Page 60 of Discover Me
"Let's get out of here." He grabs my hand, threading our fingers together. "Go somewhere dry and warm."
We run to his car, laughing as we slip on the wet pavement. The interior provides shelter from the rain but we're already drenched, water pooling on the seats. Kellan starts the engine and cranks the heat, both of us shivering as warmth slowly fills the space.
"Your place?" Kellan asks, his hand finding mine across the center console.
"Yeah." My heart pounds for different reasons now. "My place."
The drive feels longer than it is, anticipation building with each mile. By the time we pull into my driveway, I'm vibrating with need. We practically fall out of the car and stumble toward my front door, hands all over each other.
I fumble with my keys, dropping them twice before managing to unlock the door. We spill inside and Kellan kicks it shut behind us, immediately pressing me against the wall for another kiss. His hands are everywhere, peeling off my wet shirt and running along my ribs with careful pressure.
"Bedroom," I gasp out between kisses. "Now."
We make it upstairs somehow, leaving a trail of wet clothes behind us. By the time we reach my bed, we're both naked and desperate. Kellan pushes me down onto the mattress, following to cover my body with his.
What follows is intense and overwhelming, nothing like the quick desperate sex in his car from the other night. This is thorough and intentional, Kellan taking his time to map every inch of my body. His mouth traces my scars, kisses the bruises that are still healing, worships the parts of me I've been self-conscious about.
When he finally pushes inside me, we both groan at the connection. The feeling of completeness that comes with being joined like this. He moves slowly at first, letting me adjust, his eyes never leaving mine.
"I love you," Kellan murmurs, his hips rolling in a steady rhythm. "Fuck, I love you so much."
"Show me." I pull him down for a kiss.
"Micah." His voice breaks on my name. "Fuck, I'm gonna—"
His knot locks fully inside of me, the sensation triggering my own release and I come between us with Kellan's name on my lips. He follows seconds later, his whole body shuddering as he fills me.
Kellan's weight presses me into the mattress but it feels good. His sweet rum scent mixes with my own, creating something uniquely ours. "I love you," Kellan says again, his voice soft in the aftermath. "I should have said it weeks ago. Should have fought for you from the beginning instead of letting Tom dictate everything."
"I think I've already been there." I run my fingers through his damp hair. "But I was too scared to say it. Scared you'd think it was too fast or that I was getting too attached to something that was supposed to be temporary."
Kellan pulls out his phone from where it landed on the nightstand, somehow still functional despite the rain. He types something one-handed, his other arm wrapped around me. Then he shows me the screen.
The post is simple, just a few words on his social media with a photo of our joined hands. The caption reads: "My Beta forever."
Tears prick my eyes at the simple declaration. No staged photo shoot, no carefully crafted PR statement. Just Kellan telling the world that I'm his in the most straightforward way possible.
"Is this okay?" Kellan asks, suddenly uncertain. "I can delete it if it's too much—"
I kiss him, cutting off the rambling. "It's perfect. You're perfect."
I curl around him, or as much as I can with his knot still locking us together. This is what I needed, what I've been craving since this whole thing started. Not the performance or the publicity, just this intimacy and connection.
Kellan's phone starts buzzing with notifications, hundreds of responses to his post flooding in. But he silences it and sets it aside, all his attention focused on me. "My Beta forever," he repeats, kissing my forehead. "I meant it. Contract or no contract, band or no band, I choose you. Always you."
"Always," I echo, letting my eyes close as exhaustion pulls at me. "I choose you too."
Kellan
I pad downstairs into Micah's kitchen, shirtless and feeling more relaxed than I have in months. The morning light streams through the windows, illuminating the cozy space that's so different from my sterile apartment. This kitchen actually feels lived in, with mismatched mugs and a well-used coffee maker and magnets holding up old photos on the fridge.
I open the fridge looking for something to drink and I'm surprised to find Dr Pepper sitting there on the shelf. A whole six-pack, like Micah went out and bought it specifically for me.The gesture makes something warm bloom in my chest, this casual thoughtfulness that shows he was thinking about me even when I wasn't here.
I grab one and crack it open, taking a long drink as I look around his cute kitchen. Everything is worn but well-maintained, the counters showing years of use but scrubbed clean. A bowl on the counter catches my eye and I move closer to investigate. Tootsie Rolls. A whole bowl of them, just sitting there like a candy dish at a grandma's house.
I snort, charmed by this detail. Micah and his Tootsie Rolls, that simple pleasure he gets from cheap candy. It's so different from the expensive catering and craft services at the label, where everything is artisanal and overpriced.
I hear footsteps on the stairs and turn to see Micah coming down, his hair still messed up from sleep and sex. He's wearing just sweatpants, his chest bare and showing the marks I left last night. The sight makes possessive satisfaction rush through me. Mine. My Beta, wearing my marks.
