"I'm so sorry." I look down at Peeta, who has his nose buried in a book. He's slouched over in a chair, huddled into the corner of my library.
"Oh, hey! You're awake!" he smiles, closing the book and patting the ground next to him. I slide down next to him. "What are you sorry for?"
"Drinking. I should have come to you first." I bite my lip, embarrassed to have to apologize for doing something so stupid.
"You should have. But don't apologize." He wraps an arm around my shoulders and plants a kiss on my forehead, "I probably would have done the same thing."
"No. You're smart enough to have realized it wasn't Gale. You're smart enough not to drink. You've probably never even tasted alcohol."
Peeta snorts, "Are you kidding me? Katniss, there's wine at the bakery. Our cupboards came stocked full of whiskey and rum. I use it in cooking all the time."
"Okay. But you've never been drunk." I say, determined to prove my point.
"Well, no." Peeta shifts uncomfortably beside me.
"Is everything okay?" I give him a weird look, and he chuckles.
"Yeah. Just trying to reposition myself…" he shuffles to the side clumsily, so that he's facing me.
"What was the point of that?" I laugh.
"Just trying to make it easier on you, if you decide you want to kiss me sometime in this conversation." He laughs at my expression, "Just joking. My leg was going numb." He smacks his thigh, and gives me a wink.
"What were you reading?" I change the subject, reaching for the leather-bound novel that lies on the ground. I read the title aloud, "Alice in Wonderland. Huh."
"I was only on the second page. You had a really short nap."
"What else did you do?" I asked checking the clock on the wall. I was asleep for twenty minutes.
"I hope you don't mind. But I took a shower." I scold myself for immediately thinking of Peeta in my shower.
"That's why you smell so good." I joke, trying not to turn too red.
"You didn't even sniff me!" Peeta laughs, lurching forward and grabbing me. He pulls me to his chest, and I don't put up much of a fight.
"You smell amazing! I surrender! Now let go of me, you aromatic weirdo!" I have a hard time breathing over how hard I'm laughing. But it's the truth; Peeta smells like cinnamon rolls and sugar cookies.
Peeta snickers. He lets me go, but the position I'm in gives me no upper body support, so I just end up falling back into him again. He's unprepared, however, and my impact sends us both sprawling backward, me on top of him.
"Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry." I say, wide-eyed.
"You really need to stop apologizing." Peeta grins. I begin to push myself off of him, but he holds my waist to his.
My heart skips a beat as Peeta reaches up to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. His eyes meet mine, and I chew on the inside of my cheek nervously.
"You totally planned this." I say, my voice weak.
"If I'd planned it, wouldn't I be on top?" Peeta raises an eyebrow in question, and I realize he's right. He can't lift his head high enough to kiss me. I'm the one in control of our position. He's just holding me in it, waiting to see what I do.
I wink, deciding to mess with him. I plant a peck on the tip of his nose, his forehead, and both cheeks. Then I give his chin a little kiss, and he smiles, ready for my lips to meet his.
But I don't kiss his lips. I slide so that my lips are aligned with his neck, and let myself kiss his throat and collarbone. At one point, I nip at his earlobe, and he gives me a slight, satisfying groan.
I let my lips within millimeters of his own, but don't touch them.
"You love this. Real or not real?" I whisper, hoping to sound sexy.
"Real. But I want my kiss." He pouts.
I grin at him mischievously, and press my lips to the very corners of his mouth, tempting him.
"Katniss." He complains, completely serious. I laugh at his strained expression.
His hands come up to tangle in my hair, and I can feel him attempting to push my head into his, but I resist, kissing right above his lip once more, and then prying myself free of his grasp.
"Teasing isn't nice." Peeta whines, "Come here, Katniss."
I push myself up, and can't help but giggle as I run from Peeta, who chases after me, calling my name.
I trip going up the steps, which slows me down quite a bit. Peeta catches my wrist, and spins me around. He corners me against the wall, and I laugh.
"I like having control." He smiles, breaking his stern expression. Both of my wrists are caught in his grip, and he leans forward and places a single kiss on my lips.
"That's it?" I sound disappointed, even to myself.
"Hey. You're not the only one who can tease." Peeta grins, pressing his forehead against mine.
"I have to be better than you at something, don't I?" I purse my lips.
"You're better at being you."
"I don't know if that's a good thing…" I trail off.
"It is, trust me. I love who you are." Peeta smiles, "I love you, Katniss."
My throat constricts, my stomach turns to butterflies, and my heart does backflips in my chest… but somehow I get four words out.
"I love you, too."
((:D))
