A Protector's Second Chance (Unit Matched #2) (11 page)

He caressed my cheeks, and it sent a shiver through me.

“Will you grant me this favor?” he whispered.

“Yes. Yes, whatever you want.”

“Okay then.” He took my head and led me up the stairs, to my room.

When we reached the door, he didn’t say anything as he walked in, and pulled me into his arms.

“Oliver?” I wasn’t sure what was happening, and I didn’t know what to expect.

“Don’t,” he put one finger on my lips, indicating that he didn’t want me to say anything. “I’m very happy with you Amaya, and I want to spend that night with you.”

“You want to have sex?”

“I didn’t say that.” He dropped his hand. “Don’t get me wrong, I’ve thought about it. A lot. However, right now, I want to forget everything that’s happening outside this cabin. No parents. No siblings. No Royals. No Unit. Nothing, only you and me.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re worried about being banished, and I want you to have one good memory. Although, I’m not exactly sure…” he trailed off, pushing his hand through his hair.

“You’re nervous.” The realization hit me. It was all over his face.

Oliver looked down and stepped back.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this.” I held onto his shoulders, making him stay in place. “It’s different.”

“Yeah,” he rolled his eyes, “it is.”

“Hey,” I grasped his head in my hands. “It’s okay. You’re the strongest person I know. Well, besides me.” I winked at him, trying to get him to smile.

It worked; he smiled.

“There’s a smile.” I gave his lips a quick peck.

“Thank you.”

“For what? Kissing you?”

“Yes and for this date. I think it’s the best date I’ve ever been on.” He wrapped his arms around my waist.

I nodded.

“Are you okay, Amaya? If you don’t want to be up here, we don’t have to be.”

I shook my head. “It’s not that.”

Oliver stepped back, took my hand, and led me to the bed. My heart was pounding against my chest as he gently pushed me down to sit on the edge of the bed. He bent down and slipped off my flats, and then he took off his shoes. He climbed onto the bed, leaning his back against the headboard.

“Come here,” he softly ordered.

My body moved of its own accord, and I curled up against his side. It was strange, but I seemed to fit there perfectly. He was like a piece of a puzzle and I was the connecting piece.

“Talk to me,” he whispered against my hair, kissing my temple.

“Haven’t I talked enough?” I giggled slightly.

“Yes you have, but now I want to know that you’re okay. Technically, this is our second date, so what do those girly magazines say that should happen.”

I laughed. I couldn’t help thinking about Oliver sitting around reading Cosmo or Glamour. “How do you even know about them?”

“I see girls in Unit reading that stupid stuff all the time.”

“Hey,” I sit up a bit. “Don’t make fun; that is the closest thing we have to learning about you boys. You guys have Maxim and Playboy.”

It was Oliver’s turn to laugh, and his cheeks turned a light pink. “I can honestly say I’ve never read a Playboy.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Have you looked at the pictures?”

Oliver shook his head. “I won’t lie and say I wasn’t tempted, but no. The only time I saw a female body, without clothing, was in biology classes.”

I groaned. Sexual reproduction class and sciences classes in Unit high school were our first true look at the male naked forms. It was uncomfortable and embarrassing. Teachers had drilled into our heads all our lives that sex and ‘baby-making’ would only be with our Matched and no one else unless we left Unit. Only our Matched would see us naked.

“Were those as fun for you boys as it was for us girls?”

Oliver rolled his eyes. “I’m sure it was, but I had Graham in my class, and he snickers at everything,”

I smiled because I could picture that in my head. I curled into him more, letting the quiet wrap itself around us. This was how I always pictured my Matched to be.

“Oliver?”

“Hmm.”

“I don’t know that much about you.” I turned to look at him.

“What do you want to know?”

I wanted to know it all. I had already told him everything about me.

“What your favorite color?”

“Yellow.”

I furrowed my forehead. “Really?”

“Yes, it reminds me of a sunrise.”

Of course, Oliver would say something sweet like that.

“Do you have hobbies?”

He shrugged. “Not really. I mean, I like to hike, and ride mountain bikes, but nothing cooler than that.”

“Are you and Oscar close?”

“Yes. He’s my brother. Besides Thaddeus and Graham, he’s my best friend.”

I nodded. I could see that.

“Favorite movie?”

Oliver dropped his head and turned away from me.

“Oh, this is going to be good.” I teased him. “Tell me.”

He cleared his throat. “Any Marvel movie.”

I threw my head back and laughed. “You’re so lying, Oliver Thomas. Now, tell me the truth.”

He groaned. “Okay, it’s Ace Ventura.”

I grabbed my side and fell over laughing. Never in a million years would have I thought that Oliver was sitting around enjoy anything that related to Jim Carrey.

“It’s not that funny,” Oliver grumbled.

“Alrighty then.” I tried my best impression, but it failed because I was still laughing.

“I’ll give you something to laugh about.”

Before I could comprehend what he’d said, he flipped me onto my back, and began to tickle me. I used to tickle Rebecca when she was feeling down, but no one had ever really done it to me. I could hardly breathe as Oliver attacked me. He had my hips pinned as he straddled me. I tried to fight him off, but I was laughing too hard.

Oliver had restrained my arms above my head. “Are you going to make fun of me anymore?”

“Maybe,” I giggled.

He leaned in closer to my neck and kissed me below my ear. Instantly, I stilled.

“Well, that got your attention,” Oliver whispered against my skin, setting me on fire.

“When did you become so flirty?” my voice was raspy.

“You bring out the best in me.” He brushed his lips against my cheek.

My breathing was becoming more erratic as he trailed his lips down my neck. Once he reached the base of my neck, he came back up toward my chin until he touched my lips. It was a soft and gentle kiss. He released my hands, and I fisted them in his hair, holding him against my lips. I didn’t want him to move. I wanted more.

I wanted Oliver.

I opened my mouth, and his tongue danced with mine. My hands seemed to have a mind of their own as they left his hair and tenderly dragged down his back. He moaned in my mouth and stretched his legs out, so that he was full weight rested against me. We’d never been this close before, and it felt right.

When I had been with Thaddeus, it had felt wrong, and I didn’t have those same feelings with Oliver. Oliver made me feel so much more than I thought I would have ever felt had I been Matched with Thaddeus.

I was meant for Oliver.

I tugged on his T-shirt, pulling it up, and touching his bare skin. Oliver gasped against my mouth and gripped the sheets tighter.

I positioned my legs on either side on his thighs, and I pushed my hips up. Oliver broke our kiss and was breathing heavier.

“Are you okay?” I asked him the same question he had asked me.

He nodded, but his eyes were still closed.

“Too much?”

He shook his head.

I felt a little braver with him, and I toyed with the top of his jeans. He bit down on his lip and I couldn’t help the smile, seeing how he was responding to me. Thaddeus had never acted this way when we did anything like this. Looking back on it now, the whole thing had felt cold.

Oliver moved his grip from the sheet and touched my hip. He was becoming braver. He rolled us onto our sides. Our eyes locked and Oliver’s bright green eyes were filled with love. I could see that love.

I lightly touched his chest. Even though he was a Controller, he was built like a Protector. He was solid and muscular. He pulled his hand away from my hip and softly lifted the hem of my shirt. When his fingers touched my skin, I shivered. Oliver’s hand was trembling as he climbed a little higher.

He closed his eyes again as if basking in my skin. He didn’t seem to be in pain, but he wasn’t saying anything.

I grasped his cheek. “Look at me,” I commanded him.

Oliver opened his eyes, and it was like I was being set ablaze. He pierced me with that gaze.

“Don’t be nervous; I’m your Matched,” I whispered to him.

I guided his hand a little higher. Oliver gasped as his fingertips reached the bottom of my bra. I knew that he’d never gone this far before, ever. I stopped, letting him soak it in for a second and seeing if he wanted me to continue or not.

I studied his face. His Adam’s apple was bobbing up and down, and he was breathing heavily. He kept licking his lips, and I knew that his mouth was dry.

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.” I caressed his face.

He shook his head. “It’s not that; I’m afraid that I’ll suck at this. I mean,” his face turned bright red.

“You won’t. I can promise you that.” I touched his lips with mine.

“Amaya, you know I’ve never… I’m not sure what I should be doing right now.” His voice was so low I could barely hear him.

“Hey, there isn’t an instruction manual. All you have to do is what feels right—or nothing at all. I’m enjoying my time with you. Right now. We don’t have to do anything.”

“I know this sound like a cliché, but I really don’t want to rush this.”

“Oliver.” I held his face. “I don’t want to either.”

He nodded and rolled off me and pulled me to him, my head on his chest.

I listened to his rapidly beating heart, and the comforting sound pulled me into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Chapter 27

Day 60 of 90

My eyes slowly opened and adjusted to the bright sun shining in the room. I felt hot, and I realized that Oliver had me wrapped in his arms. His face was buried in my hair. My cheeks hurt from the large smile that spread across my face.

He’d stayed in my bed the whole night.

On top of that, I’d slept the whole night through. I hadn’t had any nightmares. I was feeling refreshed.

“Good morning,” he whispered.

“How did you know I was awake?”

He didn’t answer, he only chuckled.

“Will you do me a favor?”

“Yes.”

“It’s embarrassing to ask, but could you not turn around for a moment?”

I furrowed my eyebrows, not sure what he was asking me. I nodded.

He released me, rolled off the bed, and headed into the bathroom. I looked over to see where Oliver laid all night long next to me. I bit down on my lip, trying to hold back my beaming smile.

I knew that I should get out of the bed. I looked down at my wrinkled and frumpy clothes. I hadn’t changed into my pajamas last night. I sat up and leaned against the headboard. I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy. Actually, I knew that I had never been.

After several minutes, Oliver broke me from my happiness daydream, when he walked out of the bathroom, and sat down on the bed, next to me.

“Sorry.” His cheeks were red.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

“Want to tell me why I couldn’t look at you this morning?”

“Um.” He pushed his hand through his hair and turned his head from me.

“What is it?”

“It’s just, sometimes, in the morning,” he was stumbling on his words.

“Oh,” I grinned. “You had morning wood.” I had read about a lot in magazines and heard about it on TV.

“Amaya,” he growled, closing his eyes, looking up at the ceiling.

“What?”

He continued to shake his head and his cheeks reddened more, but he remained quiet. I could tell that he was very uncomfortable.

“I think I’m going to shower and get into some clean clothes. Want to have breakfast afterward?”

Oliver nodded and headed out of the room. I remained on the bed for another moment, thinking about last night.

I could still feel his arms around me. His lips on mine. His touch on my skin. It was all burned into my memory and it would be something I would hold onto forever.

After getting ready, I headed downstairs and the smell of breakfast slammed into me. It made my stomach growl. I hadn’t realized that I was that hungry.

“Biscuits and gravy okay?”

“Most definitely.” I sat down at the table as Oliver put a plate in front of me. “Wow, this looks so good.” I didn’t even wait for him and began to shovel the food into my mouth.

“Hungry?” he chuckled.

I moaned my answer without pausing. Oliver didn’t take his eyes off me.

“What? Why are you staring at me?” I questioned with my mouth full.

Oliver gave me a full smile and shook his head.

Breakfast was quiet, peaceful, and nowhere as near as uncomfortable as I thought it might have been. It was the first time we had slept together, even if it was without sex.

Did I want to have sex with Oliver?

I mentally slapped myself.

Idiot.

Of course, I wanted to. He was hot, kind, sweet, and my Matched. What more could I ask for in a guy?

“Amaya,” Oliver cleared his throat and pushed his empty plate away from him. “I never thought I would bring this up, but I’m curious.”

I tilted my head. “Curious?”

“You don’t have to answer, but,” he ran his hands through his shaggy hair.

“Oliver, what is it?” He was worrying me.

“I was wondering about Thaddeus.”

“Thaddeus?”

He looked at me. “I was wondering about the relationship you had with him.”

“Oh,” I laid my fork down. I’d suddenly lost my appetite.

“He never really gave any details, and I want to know, because,” he paused. It was as if the wheels were in overdrive as his thoughts tumbled around his head.

“What do you want to know?” I had already told him all about my parents and my home life. It had been just a matter of time before this subject reared its ugly head.

“How did it start?” he gazed up at me.

“You know the program that lets high school seniors take college classes in the city? Well, apparently, I was smart and, after the King gave permission for me to leave Xaviera unattended for a few hours, I got involved in the program. I would go to my day classes and then go into the city. When the class was over, I would go for a run at the park. One afternoon I saw him, and he stopped and said hello. I didn’t think anything of it. Then the next day it was the same thing, and it went on for about a week.”

“I know that, but I’m wondering,” he let out a deep sigh, trying to find the right words.

“Oliver, just ask me what you want to know.” I was getting frustrated because I didn’t know what he wanted.

“Did you kiss him first?”

There, it was out. The question that everyone, I was sure, wanted to know the answer to.

“I’m not sure how it happened. We ended up running the same trail together one day. It was on the backside of the park, and a lot of people didn’t travel that route. I tripped over a branch.” I shook my head at my clumsiness. “Thaddeus was being kind and helped me up. It was the first time any guy had ever been that close to me or that kind to me.”

I studied Oliver’s face.

“I don’t know who moved first, but we kissed. I have no fathomable reason why we did it, but it happened.”

“What did you think?” Oliver’s question was almost inaudible.

“Well, my first thought was that it was really wet,” I joked. Oliver didn’t smile.

“I’m not trying to pry into the details, I promise I’m not. But you didn’t have sex, right?”

I shook my head. “We never had sex.”

“But you did more than kissing?”

“Yes.” My mouth went dry. For the first time, I was nervous talking to him about this.

“Did you ever get naked in front of him?” He was serious.

“Um,” I shifted in my seat. I wasn’t going to lie to Oliver. Not about this. It was too important for him. “Yes, he has seen me naked.”

All the air left the room and Oliver paled.

“I didn’t think you had sex.”

I gathered all my courage to tell him. “I told you that we didn’t have sex, but one of the last times we were together, we were going to.”

Oliver’s eye widened.

“We stopped,” I rushed out before he panicked. “But like I said before, we did a lot together, and he did see me naked.”

He remained quiet and then suddenly got up from the table and cleared the dishes.

“Oliver, you asked,” I reminded him.

“I know.” He was gripping the sides of the sink as if his life depended on it. “I know I did.”

I walked up behind him, standing close to him, but not touching him. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I’ve caused so much pain. At the time, I had it all planned out to leave Unit. I wasn’t going to stay and deal with my parents anymore.”

“Why did you stay?”

“Xaviera, Gia, Rebecca, and thought that Thaddeus was my Matched.”

“Did you love him?”

I gasped. I shouldn’t have been shocked that he asked that question. I should have been more surprised that he didn’t ask that right after the ‘sex’ question.

“Amaya,” he turned and faced me. “Did you?”

“I thought I did.” My voice cracked. “I thought that he loved me, too. I thought he was going to be my Matched. I knew it was wrong, but at the time, I wasn’t thinking about being caught, or punishments. I just wanted,” I stopped. I couldn’t say the words to him.

“You just wanted him,” he finished my sentence for me.

“At that time.” I looked deep into his green eyes. “At that time,” I repeated.

My heart began to pound as I grasped what I had said and meant. I didn’t love Thaddeus. Had I even cared for him? I wasn’t sure that I had. I wished that I could tell him how much he had meant to me over the past two months. Yes, he had been away for some of it, but every day he was there, he was there for me. Even when he was gone, I knew he cared for me. I had thought that he was being punished, too, but Xaviera had known what she was doing.

She knew that I would fall in love with him.

And I had.

I knew when he was making out with me last night. I knew it when he kissed me. I knew when I woke up with him this morning with his arms were around me.

I loved him.

Now, could I tell him?

“Have there been others?”

“Yes,” I breathed out my answer.

“Who?” Oliver’s voice is laced with shock.

“Chris Pine, Chris Hemsworth, Ryan Gosling, and for a little maturity in the mix, Brad Pitt.” I teased him.

I saw Oliver’s lips twitch at my joke. It gave me a moment to regain my thoughts.

Do I tell him?

“As much as your sense of humor makes me laugh, I know that you’re lying.” He cupped my face. The pads of his thumbs rubbed my cheeks.

“Are you sure?” I whispered.

“I’m a Controller, and I’m powerful. I can tell when people are lying.” He gently kissed me. “So, tell me the truth.”

He laid his forehead against mine and tried to control his breathing.

“You know the answer.”

“Tell me; I want to hear it,” he begged me.

I didn’t say it. Instead, I kissed him. I pushed my tongue deep into his mouth, and he moaned. I slid my fingers through his belt loops and pulled him flush with my body. Oliver continued to hold my face. Mother Nature could have ended the world at that very moment and I would have died a happy woman because I was in the arms of the man I loved.

I moved my hands from his hips and tugged his shirt up and over his head. I wanted to do this so badly last night, but never did. I lightly dragged my nails down the front of his chest. Even though he didn’t have the deep divide in his abs, he was still hard and strong. He could have easily been a Protector.

Oliver’s bravery took over, or maybe it was the pent up sexual tension from last night, but he removed his hands from my face and began to work the buttons on my shirt. His fingers lightly brushed my skin, setting me on fire.

“Do you really want to do this in the kitchen?”

“At this moment,” Oliver’s chest heaved. “I couldn't care less where we are.”

I laughed against his mouth. I grabbed the front of his jeans, staring into his eyes, waiting for the go ahead. His mouth twisted into a small smile. I undid the button, but stopped when his cell phone began to ring. Oliver’s face went from happy to worry in a split second.

“What is it?” I asked as we both released each other. I watched as he dug into his pocket to retrieve his phone.

“Yes, Princess,” he said professionally.

I could hear Xaviera’s frantic voice, but couldn’t make out the words.

“I’ll leave now.” He disconnected the call.

I smiled. At least, I did the best I could. “Go. Go. I know that she needs you,” I nodded at him.

“I don’t want to leave you. It gets harder and harder each time I leave.”

“Hey,” I kissed him. “Unit first, then Matched, you know the Rules.” I winked at him.

“Will you do me another favor?”

I nodded.

“When I come back, please say the words.” He pecked my lips one more time. He picked up his shirt from the floor and headed up the stairs to pack before leaving for Unit.