Song: "I'm ready"- by Sam Smith ft. Demi Lavato.
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She still couldn't believe it. Thanks to Daxton's surprise, living in the large home was much easier for Mikayla, far easier than life with her parents had even been. She felt more independent having some of the technology around to aid her better. She now walked around the house by herself, explored with just Nelly by her side and only her sense of touch and smell to guide her.
During the week Mikayla often found herself in Daxton's greenhouse. She worried he'd be upset by her intrusion and yet, after that first time stumbling across her, he simply squeezed her shoulder and said to make herself at home. And so, she did. Often Mikayla would take a light blanket and her Kindle reader to the greenhouse. Nelly would lay on her feet in the sun and Mikayla would let her audio books play through her earphones while she sat on the bench, eyes closed and nose taking in the smells.
It was her new favorite room and when asked she said it was because of the calm isolation but the truth was, it was the only room that smelled most of Daxton. There was something comforting about his scent and before finding the greenhouse, Mikayla could never identify the smell. Now, she knew what Daxton really smelled of, was a refreshing combination between the earthy scent of the compost in the room and herbs from those he often picked for the chef.
Mikayla hadn't been around Cameron enough to know what he smelled like, but she assumed he'd smell of an expensive cologne she'd never heard of. She'd would know eventually because soon, Cameron would be back home, essentially breaking through the little bubble she'd molded into with Daxton.
"There you are." Mikayla's head shot around, and she pulled one of her earbuds out. She heard shuffling and smiled. Only Daxton ever dragged his feet so quickly. Soon his hand was on her shoulder. He squeezed once and sat beside her. Mikayla wanted to soak up the warmth from his touch and bottle it up for her own easy access on the lonely nights.
"What are you reading?" He asked and she turned her Kindle to show him the title. He hummed but said nothing more. She wanted to keep talking to him and so she moved her finger on the screen where she knew the pause button would be. She kept swiping her finger around, dragging it up, then down then left and right. Still the audio continued. Suddenly, her hand was wrapped up in a larger, rougher hand. Daxton's index finger lay on top of hers and slowly he pulled her hand carefully towards the right.
The voice stopped and she released the breath the held. She'd been close. "There you go," he whispered, his voice suddenly sounding a lot closer. She gulped. Her throat suddenly felt very dry.
She nodded, not sure what to say to him. His hand was still on hers. "Thanks," she whispered back. His hand left hers though she was sure he'd taken his time doing it. She could feel him shuffling around in his seat before his own throat cleared.
"Why do you always come here?" He asked her, now sounding further away. She frowned. She'd liked hearing him as much as she felt him when he spoke. She shook her head at the thought. She had to get her head into gear and start remembering what she was there for. She wasn't meant to be liking Daxton, she was meant to fake liking his brother.
Mikayla fiddled with her fingers. "It's quieter here."
"That's why I like it too." He answered and Mikayla smiled softly when he sounded closer to her again. What was the man doing to her? He simply bought a few things to make her stay at the house easier and suddenly she was reacting to him, smiling when he was near and thinking about him all the time. It was madness and she had to snap out of it.
No man had ever made her head spin quite like Daxton had begun to and Mikayla had enough sense to know she had to save herself before she fell too hard.
Besides, there was no way a man like Daxton would be interested in her. She had baggage and not just in the physical sense.
"Cameron arrives tomorrow," Daxton said. Maybe it was her own wishful thinking, but she was sure she heard a drip of sadness when he spoke. If only.
Mikayla nodded. "I'm sure he's happy about it."
Daxton snorted and quickly tried to mask it with an awkward cough and laugh combination. Truly the man sounded like he was choking, and Mikayla's alarm rose. She didn't think about it and quickly reached for him, trying to find his face and see if he was okay.
"What happened? Are you okay?" She asked quickly, running her fingers across his face as she tried to somehow feel that he was still breathing and not with any health complication. Her fingers skimmed his lips and the sounds halted instantly from Daxton. Almost simultaneously, they both froze. Mikayla could feel the short breaths on her fingers that slipped through his small parted lips. Her breathing followed his and without consciousness towards it, she was breathing in time with him, falling silent into the moment.
Still she couldn't move her fingers away, no matter how many sirens blast in her ears.
She wasn't even aware that she'd moved and faced him, but she was aware of his movement, mimicking hers. His knee now brushed hers, the strong bone giving her strength through his trousers. His knee was a sharp bone that stabbed into her calf and the heat from it multiplied through her body. He was so close, so warm now, so strong. It wasn't bravery that led her, most likely an incident of insanity. Her left hand moved slowly. She trailed her fingers away from his lips, featherlight past his cupid bow and up his curved slope towards the soft busy eyebrows and then, back down along his jawline.
She could feel his breathing increase; his breaths warming up her fingers on her right hand. She should stop. She had lost control of her inhibitions and was travelling too far down a road she wasn't sure she should be on. And still, she couldn't. It was as though something else controlled her and Daxton's silent reactions only fueled her further.
She couldn't say who moved first and honestly she wasn't' sure she cared. All she knew was that one second her right thumb had slipped over his bottom lip and grazed his tooth and next, all the oxygen in her had been stolen. Lip to lip and chest to chest. It was all she could focus on; all she could care to think about. He felt amazing, better than the short fantasy she'd played in her head earlier that day. His lips, which had felt chapped against her fingers where nothing of the sort against her own. They were firm and soft.
The way his head moved, carefully to the left while she followed to the right and the way his palm cradled her jaw like a piece of crown jewelry were all Mikayla could focus on. She'd only ever kissed one other man before this but there really was no need for comparison. Daxton won. She hadn't even need to think much about it.
She could feel his small tuffs of breath on her cheek as the kiss moved from sweet to suddenly overwhelming as the heat in the room increased. He tested the waters first, pulling away a fraction of an inch before pecking her softly first then, on the second touch of his lips on hers, he nibbled her bottom lip. The action surprised Mikayla so much that she gasped, and Daxton soared through, shoving his tongue so deep that she felt it in her toes. She lost all thought with that action. Her arms fell lamely to her sides as she sagged against him and simply surrendered to the feeling of being claimed in a way she'd never felt before.
There was no fight for control, Mikayla let him have it all, let him own her with his weapon. His grip on her jaw tightened and his left hand moved to her waist. He gripped her flabby flesh, grasping a chunk of it in his hand. Usually Mikayla would feel uncomfortable having anyone feel her body in that way. It was a part of her she was ashamed of and usually she'd fear what Daxton must think of but, she was too far gone. Instead, his squeezing made her moan and that simply encouraged Daxton more. Before she could react, he'd moved his right hand to her waist and now gripping both sides of her waist, he pulled her forward, going as far as to lift her up onto his lap. She now straddled him, her feet hanging in the air over the back behind Daxton.
His arms in turn wrapped around her completely and she was surprised he could hold all of her. When he squeezed her tight, her legs tightened around him in reflex and the feeling had them both pull away from the steamy kiss with a groan.
Daxton's head fell against her forehead, their loud heavy breaths were all she heard through the fog. "Damn," he suddenly whispered. Mikayla could feel his words more than she heard them and she so desperately wanted to feel his lips again.
"Damn," he said again as he tried to catch his breath. She nodded; not really sure she had a better word. "You look so hot right now." She quirked a brow. She'd never been called hot before, she never really had the body for hot. She'd heard men say she was cute and pretty but never hot. "You're sitting on me, lips red and swollen. Just knowing they were on my lips makes me go mad." He groaned under his breath, proving his point further.
Honestly, she wasn't sure she had a response to that.
"I'm not sure how this happened."
Daxton laughed loudly and Mikayla held onto his shoulders as his body shook. "I don't know either, but I don't care. I'm just glad it did happen. It was far better than I imagined."
She gasped and pulled back a bit. "You thought about it?"
"All the time," he whispered and kissed her softly, lingering.
"Wow," she whispered. "I had no idea."
"Did you not want to kiss me?"
She rolled her eyes and smacked him lightly. "You think I'd have let it go this far and not want it? Why do you think I come here? It smells like you."
He chuckled. "Oh, so someone has a little crush it seems," he teased and she wacked him again.
"Shut it."
"I'm joking. Besides, I think it's clear that it's not one-sided."
"So, what does this mean then?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, not to ruin the moment, but um," she stumbled a bit, "what does this mean? For us."
She felt his shoulders rise in a shrug. "Let's not complicate it alright." She nodded, not sure what to make of his nonchalance. Daxton didn't give her time to consider it though before his lips were again on hers.
Oh hell, she thought. Who gives a damn.
She kissed him back.