Chapter 15
15
NOELLE
T hey didn't see me. Not the way you do.
"What are you saying?" Emotions shot through me in a confusing mix of hope, desire, and excitement.
"I like you, Noelle. I may not have realized it when I was a teenager, but I get it now. I see you."
I rested my palm on his chest, his heart beating a steady rhythm under my touch. "I like you too."
"So what do you say? Will you give me a second chance?" His expression was so earnest; I couldn't say no. Not when he was saying what I'd always wanted to hear.
"Yes."
He kissed me, soft and sweet, then rested his forehead against mine. "I'm sorry I acted like an idiot when I was a kid."
I couldn't help the smile that spread over my face. "I probably shouldn't have run off like I did. I panicked when you didn't kiss me back."
His hand covered mine. "We were kids then, but now we're adults. Things have to be different."
"No more running away?" I teased.
"Definitely not. I like having you in my arms."
I didn't have the strength to ask for how long. Our relationship had an end date, which I usually preferred. But this time, I found myself hoping for more. I always wanted more when it came to Killian.
"I don't know about you, but my skin is starting to wrinkle." He lifted his hand out of the water, showing me his fingers.
"You want to head downstairs?" I made a move to get off his lap, but he tugged me back. I liked how possessive he was, always pulling me closer.
"I want to lay you out on the bed and feast on you."
My entire body heated at the image that created in my head. "Only if it's okay on your knee. I don't want to set you back."
Killian lifted me off his lap and surged out of the water, his gorgeous, naked body on full display. His muscles were clearly defined, and I didn't have to pretend not to look this time. He was all mine for the night. "If it does, it will be worth it."
I raised a brow as he gave me his hand to help me to stand on the pool deck. "You'll explain to your agent that you exacerbated your injury during sex?"
He grabbed a towel and draped it over my shoulders. He rubbed his hands over the towel, attempting to dry me off and warm me up. His gaze lifted to mine, and he winked. "Obviously I'm going to tell him I fell or something. What happens between us remains private."
Did that mean he didn't want to tell our family and friends? I usually preferred privacy, but for once, I wanted to shout into the universe that Killian Wilde was mine. But I wasn't brave enough. I didn't want to assume it would work out. The reality was that his life wasn't here, and it wouldn't be for a long time. If he ever even made Telluride his home.
He might go back to competing and forget all about everything going on here. That's what he'd done in the past. But for now, I was going to enjoy being with him.
"If I wasn't injured, I'd pick you up and carry you downstairs."
"You'd better not. I don't want you to get hurt." I'd never forgive myself if I was the one who impeded his dreams. When the time came, I'd let him go. He was living the life I thought I'd have, and I wouldn't stand in the way of it.
Instead, he grabbed a towel, rubbing his body off quickly. Then he tied the towel around his waist. He gathered up our trash, wet suits, then fished my bikini out of the hot tub. He held his hand out to me.
I pressed my palm against his, and he intertwined his fingers with mine. It was nice. There was something about this kind of connection with him that was bigger than anything I'd ever felt. We'd shared things with each other that we hadn't with anyone else. I allowed myself to be vulnerable with him. That was the difference between him and anyone else I'd ever dated. I never opened myself up to get hurt. I always kept the walls up and protected my heart. But with Killian, I was all too willing to lower the walls and protections. The possibility of getting hurt was high. But that didn't stop me from walking with him downstairs and into his bedroom.
In his room, he let his towel drop and then flicked mine off my shoulders. "I want to see you."
My core tingled in anticipation. I couldn't believe I already wanted him again. I'd never been with anyone who took care of their body as well as he did. But then again, I hadn't dated any other professional athletes.
"Your nipples are hard."
"It's cold in here."
His amused gaze flicked to mine. "It's not because you want my mouth on them?"
I nearly groaned out loud at the visual he painted. "That could be part of it."
His hand ghosted over my side to my hip. Then he pulled me toward him. I stumbled against his chest, my hands coming up to touch his warm skin. He was burning up. I couldn't resist brushing my fingers over his nipple.
He hissed. "This is about you."
Then he kissed me, walking me back until the back of my knees hit the bed, and I fell backward onto the comforter. Instinctively, I spread my legs, and he pulled me down the bed until I was on the edge, my legs dangling over the side.
He dropped to his knees, and I couldn't resist going up on my elbows so I could watch him. He set my legs on his shoulders.
I felt even more vulnerable in this position.
"I didn't get nearly enough of you on the deck."
If that wasn't his best work or a good effort, I was in trouble.
His breath teased my bare skin. "Are you going to be a good girl for me and stay still while I feast on you?"
I felt the wetness drip out of me at his dirty words, so I nodded. "Yes." I'd do whatever he asked of me if it meant his mouth and hands were on me.
He parted my pussy lips with his fingers and licked me from entrance to clit, his gaze on my reaction.
I bit my lip.
He lifted his head. "What did I tell you about biting your lip?"
I retracted my teeth.
"I want to hear you give into the pleasure I'm giving you."
My body was warm all over. "The things you say."
His hands ghosted over the tops of my thighs. "This is who I am. I want you to feel good when I'm with you and thinking about me when I'm not."
"I think you succeeded," I whispered, my heart beating double-time in anticipation of his mouth on me again.
"I'm not nearly finished with you," and then with a growl he dove into my pussy, overwhelming me with the sensations of his mouth, tongue, and teeth, and I eventually fell onto my back. I wanted to widen my legs and pull away from him. It was almost too much. But he held me tight.
I couldn't move away. I could only give into the assault on my senses. The result was a rapid climb to another orgasm. I couldn't believe my body could experience this much pleasure. It was almost too much, and that's what made me go over again.
My heart was still fluttering when he moved up my body, the wrapper for the condom landing on my chest.
I took the hint and ripped it open for him. Then held it for him.
"I want to take you bare. I want to feel nothing between us."
"I want that too." I found myself saying, even though that went against everything I'd ever believed. I didn't trust anyone. Why was I so willing to take this risk with him?
"You're not ready yet, but when you are, we're doing it."
I arched against him, grinding against his dick, the contact driving me higher.
He leaned back slightly, smoothing the condom on and angling the head toward my entrance.
I touched his forearm, which was corded with muscles, concerned about his knee. "Do you want me to be on top?"
"I can do this for a few minutes. Then we can switch."
I didn't argue because I wanted to feel him inside me in this position. I wanted to feel his powerful body moving over mine, his weight pressing me into the mattress. Killian said I was his fantasy, but it was the same for me. I'd thought about this moment a lot over the years, never thinking it would actually come true.
He placed his hands on either side of my shoulders, his thighs pushing mine farther apart as he eased inside me, inch by inch. I loved the feeling of being stretched. His gaze dropped to the spot where we were connected.
When he was fully inside me, he leaned down to kiss me, easing out, then sliding home again. I lifted my hips to meet his thrusts, already chasing the climax that felt just out of reach. My nipples were hard pebbles, and every inch of my body was a live wire, yearning for something only he could give me.
The next thing I knew, he'd rolled, and I was straddling his hips, his cock still inside me. I moaned when I realized how exposed I was to him. He tapped my hip in a request for me to move. I braced my hands on his chest, marveling in the feel of the sparse hair, moving up and then back down.
Everything felt more intense in this position. He felt bigger and impossibly deeper.
Killian cupped my breasts, his expression one of awe. Then he rubbed his rough thumbs over my nipples, and the sensations zinged to my core. I whimpered at the electricity coursing through my body.
"You need to come?" Killian asked with a cocky lift of his brow, and I nodded jerkily.
I was a jumbling mess of nerves, everything inside my body on edge. I needed a spark to send me over.
He moved his thumb to my clit and circled it, the tight band inside me snapped, and I trembled over him with wave after wave of pleasure coursing through me.
Killian urged me down to his level so I could kiss him. He thrust from underneath, groaning his release into my mouth.
I sagged on top of him, and eventually he shifted me to his side so he could dispose of the condom. Then his arm banded around my shoulders, and he pulled me tight to his body. Tonight was more than I ever hoped for, and I hoped nothing would change between us when I woke up tomorrow.
I enjoyed our arrangement and our burgeoning friendship. Hot sex was a nice addition. The confusing mass of emotions in my chest was unexpected. I didn't want to feel anything for Killian, but I couldn't seem to help it.
I drew on all my walls, but none of them stood strong. They were flimsy and weak in the face of Killian Wilde.
I was at risk of losing my heart to him a second time. I wasn't sure I'd survive it. But I was a Richards. I was strong.
Killian kissed my forehead, melting my determination to keep him at arm's length. It was impossible not to fall for this man, the one who put his family and friends first. Snowboarding was a distant memory.
But as soon as it was forefront in his mind again, he'd be gone. The pain shot through me like a splash of hot liquid on my skin. It was intense and potent, then lingered for a few minutes.
I was almost asleep when I thought I heard Killian say, "Thank you for giving me a chance."
I was incapable of responding because I was so close to sleep, and I wasn't sure I wanted to. What did a second chance entail? Would he stay in my life, or would he be gone in a few weeks? I hated to think like this, to always assume the worst was coming. But I couldn't help it. Worst case scenarios had become my life's story, and I doubted that would change now.
Killian's time here was short, and I had to remember that.