Page 2 of The Rich One

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It didn’t take me long to get ready this morning, just a little eyeliner and lip-gloss, along with my denim overall shorts and a large flannel shirt. My hair was easy, I just swept it all to one side before sliding my feet into my Timberlands… with heels—as if there was any doubt.

At five in the morning, there were plenty of seats available on the subway, and even more on the ferry. Everest picked me up from the terminal, and even that early, he was already high as a kite. Which means I couldn’t get him to shut the fuck up. The best part of my morning so far was seeing Kai for the first time in too long.

I expected him to be here, but Christ, I almost forgot how utterly delicious he looks. Especially wearing the holy grail of all male clothing—gray sweatpants. I’m used to seeing him in jeans or cargo pants with Henley tops or a flannel. This is definitely new, and I won’t say I hate it.

“Only you would wear Timbs with fucking heels on them to help someone move.” The deep timber of his voice vibrates through my entire body. Such a dickhead.

“I can delegate in six-inch stilettos without even moving my little finger. Move your ass, you’re in my way.” With a side smile, I raise an eyebrow and place a hand on my hip, tilting my head as I wait for him to let me pass through to the kitchen.

He balances the box he’s carrying in one hand to give me a mocking salute, a wink, and a trademark grin before heading upstairs. I love how he reacts to my sass. Anyone else would assume I was being shitty with them, but not him.

The day is spent making more cups of coffee than I can count. Petal and I pretty much left the guys to do most of the actual unpacking while we sat back and ogled them. After lunch, we cracked open the wine and we’re now five glasses in with stupid smiles on our faces.

“Do you think one more cup of coffee would get them to take their shirts off? I can see the sweat on Ev’s head, he’s got to be close to stripping down.” Petal sniggers before finishing off her glass and pouring us both some more.

“Eww. Let’s be clear, I’m only helping so I can watch Kai. I have no desire to see my brother’s abs. Just no.” Mocking a disgusted look on my face, I exaggerate a shiver, causing Petal to roll her eyes at me. “See what just the thought did?!” She stares at me, her brown eyes wide, before we both burst into a fit of giggles. My abs hurt, we’ve laughed so much. We should really think about ordering some food soon, seeing as it’s almost eight and we all need to eat.

“What are you girls laughing about? Did Petal show you a pic of Ev’s new ass tat?” Kai’s voice sends flutters in between my legs, and I’m consciously ignoring the butt tattoo thing. I don’t wanna know.

“Fuck off, dude.” Ev slaps Kai in the back of the head as he follows him into the kitchen.

“Hey, baby, want me to take out the cold beers?” Petal drapes herself over him, her long blond hair falling over her shoulder as she nestles her nose into his neck and pauses. “Why can I smell whisky?” She’s not pissed, just curious.

“We might’ve been spiking our coffees.” His smirk and the glaze in his eyes tells me he’s dialing down his intake.

“Is that weed? Oh, Ev! I can’t believe you two went out for a smoke without inviting us. Rude.”

I miss what else is said as they exit the room and Kai invades my space. Placing his strong arms to either side of my hips on the counter behind me, he cages me in. I can smell the alcohol and weed on his breath too. Not the best combination, but his honeyed eyes and those freaking dimples overpower everything else. He used to hate them when we were younger, but now, combined with his dark stubble, he’s nothing less than breathtaking.

As far as I’m concerned those dimples will be my downfall.

“Kai, what are you doing?” My voice sounds husky, my breathing heavier than I’d like as I look up into his eyes. We’ve got a complicated past, and even though we’ve never dated, there’s always been something there. Just looking at him takes me back to a time where anything and everything was possible.

“Just saying hi,Psyche. I haven’t really talked to you all day.” He doesn’t break eye contact as he speaks, and I swear his arms look like they’re about to burst out of the black t-shirt he’s wearing. He’s using the nickname we came up with as kids, when we pinky-promised each other we’d get married one day. We would spend hours gazing at the stars as he told me stories of the Gods, deciding I was Psyche, the most beautiful of all the mortals, and he was Eros—A.K.A. Cupid—Psyche’s beloved husband. The nostalgic feeling that nickname gives me is warming, but we were just kids then. We’ve both grown up and are living our separate lives, only seeing each other now and then like ships passing in the night. To be fair, our emotional distance the last few years has been on me.

With the life choices I’ve had to make since then, keeping that childhood promise is impossible. Maybe once upon a time it could’ve worked out between us. As much as we seem to be drawn to each other, I can’t risk seeing the look on his face when he finds out what I do. Too much has happened and we just have to live with those choices.

“Would your girlfriend like it if you were saying hi to me like this, Kai?” One of his past flings flooded my inbox with death threats after seeing us together at one of my brother’s dinner parties. So what if we’d hooked up in the bathroom…? I felt a bit sorry for her, but she was a crazy bitch anyway, and they were nothing more than a one-night stand. Apparently she didn’t get the memo, but that has nothing to do with me and I really don’t need something like that happening again.

“We’ve been over for weeks now.” The glint in his eye says so much, yet nothing at all.

“What happened?” Butterflies erupt in my lower belly as he leans in and runs the tip of his nose up my jawline. The smell of him is intoxicating.

“She wasn’t you.”

“Kai…”

“Mmm, jasmine. My favorite.” He lifts me onto the counter and nudges my legs apart, standing himself in between them.

“What do you know about jasmine?” I raise a challenging eyebrow, my voice barely a whisper, trying to keep the moment light and failing miserably. Inside though, I’m burning.

For him.

For us.

For everything we could have been.

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