Page 9 of Whiskey & Witches

Tangling her fingers in that rich, raven-colored hair, she pulled him to her. Chest to chest. Lips a tease away. She closed her eyes and inhaled when his mouth met hers. His delicious scent reminded her of a delectable banana loaf, with hints of cinnamon and allspice—and he tasted even better.

How long their tongues danced in their lazy waltz, she had no idea. She got lost in the sweeping back and forth. The seductive give and take. Moaning into his mouth, she strained for more. Back pain be damned!

Carrick broke the kiss and nibbled little love bites along the left side of her jaw. She arched her neck to allow him access to her throat, celebrating the feel of his velvety-soft lips—so at odds with the man himself. He devoted his attention to the deep valley between her breasts, and Roisin gasped when he licked the skin there. She hadn’t been aware of him unbuttoning the top of her blouse, but she was all for it.

He leaned his body into hers and ran a hand underneath her shirt, lifting her bra enough to access her breast. As he cupped her and gently squeezed, as if familiarizing himself with the weight in his large hand, he met her gaze again.

Desire darkened those heart-stealing eyes of his, and Roisin thrilled to see it. Lowering his head, Carrick sucked her nipple through the aged material of her button-down top. Passion bested her, and the ache between her thighs became unbearable, mercilessly prodding her to do something about her long dry spell.

As one of those talented hands of his found its way past the waistband of her knickers, reason returned.

What the hell did she think she was doing?

Hadn’t she firmed her resolve and told herself she wouldn’t settle for scraps anymore only thirty or forty minutes ago? Not from him. Not from anybody. With a burning regret, she forced the words from between kiss-swollen lips. “Carrick, no.”

CHAPTER3

It took a pulse-pounding second or two, but Roisin’s rejection penetrated Carrick’s fevered brain. With great care, he withdrew and straightened her clothing. There was nothing he could do about the damp spot on her blouse. Neither would he feel guilty for giving in to temptation and kissing her. He’d wanted her for too long and Jaysus, did he miss her!

Rolling onto his back, he adjusted himself to allow more room for his erection and slowly blew out a breath. No was no, and he’d respect her wishes, but damned if he wouldn’t be a bit sulky about it.

“What’s with the blast of cold, pet? The signals you were giving were clear.”

“It’s hard to say no to you, Carrick, but this isn’t going to do either of us any good.”

“I beg to differ. It will do us both a great deal of good.” He turned his head to meet her searching gaze. “We’d both enjoy a hearty shag and be more relaxed for it.”

“Sure, if it were only about the physical. We both know what we shared was more. Once.”

He sat up and hooked his arms around his bent knees, clasping his hands together. Roisin was right, of course she was, but her response wasn’t any less galling. All these months without sex had made him a bit irritable.

“I’m sorry, Carrick.”

“Don’t apologize,” he snapped. With a deep inhale, he purposefully softened his expression. “A woman never has to feel bad for saying no. You know that.”

She nodded but didn’t look convinced, and Carrick hated the insecurity flowing from her.

“Ro? Has someone…” His mouth went dry. “Did someone… since…?”

“What? No!” She shook her head and swatted his bicep. “You know I’d cut off a man’s bollocks if he didn’t respect my wishes.”

Relief, swift and fierce, swept through him. She’d been hurt enough, both by him and the incident that scarred her. Because most of the town knew he sought her out without knowing the why of it, they treated her poorly, and he was constantly worried on her behalf. It was why he stopped back by today. The nagging feeling something was wrong wouldn’t leave him.

“Who were the boys, Roisin?”

“And didn’t I say I’d deal with it in my own time, Carrick? Let it go.”

“I’ll not stand around while others harm you. Don’t ask me to.” He frowned because she still hadn’t moved. “Your back’s seized again, hasn’t it?

“A little.”

Cursing under his breath, he lifted her into his arms. It cost her plenty to admit she was in pain, he had no doubt. The least he could do was see to her comfort.

“It’s not your job to take care of me, Carrick. Not anymore.”

“Look, I’ll not be havin’ this argument again. If I can make life easier for you without cost to Aeden, that’s what I’ll be doing.”

She went still, and he could feel the stiff tension in her body. With an internal sigh, he strode into the ramshackle cottage. The place was tiny and could use updating, but she’d made it quaint with her little touches here and there. Roisin knew how to transition brick and mortar to a home, using only bright curtains, a pot of flowers, and a heart full of love. He made a mental note to bring his toolbox back with him the next free time he had.

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