Jessie finished up with the angry areas that she could see, enjoying the feel of his skin under her fingers. “Oh,” she said quietly, watching the pleasing contrast in their skin tones. “Well, at least you’re not allergic.” She twisted her lip as she thought about that. She wasn’t allergic either. Was that a genetic thing? Sighing, she added, “Maybe you won’t have to do that again for awhile.”
He smiled as he looked back at her. “Next time, I think I won’t try and be so macho…and I’ll put on the damn suit.” He shook his head as his grin widened. “I didn’t realize just how much bees found me offensive. Now I sort of hope all the little bastards do die.”
Jessie giggled and then sighed again. She didn’t find him offensive at all. A good deal of the goop still on her fingers, she brought them to his shoulders and started to work out the kinks that she could feel there; he had had a long day. Kai groaned and hung his head, relaxing into her hands. Even though the professional side of her immediately kicked in, a small thrill shot through her at the satisfied noise he’d just made.
He did it again. “God, Jessie…you’re amazing. You should do this professionally.”
She paused, laughing a little. “I do, Kai.”
Grinning, he looked back at her. “Really?” She nodded and he smiled, closing his eyes and hanging his head again. “Well, good, you’re amazing at it.”
Her hands ran down his back, running along his spine and working outwards. “You should come by my work sometime. This would be so much better with some oil, and you lying down.” He raised his head at that and a different sort of massage immediately flew into Jessie’s mind. Her fingers trailing low on his back, she sucked on her lip, not wanting to engage in that fantasy, but not really being able to push it out either.
Kai slowly twisted to look at her. His eyes completely serious, he said, “I think I’d like that.”
She had no idea if he was talking about seeing her at work, or sharing in her fantasy. Since the image had popped into her head, she had to assume it popped into his as well. As his eyes flicked to her lips again, she was certain it had. Jessie watched his face, watched the desire and conflict building. She knew hers matched his. She also knew this was wrong and stupid, and would lead nowhere good. Giving him one last squeeze, Jessie dropped her hands. “All done,” she said quietly.
He stared at her for a second, his eyes lingering down her body, igniting it. Drifting back up to her face, he smiled softly. “Thank you, Jessie.”
She flushed and nodded. Shucking off her shoes, she brought her legs up onto his bed and crossed her feet – anything to put some distance between them. Even with all their vows for space, they seemed to drift towards each other, almost subconsciously.
Kai inhaled deep and grabbed the jar, lathering some spots on his chest before closing it up. Jessie sighed softly, sort of wishing that she could have helped him with the front too. It would have been a little too obvious though, since he could handle that part himself.
As he screwed the lid on tight and slipped his shirt back on, hiding all of that glorious skin from her, she sighed again. Needing to recover, she spouted the first thing in her head. “My roommates really want to meet you.”
He looked over at her after smoothing out his long-sleeved shirt. “Oh?”
She nodded, trying to stop herself from reliving the feeling of his skin under her hands. Rubbing the remaining gel on her jeans, she shrugged. “Yeah, they are very curious about my just-in-town cousin.” She didn’t mention just how curious April was, she didn’t want to think about that again.
He narrowed his eyes at her, and then turned his attention to the box at their feet. “Were they the ones checking me out at the club?”
Jessie tensed. She’d forgotten that he’d seen that. Of course, a lot of that night was a little hazy, and, unfortunately, a lot of that night was perfectly clear. She glanced at their reflection in the TV and swallowed. She could see him look up at her in the set and then twist to look at their reflection too. By the pained look in his eye, she knew that he was remembering too.
Clearing her throat, she turned away. “Yeah, um, I don’t think they remember much about you though.” Jessie grinned and tossed him a smile. “April thought you were blonde. Harmony thinks you’re Latin.”
He laughed and shook his head, twisting back to the box to open it. Jessie bit her lip as she watched him smile and pick things out of the box. Almost absently, he said, “Well, if they won’t remember that it was me that night…I don’t see why we can’t all meet.”
Jessie swallowed, affected by the awed look on his face, as he picked out and examined the things that she’d brought over for him, and by his comment. She hoped her roommates didn’t piece together that mystery. She didn’t want them to ever know that she’d slept with a family member. Thinking of it that way brought that horrid ball back to her stomach and she scooted away from him a little bit. Sometimes it felt right with him, sometimes it felt really wrong.
She watched him chuckle as he pulled the camel out of the box and set it on his nightstand. Jessie softly smiled that he seemed as amused by it as she was. Digging through the box, he picked out various items and set them around himself, occasionally shaking his head, and smiling the entire time. Jessie tried really hard to not notice how amazing his lips looked curved up in a small grin. She also tried to not notice how nice his back looked, stretching and flexing as he moved and twisted. She tried, it was difficult. He was just very attractive.
He pulled out a picture and paused, staring at it. His smile dropped as he looked the piece over, and Jessie shifted her attention to look at it too. It was a picture of a red-rocked river bend that Jessie had bought from a local nature photographer. The photo had been taken so closely, and captured so expertly, that the water streaming past the crimson rocks appeared to stream around them. Even though it was a still shot, the water seemed to be moving, seemed alive. It was breathtaking piece, probably Jessie’s favorite.
Kai’s finger drifted over the glass in the large frame, barely touching it. After another silent moment, he looked up at her. Shaking his head, he softly said, “This is great. Are you sure you want to get rid of it?”
Jessie smiled at the overwhelmed look on his face. Shrugging, she told him, “I want you to have it.”
He tilted his head and stared at her, seemingly taken aback that she’d willingly part with something so beautiful; she loved that he seemed to like it as much as she did. Watching him take her in, Jessie had the odd thought that the photographer should take a picture of Kai’s eyes. Truly, that would be his most amazing piece of work, because nothing on this earth could be as beautiful as those eyes. She swallowed under his intense gaze.
Still looking dazed, he shook his head again. “Thank you, Jessie.”
His eyes searched her face and his hand lifted from the frame, starting to reach out for her. She was sure he was going to cup her cheek or run a hand through her hair. The anticipation of it made her heart start to beat faster. But then he dropped it, setting it on his knee instead. Jessie’s heart stubbornly dropped. Smiling and putting the picture back in the box, he motioned to the kitchen. “Hungry? I could make us some soup.”
Jessie smiled that he wanted something warm in his stomach and nodded. “Sure, sounds great.” Standing up, he grinned down at her before heading to the kitchen. She sighed as she watched his backside walk away from her. Seriously, she needed to shut off whatever part of her was still attracted to him. He was not an option. It’d be better for her if she went back to her two-timing ex-boyfriend.
She watched Kai prepare a couple of cans of soup, and smiling at him still grinning and shaking his head at her box of goodies, she went about putting away his new things. He glanced over at her when he noticed what she was doing, but didn’t say anything. She finished putting everything away in the spaces she had envisioned for them just as dinner was done. Smiling to herself at how much homier his place seemed, and at how perfectly suited to him it was, sh
e twisted to see Kai approaching her with two bowls of soups and a plate of cheese sandwiches.
He motioned to the bed that she’d straightened for him, and, blushing slightly at the memory she still got whenever she looked at the darn thing, she sat and rested her back against his new headboard. He sat down next to her and handed her a bowl, placing the plate of sandwiches between them. She grabbed one and smiled crookedly. “We should really find you a small table.”
He grinned over at her as he grabbed a sandwich. “I like eating in bed.”
She grinned at the comment and shook her head, blushing again. He cleared his throat and they ate their meal in a comfortable silence. Eventually he turned on the TV, and they laughed as they watched a sitcom where the family’s problems seemed even more complex than their own.
After the light meal, Jessie snapped up Kai’s dishes and washed them for him, feeling like it was the least she could do, since he’d cooked, sort of. He protested at first, but the longer he lay in bed, the more tired he appeared to get. After thanking her, he settled back into his pillows and closed his eyes. Jessie peeked at him while she cleaned up, wondering if he was falling asleep.
Once everything was washed and put away, she walked back over to him and started taking off his shoes. He cracked his eyes open and grinned at her. “You’re too good to me,” he whispered.
She smiled as she took off his other one. “No, I’m just anal. You shouldn’t have shoes on the bed.” He laughed at her and sat up a little. Ignoring the memory of wearing heels in his bed while they’d…done stuff, Jessie sat next to him again.
Kai looked over at her and then sighed tiredly and rested his head on her shoulder. Feeling like he was suffering from exhaustion, Jessie scooted down from the headboard and rested against his pillows, bringing his head with her. He twisted slightly, leaning against her more, and she brought her arm around him, so he was nestled in the hollow of her shoulder.
Sighing contently, he closed his eyes. His hand coming up to tentatively rest on her stomach, he whispered, “Is this okay?”
She nodded and pressed her lips into his hair, closing her eyes as well. “Yeah.” Jessie wasn’t sure if it was okay or not, technically, but it felt so warm and safe, she didn’t care.
He sighed again. “Good, you feel nice.”
He nearly murmured the words, and Jessie pulled back to look at his drawn face. Running her fingers through his hair, she asked, “Are you alright?”
He exhaled wearily and opened his eyes to look up at her. “I don’t know if it’s because of all the stings or because I got up so early today, but I feel wiped, and a little sick.” He frowned, obviously not wanting to be ill.
Jessie frowned too, concern filling her. “Well, you could be suffering from a little altitude sickness? You are used to living much closer to sea level. I’m sure you’ll feel better in a couple of days.”
He nodded and closed his eyes again. She squeezed him gently and listened to his even breath. When she was sure he was out, he whispered, “Thank you, Jessie, for everything.” His voice came out thick with sleepiness.
She smiled and rested her cheek on his head. “It’s not a problem, Kai. We’re family, that’s what family does.” She frowned a little, wondering if maybe this wasn’t appropriate, if maybe she should leave.
Kai’s hand on her stomach shifted, to drift over to her hip. He gently squeezed, holding her to him, almost like he knew that she was considering leaving. She heard him mumble thank you again and she smiled, pressing her lips to his hair again. Closing her eyes, Jessie lightly shook her head. Hadn’t she earlier vowed to keep some space between them? As he was cuddled tightly into her side, it was pretty evident that neither one could maintain that distance for long. Jessie wasn’t sure what that meant for their future.
Eventually, his grip on her loosened and his breathing slowed considerably. Pulling back, she looked down on him. “Kai?” She pulled back farther when he didn’t respond. “Kai, are you asleep?”
Jessie watched his face, waiting for him to answer her. He didn’t. Carefully sliding her arm out from under him, she settled him on his pillows and adjusted the covers of the bed around him, so he wouldn’t get chilly as he slept. After tucking a stray foot under the blankets, she propped up on her elbow beside him, looking down on him. His face was relaxed, his full lips open slightly as he took long, low breaths.
Even asleep, she could see the exhaustion in his face, the circles under his eyes. He’d adjusted to a lot of changes coming here and it was wearing him down. She furrowed her brow, hoping that she wasn’t one of the troubling things he was acclimating to. Well, at least the physical changes would get easier on him; his body was just going to punish him for it first. She smiled, thinking over his multiple stings. Poor thing. Not the greatest experience to have on your first day.
Her heart swelling as she looked down on him, she slowly leaned over and placed her lips to his forehead. He exhaled, muttering something that almost sounded like her name. Jessie froze and then pulled back, peering down at him intently. His eyes were still closed though, his face still peaceful in slumber.
Smiling, she ran the back of her finger down his cheek. “Goodnight, Kai,” she whispered.
His lips twitched, almost like he was smiling in a dream. She wondered if he was thinking about her, then hated herself that she wanted him to be thinking of her. He shouldn’t be as tortured as she was. Well, she shouldn’t want him to be as tortured as she was, at any rate. What he felt for her, besides gratitude and maybe a residual attraction, Jessie wasn’t sure. But she was getting surer and surer about what she felt for him with every second that they spent together. It terrified her.
Leaning down close to his face, she whispered with a shaky voice, “I think I’m falling for you.”
Her heart hammering, she lightly pressed her lips to his partially open ones. She pulled them away almost instantly, but not before she felt him respond, his lips moving softly against hers. But she must have been imagining that. He was asleep. He probably wouldn’t kiss her back, not with how tired he’d been.
Putting her fingers to her suddenly hot lips, she swallowed the lump in her throat. Plus, he shouldn’t kiss her back, just like she shouldn’t kiss him at all. Cursing the feelings that she couldn’t seem to shut off, she stood and grabbed her things. Then, shutting off his lights before she closed his door, she left him alone in his slumber.
Chapter 8
Someone to Love
Kai woke up the next morning from a disturbingly pleasant dream. Pleasant, because he’d been dreaming about Jessie. Disturbing, because he’d been dreaming about doing inappropriate things with her. In his dream, she had leaned over, whispered that she was falling for him, and kissed him tenderly. As he lay awake in his bed, his eyes straining to make out any coherent shape in his gray-with-darkness room, he still felt the thrill in his stomach that those words had given him.
He closed his eyes, running a hand down his face. What he wouldn’t give to hear her actually say those words to him. But then, that was a really wrong and horrid thing for him to want her to feel. She shouldn’t be dragged down into his confusion. It was best for her, if she found a way past the attraction that he could sometimes feel from her, and truly look at him as only family.
He was struggling with that.
He’d been isolated from his extended family for so long, that really, the only people that actually felt like family to him were his parents and his grandmother. Everyone else, all of the cousins, uncles and aunts, were nothing more to him than a long list of names on the family letter that Gran put together every year. But DNA didn’t lie, and he and Jessie couldn’t share that kind of a future.
Sighing, he sat up and rubbed his eyes. Grabbing his cell phone off of the nightstand beside his bed, he glanced at the time. His exhausted body had given into sleep much too soon, and now he’d woken up well before work. He’d probably be exhausted by the end of the night again. Oh, well. At least his body was shif
ting in the right direction. Kai was sure that, given another couple days, a week at the most, he’d by right in line with the people here.
Yawning, he noticed that he’d also missed a call from his mom. She’d probably called to see how his first day went. Well, it was too early in the morning in Hawaii to call her back. He’d just have to call her after work. Rubbing the sore but healing spots on his back, he didn’t have very many positive things to tell her about his first day anyway. The strange Louis, with an ‘s’, the horny Missy, who had mentally undressed him at every opportunity, and his oddly distant new boss.
Kai frowned as he stood up, thinking about Mason Thomas. For someone who was connected with his parents in some way, the man had sure been strange to him. As Kai had gone about his day, helping him with various projects, learning the ropes, the man had alternated between curious, reluctant, kind, and standoffish. Kai tried not to take it personally. It couldn’t be him. Aside from silently suffering from multiple bee attacks, Kai hadn’t done anything wrong or inappropriate. He’d tried to be as friendly and helpful as he could, without seeming like an overeager suck-up. He thought he’d pulled it off, but his boss had still seemed uneasy around him. Maybe it was Kai’s parents that bothered the man? Maybe there had been a falling out that Kai didn’t know about?