Red-hot fire burned through every part of her. Seeing them make-out, knowing where it was going to end up…turned out it was more than Jessie could handle. Knowing she was out of line, out of place, and possibly out of her mind, she stormed right up to the pair.
“Hey! You guys mind not doing that right in front of my bedroom?” Jessie wasn’t sure which person her question was directed at. Both turned to look at her—April seemed annoyed at the intrusion, Kai looked guilty, like he’d just gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Jessie focused on him. “Are you going to go on your date, or are you going to make out in the hall all night?”
Kai opened his mouth, but April was the one who responded first. “We were just getting ready to leave. I thought you were hanging out at your grandmother’s house tonight?”
“I changed my mind.” Jessie swung her eyes to her friend. She had a suggestive smirk on her face that enraged Jessie, and Jessie couldn’t hold back the words that were slowly killing her. “Don’t leave on my account, April. All you’ve talked about since you first saw Kai was getting into his pants. Why bother with the formality of an actual date, when you could just screw him right here on the floor?”
April instantly bristled, while Kai’s eyes widened in shock. “Wow, bitchy much? What the hell has you all bent out of shape? What do you care if Kai and I want to get to know each other better? We’re both consenting adults.”
Jessie knew April was right, and that knowledge pissed her off even more. “God, April, don’t be a whore. Have some self-respect,” she snapped.
April looked like Jessie had just physically assaulted her. “Seriously? You are gonna use that word on me? That’s interesting, coming from a girl who just a few weeks ago fucked a total stranger whose name she can’t even remember. At least I’ve gone on a couple of dates with him.” She jerked her thumb back at Kai. He closed his eyes, clearly wanting to be anywhere other than here.
Jessie sputtered for a good comeback. All she had was, “At least I wasn’t the one walking around with a condom in my pocket that night! You were prowling for action!”
April’s eyes narrowed as she stepped into Jessie. “That pervy dude slipped it to me. And I might have had it, but you’re the one who used it!” She poked her finger into Jessie’s chest. Jessie started a rebuttal, but April was riled up now and beat her to it. “Am I not good enough to screw your cousin? Is that it? You just don’t want me near your family?”
Jessie hated this entire conversation, hated that she was fighting with her friend, and hated that April was pointing out Kai’s DNA. She didn’t want to think about that right now. She didn’t want to think about anything other than how to stop April from sleeping with Kai.
Jessie had a scathing comment on her lips, one that would probably end her friendship with April, but just as she opened her mouth to say it, Kai stepped forward and grabbed her elbow. She tried to pull away from him, but his grip was like iron. Turning to April, he said, “Jessie and I need to talk for a minute. We’ll be right back.”
Her face red and splotchy, April snipped, “Whatever,” and crossed her arms over her chest.
Leaving her fuming in the hallway, Kai pushed Jessie through her bedroom door, then walked in and closed it behind them. Jessie’s chest was heaving as she watched him slowly turn around to face her. He looked as angry as she felt. “What the hell are you doing? Do you want her to remember it was me at the club? Do you want her to know about us?”
Knowing she was being jealous and irrational, Jessie sputtered, “What the hell were you doing? Were you going to sleep with her? Already?” She knew that sounded ridiculous, since April was right, and she’d slept with him much, much sooner.
Kai glanced behind himself, at the closed door. Jessie could hear April screeching to Harmony in the kitchen, then she heard her boots stomping down the hallway, most likely to complain to Harmony about Jessie. Bringing his sea-green eyes back to Jessie, Kai pointed his thumb over his shoulder. “You think we were about to have sex because we were kissing?”
Jessie stepped forward, closing their distance. Pain, anger, and jealousy clouding her common sense, she spat, “You have your third date tonight. I know what happens on third dates, I know the rule.” Jessie pointed at April’s bedroom door, right across from hers. “I know what was about to happen in there.”
Kai closed his eyes and sighed. He seemed exhausted when he reopened them. Staring at her with wistful eyes, he calmly said, “That’s not my rule, Jessie. I had no plans…to do anything.”