Page 47 of Ciaran

“How many keys, sir?”

“Just the one.”

Millie is now squeezing my hand so hard I think she might break it. Jesus, she has one hell of a grip. A shiver of excitement runs through me. That could come in useful, as long as she can control the pressure.

“Okay, you’re all set.” The clerk passes me the key card and my credit card. “Do you have luggage?”

“No.”

Her eyebrows raise slightly, but her professionalism takes over, and she nods. “The elevators are right around the corner, sir. Enjoy your stay.”

“We will.”

I knit my fingers through Millie’s. The elevator doors open as soon as I punch the up button, and I press my hand into the small of her back, ushering her inside. The second the doors close, she vents.

“Ciaran, what the hell are you doing? Over eight hundred dollars? For one night!”

I stab the button for our floor. “Stop talking.”

My mouth takes hers in a kiss that sets me on fire. She makes this noise at the back of her throat; a sexy, seductive rumble. My already-hard cock jerks. I almost come in my pants like a teenager having their first sexual experience, except I’m far from inexperienced. I may have given my heart to Millie all those years ago, but I’ve had my share of sexual encounters. And those skills I mastered with women I liked but knew there’d never be a future with? Yeah, I’m about to put them to good use.

The elevator pings, and the doors open. Our suite is at the end of the hallway. I insert the key card.

You’d better fucking work.

The lock beeps, and a green dot flashes. I open the door and flick on the lights, casting a warm, buttery glow across the room. I tug Millie inside, then discreetly slip the Do Not Disturb sign on the door. Anxiety floods my abdomen—the sight of the king-size bed with Millie standing next to it bringing home the realization that the moment I’ve longed for my whole life is finally here.

Millie sets her purse on the nightstand—right-hand side of the bed. Noted—then she turns to face me with short, jerky movements, biting at her bottom lip.

Looks like I’m not the only one feeling anxious.

I crook my finger. “Come here.”

She does as I ask, and the moment I put my arms around her, all my fears evaporate. This is where I’m supposed to be. Right here, in this moment, with her.

“Are you sure?” I ask, praying she says yes, but prepared to take her home if it’s a no.

She leans back slightly, her soft-as-silk gaze on me. “I’m sure. Just scared and a little nervous.”

I relax into a smile, loving her honesty. “That’s understandable. First times with anyone are hard.”

“That’s just it. I’ve only had one first time, and that was with Tanner.”

Jealousy licks at my insides. I can’t change her past, but I can damn well make sure all her future firsts are with me. I cup her cheeks and angle her head, my eyes burning through hers as I bend down. The minute I capture her mouth, I’m lost.

A low groan eases from my throat when our tongues meet, and I slide my hands slowly down her waist, over her hips, where I grip the material of her dress and tug it upward. My fingers capture the hem, and I break off our kiss to pull it over her head. My breath snags in my throat while my eyes rove over her like a starving man who’s been given the rarest, most delicious thing in the world to eat.

She shifts from one foot to the other, her gaze sliding away from mine. I lift her chin, encouraging her eyes back to mine.

“You’re every dream I ever had, wrapped up into one breathtaking package. You’re mine, Millie. You always were. It just took us a while to get here.”

Her mocha eyes darken, and she lets out a shuddering breath.

My fingers touch the first button on my shirt, but her trembling hand closes over mine, stopping me. “Can I? I need to be… active.”

Desire punches hard in my gut, even though I’m not sure what she means by that. She unfastens the first button, her delicate fingers skimming the bare skin underneath, and my thoughts scatter. I shudder as she works her way down until the two edges of material part. Her gaze is firmly on my chest when she slips the shirt from my shoulders and lets it fall to the floor. With the flat of her palms, she touches my pecs and begins to explore.

I let out a heavy breath and close my eyes. The warmth from her skin mingles with the heat from my body until I can’t tell where I end and she begins.

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