You're such a baby

Rae’s POV

The second the words left my mouth, I saw the shift in him, shoulders tensing, eyes narrowing just a fraction.

“To where?” he repeated, softer but with an edge that made my stomach flip.

I hurried to explain, hands twisting nervously in front of me. “Zara’s house. My best friend? I promised her yesterday that I’d come over today. She wants… details,” I finished, cheeks burning. “Girl stuff.”

His expression softened instantly, relief, then something tender. He closed the distance between us in two slow steps and cupped my face with both hands.

“I’m gonna miss you,” he murmured, thumbs stroking my cheeks. “Even if it’s only a few hours.”

My heart did a ridiculous little somersault. “Really?”

“Really.” He brushed his nose against mine. “Let me drive you?”

I blinked up at him. “You want to?”

“I want every extra second I can steal with you,” he said simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

I launched myself at him, arms winding around his neck, face pressed to his chest.

He caught me easily, one arm banding around my waist, the other cradling the back of my head.

“Thank you,” I whispered into his T-shirt.

He chuckled, the sound rumbling under my cheek. “You’re welcome, baby.”

I had to tilt my head all the way back to look at him, he was so tall, and I felt comically tiny in my bare feet.

He must have noticed because his eyes went all soft and amused, lips curving into that fond little smile that always made me melt.

“You’re so cute when you’re short,” he teased, booping my nose.

I scrunched it in protest. “I’m fun-sized.”

“You’re perfect-sized,” he corrected, and kissed me quick and sweet before setting me down. “Go grab your stuff. I’ll wait.”

Five minutes later I was sliding my feet into sandals, phone and lip balm tucked into a little crossbody bag.

Killian was already by the front door, keys dangling from his fingers, looking unfairly hot in sunglasses.

The second we stepped outside I stopped dead.

His car, matte black Audi RS Q8, low and sleek and growling even at idle, sat in the driveway like it had personally offended the laws of physics.

“Holy crap,” I breathed. “This is yours?”

He laughed, walking around to the passenger side. “You’ve seen it before.”

“Not up close!” I ran my fingers along the hood, shamelessly admiring. “It’s… stupidly pretty.”

“Glad you approve,” he said, voice warm with amusement.

Then he opened the door for me, actually opened it, one hand on the top of the frame, the other gesturing like a gentleman from another century.

I slid into butter-soft leather that smelled like him and luxury.

He closed the door gently, circled the front, and folded his big frame into the driver’s seat. The car dipped slightly under his weight.

Before I could reach for my seatbelt, he leaned across the console, close, so close.

One hand braced on the back of my seat, the other reaching for the belt.

His forearm brushed my chest; his face was inches from mine. I could smell coffee on his breath and the faint cedar of his cologne.

“I got it,” he murmured.

His fingers clicked the belt into place, but he didn’t pull away. Instead his hand slid to my thigh, thumb stroking once, twice. Our eyes locked.

The air in the car turned thick, my head spinned a little, I don’t know who moved first.

Maybe me. Maybe him. Maybe both of us at once.

Our lips crashed together, no gentle morning kiss this time. This was hungry, desperate, like we’d been apart for days instead of five minutes.

I twisted toward him as much as the belt allowed, fingers diving into his hair, tugging him closer.

He groaned into my mouth, hand sliding up my thigh, gripping just hard enough to make me gasp.

His tongue swept against mine, the piercing cool and perfect, dragging a whimper from my throat.

He answered with a low growl, angling his head to deepen it, kissing me like he was trying to imprint himself on my soul before I left the driveway.

When we finally broke apart we were both breathing hard, foreheads pressed together, noses brushing.

“Fuck,” he whispered, voice ragged. “You’re gonna wreck me, baby.”

I laughed, shaky and giddy, and stole one more quick kiss before he sat back properly.

He adjusted himself in his jeans with zero subtlety, started the car, and the engine purred to life beneath us.

~~~~

The engine purred beneath us as Killian pulled out of the driveway, one hand on the wheel, the other resting possessively on my bare thigh.

His palm was warm, thumb stroking slow, absent circles just beneath the hem of my sundress.

Every little sweep sent sparks skittering up my skin.

I was already blushing,had been since the second his fingers settled there, and the morning sun pouring through the windshield wasn’t helping.

He glanced over, caught me staring at his hand, and his lips curved into that half-smirk that wrecked me every time.

“Directions, baby,” he said casually, squeezing my thigh lightly. “Where am I taking you?”

“Um…” I swallowed, trying to remember my own best friend’s address. “It’s— uh— left at the light, then straight for a while—”

My brain short-circuited when his thumb brushed higher, just a fraction.

He was watching me now instead of the road, sunglasses pushed into his hair, blue eyes soft and amused.

“Killian,” I squeaked, “please stop looking at me like that.”

“Like how?” he asked, voice low and teasing, completely innocent except for the wicked glint in his eye.

“Like you’re thinking about pulling over and ruining me in the backseat,” I blurted.

His laugh was deep and delighted. “Can you blame me? You’re blushing so pretty.”

He slowed at a stop sign, leaned across the console, and kissed me, soft, slow, lingering. I melted instantly, hand curling into his T-shirt.

Tap tap tap.

I broke away, breathless, smacking his chest lightly. “I do not want to die young because you can’t keep your lips to yourself at a stop sign!”

He threw his head back and laughed, full, bright, the kind that made his eyes crinkle. I couldn’t help laughing too, the sound bubbling out of us both until my cheeks hurt.

“Okay, okay,” I giggled, wiping my lip gloss from his mouth with my thumb. “Focus, driver. Left here, then straight for ten minutes, right on Willow Creek, third house on the left. Got it?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, saluting with two fingers, but his hand returned to my thigh like it belonged there.

The rest of the drive was quiet in the best way,music low, windows cracked, his fingers drawing lazy patterns on my skin. I gave directions without stuttering this time, and he followed them perfectly.

When he pulled up outside Zara’s cute little bungalow,pale-blue siding, flowers exploding from every planter, I unbuckled and reached for the door suddenly feeling nervous.

He pouted, actually pouted, bottom lip out and everything.

“Wait. Where’s my goodbye kiss?”

I turned back, giggling. “You’re such a baby.”

“Your baby,” he corrected, leaning in.

I kissed him, quick and sweet at first, but he cupped the back of my neck and turned it deeper, tongue brushing mine once, twice, before letting me go.

“Text me when you’re ready to be picked up,” he murmured against my lips. “I’ll be waiting.”

I nodded, dizzy, and climbed out before I did something stupid like crawl into his lap in broad daylight.

He watched me all the way to the door, engine idling, one arm draped over the steering wheel like a damn model. I waved once more, cheeks on fire, then slipped inside.

The second the door shut behind me, Zara launched herself at me like a heat-seeking missile.

“RAE!” she squealed, squeezing me so hard my ribs protested. “You are GLOWING. Like, actually glowing. I need every detail right now.”

I laughed, letting her drag me to the couch, and spilled, well, most of it.

The pool-house bed. The breakfast. The way he fed me pancakes and called me perfect.

The car ride, the kiss at the stop sign. I left out the explicit parts, but my blush did all the talking anyway.

Zara kept fanning herself dramatically. “I’m deceased. You’re living in a romance novel and I’m just over here eating cereal for dinner.”

We talked for hours, painting our nails, eating ice cream straight from the tub, rewatching our favorite scenes from cheesy movies while I tried, and failed not to check my phone every thirty seconds.

Four hours later, sprawled on her bedroom floor surrounded by empty snack bags, my phone buzzed on the carpet.

Unknown number but I knew exactly who it was.

still breathing without you, but barely.

tell me when to come steal you back.♡︎

Zara snatched the phone before I could stop her, read the message, and let out a truly unholy screech.

“RAE. You are so whipped! Look at that heart emoji! He’s gone for you!”

I lunged for the phone, face flaming. “Give it back!”

“Nope!” She held it above her head, grinning like a maniac. “This man is in love and you’re sitting here blushing like a Victorian maiden who just saw an ankle.”

I tackled her, both of us dissolving into helpless laughter on the carpet.