Though I guess that's basically what this is...
I mentally kicked myself, fingers twisting the jacket hem unconsciously, creasing the expensive fabric into wrinkled lines.
Then I remembered.
Kai! Kai was still home waiting for me!
I shot upright, embarrassment forgotten, scrambling for my bag. Kayden noticed my movement and smoothly retrieved my bag from the console, handing it to me with practiced ease.
My hands froze mid-motion.
I stiffly glanced at him, quickly looking away as I took the bag. My trembling fingertips accidentally brushed his—
A current shot from the point of contact, racing up my arm straight to my brain. I jerked my hand back. The bag dropped onto my lap.
Those hands just...
Traveled over your body, ignited every inch of your skin, made you tremble and moan in his arms...
My face burned again.
Kayden stiffened too, withdrawing his hand back to the wheel, fingers tapping out a rhythm. Tap, tap, tap.
"Th-thanks." I kept my head down, fumbling for my phone in the bag.
The sound of my own voice startled me. Raspy as hell, like wood scraped with sandpaper.
Because you screamed too loud just now.
Diana reminded me mercilessly. My face couldn't get any redder.
"No problem." Kayden's reply was soft. Then silence again.
I stared at my phone screen, fingers shaking, entering the wrong passcode twice. Finally unlocking it to call the nanny—
Kayden held something else out.
A bottle of water. Cap already twisted off.
"Drink." He said. "Your voice..."
He didn't finish, but the intimate atmosphere said everything.
My fingers trembled again as I took the bottle, sipping slowly. The cold water slid down my throat, easing the burning rasp slightly.
"Kai..." I could finally speak somewhat normally, though still hoarse. "I need to pick him up, the nanny..."
"Anna's with him." Kayden cut me off, voice calm but with a careful, probing edge.
I froze.
"What?"
"While you were asleep, I called Anna." He said, fingers still tapping the wheel, one beat at a time, like releasing tension. "Told her you weren't feeling well, that you were resting at my place, asked her to watch... Kai for the night."
He paused distinctly when saying "Kai." The hesitation was brief, maybe only a fraction of a second.
But I caught it.
