It's All Relative(54)

Jessie’s eyes swept back to him. “I hope the rest of your evening goes well.” Her smile turned mournful, and Kai had to dig his fingers into his thighs to not hold her again.

She said goodnight to her friends and then walked down the hallway that must have led to her bedroom. Kai heard her door close and he was 100 percent certain that she was crying behind it. The thought killed him. This was too hard…and it hadn’t even started yet.

Just as he was about to rush into her room and tell her that he couldn’t do this, that he wouldn’t do this, Harmony stood up and stuck her hand out. “I’m going to bed, too. It was very nice to finally meet you, Kai.”

Shoving his torn heart to the back of his mind, he shook her hand. “You too.”

Harmony was inspecting him as they shook hands, and suddenly, an odd look crossed her face. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you seem so familiar to me.” She shook her head. “Have we met before?”

Kai felt heat rushing to his cheeks, but he made himself laugh as they separated. “Ever been to Hawaii?” he playfully asked. His heart was thudding in his chest while he waited for the puzzle pieces to snap into place, waited for her to remember that she’d seen him at the club…with Jessie.

Luckily, she didn’t.

“No.” Shaking her head, she disregarded her own memory. “I must be mixing you up with someone else.” Yawning, she waved a goodbye to him and then April. There was a playful smirk on her face as she left the room, left him alone with the girl who obviously wanted him.

Taking a deep breath, Kai briefly closed his eyes when he heard April getting up from the table. For a second, he thought to quickly tell her goodnight, saying that he’d call her sometime, but April wasn’t going to let him escape that easily. Before he could even turn around, she came up behind him and rested her hand lightly on his back. Even though he didn’t want to, his body reacted a little to her tender touch. Just a light flush of warmth. She ran her hand along his side as she stepped around him. “Want to sit with me on the couch?” she asked.

Wondering if he should end this right now, he muttered, “Um, sure, just for a minute. I should really get going soon.”

April ran her hand along his arm until she reached his fingers. Grabbing them, she walked him to the couch. She sat down and patted the cushion beside her. She’d fixed her legs in such a way that only a small space remained on the side she’d indicated. Kai would be sitting right next to her, as close as possible. He contained a sigh. This was for Jessie. This was what she wanted.

He sat down and leaned over his legs, resting his elbows on his thighs. It was as far from her as he could get without being too obvious. It didn’t work like he’d planned, though; she simply took the movement as an invitation to rest her palm on his back. She rubbed gentle circles into his skin, and Kai hated that his body reacted to that, too. He didn’t want to be attracted to this woman, but she was beautiful, and he couldn’t help the instinct to want to have a beautiful woman touching him. He just wanted it to be a different beautiful woman.

Feeling more torn now than when he’d started the evening, he nervously ran a hand through his hair as he gave her a semi-smile. April tilted her head as she examined him. “Do I make you nervous?” she asked, her voice low and sensuous.

Kai swallowed. “Yes, actually.” For more reasons than she realized.

Laughing, April shifted closer to him, and she was already pretty close. “You don’t have anything to worry about, I’m not scary.” Her hand ran up his back, over his tattoo. Kai remembered Jessie’s hands on his tattoo, and he straightened so April’s hand would drop. It did, but now her side was completely pressed against his. Gazing up at him, she ran a hand through his hair. “Do you think I’m pretty?” she asked.

Kai’s eyes instinctively swept over her face, flicked down to her lips. “Yes,” he whispered, finally feeling honest. That was something he couldn’t deny, even to himself. April was very pretty. Different than Jessie, but still, very pretty.

She smiled wider, playing with her bottom lip. Kai stared at the plump skin, a little mesmerized. “Would you like to take me out sometime?”

Kai really hated what he was about to say, but he’d given Jessie his word. “I think I’d like that.” He forced himself to smile, and April’s eyes locked onto his mouth. She stared at his lips while he stared at hers, and against his will, Kai felt his breath quicken and his heart start to race in anticipation. He didn’t want to kiss her, not really, but…

Still smiling, she whispered, “All right then.” Her breath was light on his face, intriguing and arousing.

Kai had no idea what he was supposed to do, what Jessie really wanted him to do—fully immerse himself in another woman, or only halfheartedly attempt to move on? April’s lips brushed over his while he debated, but she didn’t press against them. Instead, she dragged her lips across his cheek and placed a soft kiss by his ear. The tease made his eyes flutter closed. He hated that he liked it, and felt like he was betraying Jessie just by sitting there. But he wasn’t. Jessie was family, only family.

“Call me,” she breathed as she moved away. She rattled off her cell number and Kai found himself eagerly nodding. He almost wanted to pull her back in for a real kiss. Almost.

April stood, a seductive smile fixed on her face. Kai stood with her. He could easily picture April leading him to her bedroom with the heat in her eyes, but instead she grabbed his coat off the couch and led him to the front door. Feeling breathless and confused, Kai walked through it when she opened it for him.