Effortless

Chapter 9

 

  A Night to Remember

  The dice game resumed as the residual laughter died down with Griffin's departure. I blinked and watched Kellan's empty seat quickly become occupied by a fresh-faced boy who looked entirely too young to be here. Walking around to where I was sitting, merrily sipping away on my fruity drink, Kellan extended his hand out to me.

  "Dance with me, beautiful girl?" Kellan cocked an eyebrow after he asked, and I swear I heard someone sigh. . . or maybe I did. My hazed brain couldn't really tell anymore.

  Nodding, I grabbed his hand and let him pull me up. The alcohol already in my system seemed to rush to my head as I changed positions. I'd been feeling pretty buzzed sitting at the table. Suddenly standing, I felt blitzed.

  I giggled and stumbled a little as Kellan wrapped his arms around me. Stumbling some himself, he asked, "You all right?"

  I laughed and nodded again as he helped me take a few steps away from the loudly cheering table. The poor, fresh-faced boy had rolled the dreaded pair of ones, and was cringing as he stared at the amount left in his plastic cup. I felt instant sympathy for him, since that roll had sort of done me in. Oddly enough, I wanted to give him a big hug and tell him that everything would be fine. I even made a drunken step towards him before Kellan pulled my arm in the other direction.

  "This way, sweetheart. "

  Leaving the youth to his chosen fate, I twisted back to Kellan. Giggling, I tangled my arms around his waist. With stumbling, erratic steps, we both made it to the center of the packed living room. People wished Kellan luck whenever they came upon him, but Kellan's eyes never left mine as he acknowledged them. It was like we were alone in this house swarming with strangers.

  As a heavy beat thumped out a seductive rhythm, Kellan's hands slid up my back, then down to my hips. My extra-sensitive body felt every section that he touched. It was nearly like he was dragging a mild electric current over me; a tingling sensation lingered long after his fingers passed. When he put one of his legs between mine, forcing our bodies to straddle the other's, I gasped. The tingle had shifted to a full-on fire.

  Our hips moved in time to the beat in such an intimate way that I should have been embarrassed-should have been. One of the wonders of mind-altering substances. . . pesky little things like inhibitions flew out when alcohol flew in. As Kellan's hands continued to caress my body, his palm even running up the front of my red Pete's shirt, he rested his forehead against mine. More grinding than dancing, we lightly breathed on each other. It was maddening, and the rest of the world fell away.

  When his hand blatantly stopped on my breast, his thumb running back and forth over the dangerously sensitive spot, I whimpered. He smiled at hearing it, even over the music. Feeling numb and incredibly turned on, I reached up and buried my fingers in his thick hair, closing the distance between us and pulling his head down to mine.

  Whatever Griffin had been complaining about was beyond me-Kellan was fabulous with his tongue. As his lips melded with mine, our light breaths became nearly frantic pants. He squeezed my nipple between his thumb and finger and I groaned. . . loudly. He hissed in a breath, his other hand sliding inside my pants to rest over my cotton-covered backside.

  I wanted his hand on the other side. I wanted all of his body on the other side. Jerking his head down so I could moan in his ear, I whispered, "I want you. . . now. " Well, I think I whispered it.

  Kellan pulled his head away and stared at me. The heat in his eyes was glorious. Those I-want-to-have-sex-with-you eyes had a way of turning my insides into molasses, warm and gooey. . . delicious. His eyes darted down my body as he adjusted the way our hips lined up. He didn't have to say a word; I could feel the hardening mass in his jeans that was telling me that he wanted me, too. . . right now.

  Licking his lips, he looked up at where we were-surrounded by a bunch of dancing, drunk people in the middle of Matt's living room. Bringing his eyes back down to mine, he reached up to disentangle my fingers from his hair. Lacing our hands together, he nodded his head towards the hallway.

  Leaning into my body, he growled into my ear, "Come with me. "

  God, I nearly did.

  Clutching his hand with both of mine, I bit my lip and eagerly nodded. I had no idea where he intended to take me or even what exactly we were going to do once we got there, but I really didn't care either. I just wanted to be with him, alone with him.

  Giggling, I pressed into his back as he worked us through the throngs of people. Most clapped him on the shoulder as he walked by, some of the girls being brave enough to drag their fingers down his arm suggestively. I glared at those girls but Kellan ignored them, focused on his task of getting us alone. As one trio of women blatantly stared at his ass, I nearly yelled, "Stare all you want, I'm the one he's about to screw!"

  Thank God Kellan jerked me forward right as I was about to say it. Stumbling a little, I forgot to. Smiling back at me as I readjusted my footing, he laughed as he managed to finally get us into the hallway. Twisting to face me, he brought his free hand around to cup my cheek. Pulling my head into his, he found my lips again. I groaned as the sweetness of his breath hit me. I normally didn't care for the smell of beer, but Kellan could make anything sexy.

  Kellan walked us down the hallway backwards while we made out, occasionally running us into a few partygoers that didn't move aside fast enough. He stopped beside a closed door. I didn't know whose door it was or where it led, and as his tongue flicked along mine, I didn't care, just so long as he opened it soon.

  Missing the handle on his first attempt, Kellan had to try again. He finally got the door open on his third try and we hurried inside. He closed it blindly, flicking the light switch on afterwards. As Kellan locked the door, I briefly looked at what room we were in. My light-as-air head hoped it wasn't Griffin's. Luckily it wasn't. . . it was the bathroom.

  Frowning, I looked up at Kellan. "This is a bathroom. "

  He nodded, his mouth parted as he eyes locked on my lips. "Yeah, I know. "

  I wanted to object or something, but his mouth came back to mine and the only sound I made was a moan of delight. Wanting him so bad I ached everywhere, I threw my hands back into his hair and pressed my body against his. Our lips were frantic as the passion within us boiled over.

  Nearly overcome with desire, I growled, "You always make me feel so good. . . I'm going to make you feel good, too, Kellan. I want you so much. "

  He nearly panted as my lips shifted to his neck. Kellan closed his eyes and let his head drop back. "Oh God. . . I love it when you're like this. "

  Breathing heavy myself, I peeked up at him. "Like what. . . drunk?" I started to laugh, but his skin was calling me and instead, I drug the tip of my tongue along his throat.

  He hissed in a quick inhale, then swallowed. "No," he breathed. "Confident. . . like you finally get it. "

  I pulled back to look at him and he brought his head back down to stare at me. "Get what?" I whispered, licking the edge of his lip as I pressed my aching body into his clearly strained one.

  His eyes fluttered for a second before he refocused on me. "That I'm yours. . . that you can take me. . . anywhere, anytime, anyway. That you own every piece of me. "

  Heat and desire pooled in me. "If I own you, then I want to take you. . . now. . . here. I want to make you come," I murmured, surprisingly myself.

  As he smiled crookedly, I pushed him against the counter, grinding my hips into his and yanking his head back down to mine. I wanted him so bad that it didn't even bother me anymore that we were in a tiny bathroom, making out in the middle of a raucous party. I moaned in his mouth, panting with need as his tongue brushed mine. His breath was equally fast as he cupped my bottom, pulling me tighter into his fully ready body.

  "God. . . yes. I need you, Kiera," he breathed into my mouth. "Can you feel how much I need you?" I could only whimper in response, my fingers brushing down his chest to pull feebly at the denim
looped around the one button holding his jeans closed.

  People knocked and banged on the door, but we ignored them and they eventually walked away, grumbling something my buzzed mind couldn't make out under the loud music streaming in from the living room. Breaths and hearts racing, our mouths attacked each other's. While my numb fingers tried unsuccessfully to unfasten his jeans, his slid up my ribs, sweeping my t-shirt with it. Giving up on the button, since my drunken fingers never could unfasten them, I helped him remove my shirt over my head.

  My hands came down to his shirt as the beat boomed on through the door. Within seconds his bare chest was before me and I pressed our stomachs together, relishing the similar heat. Tangling my hand back through his hair, I forced his lips back to mine. His fingers slid across my necklace, feeling the symbolic representation of him on my skin. Then they slipped into a bra cup, pinching a nipple. I cried out, the sound echoing in the tiny room.

  "Uh, Kellan? You in there?"

  A voice behind the door broke through our growing moans of passion, but I was far too drunk to care. I ignored the irritated person just as much as Kellan did. His mouth broke away from mine, sweeping the cup of my bra aside to lock around a nipple, his tongue swirling around the rigid peak. Groaning, I held his head to me and ground my hips into his, needing to feel that wonderful hardness, that connection full of erotic promises.

  "Dude, Kellan, I know you and Kiera are in there. . . people saw you two head that way. Open the door. "

  Cursing, Kellan separated from me. I instantly went for his mouth, but he pushed me back a little and unlocked the bathroom door right next to us. Cracking it open, he scowled at the person on the other side of it. "What, Matt?"

  I laid my head on Kellan's chest and stared blankly at Matt looking at us through the slit in the door. He didn't look happy. "Are you about to have sex in my bathroom?"

  Without missing a beat, Kellan responded with, "Yes," and started closing the door. My hazed mind found it funny and I started laughing.

  Matt stopped the door with his hand. "Kell, we only have one bathroom. I don't want people peeing in my kitchen sink. "

  Sighing in irritation, Kellan opened the door wider and glared at Matt. Matt looked down at Kellan's bare chest, then my half naked chest, then snapped his eyes up to Kellan's eyes. Kellan shook his head and shrugged. "Bedroom or bathroom," was all he said.

  Matt scrunched his brow and Kellan repeated himself, raising his eyebrows. "Bedroom or bathroom? You pick, Matt. "

  Sighing, Matt rolled his eyes. "Fine, but make it quick. "

  Grinning, Kellan slammed the door shut and locked it again. I giggled as my mind swam. On the other side I heard Matt slurringly yell, "And clean up when you're done, damn it!"

  Already ignoring him, Kellan and I resumed attacking each other. My amped-up body responded instantly to everywhere he touched me. I was on fire as his fingers traveled around to unsnap my bra. I moaned, "Yes," quite loudly, as his mouth took me in. Pushing against him, I tried undoing his pants again. He laughed when I still couldn't.

  "You never could do drunk undressing," he murmured, loosening the button and shoving his jeans down.

  Not answering him, my hand slipped right into his boxers. Grasping the thickness I wanted more than anything, I squeezed the base. He whimpered and pushed me against the wall. My head thudded as I lightly bumped into it. I heard myself murmur, "Yes," again, but it nearly felt like someone else was saying it. Panting in my ear, his fingers worked on removing the rest of my clothes. As I slid my hand up and down the hard length of him, he ripped down my jeans, shoving them harshly off my hips.

  Backing away from me, he disengaged my hand from himself so he could slip off my shoes and rip my pants and underwear off my legs. Completely bare before him, and way too drunk and horny to care, I ran my fingers up my own body. Cursing under his breath, he slipped off his own shoes, then the rest of his clothes. Licking my lips at the sight of him, I moaned that I wanted him in me. It echoed around the room and I smiled.

  Grinning devilishly at me, his own eyes unfocused, he shook his head. "Not yet. "

  I frowned as I leaned against the wall, watching him standing before me, but way too far away for what I needed. Then he dropped to his knees in front of me. My slow head couldn't figure out what he was doing, especially when he grabbed my leg and pulled it up over his shoulder. I realized right where his head was now lined up, when he brought his mouth right to my aching core.

  Crying out, I smacked my head against the wall again. It felt incredible, and as he sucked, swirled and stroked the most sensitive part of me, I made noises that would have had me burying my head in embarrassment on a confident day.

  Just as I was groaning his name, rocking my hips against him, he separated from me. Stumbling back a step, he brought his mouth back up to mine and shoved his tongue inside. I tangled my fingers in his hair, pulling him flush to my body.

  It seemed deathly quiet in the house. I couldn't even make out the thump of the music anymore, but I could not have cared less-I needed him so bad. Groaning, I grabbed his throbbing mass and tried leading him to where I needed him. He stubbornly removed my hand. . . tease. "I want you inside me. . . now," I begged out, panting.

  Pulling me away from the wall, he stumbled back a step. His finger came down to swipe across my wet flesh and I cried out. "Oh God, please. . . take me, Kellan. "

  Muttering, "Yes," to himself, he kissed down my neck, down my collar bone, and down to my breasts again. I swiveled against his hips, desperate for more. I was nearly ready to climax from the anticipation alone.

  Walking backwards, he stumbled into something and sat down. He looked around, surprised, then laughed when he realized he was sitting on the closed toilet. He smiled, looking up at me, but I couldn't smile anymore. I had an ache that I needed him to finish satisfying.

  Straddling his hips, I lowered myself onto him. He stopped smiling when he penetrated me. Closing his eyes, he sucked in a quick breath through his teeth and dropped his head back to a stack of towels behind him. "Oh God, Kiera. . . yes. "

  Watching him closely, I rocked my hips. The feel of him in me was the most fulfilling thing my drunken body had ever experienced. He cringed in ecstasy, biting his lip. I smiled, loving how I affected him, and loving how he affected me. Rocking against him again, I arched my back and cried out his name. He opened his eyes and looked up at me. "You're beautiful," he murmured, caressing my chest, my hips.

  I bit my lip at his words, rocking against him again. The sensation heated up my numb core and I quickly felt the desire rising to a nearly painful level. Dropping my head back, I cried out repeatedly in an ever escalating rhythm. I couldn't stop myself. . . it felt so good. I was so close.

  "Fuck," he muttered, sitting up to suck on my breast again.

  I moaned at how delicious that word was, but frowned on principle. "Don't swear," I muttered, pressing into him harder so he slid even deeper inside of me. Standing slightly, I used my body weight to slam myself against him. It was hard, deep and intense.

  He cringed and panted, grabbing my hips encouragingly. "I'm sorry. . . fuck, I'm sorry. . . just please don't stop. " He pulled my hips into his body in a faster rhythm than I was going and I matched him.

  Feeling wild and uncharacteristically unrestrained, I bucked against him, thrashing my body into his. He was moaning just as hard as I was as I felt the buildup approaching. By the look on his face, I knew he was there too and I begged him heatedly to come with me.

  He opened his mouth, his breath halting as I felt him starting to explode. He groaned low and intense right after, but the sound was lost in the cry I made. I clutched his head to me as I hit my peak. I swear my vision phased in and out, and not because I was wasted. Every fiber of my body tingled with pleasure, starting from my belly and expanding outward. My toes even curled as I rode out the sensation with a chorus of, "Yes, yes. . . Kellan. . . God. . . yes. "

 
As we panted against each other, holding the other tight, I thought I heard a strange sort of clapping and laughing from the hallway, but I was way too far gone to care. "I love you," I murmured, burying my head in his shoulder.

  Sighing contently under me, he rested his head in the crook of my neck. "I love you, too. "

  We stayed like that for a minute more, until I started to shiver and people started knocking on the door again. Stumbling and fumbling around, we managed to get dressed with everything we'd come into the room wearing. At least, I hoped so. I'd hate for Griffin to find anything of mine that I might have missed.

  When Kellan opened the bathroom door and we stepped through it, every eye turned our way. I blinked, my head swimming as I wondered why everyone was staring at me. Then the whistles started and people nearby clapped Kellan on the back. Thinking they were still congratulating him on his upcoming trip, I shrugged and smiled. People laughed even more at my reaction.

  Biting back a smile, Kellan led me into the living room. Once we were in the center, Griffin approached us. I naturally took a step away from him, but grinning broadly, he stepped right up to me, handing me a bottled beer.

  "Kiera, I think I love you," he gushed. Cringing, I took the beer and drank it, just so he'd back up a step.

  Laughing, Griffin smacked Kellan on the chest. "You are the luckiest fucking son of a bitch. " Handing Kellan a beer from his other hand, Griffin playfully scowled. "I mean, I hated you before, but now, I really can't stand you. "

  Kellan started nodding and pushing Griffin's shoulder away, repeatedly glancing at me like he was worried I'd start to flip out. My fuzzy mind was too hazed to know why. Shaking my head at Griffin's odd comments, I tipped back my beer again. The alcohol had just hit my lips when Griffin said, "That was so hot. . . like, off the scales hot. You guys should make a porno. . . I'd totally buy it!"

  The people around us laughed at his comment and I started choking on the beer I'd just swallowed. Wait? What was Griffin talking about? What was hot? Wait. . . did he say porno? My drunken cheeks flushed at just the thought.

  Just as comments and the crowd's stares and laughter slowly began clicking into place for me, Kellan shoved Griffin away from us and made his way to the stereo. Turning it up loud again, he hopped onto a nearby coffee table. With Kellan dancing up there like he was at a club downtown, I stopped trying to piece together the mystery that was Griffin. I really didn't want to think about him and his rude comments anyway.

  Kellan extended a hand out to me as a group of girls immediately started encircling on the floor around him. Giggling, I joined him on Matt and Griffin's sturdy furniture. Laughing, Kellan and I finished our beers as we danced. Kellan sang all of the fun, anthem songs to the crowd, riling them up to party more, but he sang the sweeter songs directly to me, moving our bodies together in a rhythm that was both beautiful and erotic. I finally felt equal to every gorgeous girl in the room with the way he stared at me, moved with me, sang to me. For several wonderful, hazy-brained hours, we were all able to put aside the painful moments that were quickly approaching with the dawn, when the boys would be leaving, and we danced the rest of the night away. Well, the rest of the early morning.

  My head felt like someone was banging on a gong when I groggily woke up the next day. My mouth was dry, too. So dry, it hurt. I wanted water, but I was too afraid to move. I didn't want my banging head to turn into a spinning stomach.

  Peeking an eye open, I risked a glance at my environment. I really didn't see anything, other than the body I was smashed against. A t-shirt filled most of my vision and I froze, trying to remember how and when I'd fallen asleep. Everything from last night was so blurry that I wasn't even sure where I'd fallen asleep.

  Hoping against hope that the body lying underneath me was Kellan, I attempted to lift my head. The gong increased in volume, my vision flexed in and out. Finally, I was able to focus on a pair of perfectly plump lips. Exhaling in relief as I took in the familiarity of Kellan's face, I focused on the rest of my body.

  Sore and a little achy, I was lying on top of Kellan, nearly head to foot. The two of us were cuddled up on a long, narrow couch, Kellan just inches away from the edge of it. It wasn't my garish couch or Kellan's lumpy one either. My arms were heavy as they rested on his chest. My legs felt leaden as they were tangled up with his. Even my girly parts felt overworked. . . although, I wasn't sure why.

  I was sure I'd be feeling the overindulgence of the previous evening for the next three days. Groaning softly, I felt the warm arms laced around my waist tighten. "Mornin'. "

  Flinching a little at his soft words, I shut my eyes. Peeking just one open, I looked up at him. "I'm right here, you don't have to be so noisy," I whispered.

  Chuckling as he stretched his body beneath mine, he opened his eyes to gaze at me. Bringing a hand up to run a finger back through my hair, he quietly whispered, "How do you feel?"

  Cringing, I leaned into his hand and he obligingly held my head. I was immediately grateful, since I didn't have the strength to keep it up anymore. "Like a marching band took up residence in my skull. "

  He grinned, looking tired but in much better shape than I. His eyes glanced down my body. "How's your stomach?"

  Not wanting to give my stomach the opportunity to revolt by giving it any attention, I shrugged. "It's fine. . . for now. " Grimacing and trying to swallow with my completely parched throat, I added, "I'm mainly thirsty. "

  Kellan nodded, like he'd expected as much. "Matt's not up yet, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind you getting some water out of his fridge. " He grinned a little devilishly, then added, "Unless you'd prefer the water from the bathroom. "

  My eyes widened at hearing that we were still at Matt's. I supposed that was a good thing, since neither of us had been in driving condition last night. We must have literally danced until we crashed. I vaguely remembered being tired and sitting down with him. Sitting must have turned into lying, and that must have turned into sleep.

  Lifting my head off his hand, I took in his devilish expression as he watched me. Shaking my head, very carefully, as it was throbbing, I furrowed my brows. "Why do you look like. . . ?" My thoughts drifted off as his comment stung my ears. The bathroom. . . Even vaguer memories of a tiny, enclosed place echoing with heated sounds of sex filled my brain.

  Forgetting my head and my hangover, I sat up straight on his lap. He grunted a bit as my weight shifted to his sensitive parts. My eyes wide, I said at full volume, "Did we have sex in the bathroom?"

  We both cringed at my statement and I rethought my assessment that Kellan was fine. Peeking an eye at me, he chuckled. My cheeks heated as I desperately hoped that no one else had heard me say that. Slow and seductive, Kellan murmured, "Oh. . . yeah. "

  My eyes widened and I hoped that nobody at the party knew about that moment. As Kellan smiled at me, a satisfied expression sliding over his momentary pain, memories fought their way to the surface. Memories of people clapping. . . whistling. . . cheering. . . Griffin. . .

  My hands flew to my mouth as I started shaking my head. "Oh my God. " Slowly lowering my fingers, my head suddenly felt fine in comparison to the dread in my veins. I whispered, "Did they all hear us?"

  Looking anywhere that wasn't me, Kellan bit his lip. "Well. . . we really weren't being quiet and it is a pretty small bathroom. . . so. . . "

  Groaning again, I dropped my head to his chest. "Oh my God," I muttered, mortified.

  Chuckling under me, Kellan rubbed my back. "Don't worry about it, Kiera. Everyone told me they thought it was hot. "

  I jerked my head up, regretting the quick movement, but needing to glare at him. "Everyone?"

  Twisting his lip, he shrugged. "Just the few I talked to after you passed out. "

  Dropping my head back to his chest, I whimpered. Good God, everyone at the party had listened to me having sex. And I was remembering it more and more now that we were talking about it. It had been good sex. It had be
en great sex. It had been loud sex! I could never show my face in public again, let alone ever go back to Pete's. "Oh my God. . . "

  Still chuckling lightly underneath me, Kellan kissed my head. "You were letting go, Kiera. . . I liked it. " As I collected my embarrassment, mixing that pain with my aching body, Kellan whispered, "Was that your first time in a bathroom in the middle of a party?"

  Tilting my head at him, I lifted an eyebrow and pursed my lips. "Yeah, that was a definite first. "

  Fully smiling, he laced his arms over my back, pulling the rest of my body down to his. "Good," he replied spunkily. When I furrowed my brows, he shrugged and added, "I like giving you firsts, remember?"

  Not able to help myself, I shook my head and smiled at him. Then, remembering something else, I frowned. "Did Griffin seriously say we needed to make porn?" Kellan twisted his lips and nodded. I groaned, sagging my head back down to his chest. "Oh, because he heard us. . . heard me. Goddamn it. "

  Kellan laughed at my seldom use of swear words and rubbed my back soothingly. "You'll live, Kiera. And on the bright side, it will be a night you'll probably never forget. " I took a second to peek up and smirk at him before lowering my head back to his chest. He was definitely right about that. . . I would never forget Griffin telling me that he'd gladly buy my sex tape. "And don't be embarrassed. . . I'm not. "

  I lifted my head to look at him again and he happily shook his. "You were hot, and every guy in that place wanted to be me in that bathroom. I don't feel the least bit bad that every man was jealous," he grabbed my hips, pulling me into him, "as long as you're only mine. "

  Smiling, I shook my head. "I am. "

  Lifting his head up to lightly kiss me, he grinned. "Good. "

  Snuggling back down with him, I tried to let the drunken evening go, so I could concentrate on the current moment. I had an eternity to beat myself up over the mortifying situation I'd put myself in at a huge going away party, but I only had a few hours left with the man who had my heart, the man who stole my breath.

  Sighing, I snuggled my head into his chest and tried not to think about him leaving. I couldn't yet, it was too hard. Instead, I focused on what my body was telling me, I needed water. . . and aspirin. While he rubbed my back and kissed my head, I murmured, "Do you want some water? I could bring you some?"

  Stretching underneath me again, he inhaled a big breath. "No, but I could use some coffee. . . I'll come with you. "

  I nodded and prepared my body to move. Kellan was so comfortable to lie on, my body rebelled, staying exactly where it was. Kellan chuckled a few moments later when I still hadn't moved. "Need help?" he whispered.

  I smiled, my head still resting against his chest, almost above the tattoo of my name. His arms holding me close to his body, he sat up. I could feel his muscles flexing under his clothes and I couldn't stop myself from picturing that hard body in its natural state-completely bare.

  I giggled at first as he adjusted us both to standing, then groaned as my head loudly complained about the new angle; it had preferred lying down. Biting my lip, I swayed a little on my feet. Kellan's hands came up to massage my temples and I smiled at him gratefully; it felt wonderful against my throbbing skull. His face was weary, but still perfect. He did not look like a man who'd been slinging back alcohol all night. With his hair all crazy from sleeping on the couch, and slight stubble along his jaw, he looked. . . yummy.

  I looked away from his perfection, positive that I did not look quite so. . . yummy. His warm lips rested on my forehead for a second, then he pulled me into the kitchen. We had to step around people lying on the floor. Apparently we were not the only ones that had slept over. Even in the kitchen, there were still partygoers. A pair of them was playing cards at the table, poker, from what I could make out. Thankfully, not strip poker, since the guy and girl were still dressed.

  Kellan nodded at them as they blinked and looked around, like they'd just now noticed it was light outside and the party was over. You'd really think that the person snoring at the end of the table would have clued them in to that fact.

  While I rested my tired head on his back, Kellan went about making a pot of coffee. Since he'd probably woken up here on several occasions, he knew exactly where everything was in Matt's house. When the pot was finally percolating, Kellan got me a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water. I inhaled it I was so thirsty.

  Kellan smiled at me, kissing my head as I sputtered on some of the liquid going down the wrong pipe. As I was trying to cough soundlessly, which just isn't possible, Matt shuffled into the room. Yawning as he scratched his chest, he nodded at the pair of us. Remembering that he'd seen me half naked last night, I looked away from him, my face flaming as it probably went beet red.

  "Hey, guys. . . good morning," he mumbled. Cautiously, I peeked back at him. Matt had been pretty far gone last night, maybe he didn't remember?

  Leaning against the counter with me in his arms in front of him, Kellan nodded his head up. "Mornin', how do you feel?"

  Matt ran a hand back through his wildly disorganized hair, then massaged his own temples; I figured his head was throbbing too. "Peachy," he muttered sullenly, opening a cupboard to get a glass.

  Kellan chuckled as he held me tight, looping his thumbs through my belt buckle straps. Matt looked over at his friend as he ran some cold water into his glass; the running faucet made my head scream and I laid it back against Kellan's shoulder, wishing I could fast-forward through the painful part of recovery.

  "God, it's annoying how chipper you are in the morning," Matt muttered, taking a long gulp of his H2O. Kellan only smiled wider, rocking me a bit in his arms. When Matt paused, he added, "I hope you're not like that on the road. . . it would really get on my nerves. "

  Kellan laughed and I frowned. I didn't want to think about that part yet. Matt made the moment worse by adding, "Bus leaves in a few hours, so we should start getting people up. . . especially Griffin. "

  Kellan sighed and nodded. I bit my lip; I really didn't want to think about this yet. Finishing his glass, Matt frowned at me. "You okay, Kiera?" Adjusting my face, I gave him a small nod. He smiled back warmly, then his lips twisted. "You, uh. . . have fun last night?"

  He asked it innocently, but his face flushed a little when he said it, and I knew that he did indeed remember. Wanting to bury my head in the sand and never come out again, I only gave him a small smile and squeaked out, "Yeah. . . thanks for. . . letting us come. . . "

  My voice trailed off as I realized what I'd just said. Matt's light flush turned as red as mine probably was. I quickly added, "Over, thanks for letting us come over," but it was too late. . . I'd already said it in a horribly embarrassing way. Matt mumbled something about needing to get ready and quickly fled the room.

  Kellan behind me struggled to not laugh, but as soon as the poker players started busting up, he gave up trying to hold back. Twisting around, I smacked him repeatedly in the chest. It only made him laugh harder. Wiping his eyes, he shook his head at me. "Oh God, Kiera, you're so damn cute. "

  I crossed my arms over my chest and tried to walk away from him, but he held onto me tight, pulling my body back into his. Turning me around, he wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me in place. Sighing at the look of total embarrassment on my face, he shook his head. "I'm gonna miss your adorable awkwardness. " He sighed again, sadder this time. "So much," he whispered.

  I bit my lip as I searched his face, feeling the impending goodbye in the air. I wasn't ready for it. I didn't want to say goodbye to him. Slinging my arms around his neck, I held him as tight to me as I could. I'd hold him near me forever if there was a way to, but I knew there wasn't. I had to let him go. I had to give him his dream, no matter how much it hurt.

  Eventually the rest of the partiers woke up and shuffled off, all of them wishing Kellan and Matt a great time on their adventure. As the poker players were blinking at the sun in the doorway, Evan and Jenny stepped through it. F
eeling grimy and tired, I waved at a fresh-faced Jenny. She and Evan clearly hadn't celebrated as hard as I had.

  Seeing my worn features, she walked over to the couch to give me a hug while Evan excitedly clapped Kellan on the back. "You all right, Kiera?" she laughed out.

  Groaning, I laid my head back on the cushions. "Yep. " Looking over at her, I frowned. "I don't remember you and Evan leaving last night?"

  Her cheeks flushed a little as she glanced at the boys standing a few feet away from us. "Yeah, well, you were a little preoccupied at the time. " Kellan glanced her way mid-conversation and she chuckled at him.

  I covered my face with my hands. God, this embarrassment was going to last all friggin' day. Laughing a little harder, Jenny pulled my hands down and gave me a warm smile. "I'm glad you had a good time, Kiera. " Shaking her head, she added, "Evan and I were afraid you'd spend the whole time moping. "

  I smiled and looked over at Evan, the tatted, buzzed-cut, punk, rock star with a heart as big as Jenny's. Meeting my eye, he nodded at me warmly and I let the lingering discomfiture fade. These people loved me, they wouldn't purposely make me regret a moment of letting go with my boyfriend. Especially since the release was a much needed one, in light of today's upcoming emotional goodbye.

  Rachel quietly joined us on the couch while Matt took a shower. I longingly listened to the water flowing from the hallway, wondering if I could take one next. Feeling clean again might help my head stop thudding. Then, of course, hearing Matt in the bathroom reminded me of being in that bathroom myself. Just as my face was flushing, Kellan turned from his conversation with Evan to grin at me, like he knew exactly where my head had been. Biting my lip, I looked away.

  "Kiera, when Matt's done, what's say you and me go suds up?"

  Frowning, I glanced over at the last band member to enter the living room. Griffin was smiling at me in a way that I didn't care for, his eyes clearly already imagining me in the scenario he'd dreamed up. Giving me a kiss in the air, he added, "I want to hear you moan my name like you did Kell's. "

  I was just about to walk over and pummel the man when he was hit by about four different people. My sister, sleepily shuffling up behind him, smacked him over the head. Jenny beside me chucked a couch pillow at him, hitting him in the face. Rachel even got into the mix by tossing the TV remote into his gut. But Kellan was the one that probably fazed him the most.

  Striding the few steps over to him, Kellan grabbed a thick section of his chin-length hair and jerked Griffin's face into his. "Knock it off, Griffin, or I'll knock it off for you. " His indigo eyes dark and cold, Kellan searched Griffin's face. By the chill in his voice, I knew that Kellan wasn't joking. He'd finally had enough of Griffin teasing me, sexually assaulting me with his comments.

  As tension built up in the room, Evan placed a hand on Kellan's shoulder, trying to calm him down. Anna even tried to push Kellan back a pace, but his face stony, Kellan kept Griffin about an inch away from him. Griffin's light blue eyes looked scared for a moment. . . then he started laughing.

  "Did you want another kiss, bro? All you had to do was ask. "

  Rolling his eyes, Kellan finally released the idiot. The tension in the room immediately dissolved as Griffin doubled over. "Dude, you should have seen your face! That was awesome! I really thought you were gonna hit me. " Kellan grunted and walked away as Griffin stood straight and draped his arm over Anna. Pointing at Kellan's retreating back as he walked into the kitchen, Griffin laughed out, "Say it again, Kell!" Mocking his voice, Griffin growled, "Knock it off, or I'll knock it off for you. "

  Anna smacked him in the chest, but laughed a little too. Sighing, Griffin shook his head. "Ah, that was classic. "