Read Online Walking in Fire: Hawaiian Heroes, Book 1 by Cathryn Cade - Free Book Online

into her T-shirt, her nails biting into her palms even through the soft fabric. She focused desperately on the faces around her to dispel the image in her mind of the two somewhere in the dark, Malu moving over Cherie, his powerful body straining as she cried out in ecstasy. She felt chilled in spite of the warmth of the night.
    “Well, I think we should all go back to bed,” Dane said, stretching. “Those two will show up when they’re ready.”
    “I’m going to check the boat,” Frank said to Leilani, ignoring Dane. She nodded.
    Dane raised his eyebrows. “What? No little cottage or beach shelter where they might be?”
    Leilani shook her head. “This is wild country here. Only Kau forest preserve above us. No cottages, except—”
    “No,” Frank cut in decisively. “Malu would take no one there. There’s nowhere else.”
     
    Jacquie began to weep harder, and Melia walked into her room and sat on the bed beside the tousled brunette, who was clad only in a tiny nightie, her hair in a tangle. She patted the other woman on her back. Her worry seemed to be genuine.
    “What if they fell in the ocean and got swept away?” Jacquie asked tearfully. “What if a bear attacked them?”
    “Um, they don’t have bears here, sweetie.” Melia’s gaze met Leilani’s, and the other woman rolled her eyes heavenward.
    Frank was back in a few moments. He shook his head.
    Melia’s heart sank. She’d rather he found Malu and Cherie in a torrid tangle on the boat than…what? That they were just gone, into the dark Hawaiian night, with a wild rain forest above them and the open sea below? Or to the mysterious place Leilani had mentioned. Why wouldn’t he go there? Was it a religious site, like an ancient heiau?
    It was still very warm outside, the air heavy and damp, so she supposed they could be somewhere with a beach towel, or something, but why wouldn’t they just be in one of the bedrooms? They were consenting adults.
     
    “I’m going up the trail,” Frank said, brandishing a huge flashlight.
    “Are you serious?” Dane asked. He shook his head with the air of someone holding on to patience. “It’s pretty clear Malu and Cherie are off somewhere, doing the wild thang.”
    Frank gave him a look of disgust. “I don’t believe that. Your friend may have been hanging all over Malu, but he was not interested.”
    Dane sighed. “All right, all right. We’ll help you look, then, since you’re so convinced they’re in trouble.”
    He woke the twins, and the three men took flashlights and went to walk the shoreline. “I wish Keone was here,” Leilani said. “He knows Kau like the back of his hand.”
    Frank snorted. “Well, you betta try calling him. Maybe he’ll answer his damn phone, maybe not.”
    “We should call Daniel,” she said.
    He shook his head. “He’s in Honolulu—they all are. Big show. Dunno why Malu didn’t go.” What kind of show? Melia wondered.
    Frank left, and Leilani picked up her phone. But after listening, she frowned and then left a terse message to call her right away.
    “Is Keone your friend that lives up the mountain?” Melia asked hesitantly. And who was Daniel?
    Leilani nodded. “Mostly he’s a pain in my ass,” she muttered. “Thinks he’s so independent and tough. Men, you know?”
    Melia nodded. Leilani left the room, and Melia sat with Jacquie, her thoughts outside in the dark, humid night. After several moments, Jacquie lay down again. Melia covered her with the sheet and brought her a glass of water.
    When Jacquie closed her eyes, Melia followed Leilani into the kitchen, where the big pot of coffee was steaming quietly. Leilani handed her a cup, and they perched on bar stools at the island to drink it.
    “Malu is a great guy,” Leilani said. “I agree with Frank. I don’t think he went with that wahine for hana ai . Maybe she’s hurt, and he’s waiting with her until daylight.”
    She sounded as if she were trying to convince herself as much as Melia.