Taking Risk Series

by Toni Aleo

  I laugh as I lean down, bracing my hands on her knees, which results in my being closer than I can handle. Her eyes are dark, swirling with want, and when her pink tongue comes out, wetting her plump lips, I almost groan loudly. “Instead of begging, you could just be patient,” I suggest, my lips itching to be on hers.

  “Yeah,” she says breathlessly, “but I’m not very good at being patient when I want something.”

  Yup, my dick is so hard that it hurts. Swallowing again, I lean toward her. My heart is pounding, and my knees feel like at any moment they could give out. As much as I want to get lost in her luscious lips, I know I want to wait until the moment she’ll remember forever. Going for the side of her mouth, I grin before pursing my own lips to meet at the sweet spot where a dimple lays, but before I can, she turns her head, meeting her lips to mine. Heat explodes everywhere, and I can’t breathe. Fuck, there is no stopping me now. Her lips are as soft as I imagined, plump, and taste sweet like her. Pulling back, I stand up, reaching for her before she can say anything, to set her to her feet. Her eyes are locked on mine, and when I drop my mouth to hers, she gasps as I try to deepen the kiss, running my tongue along her bottom lip, hoping for entrance.

  Thank God, she gives it to me.

  Pushing my tongue in her mouth to play with hers, my fingers bite into her hips as I bring her closer to me. I want her to know her little game just turned into something bigger. When her hands run up my chest and lock behind my neck, I groan against her lips at the mere pleasure of her sweet hands on bare skin. This has to stop before I do something that neither of us is ready for. Pulling my lips from hers, I inhale deeply as my eyes lock with hers. Her face is flush, her lips swollen, and fuck, she looks so damn edible.

  “Whoa,” she breathes, her breasts touching my chest as she takes long pulls of air.

  I nod in complete agreement. With that kiss, I was supposed to blow her away, but I’m the one who is having a hard time breathing. “Told ya to wait.”

  She laughs. “No way, that was perfect.”

  I smile, leaning my head against hers. “And to think, it’s only the start of our date.”

  “Well, damn, this is gonna be some date then, huh?”

  I nod as I lace my fingers with hers. “Damn right, it is.”

  Pulling her to me again, I brush my lips on hers and smile. “I’m more than likely going to do that more often than needed.”

  She grins as she goes up on her tippy toes, placing a small kiss on my lips. “And I’ll more than likely enjoy it each time.”

  Running my nose along hers, the thought of staying in the car and making out the whole time seems like Plan C, but I think I owe her more than that. So, pulling way, I kiss her knuckles before pulling her toward my car. “I better take you on this date.”

  “Yeah, before we end up making out in your car the whole time, huh?”

  I nod. “Exactly.”

  Chapter 15

  Amberlyn

  Declan makes my heart race.

  Like seriously. This feeling is new and exhilarating. It has me grinning so hard that I’m afraid my face will stay like this permanently, but then I am okay with that because he put it there. We haven’t said anything since the “knock you on the ass” kiss he gave me. I mean, words can’t describe the way he rocked my world. My heart is still pounding in my chest. My lips are still tingling, and my body is humming with awareness for him. I want to reach out, cup his neck with my hand, and slowly trace the veins in his neck with my thumb.

  It’s been two days since the night we sat on the dock and spilled our souls to each other. Since that moment though, I’ve never felt so free in my life. Declan is honestly the best listener in the world and makes me feel safe when I’m with him. Since leaving me that night with only a kiss to my palm, I’ve thought of him constantly. When he would text me, I’d get this grin on my face and then do this disgusting, girly giggle before answering him back just as fast as I could. Nothing matters but texting him back and waiting for his reply. It’s pathetic, but it is what it is. I can’t help it. I’ve never felt like this before.

  Like I’m flying.

  With a content grin on my face, I reach out, lacing my fingers with his. When he squeezes my hand and sends me a wink, I’m breathless. He looks good every day, but after that kiss, he looks hot. Like superhot. He has that damn beanie on, but his eyes are dark, his lips puffy from our kiss. He’s wearing a thin, white tee with a grey striped one over it with fitted jeans. When he glances over at me, a smile pulls at his lips, and his eyes are radiant as they hold mine for a split second before looking back out at the road. He makes me feel so warm, from the inside out. I tried to explain it to Fiona, but she was too busy gushing over the almost kiss and how silly I was to wait for one. She was the one who suggested I just do it. I have to admit I am buying her a gift card to the tanning place tomorrow because her idea was spot-on.

  I don’t know where we are going, and to be honest, I don’t care. I sit contentedly in the car as we drive down the weaving roads along the countryside. When we come to the large gate that surrounds his property, I wonder if we are going back to the dock. That’s fine with me, I love it there, but instead of taking the road to the pond, he takes another one, and soon we are lost in the lush greenery of his land. It’s spectacular, and I can’t wait to see the main house, or anything for that matter. Declan promised to take me on a tour of the distillery, and I wonder if that is what we are doing. When we pull up next to a large barn, I peer out the window, in awe of the massive building.

  “That’s a big barn.”

  He smiles as he gets out, grabbing a bag out of the back before coming around to help me out of the car. “Yeah, we only have about an hour and a half before it gets dark, so let’s get Cathmor and get going. Do you have a problem riding in the dark? We might have to after we eat.”

  “Oh, we are riding?”

  He nods before glancing down at my feet. I know he is thinking the same thing I am since I am wearing flip-flops. “Yeah, I forgot to tell you to get boots or something since you basically pulled me out of the pub and devoured me,” he says before winking at me. “But I’m sure you can fit in Lena’s boots.”

  “Okay,” I say, but then he looks back at me, his brows together.

  “That’s okay, yeah?”

  I nod my head earnestly. “Yes, of course, I’m excited. The last time I rode, though, was before my mom got sick, so it might take some getting used to.”

  He smiles, his eyes filling with compassion as he laces his fingers with mine. “It’s like riding a bike. Come on.”

  I go willingly, and when we enter the barn, I am completely astonished. It is state of the art and the poshest barn I’ve ever seen. There are about six horses, all tucked in their little living quarters. Their stalls are bigger than my room, big troughs are full of fresh veggies, and then there is one with water. It’s so nice that even I wouldn’t mind living here.

  When a pair of boots and socks appears in front of me, I reach for them before smiling up at Declan. He’s gushing with excitement, and it fuels my own. Dropping the boots, I lean over to slide the socks and then boots on. When I stand, I am pleased they fit.

  “Good?” he asks.

  I nod. “Perfect fit.”

  “Awesome, okay, let’s go,” he says, leading me down to a stall that holds a gorgeous, white mare. I smile when she comes toward me, running her nose along my face for a kiss. My mom loved horses, said when she was younger she wanted to own a billion of them and love each one. She never got the chance, but that didn’t mean we didn’t ride a lot. Those were some of my favorite memories. We’d all pack lunches, go rent some horses, and spend the day riding before having a nice lunch by the lake. It was fun. With my throat tight, I look over at Declan to catch him watching me.

  “You okay?”

  I nod. “Sure.”

  “We don’t have to ride. We can go somewhere else if you like.”

  I shake my head. “No, it’s n
ot that. I did this with my mom and dad a lot. I was just thinking of them.”

  “Oh, that’s awesome,” he says before wrapping an arm around my shoulders. He brings me in close before placing his lips on my temple.

  “Yeah, it was.”

  He moves his nose against my temple, and my eyes drift closed. He feels so good against me, and I never want him to stop touching me. I don’t get what I want because he pulls away, opening the gate and letting the white horse out. Suddenly, three people are around the horse, getting her ready to ride as Declan looks back at me. “This is Belle, Lena’s horse. She’s a good girl, huh, Belle? So pretty.”

  I reach out, running my fingers along her silky skin. “Hi, Belle.”

  She lets out a happy horse noise, and Declan grins back at me. “She likes you.” When he reaches for me, I gasp as he brings me in close. “So do I,” he whispers against my lips. Before I can smile, his mouth is on mine, and I swear it’s heaven being kissed by this man. When I hear someone clear their throat, I pull away. I can’t believe I forgot that three people were in the room with us.

  “Mr. O’Callaghan, do you want us to suit up Cathmor too?” one of them says, and Declan nods.

  “Yes, please, thank you,” he says it so sternly, but when he turns, there is a smile on his face. “So you know how to get on, right?”

  I laugh as I go around Belle, reaching for the saddle to pull myself up. “I have a feeling you just want an excuse to touch my ass.”

  Declan’s cheeks warm with color before setting me with a look. “You’re on to my master plan, I see.”

  “I am.”

  He laughs. “Are you sure you can get up there?”

  I send him a look that tells him not to doubt me before pulling myself up and settling into the saddle. I give him a smirk, and he laughs.

  “Okay then,” he laughs before walking over to where his horse waits for him.

  “Is that all, Mr. O’Callaghan?” the same one from before asks. He is an older man, while the two other men are young, my age even.

  Declan nods. “Yes, thank you.”

  “Thank you,” I say, and then they all look up at me. They look so shocked that I thanked them, but soon they are smiling at me.

  “Sure thing, ma’am. Have a nice ride.”

  I smile just as Declan says, “Ayea, Cathmor.”

  His beast of a horse starts out the door, and I guess Belle is used to following because she does just that. Soon the warm, setting sun is shining on us as I follow Declan away from the barn. It’s so beautiful out here. Don’t get me wrong, I love my aunt’s land, but Declan’s is awe-inspiring. It’s so beautiful with lush greenery and big trees that cover most of the grounds. The lake is off in the distance, and I love the way it looks with the sun setting along it. I can see the massive castle, too, with smaller castles behind it. It’s an intimidating thing, seeing all this, but when Declan’s eyes meet mine, none of it matters.

  All that matters is him.

  When we are a good distance, he looks back at me again, sending me a grin before clucking his tongue at Belle. She trots toward him, and he grabs the reins to stop her beside him and Cathmor. “Ready to ride? Belle is fast.”

  “Sure,” I nod, my heart racing a bit from the adrenaline coursing through my veins. It feels great with this beast beneath me, but I’m nervous to ride her to full power.

  He laughs. “You don’t look ready, mo stór.”

  My brow goes up. “Did you just call me a store?”

  He shakes his head, chuckling before he reaches for my hand, bringing me close to him. “No, never, it’s something my da calls my ma. It’s Irish.”

  That sends chills down my spine. Leaning closer, I run my nose along his, squeezing Belle with my thighs to stay on. “What does it mean?”

  He cups my chin and smiles, his eyes holding mine. “My treasure.”

  Yup, warm and fuzzies go nuts inside me as I get lost in his eyes. As he presses his lips to mine, I close my eyes and think how freaking romantic this is. The sun is setting, and I’m on horseback with a freaking prince. How the hell does this happen to someone like me? Pulling away, Declan kisses my nose before letting me go. We share a smile before he says, “Right then, let’s go.”

  I nod as excitement fills me. Declan hollers something, and then Cathmor is off. The next thing I know, Belle is racing through the countryside right along with him. Breathless, I hold on tightly, my hair flying as the wind whips me in the face. I know I’ll have crazy hair once we stop, but I don’t care. This is exhilarating! He was right when he said it would be like riding a bike; it is, and I love every second of it. We cut around the pond, riding fast, and soon I pull ahead, but only for a second before Declan cuts me off, sending me a grin before kicking Cathmor to go faster. I kick Belle and she digs in, hauling ass as we race for what seems like hours.

  When Declan slows down a bit, I pull the reins, having Belle do the same. We are trotting alongside each other when Declan asks, “Fun?”

  I quickly nod. “Blast.”

  “Great, she’s fast, huh? You’re a good rider.”

  I smile. “Thank you. Yes, she’s beautiful.”

  “She makes Lena nervous. She’s more of a Barbie doll, our Lena is, so I usually take Belle out since she won’t.”

  “That’s too bad. She’s beautiful.”

  He nods in agreement before asking, “You ready to eat?”

  My stomach picks that moment to rumble, and I smile. “Yeah, I’m starved.”

  When we stop at a little, rock garden-type thing, Declan dismounts Cathmor before coming over to help me. My feet hit the ground and then I am wrapped up in his arms, his mouth moving against mine. I hold on tightly to him, basking in the feel of his lips on mine. When he parts from me, he kisses me one last time before saying, “I have to admit, Amberlyn, you look fuckin’ hot on that horse.”

  I giggle as my face goes hot. “So do you.”

  He winks at me before backing away, taking my hand in his. Once settled on the grass between all kinds of rocks with our subs, chips, and of course, a beer, we enjoy our dinner before I say, “This is fun.”

  “Good,” he says with a nod. “I was hoping you’d enjoy it.”

  I send him a grin before taking a big bite of my sub. After swallowing the bite, I ask, “How was work?”

  His face changes then as he shrugs. “It was work. I actually got in trouble for texting you today during the meeting.”

  I laugh as I reach over, swatting at his arm playfully. “Don’t do that!”

  He nods. “Oh, I won’t be doing that anymore, but my da knows about you now.”

  That stops me mid-bite. “He does?”

  “Yeah, we were on a blog, I guess, and he did a background check on you, not to freak you out or anything.”

  I roll my eyes. “’Cause getting a background check done on me without any notice isn’t going to freak me out, right?”

  He smirks at me. “Right.”

  I shake my head, biting into my lip before asking, “What did you tell him?”

  “That you are the most beautiful woman ever and to mind his business.”

  I grin, my heart fluttering in my chest. “Well, that was nice.”

  His eyes are dark as he nods. “It’s the truth.”

  Grinning, I take a bite before looking around us. I wonder what his dad found? It makes me nervous. I don’t know why, but it does. Declan doesn’t seem affected by it, so maybe I shouldn’t be either. No big deal, right? Trying to let it go, I enjoy my dinner.

  “Do you miss the States?”

  I look up at him and shrug. “No, yeah, I don’t know. Sometimes I do. I’m actually really happy here except for one thing, that is.”

  He looks up questioningly. “What?”

  “Goober. I can’t find it anywhere in this damn country.”

  He looks at me, confused. “What the hell is Goober?”

  I laugh. “It’s like strawberry jelly and peanut butter mixed together i
n one jar. It’s my favorite. If I’d known you guys didn’t carry it here, I would have smuggled some in.”

  “That’s disgusting! One jar?”

  “Yes! It’s the most amazing thing ever.”

  He laughs from the gut before shaking his head. “If you say so.”

  “I do!” I exclaim, throwing a chip at him, which he catches in his mouth. I glare before popping one in my mouth as he just continues to laugh. It’s a euphoric noise, one that curls my toes and has me giggling along with him. He is so beautiful like this. I feel free, and I hope he feels it, too, because as I watch him, my nerve endings tingle and my heart races. Something is happening here, and I might not know what it is, but I like it.

  A lot.

  * * *

  “I’m pissed at Kane.”

  I look over at where Fiona is furiously cleaning the bar. Her face is red, along with her limbs, and her lip is curled up in frustration.

  “I would have never known that by the way you threw your phone across the bar,” I say, but then wish I hadn’t when she sets me with a look.

  “He’s a fuckin’ eejit, I tell ya! We’ve been dating for what…almost three weeks, no, a month maybe, and this dude won’t admit that we are together! He says don’t rush him. I’m about to fuckin’ kick him, is what I’m gonna do.”

  Running my fingers through my hair, I hate that I don’t know what to say as my fingers get tangled in it. “Yeah, I don’t know. Fiona? Does he give a reason?”

  “No, just that I don’t need to rush things, but I like him, thought he liked me, so doesn’t that mean we are together? I mean, shit.”

  “Yeah, I agree,” I say. Inside, I am thankful that I’m not in the predicament she is in. Declan has made it known that he likes me. I mean, we are only dating, but if I did want to commit to something, then at least I know he’d be all for it. The night before is still playing over and over again in my head, just like all the times I have spent with him do. We spent the night kissing and cuddling under the stars before riding back to the barn. He then took me home, walked me to the front door, kissed me thoroughly, and then left, promising to text me once he was home. And he did. It was perfect. God, I’m crushing bad on him.