The light above the elevator door illuminated, and the doors opened. Kai took one step into the apartment and then hesitated, a small bouquet of wildflowers held out awkwardly before him.
“Oh,” he said, the boyish grin he’d worn fading quickly. “You’re, um, not alone. Omar said I was on the list and I could come on up.” He looked like he might just turn around and go back the way he’d come.
I hurried around the counter and to where he stood. Kissing him quickly on the cheek, I said, “You’re definitely on the list. I wrote the list myself. Come in.”
Still holding the flowers, he let them drop to his side. He walked with purpose toward Avery like a determined, very masculine florist. He held out his hand. “Kai Malloy.”
Avery scrambled off the kitchen stool and stood. He pushed his chest up and out, which only made the height difference between him and Kai more noticeable. “Avery Michaels. Great to meet you, buddy.”
Kai nodded slowly. “Avery Michaels. Exec chef at Thrill, right?”
Avery tossed his head to the side, looking suddenly like an arrogant filly first time out at the track. “One and the same. I’m afraid Charlie has probably relayed plenty of stories about me.” He punched Kai a little too hard on the shoulder. “Sorry, dude, that I’ve had to keep her out so late and so often.” He smiled at Kai, but I could feel the bolt of tension connecting the two.
I cleared my throat, hoping the dance of the strutting roosters would come to its end. “Well, Avery, thanks for coming by. I’ll see you at work tonight.”
“Definitely,” he said and winked at me. “Looking forward to it.” He nodded to Kai. “Great to meet you, man. Stop in sometime at the restaurant. I’ll hook you up with a free drink at the bar.”
Kai said nothing, just stared and flexed his jaw.
I swallowed hard and made big eyes at Avery to remind him where the elevator was. Just before the doors slid to a close, he wiggled his fingers at us in farewell.
“Sorry about that,” I said.
“About what?” Kai’s tone had hardened. “Just a visit from your boss. At your home. During nonwork hours. What’s there to be sorry about?” He wouldn’t meet my gaze.
I lifted my chin. “Nothing, I guess. You’re right. We’re all adults.” I glanced at the flowers hanging limp by his side. “Are those for me?”
Kai looked distractedly toward where my eyes had landed. “What? Oh. Yes. I picked them from my backyard.” He sounded irritated that he even had a backyard.
I took them from his hand and pulled his other arm around me. “Thank you,” I said, standing close to his solid warmth. “I’m kind of disgusted that you are more domestic than I am and able to grow flowers, but I’m also really happy you picked them for me.”
Kai leaned into me and kissed me, hard and long on my mouth. When he came up for air, I thought I saw a glint of triumph in his eyes. “The woman who lived in the house before me planted them. I can’t really take any credit.” He grinned and pulled me to him again. “But I’ll take the credit any way. And another kiss.”
“Seems like fair payment,” I murmured. His touch was softer now, sweeter, lingering. He gathered me into his arms, and I rested my face against his neck. I breathed in his smell, scrubbed clean and with a touch of cologne.
“I missed you this week,” he said into my hair.
“Me, too,” I said and felt an instant tinge of guilt. In truth, though I had thought about Kai often, I had been running hard and fast all week. Missing him had become a victim of my things-to-worry-about list, and I felt bad about that.
He pulled away. I couldn’t read his expression. “I’d love to stand here and hold you for another six hours or so, but I should probably head to work in about an hour. Sunshine is starting to weary of my sudden disappearances.”
“I’ll bet,” I said. Reluctant, but knowing Kai was right to remind me of the time, I returned to the kitchen in search of a second vase. I tried to be discreet as I pushed Avery’s gargantuan flower arrangement into a corner. “I hope you aren’t telling her you’re coming to see me every time you skip out and leave her to run things on her own.”
“Of course I tell her,” Kai said, an edge creeping back into his voice. “I have nothing to hide.”
I paused, my hands hovering above Kai’s flowers. “I didn’t mean to imply that you did,” I said slowly. I matched the intensity of his gaze. “Kai, are we talking about me here, or you?”
He gripped the stool in front of him but didn’t sit down. “Sorry. I guess I’m not over it. I think it’s weird that you and Avery were hanging out in your apartment. There. I said it.” His eyes stayed fixed on mine.
I shoved the flowers into the vase too roughly and two daisy stems broke in half. Sweeping them up with my hands, I said, “Kai, there is absolutely nothing going on between me and Avery. You know that.”