Tempted | Kai Parker

forty two: the night before

tw: this chapter contains explicit sexual scenes, if this may be triggering for you - or simply isn't for you, please skip ahead.

My feet carried me quicker than was safe to pass off as 'human' to anyone who could've been watching through a misty window, or round the corner of an adjoining street.

But I didn't care.

With every hasty step I took away from Caroline's house and towards Kai's apartment, my body seemed to speed up. It was like some kind of magnetic force was pulling me towards him – and for once, I wasn't fighting against it.

The whole journey, as I raced through the streets, my thoughts somehow managed to outrun me. Each lobe of my brain was packed full of optimistic notions, which seemed to zoom through my whole body at lightning speed.

All I could seem to think about was that I didn't want to waste anymore time. That I didn't want to wait anymore. That I wasn't going to let another opportunity to finally be with Kai slip through my fingers.

So, when I finally got to his building, I almost flew up the stairs. It seriously seemed like the soles of my feet didn't even dare to kiss the ground, as I hurtled up to his door. I didn't even hesitate to knock, my knuckles just connected immediately.

And with every tedious moment I stared at the dark wood, my excitement only grew. It seemed as though all of the complex worries which had burdened me for so long had finally faded away and had been replaced by an overpowering eagerness to finally seize what I wanted.

My heart rattled more violently against my ribcage with every little shuffle I heard behind the door, until I finally heard the satisfying twist of the brass handle. With one little click, the door finally swung open, and my eyes immediately connected with his deep blue ones.

For the first few moments he just stared back at me, his lips parting slightly as I watched a look of shock start to wash over his face.

"You're here." He finally breathed. "Hi."

I slowly felt the corners of my lips tugging into a wide smile, as I allowed myself to absorb the details of his face. And everything was exactly as I remembered. Every line, every freckle, every contour – a perfect replica of the image I had stored in my brain.

And just looking at him gave me the exact same feeling. A feeling that was so indescribable, yet so real that it felt almost tangible. Even after everything that had happened. After everything both of us had done. I still felt the same way.

Without so much as another word, I propelled myself forward, launching myself into his arms and enveloping him in a tight hug. My head buried deep into his shoulder and I inhaled a deep breath of his warm musky scent. His smell glazed my airways like honey, and I had almost forgotten how sweet it was to be this close to him.

"I'm so sorry I didn't come by sooner." I whispered. "I missed you."

He pulled me in even closer in response, resting his cheek on top of my head as he softly started to stroke my back.

"I missed you too." He breathed.

I slowly started to pull my face backwards but made sure to keep my body pressed close to his, as I wrapped my arms around his neck. As I stared into his deep blue eyes, I felt my lips start to curl, and my heart start to flutter.

"I have something to say." I announced.

His brows pulled together, as he urged me on with a small nod.

"Okay, listen - I thought about this on the way over here -" I started.

"Oh god." He sighed.

I gave him a roll of my eyes, as a small chuckle pushed through my lips.