Warming Up.

(KAIRA'S POV)

His hand held a fistful of my hair and bent my head over. My eyes followed his, almost magnetic, unwilling to stray away from those cold green eyes of his. But when they finally did stray, they moved down to his perfect lips and I found myself biting mine as I waited.

Patiently. For him to bend over and to seize my lips—

RING! RING! RING!

I opened my eyes with a frustrated groan and stared at the pretty collages on the ceiling before I turned to the tabletop alarm clock and tapped it to silence.

6.00 a.m.

Mum and Tom left for the airport two hours ago. I know because I heard her come in, drop a note on my table and place a deep kiss on my cheek. I held on to her briefly for a hug before she actually left, then I rolled over to my side.

Now, with sleep out of my eyes, I realized that Mum was gone. I would be spending the next three weeks with Slade as my only family.

"I need to stop seeing him in my dreams. That makes things worse." I muttered to myself as I walked to the bathroom.

But it was hard to keep thoughts of Slade out of my mind.

Especially, that truth or dare kiss. Oh that kiss. It still feels like a dream.

I was replaying it for the thousandth time in my head by the time I was ready and in front of the mirror. A simple t-shirt, fitted pencil jeans and a pair of simple sneakers. My hair was pushed back into a low bun and I was back to being the regular Kaira.

"When did I start wasting time in front of the mirror?" I muttered to myself as I stepped out of the room.

I gasped seeing as someone was there already, waiting for me.

"Finally." Slade sighed. He had been leaning against the wall, scrolling through his phone which he put away. He ran his fingers through his hair as he straightened his imposing posture.

"I have a team meeting this morning. We need to leave earlier than usual."

It was taking me a moment to straighten my thoughts, at least to get over how perfect he looked in dark jeans and a dark shirt that looked anything but plain on him.

But I didn't stare at his clothes long enough, my eyes found their way to his thin pink lips before I could stop myself.

"Eyes up here." He snapped his fingers loudly making my eyes blink back at him.

Not up to three minutes with him and my cheeks were burning already.

"Good morning." I said smoothly and started walking away.

"The dining room is this way, Makaira."

I stopped. It wasn't that I was taking the wrong direction, it was just the way he called my full name. Like it was his to call. Anyhow he wanted.

I turned around without another word and followed him this time. Past the wide hallways, down the massive stairs, through another set of hallways and then the large dining room.

"So, what do you want to have?" He asked casually, like we were old friends.

"Whatever's on the menu." I answered with a shrug, not wanting to be the weird one.

But to my surprise, Slade chuckled. A genuine chuckle that almost made my eyes pop out.

"You have to start acting like a Horton now, Makaira." He pulled out a chair and looked expectantly at me to get seated. "You create the menu, Makaira. You can have whatever you want."

"I'm not a Horton." I corrected and pulled a chair for myself. "And I find it odd that you're saying a lot of words this morning."

He sat down after I did. "Why? Because of yesterday?"

"Yesterday?" I repeated.

"The wedding? The kiss? You jumping into the pool? Our parents in each other's clothes on the stairs…"

"Oh my goodness, please stop talking." I pleaded, not wanting to hear anymore. "I didn't jump into the pool. Someone pushed me."

He didn't reply, he was typing away at his phone.

"Pancakes and eggs for you." He said, putting his phone away.

Within minutes, two house staff wheeled in silver-covered platters.

Slade and I ate in silence and I barely noticed because of how wonderful the food was.

Only when we were back, walking towards his car did I remember the tension he brought close to me.

"I'll be the one to take you to school and to bring you home." He announced as he opened the door for me to get into his sparkling white Jeep Wrangler.

I sighed deeply. This morning, I felt too weak to argue about anything. I just wanted to get to school and away from Slade. As fast as anything.

I got into the car without giving him a reply.

When Slade got into the driver's seat, I lost my breath. The car was big with sufficient space for us and I was tiny enough to stay on my other end.

Why then was his scent suddenly filling up my nostrils? That cologne that seemed to have been made specially for him. So minty, so cool, an underlying scent of musk.

"Makaira."

I jerked my head to him. "What?"

He stared at me weirdly for a moment, then inclined his head. "Your seatbelt."

It took a second for me to break away from those striking eyes of his and as I fastened my seatbelt, I remembered the dream I had. About him. So promising and yet nothing compared to that kiss yesterday or the one at the lake house.

"You are different this morning." He observed, adjusting his rearview mirror.

"So are you." I cleared my throat. "Any reason why?"

He turned to me and I saw a flash of smirk on his face. "I'm warming up to my stepsister."

I flashed him a glare. Something about the word stepsister made my stomach clench.

I rested back in the seat, ready for the longest drive in my life.