Wren is a hardworking archaeologist on his first vacation in years. While he’s tempted to look for ancient artifacts, this is Maui and he needs to focus on taking it easy. So it’s off to the beach to relax. There Wren dives into trouble, literally. Luckily, the backward roll and breathing techniques he learned studying Ninjutsu saves his life, because the shore break called Satan’s Washing Machine grinds him up and spits him out, temporarily blinded and badly battered. A karate dojo owner named Steven takes him to a doctor, a pharmacy, and then back to the beach, only to find Wren’s car and all his belongings have been stolen. So Steven invites him home instead. Will their mutual love of martial arts lead to other a deeper relationship? Or will their shared desire for humbleness and respect for others keep them from falling in love?

Beyond Black Belt

Part of my mind was thinking, I’m so glad I put pants on. Stupid mind.


Steven started breathing normally, or had been, whatever. EMS said he seemed fine except for the bump on his head where he’d apparently run into something. Since he’d lost consciousness, they wanted to run him to the hospital as well, but since Bai was worse, I said I’d take him.


I was fine other than more scrapes on my chest. Bai had inhaled a lot of smoke and had burns on her hands, so they took her off to the hospital. There was a very ugly cat licking its balls as close beside me as it could get. I didn’t like cats. I don’t think anyone could like this cat. But then it came over, meowed at me, and curled up in my lap. I could feel its little heart pounding, and it smelled smoky. Bai must love this cat, though, so there was that. Steven and I had risked our lives to save Bai, for what that was worth. Everything, I suppose. It’s just what people do.


Chapter 16