, I mean it,” Kai grumbled, voice low. “You have to promise me you’ll stay away from Allie.” Kai held Dallas by the upper arm, his grip a little tighter than it should have been.
“Kai, come on.”
“Dallas. I’m asking you. As a friend. Do not play with that girl unless you plan on marrying her. And even then... Just don’t mess around.”
“I...” Dallas watched Allie hop out of the car, her lean form tight as she made her way to the trunk.
“Dallas?”
“Fine, Kai. Okay, I promise.” Allie bent over the back of the open trunk, showing her perfectly rounded assets at the best possible angle. Dallas instantly regretted his promise.
“I’ll get that,” he said, offering to carry the bag.
“You