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The characters of The Hunger Game Trilogy do not belong to me.

You Don't Know Me

Chapter Six: Peeta

Katniss Everdeen just kissed me.

And, she tastes like strawberries.

Drawing back, Katniss looks into my eyes, nervousness inside those smoky, almond orbs. She is breathing shakily against my lips, her hand caressing my chin.

"Say something," she whispers anxiously.

There are a million words running through my mind but I can't really form them on my lips—because, I'm only focused on hers.

"Is this real?" I manage to sputter and a chuckle escapes her.

"Real," Katniss responds quietly. "Very real."

Wrapping an arm around her waist, I pull her against me so I can feel her heartbeat against mine. My hand reaches to her cheek to feel her—skin to skin.

I've dreamt about this—a lot.

Thresh was about ready to kick me out of his place because I would wake up, her name escaping my lips at all hours of the night. He never really understood until he met Prim and fell a little bit in love with Katniss' sweet, younger sister.

"Come here," I beckon and my hand reaches to the nape of her neck to draw her mouth to mine.

I lead our kiss, my mouth moving over her soft, plump, peach lips and she moans against me. The vibration causes a rush through my body. She is perfect and beautiful in her response and I lift her easily as her legs wrap tightly around my waist, pressing her heated core to my lower abdomen. I walk us to my room, my lips still entwined in hers, and Katniss' long, dark hair shrouds us in a cocoon.

Inside, Katniss detangles herself and her body slides against my front as she sits on my bed. She looks up at me, her eyes shining in the moonlight that streams through my window.

"How do we do this?"

"Do what?" I ask as I sit next to her.

"Cheat," Katniss responds bluntly.

For the first time, I see a semblance of hesitation…of guilt, in her eyes.

I never wanted it to come to this.

God knows I've tried to avoid her.

However, seeing her pain, the night I walked her home, as we discussed her relationship was the last of my self-control. I was angry at Cato for not seeing how much she was worth and angry at her for thinking that she had nothing to offer.

Because, Katniss is smart, strong, and she cares about everyone around her—even those who don't deserve it.

Like Cato—and like me.

"We don't have to do this," I tell her and take her hand. "This is your call. You know how I feel. Whether or not this happens, we move forward. Katniss, I'm always going to care for you."

She looks at our joined hands. "I think I've wanted this more than I want to admit. This—" She brings my hand to her lips and kisses my knuckles. "—feels right. Nothing this certain could be wrong."

I reach to touch her face, my finger grazing her chin. "Katniss…are you sure?"

Her mouth falls open at the contact and she nods.

"I've wanted you for so long," she says, her voice low. "I think since the moment I met you. That night when you pressed me to that wall, I almost let it happen. I wanted to unzip your pants. I wanted to feel you in my hands." Her words cause a small groan to escape my mouth and at my response, her lips curve up in a slight smile. "Is that wrong?"

I shake my head and leaning forward I kiss her, my tongue dipping into her expectant mouth to sweep its inside and taste her once more. She responds eagerly, her tongue urgently moving against mine and a sigh falling out of her mouth.

As we separate, I press my forehead to hers, eyes still closed, and dazed at her responsiveness.

"Tell me," I begin breathlessly, my chest heaving. "Did you touch yourself that night—after the whole wall thing?"

Eyes opening, I see her slate eyes focus on me, her mouth agape in hunger.

"Yes," she responds. "I couldn't sleep because I could still feel you against me. I thought about coming to you that night and I wondered if you would've opened your door for me."

"I would've, baby," I tell her, my mind imagining Katniss, legs spread, and coming around her fingers. "Will you show me?"

She tilts her head at me. "Show you what?"

"How you touched yourself," I respond. "I want to see you. I want to know if it is exactly how I imagined it in my mind."

Katniss plants a kiss on my lips before rising from the mattress. Her hands to go to the bottom of her t-shirt as she pulls it over her head, letting it fall to the ground, and revealing her simple white bra. Next, her fingers travel to the top button of her jeans and she deftly undoes it before pulling the zipper down.

My mouth goes dry as I watch her slowly move her jeans off of her full hips and down her toned legs. She is caramel everywhere, her skin shining like gold in the lunar light. My eyes go to her panties; a simple pair of pale orange—almost peach—and I can see her neat mound through the thinness of the cloth.

I want to taste her badly.

"I didn't expect this," she tells me in a soft voice. "I would've worn nicer lingerie."

I stare up at her in awe. "You're beautiful." She is a goddess. Everything about her, I want to worship.

My words give her the encouragement she needs and her hands move to undo her bra. The covering falls to the ground and my eyes go to her breasts, full and lush with dark pointed nipples begging for my mouth to cover each one—to kiss, to taste, to venerate.

Her hands go to the elastic of her panties but my hands cover hers.

"May I?" I ask and she nods.

Resting my hands on her hips, I lean forward, breathing against damp cloth, and she quivers feeling me so close to her slit. Gently, my hands move down to part her legs and I place small kisses to the insides of her thighs. A moan escapes her mouth and her hand goes to my hair, gently tugging me to her center.

"You're so wet," I tell her, my nose brushing against her clit. My lips encircle the taut bud and I suck gently through her soaked panties.

She is delicious, sweet yet tangy. I am rock hard at just the small bit of her nectar.

"Take them off," she begs, her head tilted and her eyes closed.

"As you wish," I respond and going to the waistband, I guide her panties off her full bottom and glistening, coarse hair then down her unblemished legs.

Katniss steps away and I take them off the ground, placing the peach panties in my pocket for safekeeping.

"Now?" she asks, her eyes leaden with want.

"Lay down," I instruct.

She goes to the bed, crawling past me onto my mattress, and lies back against my pillows, her long hair surrounding her heart-shaped face.

"I can't be the only one naked here," Katniss suddenly says and she sits up, a small smile on her face. "Your turn."

Standing, I turn to her. I'm unabashed by my body and simply pull my white shirt over my head as her eyes follow my movements. My cock twitches as I reach to undo my jeans and see her small, pink tongue dart out to wet her upper lip.

Slowly, I lower my zipper and move my jeans off until they are on the ground with the rest of our discarded clothing.

Her eyebrow is cocked in curiosity. "You don't wear anything under there?"

"You just caught me on laundry day," I sheepishly tell her.

"You're beautiful," she says quietly as her eyes rove over my body. "I've never really seen anyone else naked before except for Ca—" Katniss stops and looks down. "—we shouldn't talk about him, not during this."

"We're adults and we know what we're doing," I say as I go to her. "Let's promise to never hide anything from one another. I've had enough of trying to ignore how I feel." Sitting next to her, my hand reaches to move her hair away from her exposed shoulder and I place a kiss against her heated skin. "Here, it is just me and you—our wants, our needs, our feelings."

Her hand goes tentatively to my chest, her palm pressing against a pec and she moves down until she is right above my pubic bone, her fingertips almost touching my cock.

"You want to touch me," I state simply and Katniss nods. "Then, do it."

Her fingers wrap around my length and she rests her slight grip at my base before moving along the ridge, sending a spike of pleasure through my body.

I quell the urge to thrust my hips. "Katniss…" my voice trembles when her thumb moves over my tip where pearlescent liquid spurts forth at her silken caress. "N-Not too much…"

"Am I doing it wrong?" she asks quietly and I shake my head.

"No, sweetheart," I reassure her with a shaky grin. "I don't want to come—not like this."

Nodding in understanding, Katniss lays back, her eyes on me, as the hand that once touched me goes down to her thatch of dark hair and her two middle fingers dip inside her. I watch her curiously, seeing the wetness of her cunt each time she pulls out from her sopping slit.

My head goes next to hers and my mouth moves to her ear. "What are you thinking about?"

"Y-You." Her words are tight and I see her finger moving over her clit.

"That night while Cato slept next to you—did you touch yourself and think about me?"

"Yes…" I watch her move hurriedly inside herself, every once in a while moving over her pearl. "…I wanted you so bad."

"You will have me, Katniss," I promise her. My lips move to kiss behind her ear and I suck harshly causing a small cry to escape her parted mouth. "As many times as you want…over and over…till neither of us can move."

She arches, her full breasts and peaked nipples lovely in the darkness, and I can tell that she's on the brink.

"You know how sexy you are?" I say and she shakes her head hurriedly. "I was hard from the moment I heard you first moan outside your room. And, that night—against that wall—if you had come to my door, I would've let you in. We wouldn't have made it to this bed. I would have closed that door and bent you next to it so I could fuck you right there. Can you imagine it? Your palms against the wood and me behind you taking you over and over till you're clenching around my d—"

"PEETA!"

I stop at her wail, her hips rising as she climaxes and my mouth covers her so she can scream the rest of her orgasm onto my waiting lips.

Pulling away just slightly, Katniss breathes out and her eyes open glistening wet with tears.

"Are you alright?" I ask as my hand brushes a tear falling down her temple.

She pushes up to kiss me. "Yes…it just never happened that...intensely." Resting back against my pillow, Katniss smiles at me tiredly. "Will it always be like this?"

My lips move hers languidly. "I will try to make sure it does." I can see her fading in front of me and so I reach to cover us both under my blankets. "Rest."

Katniss looks up at me in disbelief. "But you—"

"We have time," I whisper as her eyes close and I bury my face against her damp neck. "In this room, we have nothing but time."

When my eyes open, I find myself shrouded in darkness.

After a moment, I realize my face is covered in sweet-smelling hair—Katniss' hair. She sleeps next to me, a content smile on her face. After gently uncovering myself from her soft tendrils, I push up to watch her sleep.

In slumber, her expression is so peaceful and unburdened. I feel like it's been weeks since I've seen her look so content.

"Lovely," I whisper before pressing a kiss to her still lips.

Katniss moans into my mouth and her arm wraps around my neck as she draws me fully into our kiss, our tongues moving unhurriedly.

"Peeta…" she sighs against my lips. "Inside me—now."

She moves so that she is completely underneath me and she parts her legs, cradling my hips. I can feel the tip of my hard length brushing against her wet center.

My eyes meet hers. "There is no going back after this."

"From the moment I met you, there was no going back," she whispers against my lips, her grey eyes certain. "I need you, Peeta."

Her words are enough and I am driving into her, my cock immediately pulsing in her hot, tight flesh as she cries out into the still, midnight air.

"Katniss…" I shudder inside her body in pleasure. Pulling my hips slightly away, I draw out before plunging into her again. She arches her hips to deepen our joining.

I won't last; I already know that, but the need to bring her to the edge causes me to hold off—for her and only her.

"On top," I command.

Hurriedly, Katniss moves from under me so that I can lie back on the firm mattress. She is desperate for release once more, her whole body rushing to straddle my hips and lining her slit to my rigid length before sinking down onto me.

"FUCK!" Katniss cries out as she begins to move against me, her hands anchored to my chest. "Feels good…"

We're both trembling so hard at the pleasure of it. My hands move to cup her breasts, thumbing her nipples. Hastily, I move my hands away to lick my thumbs before bringing them back to wet her rigid peaks.

Katniss keens at the sensation, her hips snapping against me as she rides me hard and deep.

My cock is encased in quivering flesh and I look up to see her eyes closed tightly as she bites on her lower lip in concentration.

"Look at me," I say as my teeth grit together.

Her eyes flutter open and she smirks.

Leaning down, her mouth goes to my ear. "Am I everything you wanted, Peeta?" she whispers coyly.

"You are everything," I tell her. She kisses me gently and our eyes meet. "The sun, the moon…"

"Sweetheart, I'm so close," Katniss says into my ear and the tips of her fingers are right against my cock as she rubs around her clit to bring herself to orgasm. "So good…come with me…I want to feel you come in me—PEETA!"

We both fall apart, my hips thrusting…once…twice…inside her pulsing cunt and I come, coating her in each aftershock of movement. Her head falls to my chest, her lips pressing to my sweaty skin, and my every nerve reacts to Katniss.

It's amazing how my body needs her—my very own addiction.

Katniss peeks shyly up at me and my hand reaches to move the hair from her damp forehead. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she responds quietly. "I've never asked someone to come in me."

"What about him?" I ask her.

"It kind of just happened." Katniss gazes up at me thoughtfully. "Like it was the proper procedure to it all. You make love and he comes. But, with you—I need you to come. I need to see your face as you fall apart because I caused that to come out of you—and it feels good."

Sitting up slightly, I cup her cheek before kissing her gently.

"You're making me love you, Katniss Everdeen."

She doesn't say anything and I don't expect her to.

Her eyes, however, soften at my words and her lips rise in a content smile.

"Can I stay?" Katniss asks after a moment.

"Of course," I tell her and she moves off of me before settling back, her head going to my chest. Pressing a kiss to her hair, I hear her sigh as she falls asleep. "Always."

When I wake up once more, Katniss isn't in bed with me.

Getting up slowly, I groan at the ache in my hips—it was busy night.

We spent a majority of it taking short naps in-between making love.

The last time, I awoke to Katniss' lips wrapped around my dick, her dark eyes inviting me to pull her atop me so I could fuck her, hard and fast—like she demanded.

I make love to Katniss—I'll admit it. Though, I know she doesn't consider what we're doing even close to that. This is a strange, messed-up situation with the only truth being that we just want to be with each other.

Looking around, I see her clothes still on the floor along with mine. I put on a pair of pajama bottoms, opting to forgo a shirt, before going into the hallway in search of her.

"Yeah…" I hear her voice coming from her bedroom. "…I was still asleep. It was an emotional day saying goodbye to Prim." Going to the doorway, I see Katniss sitting on her bed, talking on the phone. She is wrapped in the shirt that I discarded on the floor last night. Meeting my eyes, she gives me a small smile. "Uh-huh—a week? Okay…that's fine. You, too…bye."

Hanging up, Katniss lets out a breath and then looks to me.

"Morning," I greet her hoarsely.

"Morning," she replies, her own voice rough.

Entering tentatively, I look around. Inside, I am surrounded by her life with Cato; pictures of them together—some with Gale, but most are of just them two.

Going to the dresser, I pick up a framed photo—it's their prom picture. Katniss is wearing a deep red dress with a high slit, her hair down in smooth waves.

"My Dad almost kept me from going," she says as she joins me. "He wasn't feeling the slit—but, it was much more comfortable than a poufy skirt."

I turn to grin at her. "And, it's much sexier."

She takes the photo from my hand and places it back on the dresser. "Is this weird for you?"

"Katniss, I came into this knowing that you were already in a relationship," I say to her. "Do you regret what happened?"

She shakes her head, shuffling between her feet. "I liked it. I liked being with you—and sleeping in your bed. But, what happens now?"

"I don't know." Taking her hand, I lead her out of the room. It is too weird to be in Cato's presence, even if he's just in photographs. "We just…are."

She snorts at me, her eyes bemused. "Are what?"

"Whatever we want to be," I say to her as I wrap an arm around her waist, pulling her close. "Whatever allows me to do this—" Lifting her chin, I kiss her softly and Katniss falls against me, a content hum on her lips. "—when we are alone."

"I'm not used to uncertainty," she whispers against me. "I don't know how to let go."

"One day at a time," I assure her. "Now, do you want breakfast?"

Hand in hand, we walk into the kitchen and I go to the fridge to examine its contents. "We have some eggs—and nothing else." Closing the fridge door, I turn to Katniss. "What are you doing today?"

"Nothing," she responds. "I have to work at the bar around seven but that's about it."

"Would you want to spend a day with me?" I ask her. "It's includes breakfast."

"Like a date?" Katniss says, her hands clasped together and looking adorable in my shirt.

I want to peel it off her.

"Yes."

I'm anxious to hear her response. It's amazing what she does to me. I suddenly feel like a prepubescent boy asking a girl to hang out after school.

"Okay." Katniss grins at me. "I'd love to spend a day with you."

I don't realize I'm holding my breath until I gasp out, my mouth spreading into a grin.

"Great! But, first—" My hands go to her waist and I lift her onto the counter. She yelps when her bare bottom comes into the contact with the cold marble. "Aren't you wearing underwear?"

She shakes her head and chuckles. "You put my panties in your pocket!"

"Sorry." My hands go to the hem of the shirt and I pull the shirt over her head, leaving Katniss naked in front of me. "Let me make it up to you."

Her hand reaches under the elastic of my pants to pull out my rigid member and, moving to the edge of the counter, she sinks easily onto me.

Katniss moans, her arms wrapping around my neck as we moved against the marble.

"You're forgiven," she whispers into my ear before silencing me with a kiss.

"So, Cato will be out of contact for a week?" I ask as we walk around the small park, later that afternoon.

After a hearty breakfast at a café close to our apartment, we spent our day wandering Manhattan, standing intimately close on crowded subway trains before finally finding this park in Alphabet City.

"That's why he called this morning," Katniss says, her eyes pensive. "He was wondering what took me so long to get to the phone, too. You see, I never sleep in."

"Things change," I tell her. "People get tired and have late mornings."

Katniss stops and turns to me. "Shouldn't I feel guiltier about us?"

"Do you?" I respond.

"In some way, I guess," she says. "But at the same time, it's been a long time that I've done something for me and only me." Katniss takes my hand, her grey eyes gazing tenderly at me. "You are just for me. And, I feel happy about that." She huffs in frustration. "But, I really don't know how to do this."

"No one knows exactly how relationships go," I tell her. "You do what works for you and the other person—and you work together to keep it going."

"I guess that's how Cato and I fucked it all up," she replies suddenly somber.

"You moved across the country for him," I point out. "You moved thinking that you were going to get closer and you tried—but, when the other person can't work with you…"

"I sleep with someone else," she responds brusquely.

"You always have a choice," I intone. "I won't force you to go any further than what we've already done. But, Katniss—in the end, you have to do what makes you happy—even if it's without him or without me."

For a moment, we stare at one another as reality sets in. We're not in my room; outside of it, we are exposed to the truth of our actions.

I see the warring in her mind and without thinking, I take her hand.

"A month and a half," I suddenly say.

Katniss looks at me in confusion. "What?"

"We have a month and a half till Cato comes back," I reply. "We do what we want during this time—no guilt and no worries about the consequences. At the end of it, we separate."

"Do you really think we could do that?" she asks doubtfully.

"I don't know," I say truthfully. "But, I'm willing to see what happens. I just want you to be sure what you want in the end. Because there's more to life than what you've experienced."

Katniss lets out a contemplative sigh, her eyes wandering the ground before she looks at our joined hands.

"Fine," she tells me. "A month and a half—and that's it."

"Deal," I respond and then give her a small smile. "Now kiss me."

Laughing, Katniss wraps her arms around my waist, pulling herself against me, and looking up into my eyes.

Pushing up onto her toes, she presses her lips to mine to seal our agreement.

A month and a half.

I have a month and a half to make Katniss fall in love with me.

We're definitely in the greys now.

As I have said—there is a certain no-holds-barred aspect to this story.

You might not understand the characters or their actions but well, they're human—completely and unequivocally imperfect. They remind me a lot of people in my life.

I really wanted to get Haymitch's POV and story in this chapter—but, I think we'll get to him in the next chapter. So, we'll hear how he and Johanna came to be.

I really do love that even with all the sexy times—there is a little bit of romance in this. They are unbelievably tender with one another in-between the raunchy acts.

I'm rambling now.

Feedback is always appreciated but any anon reviews cannot be responded to on FFn—so, PM or e-mail me if you'd like a response!

Next, Chapter Seven: Katniss—she really comes into her own.

Till then, JLaLa