tricks of time ― grayson hawthorne [the inheritance games]

023. I WAS ALL OVER YOU

And he slowly leans closer, as if he's scared of me. Breathing and not breathing and hearts throbbing between us and he's so close, he's so close my legs feel like jelly. All I feel is him, everywhere, filling everything, and the cold wind blowing through my hair so much so that I can't feel my fingers.

And he kisses me. His lips are softer than anything I've ever known, soft like biting into cotton candy, like melting on snow and being weightless in the air. It's sweet; it's so effortlessly sweet and gentle. But then it changes. He kisses me once again, this time more passionately and desperately, and we're both breathing heavily, his hands gripping the bottom of my shirt tightly and he's pulling me close; so close, but I need to get out of here because I can't do this. I don't want to do this. He tastes like almost like honey, fire, and craving, and I can't get off of him.

When he breaks away, thousands of thoughts are flowing through my head. I'm not sure if I should savor this moment or if I should run, get out of here right now. He's breathing like he's lost his mind and he's looking at me like something has broken inside of him. He must feel the tension seep out of my limbs and responds in turn. He smiles, loosening his clamp on my shoulders. Slips his arms around my waist. I swallow down the vomit that has, for some reason, come up my throat.

His hands are exploring my body, slipping down my back to feel the form of my figure and it's all I can do to keep from doing something reckless. He presses me into the curve of his body. Tilts my chin up to meet his eyes. I hope I'm not shaking.

My brain is exploding and I can't think through the desire and the feeling that something is terribly, terribly wrong with what I'm doing.

And he kisses me again. Hungrily. Desperately. Eager to break me open and taste me. I'm so stunned, so horrified, so cocooned in insanity I forget myself. I stand there frozen, slightly disgusted in what I'm doing.

He breaks the kiss. He mutters something in my ear which I don't hear. My face is cupped in his hands. Grayson grips my hips and then gives himself permission for his hands rule my body. He smells like lilies and tastes like honey. His kisses are gentle and almost pleasant on my skin, and his arms are powerful around me. There's an electric charge between us I hadn't anticipated.

My head is spinning.

I have to fight myself to remain logical while his lips are on my neck, tasting and devouring me second by second. I force myself to understand what I'm doing. But it's so, so difficult as his lips and hands claiming everywhere doesn't let me think straight.

I can't think.

Grayson lifts me by the waist, hoists me up against the wall, his hands cupping my back, forcing my legs to wrap around him. He's breathing heavily and tightening his hold on me as his lips touch mine and his hands slide beneath my shirt.

No words.

Just his lips.

Again.

He's kissing me as if the world is flat and we're about to fall right over the side. He's grasping for life and love and he's clinging to me, as if he has never imagined that being near to someone could ever feel this amazing. He doesn't know how to pace himself, take his time.

I'm in his arms wearing nothing but a tank top and sweatpants, which aren't doing much for me at this point. He pulls away just to look at me and and then he pulls me back into his arms. He then carries me to the mattresses strewn on the floor, where I find myself leaning against the pillows with him straddling my hips. All I can remember is that I'm gazing up into his eyes, which are lit up and visible by the glow of the moon.

He kisses me all over. I don't think there's a spot on my face he hasn't touched. His hands are sliding down my body. Suddenly his chest is hovering above my hips; and then suddenly I can't see him anymore.