Page 42 of Something So Strong

He nods. Of course, what the hell are you talking about?

Taking care of two giant children is more than enough for me. The three of us have so much baggage and family bullshit hanging over our heads that I’m not sure if I have enough spare brain cells I can devote to another broken soul. Saxon’s court case and aftermath have consumed us for the past two years. Add to that my grandfather passing away and the fact that Romeo’s never gotten over the shit his father did, and you have an enormous ball of emotional fuckery. We make it work—we always have—but that’s because we’ve been doing it together for sixteen years…

The light scuff of Kai’s stool along the floorboards as he moves closer has my eyes darting to see if anyone else noticed.

“They’re too self-interested to pay attention to us right now.”

And I’m far too self-indulgent.

Kai may as well be wearing a sign that says ‘walking red flag,’ but not even logic is enough to tear me away. So to spite him, I pretend like he didn’t say a word, and take a sip of my beer.

“I can’t wait till you give in and show me what you’ve got hiding under that shirt,” he utters in my direction.

Licking my lips, I put my pint back down and spin the base of it on its coaster. “I’m not that easy. There’s a lot more I need to know about you before I start stripping.”

Lies! All lies. Every single word. I’ve been balls deep before without even knowing the bird’s name.

Kai stretches his arm along the back of my chair. “We can turn it into another game if you like. I answer a question. You remove an item of clothing… My choice.”

Fuck, that sounds inviting. “Not really the right location.” I brush him off.

“Then isn’t it convenient that you have a perfectly good room right across the hall from mine?”

“Keep talking.”

“I don’t do sleepovers though.”

“Who said anything about sleeping?”

Kai takes his arm back and rubs his palms on his thighs in frustration. “You’ll have to surrender first, Jess.”

“I told you. I won’t make the first move.”

“And what is the first move? You never clarified.”

“Ah…” I stumble.

“This?” Under the table, Kai’s hand lands just above my knee. His fingers curl into my inner thigh as he slides it upwards—the whole time studying my reaction.

“No,” I gulp. That isn’t a move. Not after what he did this morning.

A few inches below my crotch, Kai stops and squeezes. “This is your game, Jess. And I’ve loved playing it so far. But c’mon, give it up.”

“A kiss.” I look at him directly, but my eyes are drawn to his lips a second later. “You have to kiss me.”

“Alright.” He smiles proudly. “When I think you’ve had enough teasing, I’ll do it… Unless you break and kiss me first.”

“Never gonna happen.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”

The cheeky simper I’d seen when I closed my eyes on our first night here is staring back at me. And this newly uncovered hedonistic side of me that feeds off of every little interaction we have couldn’t be happier. So, with Kai still gripping my thigh, I take the foot nearest to him and wrap it around his. I want more, but this is all I can bring myself to do for now. And it has nothing to do with the fact my two best friends are only a meter away.

Under the usual circumstances, Romeo is a happy—if not overly lustful—drunk. He can hold his liquor, banter with the best of us, and is all around very agreeable. But tonight he’s been in a shit of a mood. And he’s been pushing his luck with the bartender for the past half-hour, so I’m thankful when he rounds the bar, whistles, and jerks his head towards the door the second Romeo’s head hits the table.

“Come on, then. Arm in,” I tell him as I try to feed his hand into the sleeve of his coat. But he grumbles like a toddler, shakes his arm free, and tries to make a pillow out of it.

“Do you need help with yours, baby?” Kai asks Saxon as he stands.

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