Power & Control

16: Look At Me

~A

Knock Knock Knock.

The sound had my heart pounding in the same rhythm. I inhaled deeply, then glanced at the bedside electronic clock. It was almost three in the morning, but it was exactly thirty two minutes since we came back. I wanted to jump out of bed the second the first knock echoed through my room, but I held myself back.

Knock Knock Knock.

The sound echoed again, this time more determined and a lot more impatient. I sank my teeth into my bottom lip, stopping myself from smiling. I got up and glanced at my self in the mirror. My hair was still damp, curly and wild from my shower. The navy colour of the lingerie set I had picked out looked nice against my tan skin. I was happy with how I looked, but I still couldn't believe what I was about to do. I said it would only happen once. Yet, here I was.

Stop lying to yourself and go have dirty, hot, mind blowing sex!

That little voice at the back of my head had gotten me in trouble before. I had a feeling this was just another time it would. I sucked in another breath and nodded at my reflection. The damage was already done, the boundaries had already been broken. No matter how much I wanted to blame the alcohol I've consumed tonight, I couldn't. The adrenaline of waiting around for the past few minutes had me feeling wide awake and stone cold sober.

Just one more time wouldn't be the end of the world.

I strode to the door and gripped the doorknob, asking who's on the other side before granting them access into my room when I'm nearly naked.

"Are you expecting anyone else?" If it wasn't his voice, the cocky response gave Niall away in an instant. I scoffed and turned the doorknob, thus unlocking the door. I didn't open it more than just a tiny bit, leaving it like that before I perched myself at the edge of the bed. I stared at the door as it was slowly pushed the rest of the way open, revealing a head of damp brown hair, a chest covered in a white shirt over the same leather jacket from the club, legs covered in dark blue jeans. I was secretly relieved he had showered as well, since we've been sweating for hours. I've had the displeasure of being with guys who weren't as concerned with their hygiene.

Niall slipped into the room without making any noise, turning the lock on the door first thing before shrugging his jacket off. He looked up, that cobalt blue piercing through me even from the distance between us as I sat on the bed, leaning onto my palms behind me on the mattress with my legs crossed. I could see the satisfied smile spreading on his face slowly as he dug into a pocket of his jacket. Concentrating my gaze on the action, I furrowed my eyebrows as he pulled out some sort of fabric before tossing the jacket on an armchair nearby.

"What's that?" I looked up at him as he stalked closer, briefly chuckling at my question. He refrained from responding once he reached me, even then just dropping what he had brought along next to me on the mattress. I immediately looked down, finding two neck ties tangled together. He leaned closer, propping once hand right next to me to support his weight.

"Had to improvise." The sound of his voice next to my ear, steady and low made me turn back to him. His eyes seemed darker than usual, probably because of the dim lighting in the room. But they were glazed with lust. There was no mistaking that. He had been waiting for this moment for hours. I didn't realise until that very second I was anticipating this moment just as much. His breath, warm and scented of mint fanned over my lips, noses barely touching as he stared into my soul.

"I expected you to be more prepared for things like this." I tried to sound humorous, but my throat had gone completely dry as I struggled to maintain eye contact. He straightened his back, towering over me as one hand rose to my face, caressing my cheek in an oddly affectionate manner. I had the tendency to flinch away from his touch from the unwanted memories a gesture so tender could bring me. But I forced myself not to do that, clenched my jaw and looked up at him as his lips curled into a soft smile.