“What are you thinking about?” Kai finally asked her.
Jessie looked over at him. He’d brought his arms down between his knees and was rubbing his forearm, like he was sore. He was probably sore all over, considering what he’d done today. Grabbing his arm, she took over for him. She was the professional, after all.
Jessie grinned as she watched his eyes flutter closed while she worked on his aching muscles. “Nothing really. I was just thinking that this is nice, being here with you.”
Kai opened his eyes and looked over at her. “You’re not bothered by…?”
He cringed and Jessie knew what he meant—the incident on the slopes. She felt her cheeks heating, but she shook her head. It had been a mild slip-up. One that she’d wanted him to do. The memory of her cousin touching her in that way should bother her, but as her fingers worked up his arm, she felt nothing bad about the encounter. She was only happy that he was back in her life.
Kai smiled at her response, and let out a pleased sigh when she switched to his other arm. “Yeah, this is nice,” he murmured, his face relaxed and content.
Jessie scooted closer to him, so she could move up his arms to his shoulders, where he was probably really feeling the strain of this afternoon. Groaning in relief, he leaned into her hands. Sitting up on her knees, she scooted behind him so she could reach his kinks better. Focusing on the tattooed shoulder blade, her trained fingers worked on taming the knots that had formed in his muscles. She smiled when he groaned again, and loved the fact that she had skills that could help him. She also loved hearing that noise escape his lips. When she felt he was more relaxed on that side, she moved to his other shoulder blade. Her body was firmly pressed against his back, much closer than she would be if Kai were just a client. Kai dropped his head forward as she loosened his other side.
Feeling like she’d done all she could with his aching upper body, she dropped down onto her hip beside him. She was closer than she’d intended to be, with her entire side pressed into his. Kai gave her a sleepy, lethargic smile as he gazed at her. “Thank you. I’m so sore.” A light chuckle escaped him and he nestled into her body.
Feeling his words heat her down to her very soul, Jessie contentedly rested her head on his shoulder. He let out a sigh that matched her mood as he rested his head on hers. One of his hands found hers and he began rubbing her palm with his thumbs. Jessie sighed; as a masseuse, she very rarely got treated to massages. It was absolute heaven. Cuddling into his side, she slinked her arm over his thigh so her hand was in a better position for a good rub.
As he massaged her palm, he whispered into her hair, “I missed you, Jessie.”
Jessie’s heart started racing. She pulled away from his shoulder, and he lifted his head so she could move hers. They stared at each other, their bodies flush together, their faces inches apart. Kai’s tropical eyes searched hers. “I missed you…so much.”
Jessie swallowed; her throat was suddenly dry. She clenched his fingers with her hand, stopping the massage. Holding him tight, she whispered, “I missed you too, Kai. Every day.”
Exhaling, his forehead came down to lightly rest against hers. Shaking his head, he whispered, “It was so hard to be apart from you. Harder than I ever imagined it would be. I wanted to call you all the time. I wanted to see you all the time. It felt like nothing was really happening in my life, since I couldn’t share it with you.”
Jessie’s free hand came up to cup his cheek. “I felt the same way. I hated hearing about you through other people.” He pulled back to look at her; his eyes were sorrowful. “I wanted to hear your voice,” she whispered. “I wanted to see your face.”
Letting go of her hand, he reached up to touch her hair. As he watched the dark curls twisting around his fingers, Jessie dropped her hand from his cheek and ran it down his back. Pinching the end of a lock between his thumb and forefinger, he murmured, “I think about you. About…being with you.” His voice was low and husky, deep with desire.
Jessie’s breath hitched. She knew exactly what he was referring to. They shouldn’t talk about that, not here, not completely alone with very little chance of anyone interrupting them. That conversation would open too many doors that shouldn’t ever be opened. Kai peeked up at her face when she didn’t respond.