I care about him. Probably more than I should, but it’s not like I ever truly had a choice in the matter.
“Shit, uh… where’s the toilet at?” he asks us, and I speak up before anyone else can.
“I can show you.”
I slide off the barstool, and Cillian rises from the chair, following behind as I lead him back inside.
We’ve barely made it into the kitchen when I turn to him, throwing my arms around him and burying my nose into the crook of his neck, breathing him in. His strong arms slide around my waist, and we stay like that for longer than is safe.
“I’m so proud of you for coming,” I say quietly. “When you didn’t show up I was worried that you weren’t going to come at all… I was just worried.”
“I was helping Ais with her new insulin pump. It was giving her issues, and I didn’t want to leave until I knew it was working properly. I told you I’d be here, St. James.” His palm on the small of my back pulls me tighter against him.
Suddenly, there’s a flurry of voices right outside the back door, and I pull back, my heart nearly thrashing out of my chest in panic. I grab Cillian’s hand and pull him into the guest bathroom, slamming the door shut just as the back door opens.
“Shit, that was close,” I huff, letting go of the breath I was holding, studying his unaffected expression as he leans back against the bathroom vanity, fingers curving around the granite counter. “You know you are way too unbothered right now when my heart feels like it’s about to beat out of my chest, Cillian!”
His mouth twitches in amusement and I sigh. “Is Aisling okay?”
“Yeah, baby, she’s okay,” he responds softly as he reaches for me. My feet propel me forward, as if there’s an invisible magnet between us, controlling the pull until I land in his arms. His fingers grasp my chin, tipping it up. “Means a lot to me that you’d ask.”
I swallow down the lump of emotion that’s gathered at the base of my throat before responding. “Of course. I really like her. I’m glad that we got to meet.”
“Me too.”
“I heard Liam talk about your guys’ night. I think they’re officially accepting you.” I wiggle my eyebrows. Being invited to goout with the guys? It’s an official invitation if there ever was one, and it makes medeliriouslyhappy.
I’m glad they’re at least starting to pull their stupidly large heads out of their asses.
“Told him I might have plans though. Depends.”
“On?”
“If I’m not between your pretty…” His words trail off as he dips his head near my ear, planting a hot, lingering kiss beneath it. “Perfect.” Another wet kiss an inch lower, causing me to shiver. “Thighs.”
My eyes flutter shut when he kisses the pulse point in my neck, the one that’s racing wildly beneath his lips as he sucks on it. My knees actually go weak. A breathy moan tumbles from my lips.
“Don’t quite want to go to any parties. I think I’d rather stay right there instead.”
Why is this man so impossibly talented at saying things that make my brain short-circuit, and my clit throb?
“That sounds… good. Great.Wonderful,” I say breathlessly, earning me a low chuckle against my skin.
“Later. Right now we should probably get back out there, yeah? Someone’s bound to realize we’ve both been missing for a while.”
Shit. He’s right.
Fitz and Wren heard me say I’d show him the bathroom.
What if they realize?
“I can practically see your brain working, St. James. It’s okay. I doubt anyone’s even noticed,” he murmurs, sweeping his thumb along the edge of my jaw.
Would it really be that bad if people… knew about us?
The question is on the tip of my tongue, and I open my mouth to ask, but at the last second, snap it shut.
I doubt Cillian wants to discuss our… relationship in the bathroom at his coach’s house. I’m not sure if he even reciprocates the feelings that have been demanding to be known the past couple of weeks. It could just be me, lost in my head, romanticizing something that isn’t even there.
