( 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘯 )

I had been in a complete state of bliss since Marc and I had kissed. To me, it had been absolutely magical and better than I could imagine.
But the thing was...I wanted more. So much more.
Marc was like a drug that I couldn't get enough of.
"Keelan?" A voice asked before pressing their lips to my cheek, inches from my swollen lips.
"Marc." I giggled and turned around in his arms, wrapped my arms around his neck as I hugged him close to me; my breasts heaving as he pressed his cheek about them.

"Do we really have to leave?" He mumbled into my neck, pressing hot, warm, wet kisses to the side of my jaw.
"Yes," I whimpered as his teeth tugged on my ear gently, causing heat to enter my core.
"I know." He sighed, before looking up at me. "Can I talk to you about something?" He asked, his beautiful eyes pleading. "Of course," I nodded, biting my bottom lip as he gazed at it hungrily. "I know we've only known each other for a day, but would you consider going out with me?--so we could know each other better?" He asked as my breath caught.

Woah.

"S-sure!" I stuttered, mentally slapping myself in the face as he frowned, "You don't sound to sure..." He trailed off sadly, "if you don't want to be with me, you don't have to go."

"It's--it's not that! I promise." I shook my head, "it's just the first time anyone has asked me out before. I-i've never experienced that before."

"You're joking," He spoke, eyes widened in shock, "how is that possible?"

"I never really got out much--I've had one boyfriend before we just never went or went further than a peck on the lips. That only happened once." I shrugged, eyes on the ground.

"So you're innocent?" Marc asked with a soft smile. "In a sense. But my mind is anything but." I snorted, immediately slapping a hand over my mouth once I realized what I just said. "Uh--forget you heard me say that. Please." I begged, latching onto his shoulders pleadingly as he smirked.

"Really?" He questioned, eyes darkening as he pressed my body against his before flipping me over onto my back.
"Marc!" I giggled uncontrollably as he peppered kisses all over my face, before making his way to my lips, before kissing me deeply.

"Mhmm..." I moaned slightly as he coaxed my mouth open before he slipped his to tongue inside my mouth, exploring. He tasted like coffee and spearmint. An odd combination but it seemed to fit him.
I clenched his hair in my hands as my legs hiked up his waist, before wrapping around him tightly.
"You taste like candy." He whispered as he pulled back, panting heavily as he loomed over me.
"You taste like coffee and spearmint." I replied before getting up and wiping the sand off of my clothes and out of my hair.

"Fuck, what time is it?" I panicked as I noticed it was dark. How the fuck didn't I notice? Mr. Blackbourne was going to kill me.
I wasn't scared of him in the slightest; but he could make my stay at his house worse than it needed to be.
"It's only nine--what's wrong?" Marx stood up and brushed the sand off of his body before bringing me to his side.
"Nothing, I'm perfectly fine." I smiled up at him as he threaded our fingers together as we walked back.

"Kee? I've never felt this way before." He whispered to me,"What do you you feel?"

"I've never felt this happy in forever." I spoke honestly, since loosing Dee I thought I would never know happiness again. But I was wrong, I was really and truly fucking wrong.

But I couldn't be happier about it.

---- "Miss. Nolan? Where have you been?"

Shit.
And here I thought I would be able to escape to the guest room unseen. But a few minutes after I had been settled in and changed into a set of pajamas he had knocked on the door.

"I went to work and then I visited the beach." I shrugged and opened my backpack to finish the homework that had been assigned today. "That is okay, right? I'm allowed to go wherever I want as long as it's not a liquor store or a party." I looked at him the eyes as he looked at me from the doorway.
"Of course. After your results came back clean, I trust you to be able to care for yourself. But why did you go to the beach of all places?" He asked, leaning a strong shoulder on the door frame.

"After I graduate I want to go to school for marine biology." I told him hesitantly, "I've always loved the ocean and every creature within it." I explained with a tiny smile.
Talking about the ocean always made me happy.

"That sounds like it would suit you." Mr. Blackbourne agreed, a millimeter smile on his lips as he watched me scribble in the answers for my homework.
"A friend of mine would be ecstatic of you fascination with Marie biology - he owns his own aquarium," He started, before walking inside the guest room, closing the door behind him.
"He's also a marine biologist."

"Really?"

"Yes. He would love to meet you." He nodded, a tiny smirk on the corner of his lips. "Maybe I could be able to see the aquarium one day."

"I don't see why not. But, for the time being you could start your marine biology career early, if you would like?"

"Mr. Blackbourne," I smirked, "You have yourself a deal." I shook his hand with a huge grin.

Like Mam always says; When life throws you curveballs, swing at those motherfuckers like Stevie Wonder with a lightsaber.

------ I felt like slapping the piss out of myself the next day. Mr. Blackbourne had woke me up at five am to be able to plan my early marine biology course. Did I think this was going to be easy? Not really, but I didn't think I'd be this brain dead trying to read the Antomy of A jellyfish at six am, half asleep.

But with luck, I was able to overcome it and as jotted down as many notes as I could before school started.

According to Mr. Blackbourne, I would be studying my college course in the morning, before school, then studying for my entrance exams after I did my homework for that evening.
It would be a lot, but I knew I could handle it - and my job at the cafe. I would do my homework while I was on my break, and spend the rest of my evenings with Marc and my textbooks.

I believed in myself, I had confidence in my abilities and I had no doubt I would be able to get through this.
I believe Marc would believe in me too.

"Marc!" I called out as I opened the door the to cafe, with my purse and my backpack, hauling a shit ton of textbooks with me as I trudged behind the counter.
"Kee! We're in the back!" I heard Marc call from the kitchen. We? I cocked a brow before shrugging, and setting my shit on the floor behind the counter before I went inside the kitchen.

"Keelan!" Marx grinned and jogged towards me with a grin, "I've missed you!" He smirked as he picked me up and twirled me around, as I giggled.
"I believe you've already met Raven," He nodded to a figure behind me.
"Hello again, Tigrenok. (Little tiger)." A deeply accented voice breathed from behind me as I turned around, coming face to face with the hot as fuck piece of ass I had met when I arrived in America.

"You!" I gasped in shock, as his icy eyes met mine.

A/N: isn't Stephen James gods gift to men and women alike!? But, I wanted to let you guys know I changed Raven's eye color to blue or icy blue to match the gif!

What do you think of Mr. Blackbourne helping Keelan with her career?

How do you think Axel will react when he finds out about Keelan's future in Marine Biology?

I hope yall enjoyed the chapter!

PS: THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ALMOST THREE HUNDRED VOTES!! I APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH!! 🙏 😌 💯 I AM SO HAPPY YOU LOVE THIS BOOK!