If there was ever a clusterfuck of a night it was tonight. I dump Kai for my mystery guy, only to get my heart broken. I thought about calling Dani to tell her what happened, but I couldn’t even stomach the embarrassment. I’m done with Society X. There’s no way I can ever show my face there again. My heart was crushed, but maybe it’s for the best. Unfortunately, all I can think about as I drive to Kai’s is how my night in the dark room ended.

I show up at the club and Jared takes me to the dark room. I’m nervous to be in there, but I take off my clothes and lie on the bed. A part of me is torn because I have feelings for Kai, and yet, I’m there about to be with another man. The more time that ticks by, I question why I’m there. When the door opens, I’m shocked to see a shine of light as well. I look up, thinking I’ll see my mystery man, but instead, it’s Jared. Clearing his throat, he directs his gaze at the floor.

“I’m sorry, Alexandria. Your partner never showed up.”

The world crashes all around me and I jump out of bed, rushing past him into the dressing room. I throw on my clothes and leave, never once looking back.

Tears stream down my cheeks and I angrily wipe them away. How dare he ask me to the dark room and not show? My mind is set. I never want to be with him again. When I get to Kai’s apartment, I can smell the scent of garlic and oregano outside the door. My stomach growls. Maybe I can eat my way out of a broken heart. Before I can knock, the door opens. Kai gets one look at my face and his smile fades. He pulls me into his arms.

“He’s not worth it, Dria.”

Burying my head in his chest, I breathe him in. “Call me Alex,” I whisper.

He rubs my back. “Alex it is then.”

“I’m so very sorry. Please forgive me for today.”

Clutching my arms, he pulls me away, his expression serious. “There’s nothing to apologize for. We both made mistakes today.”

My brows furrow. “What have you done?”

“Nothing worth talking about,” he replies with a shake of his head. “All that matters is that it’s over and we’re here now.”

I nod, even though my heart still hurts. “The food smells delicious. I’m sensing Italian.”

He grins. “Chicken Parmesan. Then for dessert, I have a shit ton of chocolate ice cream. Or if you prefer chocolate frosting we can run down to the store.”

“The ice cream’s fine,” I giggle.

Taking my hand, Kai leads me into his apartment. His brown leather couch and chair probably cost more than all the furniture in my house. When I sit down on the couch, he pours us both a glass of white wine.

“I think we both could use it.”

I scoff. “That’s an understatement.”

The wine goes down like water and I can already feel it coursing through my veins. Kai sits down beside me, but he keeps a little space between us. “Care to talk about it?”

Grabbing the bottle of wine, I fill my glass to the rim. “There’s really nothing to say. He wants to meet me and then he doesn’t show up.” I gulp down more of the wine. “Doesn’t matter anyway. It was stupid to even consider it. What we had wasn’t real.” Taking a deep breath, I gaze into his eyes. “Not like what we have between us. Spending time with you today felt amazing.”

He reaches over and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “I agree. I’m just hoping you’ll drop those walls of yours and let me in. I don’t like sharing those I care about with other men.”

Hearing those words sends a flood of warmth through my body. I’ve never had a man want me all to himself. Then again, I’ve never had anything serious before. “What about you?” I counter. “If you don’t want to share me, does that go for you as well?”

“Is that what you want?”

For a second, I contemplate it all. Am I really ready for a commitment after I just lost my virginity to another man? “I’ll let you know,” I say sweetly. “I think I just need a little more time.”

His lips pull back in a sly grin. “Okay, I get it. It’s probably for the best. There’s no need to rush.” A part of me wants to give in, but my heart’s not ready for it. He pats my leg and stands. “Let’s eat. I’m starving.” He takes my hand and I follow him into the kitchen. Everything smells so amazingly good. “Have a seat,” he says, pulling out a chair. After fixing my plate, he sets it down in front of me. When he sits down, I can’t help but stare at him in awe. His brows lift. “Everything okay?”

I glance down at my food and it looks delicious. “It’s more than okay. I’m just shocked is all.”

“Of what?”

“You,” I reply. “I’m not used to a man serving me. I grew up with my mother doing everything for my father. The man doesn’t even make his own dinner plate.” I stuff a bite of chicken in my mouth and it practically melts it’s so good.

Kai shook his head. “That’s kind of fucked up. My father never expected my mother to take care of him.”

I shrug. “My mother doesn’t mind doing the things she does, but I knew long ago I didn’t want to be like that. It’s one of the reasons I left. If my parents had their way, I’d be married with ten kids.”

Kai bursts out laughing. “Sounds like my mother. She’s dying to have grandkids.”

“Is she the one who taught you how to cook?” I ask, finishing the rest of my food.

He nods. “My father used to travel a lot with work. We lived not far from the schools, and I’d walk home every day. When my mother got home, she was always tired, so I’d help her fix dinner.” He smiles down at my plate. “Obviously, I did something right. Maybe I could come to work for you when you start your own business.”

I snort. “I wish. I refuse to even try to get a business loan until Sandy retires.”

“I understand. You value your relationship with her. That’s rare in the world today. The people I work with would turn on me in a heartbeat if given the opportunity.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. I’m hoping Dani and Adrienne will come work for me when I do get my own business. They’re like family.”

Getting up, Kai takes our plates to the sink. “I’m glad you have friends like that. Most of mine have gone different ways over the years.”

“You have me now.”

He smiles. “That’s all I need.” He stares down at me, and then nods toward the living room. “Why don’t we relax for a while and maybe watch a movie?”

“As long as it’s a comedy. I don’t want to cry anymore.”

Putting his arm around me, he leads me to the couch. “Trust me, there’ll be no more crying tonight.” We sit down and I take off my shoes so I can face him. He does the same, and our knees slightly touch as we look at each other. His eyes darken and it’s almost like I can sense his need for me. My own desire feels like it’s going to explode right out of me.

“Want to know what I like most about you?” he asks, sliding his hands into my lap.

I peer down at our entwined fingers. “What?”

“Look at me,” he whispers. I do as he says and he moves closer, his lips incredibly close to mine. It’s the first time I’ve gotten a good look at all the different colors in his eyes. They’re mesmerizing. “I like how I feel when I’m around you. I can’t explain it.” Closing the distance, he kisses me gently. “Even when I kiss you, it just feels right.”

It makes no sense, but I feel the same way. “I know what you mean.”

He kisses me again, and this time, it’s deeper, harder. His hands slide up my body to my face, and the next thing I know, I’m lying on my back with him above me. Looking up at his face, I can just imagine doing the same thing while he makes love to me. My whole body tightens just thinking about it … but I’m not ready. Placing his forehead to mine, Kai kisses me one last time.

“Sorry,” he murmurs. “I got carried away. I know you want to take things slow.”

I palm his cheek. “I do, but I thoroughly enjoyed that.”

His arousal presses into my thigh. “Me too. What do you say we watch a movie and just lay here together all night?”

“All night? Think you can keep your hands to yourself for that long?”

He kisses me again and winks. “I promise not to touch you … much.”