It's All Relative (26 page)

Long before they arrived at Kai’s work, Jessie was easily leaning with him, almost anticipating the curves like he did, and her hands had relaxed their death grip on his torso. Actually, as Kai slowly approached the research center, he noticed that her hands had drifted so low on his waist they were resting on top of his jeans more than on his stomach. It did odd, arousing things to have her fingers so near him, but he did nothing to fix her position as he rolled the bike to a stop and shut it off.

Just as he was turning to ask Jessie if she’d had fun, Missy started walking their way. Kai felt Jessie slide off the bike, and, taking off his helmet, he hopped off after her. Once he was beside the bike, Missy stepped directly in front of him, nearly in his face.

“Kai! It is so good to see you on a Sunday! And here I thought my weekend was going to be long and uneventful without seeing your gorgeous self for two straight days. And, I know I’ve said it before, but goddamn, you’re hot on your motorcycle.”

As Missy was clearly within hug distance, and looked like she was considering it, Kai held his helmet in front of his body, effectively cutting off the temptation. Shaking his head at his horny coworker, he said, “Talking to you is such a boost to the ego, Missy.”

Missy grinned at him; a smudge on her cheek clearly betrayed the fact that she’d actually been working hard in the countryside today. Eager as she could be, she was also very good at her job. “Honey, trust me,” she purred, her eyes skimming down the front of him. “Talking to you does way more for me.”

Laughing at her, since that was all Kai could do with the situation, he looked back at Jessie. Not having figured out how to remove her helmet, she still had it on, but her hands were on her hips as she stared at Missy.

“Sorry, Jess.” Kai slipped his helmet on the handlebar and walked back to her. Tucking his hands up underneath her chin, he loosened the slide. He expected to see an exhilarated smile when he pulled the helmet off, but she was frowning. More specifically, she was frowning at Missy, and there was definite heat in her eyes. Knowing Missy, she probably had her eyes locked onto his ass.

Kai wanted to tell Jessie that his coworker just liked to objectify him, but Missy spoke first. Walking up to Jessie with a look of suspicion on her face, she sullenly said, “You cheating on me, Kai? Who’s the girl?” Adjusting her glasses, Missy eyed Jessie the way she would analyze a potential threat to the ecosystem.

Her unreasonable jealousy made him want to groan. Overly flirtatious
and
possessive. Great. “Missy, this is my cousin, Jessie.”

Missy’s entire demeanor changed. Brightening, she walked right up to Jessie and slipped her arm around her shoulders like they were best friends now or something. “Cousin? That’s great!” Pressing into Jessie’s side, she gave Kai a seductive glance. “So, cousin, tell me all about Kai. Likes, dislikes, turn offs…turn ons.” She raised her eyebrows, and Kai shook his head.

Jessie was too busy gaping at the woman to respond. Removing her from Missy’s side, Kai pulled her close to him. “I’m going to give Jessie a tour.” Missy nodded, like she thought that was a great idea, and then she started to follow them when Kai stepped forward. Stopping, he looked back at her. “We can go alone, Missy. I wouldn’t want to hold up your work.” She pouted, and Kai couldn’t help but grin. As he grabbed Jessie’s hand, leading her to the front doors, he tossed over his shoulder. “See you later, Missy.”

Jessie seemed to thaw out from the Missy encounter after Kai showed her the various rooms and labs where he spent his days. Kai wasn’t sure if Jessie had found Missy’s aggressiveness off-putting, or if she just hadn’t liked him being mentally undressed right in front of her; probably a little of both.

After checking out a large portion of the wilderness behind the research center, carefully avoiding the damn beehives, Kai and Jessie reentered the center through the rear of the building. They were both laughing about their little trek through the woods when Kai noticed his boss at the end of the hall. Kai had made sure to keep Jessie away from any sensitive areas, so he didn’t think he’d get in trouble for bringing her here, but he wasn’t really sure. With as strange as Mason could sometimes be toward him, it could go either way. Kai sort of wished the man wasn’t here today. But…he usually was there; he practically lived at the research center.

Straightening his shoulders once he was spotted, Kai grabbed Jessie’s hand again; he had to forcefully ignore how nice it felt to have her soft palm resting against his. Walking up to where Mason was paused in a doorway, clipboard in one hand, coffee in the other, Kai gave his boss a small wave.

“Mason, I’m glad you’re here.” Kai still naturally wanted to call the man ‘sir,’ but that was one thing Mason still insisted on—informality.

Mason seemed to slump a little at seeing Kai, before bringing his lips up into a smile that was clearly forced. Kai wanted to find out once and for all what the guy’s problem with him was, but now wasn’t the time. “Kai…I didn’t think you were coming in today.” By his tone, it was obvious that he was disappointed that Kai had decided to show up. It was almost like Kai was ruining his day, just by being there.

Ignoring the sting of not being wanted, Kai smiled as he shifted his gaze to Jessie. She seemed to be puzzled about something, and was staring at Mason like he looked familiar to her. “I was just showing my cousin, Jessie, around the center.”

Mason’s eyes widened as he studied Jessie. Extending his hand, he murmured, “Cousin? Well, nice to meet you, Jessie.”

Jessie shook his extended hand, but her brows were still furrowed. “Hi…” Narrowing her eyes while they shook hands, Jessie scrutinized Mason’s face. “Your eyes…I’ve never seen someone with a shade so similar to Kai’s…”

With those words, it was like Jessie had poured a jug of ice water down Mason’s back. He shot up straight, his back rigid and tight, and he practically yanked his hand away from Jessie’s. Looking uncomfortable, like she’d just suggested something horrendous, Mason shifted his gaze between them. “It’s nice to meet you. I wish I could stay and socialize, but I have too many important things to take care of at the moment.” With that, he spun on his heel and darted down the hallway.

Kai was shocked as he watched the tall, gray-haired man flee the area. Kai had certainly noticed the similarity in their eye color, but really, he hadn’t thought too much about it. Eyes only came in so many colors, and he was eventually going to find someone with a shade close to his. But Mason had reacted so strangely to the comparison. Did he really dislike Kai so much that he couldn’t even stand the thought of sharing a similar trait?

Kai wanted to go find the man and ask him, but Jessie looked a little freaked out by what had just happened. Twisting to face Kai, she muttered, “Did I say something wrong?”

Shaking his head, Kai grabbed her hand again. “No.” Looking back to where Mason’s lean frame had disappeared, Kai let out a weary sigh. “He just doesn’t care much for me, so he probably didn’t like being told he sort of looks like me.”

Jessie seemed surprised when Kai swung his eyes back to hers. “Oh, how could anyone not like you?” she whispered, her face flushing a light shade of pink.

Seeing her embarrassment made Kai smile. Then the warmth behind her comment made him sigh. “Come on. Let’s go get that lunch that I promised you.” Still looking flustered, Jessie nodded and they headed back to his bike.

J
essie discreetly studied Kai as they walked through the hallways. She noted the way his eyes stayed forward and his jaw was clenched tight. Even his warm hand entangled with hers was a little firmer than before. But she wasn’t about to complain; touching him felt too nice.

Kai was still upset about running into his boss. The ball of ice in Jessie’s stomach hadn’t melted one single bit. Had she done something wrong? Offended him in some way? She hoped Kai was right and it wasn’t her, but she really didn’t see how it could be Kai either. Why would comparing him to Kai would make him act so strangely? Truly, it was a compliment. Kai was extremely attractive. And charming, sweet, funny. How could his boss not like him? Kai was very…likeable.

That fact was solidified when they once again ran into Kai’s obviously interested coworker outside. Kai’s face changed from annoyed to amused as the wiry woman approached them. The look on his face made Jessie frown. She didn’t want to be jealous of anyone, but she didn’t like that look being directed at another woman. She still wasn’t ready.

Stopping right in front of them, his coworker put her hands directly on his chest. “Oh, no, no, no. You can’t leave yet. I’m finally at a stopping point.”

Kai discreetly dropped Jessie’s hand as he chuckled at the forlorn woman. “Sorry, Missy, I promised my cousin a decent lunch.” Jerking his thumb back toward the building, he laughed out, “The only thing left in the break room is Louis’s tuna…and I’m not touching that.”

Exaggerating a pout, Missy swept her hands down his chest to his jeans. Hooking her fingers into his belt loops, she stepped forward so their chests were touching; he automatically took a step backward. “Maybe a quickie before you go?” She suggestively raised her eyebrows, and Jessie felt her skin start to overheat. Had she seriously just asked him to have sex with her?

Like he was used to it, Kai merely laughed at her again as he removed her hands from his jeans. “Uh, not today, Missy.” The woman let out a dramatic sigh as she finally stepped away. “Fine, but I’ll have you know, I shaved today…everywhere.”

Kai rolled his eyes and shook his head. Smiling down at Jessie, he indicated his bike. “And that’s our cue.”

Jessie kept her expression blank as a sliver of curiosity and envious anger ripped through her. She wasn’t sure if anything was going on between Kai and this woman or not, and even though it shouldn’t, it bothered her that she didn’t know. Missy didn’t seem like his type though. Then again, Jessie didn’t really know his type, and he and Missy did share common interests if they worked together. Either way, they were awful friendly with each other. Or at least, Missy was awful friendly with him.

To hide the simmering emotions building under the surface, Jessie slipped her helmet on as quickly as she could. She shouldn’t be jealous, she shouldn’t be upset, she shouldn’t be angry. But when Missy smacked his ass as he walked by, then swooped in to plant a kiss on his cheek, she felt all of those things.

With an amused shake of his head, Kai slipped on his helmet while Missy watched him as eagerly as a lioness stalking her prey. Popping open the visor, he told Missy goodbye. Then he pointed a finger at her and added, “Don’t mess with my phone anymore, please. I know it’s you.”

Missy gave him a sly smile as she rocked back and forth on her heels. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Kai.” Then she started humming a song that Jessie could have sworn was “Endless Love.”

Still shaking his head, Kai slapped down his visor, and then helped Jessie adjust her helmet. Jessie was still feeling irrational jealousies over things she knew she shouldn’t, so she kept her mouth shut as his fingers brushed along her jaw. The intimacy of the tender touch only confused her more. How was she supposed to let him go when he felt so wonderful?

When Kai was finished, he took his seat on the motorcycle and nodded behind himself for her to sit down. With a soft sigh, she did. Jessie loosely held his hips as Kai started the bike. Missy was still watching, practically drooling, as he walked the bike backwards. When they were turned around, Jessie heard him yell back to her, “Hold on,” and she instinctively wrapped her arms around his waist as tightly as she could. Then he took off, light rocks spinning under his tires as he zoomed away.

Like being on a roller coaster, Jessie’s stomach lifted then settled. She clung to Kai’s back so firmly, it was like they were one person. She felt Kai make adjustments with his feet, switching gears maybe. She felt his upper body move as he twisted the handlebars ever so slightly. Keeping her eyes shut, she concentrated on his body movements, and not the fact that they were both way too exposed, should something bad happen.

After several miles, Jessie relaxed, and she again felt the comfort and excitement that she’d felt while driving up here. Getting over the mental block of terror took her a while, but once she did, she found that she enjoyed riding with him. Cracking her eyes open, she watched the colorful trees zipping past. All she could hear was the hum of the bike and the wind rushing through the vents in her helmet, but with the way her body was pressed into his broad back, she imagined that she could hear his heartbeat too, thudding with the beat of the road beneath them.

Smiling at the beauty of the scenery blurring past them, Jessie giggled into Kai’s back. She squeezed him in a hug before loosening her grip. As her fingers relaxed against him, they drifted down his stomach. Kai dipped the bike low through the long, curving corners, and Jessie ignored how close their knees got to the pavement. She trusted him; he’d never go so low that their knees touched the ground, and he’d never dump them. Instead of allowing herself to pointlessly worry, she focused on how his thighs moved as he held the bike, how hers shifted as she held him. The muscles in his stomach, hips, and legs did intriguing things with each corner. With her legs pressing against his, her chest flush to his back, her head resting on his shoulder, Jessie felt connected to him in an almost overpowering way. It was erotic and at the same time, it wasn’t. It was also exhilarating. As Jessie grew even more comfortable, she began to fully appreciate why Kai loved this. She had no desire to drive a motorcycle of her own, but she’d be a passenger any day. She’d be
his
passenger any day.