Pure Attraction (Attraction Series Book 2) Read online

  I sighed, then looked back to her. She was watching me expectantly, waiting for me to continue. I rubbed the back of my neck as I spoke. “Look, Mia, I get the impression that you’re planning to stay on this here bench tonight.” I tapped the bench with my hand. “And I won’t be able to sleep knowing you’re out here all alone. I know this is a pretty safe neighbourhood and all, but still, it’s not safe for a pretty girl to be staying in a park by herself.”

  She considered my words silently.

  My knee started to bounce as my patience began to wear thin. “Will you let me help you, Mia?”

  Her eyes locked on mine. “Why would you want to help me? You don’t even know me.”

  I laughed, but it held no humour. “It’s what I do. I help people. When I can, that is.”

  She scrunched her nose causing her eyebrows to pull together. “You don’t look like any social or aid worker I’ve ever seen.”

  “That’s because I’m not. I work with a friend of mine who runs a private investigations firm. But before that, I was a marine. I ran a lot of rescue operations.” I shrugged. “I like to help people.”

  “Oh.” Her response was barely above a whisper.

  “So, will you let me help you?” I asked. I wasn’t above begging, and if she didn’t accept my offer, that’s just what I would do.

  “Maybe… it depends,” she said.

  Relief flooded my body. She was at least willing to hear me out. “Alright, that’s a start. What does it depend on?”

  She stuffed another chip into her mouth. “What kind of help are we talking about here? And what do I have to give you for said help?”

  I frowned. “Nothing. I don’t want anything from you. Why would you ask that?”

  She rolled her eyes at me. “Because nothing is free, Kai. I’m not stupid.”

  Unease rose in my chest. What kind of people had she been spending her time with if she thought a simple offer of help came with a price tag? “I don’t think you’re stupid. My help doesn’t cost anything except maybe your friendship. But if you decide I’m a dick, then feel free to cut all ties with me. Just let me help you get settled first. You need a roof over your head. Not just for you but for your baby, too.”

  Shock registered on her pretty face when I mentioned the baby. “How do you know?”

  “I’m observant. It’s an old habit that makes me good at my job. You’ve had one hand protectively covering your lower stomach since the moment we met this afternoon. And given what you said about recently getting out of a controlling relationship, I’d say it’s a good guess that,” I gestured to her tummy with my chin, “is the reason you left.”

  She blinked a few times and tilted her head to the side. “What do you want with a pregnant, homeless girl?” She was still watching me with suspicion.

  I was kind of glad she didn’t just accept my offer right off the bat. It meant she had smarts. She wouldn’t just climb into a car with a stranger. That was comforting, but it didn’t help my case. “I told you, I just want to help you out. I swear I’m not some pervert with an agenda,” I tried to reassure her.

  She wouldn’t be swayed easily. She pressed on, “But you still haven’t told me what it is you want to do to help me.”

  I nodded. “You’re right, sorry. You’re going to think this is creepy, but I swear it’s not. It would just be for tonight until I could work out something more permanent for you tomorrow. I’d like you to come back to my place. Well, it’s not really my place. It’s my friend’s house. The little girls you met this afternoon? Well, I live with them and their parents. It’s not far from here.”

  I watched and waited for her to skitz out on me, but she didn’t. She just narrowed her eyes at me. “I don’t know why, but I believe you. Just know this, I will nut you in twenty seconds flat if you try anything suss. Got it?” Venom dripped from her voice with her threat.

  Loud laughter erupted from deep within me. I hadn’t laughed like this since Tessa… Thoughts of Tessa shattered my moment of guiltless freedom. I cleared my throat. “You’ve got yourself a deal. Nothing suss and I keep my nuts.”

  She nodded, clearly pleased we were on the same page.

  “You ready to go now?” I asked.

  “Yep. Let me just get my things. Oh wait, these are my things.” She patted the garbage bag beside her and laughed.

  I liked her light-hearted nature. Here she was single, pregnant, and homeless, yet she was laughing and joking with me. It made me feel even more guilt, guilt for the way I’d been living my life this last couple of years. Moping around feeling sorry for myself, I felt like a right self-centred prick.

  I picked up her garbage bag with all her worldly possessions inside and walked towards my car with her by my side. When we reached my car, I opened the door for her, and she slid into the seat. I was glad I drove an SUV so she could just slip right in without having to bend down. I waited for her to buckle her seat belt, and then I closed her door. Walking around the back, I opened the boot and threw her bag in.

  When I turned the key in the ignition, music started to pulse through the speakers. I quickly turned it down to a more respectful volume. “Sorry, I like my music loud,” I muttered.

  Mia smiled widely. “That’s okay, I don’t mind. I haven’t listened to music for the longest time, except for the radio in the supermarket and that sort of thing. Who sings this?” she asked.

  I turned my body towards hers. “You’re shittin’ me, right?”

  She shook her head. “Nope.” She didn’t look embarrassed at all. She just shrugged her shoulders like it was no big deal.

  No big deal my arse! “Well, shit. Looks like I’m going to have to give you a musical education, Pretty Girl. This is The Middle by Jimmy Eat World from one of my all-time favourite albums, Bleed American.”

  I watched her from the corner of my eye as I pulled out into the street. She leant forward and turned the volume knob to make the music louder. I couldn’t help but sing along. Music was my solace— it provided me with a sweet escape from reality and the constant guilt plaguing my soul.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Just as Kai said, his friend’s place was only a few minutes away. When we pulled up in the driveway, an overwhelming sense of embarrassment consumed me. I looked down at my shabby clothing then glanced across to Kai sitting next to me. Even in casual clothes, he looked like he’d just stepped out of a photo shoot. My stomach began to pull tight— I knew it wasn’t the baby, it was my nerves. What was I thinking accepting his offer?

  I felt his big, warm hand wrap around my shoulder, and I looked up into his face. He was concerned, but why? I was a nobody, so why did he even give a shit? My eyes glassed over. Shit, I was not a crier. Kai’s hand moved from my shoulder to my chin as my bottom lip began to tremble. He lifted my chin so he could look into my eyes, then ran his thumb across my quivering lip.

  “It’s okay, I promise. You’re safe here, Mia.” His full lips pulled to the side in a small reassuring smile.

  My tongue flicked out to wet my dry lips. “I’m not afraid. I’m— I just don’t belong here.”

  His dark eyes narrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he questioned.

  I looked anywhere but at him. I felt so unworthy of his help. He and his friends were in a whole different league to me.

  “Mia?” His stern voice brought my attention back to him.

  I licked my lips again, nervousness eating up my insides. “This place.” I gestured towards the big, beautiful house in front of me. “I’m not good enough to stay in a place like this. Can you just take me back to the park, please, Kai? I shouldn’t be here.”

  He ignored my request and got out of the car. Moving around to the back he got my bag out before coming to open my door. He held his hand out for me to take it, but I couldn’t. I shouldn’t have come with him. I knew he wouldn’t hurt me, I could feel it in my gut, but I didn’t belong.

  I shook my head, refusing to get out of his car. “Please, Kai. Just ta
ke me back,” I pleaded with him. The light from the front porch illuminated his face, and I could see his dark brown eyes turn to liquid pools with gold flecks swimming in their depths. He clenched his jaw and turned on his heels, walking away from me towards the house with my garbage bag in his hand.

  He slid a key in the front door and opened it, then disappeared inside leaving the door to the house wide open. I sat frozen in my seat. Was he going to come back for me? Was he expecting me to go in on my own? That wasn’t going to happen. I’d sleep in his car if necessary; it was more comfortable than the bench at the park. But I was not going in that house.

  A few minutes passed, and he still hadn’t returned. I sat fidgeting with my nails, picking at the cracks in them. All of a sudden, there were two little girls climbing into the car with me. Their fair hair was in plaits, they were wearing matching jumpsuits with owls all over them, and they had little slippers on their feet that squeaked as they climbed. I looked from them then over to the front of the house where I saw Kai leaning against the door frame with a smug grin on his face.

  One of the girls climbed onto my lap, took my face in her tiny hands and pulled it down so she could look me in the eyes. I blinked a few times as she took her time examining me. I had no idea what I was supposed to do, so I did nothing. When she had finished her inspection, she grinned at me, the same big, beautiful toothy grin she had given me that afternoon.

  A smile formed on my lips, and how could it not with this little angel fluttering her lashes at me. “Hi, princess, do you remember me? I met you at the park today. I’m Mia.”

  Her bright blue eyes lit up at the mention of the park. “Kai-Kai!” she squealed excitedly. Her chubby, little hands were still plastered to my cheeks, and she began to stroke them. That’s when the other little girl caught my attention. She had clambered over to the driver’s seat and made herself comfortable. She was up on her knees with both hands on the steering wheel pretending to drive the car.

  Laughter, pure and true rippled from deep within my stomach at the sight. Bless her, she was adorable. The jumpsuit she was wearing had purple owls, and the little girl in my lap had pink owls on hers. They were so similar I thought them identical. But as I kept watching them, I noticed little differences between them.

  One was slightly finer than the other, and her hair was a few shades lighter, too.

  Kai’s voice startled me. “They’re gorgeous, aren’t they.”

  It wasn’t a question, it was a statement. He looked at them like a proud father. I looked from him back to the girls. They definitely were gorgeous. Just then, the little one in the driver’s seat called out, “Kai-Kai! Beep-beep.”

  He ducked his head down so he could see her gripping the steering wheel pretending to drive. A deep chuckle rumbled up from his chest that was now so close to my body I could feel heat emanating from him. “Yeah, Tessie, beep-beep. You possums ready for bed now?” he asked them. They both shook their little heads.

  I laughed again. They looked too little to have such attitude. It was clear they had very different personalities. That’s the moment I realised just how out of my depth I really was. I had no experience with babies. How was I supposed to do this, let alone by myself? My bottom lip began to shake as I tried as hard as I could to keep my emotions from bursting through to the surface.

  But Kai noticed—I shouldn’t have been surprised. He swooped the little girl, who must have been Gracie, from my lap and leant with her on the edge of the door frame. “What’s up, Pretty Girl?” he asked me.

  I sniffled, again trying to hold it all in. But when my eyes met his, I couldn’t hold back. Something about this guy made me feel comfortable and safe I knew I could trust him. I don’t know how I knew that, especially considering I’d never trusted a man in my entire life, but I did. There was something different about him. I just couldn’t put my finger on it.

  “I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t know what to do with a baby. I don’t know how to take care of one. How am I supposed to be a mother! My own was no example, so how am I supposed to raise a child!” The words poured out of my mouth as my tears began to fall.

  The little girl next to me, Tessie, looked over at me balling my eyes out. Next thing I knew she was climbing into my lap and wrapping her soft arms around my neck. A loud sob ripped from my chest as she began to rub my back and softly whispered shh shh in my ear. I glanced down to find Kai smiling up at me.

  He put one hand on my knee. “Come inside, Mia. It’s getting cold out here. I’ll make you a hot drink.”

  Nodding at him I wrapped my arms more securely around Tessie and hopped out of the car. As she snuggled in closer and rested her head on my shoulder, I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, absorbing her sweet baby scent as I followed Kai.

  Once inside, Kai took Tessie from me and told me to make myself comfortable while he took the girls back to their parents since he had interrupted their bedtime routine by bringing them out to coax me out of the car. I looked around the large open plan kitchen he’d left me in, I couldn’t even imagine a kitchen like this, yet here I was standing in the middle of it. And he wanted me to make myself comfortable, in a house like this? I don’t freaking think so. But I did my best to humour him and moved to the stool closest to me and sat down. Resting my elbows on the bench in front of me, I bowed my head and drew in a few deep breaths to calm my frazzled nerves.

  A deep voice jolted me from my moment.

  “You must be Mia. I’m Gabe and this is my wife, Ivy.”

  As if I didn’t feel out of place enough. I looked up to find two of the best looking people I’d ever seen standing before me. You have got to be kidding me! Looking back down at my shabby appearance, I wanted to crawl inside myself and hide.

  I bit my bottom lip and wondered what exactly I should say to these people. Obviously Kai had told them I was here since they knew my name, but I wondered what else they knew about me and why I was in their house.

  The gorgeous blonde, Ivy, stepped forward and placed her hand softly on my shoulder. “No need to be nervous around us. Kai mentioned you’re having a tough time, and he’s going to help you get back on your feet. You’re welcome to stay here as long as you need.” She gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze, then released me and walked around to the other side of the counter I was sitting at.

  What was with these people? Why were they being so nice to me? Surely they knew I had nothing to offer them in return for their kindness. I watched her silently as she pottered around the large kitchen getting out coffee mugs and switching on the kettle while I waited for Kai to return. I had no idea where he’d disappeared to.

  As if he could hear my thoughts, Kai came striding back into the kitchen area with a loving smile on his handsome face. “Girls are out to it,” he said as he passed the big guy who had introduced himself as Gabe a few minutes earlier. Who was currently standing at the opposite end of the counter to me with his thick, tattooed arms crossed over his impressive chest observing me, not in a creepy way, though. He was assessing me.

  At Kai’s words he stopped watching me and rolled his eyes at Kai. “I know, it’s my kisses that put them to sleep, not yours. They’d already had daddy kisses so they were already half asleep when you went in to say goodnight.”

  Kai scoffed, “Whatever, I’m the one with the magic touch. Just ask Ivy.” he bounced his brows and laughed when Gabe shot him— what could only be described as a death stare.

  I felt like I’d been uprooted and teleported to an alternate universe. This whole situation was so far from anything I’d ever known or even heard of. I mean really, who took in homeless pregnant women, fed them delicious hot chips, babysat children that weren’t even their own and joked about nailing their friends wife? Especially when she was in the room and her husband was a hulk of a man who looked ready to kill at the very insinuation of another man touching his woman.

  I was zoned out in my own little world when Kai came and took the stool next to mine and nudged my shoulder w
ith his. “How are you feeling?”

  I was still chewing my lip, I was beyond nervous and genuinely confused. But I kept my thoughts to myself for the time being and simply replied, “I’m okay, I guess.”

  His full lips lifted in a half smile. “The spare room is usually mine, but I’ll bunk on the couch or in the office tonight, and you can take my bed. It has an adjoining bathroom, so feel free to have a shower or bath, whatever takes your fancy.”

  A bath? Oh, I would die to try a bath. I’d never had one in a proper bath before since I’d never lived in a house with a tub. “Thank you,” I murmured in response to his generous offer.

  Ivy was still busy in the kitchen when she stopped and turned her attention back to me again. “Would you like hot chocolate, tea, or coffee? Oh no, sorry, Kai did mention you’re pregnant, so no coffee, right? Let me see what else I have in here.” She turned back to the open cupboard and rummaged through pulling out a few boxes of what looked like herbal tea.

  I was overwhelmed by everything happening to me at that moment. I had never had so many choices put before me. Especially for something as simple as a hot drink. The extent of my choices at home were cheap instant coffee or horrid loose tea leaves. I bit down harder on my bottom lip to distract myself from the tears prickling in my eyes. I looked pathetic enough without crying over tea and coffee.

  A strong arm wrapped around my shoulder and pulled me into a solid, warm body. “Shh, you’re going to be okay now, Mia. I promise.” Kai’s voice was firm, yet soothing. He meant what he said. I accepted his hug and snuggled deeper into his hold, hiding my face in his big chest, allowing my tears fall.

  What the hell is wrong with me? I don’t cry. I think I may have finally broken.