blond stubble lining his cut jawline.
She ignored her racing heartbeat when he ducked his head, his eyes drifting to her lips as he spoke.
“I don’t want you to get hurt.” His voice was velvety soft.
Hold strong, woman. He just wants you to give in.
“I won’t. I know what I’m doing,” she said.
“You’re stubborn.”
He inched closer. His sweet breath filled her senses. Slowly, her lips parted, waiting and longing to feel the soft touch of his lips.
“She gets that from her mother.”
Jeremy stumbled back at the sound of Auntie Anela’s voice, his face turning pink.
“Auntie! You’re here. Uh, this is Jeremy.” Thank goodness! She’d been this close to surrendering.
“So this is the famous Golden Boy?”
“Yes, that’s me. Nice to meet you.”
“I’ve heard so many things about you. Sammy and Leilani talk about you all the time.”
“Oh, they do?”
“All good stuff, Jeremy,” Leilani said.
“Sexy Jeremy!”
Gah! Leilani snatched the cover, ready to throw it over the cage.
“Now, now, Giggles. Stop teasing. You’ve had enough sunshine today.” Auntie opened the cage and Giggles immediately hopped onto her hand. “I’ll take her inside so two can be alone.”
“We were just talking,” Leilani and Jeremy said in unison.
Auntie’s eyes darted between them, smiling.
“I did a lot of ‘talking’ in my day. It’s much more fun when you’re alone under the moonlight.” She winked. “Oh, bring the cage inside when you’re done,” she added before disappearing inside.
Leilani gazed at Jeremy in uncomfortable silence. He was keeping his distance. Whatever had been happening between them was gone. And by the determined expression on his face, he wasn’t about to let it happen again.
It was time to face the facts. Jeremy was fighting whatever feelings he had for her. For some reason, he wanted to keep their relationship in the friend zone.
“Uh, thanks for the offer, but my answer is still no. I need to get ready for work.”
“Wait, Leilani.”
She really must’ve liked torturing herself, because she couldn’t look away from him. What was it about those eyes that pulled her to him, that made her feel like she could fly?
He pursed his perfectly shaped lips, but no sounds came out. The words were written all over his face. Why wouldn’t he say them?
Why couldn’t she?
“I’ll wait for you in the car,” he finally said.
When he turned away, jamming his hands into his pockets, she willed herself to go inside. She couldn’t. She was stuck watching the one man who made her feel alive like no one else could as he walked away from her reach.
17
L eilani stared at the ceiling fan’s blades whirling above her. She couldn’t sleep because it was so hot in the house. That was what she’d kept telling herself over the last hour. It wasn’t because Jeremy’s face always managed to show up whenever she closed her eyes. It wasn’t because of how close she’d been to tasting his lips.
Why did I let him go? Why didn’t I say anything?
She tossed over, punching a pillow. She knew why. It was because of her—the one who had broken his heart years ago. That Naomi chick was still in his heart. What other reason was there?
“This is so stupid.” She jumped out of bed, taking off her damp t-shirt and throwing on a white tank top and denim shorts before heading outside. There was no use even trying to sleep.
She padded down the hall, stopping by Sammy’s room. She leaned against the door frame, watching his tiny chest rise and fall. He was so cute when he was sleeping. Even with his father’s red hair and freckles, he still looked like Mom.
She went to his side and gently swept off the wet hair sticking to his forehead. There was so much she wanted to give Sammy. She should’ve taken Jeremy’s money. Not all of it, just enough to buy a new AC. Kai’s repairs had only lasted a few days this time. There was no way he would be able to fix it again. The AC was
She ignored her racing heartbeat when he ducked his head, his eyes drifting to her lips as he spoke.
“I don’t want you to get hurt.” His voice was velvety soft.
Hold strong, woman. He just wants you to give in.
“I won’t. I know what I’m doing,” she said.
“You’re stubborn.”
He inched closer. His sweet breath filled her senses. Slowly, her lips parted, waiting and longing to feel the soft touch of his lips.
“She gets that from her mother.”
Jeremy stumbled back at the sound of Auntie Anela’s voice, his face turning pink.
“Auntie! You’re here. Uh, this is Jeremy.” Thank goodness! She’d been this close to surrendering.
“So this is the famous Golden Boy?”
“Yes, that’s me. Nice to meet you.”
“I’ve heard so many things about you. Sammy and Leilani talk about you all the time.”
“Oh, they do?”
“All good stuff, Jeremy,” Leilani said.
“Sexy Jeremy!”
Gah! Leilani snatched the cover, ready to throw it over the cage.
“Now, now, Giggles. Stop teasing. You’ve had enough sunshine today.” Auntie opened the cage and Giggles immediately hopped onto her hand. “I’ll take her inside so two can be alone.”
“We were just talking,” Leilani and Jeremy said in unison.
Auntie’s eyes darted between them, smiling.
“I did a lot of ‘talking’ in my day. It’s much more fun when you’re alone under the moonlight.” She winked. “Oh, bring the cage inside when you’re done,” she added before disappearing inside.
Leilani gazed at Jeremy in uncomfortable silence. He was keeping his distance. Whatever had been happening between them was gone. And by the determined expression on his face, he wasn’t about to let it happen again.
It was time to face the facts. Jeremy was fighting whatever feelings he had for her. For some reason, he wanted to keep their relationship in the friend zone.
“Uh, thanks for the offer, but my answer is still no. I need to get ready for work.”
“Wait, Leilani.”
She really must’ve liked torturing herself, because she couldn’t look away from him. What was it about those eyes that pulled her to him, that made her feel like she could fly?
He pursed his perfectly shaped lips, but no sounds came out. The words were written all over his face. Why wouldn’t he say them?
Why couldn’t she?
“I’ll wait for you in the car,” he finally said.
When he turned away, jamming his hands into his pockets, she willed herself to go inside. She couldn’t. She was stuck watching the one man who made her feel alive like no one else could as he walked away from her reach.
17
L eilani stared at the ceiling fan’s blades whirling above her. She couldn’t sleep because it was so hot in the house. That was what she’d kept telling herself over the last hour. It wasn’t because Jeremy’s face always managed to show up whenever she closed her eyes. It wasn’t because of how close she’d been to tasting his lips.
Why did I let him go? Why didn’t I say anything?
She tossed over, punching a pillow. She knew why. It was because of her—the one who had broken his heart years ago. That Naomi chick was still in his heart. What other reason was there?
“This is so stupid.” She jumped out of bed, taking off her damp t-shirt and throwing on a white tank top and denim shorts before heading outside. There was no use even trying to sleep.
She padded down the hall, stopping by Sammy’s room. She leaned against the door frame, watching his tiny chest rise and fall. He was so cute when he was sleeping. Even with his father’s red hair and freckles, he still looked like Mom.
She went to his side and gently swept off the wet hair sticking to his forehead. There was so much she wanted to give Sammy. She should’ve taken Jeremy’s money. Not all of it, just enough to buy a new AC. Kai’s repairs had only lasted a few days this time. There was no way he would be able to fix it again. The AC was
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