Chapter Five
Blame the bubbles for my reactions?
My palms are clammy, my stomach swirls as my heart continues jack-hammering.
Or maybe Matt’s right, maybe I am ill.
Who am I kidding? The crushing disappointment is a give-away like a swift punch to the ribs. But why do I feel so affected, I barely know him. I’ve had one, albeit stirring, exchange and that bloody dream. Maybe I just need a moment alone, a moment to process my reactions rationally, to have a stiff word with myself.
Or maybe stiff would be just the thing.
Avoiding the guy playing a grand piano in the foyer, I spot an oversized chair secluded from general view by a massive parlor palm. Deciding it’s as good a place as any for my self-imposed time-out, I throw myself into it, wishing I could crawl into the upholstery and hide. I’ve sworn off men, my head accepts this, but seems to have forgotten to send the memo to my suddenly rampant lady bits.
Ridiculous. What’s the use of all this analysis when, clearly, he doesn’t date girls like me?
Wonder if he does girls like me? On a one-off basis? No. I won’t—
‘Hello, Ms Saunders.’
Suddenly, there he is, standing before me. Beautiful. Unavailable. And causing me to shoot from the chair like an electrocuted cat.
‘Kai! What are you doing here? I mean, I didn’t know youwere... here.’
‘Didn’t you just wave at me?’ His sly grin grows as he looks at me, he kind ofexamines. It’s the best explanation I can come up with. My skin prickles, I feel scrutinized, oddly naked.Nope, not going with that line of thought.
‘Wave? I—I thought you were someone else.’ I cringe as the words leave my mouth.
‘I’m sorry to disappoint.’
As he smirks, idiocy flames in my cheeks, my stomach and heart jarred and seemingly jostling for space.
‘Oh, I didn’t mean—’
‘My ego will recover. Eventually,’ he adds, clearly delighted in helping me make a fool of myself.Like I need his help.. .
Taking my hands in his much larger ones, the warm softness of his lips suddenly brushes my left cheek, the subtle graze of his stubble doing funny things to my knees as our noses almost touch as he leans in for a repeat on the other side. The other kind of French kissing.God, I hope he doesn’t notice me inhaling, but he’s so close, I can’t help myself. It’s a bit like walking past a bakery—you know it’s going to make you ravenous, but you just can’t resist a deep sniff. And he smells so good: an expensive cologne, sort of woody and spicy with an undertone of something zesty.He smells good enough to eat, I don’t tell myself. I also don’t imagine licking him for confirmation. Much.
‘How are you?’
I’m such a deadhead.European style greetings include cheek kisses, apparently even swoon-worthy ones. No need to get wet undies at a hello.
‘This is the point where you reciprocate. Answer fine, thank you. Something like that.’ He stares down at me with those amused amber eyes, and I still don’t answer. Can’t really, not that it stops me looking for an appropriate retort. ‘Either you’ve shrunk or you’re smaller than I remember, despite your vertiginous heels.’ His gaze glides the length of my body. ‘Tiny, really.’
Clearing his throat, his eyes slide away but I know what he means. He’s not exactly as I remembered, either. He’s larger, more striking. Lick-worthy freckles, is that even a thing?
‘S-short,’ I stutter. ‘That’s why I wear them so high.’
‘Living life on the edge still, I see.’ His eyes seem to glint in the light, full of wicked thought. ‘You know, I won’t always be there to catch you, though I’d love to be around next time you go down.’ Blinking once, he adds smoothly, ‘Fall, I mean.’
I’m pretty sure I know exactly what he means as I stand with my mouth open. Not in invitation, mind you. I just can’t formulate a response, my brain’s wiring fused by his filthy flirting.
‘Like an accident waiting to happen,’ he says with a sigh.
And again, I don’t think he’s referring to my shoes as he slides both hands into his pockets, smiling a little lopsidedly. I’d like to say it’s a secretive kind of smile but as I’m likely the colour of passata, there’s not much secret about what his words are doing to me. And despite my heightened colouring, I like it. Feel lit from within.What the hell?
‘Would you allow me to show you some of the city this afternoon? That is, if your brunch is over, of course.’
‘Yes... no, I mean, I haven’t eaten. I haven’t been here long, just drank a little. Well, a little more than I’m used to, that’s for sure.’ My mouth twists in a grimace. It’s an awful habit and one I really need to break, now more than ever before this poised and, quite frankly, do-able man.Inhale.‘I mean, thank you, but I’m here with friends. And, don’t you already have... plans? A date? I saw you with a woman.’Engage brain, talk less!
