“In the meantime, would you like to watch a movie?” he asks, catching me off guard.

“I…” I pause and search his face before lowering my voice and asking, “A movie?” Aye, Pika, and I watch movies often, but Kai has never even asked to watch one with us. And he honestly seems annoyed when he finds us all lazing on the couch together.

“It’s Saturday. There isn’t much going on, and I don’t need to work, so uh—”

“Okay,” I agree, cutting him off, seeing how uncomfortable he is with asking me, “but I get to pick.”

“No!” He shakes his head. “I’m not watching a chick flick.”

“I never said anything about watching a chick flick. I said I get to choose the movie.”

“Nope. I’m picking,” he says firmly.

I roll my eyes and hop off the lounger before he can stop me again. I look over my shoulder when I notice he’s not following me. “Are you coming?”

“Yep,” he mutters with his eyes glued to the waist of my bikini.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, looking down to where his eyes are locked.

“Your color is changing,” he says, his eyes traveling up my body, making me feel like I’m not wearing anything.

“I’ve been using sunscreen,” I tell him when the look in his eyes doesn’t change.

“I can see that,” he says so quietly that I almost don’t hear him.

I’m just about to ask him what his problem is, but then his hand goes to my waist and he pulls the side of my bikini down.

“What are you doing?” I ask, stepping away from his touch.

“Your tan lines…” He shakes his head like he’s coming out of some kind of trance.

“What?” I ask confused.

“Nothing. Are you ready?”

“Sure.” I bite my lip and walk into the house in front of him. The whole way, I swear I can feel his eyes roaming over my exposed skin. “I’ll be right back,” I mumble, running up the stairs and into my room, where I quickly grab an oversized shirt and slip it on before I run back down to the movie lounge. “What did you pick?” I ask, plopping myself down onto one of the overstuffed sofas.

“You’ll see.” He smiles at me over his shoulder, and that image alone is enough to make me want to go to him and kiss the smile off his face.

For a man who doesn’t smile often, when he does, it’s always stunning. It astounds me that someone who gives off the energy of a person you wouldn’t want to cross is the same man you would pray to spend a moment with just to see if you could get him to smile at you.

“Myla?”

“Hmm?” I ask.

“I asked if you would like something to drink?”

I feel my face heat up, realizing I was staring at him, and know that I need a moment to gather my wits before sitting alone with him in a quiet room. “Oh, I can get it.” I hop up off the couch and make it to the edge of the movie room before turning around and asking, “Would you like something?”

“A beer.” He smiles and I feel my already-hot skin become even hotter.

“Got it. Beer,” I say under my breath, quickly going to the kitchen.

By the time I make it back to the movie room, it has been a good fifteen minutes. I got drinks, made some popcorn, and dug around in the cupboards until I found some gummies and chocolate. I was killing time, but I knew that, if I was going to be around him, I would need to have provisions that would keep my mouth and my hands full while I was in such close proximity to Kai.

“So, what did you pick?” I ask him again before grabbing a handful of popcorn and shoving it into my mouth.

“You’ll see,” he says once more, coming to sit down right next to me.

I try not to look at him, but I can’t help it. I swear my eyes have a mind of their own. When I turn my head, he has what looks like an iPad in his hands and is pressing the screen.

I study him for a moment when I know he is completely caught up in what he’s doing. His hair is tied back like it usually is, and his jaw is locked in concentration. The slight bump in the center of his nose is more pronounced with the downward tilt of his chin. My eyes lock on his lips, and even from his profile, they look full and completely kissable.

“You’re staring at me.”

“Am not,” I tell him, putting popcorn into my mouth while turning my face towards the TV.

“I told you you’re attracted to me,” he mutters.

“Whatever.” I smile then look over at him when I feel his eyes on me. “What?”

“Nothing.” He grins, making my belly dip.

“So, what are you torturing me with?” I ask.

His eyes heat at my words, which makes me squirm in my seat. Without answering, he presses another button. Then the TV lights up and Die Hard begins to play.

“Oh my God! I love this movie,” I beam at him, and his hand comes up, his finger running over my lips before he drops his hand and turns to face the television again.

I inhale a deep breath, letting it out slowly before turning back to face the screen. We spend the rest of the day watching movies and relaxing, and by the time we’re both ready for bed, I have found something out about Kai that I never expected: he is definitely someone I can see myself falling head-over-heels in love with.

I also realized that, with him, it would never be as easy as just love. Love seems too simple of an emotion to describe what I’d feel for him if I allowed myself to go there.