A/N: Contains mild sexual content
The party pulsed with energy as Killian and I pushed through the crowded room, me half a step behind. His towering frame easily carved a path through the crowd and all I had to do was follow in his wake. Every second step, he flicked a glance over his shoulder, making sure I was behind him. I reached out and grasped the back of his hoodie.
With my hair down, partially obscuring my face, I hadn't bothered changing out of my comfy yoga pants and Killian's oversized sweatshirt. It was as if I had shed all pretenses and embraced ultimate comfort. I'd never felt more comfortable.
We headed for a room towards the back of the house. Cody, Drew, a few guys with familiar faces that I couldn't put a name on, and a new guy with a mob of golden-brown hair lounged around two couches, chatting animatedly.
They grinned at us and then Killian introduced me to the stranger. So, this was Max.
Max turned to me as I sank onto the couch, flashing me a bright grin, dimple and all.
I offered him a guarded smile in return. Five minutes, Killian had said. I could do five minutes.
"So, Tay," Max began. "What do you do?"
"I study physics," I replied. "And you?"
"Physics, huh? That sounds kind of cool. I actually got a scholarship last year and transferred to the University of Alabama."
"Max, you want a beer?" one of the guys asked.
Settling into the seat beside me, Killian's hand glided down my spine, easing some of the tension between my shoulders. It was so fast and natural, I bet nobody even noticed anything. Well, nobody aside from Max.
There was a knowing glint in his eyes as he replied, "No, thanks. I'm not drinking."
The guy began distributing the bottles to the others. I shook my head when he offered me one and he moved on without batting an eye. Huh.
Killian handed me a bottle of water. His fingers lingered against my skin as I took it from him. For a moment our gazes locked, and the rest of the tension melted out of me. Maybe this wasn't so bad after all.
And it wasn't. Two hours passed in a flash. Killian stuck to my side and although I didn't want to admit it, it felt good. Maybe it was his presence or maybe the people were nicer, but nobody asked me any uncomfortable questions. Not even Drew.
Max kept including me in the conversation, sharing details about his sports program—he played football—and we chatted about video games for a good twenty minutes. Killian shifted, his long legs brushing against mine as I recounted in explicit detail how many times I had defeated him in Halo the other night. Something Max found extremely hilarious since was apparently their best player.
Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing Jared and a few other members of the team. Right behind them was Chris. They were the first ones who didn't appear as happy. What had Jared said? He hadn't always gotten the attention...
"Killian?" I whispered. He tipped his chin down, leaning closer. "What position did Max play?"
A playful sparkle danced in his hazel eyes. "Why don't you take a guess?"
"Um... Quarterback?" Basically, the only position I knew.
His lips curled as he looked up, fixing his gaze on the new intruders. "Exactly."
Jared stood stiffly to the side, his typical cocky attitude nowhere to be found. I must have concealed myself quite well behind Killian's frame, as Jared did a double take before calling out, "Tay?"
I lifted my hand in a little wave.
Chris finally spotted me as well, a scowl fliting across his features. I couldn't bring myself to care.
"What are you doing here?" Jared questioned.
"What do you mean?"
His gaze shifted from Max to Killian, a crease etched between his brows. "I mean...you came here with them?"
I shrugged. It wasn't exactly his business now, was it?
Chris glanced at the bottle of water clutched between my hands and let out an audible snort. "Looks like you haven't changed at all. Still as uptight as ever."
I put on a nonchalant face. What an absolute ass.
Killian flexed his hands, straightening up. The change in his demeanor was subtle, but I could sense his body rippling with tension. I touched his forearm, feeling the taunt muscles beneath my fingers.
Chris's face darkened as he followed the small movement. He opened his mouth, probably to spout more nonsense, when a strong female voice chimed in, "I'd advise you to tread carefully from now on, Christopher. Just because I haven't kicked your sorry ass yet doesn't mean I won't."
I nearly dropped my bottle. "Suz!"
She flashed me a wide grin. "In the flesh." My best friend skidded across the room and leaped onto the couch, engulfing me in a tight hug. She squeezed herself into the tiny space beside me and just like that, I found myself squished against Killian's side, half-sitting on his leg.
My right sight pressed against his arm. He wrapped it around my waist, pulling me side-ways onto his lap. Suz bombarded me with a torrent of words—how much she'd missed me, how boring it was at home. I nodded at the right places, all my thoughts consumed by the fact that I was sitting on his lap, and he smelled good, and he was really warm, and it was nice. Like somebody stuck an electric cord inside my body, small currents raced over my skin.
I shifted in my spot and his biceps flexed.
"Tay, a word?" Jared called out, jolting out of my daze.
Killian's muscles tightened further as if he didn't want to let me go. Not that I had any plans to leave my own personal radiator.
"Sorry, I think I'm too uptight for you guys," I replied with a grin. "I think I'll stay here."
His grip loosened a bit.
"What?" Jared asked confused. "You're fine—"
Rolling his eyes, Max got to his feet. "I think I'm done with this party." Then he asked Killian, "We could chill at your place?"
Killian glanced at me, waiting. It took me a second to realize that he must be wondering about my opinion. For a moment I was tempted to decline, just so I could stay in his embrace a second longer. I leaned towards him. "Let's go?"
His lips came so close they nearly brushed my ear. I suppressed a shiver as he spoke, "But then we got people over. You okay with that?"
"As long as they're not Chris and the others I don't care."
"All right. Sure, let's go," Killian said.
A sense of Déjà vu hit me when I woke to a pitch-black room. I fumbled around, searching for my phone when I brushed over something warm and very much alive. A much bigger hand grasped my wrist, and another was on my back before I could protest.
"Go back to sleep," Killian mumbled.
"What time is it?"
He reached over my head. A clock lit up briefly showing 3:05 a.m. Wait, hadn't we been sitting in the living room?
"You fell asleep, Princess," Killian answered my thoughts.
"Really?"
"Since you haven't used your bed yet, Max took your room and I put you here. The bed is huge anyways, but I can also sleep on the couch if you want."
I blinked. Chris never would have offered and if he had, he would've gotten angry if I agreed.
"Okay," I said in a careful tone. "Sleep on the couch."
The hand on my back disappeared and the nightstand lamp turned on. Killian sat up, dragging a hand down his tired face. I watched him apprehensively. He turned to me and ruffled my hair gently. "Go back to sleep."
Yawning, he got to his feet. I was presented with his broad back as his bare feet padded around the bed. Was he really leaving?
Yes.
I stared at the shut door. The sudden loss of his presence put me on edge. I didn't want him to leave, I just wanted to see how he would react.
I pressed my nose into his pillow and inhaled. Everything smelled so much like him it was driving me crazy. I tossed and turned for about ten minutes before I couldn't take it anymore.
Tip-toeing into the living room, I found him lying on the couch only a thin blanket covering him. He had put on one of his comfy PSU sweatshirts. One arm draped across his face, his chest rising and falling slowly. Was he already asleep?
I crawled under the blanket, tugging myself against him.
"Tay?" he asked huskily.
"Mhm."
There was a relaxed sigh and then he hooked his arm around me, pulling me closer. I sneaked my hands under his sweatshirt and felt him tense when they touched his bare skin.
"Princess..." His voice sounded strained.
Shifting on his side, his arms wrapped more tightly around me. As if my hand developed a will on its own it started moving up his back exploring. His lips brushed against my ears and a pleasant shudder raced down my back.
His hands ran over the backside of my legs, his fingers digging into my thighs, hoisting me higher. My heart rate oscillated, bouncing between nervousness and excitement.
He rested his forehead against mine, our lips were mere inches apart. With every breath, I could almost taste him, but he held back. The decision was mine. And that fact alone made it an easy one.
I closed the distance between us and every thought inside my brain vanished. Killian spread his fingers against the base of my neck, holding me. The kiss was almost painfully slow. With every move, every stroke of his tongue desire shot through my body. He felt so good it was making me dizzy.
Then I was in the air. The blanket slid to the floor and Killian walked us back to his room. My back sank into the mattress as he placed me on his bed. His sweatshirt fell to the floor, closely followed by his shirt. He moved on top of me at the same time as I reached for him, my hands eagerly roaming over his shoulders, his chest, and down to his stomach, tracing every curve of his muscles.
His pulse raced beneath my palm. It gave me a rush, knowing I affected him like this. Like he affected me.
He kissed me again before his lips traveled over my chin and down my neck. I flinched when his stubble brushed a sensitive part of my skin.
"Sorry," Killian said, sounding as out of breath as I felt. "We can stop—"
"No," I pressed out, almost panting. "I-it's just my skin's sensitive there. I don't want to stop."
He carefully touched the spot. "Here? Or anywhere else?"
"Just there," I replied feeling shy.
"Okay, good. Now, turn around," he commanded in a low voice.
Huh?
Sensing my confusion, he reached under my waist and flipped me onto my stomach. His hand palmed against my lower back, warm and firm. Then he inched his way down. His fingers hooked into the waistband of my pants, pulling them down. Goosebumps spread over my skin.
Strong hands wrapped around my ankles. Spreading wide, they traveled up, dipping between my thighs. I laser-focused on the tips of his fingers, so close to my heat it was driving me insane. My body shook as his hands lingered for a beat, teasing, building anticipation—but he kept moving up, his hands digging into the soft flesh of my buttocks, gliding over my back, gently urging up my shirt. With a quick lift, he removed it, and then I was completely naked, except for the soft cotton panties. And maybe that would have bothered me if my brain hadn't surrendered its ability to form coherent thoughts.
I shivered as the fresh air hit my bare skin. Killian was right there, one arm propped up, he covered my whole body with his own, pressing me into the mattress. The solid contours of his chest molded against my back, expanding with every inhale.
"Relax, Princess."
It was almost embarrassing how quickly my body followed his command before I could even process it. His warmth melted every last bit of tension. I bet I would somehow manage to spontaneously burst into flames if he asked me to.
His mouth trailed down my spine and I shivered again because he was taking his time and it was both sweet and infuriating. Slowly, his fingers slid along my sides, stopping just below my breasts. He shifted to his side, slipping his hands beneath me and then I was cradled in his arms, safe and warm and very horny. My moan was muffled by lips, as the hard length of his erection pressed against my butt. He stroked the underside of my breast before he reached higher cupping my boob, his thumb brushing over my nipple. Stars exploded behind my eyes.
Magic hands. That was the only possible explanation for my current state of arousal. We had barely done anything, and I was pretty sure those panties were drenched.
His other hand trailed down my stomach, rubbing soothing circles across my skin. I trembled under his touch. Under the intensity of it.
"Kel," I breathed, my voice thick with need when he halted inches away from where I wanted him to touch me—no—where I needed him to touch me. He was driving him crazy.
Shifting our position, he guided me onto my back, positioning himself between my legs. His mouth hovered above my chest, but his eyes were trained on me, gauging my reaction. His voice mirrored the same desperation as my own, as he spoke, "You sure?"
His long fingers caressed the inside of my thigh, skimming along the edge of the small fabric separating our skin. I reached out, gripping his hair and pulling him down.
Yes, I was sure. And now that he made sure I was sure, I was pretty damn sure.