Out of breath, hot and bothered, she jerked open the door. A gorgeous man stood there holding a carton of milk. Of Maori descent, he had golden skin and brown eyes beneath jet-black brows. His features combined to give him eye-popping male beauty. This man would never be short of a date. He did a slow body scan, gestured at her dress and she glanced at her feet.
The hem was tucked up, displaying an abundance of winter-white thigh. She flicked the fabric back in place, uncomfortable with the heat that filled her face. She’d bet she glowed like a child’s night-light.
She coughed to clear her throat. “Can I help you?”
“Ma sent me to deliver the milk.” He handed over the small carton. “My name is Manu. I’m the oldest in the family. And just so you know, Ma could have left the milk in your fridge earlier, but she’s a matchmaker at heart. She must’ve taken a liking to you when she checked you into the motel.”
“Thank you. I’m Cassie.”
“Ma said you’re coming to our place tonight. She told me to ask if you needed a ride.”
“Jack and Emma volunteered to pick me up, but I said I’d drive myself.”
“Ah, giving yourself an exit strategy.” Manu squinted over his shoulder. “Do you have a minute to talk?”
“Um, I was just about to jump into the shower. I brought half of the beach home with me.”
“Please. Just a few quick words,” Manu persisted. “It will help us both.”
“All right.” Clutching her milk to her chest, she stepped back and gestured for Manu to enter. She didn’t think he’d be a threat, given his mother owned the place.
“As I said, Ma likes you, and she has decided you and I would work well together. I’m gonna be truthful here. You’re Emma’s friend, and you seem like a nice woman, but I’m happy with my single status. I’m not looking for serious, but I do enjoy women. I wondered if you’d agree to go to the barbecue with me. We could get to know each other, and even if we don’t click, I’m sure we’d make good friends. Ma would be happy because she’d think I’d met someone suitable, and she’d stop her matchmaking, at least for a while.”
“And why should I agree to this?”
“Since Ma approves of you, you’re in danger of her machinations, too. We could help each other.”
Humor snaked through Cassie, but she restrained her impulse to smile. She didn’t want him to decide she was a pushover. “I understand you have three brothers.”
“Yeah. Kahurangi, Tane and Haurahi. If you give me the heave-ho she’ll aim you toward Tane or Kahurangi or my cousin, Hone. We need to stomp on this maneuvering before she gets out of control.”
“Your mother seemed very nice.”
Manu hesitated, as if he was weighing his words. “She liked you too. She knows people, has the instinct for sensing the good ones and she’s never wrong. She’s convinced you’d make an excellent addition to our family.”
Cassie raked his expression, searching for truth. Manu meant every word. He wasn’t spinning a line. “I’m here for a month before I fly to Los Angeles. I told your mother that, but okay.” She held out her hand. “Friends.”
He cocked his head. “Only friends?”
Funny. She hadn’t experienced the same blip of lust she had with Hone. “Yes, you’re pretty and charming. Sexy. I bet you have a lot of lady friends.”
“You think I’m sexy?”
Cassie snorted. “And that’s what he distils from my words. Thank you for the milk. What time should I be ready to leave?”
“Six thirty,” he said. “The others will start arriving around six, but we want Ma to pay attention and decide her scheme has a good chance of success. Do you have jeans?”
“Yes,” Cassie said, wondering what clothing had to do with anything.
“Good. Wear jeans and bring a jacket because it will get cooler later tonight. The farm is on the estuary, near a river mouth. It’s a beautiful spot, but it can get a bit cold.” He switched up his charisma, his features glowing with bad-boy charm and leaned closer. “When you’re in the shower, don’t forget to wash your face.” He tapped a finger on her cheek then the tip of her nose. “You have dirt right here. See you later, beautiful.” And with a wink and a flash of white teeth, he strolled away, whistling.
With her right hand pressed to her face, Cassie stared after him. No, she ogled his butt. Might as well be truthful to herself.
She sighed. Nothing more compelling than a confident bad boy, and she had a feeling that the Taniwha cousins prided their membership in the bad-boy club.
