Free A Little Harmless Ride by Melissa Schroeder Page A

Bethesda. She’d fought with him, something she rarely did. Eli had finally gotten on the phone and ensured him she was safe. Which ended up in an argument with Eli. It pissed her off that Eli could get on the phone and tell her father she was safe.
    The tension had gotten worse every day. Truthfully, she was over the other argument but they couldn’t seem to be in the same room without getting into a fight about something. Just that morning it had been about shopping. Eli hadn’t wanted her to come alone, and she had insisted on it.
    Of course he’d won that argument. He always seemed to. And that made her even angrier. She got so irritated with him hovering over her shoulder while she shopped, she’d found the feminine hygiene aisle. It had worked just like it did with her father.
    With a sigh, she turned the corner and decided to find Eli. Before she could turn down the next aisle an attractive man stepped into her path. He was Hawaiian, a few inches taller than she was and dressed like a paniolo.
    “ Aloha, Crysta.”
    She was taken back a bit. Sure, she was used to people knowing who she was when she was with one of the ranch hands or Eli, but she was by herself in the store. Still, Eli had told her that while the Big Island was the biggest island, it was still like a little ranch town, especially in the areas surrounding the ranch community.
    She didn’t recognize him though. She had met a lot of people in the last few weeks, and she was usually good with faces. And there wasn’t a doubt in her mind she would have remembered such an attractive man.
    “ I don’t think you remember me.”
    “ We haven’t met.”
    Confusion came and went so fast in his eyes she barely saw it. “Sorry, that usually works.”
    “ How sad for the women you run across.”
    He threw his head back and laughed. It took a moment or so before he got himself under control.
    “ Is there something you wanted?”
    “ Yes. We’re family in a way. I’m Sean Kaheaku.”
    It took all of her control not to take a step back.
    He apparently didn’t need her to explain. “Ah, I see you met my stepfather, Sam.”
    “ Stepfather?” Now that she thought about it, he did look a little different from Sam and Sam Jr. He was taller and there was something different about him. She couldn’t put her finger on it.
    He nodded. “My mother married him years ago.”
    “ I’m so sorry.”
    He chuckled. “Yeah, I was too. I just wanted to welcome you to the island.”
    “ Now that you have, maybe you should get your ass out of here,” Eli said from behind her. He hadn’t raised his voice, but the threat was there. He stepped up beside her but didn’t even glance in her direction.
    “ St. John. I heard my stepfather was out there a few weeks ago.”
    Eli said nothing for a moment. “And?”
    “ Anything he does or says has nothing to do with me.” Sean looked at her. “I just want that clear. And I wanted to meet my cousin up close.”
    “ You didn’t come to Joe’s funeral.” Eli made the statement drawing Sean’s attention away from her.
    Sam’s smile faded. “I was in Tokyo at the time. I didn’t hear about it until it was too late to get back. I was really sorry to hear about it.”
    Eli nodded. “We have to get back.”
    Sam ignored him and looked at Crysta. “If you ever need anything, here’s my number.”
    He handed her a card. She took it even though she could sense it pissed Eli off. Man had to learn that he didn’t tell her what to do with her life and there was nothing wrong with taking a card.
    “ Remember, the family isn’t all a bunch of racist idiots.”
    Sean turned and walked away. Women watched him as he walked by, and there was more than one woman she was certain sighed as he walked past. In fact, there was something about him that reminded her of Eli. Maybe it was the way he drew the attention of women, or maybe it was the way he walked. All power and control. If she didn’t know better, she would say he