They effectively steered the conversation away from something I had yet to talk to Kai about. Something I had been avoiding, in all honesty. I just wasn’t ready to consider any other living situation yet.
This led to them talking about Ava’s major and Cade’s job. They even asked me about my computer science major, which I was glad to talk about.
Later, while we stood around the fire soaking up its warmth, I watched the group of people who were all so different. Pierce stared at the fire while sipping his beer. The guy was hot. One of those guys you saw and thought, “He is way out of my league.” Dark, short-cut hair, bright hazel eyes, dark complexion, tribal tattoos peeking out from under his tank top. The scar running under his eye and across his cheek only made him more beautiful. And he was a cop. This was the guy you wanted to pull you over.
The greatest part? He wasn’t a dick. He was genuinely a nice guy who always seemed to have a smile in his eyes, especially when he was looking at Mia. Like she was the sun, moon, stars, gravity. She was everything for him. They weren’t a perfect match, especially not physically, since he was much taller and larger than her, but their spirits fit together.
What I truly loved about them was their banter, their play. They had been through some shit, more than I’d ever gone through, and yet they laughed it in the face and told the world to fuck off. Even though she was younger than me, I looked up to Mia. Her ability to get through something and move on with her life. Living a lie for years, then suddenly realizing you could start telling the truth, start being the real you. I wanted to be like her.
And then there was Cade, who was cute, always moody or broody around people, but never around Ava. He adored her like she was his pinky toe. He couldn’t live without her. The two of them fit together just right, both physically and mentally a match. They were a lot like Mr. and Mrs. Hart: orbiting around each other, complementing the shortcomings of the other, constantly holding each other up. It was like watching a well-choreographed dance.
Next to his sisters’ guys, and even his dad, who he looked most alike, Kai was an eclipse. He was the one who loved deeply and truly. He was a steady stream who never wavered, always there for the ones he loved. He had been through horrible things in the military, had seen and experienced things no one should. But he stayed the course and continued putting others before himself. The way he hid these things, his passions, beneath granite skin made him all the more appealing.
But I couldn’t have him. Not like I wanted. He was too steady for a life like mine. What this baby was going to have in a dad was more than I ever had. They would never have to wonder if their dad was going to be there. Even being in the military, he would make this baby his priority. That was something I never had but would guarantee for them, even if I couldn’t be with their dad.
Later in the night, Mia and Pierce went home, and Ava and Cade went up to bed. Mr. and Mrs. Hart went up after telling me Mia’s old room was all set up for me, my bag already in there. It was ten, and I was beyond exhausted from the travel and drama. Kai seemed to sense as much, so he led me up the stairs to Mia’s room, which had a queen-sized bed that was covered with a yellow duvet and had leaf green curtains and a brown accent chair in the corner.
Black-and-white close-ups of all different kinds of flowers hung around the room, no doubt some of Mrs. Hart’s amazing work. It made me long to stop by her gallery during this trip, since I hadn’t gotten to see it the last time.
Kai stood at the door while I looked around the room before going to my bag that was on the accent chair. “You afraid to talk to me now that it’s just the two of us?” he asked when I grabbed my toothbrush from the bag.
Butterflies filled my stomach. It was just the two of us. He was home from Germany. He was there in that room with me. Something I had thought about many, many times, even before we found out about the pregnancy—I would never admit that to him, of course.
But we weren’t alone as we had been that day five months ago. So it should be safe to talk to him. Right?
“Being back in the States hasn’t made you any less of a conceited jackass.” Lips quirked, I glanced over my shoulder after fishing sweatpants and a tank top from my bag.
His dark chuckle slithered over my skin as he moved farther into the room, the door snicking shut behind him. The room became minuscule with him inside it; my entire body tingled while I stood there gripping my pajamas.
“You don’t have to look so scared.” The corner of his lip twitched up while he gazed at me from under those ridiculously long lashes. “I don’t bite. Though as I recall, you don’t seem to mind that much.” The devilish grin he gave me sent even more butterflies fluttering around while my heart pounded away.
“Don’t talk about that,” I snarled, trying to mask the heat that consumed me.
He laughed, sitting on the foot of the bed. “I’m only teasing. You make it too much fun.” I crossed my arms, raising a brow. “I just want to talk a minute is all.” He patted the spot on the fluffy bed
