“Well, you are fuckingnot,” he growls, making me laugh as warmth unfurls inside of me. “Maribell, I ought to set my sister loose on you.”
“I was doing you a favor, honey,” she calls with a big, knowing smile.
“Yeah, yeah, I guess you were. Collins, be sure Maribell gets home safe. And the next time my girl comes in here, do not serve her.”
“Whatever you say, man. Be sure she stays your girl then.”
“She willalwaysbe my girl,” he shoots back before he cuts through the crowd, leading the way out of the club.
I stumble behind him a little, but he slows down once we’re outside. I crash into his back, but I don’t mind. I sigh as I press my face against his warm skin, kissing the tattoos that trail over his broad shoulders. His big, hard body is tense, trembling even so I let go of him.
Killian whirls to stare down at me, and I immediately fall apart. Tears flood my eyes, blurring my vision as I back up, stumbling over my bare feet. Moving fast, he scoops me up before I hit the ground. His feet tangle with mine though, so we go down hard anyway, thankfully hitting the sand instead of concrete.
“What the hell were you doing here without me?”
“Dancing. Never told me you danced,” I tell him with a shrug.
“Drinking! Dancing with another man. What the hell is going on?”
“Does it matter? Collins lets the women here touch him; they even kiss him. They all do. Do you let the women you surf with touch you? Do they kiss you?”
Looming over me, he grabs my hands as they beat at his chest, pinning them immobile above my head. Bending close, chest heaving, he touches his nose to mine. I can taste him. Even with the several drinks I had tonight, I can still taste him. I fear I will never get rid of his taste, even after summer is over.
“Never. I do not play at being single, baby. No one but you touches me,” he growls against my ear, his breath panting. “No one but you kisses me. It better be the same for you, Kiera. You come out tonight to test me? To see if that beast I’ve tried to keep caged would come to play?”
Staring up at him as I struggle to breathe, I nod. Yes, I wanted him upset. I wanted him frustrated; I wanted him to feel all the things I have been feeling. I was too afraid to talk about all the things I added to that list I made on my way here. It was full of things we had done, sure, but I’ve added to it every single day since I have been here with him.
“Yes. Yes, I want him to be let loose. Because at least then I might know what you feel about me. Remember my list? Remember how I said I added things? Did you ever think to ask why I continued to add things?”
“You said we had done most of the list. I assumed you just wanted to continue....”
“I want to carve pumpkins once. Build a big pile of leaves just to jump into it. Give candy out to little trick or treaters. Go watch a football game. Wrap presents with the snow falling.Make love by a fireplace....”
“Tell me what you mean. Make me understand,” he growls, eyes anguished as they stare down at me.
“Killian...I want to do it all with you. Don’t you see that? Don’t you get I added to the list because I never want it to end. I never want to run out of things to do with you. If I do, then...this is over when the summer is.”
Groaning, he falls against me, crushing his mouth to mine as his big body pins me to the sand. I moan against his mouth as he licks my lips, muttering words I can’t understand. They don’t matter. Not right now. Later, they might. All that matters right now is I am crossing another thing off that damn list.
I am telling my surfer boy I love him under the stars, by the shore.
Chapter Ten
Killian
Kissing Kiera tastes as close to kissing forever as I have ever tasted.
Tangled up in the warm sand, under the glittering skies with the ocean humming, I can taste her fear, her hope, and the one thing that has been there longer than I realize. As she kisses me back, whimpering that soft, sweet sound that is my name on her lips, I taste love.
It was always there, tangled up in our kisses, in our touches, maybe from the first moment she looked up at me that day on the shore. I was destined to see her that day. To be there when she needed me most. Because I realize right then, what I needed most was her. Something to tie my future to, to make me dream and hope again; to make me believe I can have the life we all dream of.
“Kiera,” I whisper once I can breathe again, once I can take a moment without her lips on mine. “You can keep writing that list. Add to it every fucking day. I will be the person you cross it all off with. You were wrong before. You said maybe I did not want you. Oh, baby,” I husk, staring down as emotion stings my eyes. “I want only you. Just you. Nothing else but you.”
Tears slip down her temples as she smiles up at me. Dropping close, I kiss them away before I take her mouth again. I am overcome with need. With that powerful roar inside me, the beast inside of me that needs her. That craves her. Wants to mark her, claim her, own her.
I think it is time to let the beast out to play.
“Baby, come with me. That greedy beast you love to tease wants to play,” I warn her, watching her purple eyes flash in the moonlight.
