It's All Relative(28)

Kai sighed in frustration. Normally, he enjoyed getting checked out by a girl, but right now it only complicated things. Especially when he couldn’t stop staring at the tight, button-up shirt that she’d put on today. It was fitted in all the right places, and a dark chocolate color that perfectly matched her eyes. It looked amazing on her, especially paired with the long gray skirt and what he had to imagine were thigh-high boots. Well, that was what he preferred to imagine anyway.

Rummaging through his drawers, he sighed again. She looked too amazing. Maybe he should tell her to ugly herself up, if that was even possible. The thought made him laugh as he grabbed a deep blue sweater his mom had ordered online for him. She’d been positive that the temperature here would be twenty below, every day. But Kai was always a little cold, so thanking his overprotective mother, he slipped it on.

From the kitchen he heard Jessie say, “What’s so funny?”

She was watching him smooth the sweater over his chest. It was tightly knit, soft, and looked like a long-sleeved T-shirt than a sweater, but it was keeping him warm enough that he didn’t feel the need to double up. Remembering what had made him laugh, he smiled and shook his head. “Nothing.”

Still eyeing his chest, Jessie gave him a sly grin. “We’re going to have to buy you long johns when it actually does get cold around here.”

Kai frowned; it was already cold. Shaking his head at her tease, he walked over to the kitchen. “The next time I go visit my parents, you should come with, and then we’ll see who’s more uncomfortable.” He grinned at her, and for a second, it seemed like she’d stopped breathing. Not wanting to read too much into her body language, Kai turned away. It was best if he didn’t think about it.

Grabbing the pineapple Jessie had brought over, Kai decided to share it with her. Pineapples were a traditional welcoming gift, meant to impact well wishes on the new arrival. He wasn’t sure if Jessie had known that when she’d purchased it, but he was touched by the sentiment, regardless. And it really did remind him of home.

Leaning against the counter, Jessie gave him a playful smirk. “That’s no challenge. I kick ass in a bikini.”

Kai stopped his hand an inch from the cutting board on the counter and turned to stare at her. God, she probably looked amazing in a bikini. Jessie was giving him a grin that was slightly seductive. Combined with the curvy imagery in his head, he couldn’t stop the sudden wave of desire. He had an overwhelming urge to cut the pineapple, run a piece along her lip, and suck the juices off. He wanted that more than anything. He closed his eyes to banish the alluring vision, and reason slowly returned to him. No. he couldn’t do that, not with her.

He heard Jessie let out a soft grunt of annoyance. “Oh, um…damn it,” she muttered.

He cracked an eye open to look at her. She seemed mortified, and he couldn’t help but smile. Had she really not seen the sexiness in her statement and her face until just then? God help him if she was clueless about her effect on men. Or maybe just her effect on him. He shook his head. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say that, cousin.” He said the word teasingly, wanting to dissipate the tension that always seemed to build between them, but she raised an eyebrow at hearing it.

Her face warmed into a beautiful smile. “Right…cousin.”

Her body was blocking the set of knives that he needed, but instead of just reaching around her, like he’d do with any other beautiful girl, he pointed at them. “May I?”

She glanced behind herself, then moved out of the way. “What are you doing?”

Grabbing a knife, he held it up to her. “I’m hungry, and I owe you big, again, so I thought I’d prove a point.” Her features scrunched in confusion and he laughed at how adorable the expression was on her. Opening his cupboard, he grabbed the can of Spam. She immediately frowned and he laughed even harder. “Deal’s a deal…cousin.”

Kai found that the more he called her that term, the more distance he could put between them. Like an unflinching reminder. Jessie smiled at hearing him say it again; maybe she enjoyed having the verbal barrier there, too. Maybe she needed it as much as he did. A part of him wanted her to need it as much as him, and that made him feel horrible as he started slicing open the pineapple. A part of him actually wanted his cousin to want him as badly as he wanted her. Jessie had nailed it yesterday, when she’d said their situation was messed up. It definitely was.

While he instructed her on how to slice and fry up the Spam, he called her cousin about five more times. She followed his instructions with a laugh, mocking his deli choice the whole time. The smell of spiced, processed, ham-like meat soon filled his small home, making his mouth water. Grabbing some bread that she’d bought for him, he toasted some slices and prepared the mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato. Jessie had brought over everything he could have asked for and more.

After setting their finished sandwiches next to a pile of fresh pineapple, Kai handed her a plate. Then they walked to his bedroom, sat on the edge of his mattress, and began to eat their lunches. Kai smiled as he watched her take her first bite. She’d been grimacing as she did it, until the taste hit her. Then she smiled, and she made an almost erotic pleased noise in her throat. He tried to ignore the sensuality of the sound and laughed at her reaction. He knew she’d like it. Everyone did, once they gave it a chance.

Jessie was studying his bare walls as she ate her meal. He thought to ask her why, but he didn’t; he was enjoying the silence of her company too much. Once they finished their meal, Kai grabbed her plate and took it the few steps to his kitchen. He started to set their dishes into the sink, vowing to clean up later. Ceramic plate in hand, he glanced back at Jessie still sitting on his bed, looking around his room. She was leaning back on her elbows now, and the comfortable position was emphasizing her curves. Her body strained against her shirt, one key button just about to pop open if she moved back any farther. Kai thought he could see a trace amount of snow white skin through the seams of the dark fabric. Suddenly remembering that creamy skin in all its fully naked glory, he dropped one of the plates into the sink.