In My Skin

CH 13 || Owing Favors

I whipped around hoping that I had imagined it. Because it couldn't be. It couldn't be him. Right? Like, what were even the chances? 

Killian stood behind me, his big green hoodie that spelled PSU in white style, illuminated by the headlights of his car, parked at the beginning of a forest path a few meters down. How the hell had I not seen or heard him pull up?

Oh yeah, maybe because I'd been busy yelling and jumping around. Oh God... Had he seen that?

"N-nothing," I finally managed. "Wh-what are you doing here?" I clenched my jaw and bit down on my cheeks, trying to suppress the shivers that threatened to take over my body.

Killian frowned as he came closer. "Jeez, you're completely drenched. What are you doing?" He even sounded worried.

As if.

"M-my tire broke down. Bu-but I'm fixing it, It's n-no problem."

His brows rose. "Fixing it yeah? Then why are you yelling at it?"

Shit. So, he had seen me.

Water streamed down my face, obscuring my vision but I didn't mind. My eyes had started to become hot again. It was this fucked up day messing with my head. I turned away and gestured with my hand. "It's fine, I got this."

He sighed but a few seconds later, a roaring engine told me that he had taken the hint this time. It had been surprisingly easy even. I swallowed the unknown feeling rising in my throat, picked up my wrench, and bent over the tire again. Maybe the screw would just fall off on its own if I stared at it long enough.

My shoulders drew together as I waited for his car to pass me, but even after a few moments nothing happened. Did he leave yet?

A hand tugging on my sleeves answered my question. Killian gently pulled me up and suddenly my vision went dark. A large towel covered my head and then he started pushing me toward his car which still had the engine running.

"Wait inside." His voice was surprisingly gentle. "And change. You'll definitely get sick if you stay like that."

"I'm fine," I mumbled into the towel, but my trembling body instantly betrayed my words. How long had I been standing in the rain? Thirty minutes? Forty?

"There's a hoodie and a pair of sweatpants on the passenger seat. You better change unless you desperately want me to take you home." He cleared his throat. "I mean, if that was your plan you could've just said so. No need to set this up and risk your health just to—"

"Okay, okay, I'll change." I cut him off before he got any weirder ideas about this.

"Good." He opened the door and waited until I was inside before slamming it shut and running back towards my car.

The inside of his car was warm and smelled slightly like him. Like soap and sandalwood.

I took a shaky breath and tried lifting my wet shirt, which was clinging to my skin. By the time my stiff fingers had pulled his hoodie over my head, the driver's door opened and Killian jumped into the seat shaking out water droplets from his hair.

"He-hey, I'm n-not done yet."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't give you enough time to change, princess, do you want me to step out and wait in the rain?"

I frowned at the sarcasm in his voice. "No, er..."

His hands rubbed together. "Shit, it's freezing. How long have you been standing there?"

"I..." I paused contemplating. "Not that long."

"Oh, yeah? Considering that you look like a drenched puppy I'd say it was too long."