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Chuckling as he stretched his body beneath mine, he opened his eyes to gaze at me. Bringing a hand up to run a finger back through my hair, he quietly whispered, “How do you feel?”
Cringing, I leaned into his hand and he obligingly held my head. I was immediately grateful, since I didn’t have the strength to keep it up anymore. “Like a marching band took up residence in my skull.” He grinned, looking tired but in much better shape than I. His eyes glanced down my body. “How’s your stomach?” Not wanting to give my stomach the opportunity to revolt by giving it any attention, I shrugged. “It’s fine…for now.” Grimacing and trying to swallow with my completely parched throat, I added, “I’m mainly thirsty.”
Kellan nodded, like he’d expected as much. “Matt’s not up yet, but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind you getting some water out of his fridge.” He grinned a little devilishly, then added, “Unless you’d prefer the water from the bathroom.”
My eyes widened at hearing that we were still at Matt’s. I supposed that was a good thing, since neither of us had been in driving condition last night. We must have literally danced until we crashed. I vaguely remembered being tired and sitting down with him. Sitting must have turned into lying, and that must have turned into sleep.
Lifting my head off his hand, I took in his devilish expression as he watched me. Shaking my head, very carefully, as it was throbbing, I furrowed my brows. “Why do you look like…?” My thoughts drifted off as his comment stung my ears. The bathroom… Even vaguer memories of a tiny, enclosed place echoing with heated sounds of sex filled my brain.
Forgetting my head and my hangover, I sat up straight on his lap. He grunted a bit as my weight shifted to his sensitive parts. My eyes wide, I said at full volume, “Did we have sex in the bathroom?” We both cringed at my statement and I rethought my assessment that Kellan was fine. Peeking an eye at me, he chuckled. My cheeks heated as 173
I desperately hoped that no one else had heard me say that. Slow and seductive, Kellan murmured, “Oh…yeah.”
My eyes widened and I hoped that nobody at the party knew about that moment. As Kellan smiled at me, a satisfied expression sliding over his momentary pain, memories fought their way to the surface. Memories of people clapping…whistling…cheering…Griffin…
My hands flew to my mouth as I started shaking my head. “Oh my God.” Slowly lowering my fingers, my head suddenly felt fine in comparison to the dread in my veins. I whispered, “Did they all hear us?” Looking anywhere that wasn’t me, Kellan bit his lip. “Well…we really weren’t being quiet and it is a pretty small bathroom…so…” Groaning again, I dropped my head to his chest. “Oh my God,” I muttered, mortified.
Chuckling under me, Kellan rubbed my back. “Don’t worry about it, Kiera. Everyone told me they thought it was hot.” I jerked my head up, regretting the quick movement, but needing to glare at him. “Everyone?”
Twisting his lip, he shrugged. “Just the few I talked to after you passed out.”
Dropping my head back to his chest, I whimpered. Good God, everyone at the party had listened to me having sex. And I was remembering it more and more now that we were talking about it. It had been good sex. It had been great sex. It had been loud sex! I could never show my face in public again, let alone ever go back to Pete’s. “Oh my God…” Still chuckling lightly underneath me, Kellan kissed my head. “You were letting go, Kiera…I liked it.” As I collected my embarrassment, mixing that pain with my aching body, Kellan whispered, “Was that your first time in a bathroom in the middle of a party?” Tilting my head at him, I lifted an eyebrow and pursed my lips. “Yeah, that was a definite first.”
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Fully smiling, he laced his arms over my back, pulling the rest of my body down to his. “Good,” he replied spunkily. When I furrowed my brows, he shrugged and added, “I like giving you firsts, remember?” Not able to help myself, I shook my head and smiled at him. Then, remembering something else, I frowned. “Did Griffin seriously say we needed to make porn?” Kellan twisted his lips and nodded. I groaned, sagging my head back down to his chest. “Oh, because he heard us…heard me. Goddamn it.”
Kellan laughed at my seldom use of swear words and rubbed my back soothingly. “You’ll live, Kiera. And on the bright side, it will be a night you’ll probably never forget.” I took a second to peek up and smirk at him before lowering my head back to his chest. He was definitely right about that…I would never forget Griffin telling me that he’d gladly buy my sex tape. “And don’t be embarrassed…I’m not.” I lifted my head to look at him again and he happily shook his. “You were hot, and every guy in that place wanted to be me in that bathroom.
I don’t feel the least bit bad that every man was jealous,” he grabbed my hips, pulling me into him, “as long as you’re only mine.” Smiling, I shook my head. “I am.”
Lifting his head up to lightly kiss me, he grinned. “Good.” Snuggling back down with him, I tried to let the drunken evening go, so I could concentrate on the current moment. I had an eternity to beat myself up over the mortifying situation I’d put myself in at a huge going away party, but I only had a few hours left with the man who had my heart, the man who stole my breath.
Sighing, I snuggled my head into his chest and tried not to think about him leaving. I couldn’t yet, it was too hard. Instead, I focused on what my body was telling me, I needed water…and aspirin. While he rubbed my back and kissed my head, I murmured, “Do you want some water? I could bring you some?”
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Stretching underneath me again, he inhaled a big breath. “No, but I could use some coffee…I’ll come with you.”
I nodded and prepared my body to move. Kellan was so comfortable to lie on, my body rebelled, staying exactly where it was. Kellan chuckled a few moments later when I still hadn’t moved. “Need help?” he whispered.
I smiled, my head still resting against his chest, almost above the tattoo of my name. His arms holding me close to his body, he sat up. I could feel his muscles flexing under his clothes and I couldn’t stop myself from picturing that hard body in its natural state—completely bare.
I giggled at first as he adjusted us both to standing, then groaned as my head loudly complained about the new angle; it had preferred lying down. Biting my lip, I swayed a little on my feet. Kellan’s hands came up to massage my temples and I smiled at him gratefully; it felt wonderful against my throbbing skull. His face was weary, but still perfect. He did not look like a man who’d been slinging back alcohol all night. With his hair all crazy from sleeping on the couch, and slight stubble along his jaw, he looked…yummy.
I looked away from his perfection, positive that I did not look quite so…yummy. His warm lips rested on my forehead for a second, then he pulled me into the kitchen. We had to step around people lying on the floor. Apparently we were not the only ones that had slept over. Even in the kitchen, there were still partygoers. A pair of them was playing cards at the table, poker, from what I could make out. Thankfully, not strip poker, since the guy and girl were still dressed.
Kellan nodded at them as they blinked and looked around, like they’d just now noticed it was light outside and the party was over. You’d really think that the person snoring at the end of the table would have clued them in to that fact.
While I rested my tired head on his back, Kellan went about making a pot of coffee. Since he’d probably woken up here on several occasions, he knew exactly where everything was in Matt’s house. When the pot was finally percolating, Kellan got me a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water. I inhaled it I was so thirsty.
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Kellan smiled at me, kissing my head as I sputtered on some of the liquid going down the wrong pipe. As I was trying to cough soundlessly, which just isn’t possible, Matt shuffled into the room. Yawning as he scratched his chest, he nodded at the pair of us. Remembering that he’d seen me half naked last night, I looked away from him, my face flaming as it probably went beet red.
“Hey, guys…good morning,” he mumbled. Cautiously, I peeked back at him. Matt had been pretty far gone last night, maybe he didn’t remember?
Leaning against the counter with me in his arms in front of him, Kellan nodded his head up. “Mornin’, how do you feel?” Matt ran a hand back through his wildly disorganized hair, then massaged his own temples; I figured his head was throbbing too. “Peachy,” he muttered sullenly, opening a cupboard to get a glass.
Kellan chuckled as he held me tight, looping his thumbs through my belt buckle straps. Matt looked over at his friend as he ran some cold water into his glass; the running faucet made my head scream and I laid it back against Kellan’s shoulder, wishing I could fast-forward through the painful part of recovery.
“God, it’s annoying how chipper you are in the morning,” Matt muttered, taking a long gulp of his H2O. Kellan only smiled wider, rocking me a bit in his arms. When Matt paused, he added, “I hope you’re not like that on the road…it would really get on my nerves.” Kellan laughed and I frowned. I didn’t want to think about that part yet. Matt made the moment worse by adding, “Bus leaves in a few hours, so we should start getting people up…especially Griffin.” Kellan sighed and nodded. I bit my lip; I really didn’t want to think about this yet. Finishing his glass, Matt frowned at me. “You okay, Kiera?” Adjusting my face, I gave him a small nod. He smiled back warmly, then his lips twisted. “You, uh…have fun last night?” 177
He asked it innocently, but his face flushed a little when he said it, and I knew that he did indeed remember. Wanting to bury my head in the sand and never come out again, I only gave him a small smile and squeaked out, “Yeah…thanks for…letting us come…” My voice trailed off as I realized what I’d just said. Matt’s light flush turned as red as mine probably was. I quickly added, “Over, thanks for letting us come over,” but it was too late…I’d already said it in a horribly embarrassing way. Matt mumbled something about needing to get ready and quickly fled the room.
Kellan behind me struggled to not laugh, but as soon as the poker players started busting up, he gave up trying to hold back. Twisting around, I smacked him repeatedly in the chest. It only made him laugh harder. Wiping his eyes, he shook his head at me. “Oh God, Kiera, you’re so damn cute.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and tried to walk away from him, but he held onto me tight, pulling my body back into his. Turning me around, he wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me in place.
Sighing at the look of total embarrassment on my face, he shook his head. “I’m gonna miss your adorable awkwardness.” He sighed again, sadder this time. “So much,” he whispered.
I bit my lip as I searched his face, feeling the impending goodbye in the air. I wasn’t ready for it. I didn’t want to say goodbye to him. Slinging my arms around his neck, I held him as tight to me as I could. I’d hold him near me forever if there was a way to, but I knew there wasn’t.
I had to let him go. I had to give him his dream, no matter how much it hurt.
Eventually the rest of the partiers woke up and shuffled off, all of them wishing Kellan and Matt a great time on their adventure. As the poker players were blinking at the sun in the doorway, Evan and Jenny stepped through it. Feeling grimy and tired, I waved at a fresh-faced Jenny. She and Evan clearly hadn’t celebrated as hard as I had.
Seeing my worn features, she walked over to the couch to give me a hug while Evan excitedly clapped Kellan on the back. “You all right, Kiera?” she laughed out.
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Groaning, I laid my head back on the cushions. “Yep.” Looking over at her, I frowned. “I don’t remember you and Evan leaving last night?” Her cheeks flushed a little as she glanced at the boys standing a few feet away from us. “Yeah, well, you were a little preoccupied at the time.” Kellan glanced her way mid-conversation and she chuckled at him.
I covered my face with my hands. God, this embarrassment was going to last all friggin’ day. Laughing a little harder, Jenny pulled my hands down and gave me a warm smile. “I’m glad you had a good time, Kiera.” Shaking her head, she added, “Evan and I were afraid you’d spend the whole time moping.”
I smiled and looked over at Evan, the tatted, buzzed-cut, punk, rock star with a heart as big as Jenny’s. Meeting my eye, he nodded at me warmly and I let the lingering discomfiture fade. These people loved me, they wouldn’t purposely make me regret a moment of letting go with my boyfriend. Especially since the release was a much needed one, in light of today’s upcoming emotional goodbye.
Rachel quietly joined us on the couch while Matt took a shower. I longingly listened to the water flowing from the hallway, wondering if I could take one next. Feeling clean again might help my head stop thudding. Then, of course, hearing Matt in the bathroom reminded me of being in that bathroom myself. Just as my face was flushing, Kellan turned from his conversation with Evan to grin at me, like he knew exactly where my head had been. Biting my lip, I looked away.
“Kiera, when Matt’s done, what’s say you and me go suds up?” Frowning, I glanced over at the last band member to enter the living room. Griffin was smiling at me in a way that I didn’t care for, his eyes clearly already imagining me in the scenario he’d dreamed up. Giving me a kiss in the air, he added, “I want to hear you moan my name like you did Kell’s.”
I was just about to walk over and pummel the man when he was hit by about four different people. My sister, sleepily shuffling up behind him, 179
smacked him over the head. Jenny beside me chucked a couch pillow at him, hitting him in the face. Rachel even got into the mix by tossing the TV remote into his gut. But Kellan was the one that probably fazed him the most.
Striding the few steps over to him, Kellan grabbed a thick section of his chin-length hair and jerked Griffin’s face into his. “Knock it off, Griffin, or I’ll knock it off for you.” His indigo eyes dark and cold, Kellan searched Griffin’s face. By the chill in his voice, I knew that Kellan wasn’t joking. He’d finally had enough of Griffin teasing me, sexually assaulting me with his comments.
As tension built up in the room, Evan placed a hand on Kellan’s shoulder, trying to calm him down. Anna even tried to push Kellan back a pace, but his face stony, Kellan kept Griffin about an inch away from him. Griffin’s light blue eyes looked scared for a moment…then he started laughing.
“Did you want another kiss, bro? All you had to do was ask.” Rolling his eyes, Kellan finally released the idiot. The tension in the room immediately dissolved as Griffin doubled over. “Dude, you should have seen your face! That was awesome! I really thought you were gonna hit me.” Kellan grunted and walked away as Griffin stood straight and draped his arm over Anna. Pointing at Kellan’s retreating back as he walked into the kitchen, Griffin laughed out, “Say it again, Kell!” Mocking his voice, Griffin growled, “Knock it off, or I’ll knock it off for you.” Anna smacked him in the chest, but laughed a little too. Sighing, Griffin shook his head. “Ah, that was classic.” 180