Jessie thought about it all the way home. The look on Gram’s face, the tenor of her voice. It was almost like she was anticipating a tragedy in Kai’s life. Jessie wondered what could possibly be coming for Kai…right up until she pulled into her driveway and saw his bike on the curb. Then she forgot all about her grandmother’s odd statement, and focused on another problem.
It was Saturday, and Kai and April had another date. Their third date. And everyone knows what happens on the third date. Well, everyone who knows April, knows what happens on the third date, if not sooner. Jessie knew from listening to April’s stories about her dates with Kai that it hadn’t happened yet. Much to April’s dismay, it hadn’t gotten anywhere near happening yet. But April liked Kai, and April liked sex, and she was determined to combine the two things she liked tonight. She’d mentioned that little fact to Jessie this morning. Jessie hadn’t been able to eat anything all day long.
Jessie hated it so much. She hated thinking about another woman’s hands on his body, a body that had last been touched and caressed by her. She hated that she was about to be erased from his skin. Not that there was actually any physical part of Jessie left on Kai, or vice-versa, but Jessie liked to think that the last person you were with, somehow stayed with you. Their essence stayed a part of you, until it was replaced by someone else. Jessie was fairly certain that Kai hadn’t slept with anyone else yet. Not that he would mention that to Jessie. But with how close they were, and how he’d reacted to her comment about his coworker, and how slow he was taking things with April, Jessie just knew there was no one else. Jessie also knew that April would be persistent on this, and Kai was making an effort to move past her. Sex was how guys moved on.
She hated thinking about it…and she couldn’t stop. It still filled her with revulsion when she thought of her and Kai’s one night together, but it gave her warm feelings, too. Deep feelings that she shouldn’t have for her cousin. So as difficult as it was to watch him pursue a romance with April, as hard as it was going to be to listen to April talk about their incredible sex life all the time, Jessie had to endure it. It was the only way for both of them to let go.
Pushing back the pinpricks of tears stinging her eyes, Jessie tore her gaze from Kai’s bike and prepared herself to see him again. Butterflies tickled her stomach as she opened her front door. Wrong as it was, seeing him still affected her, even after all these weeks, even after seeing him less and less. Just the fact that the excitement hadn’t gone away yet was further proof that they were on the right track. She had to get to a point where the thought of seeing his face didn’t make her want to squeal like a school girl.
Walking into her home, Jessie steeled herself to be all right with whatever she might see. Stomach clenched in anticipation, her eyes quickly swept the living room. She let out a soft exhale when she discovered the room empty. Good. She didn’t think she could handle stumbling upon them kissing. Thinking the two of them were probably in the kitchen, Jessie turned to go to her bedroom; she didn’t want to see the two of them laughing and making small talk before heading out to destinations unknown. She’d seen enough of that recently to last a lifetime.
Moving away from where she thought they were, Jessie ended up facing them. She could only stare in shock as Kai and April stood at the far end of the hallway, in front of Jessie’s bedroom door. Her heart started pounding. Oh, God, they were bypassing the date and heading straight for the finish line. Jessie wanted to run, but she couldn’t move.
April had him cornered at the end of the hall. She was leaning into Kai, pressing as much of her body against him as she could. Leaning up, she touched her lips to his. He seemed a little uncomfortable with the contact and didn’t return the kiss, but he didn’t pull away either. Neither one of them seemed to notice Jessie standing at the other end of the hall, watching them.
April smiled, undaunted, and began peppering him with light kisses. Kai relaxed, and his lips began to move with hers. Jessie was horrified yet entranced by their progressing connection. As she stupidly continued staring, she noticed that Kai was tentative, not enjoying it nearly as much as April. Was that because of her?
Just as Jessie thought to leave them alone, her heart heavy, like it was slowly being crushed by a thousand lead weights, Kai pulled away from April. Face intense, like he was contemplating something important, he studied his date. Then, some silent decision reached, his hand wrapped around April’s waist, and for the first time that Jessie had ever seen, Kai leaned down to her, initiating the contact. A new kind of horror filled Jessie’s gut as she watched Kai’s mouth passionately move over her friend’s. Betrayal surged through her, forcing her to stomp down the hall. Oddly enough, it was the exact same feeling that had flashed through her when she’d caught Jeremy screwing that other woman.