Burning House

Chapter 12

By the time I made it to Noelle's I was starting to feel bad about waking her up but my need to confide in her was stronger.

"Why are you up so early?" She asked holding her door open so I could follow her back inside.

"I couldn't sleep," I told her. Which was true. There was no way I would have been able to go back to bed with Killian's hot body right next to mine.

"Me either," she yawned settling back on her bed and I sat in her cozy chair across the room. "Krueger was with Ace and Tristan all night. I'm worried Paige."

"Me too. I was hoping to see Ace this morning but he wasn't in yet."

"Wow, all night. This must really be serious," she said with her hands twisting in her lap. I looked at her and saw she was worrying her bottom lip.

"It will be okay," I told her quietly not sure if I believed it completely.

"Please say you aren't actually wearing that today," She asked me.

I looked down and noticed for the first time how miserable my outfit actually was. Worse, I had grabbed my Converse which weren't going to help my feet in the slightest for all the work and walking we would be doing today. It was the last day before the festivities. I knew we would be busy.

"Yeah," I said clearing my throat, "I didn't really plan well."

"Can't you go change, we have lots of time before breakfast," she asked me her nose scrunching a little further.

"I sort of locked myself out," I told her not meeting her gaze.

"Uh huh," She said starting to inspect me further. I felt my cheeks turning pink at her perusal. I knew my hair looked like a birds nest. My sweatshirt was brown, old and worn and mismatched to my leggings. Worse, I knew if anyone leaned close enough they could tell I smelt of sex.

"Well I predicted that," Noelle said with a smug smile starting to play on her mouth.

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

"I was there when it was put together that Ace would be at your place last night. Killian looked like death. He disappeared shortly after. I assumed he went to your place to give you the business," She started laughing at her prediction.

"This is horrible," I said putting my head down into my hands

"Is it really that bad Paige?" She said forcing me to look back at her. Her face had softened looking serious and understanding. "Maybe it's time to talk to them. I know you don't want to hear it, but I think there is more to the story. I spent some time with Tristan after the interviews and I just want you to hear what I did. And if Killian is getting possessive of you and you're falling into bed with him maybe that's a sign it's not over between you two."

I felt struck. My own feelings a torment inside my chest. I had been feeling the same way lately but the years of pain always came back when I wondered if I should let go.

"What did Tristan say?" I asked, knowing it would be painful either way.

"I think you should ask him Pay," she said quietly, "I think he was sincere and it won't change what happened but maybe it will feel better to hear him out."

I didn't know what else to say. The past twenty four hours had been too much suddenly. I longed to talk to my brother since I saw him last night standing by my best friend. I just couldn't stop my heart form screaming in protest at more possible pain someday.

"Can I use your shower?" I asked Noelle.

"Of course," She said, "I'm going back to bed till you're done." She rolled over bringing her covers around her.

An hour later we were both showered and headed down for breakfast. Nothing could be done about my outfit today but it felt better to have fixed my bird nest and last night's sweat and make up from my face. We grabbed our trays and sat at our usual table. Ace and Krueger still had not made it back.

"No word still?" Noelle asked Bryce at the other end. He shook his head no. We both sighed lost in our own thoughts at the implications of this emergency. Everyone around me looked on edge. My spine began to tingle with awareness...

"Hey Killian!" I heard one of the bimbo sisters say. I knew I should know their names by now.

"Hi Ladies." I heard his voice take on that velvety smoothness. I hunkered lower in my seat praying he wouldn't see me. I wasn't sure I could handle him right now. Images of last night still rolling in my mind, of his muscles bunching in my hands, his groans in answer to my mouth and kisses, or the way it felt to have him fill me.

Heat was starting to flood my face. Noelle raised her eyebrow at me from across the table. It was then I felt him behind me against my back, one of his arms braced on the edge of the table right next to my elbow.

"Paige, Noelle, you look great this morning," he said. His sexy smile pulling his lips.

"Why thank you Killian," Noelle said with gusto. She enjoyed compliments about her fantastic fashion sense. "I'm going to go dump my tray, be right back," she said scrambling out of her seat, my mouth hung slightly open, before I could say I was going with her.

Killian sat down next to me his leg brushed against mine under the table. "Here," he said, his head bent close to mine, "You forgot these." I closed my fingers around my keys the metal still warm from being in his grasp.

"Thank you," I murmured, refusing to meet his gaze. He chuckled.

"Paige," he said, wrapping his arms around my body twisting the chair to face him. I couldn't escape his gaze any longer. His blue eyes blazed with fire.

"We aren't going to pretend this never happened," his voice turned low and was sexy as hell. I wanted to argue with him. I opened my mouth to tell him to go to hell, instead he grabbed my face his palms cradling my cheeks, and brought his mouth down on mine. Our lips fused and the noise from the cafeteria drowned out. It was just us. His mouth moved over mine with need and something else. When he pulled away I was breathless. At least he appeared to be just as affected, he kissed my forehead before I could stop him.

"I'll see you later baby," he whispered to me. I sat in shock as he untucked his long body from the table and walked out of the cafeteria.

"Whoa," I heard Noelle say. I had no idea when she got back. My mind was once again rattled.

***Just realized I'm behind on character posts. Above is my imagined Krueger (Kellan Lutz)....swoon :) XOXO