She blushed as he pulled her upright again. “When did you want to go out? What are we going to do?”
He had no plans on waiting. “Right now. Let’s go.”
“What? I can’t right now. I’ve got the shop to take care of.” She gestured around them at the store. “Plus, I need to find a babysitter for Shea if it’s going to be in the evening, which isn’t an easy task.”
Kieran shrugged as he began walking toward the front door. “It’s almost closing time now, Fi. My mom is great with Shea; you know Shea’s already comfortable with her. Plus, I already asked her if she’d watch her tonight, and she said yes.”
He flipped the sign on her front door from OPEN to CLOSED as she gaped at him. “Really? I’m always there for bedtime, though. And the store—what if a customer comes in? I can’t lose any more business.”
“Fi, it’s one night. You’ve got to just let go every once in a while. If you keep looking for reasons not to do this, you’ll keep finding them.”
Looking around her empty shop with a mixture of apprehension and excitement, he watched her nod in agreement and empty the register, taking what little cash she had into the back office, where he assumed she had a safe. Finally, she grabbed her keys and purse and joined him at the door. As he stepped out onto the sidewalk, he waited for her to finish turning off the lights and locking the door behind them.
“Hold on, I can’t do this.” Fiona paused, keys dangling from her fingers as she looked to him.
Kieran sighed, shaking his head in frustration. “Why not?”
“I don’t mean I can’t go out tonight, I mean I have to put Shea to bed. Her bedtime is in an hour. Can’t we just go back to your parents’ house for a bit and leave after she goes to sleep? I’m with her every night. Everything has been so hectic lately…I’d be too worried about changing up her routine like this to ever enjoy a night out.”
“Of course we can.” Kieran smiled, relieved that she still wanted to go out with him, and touched that she was so attentive to her sister. He helped her into the passenger’s seat of his car before climbing into the driver’s seat himself.
“Where are we going after?” she asked, pulling on her seatbelt.
He wiggled his brows at her. “You’ll see.”
“Am I dressed okay for it? I’m pretty casual right now. I could change when we get back to your parents’ house.” He glanced over and found her nibbling on the corner of her lips again, causing his whole body to ache in response.
“You’re perfect,” he assured her, squeezing her knee and letting his hand linger against her skin.
“You really think that, don’t you?” She said it as if it were a question, but he could tell it wasn’t. Her tone was sad, full of a grief he couldn’t identify. “You don’t think I’ve got just as many problems as everyone else?”
“Everyone has problems, but not everyone reacts to them the way you do. You not only defeat your problems head-on, but you help others carry theirs. So yes, I think you’re perfect, Fiona.”
She didn’t say anything during the rest of the short drive to the Kavanaghs’. True to her word, Fiona helped Shea with her bedtime routine, read with her for a bit, and then sat with her until she fell asleep. She even told Shea ahead of time that if she woke up and Fiona wasn’t there, Dee would be right down the hall to help her, and Shea seemed fine with that.
Once Fiona’s anxieties were calmed and her sister was asleep, Fiona seemed like a different person. Her shoulders relaxed, her smile came easy, and she even held his hand as they walked back out to the car. Her heart was shining through that smile, and he wondered how one woman could love so much.
He helped her into the passenger’s seat for a second time, and a few minutes later they were pulling up to a brightly lit building. Entering the valet area, Kieran stepped out and handed his keys to the young man in a vest before coming around and opening the door for Fiona.
“Where are we?” she asked, looking around at the unidentified building facade.
He wiggled his brows a second time, not letting her in on the mystery yet. “You’ll see.”
She eyed the building as she stepped onto the sidewalk. “It looks weirdly plain and energetic at the same time.”
“Judging a book by its cover means you’ll miss out on the beautiful pages inside.” He kissed the back of her hand.
“That’s true. Some of my favorite flowers aren’t anything special to look at, but they smell exceptional.”
“Lucky for you, flower girl, you’re special to look at. Plus, you smell amazing.” He took an exaggerated sniff as he wrapped an arm around her and pressed his nose into her hair. She laughed and batted him away.
—
Pulling open the metal door, Kieran led Fiona from the dark, quiet street into a bustling, bright interior. She saw him give her a sideways glance, watching her face react to the pulsing lights and pumping music.
“We’re going dancing? That’s the big surprise?” Fiona raised one brow, her voice teasing. She did enjoy dancing, but it’s not something she’d had the time to do since before Shea had moved in with her.
“We’re not just going dancing.” He grinned, waving dramatically toward the room.
Fiona followed his prompt and took another look around. The entrance she was standing in was higher than the rest of the room, enabling her to look out across the entire place. Along the length of one whole wall was a bar, while the opposite wall was done all in mirrors, making the place look much larger than it really was. In between, a packed crowd of people congregated on a dance floor, moving to the music. Behind them, something entirely different was happening.
A large crowd of people were moving clockwise on what she realized was a giant track. Everyone was on roller skates. They all had brightly colored skates and scantily clad bodies, and were dancing and twirling as they skated.
“Are we going skating?” Fiona grinned, clasping her hands together.
“Yup,” he confirmed, smiling as he pulled her down the stairs and they made their way over to the bar. “Have you ever skated before?”
“In middle school, but it’s been a while,” Fiona admitted, still smiling widely. “I’m not sure I’ll still know how. What if I fall and embarrass myself in front of you?”
“I’d never let you get hurt.” He kissed her temple as they finally reached the bar, then paused to whisper in her ear. “Although I really hope you’ll fall, Fi. I hope we both will.”
She felt a shiver travel through her at his words and searched his eyes for meaning. His darkened gaze told her he was talking about a lot more than skating, and she desperately wanted to believe him.
“Kieran,” she started nervously, unsure what to say.
He smirked, one corner of his lips tilting up as he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against his side. “Relax, Fi. Let’s just have some fun. What do you want to drink?”
“Cranberry juice and vodka, with a splash of ginger ale,” she said, glad to be talking about something easier. That had always been her go-to drink; it had enough booze to make her tipsy but didn’t taste like rubbing alcohol going down.
“Similar to Nora,” he commented, then placed her order at the bar along with a Coke for himself.
Fiona’s skin prickled, and she found herself uncomfortable with the idea of Kieran going out with Nora, or anyone else. She tried to push the thought away; after all, she’d known him for only a week. They weren’t exclusive, technically speaking; this was still their first date, so she didn’t have any right to tell him who he could and couldn’t go out with.
The bartender returned with the drinks; Kieran handed Fiona hers and guided her toward the track.
“How do you know what Nora drinks?” Fiona asked, trying not to sound as jealous as she felt. Am I jealous?
“Is that jealousy I hear?” He smiled wider than before, echoing her very thoughts.
“Of course not,” she scoffed. “I was just curious. She’s my best friend after all.�
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“Is that so?” He laced his fingers with hers and pulled her into his arms at the edge of the track, only a half wall between them and the skaters. “So if I were to go out with Nora, you wouldn’t mind one bit?”
Fiona blinked rapidly, taken aback at the possibility. Recovering as best as she could, she just shrugged. “You’re a grown man—do what you want.”
“I don’t know if you want to tell me to do what I want, Fi.” He pressed his hips into hers and growled in her ear. “If I do what I want, it’s going to be you.”
“Oh.” She gulped, trying to keep from falling over at the thought of him…and her…and that. She turned around to face the skaters in hopes of gaining some distance, sipping the drink still in her hand, but instead, he pulled her rear into his pelvis with his one free hand. There was nothing distant about it, about him. His length pressed into her back, and it was all she could do to not grind against him as an ache settled between her legs.
Music pumped through the air, and those who weren’t skating were dancing. He swayed side to side, pulling her into a dance with him, and she felt every bit of him pressing against her with the beat. Taking a few quick gulps of her drink, she welcomed the dizzying sensation as it pulled her away from the here and now: the here being pushed against his very hard body; the now being every unspoken thought between them. Every promise his body was making, every sensation she wanted to say yes to.
“Fi, do you feel that?” he whispered in her ear, pushing her hair off her shoulder as his hands circled her waist and she leaned backward into his chest.
“Feel what?” she pretended, blushing for the umpteenth time today.
He gulped down the rest of his soda and dropped it on a server’s tray as one went by, and she quickly finished her drink and did the same. He moved his hands to her hips, gripping her tightly, and pressed himself against her bottom firmly. She gasped audibly, surprised at both the forceful motion and how much she wanted more.
And she definitely wanted more.
“Kieran, we shouldn’t,” she breathed, arching her back into him. All of him. Her mind battled her body, contradicting her at every step. She glanced around wild-eyed, but no one noticed. To anyone else, it just looked like they were dancing closely together. To Fiona, it felt like everything.
Turning her around, he pulled her hips back against him, and she rested her hands on his chest. Capturing her lips with his, she felt his tongue begging her to open up to him. Hesitating only for moment, she obliged as every part of their bodies tangled together and moved to the music. Cradling her chin in his fingers, he lifted her face so he could delve deeper, taste more. Her hands moved up around his neck, holding on tightly as she felt her knees wobble and weaken.
“There’s nothing we shouldn’t do, flower girl,” he told her between twisted tongues, barely audible over the music. “Give yourself a chance to be young, to relax, to enjoy being wanted. And believe me when I tell you, Fi, you’re wanted.”
“But…” she started.
“No buts. Come with me.” He pulled away, taking her hand and leading her past the dance floor and around to the entrance to the track. They came up to a man sitting at a large booth against the far wall with shelves of skates behind him. Kieran pulled out his wallet, offering a few bills to the man, and they both told him their shoe size. In turn, the man took their shoes and gave them their receipt and matching skates before directing them to a small group of benches where they could sit and lace up.
Kieran didn’t hesitate, grabbing a seat and pulling the roller skates onto his feet. She followed suit, and a few minutes later they were standing at the entrance to the roller rink and ready to go.
Smiling nervously, she took his hand and entered the rink behind him. Skaters moving at all speeds instantly surrounded them; some were whizzing past, and others seemed to be on a slow stroll. She wobbled for a moment but quickly got used to her new wheels as she clutched the back of his shirt and followed him.
Music pulsed with the lights and people were clearly dancing along, even while on skates. Some spun in circles, others went in zigzagging patterns, and some just held hands and danced around the rink. Kieran turned around to face her, skating backward as he took both of her hands in his. The moment she saw his smile, all the details around them were forgotten. She just wanted to explore the depths of him tonight, no matter where they were.
“This is crazy.” She grinned as they curved around the first turn, and he somehow dodged everyone else, despite not looking forward.
“You need a little crazy in your life.”
He pulled her into his side as he faced forward again, his arm firmly around her back. She clung to him tightly in an attempt to keep from falling or being run over. He was much taller than her, even though she was a far cry from short, so her arms sat much lower on his torso than his did on hers.
“Something tells me you’ll be more than enough to fill my crazy quota,” she teased him.
His eyes darkened as he glanced down at her, reflecting the glistening lights surrounding them. The vibrant colors and the pulsing lights on the ceiling above them perfectly mimicked the explosion in her heart when she looked at him.
They were in their own little paradise, hidden from everyone, thanks to the thick throng of skaters surrounding them. He pulled her to the side, and they made their way to the wall of the rink before he turned her around to face him. They were secured in a corner, where few people would pay them attention.
“What are you doing to me, Fi?” he asked, watching her lips for a moment, and she was unable to restrain herself any longer.
He stepped one leg between hers and pressed against her core, balancing them with his arms wrapped around her waist. She couldn’t think of all the reasons why she shouldn’t be out dancing—or, rather, skating—tonight, or all the responsibilities waiting at home for her. All she could think about was the taste of his lips on hers, so she gave in to what she wanted and kissed him.
He held back, apparently letting her take the initiative as he ran his hands up and down her back. He grabbed the wall behind them, pinning her there and steadying their footing as their skates threatened to slide out from under them. The music reached a crescendo and, with it, so did her confidence. Sliding her fingers through his short hair, she let him consume her as his tongue explored hers.
“We should slow down,” he told her as he pulled her hands from his hair and slid back slightly.
“Seriously? You’re saying that again?” She blinked in confusion, the sudden absence of his warm chest causing hers to grow cold. She wanted him against her…she wanted him in her.
“Any further, Fiona, and I won’t be able to stop myself from fucking you right here in front of all these people.” He lifted one brow, indicating the room around them.
Fiona’s cheeks flushed as she followed his gaze, taking in their surroundings. Her heart was pounding against her rib cage with every word, with the picture they painted.
“What if I don’t want you to stop yourself?” she said brazenly. His thigh still rested between hers, and she couldn’t stop herself from rubbing against it in a way that both heated and quenched the fire within her.
“Damn it, Fiona. Don’t say stuff like that, I’m having a hard enough time already. I’m trying to go slow with you, isn’t that what you wanted?”
She liked how irritated he seemed, since she knew it was because of how much he wanted her, how hard he was resisting. Knowing her body had done that to him excited her even more. “Maybe I’ve changed my mind.”
“About?” His dark blue eyes searched hers, a frenzied need behind them screaming to be released.
She took a deep breath. “Maybe I do want to date. Maybe I’ve spent my whole life working hard and never taking a moment for myself to enjoy life, then you came along and showed me I could. Maybe I want to take one night and not think about all the reasons why we shouldn’t, or all the responsibilities back home. Maybe I just want you.”
&nbs
p; “Fi, I’ve wanted you since the moment I first saw you,” he growled against the skin on her neck, causing a shiver to travel over every part of her. His lips found hers quickly, smothering the rest of her words as their mouths crushed together and she flung her arms back around his neck, holding him close.
She moaned at his words, panting with need. “I don’t know if I can wait. Maybe we should leave now…”
“Fi, don’t tempt me.” She shivered at his words, her mind racing with his implication.
He pulled away from her with a wicked grin, grabbing her hand and bringing her back into the middle of the rink.
“I promised you a night out, and that’s what we’re doing.”
“And after?” she asked, her skin still on fire.
He winked at her. “A night in, of course.”
—
Several hours later, Fiona’s arm was tightly secured around his waist as they walked up the steps to the apartment Kieran shared with his brother. She held on partly because of the drinks she’d consumed but also because of the nerves threatening to overtake her. It had been a long night of buildup, but it had been even longer since she’d been truly intimate with a man.
He unlocked the front door and quickly whisked her inside before anyone could spot them, peppering soft kisses on her neck and shoulders as he walked behind her and led her to his bedroom, his arms around her waist. It took only seconds to get there, then another second for the bedroom door to shut behind them, but it felt like forever as Fiona’s mind was on one thing only.
“Kieran,” she moaned, turning around and wrapping her arms around his neck the moment they had their privacy. “I can’t wait another minute.”
Not bothering to turn off the lights, he wasted no time hooking his fingers into her shorts and forcefully yanking them straight down to her feet. She gasped but quickly stepped out of them and followed his lead by dropping her panties next. His eyes darkened when he saw them fall, and he quickly tugged his own shirt over his head and dropped his jeans to the floor. She walked backward toward the bed, her eyes never leaving his as she slid out of her shirt, and then her bra.
Saving a Legend: A Kavanagh Legends Novel Page 14