Page 46 of Ciaran

Her hands rove feverishly over my back. I bend my head to kiss her neck, and she tastes of sweet peaches, soft, succulent, fucking delicious. She tastes like heaven. My dreams and fantasies hadn’t done her justice. The real thing is so much better.

I kiss her again, unable to get enough. “Millie.” My lips travel along the column of her neck, across her shoulder.

She clutches my biceps. “I-I want…”

Her voice trails off, and she bites her lip, then looks away. I clasp her chin, forcing her gaze back to mine. Her eyes are huge in her face—two dark chocolate pools that I want to dive into and never resurface from. Oxygen is overrated, anyway.

“What do you want, Millie?” I coax. “Whatever it is, it’s yours.”

Her lips tremble. “You,” she says.

An electric shock sends tingles up my arms, and my cock jerks. It’s easy to misunderstand, especially when emotions are running as high as ours are. I need more than “you”. After the excitement of the bar, the stirring beat of the music, coupled with the drinks she’s had, I need a cast iron guarantee she knows what she’s saying.

“You’ve got me.”

She shakes her head. “I want you.” Her hands curve around my face. “Do you hear what I’m saying?”

Yep. I hear her. Loud and thunder-clappingly clear, despite the deafening music.

Without exchanging another word, I clasp her hand and weave through the crowds. Once outside, I cross the street toward the subway, but I hesitate. I don’t want to take her to my place. While the soundproofing between our individual rooms is good, I want our first time to be private, not played out in front of my entire family. If Callum spots us and guesses what’s going on, he won’t be able to keep his big mouth shut.

One good thing about living in Manhattan? There are plenty of other options.

I spin on my heel and begin walking in the opposite direction.

“Where are we going?” Millie asks, jogging to keep up with my long strides.

I slow my pace. “Not home.”

Her brow furrows. “Why?”

I stop, pull her into my arms, and kiss her soft, full lips. “Because tonight is for us. Just us.”

“Oh.” Realization crosses her face, and she smiles.

I stop by a pharmacy and pick up a box of condoms while Millie stands next to me, her face burning with embarrassment, even though the cashier doesn’t bat an eyelid. Outside, I stuff the silver packets into the back pocket of my jeans and toss the empty box in the trash.

It takes us five minutes to walk to a nearby hotel I’ve heard good things about. It’s small, discreet, and contemporary. Special without being over-the-top pretentious. The latter would only make her feel uncomfortable. Just because I can afford the penthouse suite at the Plaza doesn’t mean it’s the right thing for Millie, and she’s all that matters.

With her hand in mine, we cross the lobby to the front desk. “We need a room.”

The clerk gives us a welcoming smile. “Of course, sir. For how long?”

“One night.”

She taps away on her keyboard as I slide my credit card across the desk. She picks it up and gives it a cursory glance.

“I have a junior suite on the third floor. It’s eight twenty-five for a single night.”

“Fine.”

Millie tugs on my hand to get my attention. “That’s ridiculous,” she hisses. “Let’s go home. We can sleep there for free.”

I bend my head and whisper, “We won’t be sleeping.”

Her cheeks redden.

I grin and motion for the front desk clerk to continue. Millie increases the pressure on my hand, trying to attract my attention. She obviously doesn’t want to make a scene, and I’m going to play that to my advantage. I don’t give a shit about money. I’ve never had anyone to splurge on before, and she’s worth it—so worth it. If the clerk had told me the suite was three times as much, I’d have paid it without a quibble.

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