28. Delilah
DELILAH
I wake with Kane's arm trapped beneath my shoulders, his breath warm against my temple.
I freeze, wondering if he'll treat me like glass after last night's safe word.
He shifts and groans. "My arm's completely dead."
"Oh." I start to roll away. "Sorry."
"Don't move." His other arm tightens around my waist. "I'm complaining for the sake of it."
"You're the most stubborn man I've ever met."
"And you're beautiful." He kisses my forehead. "Good morning."
My chest goes warm and tight.
"Are we going to talk about last night?" I say after a moment.
He looks at me, thoughtful. "Do you want to?"
"I thought maybe you'd be weird about it. Overly careful."
He leans down and kisses me. There's nothing careful about it. He's thorough and possessive and—
And just what I needed.
When he pulls back, I'm breathing hard.
"Still think I'm being careful?" he asks.
"No."
"Good." He pecks me once on the lips, as if to seal the topic forever. "Now get up. We need to pack before I have to share you."
Downstairs, Priya's already making coffee.
Kane catches my hand when I offer to help. "You are on vacation."
Priya smirks. "Someone's bossy."
"Someone spent all weekend watching his girlfriend try to work herself into the ground," Kane says.
"I was being helpful," I argue.
"You were being relentless."
Priya hands me coffee. "I'm on his side."
I pout. "Traitor."
"You're on vacation," Priya says. "Vacations are for kicking back and devouring bad paperbacks."
The instinct to push back bubbles up again, but this time, I don't give in. I'm smiling too hard.
Kane's hand finds mine under the table.
Priya's eyes flick between us. She makes wiggly eyebrows at me, ducks when I chuck a bread roll at her, and scurries back into the kitchen.
I try to follow, but Kane's hand keeps me firmly in the No-Work Zone.
"Traitors," I mutter. "Both of you."
But I'm still grinning like an idiot.
By noon, we're loading the cars.
Zara shoves her new rock collection into her bejeweled plastic purse. Niko and Yuri mutter to each other in Russian, looking like death, wrapped in a cloud of vodka scent and bad decisions.
I love that for them.
"Look at you," Priya says with a grin. "All relaxed and vacationed-out."
"Don't get used to it."
"We'll see. You clearly need more of this. And I already know Kane will back me up."
"Kane bullied me into submission," I say.
"Don't need to know what happens behind closed doors, Delilah."
"Priya!"
We end up giggling like teenagers.
Before we leave, I make everyone gather for photographs.
Niko groans. "Really?"
"I want proof we were all here." I arrange everyone on the porch. "Right here."
I pull Kane to the center.
Niko lifts the phone. "Smile."
Kane stands there, rigid as a board.
"You look like you're posing for a mug shot," I say.
"I'm not good at photographs."
"You're good at everything. Stop being difficult."
"This is just my face."
"Your face looks like you're planning a felony."
"Take the damn picture," Kane says.
"Not until you stop looking murderous." I poke his chest. "Smile."
"I don't smile for cameras."
"You smiled at Christmas."
"That was different. You were sitting on my lap."
I blush hard. "Kane."
He pulls me against him, hand splayed possessive across my hip. "Better?" he asks Niko.
"Much."
"If Lilah wants a photograph, she's getting one."
I look up at him. "You're only cooperating because you get to manhandle me."
"Obviously."
"That's not fair."
"If you keep arguing, I'm going to kiss you in front of everyone."
My breath catches.
"Taking the picture now," Niko says.
"You're still not smiling," I say.
Before I can react, Kane dips his head and kisses me. Not a quick peck. A real kiss.
I hear Zara squeal. Priya laughs.
When Kane pulls back, I'm breathless and flushed.
"Got it," Niko says.
"Now can we go?" Kane smirks.
I shove him. "You're insufferable."
"And you love me anyway."
He kisses my forehead. "Yeah. I do."
Back in the city, I scroll through photographs on Kane's couch.
Group shots. Priya and Zara. One blurry photobomb of a seagull.
Then the one Niko took after Kane kissed me.
I'm laughing, hand pressed to Kane's chest. Kane's looking down at me, all soft and unguarded. Happy.
I open our old holiday album from January. New Year's Eve. Russian Christmas. Valentine's Day.
I remember searching those images for proof Kane's feelings were real. Studying him, trying to convince myself he actually wanted me.
I almost ask him. Were you happy then? Or acting?
But he's already answered. He traded twenty years of work for me. He held me all night with the lamp on because I was feeling vulnerable. He kissed me in front of the camera like I was the only thing in the world.
The only reason I want to ask again is fear. Fear that trusting him means giving him power to hurt me.
But that's not fair to either of us.
I start a new section. Poconos, August 2027.
I add the group shot, then Priya and Zara, then the waterfowl photobomb. Finally, the one of me laughing while Kane looks at me like I'm everything.
I save the album and close my phone.
Kane comes in with water glasses. "What are you doing?"
"Looking at the pictures."
He sits beside me. "Did they turn out okay?"
"They're perfect." I lean against him. "I had a good time this weekend. Thank you for making me stop working."
"You're welcome."
"And for not being weird about last night."
"I'm never going to be weird about you using your safe word."
"I want to do this again. Just us."
His mouth curves. "When?"
"Whenever we can get away."
"I'll make it happen." He kisses my head. "Where do you want to go?"
"Somewhere we can be lazy. Sleep in. Eat breakfast in bed."
"You think you can manage doing nothing?"
"I managed this weekend."
"Barely." He pulls me closer. "But you're getting better. Slow progress is still progress."
"Baby steps, huh?"
"Baby steps count."
He tilts my chin up. I want to melt into him until I forget what we were talking about, but this is surprisingly nice too. Us, sitting down at home, chatting idly about nothing.
"What about you?" I ask, grinning. "Can you manage a weekend without checking in with Niko about work?"
"I'll leave my phone in the car."
"Promise?"
"Promise." He looks at me with those clear green eyes, and I feel that urge again—to melt in his arms and never quite pull myself back together. "I want a weekend where neither of us thinks about anything except each other."
"That sounds perfect."
"We could rent a beach house."
"I don't care where we go as long as you're there."
My chest goes warm. "You're being romantic again."
"Get used to it." He pulls me onto his lap. "I plan on being romantic more often."
I loop my arms around his neck. "Starting now?"
"Now."
He kisses me.
"We just got home. Don't you want to unpack?"
"I want you more."
My face heats. "Aren't you sick of me yet?"
"No. Are you sick of me?"
"No."
He stands, lifting me. "Then stop arguing."
He kisses me before I can say more.
Upstairs, he sets me on the bed.
"I have a question," I say against his lips, right before he kisses me.
Kane groans. "Is it important?"
"Very."
"Fine." He backs up, faux-sour, like I just took all his candy. "Ask away."
A grin breaks on my face. "If I'm not cooking on our next trip, and you're not checking in with Niko, what are we going to do?"
His mouth curves. "I have ideas."
"I'd love to hear all about it."
"What if I showed you instead?"
Heat pools low in my belly. "I'd like that."
"Good." He traces a slow line along my jaw. "Because I intend to keep you very busy."
His lips brush mine.
"Kane?" I gasp just before he closes the gap.
"Yeah?"
"I'm going to keep you busy too."
He smirks. "Wouldn't have it any other way, sladkaya."
When he kisses me next, I don't interrupt.