GAGE

CHAPTER FOUR

Four

I peel my eyes open when I'm unable to move. Assuming my limbs are tangled in my sheets, restricting my movement, I look down and find an arm around my waist, holding me down.

I blink and do a double take.

Holy crap! There's an arm around me. A very strong, muscular, tan arm at that.

With my heart beating wildly in my chest, I tamp down on the rising panic and slowly turn my head towards the source of the arm, dreading what I might encounter.

When I see Gage's angelic sleep ridden face, last night's events flash before my eyes.

Ava, Wicked Wolf club, drinks, Ava going upstairs with a stranger, following her, hiding in Gage's room, kissing him, coming from his talented mouth and fingers.

Oh God! What have I done? How did I let whatever that happened happen? I don't even know the guy, yet here I am butt naked, sleeping next to him. How could I drop my guard and spend an entire night unconscious in a stranger's bed?

I run gaze over him, he's sleeping on his side looking content and peaceful. Few strands of his dark brown hair rests on his forehead while the hair on top of his head looks messy, portraying the perfect bed head look. I have the sudden urge to run my fingers through his hair and ascertain if they are as soft as they look. Resisting the temptation I take in his beautiful face. His high cheekbones, chiselled jaw, thick straight eyebrows and long eyelashes are worthy of being on the cover of a sexy magazine.

My eyes lock on his soft pink lips, lips that I tasted yesterday.

I lick my own lips remembering our passionate kisses.

Oh boy, I'm in way over my head here. I have to get out of here. Now!

Tentatively, I touch his arm and feel the tingles from last night on the skin of my palm. Not letting the tingles pull me under their cloud of euphoria, I lock my fingers around his wrist, which, surprise, surprise, doesn't cover even half of his wrist; and quietly tug on his hand. His arm feels like it's made of steel and I've to put in a lot more effort.

After about five minutes I manage to pull his hand half off my stomach.

Taking a breather, I give myself a moment to gather my strength and pull on his hand again but this time it doesn't budge, it locks around my sheet covered waist instead.

"Good morning, love," comes Gage's thick, sleepy voice.

His voice sounds even better than last night- soft and intimate.

Having had no prior male addressing me with an endearment, my heart melts everytime Gage calls me love. What is this man doing to me?

Dropping my hand on my stomach, I act normal and not like I was scheming on leaving before he woke up; and angle my head towards him.

His indigo eyes are warm as his gaze trails over me.

I peer down at the grey sheet covering my body from below my collarbone and sigh in relief but it turns into a sharp inhalation of breath as my eyes land on his bare chest, exposed due to the sheet resting on his stomach. My greedy eyes drink up his hard pectorals and subconsciously, I bite my lower lip.

Gage groans before nuzzling his nose in the crook of my neck and inhaling deeply.

"What were you doing?" He questions huskily after drawing back and resting on his head on the pillow again.

Furrowing my brows, I feign ignorance. "Huh? What do you mean?"

His hands tightens in warning.

Dammit! How does he always know?

"You're a terrible liar, Kiera. You can never look me in the eye when you're lying. Moreover, your eyes reveal your every emotion and thought," Gage rumbles, sounding unhappy about my untruthfulness.

"So, what were you doing?" He stresses.

"I was trying to move your hand," I reply looking him in the eye and giving him the half truth.

"Why?" Gage mutters lazily like he has all the time in the world.

I couldn't quite give an excuse like using the bathroom for he'd catch on to my lie again.

Swallowing hard, I say nervously, "Because I wanted to leave," and drop my gaze to the bed.

Silence ensues and stretches like a rubber band.

Normally I'm all for quietness and serenity but this silence is anything but peaceful.

"You wanted to leave before I woke up so that you could sneak out," Gage summarises in a deadly calm voice.

“Yeah,” I whisper, feeling the tautness of his body.

He's on me in an instant. His big body pushes me into the mattress as he captures my hands in one of his and locks them over my head, his face mere inches from mine. As he nudges my legs apart and settles between them, a sense of déjà vu washes over me, reminiscing yesterday's moments spent like this.

"Don't ever do that.”

Something tugs at my heart and this time I throw caution to the wind, and listen to my heart, not of my mind.

I lift my head the last few inches between us and kiss him softly, new to initiating a kiss. I nibble on his lower lips and trace my tongue on his lips. He immediately grants entrance and our tongues tangle with each other, his taste exploding in my mouth. He doesn't take control over the kiss, he continues to kiss back with the same tempo that I started, as his tightly wound body finally relaxing against mine.

Content with the mating of our mouths, I pull back, tugging on his lower lip with my teeth, before releasing it. He groans at my antics and a full blown smile forms on my lips, loving that I learnt it from him just yesterday and now I'm inflicting on him the same toe curling havoc he had caused me.

I look up from his now wet lips to his dark blues and find nothing but bliss in them. His face has also softened as he gazes at me fondly and my heart skips a beat at the unguarded look in his eyes.

He rests his forehead against mine, staring deeply into my eyes before muttering sternly, "Don't ever run from me again, Keira."

My heart sinks when I realise that I won't have a chance to run from Gage again after today. This is the last time I'll be seeing him as I carry on with my life. Yesterday night will only be a cherished memory.

I feel conflicted with my emotions. I don't even know him yet he has managed to pull on my heartstrings, awakening me and capturing me in his intensity.

When I don't respond he cups my jaw in his palm and runs his thumb tenderly back and forth over my cheek. "Kiera?" He prompts.

I once again get lost in the whirlwind of Gage's dark hues and whisper back, "Okay."

He seems content with my answer, placing a soft kiss on my forehead before pulling back slightly so that our faces are inches apart again.

"I want to know more about you Kiera. What is your full name?" Gage asks, sounding genuinely curious.

"Kiera Carter."

"What do you do?" Gage inquires further.

"I'll be starting college this year." I respond happily, excited about my new chapter in life.

His eyes crinkle hearing my joy. "What are you pursuing, love?"

"I'm majoring in accounting," I say with vigour.

"Accounting huh," he says cheekily, looking impressed.

I grin up at him, happy to see no judgement in his eyes.

"Which university did you join?"

"Phoenix," I say with pride, knowing that that's the best college in town and very hard to get into.

"Hmm." He looks thoughtful for a minute before nodding and getting off the bed.

Squatting down he places a strand of my hair behind my ear, muttering softly, "Get dressed, I'll take you home, love."

I frown, "No that's all right, my friend drove us here. I just have to go find her."

His eyes become almost black like yesterday and he's silent for a few minutes before replying, "My friend dropped her home this morning."

I frown wondering why she left without informing me. "Oh, what time is it?"

"It's a little after noon."

I can't believe I slept in this late. Ava must be worrying herself sick. And dear God, I hope she's okay.

"Don't worry, I'll drop you." Gage rumbles, sensing my distress.

"Okay." I whisper, wanting to check on Ava as soon as possible and make sure she's alright.

"Go freshen up. I'll be back in a bit, love."

I nod and watch as he walks towards the closet and pulls on a black V-neck shirt, hiding his incredible from my prying eyes.

"Oh and Kiera, don't go wandering out of the room by yourself. I'll be back with brunch." With those stern words and a pointed look, he walks out of the room, closing the door behind him.