I say nothing as he puts the jacket on me, zipping it up to my chin, and I fight the delicious tremors running riot throughout my body as his hands brush against me. Taking my hand, he walks with purpose toward the store at the far end on the right-hand side.
“I’ll wait outside. Let me know when you’re done,” he says, without looking at me, when we reach our destination. Flattening his back against the window of the women’s clothing store, he settles in to wait, stretching out his long legs and crossing his ankles at the feet.
I move to enter the store when he clamps a hand down on my arm. “Grab a warm jacket. Weather forecast isn’t great for the next couple weeks. There’s even talk of snow.”
I bob my head before pushing through the double doors into the store. I grab a cart and start loading up on essentials. They don’t have a huge selection, and it’s hardly haute couture, but what they have is stylish and good quality, and it should last me until I can figure out a way to get the hell away from here. I toss some makeup and toiletries in the cart too, bringing them to the girl at the counter to ring up. Her eyes are out on stalks as she surveys my stash, and I’m guessing they get little business around here.
I poke my head out the door. “I need cash.”
Removing his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans, he pulls out a wad of bills, thrusting it in my fist. “If you need more, let me know.”
I pay the pretty cashier, and as I’m reaching for the bags, the door swings open, and I sense him invading my airspace. The cashier’s eyes light up in interest, and she unbuttons a couple buttons on top of her shirt and leans forward on the counter as Kai approaches, ensuring he’s got a perfect view of her cleavage.
If I wasn’t so pissed, it might impress me. Girl’s got game. And balls as big as any guy because it’s clear he’s here for me, yet that doesn’t stop her flirting her ass off. “Hi there.” She flashes him a blinding smile. “Is there something I can help you with today?”
“I don’t know,” he says, shooting her a blinding smile in return. “What are you offering?”
“Whatever you like,” she purrs in response, and she’s just short of jumping over the counter and throwing herself at him.
I might as well be invisible, and my claws come out. “Sorry, I didn’t get your name,” I say, turning around and inspecting her name badge. “Candy.” I shove the bags into Kai’s chest and plant my hands on my hips. “Someone should have a word with your parents. That’s way too sweet of a name for a dirty ho.”
Her face transforms, a look of heated indignation appearing on her features. She straightens up, attempting to look down her nose at me. “Excuse me?”
“I wonder what your boss would think about you flirting so obviously—and pathetically, I might add—with the customers’ boyfriends.”
Her shoulders stiffen. “He was flirting with me,” she says, all smug and superior. “And is it any wonder if he’s stuck with a bitch like you?”
I’m opening my mouth to retaliate when Kai drops the bags, reels me back, and leans forward, putting his face all up in hers. “That’s my baby momma you’re disrespecting, so I’d tread carefully if I was you.” His voice reeks of danger, and I just know he’s giving her one of his lethal stares. The kind to dampen your panties and scare the shit out of you at the same time.
She’s all flustered, and her mouth is opening and shutting like a fish out of water.
“Are we done?” I ask, inspecting my nails and sounding bored on purpose.
“We’re done, babe.” Kai pushes off the counter, grabbing my face and planting a quick hard kiss on my lips. My head is spinning when he slings his arm around my shoulders and steers me out of the store.
“You two nutjobs deserve one another,” she screams after us, and I burst out laughing.
“Truer words have never been spoken,” Kai deadpans, winking at me as we walk toward the car. “And I needed to prove a point,” he adds.
“Okay. I’ll bite.”
“You were jealous even though you knew I was provoking you.” He tightens his arm around my shoulder.
“I guess I deserve that.” Because I’ve made him jealous since I arrived.
He helps me up into the car, buckling me into my seat, purposely brushing his fingers against my body, and I want to wipe the smug smile off his face.
He climbs in beside me, securing his seatbelt, but he doesn’t start the car immediately. “It’s not for the reasons you think,” he says, peering deep into my eyes.
“Why then?”
“I wanted you to see that you already consider yourself mine.” He kick-starts the engine with another smug grin on his face. “You can deny it all you want, Abby. But we both know the truth. You just confirmed it back there.”
“What are we doing now?” I ask as Kai pulls up in front of the quaint diner on the main street in town.
He kills the engine, spearing me with a look. “What does it look like we’re doing?” He rolls his eyes.
“Do not roll your eyes at me.” He does it again, and I flip him off.
“You’re getting far too fond of that, and it’s beneath you.” He dares me to argue, snatching my hand before I can shove my middle finger up again, planting a kiss on my knuckles before I can raise an objection. “And we’ll both need to rein shit in when the baby comes.”
My heart does that twisty thing again, and I wrest my hand away. “Stop touching me.”
“You like my hands on you,” he says, climbing out of the car. Like before, he walks around to the passenger side, opens the door, grips my hips, and lifts me down.
“No. I don’t.” I pout.
“Every time you deny it, you just prove my point.” He laces his fingers through mine, pulling me up onto the curb. “So, continue lying, but you’re no better than me.”
“It is not the same thing, and you know it.”
He spins around, dropping his hands to my lower back and drawing me into his body. “Everyone tells lies, Abby. Especially in our world. But it’s the motivation behind the deceit that matters.”
“That’s the biggest load of bull crap I’ve ever heard and a convenient excuse to hide behind.”
“I’m protecting what’s mine, and I’ll never apologize for that.”
“You can’t keep lying to me, Kai, irrespective of the motive.”
He leans down to kiss me, and I turn my head to the side. His lips brush against my cheek, and I smirk, but my victory is short-lived. Cupping my face firmly, he holds my head in place as his mouth descends, and this time, I’m powerless to stop it. I clamp my lips together, refusing to kiss him back, and he chuckles against my mouth. “You’re driving me fucking insane, babe,” he says, thrusting his hips into my pelvis. “But it turns me on like you wouldn’t believe.” His tongue prods the seam of my lips, demanding entry, and my resolve is wavering.
“You’re sick in the head,” I retort, realizing my mistake the second the words leave my mouth. He seizes the opportunity, pushing his tongue into my mouth while angling his head and deepening the kiss.