× Mercury

This was probably where I call it a night and go inside, but something made me stay in that car.

There was a huge difference between openness and vulnerability I had come to learn in my lifetime. Niall was a good example. He'd let you in, but it had to be on his terms - like fixed dice, only showing the sides he wanted you to see. He's very aware of what he's letting out and what he's keeping to himself to the point where he might feel like a walking paradox.

The thing about Niall being fixed dice is that when it came to me, it was like the lead pellets in the die were no longer there. His six sides were completely moved by his feelings and not by his willpower.

But tonight at that wedding, there wasn't a need for dice to be played because he wasn't feeling vulnerable. He was being open with me and that was what made me stay in that car. I wanted to know what made him trust me enough to let me through his walls.

"Why did you want to dance with me?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"There's something about you..." he explained softly. "I'm not sure what it is yet, but I have theories."

"You have a lot of theories."

He turned to look at me, his eyes the color of an arctic blast. "None of them are wrong, by the way. They're just not fully developed."

I knew what was going to happen next by the look on his face. It was the look that makes my heart flutter and my lips shake. I saw his eyes gaze at my own, then noticed them slowly lower and fix on my lips. His eyes said what his mouth wasn't as he started leaning in, closer and closer.

But then he stopped. And I knew why.

Every time this happens, I run. It's what I do. My legs take off before I allow myself that moment, the frozen-in-time linger when everything is kind of weird and amazing. When hearts become acoustic drums and my body takes over. I was always too scared of how much I already wanted him. So I run.

The only difference now was that I didn't want to. There wasn't a twitch in my fingers and a desire to jump out of the car and get the hell out of there. I wanted to stay. I wanted to fight.

"Is there... is there a way to test your theories?" I asked slowly.

"If you let me," he whispered.

Niall's hand slowly reached my jaw, his thumb caressing my cheek. And then the space between us closed and my lips were firm against his, but they remained soft and gentle. The kiss demolished every thought in my head. I savored his lips as the quickening of his heartbeat matched my own.

We held the kiss for a few seconds before our lips began to move in perfect sync; slowly, cautiously. Niall moved his hand from my jaw to the back of my head, his fingers tangling in my long hair, lightly pulling me into him so we met in the middle. My entire body had been taken over by the overwhelming feeling of relief, combined with eccentric panic.

It wasn't a kiss we had shared before. It was simple, it was innocent. It was powerful.

And then it was over. Just like that. But it had to be because the kiss wasn't intended to go any further. It was purely for science, of course. But everything inside me was on fire. Nothing in the world had left me feeling like that before.

When Niall pulled away from me, there was some sort of epiphany in his eyes - like this moment of total realization.

"Holy shit," he whispered.

Niall stared at me like the puzzle he thought of me as was finally coming together. I had no idea what was going through his head, but I had a feeling that all his theories, all his spreadsheets and calculations, were crumbling down around him.

What terrified me the most was that I felt the exact same way.

"Chloe's not going to be home tonight," I said without thinking. "I, uh, recorded the England vs Spain match from today. We could... watch that."

"I'll park the car."

× × ×

The TV in our room was new. It belonged to Chloe's older sister, who had recently gotten married and was going through her old things. It wasn't anything fancy; a 24 inch screen with a built in DVD player, so it was everything I could have asked for.

I stood in front of the set and struggled with the menus. There was no light in the room except for the glow of the TV and the moon shining through the window. My dark gray trench coat was hung up on a hook by the door and my shoes lay near my bed. Eventually I got the TV to work and the match between England and Spain started playing on the tiny screen.

"I missed the first three minutes of the game," I told Niall, who hadn't said anything since we stepped out of his car.

When I turned around, I nearly jumped out of my own skin because he was right there. How I didn't notice his presence so close to me was startling, but I didn't have much time to think about that because the look in his eyes was more of a priority.

He was so close, our breath mingling together. The white Henley he was wearing had the top three buttons undone and showing the hollow at his throat. He had taken his blazer and shoes off, but I hardly noticed as the burning inside me grew more intense.

"We should... we should watch the game," I said lamely, only a little aware of the soccer match playing on the TV behind me.

"I don't think so," Niall breathed, brushing his lips against mine. "That's not why you invited me up here."

And then he kissed me and everything around me burst into flames. It made me press myself closer, made my eyes flutter shut and my body respond. Niall moved one hand away from my face, his fingers splaying across my back, pulling me in and kissing me harder.

This kiss was different than the one from the car - needy, hard, and determined. His lips were soft and warm against mine, his mouth opened easily when my tongue dragged along his bottom lip. His hips bucked against mine, emitting a tiny moan from my kiss-swollen lips.

"Tell me what ya want," he rasped against my mouth. His accent was thick and desperate and it was the hottest sound in the world.

There was about a million thoughts in my head telling me this was wrong, but all it took was one voice to tell me this was okay - this is what I wanted and Coach's rule wasn't going to stop me from what I really wanted.

"You," I whispered.

Grinning, he slotted one of his knees between my thighs and ground his hips against mine. The next thing I knew, his hands were underneath my ass, pulling me up. My legs automatically wrapped tightly around his waist and hooked around his back.

"Damn," I exclaimed, surprised at how easy he lifted me.

"Perks of bein' a football player," he breathed out and bounced my frame a bit in his arms. "Bet I could bench press you."

"How about you just shut up and kiss me."

I cupped his face in both hands and planted my mouth over his, curling my tongue up to flick against his top lip. I heard Niall's groan, felt his hands squeeze my thighs as he pressed my back against the wall. When his mouth fused to my neck, I couldn't help but throw my head back, exposing the long column of my throat.

Wanting to release some of the tension between my legs, my hips rolled against Niall's. I hadn't meant to do it, but hearing his low growl in response made me do it again. The noise started in his chest, slowly rising up his throat and past his lips. He pulled back and thrust against me, driving me up against the wall. Picture frames shook and a thumbtack from a poster jabbed me in the shoulder.

"You're so beautiful," he said, his blonde locks falling down his forehead. "Fuckin' unbelievable."

I ran my hands through his hair. "I think you just wanna get in my pants."

"I think ya want me t'wanna get in your pants."

Smirking at him, I tugged on his hair so his mouth was against mine. Niall then moved his lips to my jaw down to my neck and buried his face against the crook of my shoulder, biting down hard. He was breathing heavily, fighting for his already slipping control.

I pulled at his Henley, tugging hard until it was bunched up underneath his arm. He pushed me against the wall and released his hold only to fling the rest of the shirt off himself. Niall wrapped his arms around me again and moved over the hardwood floor and to my bed. He dropped me down on the cool covers, climbing over me with a lusty grin. I roamed my hands up his chest; my fingers trailing over the slight V of his hip and up over the smooth skin of his back.

He grabbed at my shirt and started pulling it up over my body. I sat up and lifted my arms over my head, the sweater falling to the floor where his shirt lay.

"I've had dreams of this, ya know. Fantasies of undressin' you," he hummed, looking at my newly exposed torso. He leaned down and placed a kiss at the bay of my chest. "I tried fightin' them away, but God... ya make it impossible."

He placed his hand around my back, his thick fingers fumbling with the clasp of my white bra. The material gave way and I grabbed it, dropping it on the floor.

"Shit..." Niall breathed, his eyes giving everything away as they lowered to my breasts

As he bent down to kiss me, his massive hands opened over my chest, squeezing and kneading gently before rolling one of my nipples under his thumb. Arching my back into his hands, I panted a small moan and his lips turned up against mine. Then suddenly he was gone, biting desperately down my neck and across my chest.

"Niall," my voice cracked.

My head flew back against the pillows as he immersed my nipple in his hot mouth, tonguing the peak before moving onto the other. His hips dipped down to rock against mine.

Peering up at me with darkened eyes, Niall moved his tongue through the valley between my breasts and down to circle around my belly button.

"Love your body," he praised as he settled between my legs. "Think 'bout it all the time."

Niall was quick to unzip my jeans. When he got them to my ankles, I kicked them off. Lying on my bed with only my underwear on, I couldn't help but tug at his broad shoulders to drag him back up to me for another kiss.

I was horrifyingly vulnerable, but it wasn't anything like it was with Bradley. No, this was way different. Bradley wouldn't have been caught dead pleasing someone, it was all about him and what he wanted. I also didn't trust him, not after he left scars on my wrist from the zip ties. But with Niall? I trusted him, and I honestly couldn't tell you why.

So that was why I let him ease down my underwear, trailing kisses along the insides of my thighs as he went. I held my breath with anticipation. He dropped to his knees at the edge of the bed and yanked my body down with him, slinging my legs over his shoulders.

"So fuckin' wet for me," he groaned and I swear my entire body caught fire.

He started kissing my inner thigh as he edged closer and closer to my center. I let my eyes flutter shut, fingers gripping the blankets underneath me in a white knuckled grip. When his breath fanned over my center, I couldn't help but arch my back, my hips lifting up as he nudged his nose against my clit.

"Feel so good." My thighs clenched around his head as I felt his mouth open against me.

"Yeah?" he asked before stretching his hand out and sliding two fingers inside me. "How's that feel?"

"So good. God, so fucking good."

Niall's tongue curled around my clit, flicking against it while he took one finger and circled my opening, curving it up and hitting my inner walls. My body stiffened and trembled. The whole room was spinning. I didn't even notice that one of my hands had shot down to tangle in Niall's hair until he let out a rough groan.

"Sorry." I tried to pat down where I'd yanked, but Niall just shook his head, capturing my hand and returning it to the crown of his head.

"Go for it, yeah?" His accent ran thick through his voice, throaty and deep.

My vision went blurry while my hips started to rock greedily against the easy thrust of his hand. There wasn't much more I could handle, my control coming undone while he had his wicked way with me.

"Niall! Fuck! I- fuckfuckFUCK!" I cried, screaming out my orgasm.

I turned my face to the side, trying to muffle the sound in a pillow. Niall grabbed the padding with his free hand and threw it across the room, knocking over a stack of Chloe's magazines.

"Scream," he ordered, voice rough while he continued to relentlessly thrust his fingers in and out of me. My head was swimming, my entire body on a complete high as he talked me through it. "Let it out, let me hear ya."

My voice was hoarse, my throat dry and scratchy as my world came undone around me.

An unfamiliar feeling of numbness ran through my fingers. I clenched and unclenched my fist, hoping to bring back the feeling, but it only made it worse with the tingling. I opened my mouth to say something about it, but Niall crawled on top of me and grabbed my face, shutting me up instantly when his lips crashed on mine.

My hands roamed down his body, tracing along the edge of his Calvin Klein's peeking out of his pants, enjoying the feel of his muscles bunching under my palms. I could feel the swell in his jeans as I traced my fingers up the span of his clothed cock.

"Take them off," he ordered huskily.

I slowly unzipped his pants as he waited in a silent plea for me to rid him of the rest of his clothes. He kicked them the rest of the way off, and before he could even react, I ran my hand over his cock through the fabric of his underwear and he immediately groaned.

"Fuck," he cursed.

My fingers tugged his boxers down to free him from the restraints of his clothes. He visibly relaxed as his cock sprung free. Tentatively, I grasped his length and his head fell to my chest in pleasure, breath catching in his throat as my thumb slipped over the tip.

"Lynn..." he started, grunting when I added more pressure. Each sound of desire he made, a surge of fire shot through me. "I... stop. Lynn," he groaned, both of his hands tangling in my hair and forcing me look at him. "If ya don't stop, this will be over too fuckin' soon."

A wicked grin played on my lips. One minute in and he was already a mess.

I dipped my head, kissing at the sweet spot near his pulse point. I swore I could feel him everywhere, but it still wasn't enough. We kissed, sloppy and dirty, grasping at each other, biting and nipping, but I wouldn't be satisfied until I had all of him.

Niall melted into me, our bodies flush against each other and I could feel his cock eager against the inside of my thigh.

"Are you sure about this?" he gritted out. "Because I don't think I'll be able to stop once I start."

For the first time since meeting Niall, my head was clear of any thoughts. I didn't have a nagging voice in the back of my head; I didn't have any desire to run away. It was just this moment, right here in Niall's arms.

"I'm sure."

He studied me with interest until the heady tension between us descended. I ran my fingers over his bottom lip, cupping his face and locking my eyes on his. I felt the tip of his cock tease against me before seeping through my folds easily as he filled me up inch by torturous inch.

"Christ," Niall's mouth fell open under my fingertips.

I grabbed his bicep. "Wait, don't move. Let me just... it's been a while."

My voice was harsh even to my own ears as Niall tried his best to let me adjust without slamming into me full force. He took that time to pay attention to my neck, pressing small kisses against my skin as the dull sting and slight pressure of him pushing inside me subsided.

When I slowly ticked my hips up to meet his, Niall started to move. I clutched his back with my nails, my legs wrapping around his slim waist while I buried my face against his neck. He pulled out of me almost all the way before slamming back in, driving me up the bed with every thrust. His hand smacked roughly against the headboard, head bowed down and pressed against my shoulder while we completely drowned in pleasure. We matched each other's thrust for thrust, both of us sweating and swearing, crying out and gasping.

I'd never felt so whole, so unafraid. My body began to open up to him, his hand roamed down my sides, digging harshly into my thighs. The feel of Niall inside me was like nothing I'd ever felt - feeling him thrust up so hard and deep that I could practically feel him in my stomach. It was insane. It was complete madness. It was fucking wonderful.

"Faster," I breathed out.

Niall grinned through his haze of lust. "With pleasure."

Once he lifted one of my legs over his shoulder, he picked up speed. When he hit my g-spot, I trembled underneath him. I've slept with a few guys but not one, not even Bradley, had been so quick to find that spot.

Niall stopped and looked down at me, testing out the move again, this time just a bit slower. When my face contorted and my walls clenched around him, I caught the wicked gleam in his eye.

"I wanna feel ya come," he forced out, fucking into me so hard I couldn't remember what it was like to not have him this way. His voice dropped to a throaty rasp. "See you... hear you. It's drivin' me bloody mental."

He repeatedly hit that one spot, angling his hips down and then thrusting up. My nails raked down his back to the point where he was growling in slight pain. He took my hand and held it, pinning it down to the bed. He pressed his body against mine, biting his lip while I uncontrollably clenched around him.

"Shit, Lynn." His nose nudged mine and something lurched inside of me, easing the floodgates open as his hips began to stutter. "Look at me, Princess."

Gritting my teeth, I shook my head. That nickname was going to be the death of me.

"Need ya to look at me," he nearly bagged.

Slowly, I opened my eyes to find him staring down at me. The feeling in my gut intensified. I'd already came once just from Niall's fingers, but the second time around, with his cock hitting that sweet spot every fucking time, was just too much. I whimpered and moaned, groaning out Niall's name over and over again until I came undone around him, everything turning to white.

Niall's grunts were pleading, his chest pressed against mine so that I could feel his heartbeat. It matched my own, the thought bringing a smile to my lips even as I cried out his name brokenly. He thrust his hips once, twice, and then he was falling apart with a rough cry, one hand clasping my jaw and breathing heavily and sweet into my mouth while the rush rolled through him.

His body crashed down on mine and the two of us laid there, our breathing ragged. All my senses were awake and thriving. The sound of the soccer match was still playing, the light of the TV flashing through the dark room. The smell of sweat and Niall's shampoo filled my nose and I savored it, knowing nothing would ever smell this good. I felt everything - Niall's skin against mine, the small rise of goosebumps against our flesh, his hair tickling my neck, the throbbing of love bites over my body. A copper taste was on my tongue and I realized at one point I had bitten my cheek, breaking the skin.

"You didn't run away," Niall whispered, lifting his head.

His eyes were still a dark shade of blue, but they were different now, more serene and controlled.

"Should've," he added, his lips brushing against mine lightly. "Should've ran like hell."

Realization settled in on what just happened, and I didn't care. I didn't give a shit that this was wrong, that this was basically taboo. I thought about Romeo and Juliet, about Tristan and Isolde, and about the endless list of books on the library table, and I just didn't care. Niall and I were already digging a hole; a little deeper wouldn't hurt us. I wanted this. I have wanted this for a long time and I wasn't going to let some rule stop that.

My hand ran through his damp hair, making his already messy locks unbelievable unruly.

"I didn't want to," I responded just as softly.

A lazy smile curved on his lips and he rolled off me. I expected him to get up and put on clothes, or maybe turn the TV off, or pick up Chloe's magazines that fell, but I didn't expect him to grab the duvet and cover us up. I didn't expect him to pull me against his chest and place his lips against my temple. None of that was expected, but it was more than welcoming.

"I never took you as one to cuddle," I teased as his arm wrapped around me tighter.

I felt his sweet breath against my neck. "That's because I'm not."

Knowing Niall slept with many, many girls on a one night bases was rather disturbing to think about, but knowing that fact and knowing he was a "no attachment" kind of guy led me to believe that cuddling was in fact alien to him, although not new, and knowing that this wasn't part of his normal routine sent butterflies through my stomach.

I lifted my hand so it was in front of my face and tried to move my fingers. They were cold and tingling, numb all the way to the fingertips.

"Niall," I asked, getting slightly worried.

"Hm?"

One of my fingers twitched and that painful pins and needles feeling shot down my wrist. "Is it normal for, um, fingers to go numb... after sex?"

He laughed at the concern on my face. "It's normal to have weird side effects, yes."

I looked at my fingers again, this time in a different light. I tried recalling sex stories my friends had shared but didn't remember any of them saying they had any side effects. This just seemed really bazaar. Was he messing with me?

"Then how come my fingers haven't gone numb before now?" I asked.

"This is the first time?" He raised a brow at me. "Interesting."

I wanted desperately to grab my phone and Google this, to conclude if he was joking or this was an actual thing, but my phone was in my coat pocket on the other side of the room, and I was way too damn comfortable to move. I made a mental note to schedule a doctor's appointment if the numbness keeps happening.

"Can I just..." Niall started, trailing off.

He reached over me and grabbed my hand. I watched as his thumb traced up my knuckles and wrapped his own hand in mine, fingers interlocking. And we laid there, still and calm as the two of us fell asleep in my bed, holding hands.