Chapter Eighty-Eight
I sit bolt upright in the bed, the room like a bad dream I’m trying to escape from.
‘That’s what I like about you,’ says a familiar voice from deeper in the room. ‘The way you look when you wake.’
I narrow my eyes in the direction of the voice, trying to get the damn things to focus as I simultaneously sweep the hair from my face and grope for the sheet. The damn thing is out of reach, of course, because Kai’s here.Kai’s here, yay!Giving up, I pull a pillow from behind me and hug it to my chest.
‘Don’t tell me, I’ve rendered you mute at last.’
I hold up one finger, and shake my head, taking the opportunity to look at him. Framed by the bathroom doorway, his seal wet, black hair is pushed back from his face. Caramel skin covers the taut muscles of his arms, chest and back, his face covered in several days’ stubble.
‘Not mute,’ I answer. ‘Not awake yet.’
Securing the towel around his waist, he leans one shoulder against the door architrave. ‘The mind is willing, but the flesh is weak?’
‘The flesh is... sort of sore.’ His posture stiffens, the smile slipping from his face, and I quickly add, ‘Nothing massive. Just like any other time, really.’ Any other time with Kai, that is. ‘A good sort of ouch. Sort of satisfying.’ His expression changes to sceptical. ‘What? Come on, like you would know. You wouldn’t, would, you?’ I can’t imagine Kai being anyone’s bottom. Literally.
And now he’s back to laughing again. ‘Curiosity killed the cat,habibti.’
‘And that’s a very rubbishy non-answer.’ My heart rate picks up, lust or fear? I can’t imagine my heartbreakingly handsome man being anyone’s toy. Despite the fact that I am. Already. Imagining it. ‘Fuck a duck, I’m turning into a massive perv. What the hell will come next?’
‘You do know you just said that out loud. Well, sort of mumbling and behind the pillow, perfectly audible still.’
My eyes narrow at his non-answer again.
‘Obviously, I have hitherto unknown depths.’ His sarcasm rings around the room as he leaves the door, stalking into the room. Like a big cat. And I’m the flighty gazelle. I certainly feel flighty. Jittery and all kinds of nervous as he sits on the edge of the bed, one knee curled. ‘And I am absolutely depraved, especially when it comes to you.’ My cheeks heat immediately as Kai leans forward to touch his fingers to my cheek, traveling the path of my blush. ‘God, to see your colours flying.’ His tone borders on enthralled. ‘Glad to see I still have that effect on you, despite your having become a massive perv.’
‘Takes one to know one.’
‘From little acorns.’ He touches a finger to my nose.
‘Big freaks grow.’
‘Such words.’ His tone arches to match his brow. ‘Haven’t we already been through this?’
‘I know. I remember, don’t confuse the how we, you know...’ I pull a face, absolutely resisting the urge to whistle.
‘Fuck?’
‘Exactly.’ Pink cheek alert. ‘Not confusethe howwiththe why.’
‘And why do we fuck, habibti?’
‘I dunno, Confucius. Maybe because we’re damned good at it.’
‘Well, there is that,’ he says pushing me flat. ‘But also because we’re madly in love.’ Christ on a bike, not only does the man have all the moves, but he also has all the words. ‘And no amount of interference or photographs or threats will change that.’
Oh shit, I’d almost forgotten about that.
‘How did you get it—the photograph?’ I’m certain Rashid told him about seeing Essam, but the picture itself?
‘From him. He sent it to me.’
‘An accident?’ Or why else bother with the blackmail threats. Kai shrugs, unconcerned. ‘But what if he—’
‘He won’t be doing anything. Essam has gone into rehab this morning.’
‘What?’ My exclamation is little more than a puff of air. ‘How did you managethat?’
