Dissolve by L.V. Hunter Page A

the money? Use it on my husband? My kids? Yeah right. That’s never gonna happen.”
    Kai changes the channel to other cartoons, and I try a question.
    “What about your Mom? Do you like her?”
    There’s a beat, and then he says; “She’s dead.”
    I instantly regret bringing it up. “Crap. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry -”
    “It’s okay,” He assures me with a smile. “It was a long time ago.”
    The image of him at the graveyard suddenly runs through my mind. Is that who he was visiting? I want to ask, but it would be crazily insensitive to ask at this moment. Or ever. I barely know this guy - I have no right to ask him about his parents, deceased or otherwise. As if trying to break the tension, Kai stands up and stretches.
    “Shit. I really fucked up, didn’t I?”
    “What?”
    “The kiss,” He groans. “You don’t like being touched by dudes, and I went and kissed you out of the blue. I’m a douchebag.”
    “Except I -” I swallow hard, the booze demanding honesty from me. “I liked it.”
    Kai freezes, and I can’t look him in the eyes as I keep blathering.
    “I mean, you shouldn’t go around kissing girls you don’t like in the first place, it’s kind of a dick move.”
    He frowns, and I keep talking like it’ll save me from looking stupider than I already do.
    “It just gets someone’s hopes up, you know?” I laugh.
    I stuff more candy in my mouth to shut it up. Kai finally speaks.
    “Have you ever liked someone?”
    “There was one guy,” I say. “Back in high school. He was different than the other guys - really quiet, but really smart, you know?”
    Kai just listens intently, and I can feel his gaze on my cheek.
    “He got bullied a lot, and I felt bad for him.”
    “So you dated him because you felt bad for him?” His voice is volatile all of a sudden.
    “No, not at all,” I insist. “We didn’t really date. But we did hang out. We were friends. I think, if he hadn’t hated himself so much, we could’ve been more than that. But he refused to let me touch him, or even hold his hand. I think he was afraid of what people would say about me. But I really liked him. He was funny, and sweet.”
    “Then what happened?”
    “I moved to another school. We lost touch,” I sigh. “I feel shitty about it pretty much everyday for letting him slip away. He was a good guy. I hope he’s happy, wherever he is. He deserves to be happy.”
    I hear a rustling, and look up to see Kai leaning on the bed, face only a few inches from my own.
    “W-What’s wrong?” I ask. He just stares into my eyes intently. After a moment, he looks away.
    “It’s nothing. Nevermind.”
    “Why so prickly all of a sudden?” I frown. “Where’s the usual smooth-and-smiley Kai I know?”
    “And hate,” He finishes.
    “What?”
    “You hate me. I’m not stupid - I know I’m not your favorite.”
    “Hate is a little strong,” I say finally. “I don’t hate you, okay? I barely know you.”
    He starts laughing, and for a moment I’m confused. When he stops, he wipes at his eye.
    “Sorry. I must seem crazy. It’s just ironic, is all.”
    “What’s ironic?”
    He opens his mouth, then closes it. Before I can blink, he’s near me again, the smell of him pepper and honey.
    “Can I kiss you again?” He asks.
    My body tingles, every hair on my neck standing on end at the low tone of his voice. I want his lips again, but this time I want them everywhere - they’ve been haunting my thoughts for days. I lean in and capture his lips with my own. He invades my mouth instantly, a feral hunger in the way he snakes his hand to the back of my neck and twists his fingers in my hair. He tastes like vodka and sugar, chocolate and salt, everything sweet and sharp at once. I have to feel more of him - I run my hands under his shirt and across his smooth, warm skin. This is Kai Jackson. This is how he feels, how he tastes - the drop-dead gorgeous boy who’s set me on fire. In my eagerness, my hand brushes a