Page 23

I just let out a sigh as I watched him go back to his dresser, pulling out shorts and a shirt for him. He then sat down in his leather chair, still not looking at me. “Cheers,” I sighed again and headed to the bathroom, feeling irritated by the way he was acting.
I got changed quickly and groaned when the shorts kept slipping off. I decided to swap the shorts for the shirt, which was a bit of a shame. Luckily, the shirt reached mid-thigh and wasn’t too short for my black lacy thong to peep through it. Then, I groaned again when I realised I wasn’t wearing a bra. The tank top I was wearing earlier had a built-in bra, and if I were to wear it again, I’d smell like a dying pig. I mentally kicked myself for not asking my mum to pack me some extra clothes before she sent me off here. I inhaled Kieran’s amazing scent once more and opened the bathroom door, feeling a bit remorseful. Yes, I was feeling sorry for myself. I mean, what girl wouldn’t, right?
Kieran had his back to me as he played with a pencil on his desk. I saw he’d already swapped into a grey shirt and black basketball shorts. When he heard the door close again, he looked back at me. His smile faded as his eyes moved down my body, lingering a bit longer on my legs. His Adam’s apple moved up and down as he swallowed, and his eyes got darker as they opened wider.
He closed his eyes and shook his head, trying to clear his head. I felt my face go red, especially when I saw him try and hide his grin with a pillow. To be honest, I really wanted to pinch my mum for letting me stay here. I shifted uncomfortably and decided to throw the shorts at him, which he caught quickly. I said, “Sorry, the shorts were too big for me. You know, it just kept sliding off.”
He looked everywhere except where I was standing, staring at the bookshelf behind me. “Hey, do you want to borrow Lila’s clothes instead?”
“N-no,” I stuttered. Now, don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t a slut or anything. I just didn’t want to be a burden to Lila. You know when you feel embarrassed about staying at someone’s place just to make things easier for them? Yeah, I was definitely feeling that right now. I really didn’t like the idea of borrowing someone’s clothes – even Kieran’s shirt was enough to make me feel like I was a nuisance.
“No, you’re not a nuisance. Actually, you’re welcome anytime,” Kieran said, moving to the bed to grab some pillows. He was acting a bit silly and not making eye contact with me on our journey here. “So, you can sleep on the bed. I’ll take the couch.”
“Kieran,” I said, grabbing his arm just as he was about to pass me by. I could feel the heat again, pulsing where we’d touched. He finally looked down at me with those beautiful blue eyes and I smiled slightly. He smiled back and I almost forgot what I was about to say. “Look, if you’re not okay with me being here, I could go home or stay with Lila, but I really don’t want to bother her.”
I started to move towards the door, but then I felt Kieran freeze under my hand. He looked distant and emotionless, like he always does. As he got to the door, he half yelled, “No!” Then, he grabbed my waist, spun me around, and gave me a hug. He buried his face in my wavy hair, which was looking a bit rough at the moment. I let out a squeak when I felt his warmth seep through the thin cotton of our shirts. His chest was touching my chest, which made the blood rush up my neck and cheeks because I was thinking about not wearing a bra again. “Please, don’t leave. I can’t bear the thought of you being out of my sight.”
I felt my arms wrap around him, my hands running up and down his back to show I was there for him. “Then why are you being like this?” I whispered in his ear.
I’m worried that I might hurt you, and I might lose control, especially when I see you in my shirt. Wow, Talis, you’re so beautiful and you smell so good,” he said, inhaling my scent, which always makes me go weak in the knees. “That’s why I’m worried. I don’t trust myself.”
“Hey, hey,” I said, sternly, pushing him away slightly. His arms were still around my waist, where I wanted them to be. I was holding his face with my hands, and his cheeks were a bit pink. His gaze was sending my heart into overdrive. “I trust you, Kieran,” I whispered, going up on my tiptoes and giving him a lingering peck.
I looked into his blue eyes, which were now fluttering closed. It was full of so much passion and adoration that it made the butterflies in my stomach even worse. My eyes closed as I felt his warm lips meet mine again.
That was all it took for my toes to curl and my lips to stretch into a smile against his. He smiled and took my hand, which was resting on his shoulder, and we intertwined our fingers. His other hand was on my waist, bringing us closer. I could feel his heartbeat speeding up with mine, and at that exact moment, I just wanted to be with this guy.
I could feel his tongue on my lips, so I let him in. We both groaned at the same time as we danced together. We shared a laugh as we sat there. This kiss was so sweet and passionate. It wasn’t rushed, pushed, or rough. It was perfect. It made me think he wanted this moment to last as well, because he sucked my lips and kissed me like he was crazy.
But I was just a normal person who eventually ran out of breath. Kieran noticed, so he pulled away and kissed the Eclipse shape mark he’d given me that night. He then bit me. That was all it took for me to gasp and let out a breathy moan. He carried on messing up that sweet part, making it even worse for everyone to see.
“You are mine,” he murmured in my ear. He inhaled my scent deeply and kissed the mark he gave me. I shuddered when he lightly nipped it. “Tali, you’re all mine, you get it?”
When he came back up and rested his forehead against mine, I smiled at him. The warm smile he gave me made my eyes sparkle with happiness. His eyes were getting bigger again, going from light gold to normal blue. I nodded and said, “Always, Kier.”
He laughed and pulled away, but not before he held my hand for a bit longer. “Well, you better get some sleep, Talis. I promised your mum I’d take care of you.”
He led me to his bed, pulling the covers for me as I laughed. I lay down on his soft bed and sighed, feeling the silk caress my skin. I only just realised that I was tired as I felt my eyes droop.
“Hey, just wondering, what were you actually talking to my mum about?” I asked, my voice all raspy from exhaustion.
He raised his eyebrows before answering seriously, “Just staying here, like she said.” The way he said it made me realise that it was best not to ask any more questions. So I just nodded and yawned.
Kieran gave me a quick kiss on the forehead before saying, “Good night, Talis.”
“Hey, where do you think you’re going?” I asked, a bit annoyed, when I saw him heading for the sofa.
“To sleep,” he said, totally dumbfounded.
I gave him a look and patted the spot next to me. “Nah, you’re sleeping next to me.”
“But –” He started, looking a bit unsure.
“No way. Just come here,” I said, crossing my arms and giving him the puppy dog eyes. “Please?”
He rolled his eyes, sighed and got in next to me, pulling the covers up over his head. I watched as he scooted a bit closer and wrapped his arms around me. “Okay, just for you,” he said as I closed my eyes.
“Whatever, you know you wanted to,” I said, opening one eye.
“Oh, come on, Talis, just go to sleep.”
I looked at his shirt and gave him a pointed look. “Just get comfy like you always do. Just stay calm and take your shirt off. Most of us probably know that most guys sleep without a shirt. It’s like nature for them,” I said, matter-of-factly.
“You just want to see me shirtless,” he smirked, waggling his eyebrows.
“Maybe,” I said, shrugging. “Just take off the damn shirt!”
He got up, threw on his shirt and flung it on the sofa. He looked at me like I was the one who was happy now. I gave him a little smile and a quick look, keeping my eyes on his six-pack. I nodded and he just snorted and said, “Perv.”
He got back down again, so I gave his shoulder a little pat. “Whatever.”
I tried to ignore the heat radiating from his body, especially being so close to him like this. I kept my arms to myself as he wrapped one around my waist. I was worried about what I might do if I touched that delicious chest and his six-pack. I was scared, like him, that I might lose control. “Maybe we should be even. Take off your shirt, now!” Kieran teased, smirking at me. I rolled my eyes and ignored the red tinting my cheeks. Obviously, he knew I wasn’t wearing a bra.
Then he didn’t say a word, but looked at me like he was worried. His eyes met my green ones. His face said it all – fear, concern, doubt, etc. We stayed like that for a couple of minutes before I stroked his jaw with my finger to show I was there. “What’s on your mind?” I said quietly.
“Nothing,” he lied.
“We both know that’s a lie. What’s really going on?”
“Well,” he sighed and hugged me closer. “Don’t get me wrong, but I’ve got a bit of a bad feeling about Tasha.”
“My brother’s wife?” I asked, raising my eyebrows.