by Taylor Rose
She gasped. Reminding me of why I never let anyone touch me.
Fuck.
I was so enveloped in her touch, I forgot.
My whole body tensed up.
Her eyes met mine, piercing me with horror, her lip trembling uncontrollably.
“Charming?” she whispered, her voice breaking with emotion. “Are those what I think they are?”
This time I didn’t correct her. I couldn’t.
I sharply nodded once.
“Fuck,” she hissed loudly.
Rather than pull her hands away like I expected, she pulled herself closer to my body and continued to run her hands up and down, side to side on my back. As if memorizing the pattern of my scars.
My heart was lodged in my throat, but I let her continue to explore my back. Fear played through my mind. Would she be disgusted? Repulsed? Would she think I was defective?
Finally, I picked her up and flipped off the water, needing to get both of us out of this situation. I looked into her eyes as I set her down on the ground. Unshed tears glistened in her beautiful blues. One fell down her face and dripped onto the tile floor. Using the pad of my thumb, I brushed the other away.
“It’s okay baby,” I cooed to her, trying to calm her down. She shook her head frantically and her whole body shivered.
Fuck.
I grabbed the fluffy towel hanging from the rack and placed it in her lap before closing my eyes and peeling off the soaking wet shirt she was still wearing. My fingers grazed over her skin, causing me to shiver. Once the shirt was over her head, I threw it to the ground with a plop.
I opened one eye slightly, trying to find the towel I had placed on her lap. My vision was bombarded by her naked body and my mouth became dry as her beautiful tits filled my sight. I blinked, trying to clear my vision and mind before reaching down and pulling the fluffy towel around her perfect body.
Her hooded gaze locked on mine and my heart started pounding in my chest. I gulped, because all I wanted to do was ravish her. Now was not the time nor the place, and being a gentlemen was a lot harder than I thought.
I coughed, clearing my throat from the desire and arousal that had built up from a single glance at her.
“Dry off and get dressed, baby,” I murmured. “I left pajamas for you to wear on the sink.” She nodded her head.
I laughed a little, trying to break the tension. “Now I have to change into dry clothes, too.”
She nodded her head again, so I walked out of the bathroom and headed straight to my room. Once in my room, I peeled off my wet items one at a time, letting them fall to the ground with a splat.
Opening my drawers, I pulled on a new pair of boxers and sweat pants. Bending down, I grabbed a faded t-shirt from my drawer. Before I could pull it over my head, I heard Figgy suck in a huge breath. I turned my head and watched her as she walked right up to me and traced the scars on my back with her fingers. Heat licked my skin from her touch. Her eyes locked on mine, and she did something completely unexpected. She leaned her head over, and kissed one scar. Her lips touched my skin, and I almost broke down right there. My heart swelled in my chest, love blossomed in my heart.
“Will you tell me what happened to you?” she whispered against my skin.
“Not tonight, baby. You’ve had a bad enough day,” I sighed. “I’ll tell you soon, though.”
She pouted her lips.
“I need to know now, Charming. Has today been a bad fucking day? Hell fucking yeah it has. But do you want tomorrow to be a bad day too? Wouldn’t it be better just to get all of the bad over with in one day?” she pleaded with me. “Tomorrow we’ll get to start fresh, leaving today’s worries behind us.”
Fuck.
She has a point. A really fucking good one too.
But how much bad can one person take in a day? Isn’t there some kind of limit?
I guess fucking not.
*****
In the blink of an eye, my life changed forever.
All anyone ever wants is to be understood. To be appreciated and loved.
Kieran picked me up in his strong arms, and placed me on his bed.
His eyes met mine, hollow and sad.
He pulled his shirt over his head, covering his scars.
The bed dipped from the weight of his body. Keeping his head down, eyes to the floor, he started talking.
“My childhood was messy,” he whispered. “My foster father had a temper. His name was Mitch and he hated me.”
He took a deep breath before continuing.
“At first he just slapped me around a little. He would yell all the time and no matter what I did, it was never good enough. He was the town drunk, so nobody gave a shit about him and I was guilty by association.”
“I was just a fucking kid,” he gritted out. “I couldn’t do anything. I was helpless.”
His fists were clenched in his lap, his knuckles white from the lack of blood flow.
“The older I got, the worse he became. He enjoyed hurting me, like he got off on it or something. One night I snuck out. All I wanted to do was skate,” he grimaced.
“When I got home, he was out of it, yelling and screaming. He dragged me out of bed, tied me up and cut into my back. Over and over again. The pain was brutal; I remember the burn of the blade slashing through my skin.”
He shivered from the memory.
“It was bad. Really bad. But I could have dealt with it. I had learned to control my emotions. But this time, he had me beat. I fell to the floor after he punched me in the face. I can still feel the coolness from the floor on my skin,” he whispered lightly.
“Laying on the floor a few feet away from me were my hockey skates. The blades were stained with my blood. He used the only thing that ever meant anything to me, to break me.”
I gasped, my trembling hands flew to my mouth.
His story shocked me to my very core.
Jesus Christ.
Tears pricked my eyes, my throat was raw with emotion.
No fucking way.
No wonder he knew what I needed without me telling him.
I reached my hands out, covering his large callused hands with my small delicate ones.
He didn’t pull away from my touch. Instead, he turned his head and his eyes met mine.
A tear trailed down my cheek. Using the pad of his thumb, he wiped it away.
“Don’t cry for me, baby,” he murmured.
“I’m not. I’m crying for both of us,” I wept.
He nodded as if he understood.
This whole time my mind had been telling me to back away and not to fall into his trap, that I was too broken to get involved.
The truth of my situation hit me like a punch to the face.
We were both broken, pieces of us missing.
My heart had been trying to tell me this whole time that he was it for me. Now my mind and heart were finally on the same page.
Somehow, our broken pieces fit together to create a new whole. A better whole.
My heart pounded into my ribcage. My blood rushed up to my chest and face, a blush spread across my cheeks.
Gently, I moved my hands so that they were cradling Kieran’s face. His amber colored eyes swirled with desire. My fingers brushed over his cheeks, the stubble from his beard tickling my skin.
Slowly, I leaned into him, my face only inches away from his. Understanding lit his gaze and fire raced through my body. Using his hands, he pulled me into his lap so that I was facing him, my legs straddling his lap. One of his hands moved up and cupped the back of my head, his fingers twisted in my hair. Using that hand, he pulled my face closer until his lips crashed against mine. Tingles jolted through me as his lips moved in rhythm with mine. He slipped his tongue in between my parted lips, causing me to moan in pleasure.
He tasted like peppermint. Cool and minty.
My tongue met his, causing a burst of pleasure between my thighs. I mimicke
d his movements, relishing in our kiss.
His other hand pulled my body close and then cupped my ass, squeezing it lightly.
I tilted my head, to give myself better access to his delicious mouth.
His lips assaulted my own, owning me in every way possible.
I pulled his bottom lip in between my teeth. He moaned in my mouth and pulled me even closer to his body so that the only thing in between us was the fabric of the clothes we were wearing.
His dick was painfully hard, pushing against his sweats, straining to get out. Without thought, I rolled my hips against him letting the head of his cock rub on my clit. He gasped in my mouth. The friction was deliciously painful. A low ache built up in my stomach, begging to explode. My orgasm was riding to the surface, close to breaking free.
I whined, needing just a little bit more friction.
My lips became chapped, the stubble from his beard gave me beard-burn.
He inhaled sharply, stood up, twisted his body around, and placed me on the bed.
Both of us were breathing hard, our chests were rising and falling rapidly.
He stayed standing, while I was now alone on his bed.
His eyes were gleaming with hunger. Hunger for me. Hunger for my body.
Looking down, his erection was still straining in his sweat pants. Using one of his hands, he adjusted his dick.
I smirked.
He scowled.
“Slower,” he mumbled. “We need to move slower.”
Now it was my turn to scowl and his turn to smirk. My body was begging to move faster. It needed to move faster.
“We both need to have our heads on straight, baby,” he rasped.
Even though I didn’t want to agree, I understood where he was coming from.
“Whatever you say, Charming,” I taunted.
Fast or slow, neither really mattered. Because either way, I had already decided he was mine.
Leaning down, he placed a light kiss on my lips.
“If you need me, I’ll be out on the couch,” he sighed as he picked up his pillow off of the bed. Before he had a chance to go anywhere, I grabbed his arm in my hand and tugged him. He didn’t actually move anywhere, but he stopped to look at me.
I shook my head no. He needed to sleep in here, with me.
“I promise not to jump you in your sleep,” I quipped, trying to make light of the conversation.
He grumbled but put his pillow back on the bed and laid down.
“I can’t make that promise,” he whispered. He grabbed my face in his hands, and feathered kisses along my cheeks, forehead, and jaw before adding another light kiss to my smiling lips.
Pulling me into his body, he spooned me. Holding me close, his warmth spread through my clothes to my skin. He rested his head so that it was touching the back of my neck, my hair had to be tickling his nose. He inhaled a deep breath, the warmth of his breath tickled my skin.
Closing my eyes, the sound of his heart murmured me into a peaceful sleep. The safety of his embrace would forever be remembered.
People will forget what you said.
People will forget what you did.
But, people will never forget the way you made them feel.
For the first time in years, Kieran made me feel safe.
I woke up enveloped in warmth, completely rested for the first time in years.
Kieran’s warm body was plastered against mine, one arm under my neck, fingers interlocked with mine. The other arm was wrapped around my belly, and that hand was cupped around one of my breasts. His head was nuzzled into the crook of my neck, making his breath leave goose bumps scattered across my skin.
A smile took over my face.
No matter what bad had happened to me in the past, I wouldn’t change a single thing because without all that bad, I wouldn’t be where I was right now.
Happily laying in this man’s arms.
I snuggled closer, wanting to burrow into his skin and become one.
My ass wiggled into his crotch causing his dick to stand at attention.
He coughed, as if something was stuck in his throat. He flexed his arms, squeezing my body tighter.
I dreamily sighed.
“Mornin’ baby,” he huskily mumbled, as he burrowed his head further into my neck. He took a deep breath, inhaling my scent. Kieran lifted his head and placed a chaste kiss on my lips before he pulled his arm out from under my neck and sat up.
Turning my head, I checked the time on the clock on his dresser.
7:06 in the morning.
Kieran walked out the bedroom door, rubbing his eyes with his hands, trying to wake up.
Jumping out of bed, I followed him. Halfway down the hall, I stopped short.
My breath stopped in my chest. My hands balled into fists clutching the material over my heart. Tears prickled my eyes, and silently fell down my cheeks.
In the room right next to Kieran’s, was Aqua.
The room that was barren and un-personal yesterday morning, was now a little girls dream. I mean, pink everything. White wooden dresser and chest with flowers engraved into the wood. A matching small white wooden vanity was in the corner of the room, her name above the mirror. Glow in the dark flowers, crowns, and shooting stars were placed on the ceiling. Pictures of our family hung on the walls. A chalk board wall finished the room with a bucket of chalk sat on the floor by the door. Last but not least, a small key ring hung from a key holder placed by her light switch.
Looking in the corner, a huge bed with a fluffy pink comforter with a canopy hanging from the ceiling is placed. A small white wooden bed side table with a glass of water is right next to her bed. My baby sister is curled up in a ball under the blanket, blonde hair fanned out on her extra pillow, sleeping peacefully.
A warm body walked up behind me and pulled me into his chest, my back to his front. His arms snaked around my waist, the heat of his body rolled into mine.
“Like it?” Kieran asked me, his breath tickling my neck.
I nodded.
“Love it,” I breathed out, my voice raw with emotion.
“Good, it was Cooper’s idea,” he mumbled, shaking his head. “I think. Maybe Eight’s. Or maybe Cooper was just trying to throw me off. Honestly I’m not sure who made it happen, but I love it for her.”
Holy crap.
“He really loves her, huh?” I asked as I quirked my head to the side. “Cooper, I mean.”
Grunting, Kieran replied, “That, he does.”
Turning around, I wrapped my arms around his torso, pulling him in for a hug. I sighed into his chest.
“I would have done it eventually, baby. I was just more focused on you yesterday,” he explained like I was upset he hadn’t thought about it.
As if I didn’t already know that about him. One of the many amazing things about Kieran was that he was giver. He would rather go without and give something to someone else.
My man.
He mumbled something under his breath as he pulled me from Aqua’s room.
Not caring where he was taking me, I kept my eyes closed and just followed his movements with my head pressed up against his chest. His heart was beating wildly.
Pump. Pump. Pump.
I yelped. My feet stepped on the cold tile floor of the kitchen, causing me to jump up in the air.
Kieran laughed, deep and huskily.
Opening my eyes, I saw his dancing with humor. Cheeky fuck.
The sound of his laugh brought me to a smile. A piece of my hair fell into my face, temporarily blinding me.
I blew out a puff of air, hoping to move it out of the way with no such luck.
Kieran kept laughing at me, but used his fingers to put my stray hair behind my ear. His hand bounced as he chuckled.
He picked me up, his hands grabbing my ass and placed me on the counter in the kitchen.
The cuts on my stomach burned from the movement.
I qu
irked my brow at him.
“Breakfast, baby,” he mumbled as he walked to the fridge and pulled out eggs, bacon, sausage, and orange juice. He grabbed a few pans from under the stove, placed them on burners. Adding bacon and sausage to one, and butter in the other. That one was probably for the eggs. Once he has that cooking, he poured a glass of orange juice and handed it to me.
Taking a sip, I let the citrusy flavor roll over my tongue.
“Time to pay up, baby,” he muttered, his eyes dancing with humor.
Placing my hand on my hip, I popped my elbow out and jutted my chin out in protest.
“What kind of payment, Charming?”
A smirk played at his lips, his eyes gleaming.
“A kiss, of course,” he drawled.
“Oh,” I breathe out, my heart beating faster in my chest. A blush rose up my cheeks, tinting my skin with a reddish pink hue. “Seems like more of a reward than a payment to me.”
After flipping the bacon and sausage, he sauntered over to me once again.
I pulled him close and placed my lips on his, tilting my head to give me better access to his mouth. One of my hands was in his hair, directing him where I wanted him. I caressed his lips with my tongue, urging him to open his mouth to let me in. Once he did, I swiped it under his upper lip quick before I tangled it with his tongue. He grabbed my bottom lip in his teeth, letting them scrape their way across the plump flesh of my lips.
I moaned. My pussy clenched together, the taste of him in my mouth almost too much for me to bear.
He growled and backed away swiftly.
I pouted, upset by the loss of contact.
“Best payment ever,” he muttered as he went back to fixing breakfast.
The muscles of his arms flexed as he cracked the eggs into a bowl and whisked them together with milk, salt, and pepper. Soon, a sizzling sound was prominent in the kitchen. I watched transfixed as he walked around, cooking breakfast.
Such a normal thing to do.
“Jumbo?” Aqua murmured as she wiped the sleep away from her eyes.
Kieran turned around quickly, a smile plastered across his face. Leaning down, he picked her up and placed her next to me on the counter.