She thanked him with a warm smile, and Kai’s entire body heated at the look on her face. Sipping on his wine, he was again amazed at her generosity. It was like she spent all day thinking of ways to make him happy and comfortable. Kai didn’t think he actually took up that much space in her brain…but a small portion of him liked to think that he did. He forcefully tried to ignore that part of him.
They ate their messy meals in comfortable companionship, laughing whenever someone got a stray splash of sauce somewhere. When Jessie tenderly reached out and rubbed some off his chin, Kai momentarily wished that she had someone to nurture. Someone she could love and dote on with no awkward, guilty feelings. Someone worthy of her, much more so than that her asshole ex Jeremy had been. Jessie was so good to Kai…he just knew she would be amazing as a girlfriend. Someone else’s girlfriend.
Kai felt his throat constricting, and it took him a few swallows to ease the ache. Eventually that would happen, and Jessie would find someone to love. Girls like her didn’t stay single for long. Kai had no idea what he would do when her devotion to him was suddenly diverted to another man. And just the thought of her being with someone else made a surprising rush of jealousy flash through him. He hated the non-existent man already.
“You all right?”
Kai looked up at hearing Jessie’s concerned voice. Trying to look as carefree as he could, he brightly said, “Of course.” Pointing to Jessie’s half-eaten plate of spaghetti, he attempted to distract her from deciphering his mood by asking, “Is it okay?”
Jessie glanced at her plate and smiled. “It’s wonderful. I haven’t had spaghetti in forever.”
Kai felt a little guilty that he hadn’t made something more elaborate, even the sauce had been from a jar, but she seemed genuine with her answer. “Good…I’m glad.”
As he went back to eating, Jessie paused with her wine glass to her lips. Kai studied her thoughtfully while he chewed his food. She seemed like she wanted to ask him something. Wondering what she might possibly question him about made him a little nervous. If she brought up them, and what had almost happened downstairs…well, he wasn’t sure what he could say about it. Nothing that he should probably say out loud. It was best if Jessie didn’t know just how often he thought of her…how often he dreamt of her.
When she pulled the glass from her mouth, Kai froze; he was rigid with tension when her question finally escaped her lips. “Would you like to come to my place tomorrow night? Have dinner with me…and my roommates?” She added that last part after a momentary pause.
Relaxing, Kai swallowed his food and smiled. He’d been imagining much harder questions. “Sure, I’d love to see your place.” He thought about that for a second while she smiled. “Would your roommates…? I mean…has it been long enough…? Would they suspect that you and me…?” Kai let his voice trail off. He didn’t know how to ask her if her roommates would figure out that he was Jessie’s one night stand once they saw him. God, even thinking the question made him nauseated.
Knowing what he was vaguely referring to, Jessie immediately averted her eyes. “No, I don’t…I don’t think so.” She looked back with a shrug. “If I introduce you as my cousin, the thought shouldn’t even cross their minds. They’ll just assume that you and I would never…” She bit her lip as her cheeks turned a beautiful shade of pink.
Nodding, Kai took a large gulp of his wine. It seemed reasonable enough to think that her friends wouldn’t make that connection. Because who would suspect that, as family, they’d never met before that night? That, thanks to nicknames and lots of alcohol, they hadn’t recognized each other in the club. That they’d gone all the way without ever really finding out anything about the other. That they’d had mind-blowing sex without ever realizing that they shared the same last name.
No, who would ever be twisted enough to come up with that scenario?
Kai woke up Saturday morning feeling pretty good. And not just because he had finally adjusted to the time change and was up at a reasonable hour for a weekend morning. No, what had a smile plastered on his face when he opened his eyes, was the thought of going to Jessie’s place later.
Standing and stretching, he threw on a T-shirt and shuffled to the kitchen to make some coffee and have some cereal at his new table. He smiled the entire time he ate his breakfast, enjoying the ease of sitting at a table, and the sentiment behind the gift. His cousin was such a generous person. As Kai finished his bowl, he idly wondered if there was anything he could give to her. Some small, reciprocal token of appreciation. Unfortunately, he really didn’t have much yet. Maybe later, when he started getting some decent paychecks, he would get her something, or maybe take her out to a nice meal. Nothing too date-like though. Kai wouldn’t want to make either of them uncomfortable.