“It’s pretty vexing, isn’t it?” I murmured, but she whipped her head in my direction as if I’d shouted, her long braid almost smacking me in the face. But I didn’t flinch because the anger that flashed through those golden eyes was far better than the turmoil from a moment ago.
“Vexing? What are you, ninety?” That made me smirk, which caused her to sigh and give in. “Is what vexing, Kai?” she drawled. My name on her perfectly kissable lips turned my insides to molten lava.
I snickered. She balled her fist as if to keep from smacking me. I would have gladly accepted any physical contact from her. “Isn’t it vexing having someone you know has feelings for you act like you don’t exist?”
A growl ripped from her throat like she was some kind of ferocious lioness. It did things to me that weren’t appropriate for this tight can filled with people. “You’ve been trying to teach me a lesson?”
The fury in her eyes—my mission of turning her thoughts to something other than those magazines a success—pushed me on. “Not teaching you a lesson. I was showing you how irritating and hurtful it is to have someone do that.” That was only part truth. Enough truth to piss her off, though.
She looked like she might growl again. I hoped and prayed she wouldn’t, simply so I wouldn’t have to excuse myself to the tight space they called a bathroom. “I wasn’t a dick to you about it, but you’re totally being one.”
That made me snort. She was kidding herself thinking she wasn’t being a dick. “You may not call it that, but that’s exactly what it is, honey.” With that, I stuck my earbuds back in, looking straight forward again. If I kept going, I’d force myself on her, take the kiss I wanted so desperately, and it would end badly.
Before I could turn the music back on, she snarled, “Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to piss off a pregnant woman?”
I wanted to laugh, but I just took a deep breath and closed my eyes, hoping for the flight to get over with so we could get out of this constricted space and I could have some breathing room to clear my head, regain my resolve.
The energy around me shimmered, making me tingle, as if someone were looking at me. She was staring at me; I could feel it. And there wasn’t an ounce of malice behind it. It was as if she were openly inspecting me in awe… at least I could hope it was awe. Whatever the reasoning behind her ogling, I could all but feel the wheels turning in that genius brain of hers.
Four songs played accompanied by that tingling sensation that she was watching me. It took all my control not to open my eyes and catch her in the act. Heat licked down my arm as her fingers trailed over it before they laced with mine. My eyes snapped open of their own accord to meet her probing gaze, her bottom lip caught between her teeth.
“You finally giving in?” I rasped, my breathing ragged. I wasn’t holding it together at all. She had given in far sooner than I’d planned; I needed to be sure, couldn’t put myself on the line again just to get shot down the next day.
Still chewing on that lip, she gave me a meek nod. “On two conditions.” Conditions? That had my eyebrows shooting up my forehead. She rolled her lips between her teeth. “Please don’t pry. There are things I won’t talk to you about.” On a deep breath, she paused. I had already surmised as much based on our previous conversations and through watching her. Although, I wasn’t sure how that set now that we were going to be together. I wanted to know things about her, wanted to hold her burdens for her. Then she added, “And I won’t marry you.”
My stomach dropped, but I schooled my expression. She’d thrown up when the topic was mentioned before. I couldn’t show her what that meant to me. Not that the thought of not marrying her destroyed me or anything, but the fact that it wasn’t ever going to be an option, that she was resolved to keep it from happening, was troubling. What if I wanted to marry her a couple years down the road? Only time could tell, and for now, I’d settle for what little she would give me.
So instead of pushing or bartering, I joked, “Damn, that ruins all my plans for the night.” I flashed a smile, hoping to show her how delighted I was that she’d given in so quickly. I would never word it that way to her, of course.
Her gaze jumped between my eyes and lips, eyes and lips. My blood boiled. I was going to devour her. But I gritted my teeth to keep from doing so. I’d already gone to her over and over, made every move. It was about time she did the moving.
And she did.
Leaning over the armrest, she brushed her soft lips over mine. The sharp breath I sucked in couldn’t be stopped. Blood rushed through my veins, my pulse pounding in my ears. I wanted to gobble her up but again stayed my hand. She pulled back slightly, and I bit my cheek to keep from grabbing that braid and crushing my mouth back to hers.
“Oh, and I forgot to add, no more being a jackass,” she murmured against my lips, and my heart sang.
I fucking adored her.
I chuckled darkly, muttering, “Now that’s one thing I cannot abide,” before snaking that braid around my hand and brushing my lips against hers.
When we dropped down, it was still the afternoon. Kate had driven her own car, so we went our separate ways from Ava and Cade at the airport. After we let them know we’d call them the next day when we found out the news, they seemed in a hurry to be on their way. Probably us making out on the plane for the last hour of the flight had made them uncomfortable. I didn’t give two shits. I’d gotten to make out with Kate for the last hour of our flight. I was fucking flying.
But I needed to ground myself. This wasn’t going to be a cake walk. Kate had baggage, baggage she didn’t like sharing. I liked carrying people’s baggage. Case in point, I had joined the air force fresh out of high school. Fixing things was my greatest enjoyment.
First thing to be fixed for Kate would be her driving situation. Her car was a piece of shit. It’d taken much finesse and eight tries to get the engine to turn over.
Once she finally got it started, it barely made it out of the airport parking garage. It was troubling, but she didn’t make a fuss about it. I was going to make a fuss, but instead I stared at her perfect belly, our baby growing in there, wishing I could have a cigarette. She wouldn’t let me smoke in her piece-of-shit car, reasoning that I was supposed to be cutting back anyway. The awful country music she had blaring only made me want to smoke even more.
“So what are our plans for tonight?” I asked her. She was leaning forward, her shoulders about reaching her ears as she navigated the roads with squinted eyes. It was fucking adorable.
“I was thinking about a nap. And maybe some food.” The impact of the smirk she sent me knocked the breath out of me.
“I guess the nap is probably necessary for you.”
She snorted. “Yes, I need one desperately, since you wouldn’t let me sleep on the plane.”
That’s right, I hadn’t let her sleep on the plane. Not after she opened up, after getting to taste her again.
Gripping the steering wheel, she cleared her throat. “And the food would be nice. I’m actually hungry again.”
Which was music to my ears. She needed to be gaining some amount of weight, but she looked even skinnier than when I first saw her three days ago. “If we’re having food, does that mean I can take you out on a date?”