“Any plans on going for the title?”
Cameron introduces the London team, and they each get an opportunity to answer questions while I hold Axelle on my lap, praying this will end quickly so I can get her somewhere more private. There’s still so much to say, and I can’t wait another second to say it all.
*
Axelle
With the press finally satisfied, Cam wraps up the conference. Before the microphones are even turned off, Killian pulls me through the crowd, dodging reporters until we’re in the hallway of the training center. He looks in both directions before hauling me off to the left.
“Where are we going?” I can’t help but laugh as he frantically grabs at door handles until he finds one open.
He throws the door wide, pulls me in to a small office with a generic table and chairs, then closes and locks it behind us. It’s then I notice he’s not dressed in the fancy clothes I’ve seen him in before. He’s wearing a pair of worn jeans that hug his lean thighs, paired with a brown T-shirt that says, Come to the GEEK side. We have Pi.
His eyes lock on mine, and it takes everything I have to not back up a step as he comes toward me.
“Killian?” I blink and unease slides through me. “You’re not mad at me, are you?”
“You jumped for me.” His voice is husky.
“I did.” I can’t take my eyes off his face. The firm set of his jaw and the bronze-color of his eyes almost twinkle with what I confused earlier with anger, but now I recognize as hunger.
“You know what today is, right?”
I don’t answer because he knows I’m aware today is Valentine’s Day, the most hated day of the year. Until now.
He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “We’re making new memories, starting now, baby.”
“You’re really staying?”
“Of course. Don’t act so surprised. You heard Cam. I could fight in Timbuktu.”
“It’s nice to see your ego’s still intact.”
He swipes his lips across my forehead. “You think it’s something you can get used to?”
Killian has never been a confident guy, and with as much crap as I’ve been giving him, he’s earned the right to be proud of his accomplishments. He’s not just believing the hype. If he continues on like this, he’ll be an MMA legend. I wrap my arms around his neck and smile up at him. “As long as you can get used to me not needing you to hold me together anymore.”
“No joke.” He sets his eyes on mine and his smile falls. “I loved holding you together.”
“Now you hold my heart.” It thumps heavily in my chest. “Don’t break it.”
“No fucking problem.” His lips descend, and he takes my mouth in a gentle and slow kiss. He slides one hand down to the top of my ass, pulling me in deeper while his other hand cups my nape. My legs feel weak as he commands my body and possesses my mouth so beautifully it brings tears from my eyes. The saltiness mixes with our tongues, and he pulls back, pressing his forehead to mine.
“Don’t cry, Ax. It kills me when you cry.”
“I can’t help it. I’ve been walking around for hours, regretting everything I said after we’d made love. I thought I lost you.”
“Never. You can push, and I’ll gladly take your fears and be your punching bag, but I meant what I said at that press conference. As long as you want me, I’m not livin’ another day without you.”
“Good. Because I want you.” I press a soft kiss to his lips. “I have always wanted you, Killian.”
“I was wondering, with today being Valentine’s Day and all, if you’d let me take you to dinner.”
The buzz of reporters filters through the walls. “You think there’s a restaurant out there where we can find some privacy?”
He chews his lip then shakes his head. “Good point. How about my hotel, anything your gorgeous heart desires off the room-service menu, and we’ll rent movies? Just like the old days but with more kissing and fewer clothes.”
I sigh long and hard. “Now that sounds like the perfect Valentine’s Day.
Thirty-five
Killian
I wonder if it’s too late to change my mind about this morning’s plan.
After we made it back to my hotel room last night, we made love until we worked up an appetite that couldn’t be ignored. We ordered enough room service to last days then dialed up some romantic comedy she wanted to see. I tried to sway her to the blockbuster sci-fi movie, but all my best moves failed, and frankly, by the time I had my mouth all over her skin, I didn’t give a fuck what was on the TV anyway. Turns out, after we hit “play” and our naked bodies were tangled together, she didn’t care either.
It wasn’t until after she’d fallen asleep in my arms that I was plagued with visions of what the last year of her life had been like. I couldn’t lie there for another second without doing something, so I sent out the mass text with instructions to pass it on to anyone who might be interested.