Page 29 of Kai
“What the hell?” I ran a hand through my hair, and my fingers tripped over a bunch of prickly strands. “How do you know that?”
“I checked on you earlier,” he called out. “Your head reminded me of a sea urchin.”
“Hey!” I threw the blankets aside, scooted down to the foot of the mattress, and climbed down two steps from the elevated bed.
“No worries,” he said. “You looked cute.”
“Cute?”I stalked across the berth. “I don’tdocute.”
“You do now.” His rich chuckles echoed through the boat.
Arriving in the bathroom, I couldn’t deny that his laughter had a nice ring to it. If his chuckles had felt like sunlight last night, today they felt like the soft, warm, golden glow of a magical caress brushing against my soul.
The darkness churning inside of me ate it up, absorbed it, and clung to it like a precious find. After living alone for so long, I welcomed the sound, even if it came at my expense. When was the last time I’d made someone laugh? When was the last timeIhad truly laughed?
I couldn’t remember.
Bracing on my bare feet, I stood before the mirror. My hair stuck up every which way. He was right. I did look like a sea urchin. Or a hedgehog. I opened the faucet, smoothed the offending strands with water, then shut off the flow and stared at the hairbrush on the counter.Hisbrush. Not mine. It felt too intimate to share his brush.
“I don’t got lice if that’s what you’re thinking,” his voice came again.
“Do you have a camera down here?” I snatched a towel, wrapped it under my arms, and, glancing around suspiciously, inspected the space.
“No cameras down there,” he said. “But I’ve got freakishly good hearing, and I can hear you cursing and groaning. Hell, I think I might even hear your stomach growling.”
“Awesome, so now you’re Superman.” I raked the brush through my hair with a vengeance, hoping again that his hearing had not detected my failed attempt at masturbating. “Where can I find some kryptonite around here?”
“There you go, getting grumpy all over again.” Another delectable chortle. “Now that you’re awake and I know you’re not gonna stop breathing, I’m gonna close this door so you canhave your privacy. Five minutes to food.”
His steps barely made a sound, but the door clicked shut, cutting off the noises from above. It was at this moment that I realized how much I liked his voice. It flowed over me like a trickle of warm water. This was weird. Ordinarily, people bugged me. I sighed. I’d been alone for too long.
Once I’d brushed my hair into a reasonably tidy bob, I ripped the new toothbrush out of the packet, opened a travel-sized tube of toothpaste, and took out my sexual frustrations on my teeth, brushing them way too vigorously. When I was done, I drenched a washcloth in cold water and wiped down my pussy. It didn’t help to reduce the furnace-like heat burning in my sex, but until further notice, it’d have to do.
After I dried myself, I went to the built-in wardrobe and popped open the cabinet door. Sure enough, a small selection of clothing lay neatly on a shelf. My sisters had sent some of the stuff I’d left behind in my drawers. The cocky Marine had been so sure he was going to find me that he’d brought it along. I’d taken such care to hide, and then, in one night, heandthe mercenaries had found me within moments of each other.
At least Kai had arrived before the mercs.
It rankled me to admit it, but he was probably the only reason I was alive. I should’ve been more alert, better prepared to make my escape, I realized as I slid on a pair of utilitarian panties. I was strong. Self-reliant. Capable. I hadn’t made any mistakes. Until now. I jammed my legs into a pair of navy shorts, cursing myself for my failures. To add insult to injury, I’d fallen apart last night, in front of Kai, no less.
“Enough of that shit.” I’d never been a damsel in distress. I refused to become one now.
I put on my bra, donned a sleeveless rib top, and then found my old Tevas and strapped them on. My sisters and Kai had thought of everything. Whereas I had failed to protectmyself.
A growl rumbled in my throat. Failure was such a bitter pill for me to swallow.
You owe this man your life,I reminded myself.Be nice, Cece.
I don’tdonice,my rebel piped up.
You do now,another voice answered in my head. This would’ve been Kai’s standard reply. For reasons I couldn’t explain, this made me smile.
I took a deep breath, opened the door, and climbed the few stairs to the main cabin. I spotted Kai through the sliders. He had his broad back to me and was busy tending the built-in grill on the back deck.
His rash guard hung from his shoulders and conformed to his shape, accentuating how his torso narrowed into his hips. The white fabric contrasted with his bronzed skin and emphasized his defined biceps. His classic board shorts, printed with royal palms and birds of paradise, exuded a relaxed, surfer vibe. The shorts also allowed for a good view of his muscular thighs and calves and cupped his ass, completing the lovely view.
Something wicked twitched in my lady bits. My reactive clit perked up again.
Stop it, Astor!
