Chapter Seven-Climbing Walls

You don't want to hurt me,
But see how deep the bullet lies.
Unaware that I'm tearing you asunder.
There is thunder in our hearts, baby.
So much hate for the ones we love?
Tell me, we both matter, don't we?

"Running Up That Hill" by Placebo

I stared irritably at my cell phone as it rang for what felt like the hundredth time. Paul had been calling for two days straight. After the kissing incident, as I referred to it in my head, Paul had gone home. I had tossed and turned in bed for two hours before slipping my fingers into my underwear and taking matters into my own hands (so to speak). Then I had avoided every single call Paul made. I jumped as his ringtone, "She Hates Me" by Puddle of Mud blared loudly in the room. I sprang to my feet when Paul's voice came through the door.

"Now I fucking know you're home. Open the damn door Swan," he said. I stared at the door and then turned to flee when I remembered there was a spare key above the frame, which Paul was well aware of. A millisecond later I realized I had nowhere to run as the door opened.

"I need to get rid of that key," I blurted as I turned to face him. He closed the door behind him and locked it, as was habit.

"Do I get three guesses as to why you are avoiding me?" He asked.

"Paul," I began but he interrupted.

"First guess: I kissed you and you're pissed and insulted because you think I'm gross. Second guess: I kissed you and you're embarrassed because you want more. Third guess: you're embarrassed that I kissed you and licked that pretty little nipple of yours. You don't know how to react so you decided to pretend like it never happened," he said angrily. "Am I close?" I shook my head.

"No," I lied. "I had work to do."

"Bullshit," he said. "We're fucking friends first, friends always Swan. We got fucking carried away, so what?"

"Lower your voice," I said. "I have neighbors."

"No one is fucking home," he said at the same volume. "I checked. Stop avoiding shit."

"I don't think we need to talk about this," I said finally. I met his gaze steadily. "We both got carried away. Let's just forget it ever happened, okay?" He shook his head and paced.

"No," he said quietly almost as if he was talking to himself but I knew I was meant to hear. "That was the best damn kiss of my life and I don't want to forget it happened. And neither do you." He turned to face me and I took a step back at the naked fury in his eyes.

"No I don't," I admitted. I was tired of always trying to hide everything from everyone. "It was a great kiss…and everything else. I get worked up just thinking about it," I confessed. It was true and now it was out there. I couldn't take it back. His eyes darkened and he moved forward while I moved back until he had trapped me against a wall. He bent his head and brushed my neck lightly with parted lips.

"Then why are we fucking fighting this?" He breathed against my skin. "It's been building for months Swan. You know it. I know it. Anyone who has ever met us knows it." His hips moved forward and pinned me to the wall. My heart stuttered and I tried to get oxygen to my brain to react, to speak…really anything. I licked my lips nervously.

"Paul," I managed to get out. His teeth grazed my neck and I swear I blacked out for a minute.

"I want you," he confessed, his words caressing my skin. "So fucking badly. Don't send me away this time Swan." I nodded involuntarily, which he took as a sign or something because his mouth covered mine. He kissed me with naked hunger even as my hands crept into his hair to hold him in place. And everything crashed into us. Every flirtatious bit of banter, every innocent touch and every heated conversation fueled the kiss. I knew I needed to breathe but I couldn't tear my lips away from his. His hands were everywhere at once it seemed. He ripped his lips away and began nipping and licking my neck in turn even has he lifted my left leg over his hip slightly; massaging my bare thigh.

I had never felt passion like this. There was desire and need and pressing urgency in his touch. It was almost as if he were afraid I was going to snatch the moment away from him. I yanked his head away from my neck and he looked mildly hurt until I pulled my shirt over my head.

"That's it," he said suddenly. He slid his hands between my ass and the wall and lifted me. "Which one is the fucking bedroom?"I pointed blindly in the direction of the master suite and wrapped my legs securely around his hips. He flipped on the light and we tumbled into the bed together. He kissed me again and I suddenly hungered for his touch. He didn't disappoint and soon his thumbs were tenderly strumming both nipples as we feverishly tasted one another's mouths.

"Jesus Christ," I panted when his lips moved from mine to trail down my neck. He laughed softly against my pulse point, nipping it and then soothing the slight sting with his tongue.

"Paul," he reminded me. I would have smacked him if his mouth hadn't dropped to my nipple. He was more confident this time, his lips, tongue and teeth working in tandem as my sanity slowly slipped away. I tore impatiently at his shirt until it fell away. Smooth bronze skin filled my view. Paul released my nipple and kissed down my belly, stopping to unbutton the fly on my jean shorts. I lifted my hips to allow him to remove them. For whatever reason I didn't feel shy about being completely naked in front of Paul. The heated look in his eyes certainly made me feel desirable. Then, before I could stop him, he pressed his nose against my core.

"Hey!" I yelped. I tried to tug his hair but he wouldn't move. He glanced up with a lazy eye roll.

"You smell like honey and cinnamon," he confided in a smooth, sexy voice. "And you shave there too? Where did you learn that delightful habit?" He asked. My heart stuttered to a stop again when he parted my lower lips with two fingers and gazed intently. "What an absolutely perfect little pussy you have here," he said conversationally. "I wonder if it tastes as good as it smells?" He asked.

I was lost when his tongue touched me delicately. He hummed in some sort of approval before moving his tongue up to my now probably visibly pulsing clit. He lapped at my flesh delicately, but with firm purpose. I stopped trying to push him away, my hands in his hair instead pressing his lips more firmly to my clearly needy flesh. Then there was a loud, slightly embarrassing, slurping noise and a tremendous amount of suction on my clit right before I exploded. Paul's tongue continued to work feverishly through my orgasm and I realized through a very hazy, unsteady brain that he was tasting my juices.

"That was without a doubt the hottest thing I have ever seen," Paul whispered as he kissed his way back up my body. His mouth covered mine again and I tasted myself on his tongue. It was weird but not altogether unpleasant. He was now naked and I could feel his erection resting heaving at the apex of my thighs. I lifted my hips slightly and the tip slid slowly inside of me. Paul didn't seem to require further encouragement. He pulled my thigh over his hip and pressed forward. There was a sharp pain, a muttered curse from Paul and then he was inside of me. And the rest of the world became a distant memory.