The question had never occurred to me. “Is it terrible to say no?”
“It’s not terrible,” he said with a shrug. “You only want me for my body, I get it.”
“I do enjoy your body very much. But that’s just the cherry on top. I’d love for you to teach me about fishing sometime.”
“You would?”
“It’s what you love, so I’d like to learn.” I tiptoed to kiss his cheek.
“Alright. Maybe we can look at the schedule tomorrow night and plan a trip, when we’re at the marina for my family barbecue…”
This was the first I’d heard of the dinner plan he was trying to rope me into, and it invoked a sudden surge of panic. “Like, your whole family?” I stammered, my face flaming.
Kai cocked his head, eyeing me. “Yeah. They don’t bite, I promise,” he said cautiously. “You already know Reef and he’s the worst behaved of the lot.”
Avoiding Reef was part of my hesitation, but it didn’t explain my major case of cold feet to meet the rest of his family. “I’m sure they are all lovely.”
“And they will all love you. Please say yes.” He smiled into my eyes, pulling my hips in close. I couldn’t say no to that ask.
“Yes,” I said, chuckling again at his persuasiveness. “I’m going to hop in the shower. Do you want to go first?” My single-stall shower wasn’t quite big enough for both of us. We’d flooded the bathroom trying.
“I think I’ll shower at home and hang with the dogs before my charter.” He paused, locking my gaze. I could see the love in the hazel depths of his stare. “I’m getting used to waking up next to you,” he said, gently brushing a lock of hair off my cheek.
Flooded with warmth, I felt like I was melting in his arms again.
I was getting used to all of it, maybe too much. Kai had been practically living at my bungalow for the nearly two weeks since we met. We didn’t mean to move so fast, but here we were. “I’m feeling better. You don’t have to stay with me every single night anymore, if you’d rather be at home.”
“Would you feel comfortable staying there with me?” He flashed a pleading grin.
“I don’t know…” I said with hesitation. But the constriction in my chest and throat told me that I did know. I wasn’t ready to go back there.
“That’s okay. Until then, I’m here with you.”
My brow crinkled. “I just don’t want you to feel obligated.”
“Taking care of you is my obligation, beautiful. And my pleasure.”
“Wow, obligation and job,” I said with a laugh. “You sure know how to make a girl feel special.”
“It’s my obligation to take care of my woman, and I take that job seriously.”
The feminist in me wanted to bristle at being calledhis woman. But every other part of me lit up like fireworks.
CHAPTER 15
KAI
Jasmine was radiant in a teal sundress that set off her eyes when she appeared at the door of her bungalow. I stopped in my tracks, halfway to the porch, to take in the sight. My stomach fluttered the way it only did for her.
Since she was already on her way down the steps, I walked around to open the passenger door of my Jeep. “You look gorgeous,” I said as she approached.
“Thanks, handsome. You’re looking pretty dapper yourself.”
My gaze traveled up her tanned legs as they swung into the Jeep. “Nothing compared to you, beautiful,” I said, leaning in to kiss her softly. Her lip gloss tasted faintly of coconut, and it made me want to forget the family barbecue altogether. “My family can’t wait to meet you.”
“I’m excited too. Nervous, but excited.”
“No need to be nervous,” I said. Still, a tightness coiled in my gut. I hadn’t brought a girl home in years, and the last time ended in disaster. It’d been at least two years since Chrissy Malone, who’dditched me for a multimillionaire two weeks later. I had to listen to my mother telling me I deserved better for a month straight.
