The Year I Became Isabella Anders (Sunnyvale, #1)(27)

He seems like he’s being genuine, but considering our past, trusting Kai is complicated. I attempt to get a read on him, but he’s doing that smoldering stare thing that makes him hard to read.

“Are you being serious right now about wanting to see all of my photos?” I ask. “Or is this like the time you asked to see my sketches then when I showed them to you, you told me you were just kidding and looked at me like I was a spazz.”

“I never said I was joking around, and I don’t think you’re a spazz,” he says, sounding appalled. “I said I was just teasing you.”

“There’s a difference?” I ask flatly.

He shakes his head, his lips twitching. “Isa, there’s a huge-ass difference between joking around with someone and teasing them.”

“Yeah, teasing’s way, way worse.”

“No, it isn’t,” he insists. “Teasing is a compliment. It means I like you enough to tease you.”

“Well, if that’s the case, then you must like me a freaking ton. Because you pretty much use all of your teasing energy on me. With everyone else, it’s all,” I flutter my eyelashes, “look into my eyes and swoon.”

“First of all,” he aims a finger at me, fighting back a laugh, “I never flutter my eyelashes.”

“You might not think you do, but I’ve totally seen you do it before.” I feel oddly gratified that I’m finally getting the upper hand in our conversation. Usually, he always gets me so flustered that I give up. But this time, he’s the one getting all squirrely.

“Name one time,” he says, his eyes burning with fierce determination.

“How about at Hannah’s seventeenth birthday party?” I cross my arms and smirk as he grows fidgety. “You were trying to get her attention while she was swimming and you knelt down on the side of the pool, leaned in, and did this,” I bat my eyelashes, “while whispering something to her. God knows what the hell you said, but it made her giggle, and you acted like a cocky asshole for the rest of the day.”

His lip twitches, but more out of annoyance. “That was a long time ago, and I was really, really bored that day and trying to piss Kyler off, because I thought he had a thing for Hannah. But I’m not that guy anymore.”

I choose to be completely ignorant over what he said about thinking Kyler had a thing for Hannah, and let Indigo’s words about Kai replay in my mind. Maybe he feels bad about blowing you off. People do change a lot from when they were thirteen.

“Are you saying you don’t flirt with Hannah anymore?” I ask. “Or you don’t flutter your eyelashes anymore?”

“Both,” he says, sticking out his hands again. “Now, let me see the photos of your trip.”

Sighing, I retrieve my phone from my purse and search for the folder labeled Trip. “My cousin actually took most of the photos. She’s into photography, but I did take some.” I tap the folder to open it then hand him the phone. “They’re not great or anything, but there’s some decent ones.”

After getting situated on the bottom step of the porch, he starts skimming through the photos, but stops on one of me standing with Indigo in front of a wall of skulls that form a heart. “Where’s this?”

“That’s the catacombs,” I answer, sinking down on the stair beside him. “Which are all these tunnels that go under Paris.”

He nods, browsing through a couple more photos then stops again. “Who’s this guy feeding you a cupcake?”

“That’s Nyle. He lives in London, and he’s friends with this guy, Peter, who my cousin knew from here.”

It was right after I kissed him. We’d gotten off the London Eye and stopped at a bakery. The photo was to be silly, but it still makes me smile as I look at it.

Kai doesn’t say anything else as he finishes looking through the photos. Then he hands me back my phone, rests back on his elbows, and stretches out his long legs. “Okay, so I didn’t want to ask, because I thought it’d be rude. But I can’t stop thinking about it, so I’m going to ask; otherwise, I’m going to either lose my mind or my head’s going to explode. But before I ask, I just want you to know that I’m not trying to be rude. I’m just curious,” he says then stops talking. Just like that. After that long-ass speech.

“Dude, are you going to ask, or did you just say all that to drive me crazy?” I ask, stuffing my phone into my pocket.

His eyes sparkle mischievously. “I was just trying to show you how I was feeling. Do you feel like you’re losing your mind yet from not having the answer?”

I pinch his side. I don’t even know why I do it. Okay, maybe that’s a lie. I’ve seen Indigo use the move on a couple of guys she was flirting with.

Holy shit! I’m flirting with Kai.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

“Wow, you’re violent.” Kai chuckles, rubbing his side where I pinched him.

“Sorry, I’m just impatient.” I clasp my hands in front of me. “Would you please, please ask your question before I either lose my mind or my head explodes?”

“Fine, I’ll tell you.” He mockingly rolls his eyes. “Geez, Isa, there’s no need to get overdramatic.” He flashes me a playful grin when I glare at him, pretending to be more annoyed than I am. “So, what’s up with the new look?”