Unbound (Forbidden Bond Book 1)(42)
"I was going to ask you the same question." She grinned back. It struck her that if she'd met Kayden before Chase, he would have been the perfect guy, as long as he was willing to give up his pursuit of other girls.
His lips stretched across his face, and she wondered if she'd projected that thought. How embarrassing would that be? She really needed to learn to build better walls in her mind. He scooted over slightly, extending his arm to help her climb in with him. She hesitated but climbed in with him. The hammock, it held them tightly against each other. He let her use his arm for a pillow. Again she felt a sense of comfort in his arms. It was quiet for a bit. She decided to let him speak first, not wanting to give the impression that she'd come to talk. He was very good at letting her think without pestering her, but she was beginning to feel guilty for crawling into the hammock. She was comfortable with Kayden, but she had the growing suspicion that he would want far more than friendship. That could be a good thing eventually, but she needed time to get her life straight first. "So, about that kiss today?" he interrupted her thoughts.
"I'm sorry if I offended you." She started to pull away from him, embarrassed. That was the one thing she didn't want to talk about.
"You didn't offend me, but you surprised the hell out of me. To tell you the truth, I've wanted to kiss you since that first night at the club, but Chase saw you first and made it clear that you were off-limits."
"Off-limits, huh? It's too bad you listened to him." She was a little annoyed by Kayden's easy acquiescence to Chase. Did everyone do what he said? "I guess it's bros before bitches, right?"
Kayden stiffened and looked down at her. "It's hard to explain, and I don't expect you to understand. You don't know our ways."
That was only the damn truth, but it stung her anyway. He was right. She was an outsider. She guessed she always would be. "You're right. I guess I'll have to learn as I go. I'm going to bed." Lord, she sounded like a pouty child, but she didn't have it in her to pretend all was well.
Suddenly she didn't care to explore the mysteries of vampirism. She just wanted to go to bed and forget they even existed. She rolled out of Kayden's arms and off the hammock, heading for the guest room.
Kayden reached the doors that led to the guest room but they were locked. There was no damn way he was letting her walk away without trying to explain himself. It was obvious he'd upset her, and he didn't like that feeling. He wanted to get closer to her, not push her away. When he'd held out his arms to her and she shyly climbed into the hammock, he'd wanted to shout a victory cry. She was letting him comfort her and it had been going so well, until he opened his big mouth. He should've just held her and kept quiet, but the memory of that kiss kept circling his mind. He wanted to kiss her again, and again after that.
He used his telekinesis to unlock the doors. She stood on the other side of the bed, hands on her hips, glaring at him. She'd removed her robe, and her modest pink nightgown distracted him for a moment. Damn it! She was sexy without even trying. When had neck-high, floral-print cotton become such a turn-on? He had to focus.
"Did you think that door could keep me out?" he asked.
"No. I don't believe that anything could keep you away from something or someone you wanted, Kayden." She put a huge emphasis on the word wanted. She crossed her arms over her chest.
"You don't understand, Dani. There are so many things you don't understand." He shook his head and raked a hand through his hair.
"You know what I don't understand? I don't understand how you could say you wanted me from the night you first saw me, then you just stood by and allowed him to hurt me. You knew he was engaged, and he was playing with me, but that was alright because I was off-limits to you. So what did you care if I got hurt, right?" The anger and hurt bled from her tone. Kayden wanted to cross the room and take her into his arms, but he could tell by her rigid stance that she wouldn't let him near her. He wanted to be the male she would want to be with. The best way to start being that male was to help her learn about his people. He could start with the truth about Chase. It wouldn't hurt his case, and he could start her introduction to his society. The fact remained that Chase was betrothed and off the market either way.
"In his defense, and mine, Chase wasn't made aware of the arrangement until after he met you, and I didn't know about it until after you stormed out of his place the day of the incident with Sam," he tried to explain without giving Chase too much credit. He stepped closer to her.
She stepped back. "I want you to tell me what you think I don't understand. I want to understand, Kayden." She hopped up on the bed like she was ready for a bedtime story.
Kayden watched her, trying desperately not to think of her on that bed naked and sprawled out for him. He realized he wasn't doing a very good job when his rod twitched in his pants. He knew what was under those clothes, and he wanted to get a closer look.
"I'll tell you what you want to know, after you answer a few questions of mine-deal?"
She didn't respond but seemed to be waiting for his questions.
"I feel like an ass admitting this, but I feel something for you and I like it. I want it. So don't play games with me." She lowered her head for a moment, breathing deeply, but didn't respond. He continued, "That day at Chase's place, you told me you're not what we think you are. What does that mean?"
No answer. She got up and went to shut the door that was still wide open, allowing cool air to pour in. She seemed to be considering her response carefully. She stood there watching him with those pale-blue eyes until he couldn't take it anymore.
Slowly, he approached her and wrapped his arms around her petite body. Just like when he'd held her while she cried earlier that day, he could tell something was hurting her, and he had to try to help.
"I just need to know if you felt what I felt when you kissed me today. Everything else can wait until you are ready to talk to me." He held his breath, waiting for her to break the painful silence.
Finally, she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her forehead against his chest. "I'm going to be honest with you, Kayden, because you promised to help me."
He nodded tightly in response.
"I'm not in a good place right now. I broke up with my boyfriend recently. I have this intense connection with Chase that I can't explain. I even find him in my sleep, and he tries to talk to me. He has been trying like hell to apologize, but it means nothing to me. It's an empty apology. He told me he wanted it to be only me and him, just before that girl busted into his room. Then, he had to admit he had some ‘house' obligation to marry her or bond with her-whatever it is that you people do."
He interrupted, "You people?"
"Yes, you people. The whole race of people I was unaware of until I started school this fall. You think this shit has been easy for me? I was raised among humans. I never knew any others like me, and the human who raised me didn't know shit. My caretaker died, and I started school with no knowledge of others like me.
"I went to the club with my friends that first time and got all this special treatment. I came to understand later that it was because you people recognized me as one of your own. I had no idea who I was dealing with, until I was attacked." She shuddered and pushed out of his arms.
"All this stuff I can do didn't start happening until just before I started school. I have no one to teach me or explain anything to me. I thought I was going crazy. Griffin explained that it's normal for these things to be unknown until you come of age. Do you understand now why I'm so damn confused? This is a new world for me, and I don't have a single friend in it."
"I'll do anything I can for you," he vowed, and he found that he truly meant it. It wasn't an empty promise to get what he wanted.
"Don't say that until I finish." She paced back and forth across the room with her arms wrapped around her waist while she spoke. "I have feelings for Chase that I can't explain, but I wish they'd go away. I also enjoy being around you. You have been there for me several times, when I really needed a friend."
Kayden stopped her from pacing. He needed to touch her, comfort her.
"You make me feel safe," she whispered. "When I kissed you this afternoon, it started with teaching that jerk Darren a lesson and ended with me wanting more."
"I've wanted to kiss you since the first moment I laid eyes on you. I already told you that," he admitted.
She smiled weakly. "To answer your question plainly, yes, I'm attracted to you. You make me feel safe and not so damn alone, but I'm not ready for a committed relationship, not that you've asked for one, but I'm just putting it out there. I like you, Kayden. I enjoy your company. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?" She smiled and shrugged. "I think I'm gonna go try to find something to eat and go to bed. We can talk more tomorrow, if that's what you want. I don't have anything left in me tonight." Dani opened the door that led to the hall and left the room.