Mae POV
I stare at the door Tish just stormed out of in shock. I don't understand what has happened to her. She has never tried to put herself between my boyfriends and me before. This is a side of her that I have never seen before, and it scares me. I fear I am losing my best friend. Tears fall from my eyes as I try to make sense of what my friendship has become.
Kieran takes my hand and turns me in his direction. "Come on," he says quietly. "Let's go to bed."
Leading me out of my room, Kieran takes me to the end of the hall where his bedroom is. He opens the door and gestures for me to enter the room.
My heart is pounding in my chest as I enter Kieran's bedroom. This is the moment I have been waiting for since I met Kieran. As much as I hate to admit it, I have been waiting for a moment to be alone with him. Tish is not here to interrupt us. Kieran releases my hand and stands awkwardly in the middle of his room. He observes me as I take in my surroundings.
"It could use a woman's touch," Kieran says awkwardly.
I smile at Kieran and try to stifle my laughter. He isn't wrong. The room is void of any personal touches, and the furniture is hard and masculine.
"I haven't stayed here in months," Kieran explains. "I am usually out looking for recusants."
"It is lovely," I tell him.
Kieran smiles at me brightly. "You can sleep on the bed," he says. "I will take the couch."
I frown at his words. I was hoping that we would share the bed together. I don't understand what I have done wrong. He easily slept with Tish within moments of meeting her. Maybe he isn't as attracted to me as he is to Tish. What if he wishes Tish was his mate instead of me?
Kieran seems oblivious to my internal struggle. He disappears into his closet and returns with one of his T-shirts. "You can sleep in this," he says, handing me the shirt. "I need a shower."
He disappears into the bathroom, and I hear the water in the shower begin to run. I look down at the shirt in my hand and hold it to my nose. The smell of the shirt does something to ease the anxiety in my mind.
I quickly strip off my clothes and slip Kieran's shirt over my head. Standing awkwardly in the middle of the bedroom, I wait patiently for Kieran to get out of the shower.
Kieran finally emerges from the bathroom, and my mouth falls open. He is standing in the doorway with nothing more than a towel wrapped around his waist. Shamelessly, I let my eyes rake over his body. His body glistens in the dull light of the room because of the beads of water that are clinging to his skin. A dull ache forms between my legs, and I find myself thinking about what his skin would feel like against mine. While the thoughts consume my mind, my tongue darts out and moistens my lips.
A chuckle breaks me from the naughty thoughts that are running through my mind.
"Do you like what you see?" Kieran laughs.
"I wasn't thinking anything," I stammer.
Kieran smirks in my direction. "Did you forget I can smell your arousal?"
A blush spreads over my skin, and I quickly look away from Kieran's delicious body. Kieran closes the distance between us and tilts my chin up so I am looking into his eyes.
"You can look all you want," Kieran smirks. "I am yours, after all."
His eyes dart down to my lips, and I part them slightly, preparing for him to kiss me. Kieran holds his breath as he looks at me. I lean into his touch, eagerly waiting for our lips to touch. But Kieran drops my chin and walks away. The feeling of rejection settles in my stomach, and I fear I may be sick. He doesn't want me.
Kieran disappears into his closet and returns wearing nothing more than a pair of sweats.
He settles himself on the couch and looks at me. "We should probably get some sleep."
My heart thumps loudly as I crawl into Kieran's bed. I desperately wanted him to kiss me, but it is obvious that he doesn't feel the same way. Maybe the mate bond isn't as strong as everyone says it is.
I pull the covers up around my shoulders and stare at the ceiling. Kieran's soft snores tell me he is already asleep, but sleep isn't coming easy to me. Kieran's bed feels too big lying in it alone. I toss and turn, trying to get comfortable.
I let out a huff of frustration and sit up in the bed. Squinting through the darkness, I try to make out Kieran's sleeping form. He is sprawled out on the couch. His legs are hanging awkwardly over the sides, and his arm is thrown over his face. I cannot help but watch him as he sleeps.
As I watch his chest rise and fall slowly, my eyes grow heavy, and I drift off to sleep.
A loud growl startles me from my sleep. I pull the covers up around my chest and look around the room. I had forgotten where I was for a moment. As my eyes adjust to the darkness of the room, I remember where I am.
My eyes dart over to Kieran, and he is thrashing around on the couch. Low growls are leaving his chest, and his hands are gripping the sides of the couch. I don't think he is awake.
I slip from the bed, and my feet pad silently across the floor. I stand over Kieran's restless body, unsure of what to do. I don't want to startle him awake, but I am sure he is having a nightmare.
Edging my way closer to him, I rest my hands on his shoulders and shake lightly. Kieran growls angrily under my touch, but he still doesn't wake.
"Kieran?" I call out his name. "Kieran, wake up."
Kieran's eyes fly open and he looks right at me. He flips me onto my back and wraps his hand around my neck.