I lean back into him. His mouth caresses mine in ways I never knew were possible. It’s hot and I’m slightly lightheaded as each kiss and movement of his finger makes it harder and harder to breath. His lips slowly begin to explore their way down my chin, I attempt to regulate my breathing but, of course, completely fail. His lips work their way up my jaw, slow, tentative, smoothly, just like the flick of his finger. Down my neck, until they’re kissing my collarbone. It feels so good. I don’t want him to stop, but I know that we have to. Things are moving way too fast. I pull back and the absence of his lips on my skin is strangely disconcerting. He watches me as his fingers continue teasing me, and it takes everything in my power to wiggle myself off him. His head falls back into the seat, and he closes his eyes.
“All right, I think that’s enough teaching for one day.” I try to sound unaffected but the quiver in my voice defies me.
He groans and the corner of his mouth tugs up into a smile. His eyes open, and he mumbles. “You better take me home then.” He lifts me back into the driver’s seat, buckles himself back up, and glances at me.
“You want me to drive?” I ask, startled.
“Ah, yeah.”
“But—”
“You’re a quick learner.” He winks, and my cheeks flush. I turn the ignition, and the car purrs to life.
Kingsley switches the stereo on, leans back in his seat, and smiles.
Maddison
This has been the best week of my life. Darren was convicted. Trudy’s been checking in, so Angela has been somewhat sober, and Kingsley just continues to surprise me. We’ve been studying prior to our lessons. He is smart. I’m not embarrassed, though, I’m just glad stuff is finally starting to sink in, and make sense.
Our practices are getting better and better. Every time I hear the piano play, I get this bubble of excitement I can’t contain, and we play like crazy. After practices, we’ve either gone to his house, or he’s dropped me off at Cynth’s.
Mr. Barner walks in just as we finish a set and claps, startling me. “Bravo. You two are filling the halls. I love it. Okay, so, Monday, we will be leaving at 9:00 A.M. sharp. Meet here, and we can take my car. Your audition is at eleven. It will take us just under an hour to get there, then you two have an hour warm up. I’m going away with my family this weekend, so I won’t be able to come in for practice, but if you two want to, by all means. The more practice, the better. So how are you feeling?”
I’ve been trying not to think about it. I’d be lying if I said I was fine because I’m fucking shitting my pants. Everything is riding on this. The significance of what this means is huge. I’ve never had this kind of pressure before. What if I don’t make it? My hands shake and I knock back that thought immediately. I look up to Mr. Barner and see no doubt in his eyes, which only adds to the culminating pressure. “Scared,” I say under my breath.
“Don’t be scared. Enjoy it. Just getting this far is a milestone in itself, Maddison. I’m very proud of you.”
His comment makes me smile, and that pressure simmers a bit. “Thank you.”
He sits in his seat. “Go over the set again. I want to make sure it’s perfect.”
I glance at Kingsley, and he winks at me, then we play.
“Nick!” Kingsley shouts as soon as we enter his foyer.
“What?”
“I’m hungry, and so is my girl!”
I shove him in the shoulder, and he laughs. “You’re acting like a spoiled brat.”
“Sorry.” He drops his bag on the floor, winking at me as he takes my hand and leads me into the kitchen.
“Hey, Madz,” Nick says as he pours something into a pan.
I inhale the aromas floating throughout the room. “Mmm. Hey Nick, smells good.”
He chucks the bowl in the sink and smiles. “Thanks.”
Kingsley looks between us. “Don’t I get a hello?”
Nick moves back to the pan with his back facing us. “Does it look like it?”
I laugh and sit on a stool, resting my elbows on the bench.
Kingsley sits next to me. “What? Why?”
Nick plates us up an omelet and orange juice.
“Thank you, Nick.”
“That’s why. Because she’s polite.”
“I’m polite,” Kingsley says and I wonder if he is serious. His face says he is.
I scoff with Nick, then elbow him. “I told you, you act like a spoiled rich kid.”
Kingsley rolls his eyes, but there’s a smile on his face. He starts scoffing his food. “What do you expect? I’m an only child with a father that hates me, and a mother that sort of cares. I have a fuck ton of money—”
“Okay, you can shut your mouth now before I start to gag on your excuses.”
They both laugh. “This girl is just what you need, Hamish.”
Kingsley looks at me and winks, and I shake my head.
“Well, Maddy, you all prepared for your audition on Monday?” Nick asks.
There’s a sudden weight on my shoulders as reality comes to hit me again. “No.”
“Yes, she is,” Kingsley says.
“I don’t doubt it.” Nick smiles.
“Come on, babe. You’re killin’ me out here,” Kingsley shouts from his room.
I’m staring at the bathroom mirror, hyperventilating. I’ve never worn a bikini before, and I don’t know what to think. Apart from my arms, legs, and chest, I’m pasty white. I have the worst tan lines ever. My heart is beating so fast, I’m trembling. I splash my face with the water, grab a towel from under the basin, and wrap it around me before I walk out.
Kingsley is in shorts. He looks like a god there where he’s sitting on the end of his bed, watching me. He groans. “You really are a tease.” He jumps to his feet, takes hold of my hand, and we walk down to his beach.
As soon as we touch the sand, he runs and dives into the water, while I freeze up, gripping the towel tighter around myself. He emerges from the water and looks back at me. “Come on! It’s warm.”
I inhale deeply and close my eyes for a brief second in an attempt to calm my elevated pulse. When I open my eyes, I drop the towel.
I watch Kingsley’s jaw drop. He’s silent for a moment, his eyes raking over my body and I’m just about to cover up when he wolf whistles. “You better get in here now before I come out—”
“I’m coming, I’m coming.” I touch my feet to the water, the shock of the cold waves making me inhale a sharp breath. I can see him approaching and I know he’s going to either pull me in or splash me, so before he can do either, I jump in, allowing myself to be submerged in the water. I know what he means now about the water making everything better. I feel energized. I push myself up, and as soon as I come up for air, I feel his hands on my waist, and I’m straddling him.
Kingsley
I see Nick approaching the shore, with a few people behind him. I’m slightly scared of how she’s going to react. It really could go either way. Out the corner of my eye, I watch as she follows my stare. As soon as she notices him, she lets out a little gasp, then flicks her gaze back to me. I smile at her, and her eyes brighten. I sigh, relieved. “And you said I wasn’t a romantic.” I tug her out of the water just as Nick arrives. I dry myself down, and when she’s ready, we make our way up the beach towards the grass. A table is set up just like I asked.
“Kingsley, what is this?”
“We are proud of you for getting an audition to Juilliard.”
“You . . . you . . .” she stutters. “You organized all of this?”
I smile. “With Nick’s help, of course.”
She looks at Nick, and I’m sure I can see tears in her eyes, which only makes me fall for her even more.
“Thanks, Nick,” I say. He nods, then looks at Maddison.
“Congratulations, Maddy.”
She stutters again. “T-thank you.”
“I’ll be back soon,” he says as he walks back with the waiters following behind him.
I lean over
the table and hold her hand. “And Maddy?” Her eyes look up from the table and the brightness in them makes my breathing hitch. “Happy belated birthday.”
A tear slides down her cheek, and she lets out a little laugh, quickly wiping it away.
I squeeze her hand. “What’s wrong?”
She meets my gaze, her eyes are wide and glassy. The most vulnerable I’ve ever seen them. “Nothing’s wrong. It’s just . . .”
“It’s too much, isn’t it? I knew—”
She cuts me off with a delicate smile. “It’s perfect.”
Maddison
There’s that chicken dish from the restaurant, lobster, fries, salads, more meat dishes, and a bottle of wine. He cracks it open and starts filling up my glass.
My chest is squeezing so tight. “You did all this for me?”
“I’m proud of you,” he says again, and God, those words melt my heart. As I look into his eyes, I realize I’m a fucking mess inside. I want nothing more than to wrap myself up in him, and feel those lips against my own. “You are going to kill it,” he says, snapping me out of my daze.
Oh shit, Maddy. You are so screwed. “I hope so,” my voice comes out in a whisper.
“You will. I know it.” He raises his glass in the air, I pick up mine, feeling a sense of pride I’ve never felt before. He taps my glass. “To you, baby, and all your dreams coming true.”
I smile, and sip the wine, feeling the smooth liquid glide down my throat.
“How are you allowed alcohol?”
“It’s champagne.”
“Right, champagne.”
He laughs. “I’ve been drinking this shit since I was like twelve.”
I roll my eyes, and start eating. He continues laughing. “So,” I take a bite of the chicken dish, and have to pause to savor the taste, “have you finished dreaming yet?”
The corner of his mouth quirks. “Not even close.”
The moon glows against the ocean, and the soft crashing of waves in the background washes away the teetering nerves. We talked for hours and I didn’t know I could laugh so much.
“We should head inside, you’re probably freezing.”
“I thought you liked looking at me in a bikini.”
He scoffs. “You have no idea.” He stands up, wraps the towel around me, and pulls me into him as we make our way up the lawn and into his house.
My mind is slightly dizzy, so I’m grateful for his hand around my waist.
Kingsley hugs me closer, kissing the top of my head as we make our way up to his room.
I take a shower and change into one of his shirts. When I walk into his room, he props his head up.
“Yup. I love it when you wear my clothes.”
I snicker, and he jumps up off the bed. He scoops me up into his arms, and lowers me down onto the mattress. “Maddison, you are doing away with my sanity.”
I laugh again and wrap my arms around his neck. “Thank you for tonight. It was amazing.”
“You deserve it. You deserve so much, and I’m going to do my best to give it all to you.”
Okay. Wow.
“Let’s play a game,” I say.
“I like games,” he says with a wink.
“Not that kind of game.” I shove him off me, and he falls to the bed dramatically.
“It’s called truth or dare.”
“Original,” he says, and I smack his arm.
“But we’re only playing truth.”
He arches one eyebrow. “That is original.” I shake my head as he laughs, “Okay, you start.”
“Truth: Is this real? Do you do this with every girl you date?”
The laughter vanishes in an instant and his face is serious. “No, Maddison.” He sits up and leans against the wall his bed is pushed up against. He meets my gaze, his eyes unwavering on mine. “I’ve never done anything like this for anyone, I’ve never felt what I feel with you before.”
I take a sharp breath. I know the feelings I have for him are just as strong, and even though my guard says I shouldn’t tell him yet, I desperately want to.
He studies my reaction and then he says, “Truth: Is this real?”
I stare deep into his eyes. This, whatever this is, is more than real. I’ve never felt this pull, this longing, this hunger. Ever. After a beat, I nod, and he lets out a breath. His mouth pulls up into an endearing smile and he leans forward, nuzzling his head into my neck. “You scared me for a second there,” he whispers into my ear.
“Got to keep you on your toes.”
He laughs, dipping his head to kiss at my neck. His lips form a trail up to my jaw, my cheek, until finally, he devours my mouth.
Kingsley
When she wraps her hands around my neck and looks into my eyes, I know. I know I want to be with this girl for the rest of my life. Her grip loosens from my neck and her hands fall back above her head. The look in her eyes has deepened, and I can read what she’s putting on display. My heart stutters but I shake my head. “It doesn’t have to be tonight.”
She wriggles beneath me, rubbing herself against me in response and I bite my bottom lip. Fuck. I let out a shaky breath, and slowly bring my hand to the bottom of the shirt she’s wearing. My shirt. Her hands touch my forearms, and her eyes are bright as she stares into mine. How she can be so confident, fearless, blows my mind. I mean, that’s another one of the things I love most about her, but I don’t want to take advantage. I let go of my shirt and she pouts her lips which only depletes my will power that much more. “Maddison, you’re making it really difficult for me to behave.”
That pout hooks up at the corners into a coy smile and holy shit. I make a noise from deep within me, and her eyes spark with desire. I feel her leg come up between my own, and as she rubs against me, I let my head fall into the pillow beside her, biting my lip to stop myself from growling out. “You need to stop.” My voice comes out ragged, and not at all assertive. I feel her chuckle beneath me, and I breathe, “Evil. . . Fucking evil.”
“Some would say I’m the devil.”
“Right now, I agree. You make me want to sin.”
I pull back and a wicked smile is spreading across her face. Her hands slip under my shirt. Slowly, the tips of her fingers form a trail of fire over my pecs, down my stomach until they rest at my hips. I close my eyes for a brief second then look up to her. We’re both panting. Her hand then touches mine and she guides it to the hem of her shirt. I suck in a deep breath, fighting it, the right thing to do, but her hold is too captivating, too addicting, too alluring.
I pull my shirt over her head and throw it to the floor. A black bra stares up at me, and I release another breath.
“God, Maddy.”
She blushes, and those innocent pink cheeks ruin me. I can’t handle it any longer.
I lean forward, but stop just shy of her face. She inhales a sharp breath, then releases it slowly and I breathe it in.
“Maddy,” I whisper. Her eyes flick up to mine. I watch her quick breaths, her pink lips that I so desperately want to plump. “You’re no devil.” I pause, and then I meet her gaze with just as much intensity. “You’re a dark angel. My angel.”
Her hands find the back of my head and she closes the gap. I wrap my arm around her waist, holding her against me. My other hand is on her hip, and I can’t control it as it slowly slides up the curve of her waist, stopping just below her breast. Her lips press against mine, and I kiss her back with just as much urgency. I tease her with my tongue, and she moans. Fucking hell.
I plant kisses along her cheek, her jaw, down her neck to her shoulders, then I pull back, before I really get carried away. We’re both out of breath. I stare at her, and admire her body.
She frowns. “What?”
My eyes fall back onto hers. “You are beautiful.”
She unclips her bra, throws it on the ground, and now I’m really lost for breath.
“I’m ready,” she says. There’s no doubt in her voice, or even her expression. She sucks on her bottom
lip as she stares up at me, and I feel myself harden against her even more.
She’s making this so hard, too hard and I don’t know if I can resist.
“Maddy, we don’t have—”
She leans forward and stops me talking with her mouth. Oh, God. How many times can a guy try and do the right thing. Not many, obviously. I groan, and she tugs on my shirt. I pull back and she takes it of off me. Her fingers torment me as they trail up my stomach, over my arms, until they cup my face and we stare at each other. “You sure you want to do this?”
“Does a girl have to beg?”
“Most definitely not.” The corners of my mouth hook up into a grin. “So I guess I’m the thief now, huh?”
“And why’s that?”
“Because I’m about to steal your virginity.”
“Oh, God.” She brings her hands to her face and giggles. I nuzzle my head into her neck, kissing her gently.
Maddison
One of his hands moves to my hip while the other finally cups my breast, and a moan escapes.
“Maddison,” he breathes against my lips, and my back arches to the tone of his voice. His teeth graze the skin on my neck, and slow, deliberate kisses work their way down the length of my neck to my collarbone where he sucks. My heart is racing. No. Pounding in my chest. It feels so good. Once again, too good.
He pushes himself against my inner thigh and I can feel his hard length against me.
Oh, God.
His exploring lips, slowly, gently, make their way across my breasts and I arch my back even more causing a deep rough grunt to part his mouth, and a warm breath to tingle my skin. My nipples harden in reciprocation and the way his finger is mocking my breast is driving me crazy.
When our gaze locks, we both still for a moment, and then slowly, I feel his hand slide down my body until it reaches my hip and stops.
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