Survivor - Connor x OC

South of the Border

Ed Sheeran – South of the Border (feat. Camila Cabello)

Taylor tapped her key against the hotel door and pushed it open. Even though she knew she was imagining it, Connor was a pulsing presence behind her. She was hyper aware of his every movement, her senses pulled taut. Slipping her bag from her shoulder, she dropped it on the bed and turned to face him. Her heart jumped in her throat. Connor had followed just behind and was standing over her, looking expectantly into her face.

"Jesus, Connor." He tilted his head and her lips quirked into a smile despite herself. "One day I'm going to teach you about personal space."

He glanced down, hesitated, and took a step away. Taking a steadying breath in her nose, she fumbled with the buttons on her coat, her fingers clumsy. Connor took the jacket from her hands to hang for her when she managed to get it off. Left with nothing else to do, she lowered herself to sit on the bed, twisting her fingers together in her lap.

She watched him turn back, his brown eyes focusing on her blue. He came over and sat beside her on the bed, making her eyes drop back down to her hands.

"You said there was something else you wanted to talk about," he began, his curiosity not letting him stay quiet for long.

"You know, I didn't want you to agree to help me just so you could act as a bodyguard." She turned her head to the side, looking up at him through her lashes.

"Markus needed a logical reason to agree." Connor said reasonably. "That doesn't change what I said to you. Are you changing the subject?"

"No." She chewed on her lip. "I wanted to clear the air with you." Taylor lifted her head finally, squaring her shoulders. "Because it seems like everyone else has already decided that we're a couple."

His eyes widened a fraction, but she pushed through, even with the heat already starting to creep up her neck. His LED was pulsing a gentle amber. "I care about you. A lot. I just don't know how I feel past that. I know that I tried to kiss you—"

"You're stress levels are very high." Connor said quietly, interrupting. He placed his fingers hesitantly over hers. She realized her heart was quivering in her chest. Gently squeezing her hand, he considered her for a moment in silence before he said, "You said you would help me figure out what my emotions meant."

Her brows furrowed. He took her hand and placed it against his chest. As they both went still, she could feel the vibration of his thirium pump under the palm of her hand. Swallowing, she said, "Yeah."

"Right now," he said, his fingers sliding along her arm. "There's a warm feeling." He reached his other hand up, brushing his thumb featherlight against her jaw. His brown eyes, intent, scanned her face. "Whenever we're together, I feel compelled to touch you."

He leaned closer, his knee pressing into hers. Taylor felt her breaths coming as rapid, shallow gasps. She could picture the words she had said just moments ago, the ones she meant to say next, like wisps of smoke, dissipating. Every part of her in contact with Connor was a firebrand, heat spreading under her skin.

"I wanted to kiss you last night, when you tried to kiss me. But you were drunk." His eyes flickered to her lips. "I want to kiss you now." His voice was a low, deep rumble in her ears, sending a shiver through her. The hand touching her face slid back into her hair, his fingers curling against her scalp. "What do you think it is that I'm feeling?"

The anticipation ripping through her like a cyclone had superseded every other thought in her head. She forgot what the conversation had been about, just wanted him to close that little bit of space and press his mouth over hers. However, those perfect cupid's bow lips were twitching into a smirk.