6

THAYER

Everything about Kennedy was sexy. The way she drunk the water was sexy. The way she talked and when she blushed. And damn if it wasn’t sexy on how she bit her bottom lip, and it seemed that she didn’t have any idea what she was doing to me. 

An irrational surge of jealousy coursed through me. It was new to me, and I didn’t know how to handle it. I almost broke out of my disguise. And who would have thought that the first person I would see in the morning was the woman who kept me awake last night? Then she came to me only wearing a fucking robe, and she wasn’t wearing underwear beneath.

Kennedy was driving me insane, and she wasn’t even aware of it.

I left her in the room to take some breaths. I was jealous of Ash earlier—the way he easily handled the awkward silence in the room. I should be thanking him. Instead, I almost commanded him in front of Kennedy. 

“Is everything okay?” It was Ash.

“Nothing is ever gonna be okay. I’m freaking out.”

“I thought you wanna know her.” He was amused. “What’s the matter?”

I glared at him. “I almost punched you in the face earlier. What’s wrong with me? I’ve never lost control nor lost my balance, but when I saw the two of you smiling at each other, I felt something that I shouldn’t have.”

“You have feelings for her. I get it. You’re jealous.”

“To a friend?”

“You’re territorial. That’s understandable for someone like you.”

“Is this even healthy?” I asked, confused.

“You haven’t hurt anyone. You haven’t ordered her not to talk to me. There’s nothing wrong with you, T. Just take it easy, okay? We still have a lot of things to work out. It’s gonna be okay. Just keep and maintain your cover for a while.”

“Thanks.” I joined them in their room. “Lud, I want you to buy clothes for Kennedy.”

Lud’s eyebrow raised in surprise, wearing an amused look on his face.

“Not a fucking word, Ludovic.” It was from Ash.

“We didn’t sleep together. She was only asking for a phone charger.”

“And how convenient it is? You, across her room, and she’s knocking on your door. I would say it’s fate. Call it fucking destiny.”

Pissed off, I shook my head. “Just do what I said, asshole.”

“Fine. What else?”

“You’re the manwhore. You should know what women should wear, you idiot,” Ash chided him.

“You two are not virgins. You enjoyed fucking as well.”

“Language.”

“I’m sorry. That was way out of line.” 

“Just get it done. And be quick.”

“Yes, sir.”

“What about me?” Ash asked. 

“You talked to the chef to prepare us lunch. Do you know if she has any allergies?” I watched her through the laptop screen. 

“Soy.”

“And before you go, cut the feeds.” I left the room. It had been years since I felt this excitement. 

Kennedy was still in the same position earlier as I entered the room, and she looked more beautiful without makeup. And damn it, her lips, so full and seemed soft. 

She felt wary about my lunch invitation, and I couldn’t blame her. She barely knew me—she just met me yesterday. 

“A gift?” 

She held her necklace. 

I swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the thought of running my tongue in the valley of her breast. And it was harder than I thought, thinking that only an oversize robe was keeping my sanity.

“My dad gave it to me.”

“What does he do?”

“He was a journalist.”

“Was?”

“He retired after he got captured in the Middle East. Now he was a freelance writer and a full-time editor in a publishing house.”

“Your mother?”

“My mom is a photographer.”

“I guess it runs in a family.” When I smiled, she smiled back. 

“I guess you could say that. How do you know Alessia?” The way she asked, I could feel that she had been waiting to know the relationship between us.

“She’s my relative.”

“Wow! How?”

“From my father’s side.”

“Wow.” That was twice in a row.

“Have you found an apartment?” Truthfully, Ash and Lud were done with that task, but I couldn’t just suggest it to her. It would only look dubious. 

“Not yet.”

“We can help you take your things once you found an apartment.”

“That would be too much. You already bought me something to wear. Besides, I’m sure you have more important things to do than helping me with my things. Thank you, though. I appreciate your help.”

“It’s nothing. I’m sure you will hire movers or call your friends for help. And we are more capable of carrying heavy loads.”

“You’re right.”

A silent tension followed. Our gazes met again. Those damn sky blue eyes.

“What do you do for a living?”

“I was a pilot.”

“Air force?”

“Yeah.” A Royal pilot, to be precise.

“So, what do you do now?” I could see in her eyes the curiosity was so deep, and her mind was spinning. 

“I work in my family business.”

“With Lud and Ash.” 

“Yes. We’re my father’s employees, to be exact. Do you like working in Style?”

“I love my job. I enjoy what I do.” Damn. Alessia was right. Her job was her passion. 

“Have you traveled?”

“Yes. Not a lot, though. I always dreamed of traveling to far remote, like countries that are less explored by tourists. I wanted to surprise myself, to explore the cultures, and meet different people.”

“Alessia mentioned about Page 13. What was that all about?”

“If you’re not familiar with Style Magazine, Page 13 is an exclusive interview with famous people. But I’d rather interview a little less famous but makes significant to the community. Like a war hero, a priest or a nun who gives her life helping children how to read and write, or a doctor who just discovered a cure. Celebrities, football players, actors, billionaires are too overrated, but that’s what most readers wanted to read.”

“You can suggest to Alessia. I’m sure she would consider your ideas. She already said it. She admired your work.”

“It’s business. Besides, Style is about fashion.”

“And not all billionaires are into fashion, football players, as well. Yes, they have huge fanbases, but this is your only chance to write what truly inspires you, Kennedy.”

Her eyes shone with hope, and if what I saw it right, admiration. Before we could talk further, a knock on the door interrupted us.

“T?” It was Lud.

As soon as I opened the door, he entered, carrying at least a dozen of a paper bag, that mostly, I recognized the brands. 

“Oh, my God!” Kennedy caught my attention. “Are those—”

“Yours,” Lud answered. “I hope I guessed your size right?”

She shook her head. “I can’t wear these.” She pointed at the bags already in my bed.

“Why not try and fit them first?” Lud suggested.

“It’s not it, or it won’t fit me, but—” She stared at me. “Do you know much those cost you?”

“I don’t mind.” I shrugged.

Kennedy froze stiff as a corpse. Her eyes widened in shock. “Who are you?”

“Thayer Camren. Why does it matter?”

“What I mean is who are you? These worth thousands of dollars, and you didn’t even care?”

“I have money, and I work my ass off to earn what I use to buy these for you so that you can get out of that hideous robe. And these are a necessity, aren’t they?”

She barked out laughing. She just laughed out loud.

“Did I say something funny?”

“I gotta go. Try these on, Ken. Don’t let my effort go to waste.” Lud walked out of the room, leaving us alone. 

Kennedy was still shaking as she wiped her tears. 

“Kennedy?”

“You just said that my robe is hideous. You should have said that earlier.”

“I don’t want to embarrass you more.” I smiled. 

“I’ll return these to you as soon as I get my things back.” 

“Then we should have lunch so that we can search for your apartment.”

“Are you sure you don’t have other plans?”

You are my plan, Kennedy Gilby.