Chapter 10
KAI
I step back to let Atlas in, but I keep my expression neutral. I take the coffee and the bag from him and move into the kitchen, where I set everything down on the counter.
“What’s happening?” I ask, turning to him.
There’s tension in his movements, like he’s bracing himself for a fight.
“I didn’t mean to say what I said yesterday,” he says. “I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
“Which part?”
He runs his hand through his hair. “You know what I’m talking about.”
“The part where you said there’s nothing in Pine Ridge for you?”
“Yes. Kai, I—”
I raise my hand to stop him. “You don’t owe me anything, Atlas. I know your life is in Denver. You don’t need to apologize for anything. You never lied about that.”
“But I didn’t speak the truth.”
“What do you mean?”
“I didn’t mean it the way it came out,” he says, stepping closer. “I was thinking about work, about money. About all the practical reasons I can’t stay. I wasn’t—” He seems to struggle with the words. “I wasn’t thinking about you.”
“I know we’ve only known each other for a few days,” I say quietly, looking away from him. “I know this is casual. You never promised me anything, Atlas. I’m not expecting promises. But when you said there’s nothing in Pine Ridge for you, I heard it as … I heard it as me being nothing.”
“That’s not what I meant,” he says, urgent.
“I know,” I say, and I do know. But knowing doesn’t make the sting of it any less real. “But that’s what I heard.”
He’s quiet for a long moment.
“I spoke to my dad about it,” he says finally. “After I left the café. He pointed out that I could work remotely, that I could look for jobs outside of Denver, that there are options I hadn’t considered. And while we were talking, I realized …”
I look at him, waiting.
“I realized that I was using work as an excuse,” he says.
“Because I was scared. I like you, Kai. More than I expected to like someone after just a few days. I’m so scared that I’m messing everything up and that I’ll never have a chance to make it right and that I’ll lose the only good thing that happened to me in a year. ”
I turn the coffee cup around, suddenly needing to keep my hands busy. “What are you saying?”
“I want to stay,” he says. “Not just for work or because I have nowhere else to go. But because of you. Because I want to see where this goes with you.”
I look at him, really look at him, and I can see the vulnerability in his expression. The fear that I might not believe him.
“We’ve only known each other for a few days,” I say carefully.
“I know.”
“But I like you too,” I admit, the words coming out softer than I intended. “More than I should, probably. More than makes sense.”
“Is that a bad thing?” he asks.
“I don’t know yet,” I say. “I’ve been hurt before. I’ve been with people who weren’t honest about what they wanted. And I told myself I wouldn’t do this again—wouldn’t let myself fall for someone who wasn’t sure about their feelings for me.”
“I’m sure,” Atlas says. “About staying in Pine Ridge. I’m not sure about a lot of things, but I’m sure about that.”
“And about me?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
He moves closer, narrowing the distance between us. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been more sure of anything. I’m terrified, but I’m sure.”
I reach out and take his hand, needing the physical connection. “I’m scared too.”
“Of what?”
“Of getting hurt. Of this being temporary. Of you changing your mind once the novelty wears off.”
He squeezes my hand gently. “I won’t change my mind.”
“You can’t promise that,” I say, but there’s no accusation in my voice. Just the truth.
“No,” he agrees. “I can’t. But I can promise that I’m going to try. That I’m going to be honest with you. That I’m not going anywhere.”
I want to believe him. I want to let myself fall into this without fear. But I’ve been careful for so long, protecting myself, that it’s hard to let those walls down.
“Can we just … take it slow?” I ask. “I know that probably sounds strange considering what we’ve already done, but emotionally, I need to take this slow.”
“As slow as you want,” Atlas says.
I kiss him, soft and slow, and it feels like a promise. Not a promise that everything will be perfect, but a promise that we’re both going to try.
When we break apart, I’m breathing hard.
“I really like you,” I say. “Even though it terrifies me.”
“I really like you too,” he replies. “About the slow stuff …” He kisses me again until my brain is mush. “How slow are we talking about?”
I pull him toward the couch, and he follows willingly. I sit down and take him with me, guiding him to straddle my lap. He settles there, his knees on either side of my hips, and I can feel the weight of him, the warmth of his body.
“Hi,” he says softly, his forehead resting against mine.
“Hi,” I reply.
We kiss again, and this time it’s colored with desperation. His hands grip my shoulders, and I slide my hands down his back, pulling him closer. He rocks his hips against mine, and I groan into his mouth.
“I take it this speed is okay,” he says, breaking the kiss slightly.
“Fuck yeah. This is more than okay,” I say.
He continues rocking against me, and I meet each movement with my own. The friction builds between us, and my cock goes rock-hard in my sweatpants. He’s hard too—I can feel it against my thigh.
“Kai,” he breathes, his head tilted back.
I lean forward and kiss his neck, my hands firm on his hips to guide his movements. We find a rhythm, moving in sync, the friction between us building toward the inevitable.
“Oh fuck, Kai. You feel so good,” Atlas says, his voice rough.
“Keep going, Atlas. Don’t stop.”
He doesn’t stop until we’re both coming. Atlas tenses above me, his face buried in my neck, and I follow moments later, the pleasure radiating through my entire body.
We collapse together, breathless and sweaty, and I just hold him for a moment. His heart is racing against my chest, and I can feel his breath evening out gradually.
“I’m going to need to go home to change clothes,” he says after a few minutes, laughing when he looks at his jeans and the small wet patch that will only get bigger the longer he keeps them on.
I laugh too, the sound bubbling up from somewhere deep inside me. “Maybe you should bring a few spare changes. You know, just in case we get carried away other times.”
He pulls back to look at me, and the softness in his expression makes my chest ache. “That’s not too fast?”
“I changed my mind,” I say. “We can go as fast as it feels right.”
We spend the rest of the morning and early afternoon working on the presentation.
I put his clothes through the wash while we work so he doesn’t have to go home to change.
Even in my borrowed loose sweatpants and too-big T-shirt, Atlas is the sexiest man I’ve ever been with, and trying to concentrate when I know we’ll have a real chance to see where this thing between us is going is harder than I thought.
But not impossible. At least not after a second round of orgasms in the shower before we finally get to work.
Atlas has organized everything Jordan sent him into a clear, compelling narrative. We go through it together, refining the language, making sure the evidence is presented in a way that’s accessible to the community.
By the time we need to leave for the community center, I’m confident that what we have will make it difficult for people to dismiss HelixGen’s threat.
The parking lot at the community center is already packed, and people are streaming in through the doors. I’ve never seen this many people gathered for a community meeting.
When we get out of the car, Atlas stops.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, coming around to his side.
“It feels like a lifetime ago when I sat in my car, afraid to come out with the truth and disappoint my parents on their special day. It’s been a week.”
I pull him into my arms, and he places his hands on my chest, his fingers tracing circles on my shirt. “I’ve never been happier to have someone barge into the Airstream and confess their sins in my presence.”
He laughs. “I can’t believe you came looking for me.”
I shrug. “I knew someone with such a soft, mellow voice had to be sexy.”
“You didn’t know that.”
“No, I didn’t, but I knew something more important. The honesty and worry in your voice got to me more than if I’d met you through an app or across a bar. Because I got to know the real Atlas from the start.”
“Keep saying things like that and not only am I never leaving Pine Ridge, I’m never leaving your side.”
“You say it like it’s a bad thing.” I kiss him again and then put some much-needed distance between us so we can do what we set out to do.
Inside, the community center is bursting at the seams. Chairs are filled, and people are standing along the walls, crowding the back of the room. The energy is electric—people are talking, whispering, and wondering about what has brought them here.
The mayor stands near the front of the room, and he’s not looking pleased. His jaw is clenched, his expression tight. He clearly didn’t expect this kind of turnout.
Carol finds us in the crowd and pulls us aside.
“We managed to get more than enough signatures,” she says proudly. “More than enough to make sure you can have a vote. The mayor can’t stop this now.”
Atlas’s hand finds mine, and I squeeze it gently. We’re really doing this. We’re about to take on HelixGen Corp in front of the entire town.
The mayor calls for order, and the room gradually quiets. He looks angry, but he also looks trapped. He knows what’s ahead.
“Thank you all for coming,” he says, his voice strained. “I understand there’s been a request for a community vote regarding the HelixGen Corp partnership. We have enough signatures to make this vote mandatory, so we’ll be proceeding with a vote today.”
He gestures toward the front of the room. “If anyone has information or concerns about this partnership, they’re welcome to speak.”
I look at Atlas, and he gives a tight smile. We move toward the front, ready to present our evidence. Ready to fight for Pine Ridge.