Page 64

Keahi

I’ve been smiling ever since I left the infirmary, flashes of what we did and how edible Malia looked when she came ensuring as much.

Skies, she drives me crazy.

If I could, I would quit my job and just drown in her for the rest of my life. I just saw her and I already miss her – crave to see her again. She’s addictive in the best way possible, and after years of pining, I don’t want to miss her for another second.

After I’ve showered, I have to change my outfit like three times before I’m finally satisfied with my look.

It’s ridiculous since Malia has seen me at my worst multiple times, but I can’t help but be a little nervous.

I have something planned for us which I think she’ll love, but there’s a skeptical voice in the back of my head, telling me she might not. I’m trying to shut it out. I know Malia, after all. I’m sure she’ll like it.

I check if I have everything I need packed multiple times before heading to my car.

It’s an old, barely functioning thing, but seeing as I rarely use it, it’s more than enough.

Tonight, I’ll need it, though, so I’m hoping it doesn’t die on the way.

It was my intention to get Malia from her room but she’s already waiting at the academy’s gate when I arrive, ruining my chances of being the perfect gentleman so far.

It’s fine, though, She’s excited and that’s a good sign.

"I didn’t know you owned a car," Malia says when I get out to say hey properly.

I’ve obsessed much over how to greet her, so I don’t hesitate before kissing her hello.

It’s already dusk so the lighting is bad but I’m pretty sure I see a blush creeping up the girl’s neck when I pull back.

"I barely use it, but I figured it might be nice tonight.

You look breathtaking." She so does.

My heart is tripping all over itself, agreeing with me one hundred percent. Hell, I don’t know why I’m so damn nervous right now. This is Malia. My Malia. Always been mine, Malia. Just because I’m finally going about this the right way by taking her out on a real date doesn’t make that any less true.

"Dude, I wanted to compliment you first," she complains.

"Anyway, you look really handsome."

"Oh, you’re making me blush," I tease her before adding, “But seriously, don’t call me that.” She hits my shoulder playfully before we get in the car.

"Alright, love, where are we going?" she asks.

Despite her mocking tone, something warm envelops me at her use of the term of endearment.

"Always so curious.

Sorry, princess, you’ll have to wait and see."

"I’ve been told not to get in the car with strangers, so the least you could do is tell me where you’re going to take me for my murder."

"Come on, we both know you could easily take me if I tried to murder you.

As it is, seeing that you’re clearly not in danger and that you’re already in my car without any way of escaping, you don’t drive a hard bargain, so I’ll keep our destination to myself." She laughs at that which calms some of my nerves.

"Fine, be like that." She crosses her arms over her chest and stares straight ahead.

"Aww, don’t pout.

We’ll be there soon," I say, reaching over to set my hand on her thigh.

It’s an innocent touch, my palm touching the skin just above the knee, but with the memory of her coming around my fingers so fresh in my mind, my body heats up all the same. Risking a quick glance at Malia, I see her smiling at my hand, so I guess that’s where I’ll keep it.

"We’re here.

Real classy, I know but just bear with me.

I have something planned for us," I tell her once we arrive at the food truck.

"I wouldn’t mind if you didn’t.

I love tacos."

"That’s why we’re here." We get out of the car and take our place at the back of the line of waiting people.

Since we’re on the outskirts of the city, the truck isn’t super busy and we only have to wait for a bit.

"How did you know I like tacos?" Malia asks after the people at the front received their food and walked past us, thereby presenting us with a good whiff of the fresh food.

"Remember taco Tuesday?"

"Are you kidding me? That was like five years ago, and we didn’t even talk back then."

"I don’t think you realize how bright your smile was after you took that first bite.

It literally caught my eye from across the room.

Of course, I thought that reaction was over the top and obnoxious back then, but it stayed with me." Do I sound like a creep? I hope I don’t sound like a creep. But Malia doesn’t look disgusted or alert, so maybe it wasn’t the wrong thing to say.

"When you say stuff like that, you make me feel really bad, you know."

"What? How?"

"You picked up on so many things and I didn’t.

Of course, I stole a few glances at you, but never like that."

"To be fair, I was on that mission to get some dirt on you because I was worried, you’d expose my genitor’s closet secret." I really was dense back then.

As if sharing my thought, she bursts out laughing.

I join her, but we soon get interrupted by the truck man asking for our order.

I lead Malia back to the car once we have the food, to which she looks at me expectantly.

I crank up the heat and ignore her with a subtle smile on my face.

"You’re still not telling me where we’re going? Even though I’m letting my food get cold for it?" she pushes, staring at the tacos longingly.

"Sorry, Princess, you’ll have to wait for another – wait – here you go." It’s not much.

A tree, some low-cut grass, and a view over some city lights.

I stumbled across it on a mission, and it became my place to think. It might be cheesy but with Malia, I think she might appreciate the sense of freedom the wide-open space exudes.

I grab the blanket I packed from my back seat and spread it out on the grass.

"Dinner under the stars, figured you might like it." I smirk at Malia because she’s wearing how much she’s loving this on her face, clear for me to take in.

Her gaze flicks between the city lights ahead, the stars above, and lastly me.

"How did you think of all this so quickly?" she finally asks.

"Believe it or not, but I’ve been thinking about taking you on a date for a while.

How did I do?" She shakes her head and steps closer to me, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Keahi, it’s perfect," she says before leaning in to kiss me.

It’s tender, not as hungry as the one we shared earlier but just as precious in my book.

"Now it is," I whisper against her lips once we pull away.

"Come on now, your food is getting cold."

We eat in a comfortable silence, watching the moon rise in the star’s company until the wind gets too brutal.

Shivering, we return to the car, but Malia stops me before I can start the engine to get us someplace cozier.

"You know, when I was drugged, I saw things," she starts with a laugh, and my hand stills mid-turning-the-keys.

I hesitate and raise my eyes to hers.

"Like I told you, I was in the car with Flint when that stuff hit." I did not think we would talk about him right, but hey, why not?

"It wasn’t him driving at some point though, it was you." I’m torn between frowning in confusion and gloating because at least she’s no longer talking about another man on our date.

Least of all Flint.

I decide to stay quiet and let her continue, noting the slight flush on her cheek. "Obviously it wasn’t really you, but at the time, I thought it was. I told you nothing happened with Flint because technically, I thought I was doing those things to you, but I just wanted to start this off clean." This feels like a trap.

"What kind of things?" I ask warily.

Malia looks happy with my reply, like I’m playing right into her hands for wherever she’s going with this.

Her body gravitates towards me, leaning closer until her hand lands on my shoulder to steady herself.

"What-?"

"I’ll show you the things I’ve already done to you once.

It’s only fair," she whispers, then places a kiss on my cheek.

The next one is on my jaw, then one below it before trailing them down my neck. She softly bites or sucks on a few places. My skin heats. Even though she’s showing me what she did to another man. At the end of the day, it’s my car she’s in now and my skin she’s kissing.

This is a side of Malia I haven’t seen since the academy; confident and cocky.

Shamelessly sexy.

There’s not a shred of her earlier insecurity on her beautiful face, and I take a little bit of pride in it. I’m glad I could assure her since she woke up that there’s nothing she could do that I wouldn’t like.

Once she’s had enough of one side of my neck, she climbs onto my lap.

My hands quickly grab the top of her thighs, and I pull her closer to me.

She smirks as she leans down to catch my lips with her soft ones. Her hips start grinding against me, and I lean back in my seat, drunk on the feeling.

"Tell me you didn’t do this with Flint," I groan when her mouth moves to the other side of my neck, only to feel her grin against my skin.

She’s taunting me, and I shouldn’t like it as much as I do.

"Malia," I warn her, and she leans back a little to look at me.

"Only you," she answers before kissing me again.

I’m not quite sure whether she counts hallucination-me as me, but what does it matter, really? She’s here with me now, and that’s all I need to know.

That reminds me –

"I didn’t sleep with Eteri.

Not since you came back, anyway.

I planned to once but moaned your name instead, and she left." Malia snorts, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look this happy.

"You always know just what to say," she teases me.

"I really want to hear that story.

Just not right now," she adds with a devilish smirk.

"Floor is yours, love."