How to Keep a Secret

Chapter 20- Red Flags

"New? I can show you new."

His lips crashed down on mine, exploring my mouth as he pulled me closer to him. I ran my hands under his shirt, feeling his familiar abs under my cool fingers. I leaned into the kiss, savoring Theo's touch as he ran his hands through my hair.

His kissed me more urgently, demanding, and I put my arms around him, jumping up to wrap my legs around his torso. I felt him lift me as he set me on my dresser, not pausing to break our kiss, his every motion becoming more feverish and intense.

I sighed as his lips travelled to my collarbone, sending a shiver down my spine. I felt his hands slip under the back of my shirt, exploring my skin; I was so lost in feeling that I almost didn't feel his hands fumbling at the clasp of my bra.

Almost.

I froze, breaking our kiss, and moved my hands towards his. "Theo," I said, my voice rough, and he sighed. "You said you wanted different," he said, practically whimpering in my ear.

"Not that kind of different, not...not yet," I said weakly, and he nodded, lifting me off the dresser and facing me towards the mirror.

"I don't mean to rush you, Gracie, it's just... well... I—I love you. I love you, Gracie Roberts," he said, holding me from behind as he looked at our reflection in the mirror, a small smile on his chiseled face.

I felt butterflies go through my stomach. The gorgeous, drop-dead handsome man of my dreams was standing behind me professing his love to me.

I smiled as a slow blush crept onto my face. "I love you too, Theo."

I turned around and he gently pressed his lips to mine, sealing our words with a long, slow kiss. A sigh escaped my lips as his arms ran along my sides, and I felt his hand slip under my shirt again.

Overcome with love and affection, I felt ready, ready to do anything he asked of me. In fact, I probably would have told him that, had not someone knocked on the door. Theo outwardly groaned as he left my side and yanked the door open, scowling at whoever had intruded on our moment.

"Are you two lovebirds finished with whatever the hell you've been doing? Because Raj and Kenneth are trying to get a group of us to go out later and wanted to know if you two wanted to come," Cam said, leaning on the doorframe as his eyes darted back and forth between the two of us.

I placed my hand on Theo's chest, and he tightened his arm around me. "Wanna go?" I said, smiling up at him.

He smiled back. "We'll be there," Theo said, neither of us breaking eye contact.

"Alright... I'll let them know," Cam said uneasily. "We're all going to practice sparring right now, too, if you want to come."

"Sure." I said absentmindedly, my attention lost in Theo's emerald eyes.

Sometime later I heard Cam clear his throat beside us. "Are you coming or what?"

I broke Theo's gaze and turned to Cam, who looked very unsettled. I smiled widely at him. "Race you."

I bolted out of Theo's arms and began sprinting down the hallway towards the gym. I heard the pounding of two pairs of feet gaining on me, and I pushed myself to move faster, laughing as the air rushed by me.

Right, straight, another right, straight—door on the left, almost there—

I slammed open the door to the gym and immediately ran into someone with so much force that we both toppled to the ground.

"I'm so sorry—" I said, halting my speech as I realized the figure below me was shirtless, sweaty and all too familiar.

"It's fine," Roger said, clearly out of breath, but doing nothing to move me off of him.