The Sin I Chose

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Tossing and turning all night long thinking about Brax, I didn't get any sleep. For the final time when I checked the clock it read 6:00 AM. Not being able to lay there for a moment more I got up quickly, dressed, and headed out to clear my head with a morning run. Popping in my headphones I began my pursuit and run aimlessly. After a while I slow down to a walk to catch my breathe when I take in my surroundings to see that my treacherous mind led me straight onto the street. His street. Realizing the entrance to his home is only a few yards away, I turned quickly and ran back the way I came.

My mind is playing games with me now.

Picking up my pace, I look back in the houses direction as I round onto the next street when…

BAM!

Running into a wall of muscle, I'm thrown to the asphalt. Unable to react quick enough, the back of my head knocks the ground hard, causing me to instantly see stars.

I'm blinking rapidly in hopes to regain my vision when see someone leans down over me and I feel a hand move behind my head.

As my vision comes into focus once more, I'm sure I must have a concussion, or my mind is playing tricks on me yet again. There he is.

The angel in the flesh, holding my head and helping me to sit up as stare at him like I don't even know what year it is.

"Hey. Hey.. you okay?" Brax asks me as he looks down at me.

Realizing I'm laying on the ground, staring at him I quickly form a reply.

"Yeah, yeah I am", I stammer out as I go to get back to my feet.

One of his arms wrap around my waist while the other goes to my arm as if to guide me to my feet. My whole body feels like fireworks are going off under my skin. I quickly convince myself it’s just from the fall.

"Thanks", I say up to him with a grin, trying to play it cool so I can get the hell away from this beyond embarrassing situation.

My brain pulses inside my skull, and I wince when I reach my hand back to rub the sore spot. When my hand reaches it, I feel a warm damp section and intuitively know I'm bleeding. Pulling my hand away to reveal a small amount of blood, Brax's face tenses. He reaches for my wrist.

“Let’s get that cleaned", he states as his hand goes to my lower back to lead me back into the direction of his place.

I try to argue the minor cut and I'll be fine but am met with silence. We quickly reach the house and he leads me through the house and around the stairs into what I only assume would be the master bedroom. I take in the sight before me. Black curtains drape the windows only allowing a little light through and a king bed is posted in the center of the room with silk black sheets perfectly made across its surface.

My attention is drawn back to Brax as we round the corner into a just as immaculate bathroom. Once we reach the sink I turn to face him. His hands go to my waist, gently lifting my weight and placing me to sit on the counter.

His touch shakes me, putting me in a trance. His hands linger in their spot before he finally releases me to reach over and grab a folded black towel. He wets it, then reaches behind me to place it onto my head. We are here, eyes locked on one another as we stare until I find it in me to speak.

"So, Brax is it?" I say smugly. He lets out a gruff laugh, husky and deep in his throat before shaking his head and smirking viciously before he looks back at me.

"Braxton Novak, in the flesh".

He says this and looks at me… almost proudly? As if he is waiting for my response and it will be some giant revelation for me. The cocky bastard must think he's hot s**t. At least he has one part of that correct.

Hot indeed.

"Kennedy Kline, nice to finally meet you", I finish as I strut my hand out to him, matching his grin. He takes my hand and shakes it.

"So tell me, Kennedy Kline, why were you out running to my place?”

Slightly embarrassed by his question I can feel my cheeks redden.

"I ran where my feet took me. I didn't realize it was all this way".

"Or you wanted to see me", he says as he rings out the rag in the sink and reaches back up to place it back on my head once more. This time, the contact of the rag hits the small cut wrong. I winced, instinctively reaching up and put my hand up over his; accidentally pushing myself in closer.

"Sorry", he all but whispers.

As if there is a gravitational pull, we slowly move closer to one another until I can feel his breath fanning out over my face. His eyes flick between mine and my lips, and I am powerless to pull away as I stare lost into those ocean eyes I've spent a week dreaming about. He moves closer, our lips brushing and sparks shoot through my lips and onto my cheeks.

Fireworks.

Without warning or thought I clash my lips to his.

Braxton hesitates, then kisses me back without hesitation. The hand on the back of my head gently pulls me i closer to him as his free hand glides up my thigh and onto the small of my back. His tongue swipes across my bottom lip and I open my mouth up for him, meet his tongue with my own.

I'm lost in fire.

The sparks I feel are indescribable as my hand goes to the crook of his neck in attempt to bring him in even closer to me.

He takes a step closer in between my legs, and I move my hand again to the edge of his running shorts and glide my manicured fingers along his chiseled abs when his hand moves over mine, pausing me suddenly. Brax breaks our kiss and I bring my eyes to meet his.

“There’s somewhere have to be."

I’m absolutely stunned.

"Yeah uh... yeah!" I push out, sliding off of the counter and step away in order to put some distance between us in hopes he wouldn’t see my cheeks reddening from the sheer embarrassment.

"Your head good? Do you need a ride?" He asks me as he tosses the dirty towel into a built-in hamper in the wall and pulls off his shirt.

"No, I'm good".

I revert my eyes and mak my way to the door, sauntering out of his room and through the home as quick as my legs will take me.

Without looking back to embarrass myself further, I go out the front door and down the driveway. Not looking back, I picked my pace and began my full run back to my suite.

I’m sure I make it back in record time. The elevator pings open when I make it to the suite, and I V line to my room to avoid having to converse with anyone who might already be up and in the common areas of our home. Once my door clicks shut, I slide down it and sit on my plush carpet.

What in the hell came over me?! I’ve never done something so reckless before. I mean, this is only the third boy I’ve ever kissed..

The air in my room feels thick, like everything’s changed.. and yet, nothing has. I press my back against the door, still stunned by the feel of his lips, the weight of his hands, the way he looked at me like with dark lust in his eyes.

But his words echo back to me: “There’s somewhere I have to be.”

Reality crashes down like a wave, cold and sobering. I don’t know what just happened—if it was something real or just another dream I chased straight into a wall. Literally.

I pull my knees to my chest, trying to breathe past the heat in my cheeks and the throb in the back of my skull. Maybe it was just a moment a created in my head. A spark that fizzled as fast as it lit.

But damn, what a fire.

With a shaky breath, I reach for my phone and pull up my journal app, and I quickly type in my password. The words spill out fast, the only place I feel safe enough to say them.

I kissed Braxton Novak. And apparently, it should’ve been a big deal, according to him.

But for a moment, I forgot everything else. I felt like a normal girl. A girl who has had the chance to experience lust and love. A girl who hasn’t spent every second with a shadow looming over her. A girl who got to make her own choices, and kiss who she wanted without fear for their life.

But little do I know, that kiss was just the beginning.