Page 111 of Until We Burn
The fake smile on my face weakens at the memory of our stifled laughter and panicked whispers down dark tunnels, ranting about awful people, and swapping childhood stories on the phone. Heat flares between my legs as it recalls all the moments Kai’s fingers roved inside of them, his lips ravaging mine, while he breathlessly moaned my name.
My heart flutters, every part of me jolting awake at the thought of Kai.
‘Friends’ is too little of a word for what he feels like to me.
But Kai is not supposed to feel like anything else. We’re friends with benefits. That’s what we’ve always been since the start.
Kai wants the sex. Not me.
My racing heart pounds up to my ears when Stella pulls into the parkade and moves into a parking spot.
It’s easy to pretend nothing is going on between Kai and me when we’re in public. But now we’re going into his apartment where we had our first kiss and had sex there one too many times. How do you act normal in a place like that?
Although I don’t think I’m the only one who’s nervous.
“I told you that’s too much cologne, Luke!”
“I’m trying to help you, bro!”
Aggressive whispering bursts behind Kai’s apartment door the moment we knock on it.
“He smells like my obachan’s herb garden.”
“Can they hear us?”
“Just open the damn door.”
Stella and I flinch as the door whips open.
Scowling and looking utterly annoyed, Rowan wedges it open with his forearm. Standing behind him are Luke and Wallace. They grin mischievously as they flank Kai.
The warm ceiling lamp washes over him in his navy-blue sweater and sweats.
Kai comes forward, his dark green eyes softening on me. He cracks a small smile. “Hey.”
My breath catches in my throat, my pulse slowing. He looks so cozy and cuddly. I just want to curl up against his chest and?—
“Hi.”I stick out my hand and smile a little too brightly. “It’s nice to see you…pal.”
“Oh, uh…” Kai awkwardly grins and shakes my hand. “You, too, buddy!”
I glance over at Stella, but she’s not paying attention because her eyes are locked on Rowan. They widen in wonder while Rowan pales in horror.
“It’s you!” Stella gasps. “You’re my delivery guy!”
“Are youstalkingme?” Rowan demands.
Stella scoffs and shakes her head. “Of course not, silly. That would be crazy. I’m simply here to help Diana take down her brothers and save her sister by hijacking her phone. Everything else is purely coincidence.” She squeals and waves the brown paper bag in her hands. “I brought tacos!”
Stella slips off her heels and patters into the apartment, leaving Rowan and the boys bewildered in her wake.
“Is that Stella from Alberni Street?” Wallace asks.
A muscle in Rowan’s jaw ticks, as his dark eyes trail Stella’s every step. “In the flesh.”
I swallow hard and huddle towards them, keeping my voice down. “Okay, here’s what you need to know…”
As Stella lays out the tacos on the living room table, I tell Kai and the boys everything that happened in my meeting with Stella, the evidence CatchCo’s authenticators dug up, and my argument with Sophia.
