When the Fire Ceased

Chapter 63 - Spreading through my Body

CHAPTER 63

Spreading Through my Body

After having dinner in the Flower's Hotel fancy restaurant, we decide to go back to the suite.

I'm still thinking about everything he said back in the lobby, when we were in the greenhouse.

"The best thing that has ever happened to me is you. You, Katniss. You make me so happy and I want to make you happy too, you have become my life. My everything... I guess it's nothing you didn't know already, but I am in love with you, and I will always be". Those were the words Peeta said earlier. And they've been making their way through all my body, all the way to my heart. And they seem to stick there, and Peeta himself too. Each time I touch him, each time he kisses me, hugs me, touches my hand, each time I see him and he sees me. I feel it. But Peeta won't let me say a thing.

We get to our room, and Peeta looks for the key in his pocket. He finds it but it slips through his fingers and falls to the ground. We duck simultaneously to pick it, and our hands find each other above the key. It sends chills through me.

I look at him and he at me, my heart beginning to beat faster. I look at his deep blue eyes and then at his lips, and only one clear thought appears on my mind, I want to kiss him.

Slowly, I move closer to him, as if attracted by a magnet, in this case, his lips.

When our faces are just inches apart, I begin closing my eyes. And I feel like we're on slow motion.

In the exact moment, a couple walks past us. And Peeta and I quickly pull away, snapped back into reality. Peeta picks the key up and opens the door, after an awkward silence between us. I can see he blushed a little, just like I did.

I bite my lip and as soon as he opens the door, I step into the suite, Peeta behind me.

I begin walking further into the room, but suddenly Peeta grabs me by the hand and pulls me to him, all in a blink. I only have a brief second to gasp before he presses his lips to mine. A moment ago, it was me who was about to kiss him. But right now, is him who stole from me the kiss.

Immediately, a warm rush fills me, and his touch sends chills through my skin. I run my hand through Peeta's hair, and his hands go down my back, then my waist. Our kiss becomes harder, faster and more passionate with each second that passes. And I feel that again, with even more intensity now, I feel like it could even rip my chest open and be freed. I pull my body closer to his even though there's no space between us now.

We begin walking to the bed without pulling away. He carries me and I wrap my legs around his waist. I can't stop my fingers from unbuttoning Peeta's shirt while I feel something unknown taking over me -but something I want to discover. In a matter of seconds, his chest is bare, and I run my fingers down it, I can feel his heartbeat.

Peeta looks up at me and touches my cheek slightly, just with two of his fingers. "You're beautiful", he says.

I wonder if I will ever find what to answer when he calls me that... "You make me feel beautiful", I whisper, my heart pounding on my ears. And partially, the statement is true, I believe I'm beautiful when he tells me I am, just like he did today with his painting.

Then he begins playing with the strap of my nightgown, he slides it down my arm so my shoulder is left bare. He focuses on something on my shoulder, and I remember I have a scar there. One of the several burns I have all over my body, marked on my skin forever, the reminder of my sister turning into a human scorch.