Page 147 of Something So Strong

Of course, I don’t want you to visit. I want you with me every damn day.

Fuck!

There’s no way I can end this.

There’s no way I can ever say goodbye to him.

I smile as my lips start moving. “I live with Sax and Romi in London. It’s just a regular share house situation. You know all this. Just like you already know our families have money. And I’d hope by now that you’ve realized it’s not all we’re about.”

“I know.” Head bowed, he puts my hands around his waist, then his own run over the wool on my coat sleeves. “But Andy’s there too. So it won’t be the same when you go back.”

“Guess we’ll just have to get our own place, then.”

I know I shouldn’t have said that, but the words sound so good.

“Really?”

Kai’s eyes are so full of hope, like I’m a goddamn superhero, and I just want to say ‘yes’ to him a thousand times. Or however many it takes for him to believe me. But life in London is one thing and my birthright is a whole other gigantic, overwhelming kettle of fish. So I just tug him closer.

“That’s ten months away, Babe. You might not be able to stand the sight of me by then.”

“No hope of that happening.” Kai’s smolder is back and that damn tongue of his is poking against his lips.

“We’re gonna be late for work,” I warn, but make no attempt to move.

“You’re gonna be the death of me, you know that?” He leans in until I can feel his breath on my skin.

“I’m pretty sure you died the second you saw me.”

I can already feel Kai sucking on my tongue and bottom lip before he even makes contact. And the swell of lust in my stomach has me desperate to be back on my bed; naked and on all fours.

“No, Kai!” My voice is low and dark, like a promise. And his eyes twinkle with the same lust that’s inside me at hearing his name spoken like that.

“You just wait till work’s over.”

“Yeah-yeah, whatever buddy,” I say dryly as I push away—trying to convince myself as I head towards the door. “We have to get through the next eight hours first.”

Pulling on my Chelsea boots, I tap my toe on the floor to adjust the right foot, then open the door. “C’mon, lover boy. I dare you to keep your hands off me all shift.”

“How is that a fair dare?” Kai moans, shoulders slumped, and head back in a full-blown tantrum stance.

“Whoever said dares have to be fair? Isn’t that kinda the point?”

Pressing the button in on the back of the handle, I pull my door closed and shove Kai in the back to straighten him up.

“But you’re meant to want to make me happy,” he grumbles, wrapping his arms around my right one and resting his chin on my shoulder.

“I’m gonna start calling you Baby Girl.”

“What do you expect after what you let me do last night? Those faces… Those noises… I’m never letting you go.”

The reception door flings open so fast the handle bashes against the wall.

Jesse jumps, but I’ve been expecting a visit like this. It was only a matter of time.

“What the fuck did you pricks get up to last night?”

“Woah-woah-woah!” Calmly, I push up from the blind corner and square off with our intruder. “I suggest you calm down, Alma. What if there’d been guests?”