Page 37 of Fearless

Yeah, should’ve realized all of that before I lost my ability to speak

There’s a wicked gleam in his eyes. “Comfy?”

“Mmmffmmmm,” I reply. And rather diplomatically, all considered.

“Hmm,” he says, exhaling his warm, sweet breath over my face as he stares at my mouth. “It suits you.”

But before I can even try and flutter my eyelashes at him, he’s gone.

* * *

Only when it’s time for another cigarette does he bring the photoshoot to an end. Somehow it’s too soon, because I’ve only just been able to convince myself that I’m going to seduce Cillian.

He comes over with a cigarette dangling from his mouth and sits next to me as he unbuckles the gag from the back of my head.

I work my jaw as he leans to the side to put it on the nightstand.

“Huh,” I murmur, as if to myself.

He doesn’t even look at me. Instead, he’s squinting through a coil of smoke, cigarette dangling from his lips as he uses both hands to start unbuckling the first restraint.

“Huh!” I say, a little louder.

“Just spit it out,” he mutters.

Not a man for subtleties, I guess. “It’s just weird, is all.”

He sighs, abandoning my restraint and leaning back to look at me. “What is?”

“How…empty…my mouth feels right now?” I attempt a coy little shoulder shrug, which is easier said than done with your wrists restrained.

Cillian studies me with slitted eyes. Then he leans across and crushes his cigarette out on the nightstand. “Is that so?” he says, as if he’s entirely uninterested in my answer.

He pulls a packet of mints out of his pocket and puts one in his mouth. Then, he takes another one and holds it in front of my lips.

I open for him, and he pops it in.

“Better?”

There’s the smallest fragment of a hint in his suggestion, butChrist. Is he being difficult on purpose? Does he know what I’m trying to do and willfully ignoring it, or is he really just blissfully ignorant?

I’m trying to think on my feet. I want to back out, because if I make it evenmoreobvious and he rejects meagain... I think I’ll lose my mind.

I shake my head, and heighten my voice a few notches. “It’s still missing something…”

Straight for the jugular. Surely?

His eyes search my face. Fuck knows what he’s looking for, but he leans across my body and pulls in closer to me as he tries to find it.

Sea green eyes focus on my mouth, so I bite down on my lower lip and look at his.

The closer he gets, the more I lower my lashes. His breath falls warm across my cheeks. He presses a firm kiss on my lips, and then pulls away just an inch.

“Better?”

When he speaks, I feel the rumble of his voice across my belly.

I nod my head, still holding my breath.

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