“Your bottom lip tells a different story. Now be a big girl and tell Daddy what’s wrong,” he says, taking a seat next to me on one of the oversized loungers as I fight back the smile threatening to take over my face.
“Please stop referring to yourself as Daddy,” I say, but I end up laughing at the end, which makes him smile.
“Please stop telling my wife to call you Daddy,” Kai growls, walking up behind us, which makes me jump.
“Yes, sir,” Aye says, standing quickly as I tilt my head back and put my hand above my eyes to block the sun so I can look at Kai.
“Are you still upset?” he asks then looks at Aye and flicks his head in a sign for him to leave us.
“No,” I tell him, watching Aye go, even though I still feel a small amount of anger over the news he gave me this morning.
“It’s for the best,” Kai assures me.
“Is it?” I ask, tilting my head when he comes over to sit down at my side.
“Yes. Your mother and father have been worried, Myla.”
“So you”—I press my finger into his chest—“took it upon yourself to tell them that I ran off and got married, and then you paid for their plane tickets to come visit. So now, not only am I forced to lie to your family, but I have to lie to the people who raised me since I can remember. Not to mention, their son is Thad, so you have just told him where I am,” I say, trying to keep the fear over the last part out of my voice.
“Thad won’t get near you,” he growls, grabbing my thigh.
“Okay, Kai. You know everything.” I shake my head and look out at the ocean, trying to ignore the feelings his hand on my skin is giving me.
“It’s a few days, Myla,” he says gently.
“It’s a few days of lying to their faces,” I clarify. “How are we going to explain sleeping in separate rooms?” I question, raising a brow at him.
“We’ll be sleeping in the same room while they’re here.” He shrugs like it’s no big deal.
“What?” I whisper, feeling the color drain out of my face. It’s difficult enough seeing him every day. I have no idea how I will deal with him sleeping in the same room as me, let alone the same bed.
“It will be fine. You’ll see.”
“You’re delusional,” I breathe.
“Pardon?” he asks, taking on the same tone I hear from him when he’s speaking to his men.
I gather some much-needed courage and look him dead in the eyes before repeating myself more slowly. “I said you’re delusional. You actually believe this is going to turn out okay, when I know that it won’t. Haven’t you ever watched a movie before? There is always some huge lie that is being kept hidden, and in the end, the truth comes out.” I suck in a breath. “I don’t want to be there when this hole caves in.”
“The difference is this isn’t a movie, Myla, and I know what I’m doing.”
“If you say so.” I shake my head again and pull my eyes from him.
When we were just lying to ourselves, I was able handle all of this, but now that we have gotten people we both care about involved, I know that this is going to be something I end up regretting. I just hope I don’t regret it for the rest of my life or that my choice doesn’t have a negative effect on the people who are innocent in this whole thing.
“Your mom misses you,” Kai says, breaking into my thoughts.
“I know, and I miss her too, Kai, but this isn’t the time or place for a family reunion.”
“You need to learn to trust me.”
“And you need to learn to talk to me before taking it upon yourself to just do stuff you have no right to do,” I argue.
“You’re right,” he says, and I’m completely taken aback by his words and the fact he just agreed with me. “You’re right, but I’m also right.”
I let out a defeated breath, realizing once again that he just doesn’t get it.
“So much for that,” I think and don’t realize I’ve said it out loud until I see his lip twitch.
“It will all work out.”
“You keep saying that, Kai, but you and I both know that your mother has built it up in her head that my mother’s wish has come true. She is so happy that she has this relationship to reconnect her with her friend who is long gone that she is not going to be very understanding about the fact we have lied to her and everyone else.”
His eyes search my face, and for the first time, I get the feeling that he finally understands what I have been saying all along.
“So we try to make this into a real relationship.”
My lungs freeze and my mouth goes dry as I sit there in stunned silence, looking at him and trying to think of a way to come back from that.
After a moment, I sit up in the lounger. “Are you insane?” I screech.
“You’re attracted to me,” he states.
“I…I’m attra—attracted to you?” I stutter out.
“And I’m attracted to you,” he says as his eyes travel over my body, and I feel my nipples pucker against the thin material of my bikini.
“Be serious.” I cross my arms over my chest.
“I’m being very serious.”
“It won’t work,” I argue.
“Why won’t it? Every relationship starts with attraction. You’re attracted to me, and I’m attracted to you.”
“Stop telling me that I’m attracted to you,” I growl, trying to stand up, but before I can, I’m down in the lounger and Kai is leaning over me with his face inches from mine.
“Why not try, Myla?”
“Because it’s a very, very dumb idea, Kai.” I roll my eyes.
“We don’t even have to have sex until you’re ready,” he says, ignoring what I just said and moving his face closer to mine. “Let’s try it while your family is in town. After they leave, we will reevaluate everything and then decide if we want to keep moving forward in our relationship.”
“I can’t believe I’m even considering this,” I say.