It wasn't like he hadn't noticed her before. She spent a lot of time in a skimpy bikini at the pool, but he'd told himself this wasn't the time or the place for those kinds of thoughts. But his thoughts were even stronger now that they’d hung out together. Which was why he should have said no to going with her to the bookstore. And he should definitely not go back with her. But refusing to go would probably just make her more interested in him. And while she hadn't discovered his secrets yet, he wasn't sure how long it would take her if she was determined to know more.
In the beginning, he hadn't thought about how long he would want to escape his old life; he'd just needed to get away, to hide, to live in the shadows for a while, but he sensed all that was coming to an end, and he wasn't ready. He really hadn't figured out much of anything yet.
The quiet between them felt tense and prickly now, filled with unspoken questions, and he was relieved when he finally pulled into the parking lot. As they got out of the car and walked into the building together, his relief fled as he realized how many people were in the courtyard and how many gazes were turning in their direction.
"Ben," Kaia said as a tall, brown-haired guy came forward.
"Hey, what's going on?" Ben asked, his gaze moving from Kaia to him. "Jax, right?"
"Yeah. I didn't realize you were Kaia's brother."
"Sometimes she likes to keep that a secret," he said with a laugh.
"It's usually the other way around," Kaia retorted.
"Where are you two coming from?" Ben asked.
"Just got some gelato," Kaia said as if that was a completely natural thing to do and not at all surprising.
He should be happy about that, because she wasn't making a big deal about it. She also didn't seem interested in telling her brother about their search for Walter's red door.
"That sounds good. I'm heading to the store to get some ribs. Are you both in for barbecue tonight? Too hot for any of us to cook."
"I'm in." Kaia's gaze turned to him.
"Sorry. I've got plans," he lied.
"Maybe another time," Ben said easily as he moved past them to the parking lot.
"You don't really have other plans, do you?" Kaia challenged.
In the face of her clear, penetrating brown gaze, it was impossible to lie. "No, but I'm not interested in a group barbecue."
"Maybe I could bring you some ribs, sneak them to your door when no one is looking."
"Why would you want to do that?"
"Because you'll probably be hungry later. And the only thing Ben cooks that is any good is ribs."
"Thanks, but I'll pass."
"Then I guess I'll see you tomorrow." As he hesitated, she gave him a pointed look and cut off the excuse he was about to make. "You have to come, Jax. We made a plan. And it's just you and me, not a party, not a group. We're also doing it for Walter, remember?"
"I never should have gotten involved in this."
"Well, you did. I'll meet you in the parking lot at nine forty-five."
She wasn't asking him; she was telling him, and with the crowd around the pool taking even more interest in their prolonged conversation, he decided to say yes before anyone else came over. "I'll see you then."
He took a wide path around the pool, managing a few cool smiles and nods of his head as he passed some of his neighbors. When he got into his apartment, he let out a breath and leaned against the door for a long moment. He should have felt relieved to be in the quiet, but he could still hear Kaia's laugh, which created all kinds of mixed emotions. One thing was for sure: he no longer felt numb, but that didn't seem like a good thing.
Chapter Six
Hours later, Kaia was working her way through her second glass of wine after a delicious dinner of ribs and salad. But as she looked around the table at her brother, Emmalyn, and Hunter, she didn't feel the sense of contentment she usually felt when surrounded by friends who felt like family. Instead, her gaze kept drifting to the apartment across the courtyard.
She wished Jax would have stayed for at least a drink or come out for some barbecue, but his need to stay detached was clearly strong.
As her gaze moved to Hunter, she impulsively asked, "What made you want to hang out with us?"
