“I love you so much, Kai,” I say. He’s about to reply but I shake my head with my finger still hovering on his mouth. “I know,” I murmur.
His hand is gripping my neck, he’s rubbing his thumb over my cheek, staring at me with the universe in his eyes and a thousand words on the tip of his tongue. And it feels like a love like this should be impossible. But it isn’t. Not with him. It feels easy. Safe.Right. Like pancakes on Sunday morning, or curling up by the fire with a good book. Like hearing the hook of your favorite song or the smell of fresh rain in the summer.
He doesn’t say anything—he doesn’t have to. He kisses me with longing, ferocity, and passion just like he always has. His lips move over mine with the same intensity that he had when I was 17 and insecure and scared of what a kiss might do to us.
And I melt away into his arms.
Chapter 71
Kai
Ipullherontopof my lap at one of the high tops scattered around the massive fountain. My arms are curved around her waist, her long legs crossed over mine and that slit is tap dancing on my last modicum of restraint. We stay like this, my chin resting on her head and her body tucked into mine for a while. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. We don’t have to say anything; there's no need to fill the silence with anything else other than our heartbeats.
It did bother me. More than I’d like to admit. People casting judgement on us, our relationship, especially when we had fought tooth and nail to get here. It took every ounce of control I possessed to not haul Marcus’ ass over the counter and repay him for his hostility. But Kendall and Akio deserve better than that. And so do I. I’m not the same anxious teenager who excelled at sports but couldn’t hold a conversation to save his life. Who bottled up his rage and panic with no outlet, except for her. I don’t need Kendall to rescue me anymore. I’m not the same wounded, heartbroken man either, trying to repair himself by tearing through bars and women and starting fightsjust to feel something. I want to heal. I’m trying and that means examining the pieces of myself I don’t exactly like, not just the ones she broke. The least I can do is think, respond before reacting.
My brain drifts off for a while and eventually I whisper, “Hey, Ken?”
“Mhmm?”
“Your laptop was out the other day while you were getting ready. I saw you were looking at night classes and different law school programs.”
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about it for a while,” she admits, turning her face to look directly into my eyes.
“You have? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I haven’t made any concrete decisions, and it never felt like the right time. But I thought with us being back together and you and my moms helping with Akio, maybe it would be?”
“I think that’s great. I want to support you however I can.”
“Really?” she asks, her eyes bright and hopeful.
“Of course. I could help pay for law school, you know. In fact, I want to.” I smooth my thumb over her knuckles.
“It’s too much, Kai,” she replies, shaking her head. “I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You aren’t asking. I’m offering. What if I helped pay for part of it or gave you a loan?” I propose. Not that I would ever let her pay me back but she doesn’t need to know that.
“You’re serious?”
“Very. I want to build a future with you and if that future includes you going back to school, then I want to help however I can.”
“Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly love you more,” she muses, her lips tugging into a smile. “I’ll consider it.”
“Good. You should,” I reply, pressing my lips to her forehead. “This slit is driving me nuts,” I admit, kissing her cheek. I hugher tightly to my chest as I slowly move my hand up her thigh. I wonder if she’s just as turned on as I am. She leans further into me, her breath hot against my ear.
“Lucky for you I’m not wearing anything underneath it,” she purrs.This woman is going to be the death of me.
“Jesus Christ, Ken,” I growl. “Are you trying to kill me?” She smiles conspiratorially, moving her hand over mine and guiding it higher. I’m about thirty seconds and centimeters away from pulling her behind a tree and slipping into her without a condom.
“What do you say we take this back to the limo for a brief intermission?” I suggest.
She kisses me on the mouth. “I thought you’d never ask,” she replies.
***
Weexitthelimoflushed and flustered. I’m 150 bucks poorer but two mind bending orgasms richer. I paid the driver to take an extra-long smoke break and leave the keys with me. It was the easiest money I’ve ever spent. She smooths down her dress and fixes stray pieces of hair around her face while I adjust my shirt and tie. I know the image of Kendall riding me with only her heels on will live rent free in my brain the rest of night. Probably forever. Would she be thinking about the path I kissed from her breasts to her hips the rest of the night too? How I worked my tongue feverishly between her thighs until she begged. I hope so. We share a knowing smile as we saunter back into the gala.
Chapter 72
