Page 24 of Ashes
What are these men consuming to look this fucking attractive?
The man in question was at least a foot taller than my five-foot-three. He had thick dark hair, high cheekbones, and short subtle covering his jaw. He was wearing a navyblue cable knit sweater and dark gray slacks, hints of tattoos peeking through the hem of his sleeves on his wrists.
After briefly glancing at Jamal, he finally turned his attention to me. He gave me a warm smile, his dark brown eyes glinting with amusement. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sienna. I’m Kai, Kai Gao,” he said, his hand outstretched.
Unlike my new husband who radiated a callous energy, a light, more playful wave emitted off this one.
For the first time today, my lips formed a genuine smile. “It’s nice to meet you too, Kai,” I responded, shaking his hand.
I felt Jamal tense beside me.
“When you’re done, come see me in my office. We have things to discuss,” he ordered. Then, without waiting for a response, he walked away and stepped into what I assumed was his office, already dialing someone on his cell.
This is going to be fun.
I rolled my eyes at his retreating form. “Qué agradable,” I murmured under my breath while lifting the skirt of my dress to take off my heels, then held them in my right hand.
“You get used to it,” he answered, chuckling.
My eyes widened in surprise as I asked, “You know Spanish?”
“Yes, among other languages,” he said matter-of-factly.Before I could ask him to elaborate, he kept going, “Now come, I’ll show you around.”
“You both live here?” I turned around slowly, taking everything in while Kai stood in the middle of the living room.
“Yes, we each have our own wing. You and Jamal will be living here while Valentina and I share the other side of the house.”
Valentina?
I must’ve said the question out loud because Kai answered, “You’ll meet her soon enough.”
“Is she your girlfriend?” I asked, since he didn’t have a band on his ring finger.
A deep flush bloomed across his cheeks. “Oh no, we’re just colleagues,” he said, clearing his throat and turning his back to me.
Interesting.
I smirked to myself and returned to my previous perusal. Although the place was well-decorated with expensive furnishings, I noticed how every item was displayed in a calculated manner.
The couch was leather and looked like the most comfortable place to nap on but appeared to have never been used. Even the large TV sitting above the fireplace seemed brand-new.
The only room that looked remotely used was the kitchen.
He stepped into it next and placed his elbows over theisland, tapping his finger against the black marble countertop. “You’re welcome to anything in the kitchen, but there’s usually meals ready in the fridge for the week. You just need to warm them up. If you have allergies or preferences, let us know.”
“Oh, that’s okay. I can manage myself.”
“I’m sure you’re more than able, but Jamal doesn’t like it when we mess with his kitchen. It’s better if you let him know, and he’ll prepare it for you.”
My brows knitted in confusion. I met his eyes with a surprised look on my face. “Wait, he’s the one who cooks? I just thought that with all of this,” I said, gesturing around the room, “someone else who would’ve done it.”
“It’s just us here,” he said, but his tone seemed different this time. He quickly gave me another smile and placed a hand on my elbow, guiding me toward the large staircase that led upstairs. “Let me take you to your room,” he proposed.
“It better not be the same as his,” I scoffed, which drew a laugh from him.
He shook his head once, then said, “Don’t worry, you’ll have your own space.”
Menos mal.
