The next day I traveled to the office with Kai and Nathan.

Ever since our dinner last night Kai had been relatively quiet.

Whenever I tried making eye contact with him he purposely looked away. I wondered if it was because he was a little shy about what he said the other day, but the more he avoided looking at me, I suspected otherwise...

"What's in the bag, Hazel?" Nathan was looking at me through the rear view mirror and I chuckled...

"Oh, nothing... just my lunch..." Nathan smiled and nodded.

"We have several meetings today. We're in the post-production phase of the Nagoya model. So we'll need to approve further testing on site. I think we should send a few of our mechanic experts..." while Nathan spoke, I watched Kai. He had placed his index finger on his lip while he gazed at his iPad. He nodded at every other statement Nathan made...

So he could ignore me but talk to Nathan?

I sat back into my seat a little further...

Just what did I do so wrong?

Later into the afternoon I sat in the bathroom stall looking over the gift I bought. I know Kai didn't celebrate his birthday... but even with his protests, in my own way, I just wanted to do something a little special for him beforehand...

But of course I was mulling over when to give this to him because of his sour attitude... even at lunch he only glanced at me a few times...

I sighed to myself while hugging onto the gift... when I walked out of the stall a woman was there and I jumped. She stared at me suspiciously and I chuckled out of embarrassment...

I had been in my own world again... I turned away and headed back to the office.

Nathan and Kai were on the Marketing floor so I had his space all to myself.

I placed the bag on one of the seats and looked at some of the photos he placed on his desk... there were some portraits of his family and one's with his brothers. I smiled to myself while the door suddenly opened.

I put the picture down and looked over. It was Kai. He was flipping through some documents in a folder. He walked right past me and sat behind his desk...

If he wasn't going to say something first, then I would.

"Here..." I said and he finally looked up a little puzzled. When he realized he looked up he glanced ever so slightly to the side.

"You can open it. It's for you..." he must have recognized it from the car earlier... so he gently picked it up and looked inside. He then brought out the little tin from inside and opened it.

"Mochi?" he said and I smiled.

"Yes..."

"Where did you buy it?"

"I didn't buy it I made them..."

"You did?" he looked up at me surprised.

"Edna told me they were your favourite dessert growing up so I learnt how to make them..." there was a brief amount of silence between us.

"Look, this isn't a gift or celebration or anything... I just had some spare time on my hands..." I felt suddenly embarrassed, but I noticed a smile had formed across his lips...

"Thank you..." he then picked up one of the squishy round desserts and ate it. I waited for his reaction and he nodded. "They're delicious..."

Of course they are. They were my tenth batch and I tasted them to make sure. They needed to be perfect...

I walked over to his side and decided to ask while the iron was hot...

"So... why have you been avoiding me?" he looked up at me a little confused.

"Avoiding?" he looked down at the mochi again, seemingly reflecting.

"Yes... since last night."

"Well yesterday..." he started and then looked up at me. He then stopped and shook his head. "I didn't realize. A lot just happened yesterday, that's all..."

"That's all?" he nodded while I leaned forward to wrap my arms around his neck. When I grazed my fingers against his skin, he looked into my eyes a little more deeply.

"We're in the office..." he said.

"Hmm, then I guess our love story can become an office romance too?"

He chuckled and then suddenly stood up. He held onto my waist and lifted me up onto his desk. My heart started beating rapidly... he placed his hands on either side of me and leaned forward. I couldn't help but move back a little...

When his lips almost grazed mine he gently moved over to my ear and said: "I'd be happy to oblige..."

I chuckled and then wrapped my arms around his natural waistline and pulled him forward daringly.

"Alright, then... what's next Mr. President?" he smiled and then gently touched the side of my face before leaning in to kiss me.

At first, it was sweet... he parted my lips, entering in to touch the tip of my tongue ever so slightly... then his hands dropped to the small part of my back and he pulled me forward. My lips melded into his and we were twisting and pressing into each other effortlessly...

He then looked at me breathlessly as he unbuttoned my blouse a little... I nodded while he continued, gliding his hand across my chest delicately and then leaning in to kiss the edge of my neck... the contours of my jawline... down to my collarbone... I shivered a little and leaned into his body more. Our breaths were becoming a little uneven... I felt a well of anticipation throb up inside my heart...

Then someone knocked on the door and we parted from each other. I tried doing up my buttons again, but I did so incorrectly so Kai helped me. I nearly tripped over myself rushing to the other side of his office to pretend I was looking for a book on his bookshelf... Kai let them come inside and he signed a few documents and they left.

I sighed since my heart was pounding uncontrollably... I didn't realize that Kai had already joined me and was already reaching out to hold me again...

We had been so wrapped up with what was happening at Ravenwolf that we hardly had time for intimacy, so having a taste like that was like finding water in a desert. I turned to look at him, his arms still wrapped around my waist and I chuckled.

"You know... that could have been a disaster?" I said and he smiled.

"Perhaps... but more people will find out eventually..." I nodded...

That day would definitely come soon...

He then kissed the top of my forehead.

"I have to get back to work unfortunately..." he said.

"Then, until next time?" he then hugged me tightly and I smiled. I felt my phone buzz in my back pocket and when he left our embrace I looked at my phone. It was Jackson... he gave me the time and location for our dinner. I sighed to myself... I had a feeling I was going to be making a full course meal for him...

"I'll be heading out..." Kai looked at me and I waved at him. "I have to go to the studio then I'll be out for dinner."

"Oh? Are you spending time with Rae later? That should be nice..."

"No, actually..." I half-chuckled. "In exchange for Nathan's address Jackson wanted to have dinner. I guarantee that kid just wants the satisfaction of having me cook a full course meal for him..." by the time I started talking about Jackson, Kai's mind had drifted somewhere.

"Kai...?" I asked and he smiled.

"Enjoy your dinner..." I looked at him a little confused, but I nodded. Before I left I turned to see that he had been staring at a portrait of his family at his desk...

*

Later that night I arrived at the restaurant. When I walked inside I was surprised it was empty... I guess he really did reserve this place...

When I heard the smoke alarm go off I ran over to the kitchen and heard a few coughs. I walked over to see Jackson cussing while taking something burnt out of the oven. He kicked the oven shut and I rushed over to help him. He turned to me.

"I guess I'm not exactly Chef Boyardee?"

"What are you doing?"

"I thought I could get a head start?"

"Weren't you going to make me cook?"

"Is that something I would do to you?"

"Yes..." he then laughed.

"You're probably right... no, I just... you've been through a lot and well... I thought this could be fun?" he smiled brightly and I raised my eyebrow... I turned to look at the table and looked at the handful of ingredients he had prepared.

"Alright... what are we making?"

"A roasted cherry tomato pasta with garlic..." I chuckled at him as he continued: "well, I guess we'll have to make some more..." I nodded while grabbing an apron. After I washed my hands I turned to him again.

"I'll cut the tomatoes so you can chop the garlic. Where's the fresh basil?" he pointed overhead to another pantry and I clapped my hands together. "Then let's get cooking..."

Jackson was surprisingly a lot more attentive in the kitchen than I thought. He realized he had turned the oven up too high and added too much oil...

After chopping the garlic I helped him make fresh pasta... he seemed to be fascinated by each process...

When everything was simmering together in the stir fry pan, he leaned over it and sniffed a few dozen of times in-between chopping some veggies for the side salad we were making.

"Don't you have homemade meals almost every night?" I asked, after washing some bell peppers. We were almost done making dinner at this point...

"Yes, but I'm usually not there when anyone is cooking... this is pretty cool..." I saw a small sparkle in his eye.

After we plated our meal we both sat together in the dining area. He had lit a few candles for 'ambiance' and brought in a red bottle of wine.

"So maybe you can make yourself dinner at home?"

"Yeah, this was my first time after all..." I gently kicked him from underneath the table and he yelped. "What was that for?" I pointed my fork at him.

"How old are you? How haven't you made food for yourself? Not even a sandwich?" He pressed his lips together.

"I just didn't have the opportunity... besides, I usually dine out if I'm not home."

"You... you guys should be grateful to Edna more," Jackson closed his eyes and nodded.

"I'll take her to Spain this weekend," I nearly choked on my food.

"Jackson... that's not... you don't need to jump into..." I sighed. "Alright, take her to Spain..." I smiled and sipped some of my wine.

"Hazel..."

"Mmm..." I said, while swirling some pasta around my fork. I took a bite and licked the bottom of my lip immediately. This was so good... I would have to cook dinner with Kai sometime... I smiled to myself.

"What were you thinking about?" I looked up and watched Jackson... his expression had changed. He seemed a little different now.

"I was..." I couldn't possibly tell him I was thinking about Kai.

"There was another reason I brought you here..."I looked up at him again.

"Mmm..." I murmured and Jackson smiled.

"There's something I need to tell you..." I put down my fork and looked towards him seriously.

I wondered what it could be about...

Moments later, after taking another look at the situation, it suddenly dawned on me.

It had been like a small, but distinct light had flickered in the back of my head.

After all this time, after having gotten close to him... how could I not realize it sooner?

I saw him blush a little before taking a few gulps of his wine... I saw his hands shake a little before he put them to the side...

The dinner, spending time together... obviously it wasn't as simple as I thought it was.

This wasn't the Jackson I had grown used to. The one who was quick-witted, a little cheeky, and was sometimes a little too irresponsible to a fault because he was lonely...

"Jackson..." I started and he looked into my eyes seriously.

"I'm not quite sure when it happened, but one thing I can't deny is that... being around you has made me incredibly happy..."

My heart felt like it was trembling... how could I not have known?

"Hazel... I don't know how you feel about me but... I really like you... more than just a friend..." I sat there bemused... I was still for a while and I didn't know what else I could say to him.

That I couldn't love him because I was in love with someone else?

And that person happened to be his brother.

I really cared for and loved Jackson, but not romantically... there was a 'one' for me and it wasn't Jackson...

Thinking about how fond of Jackson I was... how far we had come to be friends... and now, everything was going to change...

"Jackson, I--" I said, but he just smiled at me as best as he could and shook his head.

"I already know..." there seemed to be a sadness coating over his eyes. "I know..." he said, sighing. "But I thought I would tell you... you know? I'm a tall, handsome, rich guy with a pretty adventurous heart. You know you would never be bored with me..."

"I'm sorry..." I said and inside of my chest, it felt like there was something hard pressing against me...

"Why... can't it be me?" after he said that, he turned to me again... there was a deep moment of silence between us. "Don't... answer that..." he smiled while standing up. I couldn't move so I only looked up at him.