No one questioned whether I was okay when I returned from the bathroom, as if they knew it would only embarrass me more. Mrs. Hart fussed over me a little, getting me a cup of ginger tea and having me rest on the couch. I didn’t have the heart to turn her generosity down, even though it hurt my bones to allow it. Kai had switched to conversing with his dad. He didn’t check on me or ask if I was okay, though I did notice his posture was rigid, his jaw clenched. So he was paying attention but trying not to. I didn’t know how I felt about that. Mostly pissed.
Ava and Cade sat by me in the living room, talking about what they were doing for the day, how they had to go see Cade’s parents for a little, and then Ava wanted to go shopping before we were supposed to go to Mia’s for dinner. Just talking about more socializing—even if it was with people I didn’t mind—exhausted me. No one protested when I opted to take a nap, not even Kai, who was still acting like I didn’t exist.
We rode in Mr. Hart’s Jeep with Ava and Cade to Mia’s. Kai was driving, and Ava had insisted I sit up front, as if she saw the funk between Kai and me and was determined to fix it.
Nothing was fixed.
This was the closest I had been to him since the night before. The air between us was charged with frustration, disappointment, sadness… lust.
The anger and disappointment were from him; I could feel it prodding at me like someone nudging me to move. But I didn’t know where to move to, and I didn’t know how to erase this problem. Well… I did, but I wasn’t willing to cave, to give in to his magnetism.
Enter lust.
My hands itched to hold his, to touch him, to run along his tanned skin and sexy tattoos and drool-worthy muscles. I wanted him. I couldn’t have him. That made me want him more.
He didn’t even try to acknowledge me on the short drive to Mia’s, which allowed me to keep my hands and thoughts to myself. Our tension was so thick, Cade and Ava didn’t even try inserting themselves in it. Which was for the best. I didn’t need or want anyone’s opinion on what I should or shouldn’t be doing in this situation. By the time we got there, I was frustrated and ready to go home. At least there I could get back into my routine. Immerse myself in my schoolwork and work and ignore my raging emotions.
After Murphy alerted Mia and Pierce to our presence from the fenced-in front yard, they welcomed us inside their little red house. It was perfect and adorable and smelled of garlic, oregano, and fresh baked goods. My mouth watered for the first time that day. Lasagna, breadsticks, salad, and tiramisu took up a good portion of the counter.
Dinner was noisy, everyone talking at once. Kai and Pierce gave each other shit and joked around. They acted as I imagined brothers would. Cade even joined in with them when Pierce picked on Kai for smoking. Ava was flabbergasted by the news, which Mia thought was hilarious, since it took Ava so long to catch on to their brother’s habit. Although, Kai did tell them he was trying to cut back as his eyes flickered to me, there and gone as if he almost forgot he was ignoring me like a dick.
My fury rose to boiling. This is outrageous. Why am I even here? Why did he drag me along? The food in my stomach turned to lead, but I fought ferociously against the nausea. I would not vomit in that cute house and ruin everyone’s night.
Mia must have sensed something because she bumped my shoulder, saying, “You’ll be a bridesmaid, right?” waggling her eyebrows, eyes full of mischief.
“Uhh, while I’m flattered by the offer, I don’t think I would look great in a dress at nine months pregnant.”
“Ah, but you would look so good in fuchsia.”
Her lips twitched when Ava spluttered, “Fuchsia? You’re making me wear fuchsia for your wedding?”
The guys were now paying attention, Pierce chuckling. “Don’t pick on your sister, Mia.”
“It’s so fun, though.” She batted her lashes, giving him a toothy grin.
I snorted a laugh, which got Kai’s attention. His gaze snapped to mine, eyes full of delighted amusement. Before I could smile at him, those stormy grays shuttered, the emotion disappearing to be replaced by indifference before he looked away and his jaw began twitching again.
My heart sank, a lump forming in my throat. This was ridiculous. I shouldn’t have cared so much that he was giving me the cold shoulder, but I did. I missed him, even though he was right there sitting across from me.
“Ava, you could wear a brown dress with your red Converses for all I care,” Mia said, pulling me from my pity party.
“As you can see, Mia’s ecstatic about the wedding,” Pierce drawled before sipping his beer. “It’s a surprise we’re having one at all.”
That earned him a blazing stare from Mia, her electric blue eyes flashing. Pierce had the good sense to appear sorrowful while we all sat in stunned silence. “Don’t be a dick. I want to marry you, jackass, obviously. This is just too much fuss. Mom invited ninety people. Ninety! It’s too much.”
“Then tell her,” Ava said, patting her sister’s arm, but Mia only snorted.
The tension dissipated slightly while the twins joked lightly about the wedding and Pierce and Kai talked about work. Since I was staying in the background, watching, I noticed that when Pierce was talking about some case he was working that was going to require him to be gone for a few days, Mia watched him with that blazing look again while she chewed on her cheek. My own drama kept me from asking or prodding her for information.
Kai continued ignoring me, and both Mia and Ava seemed to notice, sharing pointed glances between each other and Kai and me, although they didn’t say anything about it. By the time we left, I was exhausted again and ready for bed, so I said a quick goodnight to everyone before locking myself in the guest bedroom for the night.
Sleep did not find me. Obsessive thoughts of Kai kept me up all night. I couldn’t pinpoint why his cold shoulder affected me so much. He was likely distancing himself since he knew I didn’t want anything, and he clearly did. I couldn’t give him what he wanted, but I could let him be a dad. I only wished we could at least be friends or talk or something.
This was so foreign to me. I had never wanted a guy before, but there I was, pining after any form of relationship with him.
9
Kai
I was stuck in the very back seat of my mom’s SUV with Kate pressed up against my side, our legs and arms snug together. The fit was tight back there in general, making it difficult to move for even just one person. Kate was wearing little Daisy Dukes that didn’t cover her legs even a little and a pink tank top that revealed way too much of her tanned skin, stretching over her perfect little bump where my baby was currently residing. I was wearing a black T-shirt and gray shorts. Every inch of our skin that touched had flames licking up and down it. My self-control was wavering.
For some damn reason, Ava thought her and Cade’s short legs needed the space the middle seat provided. She had forced the issue, saying Kate and I would be just fine in the back together. Little brat thought she was perceptive, likely forcing us to sit together because she thought we were fighting or some shit.
Which we were. We were very definitely fighting. Just not outwardly. I was wearing her down little by little like a well-traveled road. She could think whatever the hell she wanted of my intentions, but she was likely misreading and misjudging. Her rigid posture and attempts to unglue herself from my side only proved my suspicions. If she knew what my intentions were, she wouldn’t have agreed to sit in the back seat with me. She would be pissed as all hell, much angrier than she already was.