I cleared my throat once more. “Are you fucking with me?”
Tori shook her head. “No?”
“I’m not going to fuck anyone else if I get to fuckyou!” I threw my hands up, exasperated.
She recoiled slightly, her eyes wide with surprise. Then her full lips curled into a slow smirk.
“Well, neither am I. So if you want to, you can wrap it up, but you don’t have to. I’m on birth control.” Tori shrugged. “Up to you.”
Holy fucking shit, was I dreaming?
“A-are you sure?” I croaked.
She let out a quiet, almost reluctant laugh, then pointed a finger at me. “So sure. But no catching feelings.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Good.” She turned toward the path. “Because I’d drop you on your ass.”
“Promises, promises.”
When Tori looked back over her shoulder, her mouth curved into a half-smile. “Careful, Kai. You might start thinking you can handle me.”
I grinned. “Pretty sure I already did.”
She scoffed and shook her head as she walked away, but her pace wasn’t as steady as she wanted it to be.
And yeah — I was already counting the days until it happened again. Another countdown to add to my list, and I wasn't quite sure which I was looking forward to more.
Chapter 7
Tori
Lookingoutofthekitchen window, I could easily see Kai in the yard. Shirtless and with a hammer in his hand, he was working on the sagging section of Gran’s fence while sweat ran in lazy lines down his chest.
My phone buzzed on the counter, signaling an incoming call, and the screen lit up with a picture of me and Mom at my high school graduation. I just stared at it until the buzzing stopped and the screen turned black again.
I loved my mom, but the thought of a conversation with her was overwhelming at the moment. She had devoted herself to me for years, and it didn't seem right to burden her with my problems again. Mom had done her part and wasfinallyliving for herself.
I knew if I’d said the word, she'd be here in the blink of an eye, supporting me and being there for Gran … but it wouldn't be fair. This was my mess. My responsibility.
If that meant dodging her calls because I hated lying to her, then so be it.
Guilt gnawing at my insides, I turned around and headed for the back door.
“It’s called Downward Dog, not Faceplanting Frog,” she mumbled, attempting to bend at the waist with all the grace of a folding chair, just as I stepped through the back door, coffee in hand.
“Here, Janet, let me—” Kai hastily stepped forward with outstretched arms just in time to catch her.
He caught her easily, steadying her shoulders with his big hands as though he’d done this before. She blinked up at him, completely unbothered.
“Well…” Gran fluffed her hair. “That’s one way to get my heart rate up.”
I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself laughing, but a snort escaped anyway.
Kai shot me a grin over his shoulder. “You’re enjoying this way too much.”
I couldn’t help but stare, almost mesmerized by how handsome he looked right then. His nose was straight but had a little character to it as if it had weathered at least one rough season. It suited him.
