3. KAYLA
3
I can appreciate a little porn every now and then, but watching my cousin tongue wrestle with her boyfriend is not something that gets me in the mood.
Quite the opposite actually.
I settle deeper into the couch, watching how Jensen pushes Rae against the wall, his mouth covering hers.
He’s clearly not aware of the fact that I’m sitting right here to enjoy the show, but in my defense...I was here first.
Like a good houseguest, I just roll my eyes and watch the screen, hoping they’ll eventually notice me and move this somewhere else, though the two seem to merge like Siamese twins, so that might take a while.
I’m happy for my cousin. Jensen is a good guy, a brooding asshole, but a good guy nonetheless, and she deserves it.
But, man, the two of them fuck like bunnies on a mission to save our species from extinction. I’ve walked in on them at least a handful of times in the last two weeks, and that was not because I strolled into their bedroom unannounced.
No, apparently, they are still on a quest to christen every square inch of this house.
It’s cute.
Until you’re a witness, then it’s disgusting.
I clear my throat when the sound of their smooching becomes louder than the TV and Rae jumps up, her cheeks flushing.
“Keeks. I didn’t see you there.” She pulls the hem of her shirt down while Jensen gives me a slight scowl, his hands still firmly on her hips.
“Oh, yeah. Been sitting here for the last ten minutes. I thought the TV would be a good indication, but nope, the two of you are so in love you won’t hear a bomb dropping in the backyard as long as your tongues are pressed together. It’s impressive, really.”
“Right.” Rae gives Jensen an apologetic look, and he groans.
“Cockblocker.” His accusation is directed at me, and I offer him a taunting smile as my eyes follow him out of the room.
“I got you a job.” Rae sits down next to me, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
“What?” I almost choke on my sweet tea in excitement, muting the tv. “Where?”
The smile on my cheeks is quickly dropped to a glower when she repays it with a wary look. “Oh, no. I’m not going to work with Nana. The woman cooks a mean fried chicken, but I can’t take orders from that old bat.”
She rips out a laugh, pulling my drink from my hands and taking a big gulp before she folds her feet under her ass. “As if she would hire you.”
“Good point.”
“No, I got you a job at KPI.”
My lashes fly high and my spine springs straight. “What?”
She’s kidding, right?
“Kayman Publishing International? It’s the biggest publishing company in the country.”
“I know what it is,” I sputter impatiently. “It’s also Bodi’s company. You know? Hot Australian? Jensen’s best friend? The one who fucked me senseless on your last birthday.”
The last sentence has me flying back to that memory, instantly swallowing when I think about all the ways he managed to spark my senses alive. If I close my eyes, I can still imagine his tongue going through my folds while he brought me a high I didn’t even know was possible.
“Get your head out of the gutter, missy!” I bring my eyes back to a scowling Rae.
“Sorry,” I lie on a mumble, then conjure another smile. “So he’s offering me a job?”
“Yes. Personal Assistant.”
“To who?”
“Who do you think?” she huffs.
“I’m going to be his Personal Assistant?”
This is either the best idea or the worst, I’m not sure yet. All I know is that it sounds like a porn better than whatever Rae & Jensen just produced.
“Yes, and nothing else,” she says firmly. “He has his concerns considering your history. But I convinced him you’d be able to keep work and private life separate.”
“Of course, I can!” I squeal, waving her worry away.
I can do anything I want.
I think .
“This is a really great opportunity, Keeks.” She gives me a mindful look, laced with a little caution. “If you work there for a year without a degree, you’ll be able to work whenever you want. Don’t screw it up.”
She’s right. Bodi made KPI Publishing one of the biggest names in the industry and being able to put that on my resume will help me secure a future I thought was gone after I flew home two weeks ago. This will give me another shot at becoming an editor some day. I can work my way up, maybe go to a community college and take some online classes in the meantime.
It gives me a foot in the door.
A very promising door.
Owned by the hottest man I ever slept with.
Fuck .
“Kayla,” Rae’s brows glue together.
“I won’t screw it up! I think I can be a good PA. I like to organize stuff.”
“That means don’t sleep with him,” she clarifies.
Fucking fuck.
“Yeah, yeah, I know what it means.”
My phone starts to buzz next to me, and I flip it over to see who it is, butterflies in my stomach springing alive, hoping it’s Bodi. But my heart stutters when I see the name on the screen, those butterflies instantly dropping dead.
Fucking motherfucking fuck.
A lump the size of a bowling ball builds in the back of my throat, and I try to swallow it away while my gaze stays fixed on my phone. My hands tremble, even though I do my best to keep them straight, which is fucking hard with dread clouding my brain.
Why is he fucking still calling me?
I thought he’d stop by now. He’d forget all about me.
Out of sight, out of mind, right? But at least once a day, I get a minor heart attack when his name lights up my phone.
Just ignore him, Kayla. He’ll give up, eventually.
I wait for the phone to stop vibrating and his name to disappear from the screen, and all the while, it feels like I’m in a fishbowl. My name is called somewhere in the distance, but it doesn’t reach me completely as I keep my focus on the device.
It’s mocking me. Taunting me. Telling me that I’ll cave, as his voice rings in my polluted mind.
‘You’re so stupid,’ he says.
‘You’re nothing without me.’
‘Don’t pretend you can become anything without me.’
‘You’re such a fucking slut.’
“Kayla!” Rae snaps her fingers in front of my face, and I whip my head back up.
“What?” I ask, dazed, before I plaster a smile on my face that is fake as hell.
I really need to learn to manage this shit better.
Maybe I should start meditation or something.
She tilts her head, her brown eyes looking at me with apprehension. “Are you okay?”
Glancing down, I notice my phone has stopped ringing, his name now replaced by a one missed call .
My shoulders relax, my fake smile still in place. “Yeah, of course. It’s just someone from Stanford. Just hard now that I’m gone.”
I take a deep breath, praying she doesn’t notice my thundering heart.
“Ah.” Her hand lands on my leg. “I’m sorry, Keeks. It will get better.”
It will.
It has to.
“I know.” I push my dark thoughts away. “At least now I get to work for KPI. Who knows? Maybe it will be the best decision I ever made leaving Stanford. Thank you, Rae.”
“You’re welcome. Just don’t screw it up.”
“I won’t.”
This is a one time opportunity, and I’d be an idiot if I’d put that on the line by screwing with the boss.