“I’m on the top floor. Who would be looking in?”
Cord snapped out of it and pointed to the buildings across the square. “Anyone can look with binoculars at you, Maebh. It’s dangerous.”
Me eyes darted past him to the buildings. Wrapping me arms around me body I suddenly felt like people were staring. It was the first time I’d thought about the other buildings and people living over there.
“Shite.”
“Yeah, and I think that means shit.”
Me gaze darted back to him. “How did you get over here?”
He shrugged. “I walked across all the roofs. The little barrier walls are short so you can climb over them.”
I looked over and saw what he was talking about. “Why are you here and not with Tammy?”
Cord’s brows pulled tightly. “Tammy? Why would I be with Tammy?”
Me head dropped to the floor, and I shrugged. I was feeling silly for being upset. It wasn’t like Cord was mine.
I felt his body heat and looked up. Cord was standing directly in front of me.
“Why did you think I was with Tammy?” he softly asked.
“I overheard a couple girls who work for you. They said you went into your office with her to…you know.”
A slow smile made the corner of his mouth rise up in a sexy way. Me insides warmed when I should have been angry.
“You can stand and show me your naked body, but you can’t say something about sex. Why?”
There was no way I was going to tell Cord he made me a nervous wreck when it came to sex.
“They said she called you back to the bar for a nonexistent problem and that you both went into your office. Then they said she wanted to ride your cock and was making it her life’s goal.”
Cord’s eyes widened, and he took a few steps back. “What the fuck? Who said that?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know who they were, but they work for you.”
“That’s fucking bullshit. Tammy is a professional and nothing has or ever will happen between us.”
I was hoping me body didn’t let him know how happy I was with that statement.
Cord’s anger disappeared, and he took a few steps closer, making me take a few back.
“My sweet little Maebh. Were you jealous?”
With a scoff, I said, “First off, Mr. Parker, I’m not your little anything, and I wasn’t jealous. Hardly.”
“Then why did you lie and say you were with your father when you were really soaking in a bath?”
His eyes swept over me again. And I realized I was standing in front of him with wet hair and probably smeared makeup.
For feck’s sake. I groaned to meself for being so stupid.
His ocean blue eyes were looking into my green, and I felt like he was going to drown me with the intensity of his stare.
“I was…tired.”
His brow quirked. “Tired?”
“Yes.”
Cord took another step toward me. “Let me ask you something. If I told you the moment I saw your naked body I wanted to be inside you more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my entire life, would you believe me? Would it turn you on enough to do something about it?”
I swallowed hard and lifted my chin in defiance. I wasn’t going to let him get to me. “I’d say you were lying.”
“Why?” he asked, lifting his hand and brushing his fingers over the exposed area of me shoulder where me robe wasn’t all the way on. I gasped at his touch and fought to breathe. It appeared Cord had a similar reaction to our touch.
“I’m a simple girl. I see the women you’ve been with. I can’t compete with that level of your playing field when I’m not even at the same game as them.”
Cord frowned, a pained look moving across his face. “What?”
I took a step back into the room, breaking his contact with me. “I think you should leave, Cord.”
“Maebh, you’re nothing like those women.”
Tears filled my eyes as I looked back at him. “Please leave.”
He shook his head. “Wait, what I mean is you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”
“You only want me because you think you can’t have me. I’m a challenge.”
A slow smile appeared on his face. I held my breath realizing the mistake I’d just made.
“Why can’t I have you, Maebh? Do you not want me?”
Oh, shite. Why did he have to ask that?
“N-no.”
He took a step closer.
“Liar.”
Me chest heaved as Cord’s hands cupped me face. “I think you want me as much as I want you.”
I shook me head and was about to push him away when he slid his hands into me wet hair and pulled me head back slightly. I’d never had a man touch me in such an aggressive, yet sexy way. I liked it more than I wanted to admit.
“Knowing you’re naked under this robe is driving me fucking nuts. And what I saw under that robe in all of its beauty just a few moments ago is making me hard as stone.”
“Cord,” I panted, trying to get me senses back. It felt like the air was changing around us. It was warm and crackling with energy I’d never experienced before.
“I want to slip my hand under your robe and make you come on my fingers. Will you let me do that to you, agra?”
Me head dropped back and me eyes closed. Cord had said agra again. Was he calling me sweetheart or did he realize it also meant love? Me world spun, and I was beginning to lose whatever control I had left.
“Baby, will you let me touch you? I’m fucking dying to touch you. I need to touch you.”
When I felt his fingers on the top of my thigh, I jumped. He moved his fingers up, and I almost let him before I forced meself to wake up from the Cord-induced coma I was slipping into.
“No,” I whispered, and Cord stopped.
“No?” he asked, his voice pained.
Using what energy I had left, I placed my hands on his massive chest. I wanted to dig me fingers into his body, but I pushed him away slightly.
Cord took a few steps back and stared. Pained disbelief marred his features.
“I’m not like those women who let you shag them and walk away.”
“Maebh, I—”
Me eyes burned with tears. “I want a man who wants to court me. Who makes me feel like he wants me not only for me body, but for me heart as well.”
Me words choked out. Cord made me so emotional.
His eyes widened.
Me chin trembled. “You’re not that man. You want me because you can’t have me the way you normally do with other women.”
He took a step closer. “That’s not true.”
Cord looked panicked. I was telling him something he didn’t want to hear.
Me eyes filled with tears as the truth of how I felt about Cord hit me right in me heart. “I do want you, Cord, more than you know. But I wish you’d told me you wanted to kiss me…not fuck me with your fingers while I stand here at your mercy. I have no idea what you’ll do to me body, much less me heart, if I let you have your way with me.”
His eyes closed while his head dropped. He took a few deep breaths before looking at me.
“Fuck, Maebh. I’m not used to feeling this way about a woman. I don’t know how to court someone. I’ve never dated a girl before, and this is confusing as fuck.”
I wiped me tears away, and he stood, probably as close as he thought I’d let him stand.
“Christ, please don’t cry. I didn’t mean to make you feel that way. I’d never want to make you cry. Ever. You drive me so fucking crazy with these feelings. I think I’m losing my mind.”
A small laugh slipped from me lips as Cord rested his forehead against mine.
“I don’t mean to drive you crazy,” I whispered.
He barely smiled. “I know you don’t, but you do and I don’t think you even realize it.”
Lifting me arms, I wrapped them around his neck, letting our bodies press together.
> “You scare me, Cord Parker.”
Cord drew in a deep breath and replied, “You scare me a helluva lot more, Maebh O’ Sullivan.”
The moment she wrapped her arms around me, I nearly died. She was naked under her robe, and she had no idea how close I was to pulling that robe open and showing her exactly how insane I was for her. I’d never wanted a woman like this before. And it wasn’t just wanting to fuck her and then stroll on back to my place. I wanted to make love to her. Slowly. Learn every single thing that made her body come to life. Make her come in more ways than she could count. Be the first man inside her, make her mine.
My dick was getting hard again, just thinking about it.
Christ. Stop thinking, Cord.
I wrapped my arms around her tighter, not wanting to let her go. Something about having her in my arms blew my damn mind. It felt…like home.
Perfect. Content. Happy. And horny as hell.
“Maebh?” I softly asked.
“Mmm?”
I smiled because I imagined she felt the same way I did. Content in my arms.
“Will you be patient with me? I’ve never done this before, but I know I could never walk away from you. Something happened when I first saw you. I haven’t been myself since that first day you smiled at me.”
She dropped her arms and drew her head back. Our eyes met, and she smiled.
“You mean…you want to date me?”
Why did she find that so hard to believe?
“I want to get to know you…all of you…but I promise to go slow and not do anything you don’t want to do until you’re ready.”
Maebh worried her lip. I pulled it from between her teeth with my thumb. “Talk to me, baby.”
She swallowed hard and cleared her throat. “I need to tell you something that might make you, um… It might make you change your mind about me.”
Already knowing what she was going to say, I prepared myself for the answer she deserved.
“Tell me,” I whispered.
Panic washed over her face before she dropped her gaze. “I’m a virgin. I know it’s old-fashioned, but I was saving meself for a man who made me feel things I’d never felt before. A man who made me want to live in the moment and take me to places I never dared dream I would go. I wanted to be sure if I gave meself to someone, he would deserve every touch, every whisper, every part of me.”
My heart felt like it was slamming against the wall of my chest. Placing my finger on her chin, I lifted her face so that her eyes were looking into mine.
“And you think I’m that man?”
Her lips pressed together before she softly replied, “Yes and no, but more yes. Me mind is all over the place about you.”
My head was spinning. How in the hell did this amazingly beautiful woman think I was the one to get something she held so close? I’m the type of guy who’s more comfortable dancing with the devil, and Maebh is an Irish angel so far out my league it was unreal.
“I don’t deserve you,” I mumbled, knowing that every word was true. I didn’t deserve her, but hell if I wasn’t going to do everything in my power to change that.
Her eyes widened.
“If you do decide to give yourself to me, I swear to God I’ll treasure you and prove that I am worthy of you for as long as you’ll have me.”
The corners of her mouth rose into a beautiful smile. “What do we do from here?”
“First thing I have to do is kiss you.”
She giggled, and it felt amazing. I felt like we’d just went through hell and came out the other side, a little battered, a lot bruised, but both victors.
“Alright. Kiss me, then.”
When I smiled she leaned against me, like my smile made her legs weak.
Sliding my hands into her hair, I pulled back slightly, lifting her mouth so I could look at it.
“You’re so beautiful, Maebh.”
Her eyes fluttered closed and her mouth parted open, a silent gesture to claim it.
“So fucking beautiful.”
As I brushed my lips over hers, she let out a slight moan and then whispered, “Cord.”
I smiled when my name fell from her lips. I wanted to hear that every single day for the rest of my life and that revelation scared the piss out of me.
“My beautiful Irish cailin.”
Maebh melted as I pressed my mouth to hers. I was instantly hit with the smell of lavender and it made me relax into the kiss even more. It started off tender, slow and meaningful as we explored each other. Maebh’s soft lips had me letting out a moan of my own, which made her grip onto my arms tightly. I’d never in my life experienced such a sensuous kiss. My hand dropped from her hair to the middle of her back, and I pulled her closer. Our tongues moved faster, the moans grew louder, and the kissing got more intense. My pulse was racing, and we both pulled back at the same time, chests heaving in an attempt to pull in much-needed air.
Our eyes met, and Maebh pressed her fingers to her swollen lips.
“That was the most amazing shift of my life.”
My brows pulled in tightly. “Shift?”
Her eyes closed. “Kiss. I’ve never…that was…wow. You make me live in the moment, Cord, and that both thrills and scares me.”
Smiling, I kissed her again. This time wasn’t so slow. Maebh’s hands moved over my body while mine did the same to her. Slipping to her perfect ass, I squeezed it hard, making Maebh gasp into my mouth.
Her hand was under my T-shirt, running her fingers over my skin, leaving me aching for more. Lifting her leg with my hand, I felt her skin and nearly came undone when she wrapped her leg it around mine. If we didn’t stop soon, I was going to be begging for more. Knowing she was naked under her robe was driving me insane and I only had so much willpower.
“Maebh, baby, we have to stop or I’m going to rip that robe off and lick your pussy,” I whispered against her lips.
“Oh God,” she whimpered.
“Has anyone ever done that to you?” I asked, looking into her eyes. They were glassy like she was drunk from our kisses. It made me feel so fucking good to know I made her feel this way.
She shook her head.
With a slow smile, I ran my nose along her jaw and kissed her neck.
“I can’t wait to taste you and make you mine. To know that my tongue will be the only one that’s tasted you is such a fucking turn on, Maebh.”
Her head dropped back, and she moaned. I knew if I didn’t stop things, we’d go too far, and I didn’t want her to regret anything. Stepping back, I broke our connection. Maebh stood with her arms wrapped around her body, holding her robe shut as she took one deep breath after another.
“I better go.”
Maebh didn’t respond; she nodded. When her gaze fell to the large bulge in the front of my jeans, she went to say something but stopped before lifting her eyes to mine.
“What about… Will you…?”
She looked worried. Like if we left things like this, I’d run off and find someone else to take care of my hard-on. I hated that she thought of me that way.
“A shower and a handful of baby oil will be waiting for me at home.”
Her cheeks flushed, and she smiled.
“Go in, and shut your damn blinds in your bathroom, then text me when you get into bed.”
Nodding, she replied, “Alright.”
When she looked at my cock again, I lifted her chin so we were staring at one another. “I’m leaving you exactly the way you’re leaving me. Stop worrying, okay?”
“I’ll try.”
Kissing her quickly, I made it over the walls and across the roof until I was back at my place. First thing I did was strip down, get in the shower, and jack myself off while pulling up the memory of Maebh naked in her bathroom. I came so hard I cried out her name, then leaned against the wall, panting.
I had a feeling I was going to be taking a lot of showers until I made Maebh mine.
Standing behind the bar, I shook my head. “I don�
�t know if I should leave.”
Trevor groaned. “Not again. The bar will be fine! Tammy knows what in the hell she’s doing, and I’ll be here. I already told Wade to expect me to be away from the ranch the next few days.”
I was getting ready to leave for my parents’ lake house for four days. Four days I’d be away from the bar and Maebh. Two nights ago I’d held her in my arms and kissed her like she was the last woman I’d ever kiss. Then I’d promised her something I’d never promised another woman in my entire life.
Me. Exclusively.
“Did you tell Maebh you were heading out of town?” Trevor asked, pouring himself a Coke and then adding a bit of rum into it.
“Not yet. Dude, it’s only seven in the morning. What the fuck are you doing adding rum to your Coke?”
He rolled his eyes. “Trust me, I need it.”
I quirked a brow up in question. “What’s going on?”
He shook his head. “Nothing. I made a mistake, and I’m not sure what to do about it.”
“What kind of mistake? Not the ‘oh God, I think I’m late’ type of mistake I hope.”
Trevor laughed. “Nothing to worry about. Listen, go get your head clear and figure this shit out. I see the way you look at her, Cord. You like this girl. A lot.”
My hand pushed through my hair. “Yeah, I do. Scares the shit out of me.”
Trevor looked like he knew exactly what I was talking about. I wanted to ask him more about Scarlett, but I knew he would shut me out. Like I’d done before when it came to Maebh.
“Have you seen her since the other night?”
I shook my head. “No. The last couple of days have been insane with me getting ready to leave town. Maebh’s been busy as well. We’ve talked on the phone, and I ran over there for lunch yesterday.”
Honestly, I was worried what might go through Maebh’s mind when I told her I was heading out of town. Would she think I was running? Or worse, going with another woman? Maybe I should invite her to go with me?
Fuck. I had no clue what in the hell I was doing. I felt like I was damned if I did and damned if I didn’t.
Trevor shot me a smirk. “You know when Steed, Mitchell, and Tripp find out, you’re going to catch hell.”
I rolled my eyes. “Believe me, I know.”
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