Free Getting Lei'd by Ann Omasta

miles, and I am in heaven.
    I purchase a cup of pineapple and mango from a smiling man who faintly reminds me of Honi. The fruit is so sweet and juicy that I actually groan in delight at the taste of it. Kai seems to take pleasure in watching me enjoy it. When I bite into a large piece of pineapple and juice runs down my chin, he leans in and flicks his tongue out to catch it. It is an intimate and sweet gesture that sends a thrill of excitement down my spine.
    While Kai negotiates with a vendor over the bulk price of coconuts, I continue shopping. I discover a booth with locally made, adorable magnets. I purchase three for five bucks, which seems like a fantastic bargain anywhere, let alone Hawaii. My selections are a colorful surfboard for Ruthie, a silly googly-eyed turtle for Baggy and a tiny hand-painted waterfall scene for me.
    I walk away from the magnet vendor feeling rather pleased with myself. Then it dawns on me that it’s a little strange to have bought souvenirs only for the people who are with me on the trip. I stop at the next booth and purchase a bowl made of palm fronds for my parents, just so I have something to give them when I get home. I don’t even want to think about going back, though.
    Kai catches up with me just as I stop to look at a table of coconut oil-based lotions and creams. “Nana Lana would not approve of you supporting the competition,” he teases near my ear.
    “Just looking,” I tell him.
    He continues to nuzzle my neck. “You’re wearing magic jelly on your neck.” The words vibrate close to my skin, making the tiny hairs on my neck stand at attention. “You smell good enough to eat,” he growls.
    I wonder if we are making spectacles of ourselves, but his nearness feels so terrific that I almost don’t care. He trails soft kisses behind my ear. When his tongue brushes against my skin, my knees almost buckle. Kai steadies me as I lean into his tantalizing mouth. The lotion vendor is discreet enough to busy herself with aligning bottles as if she doesn’t notice.
    “You drive me absolutely insane, Roxy,” he informs me before pulling back. I instantly miss his touch.
    I decide that “insane” is the perfect word for how he makes me feel. I lose all of my normal inhibitions when Kai is near, and when he touches me, my body comes alive with a fire inside that I didn’t know was there.
    Suddenly, we hear a high-pitched wailing voice about twenty feet from where we are standing. Kai springs into action. By the time I realize what is happening and follow him, he has already assessed the situation and taken off in pursuit of a young man. I quickly deduce that the tiny, upset woman has had her purse stolen.
    I put my arm around her to try to offer some comfort as she continues to wail. Another bystander pulls out her cell phone to notify the police. A crowd has gathered around, and we all watch helplessly as Kai chases the thief.
    They run across a busy street toward a residential area. The boy has a good lead on Kai, but Kai is closing the gap. When the young man climbs over a tall privacy fence, I hear a man from the crowd say, “That big guy isn’t going to be able to get over that fence.” Kai proves him wrong by hurtling himself over the fence at full speed as if it requires no effort at all.
    I smile in secret pride at Kai’s athletic ability, although I’m not sure why. “Looks like he made it,” I say to the doubter, who now has a surprised, slightly envious look on his face.
    Now that the runners are out of sight, the crowd begins to disburse. I still have my arm around the tiny victim. Her wailing has stopped, but tears are streaming down her face. I feel so bad for her, but I’m not sure what to do to help. “It will be okay,” I tell her, even though I’m not at all certain that is the case. I don’t like not being able to see what is happening with Kai and the pickpocket. What if he pulls a weapon on Kai? The thought makes me shudder, so I try to push it