by Mara McQueen
She understood. She would’ve gone insane trapped for so long five million miles south of civilization. Even his occasional outings couldn’t have made up for the smothering loneliness this house made him endure.
The phone hadn’t rung even once while she’d been here, and since cell phones didn’t work—didn’t Kieran have any friends? Distant colleagues? Some form of social contact outside these four walls?
She cleared her throat and put on a brave smile, ignoring the raging urge to hug the misery out of him. “And you will too after I take it off your hands. You’ll be free to go wherever you like and do whatever you want.”
Kieran gave a mirthless laugh. “Free, sure.”
Olivia wanted to know more. But she was in no rush to open up. Kieran probably thought the same thing. Pressing the issue would overstep some boundaries she didn't know if she could cross.
“Well,” he said and clapped his hands together, startling Olivia out of her daze. “The business portion of our acquaintance is done, correct?
“I suppose so, yes,” she said slowly.
“Now you’re free to explore other options—professional and private.”
Two could play this game he so clearly wanted to win.
“Am I really?” Olivia asked with a coy smile, tapping her fingers on the armrest.
Kieran was so close, his scent alone made her toes curl. And she hadn’t thought he could possibly look any better than in a suit, but damn him, those dark jeans fit him perfectly—his body must’ve been magnificent. She wanted to make sure.
And she was woman enough to admit she’d wanted to do that since they had first met.
Kieran licked his lips. “Hmm. These options are extremely varied in nature—”
“You haven’t heard my plan,” Olivia said and met his eyes innocently.
Kieran raised his eyebrows. “Your... plan.”
“My sale plan.” Olivia straightened her back. One of the buttons on Addie’s blouse strained against the expensive, bunched-up fabric. “We glossed over a lot of details. I want to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into.”
“Your firm's contract is solid and I did my research before I called you,” he said and inclined his head, “As you may have noticed, the days at Bolton Manor are long and uneventful.”
“Very well.” Olivia nodded slowly, as he leaned in further. She raised her lips temptingly. When his breath ghosted across her cheek, she pulled back. “I really want to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into, though. Any questions?”
He narrowed his eyes playfully. “You like playing with me.”
“Not as much as you like my games.”
He bent down and grasped the back of the chair, trapping Olivia between leather and his hot body.
She gripped her seat; she was playing with fire and loving it. His eyes promised so many things, all of them wicked and exciting.
“We have more important matters to attend to.” He inhaled deeply, taking in her perfume. He closed his eyes. Good. Let her scent torture him for a change. “Don’t you agree?”
His voice sent shivers down Olivia’s spine, and her chest contracted almost painfully. Her breathing was already on the cusp of gasping and he hadn’t even touched her yet.
“Olivia,” he said and she inhaled sharply—he had never said her name like that before, so deep and raspy; and his accent made it all the more rousing. “I asked you a question.”
Exposed
Olivia saw her own desires and fears reflected in Kieran's hungry gaze, which had darkened deliciously.
The tightness of his jaw, the almost imperceptible frown, the slight parting of his lips—he needed her just as much as she needed him.
Doubts had no place here.
They were both adults, they were attracted to each other and would be spending a few more days in each other’s company.
Why not indulge? Why not taste the thrill, even for one night? Even for a few hours? Even for a moment?
She nodded, filled with the warmth of needing and being needed.
“Good.” A lazy smile spread over his face, his gaze taking her all in, from her wavy hair to her long legs.
When his eyes locked on hers again, they were filled with a resolve that both scared and elated Olivia.
Coming to Bolton Manor had been one of the best decisions of her life.
Kieran grasped her wrists and simply held them for a few seconds, brushing his thumb over her skin. Olivia frowned—he didn’t strike her as the taking-it-slow, let-me-learn-your-body, kisses-and-cuddles type. Their night in the tunnel proved that. Olivia squirmed under his intense gaze.
When a few more seconds passed, it finally clicked.
He was waiting for her to be sure she wanted this. Again. Olivia's heart fluttered—smart, funny, handsome, and endearing. And he was all hers right now.
She leaned forward, pushing her chest out. “Are you having second thoughts? I can go fix myself a cup of coffee while you think it over.”
He grinned and drew Olivia to her feet, and turned her around, pushing her against the desk’s edge. God, yes.
As patient as he had been earlier, he wasted no time in claiming her lips. He let go of her hands in favor of trailing her hips and waist, gripping tightly and leaving her body wanting more.
Thrilling. Dizzying. Olivia wanted more.
She snaked her palms underneath his fitted T-shirt—one piece of fabric too many, as far as she was concerned. She wanted to match him touch for touch, lick for lick, and bite for bite. She pulled the zipper down as fast as the metal could slide, not stopping the kiss—it would take a cataclysm to make her back down.
Olivia leaned back, eliciting a growl from Kieran as she undressed him. The muscles on his chest and abdomen must’ve been carved by ancient gods. No human was this perfect. He was a sinful, delicious sight.
And, oh heavens, was that a tattoo? Starting from his forearm, and snaking its way to his shoulder blade, the marvelous design coiled itself onto his skin.
Olivia wanted to study it, touch it, run her tongue down its edges.
“My turn,” he whispered against her lips.
As Olivia tilted her chin up, wanting to taste his mouth again, Kieran crouched down.
She raised her brows. He smirked in response, sitting on his knees on the floor. She’d never seen a man in a sexier position. Her breath caught in her throat.
Without breaking eye contact, he flipped her trouser button open and pulled down her zipper achingly slow.
Like everybody else, Olivia had her own share of insecurities. While her body concerns didn’t rank up high, they still made the list. An image of the unattractive dimples on the back of her thighs flashed before her eyes, and Olivia had to struggle not to fidget. And the plain white underwear she had on left her feeling particularly un-frisky.
But Kieran didn’t seem to think so. He bit his lip as he pulled her trousers down, leaving a trail of light kisses down her legs as soon as her skin became visible.
He rose, lips going for her earlobe, catching it between his teeth gently. Olivia rested her head on his shoulder and sighed in satisfaction—one of her past boyfriends hadn’t been able to find that particular spot in all the months they had dated.
But the sharp edge of the desk digging into her back wouldn’t do. She raised herself on top of it, eliciting a hum of approval from Kieran, who was busy licking her neck and leaving small bites behind. Olivia hoped Addie’s bags of clothes contained a scarf or two; Mrs. Bolton would be horrified to see love bites.
She scraped her nails down his back. Kieran arched with a hiss. He was so unrestrained in his passion—the man didn’t care who saw or heard him. He lived the moment, letting go of everything else.
Olivia could learn a thing or two from him.
“That’s going to leave a mark,” he said huskily and took a step back. “Allow me to return the favor.”
Before Olivia could protest, he slumped in his chair, dragging
it forward until his shoulders were between her parted legs.
Oh. Good Lord, she was going to work herself into a frenzy just by staring at the man.
He kissed her knee, delving his tongue underneath it until a small moan escaped Olivia’s wet lips, while his hands occupied themselves with sliding off her underwear.
His eyes never left hers. So intent on creating a connection. So focused on her reactions. Every tremble of her lips, every shiver, every tension in her muscles—he watched it all unfold, witnessing how he was driving her crazy with need. It was one of the most sensuous things Olivia had ever experienced.
No chaste glances, fumbling against her, unsure of where to lay his hands. No. Kieran was irresistibly confident and precise.
He licked her right thigh further and further up, his hot breath sending shivers through her. When he finally reached her center, he took a deep breath, letting out a moan Olivia echoed with unrestrained need. “You smell amazing.”
The man wanted to make her crumble into an incoherent heap right there on his desk.
“Lean back,” he whispered against her.
Kieran placed a palm against her chest and pushed down until her back lay flat on the hard wood.
How did they manage to find the most uncomfortable surfaces? They were heading straight for a bed next time—if there would be one—a large body of water, or a silk cloud.
Kieran wasted no time in tasting her, licking every inch of heated skin until Olivia’s moans became so loud, she was sure someone would storm into the room.
She bit the heel of her palm and closed her eyes, lost above him.
The sounds incited Kieran further. He hoisted her leg up over his shoulder. He no longer looked at her, all of his attention focused on the little tiny spot that made Olivia’s body tremble with pleasure and want.
In all her twenty-five years, she had never known a man to be so attentive.
And so...God. It was the middle of the day, the drapes were drawn and the door unlocked. Where were the hesitant compliments whispered under the covers of a dark room? Where was the awkwardness of the first kiss?
Kieran embodied the exact opposite. Demanding, certain and in control. With his head bowed low, the muscles on his back taut, he was dominating the room and her senses.
Olivia longed to dig her fingers into his hair and pull him impossibly close but restrained herself. The man was on a mission to drive her insane and wasn't about to stop him.
So she grasped her blouse, her hair, the objects on his desk, longing to touch something. At one point, the phone landed on the floor with a loud bang, followed by the chess set. Who cared? All that mattered was him and her and whatever he was doing with those lips that made Olivia scream.
And then he stopped. The son of a bitch leaned back, licking his lips greedily and letting her leg fall down as he rose.
“I take it you enjoyed that,” Kieran said smugly, a little out of breath.
“Don’t you dare stop,” Olivia snapped with an indignant huff, propping herself up on her elbows.
Kieran laughed quietly. “Darling, I wouldn’t dream of it.”
He started unbuttoning his jeans. Olivia wanted to yank the damn thing off him, along with his boxers, and have him completely and gloriously naked before her.
Only that posed another problem. Olivia wanted to address it before she lost her mind completely, no matter the awkwardness.
“Condom,” she said quickly, her gaze still fixed on his amazing abs. Had he spent the last three months working out every single day? If so, she’d have to thank him after he shattered her world completely.
“Of course.” He opened a drawer, pushing items aside until he found the plastic square.
And as he shed the final barrier between his skin and her eyes, Kieran seemed even more at ease than before. Olivia envied him.
He covered her shaking body with his, splaying his hand at the base of her throat.
Everything stopped. The rush, the writhing, the burning want, they all halted, floating just out of reach.
Olivia took a shuddering breath; it all seemed very real all of a sudden. Him, her, them, hovering together right at the edge between reason and frenzy.
His thumb glided over her clavicle and for a moment simply stared into her eyes. His right hand grazed her cheek so gently, Olivia barely felt it. He lowered his head to hers, closing his eyes as he kissed her lips in a feathery caress, bringing her hurried thoughts to a halt.
The simple touch felt more intimate than anything they’d done. A kiss, nothing more.
A kiss like this could be her undoing.
The gentle moment broke as he torturously pushed himself inside her, their lips still connected, melding together in a whirl of want. Olivia took a deep breath and readjusted her hips to accommodate him—the man was certainly imposing in more than one way, stretching her emotions and her body to the edge.
She sighed happily. She felt safe and fulfilled.
“Breathe,” Kieran whispered against her lips—Olivia didn’t know if he was talking to her or to himself. He looked as lost in the sensation as her.
After a few moments of perfect stillness, Kieran propped himself up on one hand. Olivia ran her hands up and down his chest and back, pulling him impossibly close.
Cradling her in his arms, he carefully raised her upright with him. He nestled his head in the crook of her neck with a satisfied sigh and started moving inside her.
Exquisite. Beyond words.
He moved his hips slowly, torturously. And he knew how it was affecting her, the bastard, because his grin grew. Not to be outdone, she clenched legs around him, eliciting a growl of approval.
He moved against her hard enough to shake the desk, its legs scraping noisily on the wooden floor. Olivia was exhilarated. Rough, hard, harder. Yes. Make her feel.
Oh, how he liked to be in control. And, surprisingly, Olivia didn’t mind that—not one bit. But two could play this game.
“Sit down. Now,” she said between gasps and moans.
He didn’t reply. He just hoisted her up, took a shaky step back, and collapsed in the chair, with Olivia on top.
“Next time, we’ll find a place and stay there,” Kieran said, hugging her shaky body to his.
Yes, yes, yes. Next time. Definitely one spot. No moving out and about.
The new position pulled him in impossibly deeper. Resting her hands on his shoulders, Olivia gulped and raised herself on top of him, rocking back and forth, undulating the small of her back.
Kieran bit his lip and breathed in sharply. “You’re going to kill me.”
Olivia smiled and continued her pace. His hands dug into her soft flesh, helping her rise and fall. It didn’t take long for him to start thrusting upward, clenching his jaw at the sensation, and groaning loudly. The man didn’t have a bashful cell in him.
It was Olivia’s turn to rest her head on his shoulder, feeling the first promising shocks course through her body. Her rocking became shakier, her breath sharper, and her nails dug deeper into his flesh.
“Look at me,” he whispered.
Olivia wasn’t moving for anything in the world.
He tilted her chin up, thumb resting on her lips, and pulled her face up to his, their foreheads almost touching. “Don’t close your eyes.”
The power behind his words sent Olivia over the edge.
Her leg tightened, her chest caved in and she was gone, shaking with pleasure.
When she finally softened, Olivia crumpled against him, trying to find her breath, and was only distantly aware he groaned lowly into her hair, pulling her so hard against him, he sucked the air out of her lungs.
He looked exposed. Vulnerable. His eyes had lost that playful gleam, being replaced with a softness that Olivia found completely alien on him. The loneliness he had lived in and with was plain on his beautiful face. Olivia cradled his neck, resting her forehead on top of his.
They both sagged against the decadent leather, spent, sweaty, an
d satisfied.
Fake It
A few minutes passed in comfortable silence, Kieran and Olivia breathing onto each other’s skin in uneven gusts. His tattooed arm wandered up and down her back, drawing small circles on her spine.
Exhausted, Olivia shuffled closer to him, wanting to drain his body heat. That was the part she disliked about sex—how an inferno consumed her body, only to cool off immediately after. She had always insisted on staying indoors for it.
Freezing her ass off in a peaceful meadow was not something she ever wanted to experience.
“You’re cold,” Kieran said huskily and shielded her with his other arm. He nuzzled her neck, placing a chaste kiss below her ear.
His arms provided a much-needed comfort for Olivia, but if she stayed in the same position, her legs would cramp. And she needed a quick shower. “I should go.”
Olivia had absolutely no regrets about what had transpired. Only satisfaction that, for once, she had let herself enjoy a little guilty pleasure.
And what a pleasure it had been. Not the longest tryst of her life—one of her former boyfriends was a self-proclaimed marathon man who didn’t understand that long and monotonous wasn’t necessarily better—but very, very fulfilling.
Kieran rested his chin on top of her head and squeezed her tightly. “I thought you’d want to stay here until dinner.”
There was a deep longing in his voice. That loneliness he hid away was now fighting to be shown in whatever way it could.
He tensed slightly. How long had it been since he had touched another person so intimately? He had been stuck in the manor, caring for his sick grandmother for months, surrounded by the most unsettling characters.
Olivia embraced him tighter, tentatively moved her legs, stretching them as far as the tight space allowed. “That’s hours away.”
“For the rest of the world, yes. Nan wants to be ready in an hour. It’s her birthday week, after all.”
“Okay. But I hoped to find some books on the estate today." She ran her fingers down his chest. "I think I’ve been sidetracked enough.”
“You wound me,” Kieran said with an exaggerated sigh. Olivia jokingly pushed his shoulder. “But you’ve come to the right place, in more ways than one. I can get you anything you want.”
