Best Served Fake

twenty-two // are we putting on a show?

Kai's hands slid, one hand curving around the slope of my waist, and the other boldly slipping to cup my ass. I couldn't help the scandalised giggle that rose, and I felt Kai smile against me, before I kissed the expression away.

I was almost startled when he drew away. I blinked. He was so sexy, standing there in the light of the moon, with a slightly pained expression on his face. Around me, the sounds of the party returned in waves. The girls from earlier had dispersed, leaving us alone, but pinned by a hundred sets of eyes who couldn't understand why bad boy Kai Delaney was kissing Valerie Williams like that.

I looked around furtively, blushing a little, and I knew exactly how I looked. The part I was cast in. The shy girl completely taken in my Kai's charms; the object of his attention for just now, who would consider it enough. It was stage one, played to perfection.

Then I looked back to Kai. He still looked pained.

"Kai?" I asked, and the sound was a little broken, as if I'd forgotten how to speak. He was still so close to me, his lips just a hairs-breadth away from mine.

His voice was low. "That was hot as fuck," he said plainly, in that frank, honest way of his. Never shy. And even though it was all for show, I believed him. It was impossible not to. That kiss had been... unbelievable. "And I don't really want to walk around for the rest of the night with a raging boner."

I couldn't stop the snort of laughter that erupted from me, and Kai grinned sheepishly in response, flashing a dimple in his left cheek. It was cute as hell.

"That could present a problem," I said quietly to him.

"Already is," he said, though he sounded quite cheerful about it. "If you could do me a favour and become completely hideous and unsexy as possible, I'd really appreciate it."

I laughed, and the movement brushed our bodies together again.

Kai's eyes darkened. "Okay, that's a no."

He was still leaning against the fence, and the force of my body pressed him against it further. From his position, he was facing the rest of the lawn, and he glanced away from me reluctantly to quickly scan the garden, before dropping his eyes back to me. I could see nothing but him.

"They're still watching," Kai said. "You should hug me."

I frowned. "Hug you?"

Kai grabbed me around the shoulders and tugged me into him, his arms sliding around my waist. My head dropped onto his shoulder; face pressed into the warm curve of his neck. I inhaled the scent of him, something I couldn't identify, but would forever associate with him. He dropped his chin on the top of my head, and my arms were wrapped tightly around his neck.

"Cuddling," Kai said matter-of-factly. "Is a sign that we're not just hooking up. It suggests affection."

"That works?" I said doubtfully.

I felt Kai's chuckle rumble against me. "Tommy looks like he wants to tear me limb from limb, and Sydney's jaw is on the floor. So."

I almost turned to look, but Kai held my head to him, cradling it with feigned affection. I could imagine the picture we made. Me, short and fair, all delicate bones and tiny features, tucked into the long lines of Kai's body, his dark head bent over my strawberry-blonde one. Him, the bad boy, and me, the good girl. A contradiction.

"Thank you," I whispered to Kai. "For doing this."

"For making out with you? It wasn't a hardship, believe me."

"Oh, I know. I can feel that."

I could feel Kai's smile. "Well, I did tell you that it would be a problem."