“I wanted a little piece of you to myself before sharing your attention with the others.”
She double blinks and nods as if she’s trying to get her bearings. Warmth replaces my apprehension, and I lower my hand to the small of her back. We step forward, ready to ring in the New Year with each other.
After introducing Kayla to Tabby, we waltz over to the bar where Kamp and the rest of the guys are stationed. Kamp turns to Kayla when we approach.
“Hey, fall girl,” Kamp says.
“My hero,” Kayla returns, placing a hand over her heart.
“Yeah, you know I’ll save you anytime.” Kamp winks.
That brings out the genuine smile in Kayla. Her shoulders visually relax as I pull out a bar stool for her. The one by Rocko, two seats away from Kamp, and I gladly position myself between them. No way am I subjecting her to Kamp’s antics all night.
“Rocko, this is Kayla.” I make introductions, and Rocko does his thing—indulges straight into a story. Hmm, having Kayla sit by him may have been a mistake.
“Do you know anything about zip-lining?” Rocko asks her.
“Look who just arrived,” Kamp mutters as Kayla gets absorbed in Rocko’s story.
My gaze strays to the door, and I hold back a groan. Bethany and her posse of friends strut inside. I turn back forward and eye Kayla. Rocko is still talking about his work.
“I knew we’d run into her by coming here,” I mumble.
“Have you talked to her since your confrontation?”
“No.” I steal another glance at Kayla. “I’ve been preoccupied.”
“Playing house?” Kamp’s tone is unmistakable.
“You can really be a dick sometimes.”
“Yeah, I know.” He laughs and smacks me on the back. “Hey, Kayla, don’t let Rocko monopolize your time. His stories have no endings.”
Kayla laughs while Rocko belts out, “Yeah, at least my stories have substance, unlike your bullshitting one-liners.”
I rest my hand on Kayla’s thigh as those two idiots bicker back and forth. She leans closer to me, and this just feels right. Although, part of me wishes we were alone. By the sudden twitch in my pants, my dick agrees.
The evening passes by, Laney bringing our drinks, and Rocko never being short for words.
“Where’s the restroom?” Kayla asks.
I point in the direction and pull her arm so she’ll bend down. I plant a kiss on her lips which draws some snickers from the guys.
“You seriously brought her here?” Bethany says behind me as soon as Kayla disappears behind the restroom door.
I glance between Kamp and Rocko, who are both cowering away. Thanks, guys.
Bethany slides into Kayla’s seat, and I grip the beer bottle tighter.
“Why wouldn’t I bring her?”
“Seriously? This is our place. What are you trying to do? She’ll be gone. And you’re just making a fool of yourself.”
I swallow past the lump lodged in my throat. In a sense she’s right. I’m not looking forward to Kayla being gone, and I’m not sure how I’ll be acting.
“You know I’m right. She has no business being here.”
“Drop it. Go back to your friends, Beth.” I stare her in the eye, but she doesn’t back down.
The click of heels coming to a stop beside me pulls my attention to Kayla. The apprehension on her face as she eyes Bethany sitting in her seat retches my stomach. I hate making Kayla uncomfortable. I reach across and pull her in between my legs. This draws a sneer from Beth, but I don’t care. I don’t know how many times I have to tell her it’s over.
Bethany huffs. “Isn’t this special.”
Kayla’s gaze shifts to Bethany. Her body stiffens harder than the wooden bar ledge, but she remains quiet.
I raise my eyebrows at Bethany, hinting for her to leave. She stands but pauses.
“You know, you’re just another piece of ass to him. One of many. And when you leave, you’ll be completely forgotten.”
Kayla flinches, and her mouth drops open. Kayla may not say anything, but I’m seething.
“Outside, now,” I demand and knock Kayla off balance as I stand. Stalking my way to the door, I don’t look to see if Beth is following. I know she will. I shove the door open ready to set Beth straight, once and for all.
**~~**~~**
Kayla~
I gnaw on my bottom lip as I watch Bethany follow Kai outside. I’m not sure how I feel about everything. I could’ve snapped back at her, but what if she’s right? What if I am completely forgettable? And the way she’s acting, they have to be closer than what Kai had let on.
“Kamp, be straight with me. How close were Kai and Bethany? Am I coming between them?”
A low grunt escapes Kamp as he runs his hand over his face. “Look, I like you. You’re fun and really nice. I can see where you’d be really good for Kai—”
“But?”
“But, I don’t approve.”
My stomach hurls at his words as I try to remain expressionless. I don’t need Kamp’s approval, but it’d be nice since he’s Kai’s best friend. “It’s not my intention to hurt him.”
“What is your intention?”
“I’m not sure,” I mumble. “But it’s too late to walk away. I’m in too deep.”
Kamp sighs.
“To answer your question, Kai doesn’t like Beth like that. They were just fuck buddies.”
I cringe. “That doesn’t sound like nothing.”
“Trust me. She knew the score. As far as I know, he never once led her to believe otherwise.”
That bit of information isn’t comforting. “It sounds like to me he was using her.”
“They were using each other. Don’t let her words affect you. She’s a bitch.”
I laugh. “I’m sure she has redeeming qualities.” Otherwise, what did Kai see in her?
“Very little,” Kamp says under his breath.
“I am so sorry.” Kai belts out as he approaches from behind me.
I turn to a deep, concerning stare with an intensity that causes me to shudder.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
“I’m fine.”
He frowns at me.
“Really, I am.”
“Do you want to leave?”
I open my mouth to say no, but catch sight of a glaring Bethany, aka “The Bitch,” walking back inside, and I change my mind. The mental daggers she’d be throwing our way aren’t worth the hassle of trying to have a good time.
“Sure.” I slip off the stool and stand next to Kai.
“Don’t let her run you off,” Kamp says.
“It’s best if we leave,” Kai says.
“It was nice meeting you. Come join me at the zip-lining, and I’ll show you a better time than this bozo.” Rocko says, pointing to Kai.
“You wish,” Kai says.
“I may take you up on that,” I say, which brings a round of oohs and laughs.
“I think bringing you here was a bad idea.” Kai’s voice is teasing, but his body stiffens. Surely, he knows I’m kidding.
Kai drops his hand to the small of my back as he guides me out the exit. He hasn’t said where we’re going, and even though I’m upset over Bethany’s words, I still want to go back to his place. Is that wrong? It feels wrong. But Kamp made it clear that I’m not coming between Kai and Bethany. “Fuck buddies” is what he called them. Is that what I am? A fuck buddy? I hope not, because Kai means more to me than a simple screw.
Continuing straight to the door, I release a slow breath. Even though I hope our time together means something to him, it’s irrelevant. In six days I’ll be gone, which means five nights is all we have left. That’s not enough time to waste on being mad or upset.
I glance up at Kai when we exit the bar. His warm smile soothes my nerves. Tonight, I want to make the most of our time, but I’m hoping he’ll let me try something I’ve always wondered about. His hand slides over and grabs mine. I’m so inexperienced
, how am I going to bring this up?
**~~**~~**
Kai~
“See ya, Tabby.” I tip my chin to him, and he nods back, not saying a word. He saw the argument that pursued with Bethany, which I can only guess is the reason behind his silence.
Shit. How am I going to rectify this situation? I never thought Bethany would ever be a problem. But she pretty much confessed to developing feelings for me. How did I miss those signs?
Kayla glances up at me, and I smile warmly at her.
“Did you want to go back to your condo so we could hang with your mom?” I ask as we walk to my car.
She hesitates. “I got the impression she wanted to be alone with John.”
“Oh?” I quirk an eyebrow, opening her car door.
“Not to do that!”
I just stare at her as she settles in her seat.
“Ya think? Ew…that’s just ew.”
“Older people have needs too.” I laugh and walk around the car. “Just sayin’.”
A cross between a whine and groan comes out from her. “Well, I’m definitely not going back then.”
And now I’m sporting a semi, which is wrong considering we’re discussing John and Cara. But any mention or slight indication about sex around this girl, and I’m springing to action.
“So, back to my house?” I place the key in the ignition.
A lustful gleam fills her eyes. “Can I try something new?”
Okay, that got my attention along with buddy’s attention, too. He’s fully awake, rearing to go. Calm down. She doesn’t know my mind has reverted to sex. I clear my throat.
“Um, sure,” I answer carefully.
Her cheeks redden, and my curiosity spikes.
“I uh, would it be okay if I…if I tried giving you a blowjob?”
My mouth drops open. She’s looking at me with wide, curious eyes. “You’re asking permission to give me head?” God, I love this girl.
The red has now inched to the top of her ears.
“Yeah, I guess. But I may suck at it.”
“Babe, there’s no way you’d perform bad, but you don’t have to give me head. I’m not expecting that from you.”
Her gaze softens, and she takes on a serious expression.
“I know, but I want to. I want all my firsts to be with you. Well, except anal.” She scrunches her nose and shakes her head. “I don’t want to do that.”
I about choke. Holy shit, I never know what’s going to come out of this girl’s mouth.
“No anal, check.”
I start the car, and almost peel out of the parking lot. I can’t get home fast enough.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Kayla~
Stay strong, Kayla. I repeat those three words to myself. For the most part, I am staying strong and maintaining a good front for Kai. But this is our last day together, and I’m finding it very difficult to function—especially after the amazing four days we’ve shared.
Walking through the pine trees to get to Ke’e Beach, we’re alone for the moment. Based on the number of cars jammed along the street and parking lot, I don’t think our solitude will last.
“I’m glad you were able to take off work early. How’d ya pull it off?” I ask.
“Roy owed me one. He didn’t have any problems switching our tours around. He’s traded tomorrow’s early run, too.” Kai halts in his tracks and looks back at me with a half-grin. “I’m all yours for the night.”
Warmth invades my lower region. How’d I ever live without having sex with Kai? No more than the thought crosses my mind, my stomach twists in knots. How am I going to live without him?
“I like this Roy character.” Dismissing my concern, I move closer to Kai. “He’s giving me what I enjoy.”
“Yeah?” Kai grabs my waist and pulls me against him.
“Yeah,” I say without hesitation and stare into those dark cocoa eyes. A slow grin crosses my face as his fingers tighten their hold, and a deep lustful haze fills his eyes.
“God, I can’t resist you.” Kai presses his lips against mine so swiftly that he knocks me off balance. This only results in him grabbing me tighter. I open my mouth to allow his greedy tongue full advantage. His hands skim along my sides, up toward my back as his tongue continues to work fervently with mine. It’s as if he can sense our lack of time together. But I don’t stop despite the clamor of people in the background. I want to squeeze every last moment we share and savor this time, knowing it’s the beginning of our last.
He breaks the kiss, panting as he looks intently at me. “What is it about you that makes me want more?”
It’s a rhetorical question. One I have no answer to, but whatever the source, it has the same effect on me. I cannot seem to get enough of Kai Hale.
“Come on.” Kai nods his head toward the trail and grabs hold of my hand. “At this rate, you’ll never see what I wanted to show you.”
We emerge from the short path and my breath catches. “Wow,” I whisper.
I can feel Kai’s stare as I take in the crystal blue water surrounded by reefs. It’s the same stare he has when I’m in awe with the never ending beauty this island offers. He steps behind and wraps his arms around me. My gaze moves westward to the beginning of the Na Pali Coast, and I sigh. I freaking love it here.
“I can watch you stare at the sea all day,” Kai murmurs into my ear.
I melt further against him and breathe in his musky scent. A pang of sorrow envelops my chest, squeezing my heart. God, I’m going to miss these sights, these smells, and especially him.
Kai grabs my hand, and we walk eastward along the shore until reaching a large boulder deemed worthy enough to sit. We remain quiet while watching the water crash into the cliff’s side completely encasing the coal black rocks along the beach edge. As scary as the breaks are, they pale in comparison to the impending question that looms between us. Where do we go from here? But I’m afraid I already know the answer—nowhere.
**~~**~~**
Kai~
This picture right here—long dark hair waving in the breeze, the expression of wonderment etched on Kayla’s face—will be forever burned into memory. But as much as I enjoy Kayla watching the setting sun, all I can think about is getting her back in bed. I can’t help it. I’m a selfish man. I want her all to myself. Never before did I think my biggest competitor would be a sunset. I’d laugh if the situation weren’t so damn depressing.
The time I spent with Kayla, especially this past week, has been undeniably fun, but there are unspoken questions between us. Ones I don’t want to address. We both know our relationship can’t go anywhere, but I’m not sure when to talk about it. Do I mention it now or wait until later? Neither option seems desirable.
My arms wrap around her tighter at the thought of letting her go. Fuck. I don’t want her to leave. Kayla leans back against me, and the soft moan that escapes her mouth as the sun dips into the ocean is my undoing. I want her so badly and don’t want to give her up.
Ever.
The roar of a large wave crashing against the cliffside draws my attention. My gaze darts around the now empty beach, reiterating the fact that we should also leave. A gust of wind blows across the cove, causing Kayla to shiver beside me.
“Here, let’s get you warm.” I run my hands along her arms, attempting to heat her skin. I should have brought a hoodie. December nights can get rather chilly when darkness prevails.
“I don’t want to leave,” Kayla mutters.
My hands still. The sadness in her tone is suffocating. I swallow past the lump lodged in my throat. I’m not sure if she means this beach or leaving in general.
“It is a beautiful beach.”
“I agree.” Kayla turns and tilts her chin to look me in the eye. “I don’t want to leave this island. I don’t want to leave you.”
Okay, so we’re doing this now.
“Baby, I don’t want you to leave either.”
Her eyes glis
ten with unshed tears as she stares up at me.
“I’m not sure I would’ve made it through this vacation without you. You’ll never know how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”
The raw vulnerability in her words crumbles the remaining strength I have. I suck in a deep breath and place my hand on the side of her face. “I’m glad I could be here for you.”
“I hate having to end what we started before we got the chance to see where it would lead.”
The shred of hope laced in her stare sucks the last bit of air from me. But I have to be the bad guy and extinguish it. Long distance relationships don’t work—especially with no plans for either of us moving.
“Me, too,” I manage to croak out. “Because I think we have something good here, and I hate it ending. But we have to end it.”
That ray of hope burns out from the finality of my statement. And the hurt that quickly replaces it breaks my fucking heart. But I have to be strong. I have no other choice.
“I’m so sorry, Kayla. If circumstances were different…” She leans into the palm of my hand and closes her eyes as she nods.
“I know. Believe me. I know.”
Her eyelids flutter open, and I’m lost in the depths of midnight blue. A pang of uneasiness works its way through my insides as I want nothing more than to tell this girl that everything will be okay. But everything won’t be okay. Not by a long shot. Unable to hold back, I lean forward and take possession of her mouth. Her warm lips, her succulent tongue. My cock hardens and strains against my shorts. I want to taste her one more time before she leaves. But I’m not sure if that’s what she wants or if it’s even appropriate. We did pretty much just break up.
I end the kiss and back away, my body protesting each move. With her face flushed and her breaths short and quick, Kayla looks deep into my eyes.
“Take me to bed, Kai.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Impossible Love: An Unforeseen Destiny Novel Book One Page 18
