CHAPTER 14

We dropped our clothes in the laundry room and then took a long, warm shower. Soap led to caresses and caresses to more. I was beginning to think everything with Killian led to more. We were too tired to watch a movie, so we went straight to bed after I braided my hair to ensure the wet mass wouldn’t dry hairy scary. Killian patiently watched me and then as soon as we climbed into bed, he slowly removed the hair tie and unfurled my handiwork.

“Argh, you must like the Medusa look on me.”

“Hmm,” he said tiredly and pulled me in close.

His musky, just-washed scent surrounded me as I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

The alarm woke me up.

“It’s Saturday,” I mumbled.

“You don’t run on Saturdays?”

I rolled over expecting him to next to me, but Killian was standing beside the bed dressed in sweats. I squinted with tired eyes and noticed the brush in his hand.

“Sit up.”

I tried to pull the sheet over my upper body, but he stopped me. I shouldn’t have bothered, but I chalked it up to sleepiness and not thinking clearly. I sat forward and Killian ran the brush through my hair.

“You have a few interesting kinks.” I could hear the laughter in his voice as he continued with sure strokes, obviously trying to get my hair to lie down properly.

I laughed, but wanted to kill him at the same time. “I have interesting kinks? Nearly naked when in the house, sex in the rain, no hair ties, and alarms that go off on Saturday mornings… you, sir, have kinks.”

He gathered my hair behind my neck while another rumble of laughter escaped him. “Those are rules, not kinks.”

“Rules?” He was joking, wasn’t he?

He pretended I hadn’t spoken. “I’m changing one rule and letting you have a hair tie while you run.”

He placed the hair tie in question around my hair.

I so needed to switch gears. “I’m running?”

“Would you normally run?”

“Yes.” I couldn’t help the doubtful sound in my voice.

“I had my trainer map a course for you with a distance of fifteen miles. There’s a paper on the kitchen counter you can take with you.”

I fell in love all over again. “You’re not coming with me?”

“I have a game tomorrow and don’t need to be lying in a hospital bed. I’ll be in the gym working man weights while you’re gone.”

“Man weights?”

“Yes. You don’t want me all skinny and wasted away to nothing do you?” he said teasingly.

I let pretend angst enter my voice. “I’m wasted away to nothing?”

He pinched my hip, really not managing to pull any skin. “I have no idea where you put the food you consume. I’ve never seen a woman eat the way you do.”

Okay, now I was feeling some genuine angst. “You’d prefer I ate salad.”

“Fuck, no. Please eat. It drives me crazy that women don’t eat, but seriously you could gain weight and still be skinny.”

I had body issues… his words hurt. I looked away, but his fingers lifted my chin and turned my face so I had to meet his eyes.

“You are incredibly sexy—every thin, tall, gorgeous inch and I wouldn’t change a thing. But, woman, you can eat.”

He kissed me, morning breath and all. He tasted like coffee, so I was guessing he’d been up for a while. He pulled back slightly.

“Are you running?” He slid his hand over my cheek, caressing his thumb across my jaw.

“Yes,” I breathed.

“I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

Damn. He walked away. I put my running clothes on, looked in the mirror, and wet my hair to get rid of the kinks before walking to the kitchen.

 The map was amazing, and my heart skipped a beat when I thought about what he’d done.

Killian followed me outside after I drank a large glass of water. He hit the button on the controller in his hand and the front gates opened.

“Hurry back.” He kissed me quickly then walked inside the house.

His neighborhood was incredible. Low-hanging trees, mega-mansions, and amazing cars parked in long, gated driveways. For someone like me, I didn’t even know areas like this existed in the city.

I had clicked the timer on my watch when I started, and after the first mile did my stretches and then resumed my run. The sun was just coming over the horizon when I started, but within thirty minutes, full daylight commenced. The hot, muggy weather of late August was in full gear. I paced myself knowing my body wasn’t sweating the way it would in dryer heat.

I could really get used to living in this world, but I hardened my heart and continued running until I couldn’t think past each step. My lungs expanded and endorphins took over. The path was mine.

I did my final stretches under a tree in Killian’s front yard before going inside. I’d planned to hit the shower, but loud rock music drew me to his workout room. He had a full gym in his home and I watched as he lowered the weights after a butterfly lift then stood to his full height. Sweat poured from his skin and his muscles bulged. He was male perfection, delicious eye candy, and for a short time, all mine.

He turned and I saw the same look on his face that must have been on mine. He walked over and turned off the music.

“Sit.” He nodded to a bench. “Don’t move.”

For once I couldn’t help myself. “And what if I don’t want to sit?”

His eyebrows went up. “Feeling feisty after your run, I take it.”

His words really weren’t a question, so I didn’t say anything.

He gave me a small sexy grin. “I got caught up in some email, but I’d really like to finish my workout and then get in the pool with you.”

He’d explained why he wanted me to sit after I’d voiced an objection. Warm fuzzies centered between my thighs as I took a seat and enjoyed my view of Killian’s scrumptious body.

He focused on his workout and didn’t seem to know I was in the room. Killian gave absolute focus to his training and I realized, at his game when he blew the kiss, that taking his mind from the game was something special.

I so wanted Killian’s babies.