Page 30 of Tender Temptation

Cillian is waiting for me, beckoning me over. A smile stretches across his face when our eyes lock. His hard hat tips slightly over his wavy, dark hair, which has grown a bit since we met. It nearly touches the broad contours of his muscular shoulders. He wears jeans and a McGloughlin Construction logo-tee, an outfit identical to the one he wore on the night we met.

I’m so in love with this man, I can’t see straight. Dashing across the street, I leap into his arms.

“My God, you’re a vision.” Cillian catches me effortlessly, whirling me around before setting me on my feet. “You missed Brock, I was hoping to introduce you.”

“Some other time.” Cillian is willing to include me in his world and here I am—the asshole—keeping him separate and secret in mine.

My elation at seeing him comes crashing down to reality, but Cillian doesn’t notice. He takes my hand and guides me to a rickety, industrial contraption of metal and cables. “We’re heading up to the top floor. Don’t worry, this is safe.”

Inside, we’re pressed against each other. Cillian’s hand rests lightly on my back. His warm, reassuring touch always makes me feel more grounded, somehow. I wrap my arms around his waist and bury my face in his chest. Breathe him in. He smells like sunshine, the outdoors, and a bit of musk from working all day.

He kisses the top of my head as we ascend. “Are you okay? You seem off.”

“Yeah.” I nod against his pecs, though I’m far from okay. My mouth opens and closes like a fish several times, ready to spill everything, but no more words come out.

Then the doors jerk open and the expansive Seattle skyline surrounds us. The rooftop scene takes my breath away. Ispot a portable card table and a couple of folding chairs positioned on a platform overlooking the waterfront. “Cillian! What did you do?”

“Nothing much.” He winds his arm around my shoulder and walks me over to the setup. “I thought it would be nice to have a sunset picnic.”

He pulls out my chair and leans down for a kiss when I’m seated. My hands tremble slightly as I pull Cillian’s face closer, pressing my lips to his with a fervent, intense urgency. I’m desperate to savor this perfect moment because I’m afraid we won’t have many more.

We break apart and a tear spills down my cheek. “Thank you, baby. This is perfect. I’mtouched.”

“I’d do anything to make you happy, my sweet Ivy.” Oh, his eyes. Those intense, mesmerizing hazel pools flecked with green and gold find mine, warming me from the inside out.

I can’t do it.

“What are we celebrating?” I watch Cillian uncork a bottle of white wine and fill two plastic cups.

He pulls out two dishes of Alaskan king crab salad from the cooler. “I remember you mentioned you loved this.”

My favorite food. I mentioned it the night we met. My God, it never ceases to amaze how closely he listens to me. He cares about what I think. Goes out of his way to makeme happy.

I can’t lose this man. I will do whatever needs doing, but Iwill notlose him.

“Every day with you is better than the last.” I mask my turmoil with a smile. “I can’t believe you remembered. You make everything special, Cillian.”

“Well, I agree, at least about every day being better than the last.” He sits next to me and takes my hand. “You asked what we’re celebrating. Life, baby. Life. My company’s doing great. We’re final contenders in the biggest project yet and I’m pretty sure we’re going to get it. My family is doing well. But, none of this matters without you.You’rethe difference. You make everything better. My life was incomplete until we met. You’re my missing piece.”

Overwhelmed, I murmur, “Me?”

“Yes, you.” He takes my hand and kisses it. “You bring this…energy into my life. Being with you makes everything feel more intense, more vivid.”

Even though my lies are a lingering shadow that threaten this perfect moment, I’m not going to shatter the fragile joy we’ve found. “I feel the same.”

“Look, I know you’re heading to Stanford soon and we’ll need to navigate your weird family dynamic. I’ve also been worried about our age difference, and whether we’re in two different stages of our lives.” Cillian’s voice falters slightly, a hint of nerves he never usually displays. “The thing is, I’venever been more sure about something. I want you and I to be a real couple. Can we make this official?”

Tears prick my eyes, not from his words, but from shame of keeping the secret I can’t seem to spit out. “I want to. More than anything.”

“Then let’s make it happen” He gently wipes a tear from my cheek with his thumb. “Whatever obstacles come, we’ll face them.”

The sincerity in his voice makes my heart swell even as it aches with the weight of my unspoken truth. “I love you, Cillian. I hope it’s not too soon to tell you. I really mean it.”

Cillian’s eyes soften, surprise and warmth flood his features. He tugs me up from my seat and onto his lap. “Mo shíorghrá. I didn’t want to freak you out, but I love you too. I’ve never felt like this about anyone.”

Shifting so I’m straddling him, with my skirt billowing around us, Cillian’s thick, hard cock presses against my core. I slip my hands under his shirt and glide my palms up his muscled chest and back down to the waistband of his jeans. “I want you. Now.Please…”

“Yes.” His fingers find my pussy and I roll my hips so he can pull my panties to the side. “How perfect would this night be if we come at the same time while the sun is setting?”

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