Against All Odds

Chapter 48

KILLIAN

Several minutes after Lena and Felix had taken their leave, Stella was still a giggling, hysterical heap on the floor. The contraption that Lena had deposited into her hands was pinched gingerly between her thumb and forefinger, held away from her person as if she were in danger of being burnt alive by it.

"It's not that funny, Stels," I rebuked, amused by her antics while simultaneously disturbed that someone thought it suitable to leave whatever that... thing... was with another human being.

She sobered long enough to wipe away errant tears from the corners of her eyes with a knuckle of her free hand before brandishing the greying fabric in my direction. Dear God, what were those stains? "You should try it on," she managed to gasp out between giggles.

"Fuck right off." I would rather set my balls alight than bring that garment anywhere near my body.

She unfolded her legs from under her thighs and rolled, a little bit gracelessly, to her feet. Tripping over to me, who was still reposing on the sofa, she stopped before me, between my knees, and almost shoved the fabric under my nose. "But you have to," she teased, "it'll help with the pain!"

I pushed her hand away. "Cut it out. That thing is gross. What is it anyway?"

She pinched one end with the other hand and held it up for inspection. It resembled a sort of jockstrap, though minus any protective bits that hardened the material. Plus, this item was stained and bore signs of overuse where the material was stretched thin. An involuntary shudder ran through me.

Boundaries.

Everybody around me was in serious need of some.

"Testicle supporter?" At this, Stella giggled some more. "I mean, it looks like it could provide support down there... kinda like a bra for your balls."

"Fantastic. I'll pass though."

She swayed closer, causing my gaze to dip to the seductive motion of her hips. Even if there was a mischievous air about her, awareness and desire were still coursing thickly over the terrain of my body. It always would with her, and I wasn't sure when I had begun to stop fighting it, just that I had.

It was a losing battle and I was a willing victim.

Her knees bumped against my thighs and then she was jiggling the jockstrap under my nose. "Might be a perfect fit," she laughed. "Give it a try, Kills! You probably need it if you're still in pain."

"If I am in any pain, it is all your fault," I pointed out dryly. "And, you will find, I am perfectly healed. Pain free and proud to be. No need for another man's filthy ball bra."

She snorted and tossed the garment to one side where it landed unceremoniously on the floor beside the sofa. "Well, since you're feeling so much better, I don't need to ask how I could make it up to you and make you feel less pained."

I couldn't help the things that filtered through my mind in quick succession- of all the ways I wanted Stella to 'make it up to me'. None of them were clean. My thoughts were as filthy as Felix's jockstrap.

I leaned back into the soft cushion of the sofa, my cock hardening against the fabric of my shorts with an insistence that grated against every crumbling vestige of my self-control.

"And out of curiosity, just how did you intend to do that?" I asked, unable to help myself. Because ultimately, this little repartee between us currently, felt too much like flirting for me to ignore or dispel. "Make it up to me, that is."

She bit her lip, a moment of hesitation flaring behind the brilliant orbs of her pupils, before a grin teased one corner of her mouth, determination replacing anything that came before it. To my surprise, she lifted her legs- first one, and then the other- to either side of me, her knees sinking into the sofa, as she straddled my thighs. Her arms settled on my shoulders, her hair a riotous tangle of knots and dark waves as it draped over her own.

"I would have kissed it better," she informed me, a sultry edge to her voice. The minx had no objections to using whatever tricks she owned to get her way- and if Stella wanted me, I couldn't bring myself to deny her.

Pfft, as if I had any intention of doing that, any resistance flying from my self-control sometime in that damn kayak.

"Guess I'm still not better then." I watched her mouth as her tongue darted out, wetting the plump curve of her bottom lip. I forced my gaze to raise, to capture hers and hold it. "I'm not going to stop, Stels. If you kiss me now, you better be as ready as I am to take this further- physically. If you're not-"

"I'm ready," she interrupted me before her fingers splayed on either side of my face. She lifted her thighs, bringing her body closer to mine as she raised slightly above me. Her words were a breathy caress against my lips as she edged closer, "I'm so fucking ready."

And then she was kissing me and my world was left to explode into a million of scattering shards, directionless and chaotic- not that I gave a shit.

Her lips, so soft, melded to mine with a synchronicity that spoke of aeons of perfect torment. I felt her inhale and hold a sharp breath, as if the shock of our mouths joining was so exquisite it couldn't be contained, as if she were kissing me for the first time and not the millionth. Her tongue parted our connection for a moment, toying with the seam of my mouth, seeking permission and entrance, and when I granted her it, she delved deep with a moan that shuddered through her.

I held her to me, urging her closer for more, everything about her so sweet and soft my heart yearned for it- a pain that was physical in its ache, desperate in its need. I was surrounded and consumed by her, the sunshine scent of her skin and salty tang of her lips, the sleek feel of her thighs under my palms as I squeezed and urged her closer, harder, into me.

Her nails scraped against my scalp, tingles ripping down my spine and over my skin, and my hands swept over her hips. She fell against me, gasping, her lips parting sweetly against my own so that I could push into the warmth of her mouth, kissing her furiously with every ounce of pent-up longing and anguish I had ever felt for her over the decade of knowing her.

Her pelvis shifted and my fingers gripped her hips harder than I meant to, unsure if I wanted to stop her sweet little movement or guide her to continue. I felt her hot, grinding against the hard seat of my cock with delicate motions that made me withdraw from her, my teeth grinding together and jaw clenching. Intense currents jarred through me and I was seconds away from prying the narrow strip of her swimsuit that covered her pussy to one side and burying my cock so deep inside her I wouldn't be able to determine where she began and I ended.

She whimpered a protest, urging me back towards her, but I refrained with a pained groan. Torment ripped through me, but one of us had to be sensible. Well, as sensible as we could be under the circumstance considering sense had vacated the premises and left for good when it came to Stella and I.

Her hips presented too much of a temptation as my fingers pressed too deeply into her yielding flesh, dragging her back and forth over the length of my cock, even if I was trying to stall whatever this was, if only for a moment. I moved my grip, lessening my hold, and shifted my hands up her waist, settling so that my thumbs were a centimetre away from the tantalising globes of her breasts.

Another groan left me.

Another whimper left her and she leaned against me again, brushing her lips to mine in the faintest of touches, imploring and seeking.

"What's the matter?" she breathed- another gentle roll of her hips, another squeeze of my hands against her waist.

"Christ." My head fell back against the cushions of the sofa, my eyes squeezing shut as I endeavoured to regain an iota control of my raging body.

"Oh!" Stella shifted, her gasp of realisation meeting my ears, and I found myself gripping her harder as she attempted to climb off my lap. "You're still in pain! Oh, God, I'm so sorry, Kills, I shouldn't have initiated anything when you're like this."

A snort left me at that. I was in pain, just not the sort of pain she thought. That incident with the oar was so far in my past right then I couldn't care less if it came knocking at my door for round two. "No pain," I gritted out, and then sighed, the disappointment flowing through me right then as I knew that we wouldn't be able to continue. Not right then, anyway, and chances are, given some time to come to her senses, Stella will probably insist that we don't continue where we left off... that it would be better if we didn't have sex, all things considered.

I lifted my head, eyes popping open, and awarded her with a regretful look. "I don't have any condoms."