“Yes.”
His smile turns slow. Dangerous. “Good.”
The heat in my belly twists again, unfamiliar and insistent. It’s not the fever from before. It’s not weakness. It’s awareness.
Too bright. Too sudden.
“You think you’re charming,” I say, trying to regain ground. “But you’re just loud.”
“And you’re just pretending you don’t enjoy it,” he shoots back.
“I barely know you.”
“Then let me fix that.”
The shift in tone catches me off guard. Less teasing. More intent.
“I’ll take you out,” he continues. “Properly. No twin switch. No games. Just you and me.”
My heart stutters and I swallow nervously. “That’s a terrible idea.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re chaos.”
“And you’re scared to like it.”
I open my mouth to argue…and stop.
He sees it. Seesme.
“There it is,” he says softly. “That look.”
“What look?”
“The one where you’re deciding whether you want to hate me or kiss me.”
My breath catches.
I hate that he’s close to the truth.
“I’m not kissing you,” I say.
He leans in half an inch more. “You’ve thought about it.”
“I haven’t.”
“You just did.”
The heat spikes again, sharper this time. My body is reacting before my pride can shut it down.
Kai’s nostrils flare slightly. He doesn’t say anything else about it. But his eyes darken, and fuck, if it doesn’t look good on him.
“You don’t like not being in control,” he says quietly.
“Andyoudon’t like being told no.”
His grin returns, softer now. “You didn’t say no.”