In My Skin

CH 38 || Late-Night Run

Panting, I stumbled to a halt and looked back. Despite my mad dash the distance had shrunk between us. He stood outside the cone of light, right next to a thick hedge. A bicycle gleamed in his hands.

My already racing pulse sped up even more. One time could be a coincidence, but twice?

Sweat ran down my face, and my skin prickled in discomfort. Killian's and Cody's apartment was so close, it was taunting.

"Fuck," I muttered, pivoting on my heel, and breaking into a sprint. A sharp pain punctured my chest, right below my ribs. I tried to pace myself, but I was at the end of my strength and completely out of my rhythm. Houses and complexes flew by in a blur until Cody's truck caught my eye.

Huffing and puffing, I collapsed at their doorstep, my lungs on fire. I turned back, searching the empty sidewalks and road, but the man was nowhere—no. I sucked in a lungful of air. There he was. His silhouette blended into the shadows of a large building. The metal of his bike caught the light of a nearby lamppost, betraying his location.

I twisted around, pressing my hand to my side, and scanned the doorbell. Prescott, Prescott. Where the hell was that damn nametag?

There. I pressed the bell.

"Hello?"

I jumped as Cody's voice sounded from the intercom. "It's me, Tay," I managed to get out between breaths.

"Tay? Wait a second, I'll let you up." The door buzzed.

I climbed the stairs with shaky legs. Lucky me, it wasn't Killian. Maybe he wasn't home. Or he was busy. I shouldn't be picky. Asking Cody to drive me home was actually better—God, I was hopeless. If running from some creepy stalker right into Killian's arms wasn't a cry for attention, I didn't know what was. Ugh.

When I finally made it to the second floor my muscles had raised a body-wide protest. No more wild runs without proper training first. I got the message.

I lifted my heavy head and froze.

"Hey," Killian said, a lazy smile playing on his lips. He stood in the doorway, gripping the frame above his head. Somehow my brain had taken a back seat to let my eyes take over control. That was the only explanation I could come up with. My gaze seemed glued to the way his muscles bulged in that position.

Stop staring, say something.

"Um..." I swallowed, my mouth as dry as the Sahara. "Hi."

He dropped his arms to cross them in front of his chest, leaning against the open door. "Aren't you coming in?"

"Oh." Yeah. I was still standing in the hallway like some brainless mannequin. And I was gawking. It took some effort, but I managed to pry my gaze away and stiffly walk past him.

Compared to my own cramped apartment, theirs was much more spacious. To the left of the entrance, a door led into the kitchen, made up of white cupboards and a large wooden table. The living room boasted a giant flat screen above an L-shaped couch. Two matching recliners with beige cushions sat on each side. The whole place was impeccably tidy.

"I, um...came to see Cody."

Killian took in my running attire. "You guys wanted to work out?"

"Actually, I wanted to ask if he could give me a ride home." I chuckled awkwardly and pulled at my shirt. Then I shifted away from him, suddenly very aware that I'd been running for an hour and probably stank.

"Cody's busy," Killian replied in a nonchalant tone. "I'll drive you."

"Oh, okay, thanks..." But why did Cody answer the intercom if he was that busy?