Page 181 of Something So Strong

“I like your accent.” The blush on June’s cheeks deepens, and she hangs her head, almost ashamed for saying something so juvenile.

“So does Jess.” Kai seeks my hand on top of the table, turns it palm side up, and starts tracing circles over it.

Catching herself staring, June does a cute little head shake. “I’m sorry. I can’t believe I… I mean… I’m still not certain why I came.”

That makes two of us, sweetheart.

“Are you not sitting across from the reason?”

Real smooth, Kai. You cocky bastard.

June nods in agreement, if not a little apprehensive.

“Did you want a drink, lovely?”

“Oh, sure. A wine, please. Dolcetto, if dey ‘ave it.”

“Good choice.” Kai winks, leaning on the table as he stands.

Is it? I couldn’t tell you if the stuff coming back will be red, white, or pink.

I watch as June’s eyes follow Kai. “He’s got a nice ass, doesn’t he?” I grin smugly, leaning forward.

Her head jerks back to me, her auburn waves slicing through the air. “Sorry.” She hangs her head.

“Don’t be.” I lean in closer. “I stare at it every chance I get… And I mean, isn’t that why you’re here?” The words feel icky on my tongue like I have to push them out.

With a slow, drawn out blink, June opens her eyes back up to me with a newfound confidence dredged up from deep in her gut. “So tell me den, Jesse.” She mimics my position. “Do ye find me attractive?”

My top lip curls, but not in disgust. At least I don’t think so.

June is beautiful, no doubt. Her body is amazing, and I appreciate attractive women all the time, but… not like this.

“I don’t think you’d be able to ask me that question in person if we didn’t.”

Her hands fall from under her chin to flat on the table and, without thinking, I reach for them.

“Shit… I can’t believe dis is happenin’.” Her brogue words are shaky, and I can feel her trembling. But she’s the only one. I feel nothing. Not a damn thing. They may as well be my grandmother’s hands, and I recoil from them when Kai returns to the table.

Draping my arm over the back of Kai’s chair, I smile kindly at June, then him—my eyes telling a different story to each. Kai rubs my thigh beneath the table, squeezes just above my knee, then lets it rest, and I feel more energy from that than I’ve felt for this entire ordeal. June seems like a lovely girl, but she isn’t Kai. And I don’t need anything more than him. I never have.

“So tell me about yourself, June.” Kai initiates the conversation.

I don’t know what I’m gonna do if he still wants to go through with this. It’s just… It feels weird. Not like when we chat with Andy, or with Kendall and Cleo, back at Vistas. There’s this heavy cloud of expectation that I just don’t want hanging over me anymore.

“I were born in Belfast. Moved ‘ere to study n never left… My parents were uninventive when pickin’ out me name. I were born in June and dey thought, dat’ll do.” She waves her hand with a giggle and a flutter of her eyelashes, and a huge slap of guilt hits me in the face.

“Same,” Kai mutters nonchalantly—lifting his pint and downing the last of his stout. “Well, kinda. My mom had a penpal from Japan who lived in Kai.”

“The fuck?” My neck cracks from how quickly I shoot to look at him.

“Want another?” He nods towards my near-finished beer like I haven’t said anything.

“Yeah, sure. But seriously? We’ve been together for over a year and you’ve never told me that.”

Letting go of my knee, Kai stands, picks up my beer, downs the rest, then stacks the empty glass with his. Leaning down, he raises my chin to meet him. “Don’t worry, Pretty Baby. We have the rest of our lives to discover every stupid little fact.” Then he kisses me. Deep—like June isn’t here, and I know he feels the same way I do.

Pulling back, he gives the slightest nibble to my bottom lip. My eyes are barely open, half-lidded and hazy, but I can still see the flash of mischief that cuts across his face before he straightens out. “You want another?”

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