Against All Odds

Chapter 16

STELLA

I was, without a doubt, absolutely convinced that Killian could do literally anything to me right then and I would welcome it.

The poignancy of his words, the ardency displayed openly on his beautifully dorky face, was melting my heart... At the same time some sort of permanent ache had taken root, combined bitterly with equal parts guilt and shame.

Who wouldn't want such declarations of commitment and devotion from Killian Beckett? The man was a softly spoken, muscled, tattooed walking sexicle. What the hell was wrong with me that I still found myself hesitating, unable to make that final plunge and fuck it all? I was so gung-ho to adopt that attitude for most of my life, why not now?

Oh yeah, several things.

"Kills, I..."

I watched water droplets make their path down his nose, the sharp edges of his cheekbones, unable to sum up the words to adequately explain my feelings right then. Horniness- most certainly... but the rest? Ugh.

"I'm not demanding a commitment from you," Killian said into the silence, his fingers curling into my hips and drawing my body against his. God, had a man ever felt so divine? It was an effort to remain focused, especially when his cock was blazingly rigid between our bodies.

"No?"

He shook his head, those hungry blue eyes never leaving mine. "An acknowledgement that this means something to you, too."

Was he daft? It would never not mean something to me. I frowned up at him. "You know that it does," I said. "I just... it's complicated. I don't know if... if after this shower, after this wedding, it is a good idea to entertain anything developing between us."

He considered that a moment. "I think you should tell me your reasons why. I think we both need to be on the exact same page."

"You're going to analyse every variable of this conversation, aren't you?" I asked dryly, which only earned an infuriatingly sexy Killian pinning me to the tiles. His hips undulated against mine, dipping and shifting until I felt his cock slide between my thighs and press against my centre. A seething breath left me, and I gripped his shoulders, my nails biting into his skin. "Not fair," I hissed.

"Fair," he returned, and even as intense need convalesced and pulsed between my legs, I was pleased to identify the strain in his voice. "I spent the last three days driven insane by you in nothing but a bikini day in and day out, and it has taken every ounce of my self-control not to have done this sooner. So," he reiterated gruffly, "fair."

I made a sound unlike anything I'd heard myself emit before- but that was because Killian rolled into me, sliding into the seam of my pussy so effortlessly I wouldn't have been surprised if the oil hadn't been the cause of it. "I thought you wouldn't do this until we were sure of things," I somehow managed to articulate, grappling at his shoulders for purchase. I felt him slide against my clit, an arduous little pulse that shot straight through every nerve-ending in my body. So close, so teasing- yet I remained aching and hollow, a desperation almost making me leap onto his hips and impale myself on him.

"No penetration until we figure it out," he gritted out. His forehead dropped against mine, our breaths mingling with the steam from the shower.

"You keep changing the rules," I whined. Uncontrollably, my pelvis moved, gyrated, seeking that pleasurable little pulse he had issued me before. I shuddered when I found it, his fingers gripping my hips so hard I thought they'd leave bruises.

Didn't care.

"When will you realise that when it comes to us, Stels, there are no rules?" His pushed through my folds for emphasis, that or to simply torture me, and I felt every delectable inch of him manoeuvre across my convulsing pelvis. My head tipped back, lost in sensation. God, it was always so good with him... intensified somehow- always had been. He angled my hips with his large hands, pulling me into him slightly. "First reason?"