Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
KAI
I ’m sitting in my usual seat in class when Serena rushes in, her cheeks flushed with exertion, her curls floating around her face like a halo. She’s not late today. In fact, we have another ten minutes before class starts, so I’m not sure what her rush is. She makes her way to the back row where I’m sitting, an excited sparkle in her jade-colored eyes. I shift uncomfortably in my seat, realizing that she’s planning on sitting next to me today. Between the sexy as fuck dream I had about her and my run-in with Dominick, I’m not ready to be this close to her again.
Serena collapses into her seat, her body pressing against mine in the small auditorium seating. I catch a whiff of her jasmine and hibiscus shampoo, and it goes straight to my dick. Shit, since when do I notice what she smells like? Has she always smelled this good? I shift in my seat, trying to put some space between us, but she just turns, flashing me the most jubilant smile, and I am momentarily struck dumb by how gorgeous she is. Her smile could rival the brightest star, and the excitement radiating from her is infectious.
“Damn, ReRe, did you win the lottery or something? Did Jensen Ackles finally accept your marriage proposal?”
Serena bites her lower lip and shoots me a coy smile, sending a jolt of lust shooting through me. What. The. Fuck. She’s been next to me for all of sixty seconds and I’m already painfully turned on. I shift again, lowering the book I was reading onto my lap, hiding the evidence of my arousal.
“Something like that… Dominick is taking me away for the weekend to a cabin in the mountains. He arranged it with Mrs. G, and she’s going to come stay with Mom while I’m gone. Isn’t that so sweet? I haven’t had a weekend off in so long!” Serena leans her head against my shoulder and wraps her arm around my own, giving it a tight squeeze.
“He said he’s tired of watching me work myself to death and that I deserve a break, so he contacted Mav at the bar and got me off the schedule for the weekend.” She lets out a dreamy sigh, and I bite back the urge to point out to her that I’ve told her the same exact thing.
“That’s…nice. Are you sure your mom is going to be okay with you being gone the whole weekend?” Fuck knows I’m not okay with it. Not even a little bit.
“Yeah, Dom talked to her and Mrs. G together while I was at work, and Mom got so excited, she immediately wrote it down in her journal and told Mrs. G to make sure I went. She said, and I quote, ‘If that girl doesn’t go on this trip, then I’ll go in her place and steal her boyfriend’.” Serena cracks up at her own impression of her mom, and I force a brittle smile while a sour jealous feeling claws at my chest.
The idea of her spending the weekend away with the douchewaffle that threatened me sends a sense of dread slithering through my body.
“So anyway, we are leaving after I’m done with class tomorrow and won’t be back until late Sunday.” Serena continues on, completely oblivious to my discomfort. “Do you mind checking in on Mom and Mrs. G while I’m gone to make sure they’re okay? I know they won’t call me short of a meteor hitting the house, and I need to know someone will let me know if something happens with Mom.” When I don’t answer right away, still lost in my own thoughts, Serena pulls away and looks up at me, a concerned expression furrowing her brows.
“Kai? Is something wrong?” I shake off her touch and put some space between us as Dominick’s threat from this morning plays through my mind.
“Yeah…no. Everything is fine. I’ll try to check on your mom while you’re gone.” She seems put out by my noncommittal answer but before she can press me about it, Professor Jacobs clears his throat, directing our attention to the front of the room. Serena shoots me one last narrow-eyed curious look before turning her attention to the lecture.
When class ends, I pack up my computer and move to leave when Serena stands in front of me, looking up at me expectantly with her gem-colored eyes. “Wanna grab lunch?”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to accept her invitation, but Dominick’s warning plays in the back of my mind. I should tell her about his behavior, but will she believe me? Or will she think I’m jealous, and I’m just trying to break them up? As I’m about to accept her invitation, her phone buzzes in her back pocket, diverting her attention away from me.
“Oh, hang on; it’s Dom. Let me get this.” Serena holds a finger up for me to wait. “Hey, Pumpkin, what’s up?” Her face lights up when she answers her phone with a giddiness I haven’t seen from her since before her parents’ accident. The sick realization that Dominick might be right about him being the man for her crawls through my brain like a spider, and I decide to take the opportunity to escape to sift through my own feelings.
“Actually, ReRe, I have lunch plans. I gotta go. I’ll call you later.” She looks at me, a disappointed frown tugging at her full, voluptuous lips at my dismissal. I flash her what I hope is a reassuring smile before squeezing around her to make my escape, leaving her staring after me with hurt and rejection dancing across her face.