I thought about it for a moment. “If it wouldn’t be awkward, I think I might.”
By that point, Ari had checked through and she stepped in to help bag my groceries, since she had to wait for me anyway. “I can’t speak for her, but I bet if you ask her, Meagan would be happy to take over your training. And you should report him to the gym. That’s so unprofessional.”
“They’re all independent contractors, you know that. The gym isn’t going to care unless he starts making passes or harassing them in other ways.” I placed the last of my groceries on the conveyor belt and the cashier looked relieved. I smiled at her. “I’m sorry I had such a big order.”
“Oh, it’s that time of year. Everybody does. I had a customer come through yesterday with three full carts. I asked her how many people she was expecting for Thanksgiving and she said thirty-five—apparently all her kids have children, and then there were cousins coming, and out-of-town guests.” She finished ringing me up and I grimaced, waiting for the final tally.
“That comes to four hundred, fifty-eight dollars and thirty-two cents.”
With a gulp, I swiped my credit card through.
By the time we arrived home it was almost six and Killian texted me. He had finished the gate and was headed to a football game with a friend who was also a vet. Killian wasn’t a fanatic about sports, for which I was grateful, but he did like college football. I encouraged him to take Doug because I had little interest in the game and it would be more fun for both of us if he went with someone who cared.
Ari and I put away the groceries, and then she left for home. I was still waiting for a call from Rowan, so I made myself a grilled cheese sandwich and heated up some tomato soup and settled in to watch a movie.
I was halfway through Little Women when I received a text from Sheryl. i know you need to think about it, but please do join us. you’d make a great addition to my team.
Staring at the text, I felt a shiver run down my back. There was something grasping about the energy of her text, again like a predator eyeing prey. I was about to ignore it when I realized that we wanted to keep her on the line. The Court Magika couldn’t investigate if it didn’t have reasonable cause.
I paused, then texted back. oh, i’m interested, but need to find the startup money first. i’ll text you soon!
Then, because I didn’t want to hear from her again, I went into my settings and set up my Do Not Disturb, allowing Ari’s, Killian’s, Teran’s, and Rowan’s calls and texts to get through the block. Notifications from Sheryl wouldn’t come through until morning. And with that, I went back to my movie, but in the back of my mind, my alarm bells were very quietly chiming away.
Chapter Thirteen
Come morning, I woke up on the sofa. Yawning and sitting up, I turned off the television—I had fallen asleep in the middle of an old romance—The Ghost & Mrs. Muir. It was six a.m. and I was surprisingly awake. Killian had texted me during the night and I hadn’t even heard the chime. I smiled as I read his message.
i thought about coming over, but it’s after midnight. i want to tear the covers off of you and ravish you, but i figure, after the past few days, you might need your sleep. so i’m going to bed alone, attention-starved and hungry for you. i’ll see you tomorrow. xoxo—k.
I stared at the message, then at the clock. He never got up till seven and he was home this week, too. I could sneak over and surprise him. Smiling—I seldom got the chance to give him a good surprise—I grabbed my keys and headed out the kitchen door. I’d sneak in from the back way, through the gate dividing our properties. As I padded across the lawn in my bare feet, the wet grass and the mist woke me up.
Quietly unlocking Killian’s back door, I slipped into the kitchen, then quickly turned off the alarm system. I dashed up the stairs, then paused outside his door. I’d give him the surprise of his life. I slipped out of my clothes and—nekkid and chilly—reached for the doorknob.
“January?” A woman’s voice startled the hell out of me.
I shrieked, whirling around in time to see Tally—Killian’s sister—step out of the guest room in her bathrobe. At that moment, Killian yanked open his bedroom door, a look of alarm on his face.
“January?” He stared at me, his gaze taking in my naked body, my look of alarm, and his sister, who was leaning against the doorframe to her room, trying to stifle a laugh.
“Oh good gods, I forgot you were coming into town yesterday!” The sudden realization that I was bare-ass naked rushed over me and I shrieked again and dashed past Killian, into his room. “Sorry, sorry, sorry!” I blurted out from behind the door. “Can you hand me my clothes?”
“Maybe,” Killian said, and I could hear the laughter in his voice. “What’s the magic word?”
“It’s going to be ‘No nookie for you’ unless you give me my clothes now!”
Tally’s voice rang out, loud and clear. “I’d do what she says, or you’ll have the bluest balls this side of the mountains.”
A moment later, Killian slipped around the door, my clothes in his hands. He cleared his throat and shut the door behind him. “So, I take it you got my text?”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, give me my clothes.”
“Not so fast,” he said, sauntering toward me. “You came over here on a mission, and I don’t think you should give up that easily.” He tossed my clothes over on an arm chair that was in the corner of his room and then untied the belt on his robe, letting it fall open. He was naked beneath the robe, hard as a rock, and his eyes gleamed devilishly. “Come here, beautiful.”
“But Tally—” I protested weakly, unable to take my eyes off his gorgeous body, especially his cock, which was fully awake and ready to rumble.
“She went back to bed. Now, come here, wench.” Killian jumped, his eyes gleaming. He landed directly in front of me—the man was nimble for his size—and he swept me up in his arms, carrying me over to his bed where he tumbled me into the blankets.
I gasped as he slid his hand down my shoulder, over my breast, cupping it gently as he leaned down to tongue the nipple, catching it between his teeth and lightly pulling.
“Oh, don’t stop,” I whispered, draping my arms around his neck. My body hungered for him, and I adjusted my position, rolling onto my back so he could have better access. He greedily sucked on my nipple, his hand sliding down over my stomach, down toward that V between my thighs. I spread my legs enough for him to slide his fingers between them as he began to stroke me—at first with gentle circles, then he worked me faster and faster.
“Oh, please don’t stop,” I begged, realizing how much I needed him, needed this release. My body felt like a live wire, sizzling and ready to burn. His touch heightened my desire, and I reached out and grasped hold of him, firmly squeezing his shaft. Killian groaned, his gaze promising danger and passion and all those things we fantasize about in the dark of the night.
“Take me now, please.” I tried to pull him atop me, but he wouldn’t yet. Instead, he slid down, ducking his head between my legs, and began to tongue-bathe me, sending me into yet another spiral of need. Everything pulsed on my body, resonating at a high pitch as the world spun. I came hard, once, and then before the first climax was over, again. The beating of my heart pounded in my head as I let out a loud cry, tensing again and again as the waves of orgasm rippled over me.