Not having any clue as to what was running in Kincaid's mind, Kate let out a chuckle as she stared at her phone. Her crazy family had bombarded her with questions: from how her day went at work to why she hadn't called them once she returned home.
Kate knew her family well. They were not worried about her. She could handle herself well. They were more curious about her new workplace and how interesting the day had gone. So, Kate answered all their questions patiently and they too didn't let her go until she gave them convincing and satisfactory replies.
"Your family must be quite protective about you," Kincaid remarked as he leaned against the kitchen counter while his lips curved in amusement.
Kate leaned against the cabinets behind her and shook her head. "They are more interested in learning how my day went and if anything exciting happened at work. After all, it's my first day at work at the IB."
Kincaid nodded as he continued to gaze at her, making her flustered and suspicious.
"Why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face?" Kate didn't wait for his reply and glanced at her phone screen. But she couldn't find anything.
"No, I was just wondering." Kincaid's reply was vague.
"About?" Kate's brows shot up slightly in wonder.
"You might have to call your boyfriend as well. Right?"
"What boyfriend?" Kate frowned in confusion. 'Did I give him any impression that I have a boyfriend?' She thought and recollected all that had happened and all that she had spoken the moment she met him. But she came short.
"Ohh, I thought you'd have a boyfriend. After all, you are a fascinating lady." Kincaid's heart swelled in joy and his mood lightened up instantly. His tense expression eased and spring blossoms bloomed all around him.
"I'm happily single for now and thank you for the compliment." Kate didn't shy away from his words. Instead, she accepted them graciously and beamed at him in joy.
"You're no less charming yourself," Kate added and Kincaid took her words as his cue.
Pushing himself off the counter, he ambled towards her. "So you find me charming?"
Kate's heart skipped a beat when she saw him walking towards her. She took a step back instinctively. But the cabinets behind her restricted her from moving.
"I..." She tried. But her voice was barely above a whisper.
Kincaid's gaze turned deep as he stared at the lovely lady before him. Bending forward, he placed his hands on either side of her waist on the cabinet top, trapping her in his arms.
"Yes, Kate? Tell me."
Kate's throat ran dry as soon as his hot breath grazed her face. She blinked at him nervously while she leaned away from him.
"What else do you think about me?" He probed.
Butterflies emerged in her stomach when she heard his voice. It was totally not fair. He was using his sexy voice to his advantage and she was being lured by him like a hopeless sailor.
Her thoughts were on a haywire and her emotions were constantly battling against each other. Her heart was thumping madly like a hummingbird. Yet, she showed none of it to the man before him.
Donning a smirk, she gave him a look that made Kincaid arch his brows in mirth.
"Yes, I do. You are one hell of a charismatic person."
Kincaid was surprised by her straightforwardness. He had expected her to shy away and try to escape from him. If not for the faint blush on her cheeks, he'd have assumed his words and their proximity had had no effect on her.
Kincaid's smile widened and stars adorned his eyes. 'What to do? I'm being attracted to you more and more as time passes?' He thought as he leaned closer to her.
From afar, it seemed as if they were hugging each other. His face was right beside her ear and if Kate were to tilt her head even an inch, he'd be kissing her neck.
Kate stiffened immediately and the man's cologne hit her senses. She sucked in a deep breath as she tried to hold herself.
"What...what are you doing?" Kate stammered, revealing her state to Kincaid and her cheeks heated up all the more.
Kincaid couldn't control his delight. Kate's every reaction to his action gave him unprecedented bliss. Moreover, their closeness was making him lose control. He really wanted to kiss her. Really. It was the first time in his life he had been so captivated by someone.
However, Kincaid knew better. It was their first meeting and they could currently be considered acquaintances? He couldn't risk it by being inconsiderate and reckless. Grabbing the fork from the holder behind her, he pulled back instantly.
"What am I doing?" Kincaid feigned ignorance as he showed the fork in his hand and Kate stared at him, dumbstruck.
The sudden distance between them made her regretful and his actions only served to add more to her dilemma.
"I was just grabbing a fork." Kincaid looked at her innocently, making sure to seem as genuine as possible. "What did you think I was doing?"
"I..." Kate dithered, her mind going blank at his question.
"Kate?" Kincaid narrowed his eyes as he gave her a teasing look. "Were you waiting for something to happen? Perhaps something like a ...."
"Guys, if you two are done flirting, please return to the hall. Kate, you have a challenge to win, and Ace, your pizza is as cold as Paul's face." Tristan shouted, breaking their moment.
"Kate, ignore this moron. He is just throwing a tantrum because you're yet to give him your Mom's number. You guys continue." Desmond yelled from the other side and Kate was left speechless.
"What clowns!" Kincaid sighed in defeat and turned his body halfway. "After you." He even held his hand out in a gentleman's fashion.
Presenting him with a smile that left him breathless and enthralled, Kate made her way back to the hall.
"What were you guys doing in the kitchen?" Tristan raised his brows playfully and glanced at the man behind her. "I swear we saw nothing. This party pooper didn't allow me to peek." He glared at Paul who was sitting by his side.
Kate noticed that the seating arrangement had changed. They had all moved away from their original positions. While Paul and Tristan were sitting on the couch, Desmond, Everett, Rhys and the man she thought was Dean had occupied the bean bags while Victor took a chair.
"Given a chance, you'd not just have peeked at them, you'd have even gate-crashed their party." Paul shot back and Tristan bared his teeth in dismay.
"Why are your pants on fire?" Tristan argued and all Paul did was roll his eyes as he started to ignore him.
"Wait for the day when I'll gate crash your party." Tristant threatened.
"You do know karma is a bitch right," Kate said and took one of the abandoned chairs while Kincaid dragged another one and sat beside her.
"Yes. Karma. Tell him, Kate." Rhys supported her.
"Kate, whose side are you on?" Tristan cried.
"I'm on the side who'll help me decode the two call names. Wanna try?" Kate looked at him expectantly. But all she got in return was Tristan's silence.
"Fine." Kate sighed and clicked her tongue as though she was truly disappointed. "I really wanted to tell you how you could get my mom's food. Too bad."
"No, you can't do that." Tristan wailed in anguish, his ghost-like cry filling the apartment instantly.
'If there are any ghosts in this apartment, they would have vanished after hearing him.' Victor thought silently.
"Why can't I?" Kate shrugged lightly. "Don't you want to eat such delicious food every day? Don't you want to surprise your taste buds and fill your stomach with amazing delicacies? Let me inform you that my Mom is a great cook. You should try a lot of her other recipes."
"Kate, you're putting me in a fix," Tristan complained as he glanced at Kincaid who was warning him to not do anything he'd regret later.
"I'm not asking you the call name. I'm just asking you to give me a better hint in exchange for something you like." Kate gave him a way out. She hadn't missed the glare Kincaid had sent Tristan's way.
"And you," She pointed at Kincaid who stared at her baffled. "Stop glaring at him."
Silence.
The entire S.W.A.T. team went silent as she bravely admonished their leader. Never had they expected to witness such a scene in their life. They gaped at her as though she was a divine being while she berated him without mercy.
Meanwhile, Kincaid too was surprised by her sudden change in tone. But he wasn't irked by it. Instead, he was fascinated by her all the more. Kate was a sight to behold when she was scolding him and he couldn't move his gaze away from her.
When Kate's gaze returned to Tristan, he sat straight instantly as though he was ready to be lectured.
"Everett, appearance, a fictional beast, not a king but better than a king. I'm sorry I don't know what I'm blabbering." Tristan blurted even before Kate said anything.
Kate blinked once, twice, thrice before she focused on Everett and it struck her instantly. "I got it. You're Godzilla. Aren't you?"