Chief Distraction (23 page)

“There aren’t enough gentlemen around anymore.
Mak’s one of the few.”

Mak winked at her and Blythe felt her insides
crumble. Was he flirting with the officer now? And why were they so casual and
familiar with each other?

“Detective Aliha’s dating my brother. Remember I
told you he’s a cop?”

Blythe felt a rush of relief. “Yes, I remember.”

A second later a handsome man walked in carrying
two cups of coffee. Blythe could tell right away he was Mak’s brother, the resemblance
unmistakable. Mak’s chair scraped back as he stood and took the cups. He placed
them down on the table and the men embraced in a brotherly way, their strapping
bodies slapping each other on the back. “I was worried, Mak.”

“I’m fine,” Mak said, pulling away. He turned to
Blythe. “This is my younger brother, Officer Noki Kalani.”

Blythe stood and shook his firm hand while
comparing their similarities. Both brothers were handsome beyond measure and
physically superior to just about everyone she’d ever met. Meeting Noki made
being here with Mak seem real, genuine. A moment later, hollers and chatter
were heard from down the hall and two small boys raced into the room, spotted
Mak and dove in for a hug. Mak wrapped his arms around the boys, kissing their
foreheads and laughing.

“Anakala Mak, we thought you were dead!”

“Nope, not me. Can’t get rid of me that easily.”

“Mak,” came a cry from the doorway.

Mak brought the woman into an embrace and again
Blythe’s insides lurched. Was this a girlfriend he’d forgotten to mention?

Mak turned to face her. “Blythe, this is my
sister, Shayla. And you already know my nephews.”

Blythe smiled warmly, embarrassed by the state
of herself. She looked like she’d been through the ringer…strike that…she
had
been
through the ringer. “Nice to meet you.” Blythe watched as the siblings embraced
again and talked of Mak’s close call on the island. Everyone commented on the
gash in Mak’s eyebrow and how it was probably too late for stitches.

“Builds character,” they said in unison.

Detective Aliha took a few notes as Blythe
shared her story, allowing Mak to add to it here and there. Together they
filled in the gaps for the report Mak had already filled out.

“Would you like to speak to our Police
Psychologist?” asked Detective Aliha. “You’ve been through a very traumatic
experience.”

“No, thank you. I’m fine.”

An officer came to the door and offered to drive
Blythe home.

“Oh, sure. Thanks,” she said, looking over at
Mak. She wasn’t ready to leave his side just yet after all they’d been through
together.

“I’ll drive you home,” Mak offered without
skipping a beat.

“In what?” Noki asked. “You came by boat,
remember?”

“A boat I had to blow up to prevent the
smuggler’s from escaping in,” Mak laughed.

“Besides, we still have a few more questions for
you and we need you to identify the smugglers when they arrive. You’ll be here
another few hours at least, Mak.”

“I’ll take that ride then, thanks,” Blythe
addressed the officer.

Mak remained standing and followed her and the
officer into the hallway. The officer picked up the cues and waited a discrete
distance away. Mak leaned into her ear. “If you ever need to talk to me about
anything, Blythe, you know where to find me. I’m so sorry about Lou too.”

“Mak!” Noki called from the doorway, a cell
phone to his ear. “They’re here.”

“Can I call you later?” Mak asked, holding her
gaze.

Disappointed but willing to take what she could
get from him, Blythe nodded and smiled. He disappeared into the room again,
leaving her standing in the hallway feeling like the floor had just opened up
and swallowed her whole. “I’m ready now,” she said to the waiting officer.
 

On
the way back to her house in Wailea, Blythe thought back on their harrowing
adventure. She was exhausted, yet grateful for her second chance at life.
Whether she would get a second chance with Mak was another story – a
story she hadn’t written and couldn’t fathom an ending to. She was finally
ready to reveal her secret. In a day or two, she would tell him, even if he
never spoke to her again. It had to be done.

Thanking the officer, she turned to face the
house she never thought she’d see again. Trudging up the front steps of the
porch, she was home, safe and sound. Quickly locking the door behind her,
Blythe stripped out of her clothes on the way to the bathroom, haphazardly
throwing each garment on the floor.
 
She sat under the scalding hot shower for a good half hour, the water
running her disbelief down the drain. Crying over Lou in the shower seemed to
help.

She fixed herself a simple meal and called
Rachel, therapeutically rehashing every detail of the ordeal as a way to get it
off her chest. The story would be out by morning, undoubtedly hitting the
mainland newspapers too. She wanted to give her family a heads up and assure
them she was safe.

“So, the Fire Chief, huh?” Rachel teased, trying
to add levity to the heavy experience Blythe had just endured. “I knew you guys
would have chemistry. That’s some curse you subjected yourself to. Will you see
him again?”

“I don’t know, Rach. I really don’t know.”

Blythe lowered all the blinds in the house to
the bright sunlight and crawled into her soft, cozy bed in the late afternoon.
She slipped into a deep, soothing sleep that let her escape the flashbacks of
Lou’s death, being attacked, and being shot at and pursued by murdering
smugglers. Blissful ribbons of memory took root as she slept. Mak’s eyes
devouring her, his smile, that dimple, and the way his touch blazed against her
skin consumed her dreams. It was the knock at the door that finally pulled her
from her slumber. Disoriented, she bolted upright. The room had grown dark in
the hours she’d slept. Fumbling for her robe, she walked toward the door but
then hesitated. Had they let the smuggler’s go? Was her attacker standing on
her porch waiting to be let in so he could finish the job? There was no way in
hell she was answering that door.

“Blythe, it’s Mak.”

Chapter
Twenty-One

Unlocking the deadbolt, Blythe opened the door
to reveal a hulking, clean-shaven Fire Chief.

“Hi,” he grinned flirtatiously.

Their eyes locked in a knowing need. She stepped
aside, letting him in. Mak kicked off his sandals, his intentions of staying
for a while beyond debate.

“I’m here on business,” he announced, stepping
in really close. “Official unfinished business.”

Blythe went up on tiptoe, her mouth hovering at
his, “Better finish me off then.” She brought her nose to his neck and inhaled
deeply, enjoying the lingering scent of soap. There was nothing better than the
smell of clean male skin. She kissed her way up to his mouth, their tongues
entwining in a dance as old as time. Need coursed through them, pulsing to a
beat of unquenchable lust.

He backed her up against the living room wall
and tenderly stroked her cheek with one hand while pulling the neatly tied bow
of her robe apart. The garment fell open to expose her supple body.

“Mmm, easy access,” Mak whispered before taking
her earlobe into his mouth. He moved closer still, slipping his hand inside the
robe and sliding it around her smooth waist. He drew her close with a tug, her
breath catching as their eyes held a knowing gaze of shared need.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” she whispered.

“I’ve been waiting for you my entire life,” Mak
groaned.

She thread her fingers through his thick dark
hair as she brought her parted lips to his again, only this time the kiss was
slow and seductively deep.

Mak pulled away and moistened his lips. He
placed both hands on the wall on either side of her head, kissing her gently
before pressing his entire body against her with a forceful kiss, almost
aggressive, his sudden weight thrilling her. His tongue plunged deeper into her
mouth, possessing it. Her nipples tightened in the cool air as her robe flapped
open. Need raged down low. She thought her knees might buckle from the
excitement, her mind losing awareness as she lost herself in Mak’s embrace.
Kissing him back recklessly, she dug her fingernails into his shoulders as his
hands slid down her body, exploring, before squeezing her firm backside and
drawing her as close as possible.

Feeling his thick, aroused manhood pressing up
against her, her excitement peaked at the prospect of having him inside her as
soon as was humanly possible. His hand travelled over her flat stomach to the
hot heat of her privates. She gasped and spread her legs, accommodating his
reach.

“You’re so beautiful, Blythe. Not here. Let’s do
this properly.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck as he swept
her up in his arms and carried her through the house to the bedroom. This was
their time, uninterrupted. Without the dangers of being chased or shot at or
attacked, the splendor of the moment was liberating.

Laying her on the bed, he peeled back her robe.
Sitting back on his heels, he took in the view of her smooth body, his
seductive expression her personal aphrodisiac. In one fluid motion, he peeled
off his shirt and threw it down. Leaning over her, he kissed and nibbled her
bare stomach as she twisted his hair threw her fingers before letting go and
placing her arms up above her. She pushed against the headboard, arching
slightly and inviting his touch. Mak bought his mouth to one mounded breast
while cupping the other firmly. She arched more, begging for it. Pleasure
exploded through her body with each swirl of his talented tongue.

The heat between her legs increased, a yearning
for something – anything. Mak ran a hand down her firm belly until he hit
his mark, Blythe’s audible moan a soundtrack to his success. He stroked her caressingly,
respectfully attending to her every desire. She moaned louder, which turned him
on even more if it were possible. He sensed she needed to feel wanted,
protected. In turn, he wanted to fulfill those needs. He would make it his
mission. Mak watched her expression as his fingertips caressed the ready flesh.
At his touch, Blythe’s cheeks flushed with passion and her eyes locked onto
his, her breath accelerating.

His strum intensified until she cried out in
ecstasy, arching and riding out the explosive sensation. Her cries were muffled
with his hot mouth as he shifted his weight onto her thrillingly. She could
kiss him for hours. Reaching down, she unbuckled his jeans and tried shoving
them down his body.

“Hold on,” he stammered. He hopped off the bed
and shimmied his jeans off the rest of the way, revealing colorful boxers, his
throbbing manhood tenting at attention. Mak slid them off too and stood beside
the bed for a minute as her eyes scanned the length of his top-notch physique.
She was a lucky girl and she knew it. He leaned forward, allowing her room to
reach out and touch his magnificence, her touch driving him wild.

Sliding onto the bed beside her, he turned to
face her, owning the space they shared with his masculine energy. There were no
words spoken, only naturally understood stares and moans, deep sighs and
acceptance that this had to happen.

Pressing his body against her, she felt his
straining erection on her thigh.

“Where were we?” Reverent, Mak’s hand began to
stroke her hot and ready flesh, sending tiny firecrackers of crazy anticipation
over every cell. She was more than ready.

With blazing fire racing through his blood, he
brought his body above her, leaning down to kiss her neck as his thighs nudged
hers apart gently. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he slid his hands
beneath her hips, cradling her curves in preparation for their union. Her legs
wrapped tighter drawing him against her, yet there was room to get closer still
– as close as two people can ever be.

Mak guided himself inside, inch by inch as
Blythe sighed from the exquisite sensation. He moved slowly and then faster,
each thrust taking her pleasure to new heights. She held on and enjoyed the
lengthy, blissful ride, tightening her legs to draw him deeper and thrusting
her hips up to match his. She gazed up into his face, his eyes hooded with
lusty desire and his mouth parted. He grunted and moaned, the sound animalistic
and wild in his urgency. Their mutual need increased, rising together in what
seemed like endless waves of bliss. And then, a sigh of satisfaction as they
both reached the brink, the release.

The intensity of the moment passed into one of
drowsy contentment. Blythe wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his
temples, working her way down to his mouth with soft, appreciative kisses.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“My pleasure,” he whispered back.

Sweaty limbs entwined around the twisted sheets
as they lay spent across the bed.

Mak shook his head, looking surprised. “That
was…”

“Amazing? Yep. I agree,” Blythe sighed.