flowers and couldn’t resist the urge to see them through her lens. The yard was shaded by grand hapu’u tree ferns and fruit and palm trees.
What she wouldn’t give to have them in her backyard every time she stepped out of the house.
Danica shifted the camera west across the grassy yard, hoping to catch a perfect sunset. Her lens instead fell upon the sculpted image of a tall, muscular African-American man with black Rasta locks. After getting over the shock, Danica had to admit he had certainly gotten her attention better than any sunset ever could.
Chapter 2
“So you must be Ashlyn’s friend?” Boyd asked, as if he had a doubt.
“Yes,” she answered, moving the camera away from her face. Her big café au lait eyes assessed him. “And I take it you’re the brother?”
He flashed a half grin. “Indeed. Aloha.” Moving closer, he stuck out a hand. “Boyd Reed.”
“Danica Austin.” She put her hand in his, feeling his long fingers wrap firmly around hers as she gazed up at his eyes, which were an appealing mix of steel gray and jet black. “Aloha.”
Boyd studied the woman. He had to say that the few photographs he’d seen of her hardly did her justice. She was gorgeous, with a butterscotch complexion, high cheeks, a dainty nose and full lips. The fine brunette hair fell below her shoulders and suited her. She was slender with just the right curves. She had on a white ruffle corset, jeans that hugged her hips and flats, which from where Boyd stood were perfect for her above average height.
“Didn’t mean to scare you,” he said. “I called out for you inside, but got no answer. Then I heard you out here.”
“It’s all right,” Danica said after taking a breath. Of course he had a key to the house. After all, it was part his. Still, it might have been nice had he phoned ahead of time to let her know he was coming. “You may have caught me off guard, but that was mainly because I was so absorbed with the beauty all around me.”
And now with the beauty in front of her. She had to admit that Ashlyn’s brother was one hunk of a man. Her immediate thought was of Boris Kodjoe with dreadlocks, in an attractive coat of milk chocolate and at least six foot three inches. Boyd wore a print shirt and shorts, accentuating his muscled arms and strong legs. Sneakers completed the relaxed island look she’d already come to recognize.
Danica resisted the urge to snap his picture. After all, besides being Ashlyn’s very appealing, photo-worthy brother, he represented Hawaii itself.
“I take it this is your first time to the islands?” Boyd asked.
“Yes. I’ve wanted to come for years, but the time was never right.”
Until Ashlyn decided to give you free room and board and you simply couldn’t resist. “I see,” he said. “Look, I would have been happy to pick you up at the airport, but Ashlyn said the two of you had worked it out to take each other’s car as part of this swap.”
“We did,” Danica acknowledged, somehow sensing he wasn’t necessarily on board with their arrangement. Why was that? “Seemed like a fun way to step into each other’s world. I thank you anyway for being willing to chaperone me from the airport, had that been necessary.”
“Not a problem.” Boyd gave a tiny smile. He wished she wasn’t so damned attractive; it only made it more difficult not to like her. Even more he wished she hadn’t come. Would she find she couldn’t hack it and leave early? Maybe he would just let this thing play out and see how things went. For all he knew, maybe Ashlyn would find that Chicago wasn’t exactly what she had in mind and be back on the Big Island in a snap, sending her friend packing.
“So did you have a chance to check out your new digs?” he asked Danica, trying to keep his voice friendly instead of overly suspicious and guarded.
“No, I haven’t had the chance to do that yet,” she said.
“Well in that case allow me to give you the grand tour.”
Did she have a choice? She forced a smile. “That would be nice.”
* * *
“This is obviously the kitchen.” Boyd wondered if she was a good cook. That wasn’t Ashlyn’s forte, while he had always been handy in the kitchen.
“I can see that.” Danica looked around at the spacious room with old-world craftsmanship, Koa wood cabinets, stainless steel appliances and even an ocean view. I’ll bet I could cook up a storm in here, she thought. Maybe even invite him to join me. Or would that be going overboard for someone she didn’t really know?
Boyd opened the refrigerator. “Ashlyn took the liberty of stocking it with what she remembered as some of your favorites, along with some authentic Hawaiian cuisine.”
Danica flashed a smile. “How sweet of her.” In fact, she had done the very same thing in her loft to make it easier for her friend.
They moved from room to room on the first floor and Danica was awed by both the simplicity and elegance of the home. On the second floor there were yet more well-appointed rooms with terrific views of the ocean and mountains.
“This is the master suite, or Ashlyn’s room,” Boyd pointed out. Or your room for now. “Hope it’s to your liking.”
“What’s not to like?” Danica said, scanning the bedroom/sitting area from its huge windows to the hardwood floor to the rustic cedar furnishings. It seemed like the perfect room, one she could imagine cozying up in over the next four weeks.
“I was thinking the same thing.” About you. Boyd stood over her, contemplating what it would be like to make love to her. Something told him the experience would reach his very core. He turned away such thoughts, realizing that she wasn’t there for his pleasure. And he wasn’t ready to give Danica a free pass for taking advantage of Ashlyn’s generosity.
Danica was also very much aware of Boyd’s presence, the heat emanating from his solid body so near that it made her own temperature rise. She could actually picture them on Ashlyn’s queen bed doing some things that would truly set her soul on fire. She forced herself to cool off mentally and get back to the real world. One where Boyd was only hanging around as a courtesy. Or so she assumed.
“Well, thanks for the tour,” she told him, looking over her shoulder.
“My pleasure.” Boyd wasn’t ready to see this end just yet. “I’m sure you must be hungry after your long flight and probably some less-than-tasty offerings on the airline.”
“I’m starved,” Danica admitted.
“I’d be happy to whip up something for you,” he offered. “Or better yet, there’s a nice bistro not far from here that has some great food. My treat.”
“The bistro sounds good. Let me just freshen up.”
“Of course.” Boyd smiled. “I have to make a phone call anyway. I’ll wait outside for you.”
Danica wondered if Ashlyn had put him up to this kindness on her behalf. Or was it all Boyd’s own doing? Either way, she didn’t see where it hurt either
