by K. D. Worth
“You’re not stupid, Max.”
I pressed my cheek against his chest, fighting tears of relief and embarrassment. He pulled me in, slipping his leg between mine and bringing our bodies flush. I clung to him and those long arms held me, caressing my back. Warmth shimmered between us, and I prayed Slade hadn’t meant his words literally and I would never lose Kody. This past day with him mad at me had been miserable enough. But to lose him for real?
No, I couldn’t live through that again.
Kody meant everything to me.
“I missed you,” he whispered, snuggling in. “I missed being warm.”
“Wanna know something Slade told me?”
“What?” he said softly, his hand trailing down my chest.
“Well,” I began, clearing my throat and delighting in how I could feel the heat building the longer we stayed joined. “Apparently the way we get warm like this only happens with us.”
“What do you mean?”
“Tristen and Heather don’t experience it. Just us. We’re special,” I told him. “Our love is special.”
Wonder and happiness lit up his face. “Really?”
“Yeah, really. You and I, we—” My throat tightened, but I forced myself to finish. “—we have something unique.”
“See, then why are you so worried and jealous?”
“Because maybe I’m nuts,” I said with a chuckle. “Last night, knowing you were mad at me was hell. I don’t wanna feel that way ever again. I promise to try and work on my jealousy if you promise not to get sick of me.”
He snorted. “I’m worried that you’re going to be the one to get sick of me. This drama, all this mess. I can’t believe—” He took a breath and pulled back. “I gotta help Britany, but I’m gonna need your help.”
“Of course. Anything,” I promised, glad to be included even if I had major concerns. “But Slade gave us specific instructions that we had to tell him everywhere we are. How do you suppose we get around that one?”
Kody looked me square in the eye. “He would never approve of this. If we help Britany and he finds out, not telling him where we went will be the least of our worries.”
I shook my head, smiling. “What is it about you that always has me breaking the rules?”
“I never knew I could be such a bad influence on anyone,” he told me, bumping me with his hips.
The brush of his groin against mine sent a surge of arousal through me despite the seriousness of our conversation. Though I’d left the door cracked and a single line of light streaked across the floor of the dark room, this was the most alone we’d been since our first night. Sure, we cuddled on the couch in the common room, stole a few below the waist strokes under the table, and kissed like wild animals in the library. I’d even straddled his lap a time or two in those all-too-short make-out sessions before we were interrupted. But we hadn’t had another chance to be in a bed, in the dark… alone.
Our eyes locked, and our breathing became heavier.
“I think we’re a bad influence on each other,” I whispered, my voice sounding strange to me, husky.
That sleepy smile I loved so much spread across his face and he tilted his head, our lips inches apart. We shifted to be closer, but I didn’t know how much closer we could get with our clothes on.
When our lips met, fire exploded within me. Blood rushed through my body, heating me up and hardening me everywhere at once. His smooth wet tongue slipped into my mouth, and I opened, inviting him in.
The kiss was so much sweeter having been denied it.
We’d gotten a helluva lot better at kissing. Our teeth hardly banged anymore, and there was a lot less spit. Heads moving as one, we shifted side to side while our hips began to hump against each other. I slid a hand under his shirt, the skin hot, damp from sweat as I caressed every inch of him.
Kody gripped my butt and yanked me to him.
I let out a shuddery gasp. “Kody?”
Holding me in place, he rolled his hips against me, hard. “Yes?” he asked, his voice taunting as he bit my neck.
Gasping again, I threw my head back, and he devoured me with kisses, licking, biting, and nibbling on my ear. Then he shifted us, the weight of his body pressing me into the mattress. With my bottom leg freed, I let him slide between my thighs and lost myself to the exquisite feel of him on top of me, thrusting and pressing.
“I’m sorry we fought,” I managed, rubbing his back, lips catching on his as we kissed.
“Me too.” His hips moved with a purpose neither of us could deny. “Let’s not do that again.”
“So is this making up?”
He let out a breathless chuckle and lifted up. His cheeks were flushed pink and his lips swollen with kisses. “I guess it is.”
When he thrust against me again, I groaned. “Then there’s some benefits to fighting, isn’t there?”
“I guess so.”
And then he kissed me.
My legs wrapped around his waist, holding on tight and fully open to his passions. I could feel everything building up, ready to burst as his humping grew faster. I shifted a bit, so he could hit the right spot.
“You okay?” Meeting my eyes, Kody slowed his hips, but they still moved, rubbing and making it impossible to breathe. The love and concern in his gaze stole what was left of the air in my lungs.
My heart swelled, and I could feel our love sparking hot in my hands. I reached up to touch his cheek, the crackle of white light on my fingertips startling us both. He flinched before I made contact with his skin. There was a spark, and then the light flickered against his flesh—as if it knew who to protect.
“Yeah,” I whispered. “I’m perfect.”
Smiling, Kody dipped his head. I let my eyes drift shut and tipped my chin, waiting for the feel of his mouth on mine. Our lips barely brushed as he pushed my thigh up, and we both started rocking faster. The pleasure about to come paralyzed me with anticipation, wanting. I’d waited so long to be here again….
A flash of light startled us both.
“What the—?” I cried, eyes unable to focus in my delirium.
Kody shifted off so fast the chill of his absence made me gasp.
I sat up, the ache in my groin making the motion painful. Kody threw a pillow over his lap, and we both stared at the open door.
A dark shadow moved across the ground.
Then a tail swished.
“Dammit, Herman,” I cursed. When the house cat pushed his nosy way into the room, I snatched up the other pillow to throw at him. “Get out!”
Laughing, Kody grabbed my arm before I launched the pillow at the unwanted visitor. “Leave him alone. He’s just a kitty.”
Hot and bothered in more ways than one, I adjusted my erection and glared at the cat. “You have terrible timing, you ugly hairball.”
The light flicked on and I squinted in the sudden brightness. Then it dawned on me that Kody turned on the light telepathically.
“How’d you do that?” I demanded.
His cheeks were flushed red, his black hair mussed and matted to his brow with sweat. “Do what?” he asked in confusion. “Turn on the lights?”
I gave him a “duh” face and he laughed, leaning in to kiss me. I turned so he could only kiss my cheek. “We have an audience,” I reminded him, glaring daggers at the cat.
Herman didn’t seem to care, and he leapt up onto the edge of the bed, purring and rubbing against Kody’s leg. Scooping him up, Kody caressed the cat and buried his face in his soft fur.
“Who’s da biggest fwuffy fu’ baby in da world?” he cooed in baby talk.
I really hated that stupid cat.
Shit, I really have a serious jealousy issue.
I crossed my arms, and I swore Herman gave me a smirk.
Kody smiled at me. “Don’t tell me. You’re jealous of the cat too.”
“Not cool,” I protested. “And don’t tell me you’re not upset by his bad timing.”
He shrugged. “He has impecc
able timing actually.”
Feeling sucker punched, I gaped at him as he placed Herman down. The cat purred and forced his way under his hand for more pats, which Kody readily obliged.
Slade insisted Kody wasn’t ready to go all the way; could it be true? He’d obviously said something to make Slade believe it. If they were talking about that sort of thing, what else had Kody told Slade he couldn’t tell me? I desperately wanted to ask, but I wanted more for Kody not to be upset with me again. I could bring up the subject later—or maybe never if I was smart.
Glancing up from petting the cat, Kody smiled but it faded at once. “What’s wrong?”
“You mean you didn’t want to….” Embarrassment choked my words and burned my cheeks.
He laughed. “Don’t make that face. I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Like what?” I demanded, needing clarification.
“Like I didn’t want to”—he raised one brow and nodded toward the mattress where we’d just been lying—“you know? I really did—I do! But it’s not like I have towels and water bottles in here like last time. Can you imagine running into somebody with a wet spot on the front of our jeans on the way to the showers?”
Instantly my insecurities faded in the face of his logic. “True. But I suppose you could’ve just magicked the wet spots away if you really wanted. Or conjured a towel or two. I mean, you’re making doors appear and turning on lights. You have quite the skill set, Mr. Michaels.” I scooted nearer, giving Herman a push. The cat hissed and took a swipe at my arm, which I barely dodged in time. “Hey!”
Kody laughed. “He tries to scratch you because he knows you don’t like him.”
I scowled at the cat as it leapt from the bed, affronted.
“I don’t like anybody who comes between us,” I said, straddling his lap. Though the mood had been ruined, I still wanted to be close. My emotions were raw after our fight and being in his arms made me feel forgiven and loved.
Kody hugged me, shifting us so we were comfortable. “No one will ever come between us, Max.”
I studied his face, the sharp nose, the pale skin still pink from passion. “You promise?”
“Pinky promise.” Then he kissed me, long and slow.
The fire from before sparked easily, but before things escalated, I drew back. “We have an audience.”
As one we turned and glanced at the cat, making himself at home on Kody’s dresser, licking his paws as if he didn’t have a care in the world. The door was spread wide open thanks to the precocious feline.
“I’m starting to think that everyone around here has been assigned to chaperone us,” Kody said with a heavy sigh, hands rubbing the tops of my thighs.
“No doubt.”
“One day there won’t be chaperones,” he whispered in my ear. I trembled when he gripped my waist, and I wasn’t sure if the thrust of his hips was a promise, a request, or just pure instinct, but I pressed my butt into his lap in answer.
A familiar sense of wanting filled me, a desperation to be connected to Kody in the most primal way. Squeezing my eyes shut, I shuddered, recalling all the times I’d dreamed about Kody inside me, and how I couldn’t shake the desire even though it frightened me. What if it hurt too badly?
What if it didn’t?
I wriggled my hips against him, squirming with anticipation that one day, even though it scared me, we would get there.
Running a palm down his chest, I paused to tease his nipple and he shivered. Much to my delight, I’d discovered Kody had very sensitive nipples, and it was empowering to know that one tiny flick of my nail could drive him wild.
“The door’s open,” he whispered, heavy gaze locked on mine.
“I wish we had somewhere to be alone.” I hoped Meegan would come through on her promise.
“Me too.” Then he placed his hand over my teasing one—but not to stop me. Wearing a feral grin, he rubbed my thumb over the hardening peak in encouragement.
I loved Kody’s assertiveness. The way he would push me against the wall, even if I kissed him first. The way he sometimes pulled me into his lap the second we were alone. Or put his hand on my butt, squeezing and rubbing, all the while talking to someone on the other side of the kitchen counter. He might be struggling with the same anxieties he’d suffered with when he’d been alive, but at moments like this, when our bodies did the talking, doing what came so naturally for both of us, none of those burdens seemed to weigh him down. His dominance and his need to find physical pleasure seemed to consume him.
It was just us and our love for each other.
Wanting him to feel good, I plucked his nipple the way I knew he enjoyed. He jolted and seized my hips, those long fingers digging into me. Like he’d done only a few times before, he pushed and pulled me, rubbing us together and setting a rhythm with our bodies.
Grinning, I devoted both hands to those sensitive nubs while he rocked us. Shifting onto my knees so I sat on his erection and mine pushed against his stomach, I adored how much taller he was than me, bigger. I rolled his nipples between my thumbs and forefingers, reveling in the wanton expression on his face.
“Unh, ugh.” His mouth gaped, and his eyes rolled back a little.
Still pinching him, I began to ride the hardness in his jeans with my bottom, not caring if Herman was there anymore. All I cared about was making my beautiful boy feel as wonderful as he made me feel every day. The fact that sitting on him like this had become my favorite place in the whole world was just a bonus.
“Max,” he panted, arching his chest into my teasing fingers. “If you don’t stop, I’ll….”
Skin tight and body flushed, I tugged a little harder on his nipples and he cried out.
“Shhh, the door’s open,” I warned even as I deviously pinched him again.
“Then maybe you should get out of my lap,” he suggested, though he made no effort to stop me from writhing on top of him, rather, he shifted back on the bed to give me more room, one hand pushing on the small of my back, and the other holding on to my hip for dear life.
“But I don’t wanna.” Reaching behind him, I braced both hands on the bed. Overcome, I alternated between curling my hips forward to rock my bottom against him and rolling them back so I could thrust myself across his stomach.
“Max….”
“It’s okay, just let go, babe. I got you,” I whispered, maintaining a rhythm of three forward, three back. Though concentrating made it difficult, I did it for Kody. “I wanna watch you come for me.”
He let out a breathless chuckle and pushed me harder across his lap.
Unable to believe my boldness, I kissed my way down his chest to nip him through his T-shirt. He was almost there. I could tell. I panted… so was I—
Sudden voices in the hallway spurred me off him at once.
“Shit!” I winced as my jeans pinched me, but after a quick adjustment, I sat in the chair across from him in time to see Dan and Sarah walk past the wide-open door. They didn’t even glance in, and when they were gone, I stared at Kody. “That was close.”
“Too close,” he agreed, shifting his crotch. He pressed his hand over himself and took a few deep breaths.
“Did you?” I wanted to know, pulse skipping.
“No.” He chuckled with embarrassment when I gave him a teasing waggle of eyebrows. “Stop that.”
“Stop what?” I asked innocently, kicking back in the chair. I gave him a gesture to continue. “Please don’t let me stop you. If you wanna finish up while I’m over here, I’ll keep a lookout.”
“Max,” he said, face reddening. “I can’t believe you just said that.”
“Well, it would be kinda awesome to see you….” I left the idea hanging, embarrassed by my own imagination and the dirty talk I’d started. And jeez, the way I’d rode him? I squirmed in my seat, still hard and sensitive, hoping I hadn’t rubbed him too hard and made him raw. Well, that wouldn’t happen if we were naked and had lube….
“But the door is open,” he
reminded me, taking his hand out of his lap.
Thoroughly frustrated, I crossed my arms. “The doors are always open around here.”
He made a grunt of agreement, then he sobered. “Seriously, what are we going to do?”
“About what? Finding a place to fool around?” I asked with a weary sigh, knowing what he referred to even if I didn’t want to discuss it. “Or the shades? Or your family? Pick your problem, we have plenty.”
Talk about a surefire way to kill the mood.
He made a throwaway gesture just like he did anytime shades came up. “No, my sister,” he said. “If Britany’s doing drugs, we gotta see if we can help her. After everything she’s done for me, I have to help her. Maybe if I can fix this, I’ll be able to let go.”
Though I didn’t really think it would be so easy for my guilt-ridden boyfriend to just “let go,” it was a good sign he’d admitted that he needed to. I wished I could knock his mom’s and Britany’s heads together until they realized how much they were hurting him, but no such luck. I would just have to do damage control before things got worse.
I gave him a wan smile. “Okay, you want to help her, but how do you propose we do that?”
His shoulders relaxed. As I got to know his little quirks, the more apparent it became Kody couldn’t function when he didn’t know where things were going, or what would happen. He liked things in order and having a plan. I think the fact that his life had been completely out of his control before, leaving his future uncertain, had been a major source of his anxiety when he’d been alive.
“I don’t know,” he began and I could see the wheels spinning in his mind. “If I could talk to her—”
“Absolutely not!” I declared. Then I shot a look at the open door, and went on in a hiss, “You are not showing yourself to her. Are you crazy? No, no way! The risks are far too great. My job is to protect you, and I’m not breaking that rule, even if I have to protect you from yourself. If anybody’s gonna talk to her it’s gonna be me.”
“But—”
“No buts,” I told him firmly. “Britany already thinks I’m a real person. There’s no real reason I couldn’t talk to her. It wouldn’t raise any suspicions. And after Slade told me the shades are after you, you are not going anywhere without my permission.”