From Sanctum with Love (Masters and Mercenaries #10) - Lexi Blake Page 0,87

Jared called out when Kai got to the lobby doors. “Thanks for not kicking me out.”

Kai nodded and walked to the elevator, but he couldn’t get the nasty feeling out of his gut that he was missing something. Something big. Something he would have to deal with before this was all over.

* * * *

Kori relished the quiet. No appointments until after noon. No one in the building at all from what she could tell. All she could hear was the hum of the fan overhead and the rushing water of Kai’s office fountain. She took a deep breath and was grateful for the peace. It gave her time to think about what had happened.

Kai had happened. He’d kissed her and spanked her and adored her body. She could still feel the ache deep in her bones like a reminder of how well he’d loved her.

Was she thinking that word already? She knew she shouldn’t, but the pesky word wouldn’t leave her alone.

She said it all the time. She loved her friends, loved certain books and TV shows, loved the club. But this was a different love. This was a forever and drown in it and lose herself love.

It scared the holy crap out of her, but she also had to be reasonable. She didn’t have to “lose” herself. She simply had to find the Kori who loved Kai. No one stayed the same. To cling to that idea was childish. She wasn’t the same person she would be ten years from now. Time and experience would shape her. Loving Kai would change her, but that didn’t mean it had to be for the worse.

Losing herself wouldn’t be so bad if he was with her. That was the key. She had to figure out if Kai felt for her what she felt for him.

And it wasn’t like she didn’t have time. She moved through the office, watering the numerous plants that Kai kept. He was right about all that green. It was soothing.

There was time. They were starting to explore, having fun but within boundaries.

He was very likely going to ask her to sign a contract with him.

The thought of that made her feel a little caged. She’d signed contracts with Morgan. She’d convinced herself she was safe and that it was all right to give up those pieces of herself to a man who took care of her. She’d given him far more than the contract ever required. Every day she would give more, sign away something else, let some piece go until she’d had nothing left.

Was she willing to let another man take from her?

What would Kai want?

She looked around his office. It was simple, lovely but in a very Spartan fashion. He had a desk, the computer tucked away inside the top drawer. There were no photos or keepsakes marking the top of the desk. The whole office was a shrine to peace and serenity, as though personal history or individual memories had no place here. Beyond the desk, there was a chair and large sofa patients could choose from. Some, Kai had explained, preferred to lie down when they talked, looking up at the ceiling instead of directly at him. It was a way to distance. He often knew he was making progress with those patients when they finally looked at him. There was a rolled up yoga mat tucked into a corner. Even that was a soothing green color.

This was the place where Kai worked, but he lived here, too, and his personal spaces looked an awful lot like this office.

As if Kai lived merely to serve those around him.

He rarely went out beyond his nights at Sanctum. She knew he went to parties the MT group threw, but the only people he regularly saw outside of work and the club were her group when they would have their late night meals. Even then he wouldn’t talk much. He sat back, watching the people around him. He always, always sat next to her. When someone took his place, he made up ridiculous reasons why he needed that particular seat.

Had Kai been trying to get close to her all this time?

She heard a bell chime, the one that indicated she was no longer alone. With a long sigh, she stepped out of Kai’s office and back into the lobby. Her desk looked nothing like Kai’s. There was a picture of her mom framed on her desk and a docking station for her laptop. She had a