Reckless (Thoughtless, #3)(144)

Kellan didn’t answer me, just tentatively kissed me back. I could tell he was still stewing over the problem, a problem that I knew would still be there in the morning. Being together was what was important, and I wanted to enjoy the current moment with him. Threading my fingers through his hair, I pulled him into me. He let out a soft groan and kissed me back with a lot more intensity.

When his hips were in line with mine again, grinding into me at a delicious tempo, I let out my own exhale of ecstasy. Damn, I didn’t care if we weren’t the only ones there anymore. The guys all had iPods, anyway. I needed Kellan, and he needed me too. His hand slipped down the back of my lounge pants, under my panties. I arched my back as much as I could in our confined space, silently begging him to touch me. In my ear, Kellan growled, “I want you.”

That did me in. While the ache building in me pulsed to life, my hands slipped down to Kellan’s zipper. Wanting to snuggle with me, Kellan hadn’t gotten ready for bed yet. I was more than happy to help him finish undressing.

Groaning as I unfastened his jeans, Kellan husked out, “But I want you . . . safe.”

I paused and looked at his face. His eyes were blazing with desire, his lips were parted, and his breath was fast. I knew he wanted me, but I also knew he was still concerned about me. “Kellan, don’t worry—”

He cut me off. “I heard you talking to Denny about fleeing back home. You were joking, but . . . maybe that’s a good idea. Maybe you should head home until I have a chance to set this straight.”

I couldn’t believe he was actually suggesting that. “No, I want to be with you. Home is wherever you are.”

Kellan slid to my side again. “I want to be with you too, but I can’t stand the way people talk about you. It makes me want to kick every single one of their asses. And I don’t want you around me if it’s dangerous for you.” I started to object, but Kellan cut me off again. “I saw that girl slap you, Kiera, so don’t tell me it’s not dangerous.”

I closed my mouth and changed what I’d been about to say. Voice calm, I told him, “You said we needed to carve out time for each other, otherwise none of this mattered. You remember telling me that?”

Kellan sighed. “I know, but that was before things got so messed up.” He ran a finger across my cheek. “And who is to say that anything will change when I do make another statement. They’re so curious about my life, they might still hound you. They might still hate you, call you names. I can’t handle that. I can’t do my job if I’m constantly worrying about you. I just want you safe, even if that means we have to be apart.”

He looked really guilty at playing the job card, but I knew he was frustrated with the situation and was being totally honest with me, and I respected him for that honesty. My answer to him was just as forthright. “And I just want to be with you. I can handle being mobbed. I can handle being photographed. I can handle being ridiculed. And I can even handle being slapped . . . on occasion.” I grabbed both of his cheeks. “What I can’t handle is people forcing us to behave in a certain way. People forcing us to be apart. We’re not playing their game anymore, remember? We’ve fought too hard to be together. It’s us against the world, Kellan, and they don’t dictate our relationship. We do.”

A slow smile curved Kellan’s lips. “This attitude you’ve got right now is very attractive.”

I laced my arms around his neck and brought his lips down to mine. “Then stop trying to send me away, and make love to me.”

Eagerly returning my kiss, he finally helped me take his jeans off.

When I woke up sometime later, I was naked. I felt around for my clothes, but couldn’t find them anywhere. That was alarming, since there weren’t a whole lot of places for clothes to hide in our small cubby. Opening my eyes, I looked around for my pajamas. It was lighter, so I could clearly see everything around me, and I still didn’t see them anywhere. Sitting up on my elbows, I noted that the bus was moving.

Kellan was asleep beside me; if I’d woken up before him, then he really hadn’t slept well the night before when I was away. His clothes were nowhere to be seen either. What the hell? I clearly remembered shoving our clothes in the corners, because I didn’t want them falling in the aisle again.

I nudged Kellan in the ribs. He made a noise that sounded like, “What?” but he didn’t open his eyes.

“Kellan? Are our clothes on the floor?”

Maybe we’d been so caught up in the moment last night that they’d fallen out despite my precautions. Kellan cracked an eye open, then yawned. “What clothes?”

I laughed at him. “The clothes neither one of us are wearing.”

Kellan smiled and rolled over to put his head on my chest. “Those are my favorite kinds of clothes.”

His hands started traveling up my body, and I closed my eyes. Mmmm, his hands felt nice. Feeling playful, Kellan grabbed the blanket with his teeth and exposed my chest. Before I could stop him, his mouth was sucking on my breast. God, what was I missing? Forcing his head away so I could think clearly, I glared at him. “Could you take a peek and see if they’re on the floor?”

Kellan’s eyes were locked on my chest. “You sure you want me to do that?”

Giggling, I pushed his shoulder away. “Yes, please find them.”