FOOLS AND GENIUSES

CHAPTER 36

Chris preparing for training above.

redamancy

(n.) a love returned in full

Fatigued and dishevelled from her long haul flight, Kiara tried her best to stay unnoticed as she slipped past the hoard of cameras and fans waiting in the airport arrival zone. Somehow word had slipped out that she was boarding a plane to America so it was only natural for hundreds of people to gather around in an attempt to catch sight of her. 

Perhaps it was the acne-ridden teenager that leaked her location to the press with his not-so-subtle attempts at taking photos of her on his beat up iPhone as they waited at the boarding gates. Regardless, all her efforts were in vain the minute a woman holding up a placard reading 'Mr. Callaghan' caught sight of her. It was as if everything played out in slow motion as Kiara watched the woman's eyes widen in shock before her jaw dropped, releasing an excited shout. She cringed at the sound, panicking when a few more heads turned as the noisy exclamation echoed across the airport.

Almost instantly, cameras were shoved into Kiara's face as flashes momentarily blinded her vision when the crowd swarmed around her. Familiar rough calluses and strong grip were tell-tale signs of Jimmy as the sheer size of his hands spanned the width of her narrow waist, practically engulfing her petite form. The position remained respectful and polite– proving that even bodyguards required media training to survive the film industry. Her shoulders slumped in relief as the large hand resting against her back steadied her against the onslaught of demands and questions thrown her way. His presence calmed her as she controlled her breathing and let him guide her into the awaiting car, eyes gradually adjusting to the paparazzi's aggressive pursuits.

Kiara had hoped to keep her arrival a secret, planning to surprise Chris with the week she received off from work but it looked as if she would have to adapt to the situation given how quickly news seemed to spread. Checking in with Vijay, she confirmed he had managed to keep Chris away from the tabloids while simultaneously covering for her lack of call activity. Though most would find it challenging to pull of such a feat, Vijay's abundance of experience handling various imperious characters from overbearing girlfriends to controlling authority figures gave him plenty of practice. 

Having taken the rest of the day to rest, she drove over to Chris' house the following day to surprise him. Slinging her acoustic guitar onto her back as her nerves got the better of her, she stepped out of her car and walked up to his front door. As per usual, the door swung open mere seconds after she knocked and she took in his shocked expression as it melted into delight at the sight of her.

Waving shyly, she laughed, "Surprise."

Without thinking, Chris lunged out and wrapped his muscled arms around Kiara as he pressed her body to his in a warm hug. Brushing away strands of her hair with a gentleness that threatened to shatter her resolve, he pressed a sweet kiss to her full lips as he breathed in the familiar scent of peaches. Arching into him, her movements grew increasingly frantic as they barely shut the door behind her and stumbled into the house. Their kisses grew more desperate as he tugged on the strands of her hair, eliciting a breathy moan from her. He groaned as her tongue moved in languid strokes, their lips battling for dominance. Her nails clawed at his back, leaving tiny crescent marks in their wake as she tried to put some space between them before things escalated.

Breathing heavily, Kiara inhaled the scent of rich cinnamon and something uniquely Chris– home, she realised as she pressed her forehead against his. The orange cropped polo top rode up against her ribs as she hastily wiped her sweaty palms against the fabric of her high-waisted jeans, immediately drawing his eyes to the sliver of skin exposed. As if he couldn't help himself, his hands trailed up to her waist and paused to draw small circles against her bare skin.