Chapter 126: They were loud

"You’re the one ruining it," I hissed back under my breath, though I stopped trying to pull my hand away.

My skin felt like it was on fire where his thumb kept up that steady, dizzying stroke against my knuckles.

​I forced my eyes back to the giant screen, but I couldn’t tell you a single thing about the plot.

Every bit of my focus was pinned to the heavy weight of Reid’s shoulder pressing right against mine, the subtle scent of frozen pine that always seemed to intensify when he was pleased with himself, and the terrifying realization that I had let my guard down so completely.

​If anyone from the team saw us—if Marcus or the front office caught wind of the Captain and the star rookie tucked into the back row of a dark theater, fingers locked together like a couple of high schoolers—it would be a nightmare.

​But nobody is looking, a quiet, traitorous voice whispered in the back of my mind.

​In the dark, surrounded by the booming bass of explosions from the screen, we were just two regular people. No jerseys. No captain’s C. And no expectations from massive family empires demanding heirs either.

​I let out a slow, quiet breath, my body finally losing its rigid tension. Defeated, I let my hand relax completely into his, my fingers curling back around his palm.

​Beside me, I saw Reid’s head tilt just a fraction. Even without looking directly at him, I knew that damn smirk on his face had only grown wider.

He didn’t say another word for the rest of the movie, but his grip remained tight and unyielding, holding onto me like he had absolutely no intention of ever letting go.

​By the time the credits rolled and the house lights flickered back on, I practically ripped my hand free, scrambling to stand up before the rest of the theater could turn around.

​The concrete stairs of the parking garage were dim, casting long, sharp shadows across the floorboards as we exited the theater.

The cool night air hit my face, a welcome relief against the suffocating heat that had settled in my chest during the movie.

I pulled the high collar of the charcoal sweater up over my chin, stubbornly keeping my eyes fixed straight ahead while Reid jingled his truck keys in his hand.

​"Moving fast, Cap," Reid teased, his long strides easily keeping pace with mine. "Enjoy the action sequences?"

​"They were loud," I muttered, keeping my voice clipped and flat to mask the frantic pounding of my pulse. "Let’s just get back. We have a long day tomorrow."

​Reid just chuckled, the low sound echoing in the empty structure. "Whatever you say, Kain."

​Hearing my name slip from his lips out here, in the open garage, made me freeze.

Before I could even turn my head to glare at him, Reid stepped into my space. We were in the heavy shadow of his car, completely blocked from the sparse security cameras, and suddenly his large hand reached out, fingers catching the edge of my jaw.

​He leaned down, swift and deliberate, and sneaked a quick, firm kiss right onto my cheek. His lips were hot against my skin, lingering for half a second too long.

​"What the hell—!" I flared up, my voice cracking slightly as I instinctively smacked his shoulder away.

​Reid just laughed, stepping back with his hands raised in mock surrender, his grey eyes dancing with pure amusement. My hand flew up, my palm pressing flat against my cheek.

The skin beneath my fingers burned, a heavy, electric heat expanding rapidly down my neck and straight into my chest. Seriously, this absolute bastard.

​"Get in the car," I muttered, ripping the passenger door open and slamming it shut behind me.

I stared fixedly out the windshield, my hand still glued to my cheek, completely unable to stop the furious blush from taking over.

Seriously.

​We had to make a quick stop at my apartment first. I was practically living at the penthouse with him now because he sure as hell wouldn’t let me go. It was either I stayed with him or he came to live with him. And I particularly find his massive king sized bed more comfortable for both of us to roll over in so it’s his penthouse for now.

But I still needed to grab some essential documents and a few other things. The outfit for tomorrow was already covered thanks to him taking me shopping earlier on.

​The moment we stepped inside my apartment and the front door clicked shut, plunging the narrow hallway into absolute darkness.

I reached my hand out, groping along the wall to find the light switch. "Hold on, let me get the—"

​A heavy, solid weight slammed into me.

​Reid did not let me touch the switch. His large hands gripped my waist, the sheer force of his momentum pinning my back flat against the wall. The breath hitched in my throat as the dark silhouette of his broad shoulders completely blocked out the room.

​"Reid, wait, I need to—" I started, a weak, subtle attempt at a refusal leaving my lips. My hands came up, pressing against his chest to create some distance, but the heat radiating from his body already made my knees feel heavy.

​"No," he murmured, his voice a rough, gravelly command in the dark.

​His mouth slammed down on mine, cutting off the rest of my sentence.

​The resistance in my fingers melted instantly. My hands shifted from pushing him away to gripping the fabric of his shirt, tearing at it to pull him closer.

I opened my mouth with a low groan, giving in completely as his tongue slid past my lips, deep and utterly relentless. The kiss was heavy, messy, a frantic clash of teeth and breath that left my head spinning.

My orchid pheromones spiked violently into the tight hallway, immediately answered by a thick, suffocating wave of frozen pine that completely consumed my senses.

​We stumbled blindly down the short hall, hands shuffling frantically under each other’s clothes, seeking out bare skin.

Every touch felt like a brand. By the time we hit the living room, the heat was entirely too much to handle. Driven out of my mind by the friction and the sheer weight of his body, I ended up bending over the arm of the sofa, my fingers digging deep into the fabric as I let Reid have his way with me right there on the couch. My couch.