Page 47 of Beneath Your Beautiful
I glanced at Adam. He swallowed hard, not meeting my eye.
Killian took my hand and led me to the door. Shockingly, Adam stepped aside to let us pass. When we got outside, I took deep breaths.
I heard the door open, letting out the sound of country music and looked over my shoulder at Joss.
“I loved you, asshole,” she screamed.
Killian stopped walking. He rubbed the back of his neck and turned to face her. “You didn’t even know me,” he said, sounding weary.
She erased the distance between us, her eyes narrowed on me again.
“Is this your new fuck buddy? Does he just call you for sex then leave afterwards? He never even stayed the night.” She was crying now, her mascara leaving black trails down her cheeks. “What’s so great about her that you and Adam were fighting over her?”
Joss lunged at Killian and slapped him across the face, the sound ringing in the air. She raised her hand to do it again, but Killian wrapped his hand around her wrist to stop her. “You got your one shot.”
“Fuck you,” she said, dissolving into tears again.
Adam stood back, watching this whole disaster play out. “Come on, Joss. Let’s get out of here.”
She glared at us before she turned and walked away. Killian took my hand again and we started walking. Something hard smacked against my shoulder blade. Ouch.
I turned just as Joss unleashed her other stiletto. Killian blocked it with his body. “Joss,” he said through gritted teeth. He strode over to her and Adam and planted his hands on his hips. “Stay. Away. From. Eden.” Killian leaned in and said something to Adam in a low voice I didn’t catch.
I picked up Joss’s shoes and tossed them in her general direction. Adam scooped them up, grabbed Joss’s arm and led her away.
Killian stood his ground, hands on his hips and watched them until they were gone. I didn’t know what to say or do about any of this, so I started walking. Killian fell into step with me but neither of us said a word.
When we reached my building, I stopped at the bottom of the steps. “I don’t even know what to say about any of this.”
He squinted at something over my shoulder. “I haven’t seen her in months. She was never my girlfriend.”
“Yeah, I picked up on that. You were just fuck buddies.”
He sucked air in through his teeth. “I was honest with her. I never pretended it was something it wasn’t.”
“She seems to think she was in love with you.”
“She’s Adam’s sister. What can you expect?” he asked, attempting to make a joke. It was kind of funny, but it was so messed-up I couldn’t laugh.
He reached out and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. His knuckles brushed against my skin and everywhere he touched was electric. “Killian,” I whispered. “What are we doing?”
He cradled my face in his hands and lowered his head, his lips brushing against mine in an almost-kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck and his hand glided through my hair, holding the back of my head. His other arm wrapped around my waist and he kissed me, his lips soft and warm, the stubble on his jaw rough against my skin. My lips parted to let him in, and our tongues swirled together, exploring each other’s mouths, seeking, and searching. My fingers tangled in his thick hair, softer and silkier than I’d imagined it to be. He tasted like something exotic I’d never tasted before. Sweet forbidden fruit or a drug I’d craved without knowing it until now.
We were kissing with a fervent, urgent need, like it was the air we needed to breathe. My body trembled with adrenaline and we adjusted our bodies until there was no space between us, no way we could possibly get closer. My hip pressed against his rigid length and he groaned into my mouth, a low, guttural sound that sent heat pooling between my thighs.
I was coming undone. I’d never been kissed like this before, with so much hunger and intensity and so much of everything. The ground beneath me didn’t feel solid. But I wasn’t sure that Killian was someone I should want. I wasn’t sure what kind of game we were playing or what was going on with us.
With those thoughts invading my brain, I pulled away from him and tried to catch my breath. I was shaking from head to toe and that kiss had left us both in a bad place. He adjusted himself in his jeans and ran a hand through his hair, letting out a ragged breath. I walked away from him on wobbly legs and lowered myself onto a step, in front of my building. Hugging myself, I closed my eyes. He sat next to me, and I felt him there, felt the heat of his body even though we weren’t touching. I tasted him on my lips and with every breath I took, I inhaled his scent.
One kiss and he’d gotten under my skin. Made me yearn for something I wasn’t sure he could give me—more of himself.
“Killian…what are we? Because I’m not…I just feel like you’re messing with my head.”
“Let me come upstairs with you.”
“Why? So, you can get me into bed?” I asked flippantly.
“If I only wanted sex, I’d tell you that.”
