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“No.” Holding his arms out, he took two steps toward him. “Not until you talk to me.”
“I don’t have to tell you anything.” He’d been waiting for the other shoe to drop from day one, but he hadn’t expected it to come quite so soon. “I don’t owe you anything, not even an explanation.”
“No, I guess you don’t, but lucky for you, I’m not asking for one.” Bas took another two steps, shuffling forward across the beige carpet. “If you’d been listening, you’d realize I didn’t ask you anything. I just said I wanted to talk. I’ll even let you pick the topic.”
“I don’t want to talk. I just want to be—”
“Alone? Yeah, you’ve said that before, but is that really what you want?”
No one had ever asked him that, not in that context anyway. Oh, he’d been asked why he was alone. Friends had asked him if he was tired of being alone, but they made it sound like some kind of disease. No one had ever questioned if he wanted to be alone, though.
“I don’t mind being alone. Most of the time, I prefer it.”
Maybe he had an absurdly low tolerance for drama. Some people called it antisocial. Other people just called him an asshole. The Ice Prince. Whatever way he looked at it, he definitely didn’t play well with others.
“Really?”
Kai sighed. “What do you want me to say? You expect me to tell you that my life isn’t complete because I’m not married with kids and a house in the suburbs?” He shook his head. “I can’t tell you that.”
“When are you going to understand? I don’t expect anything. You don’t want a relationship? Fine. Kids aren’t your thing? Who cares? If you’re happy with your life, then I’m happy for you.” Three more steps closed the distance between them, bringing Bas to stand directly in front of him. “Are you happy?”
Kai could barely hear him over the pounding of his heart, but he refused to retreat. Lifting his head, he set his jaw and fisted his hands at his sides. “I don’t need someone in my life to be happy, if that’s what you’re getting at.”
“Why are you always trying to pick a fight?”
In a move too quick to counter, Bas grabbed his face in both hands, pulled him up on his toes, and slanted their mouths together. Kai hesitated at first, frozen with shock, but when Bas’ tongue caressed the seam of his lips, he couldn’t fight it.
Opening on a breathy sigh, Kai relaxed into him, pressing his hands to that broad chest to anchor himself when his head started to spin. Damn, Bas had the softest lips, and he didn’t attack his mouth like some other guys. He kissed him like it mattered, like he was the last person in the world he would ever kiss. When his hand slid down Kai’s arm and around his hip, pressing into the small of his back to hold him closer, he couldn’t stop that moan that rumbled in his throat.
What the hell was he doing? He shouldn’t be kissing him. They’d just been arguing—about what, he couldn’t remember—and then Bas had kissed him. The details on why were a little fuzzy, but he distinctly remembered being angry.
Fisting his hands in the front of Bas’ shirt, he meant to push him away, to tell him to get out and not come back. None of that happened. He just needed one more taste, wanted to feel the heat of his body for just a little while longer. So, instead of shoving him away, he pulled him closer and circled his arms around his neck.
It wasn’t until long moments later, when breathing became necessary, that he finally broke the kiss. He didn’t move away, though, and Bas didn’t release him. If anything, he held him more tightly as he lowered his head to rest their brows together.
“You continuously surprise me,” he whispered.
It was a strange compliment, but definitely flattering, so he didn’t question it. “You’re not so bad yourself. Maybe we should try it again. You know, just to make sure we’re compatible.”
With a breathless chuckle, Bas slid his fingers beneath Kai’s chin, tilting his head up for another kiss. Their lips met, slow and languid, gentler this time, but no less consuming. Closing his eyes, Kai swayed against him, moaning as a hunger he’d forgotten existed burned through him.
When the kiss ended, Bas stroked the side of his throat with his knuckles and smiled. “I’ve wanted to do that since the night I met you.”
Kai had wanted it as well, even if he hadn’t been able to admit it, not even to himself. “If you’re not careful, Mr. Diaz, I might start to think you like me.”
“Why, Mr. London, I do believe you’re flirting with me.” He whispered his next words against the shell of Kai’s ear, sending a shiver down his spine. “If you aren’t careful, I might start to think you like me back.”
“I won’t tell if you won’t.” Normally, he didn’t have the patience for the do-si-do of flirting and courtship, but with Bas, it was as easy as breathing. “What are your plans today?”
“Actually, I have to swing by the club for a bit. It’s delivery day,” he explained. “It shouldn’t take more than an hour. Maybe we can grab a late lunch when I’m finished?”
Kai maintained a neutral expression to hide his disappointment. “Yeah, sure, that sounds good. Where do you want to meet?”
“What are you doing right now?”
“Um, nothing really.” He had a project to finish for a client, but it wasn’t due for another two weeks. “Why?”
“Come with me. You’ll get exclusive backstage access to Sintury and all-you-can-eat cheese.”
