I rub at my eye, feeling a slight sting from the scratch her fingernail just left. “I’ll be okay.”
She’s still laughing, holding her stomach, nearly unable to catch her breath. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Denver. Are you blind now?”
For God’s sake. “No, I’m fine.”
“Let me see,” she says, grabbing my face with both her hands. She yanks my head down to her eye level, forcing me to lean over pretty damn far. I’m looking into her eyes, and I feel the need to close mine to stop what’s happening inside of me. This fucking loneliness will eat me alive someday. Dating is almost impossible with Aya, and I’ve never dated anyone long enough that I felt comfortable bringing them to meet her. Sometimes I wonder if it’ll ever happen. In any case, Kai will be regretting all of this tomorrow, so there’s no sense in getting excited about a dumb, two-second, eye gaze. “I think I hurt you.”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry,” I tell her.
“No, you have a little blood spot on the white of your eye.”
“I can see fine, so I’m sure I’ll be okay.”
“I’m really sorry.” She’s sobering up right about now.
“Kai, you’re fine.”
“I like your accent,” she says. “Texas, right?”
“Yes, Texas.”
“Denver from Texas. Who did that to you?” she giggles.
“I assume my parents had something to do with naming me.”
“Yeah, probably,” she agrees, matching my seriousness.
“Come on, let’s get you to a room.”
“As long as it’s not yours, Wonder Buns,” she says.
Yeah, I don’t think I’d ever bethatlucky.
Chapter Ten
Kai
This isn’t my bed.
This.
Is.
Not.
My.
Bed.
My eyes flash open, and there’s white. A lot of white, and a lot of sun. There’s no alarm. Where’s my phone? Where am I? Oh. Hotel.
I snap up, feeling the rush of blood crash through my head like a tidal wave. Oh, God.
I’m alone. Okay, that’s good. “Hello?” I call out, praying I truly am alone in here.
No answer.
Clothes?
