“Angel, I'll spend every day proving that you can if you let me.”
“I want to let you. I miss you.”
“Good. I miss you too so I won't let you down.”
Mik pulls me towards him and I go willingly. Wrapping our arms around each other, we kiss fiercely. We pour every emotion we have felt over the last six months into our kiss, leaving both of us exhilarated and breathless.
Eventually Mik pulls away and places me carefully on my bed before he gets to his feet. When he adjusts the crotch of his jeans, I smirk at the visible bulge. He surprises me by putting his t-shhirt and cut back on. Then he sits in my armchair and begins lacing up his boots.
“Where are you going?” I venture quietly, walking to stand in front of him.
Has he changed his mind? Is he leaving me again?
“I'm going back to my Dad’s, Lainey,” he tells me, reluctance evident in his words.
“Why?”
“Because I’m trying to take this slowly. If I had my way, we'd be buying another house tomorrow and getting married on the weekend. But I don't want to steamroll you.”
"You’re right. I'm sorry but I need to take this slowly. Part of me wants you to stay but I know it would be smarter for you to go. I mean half an hour ago I was determined to move on from you so it's going to take me some time to wrap my head around there being an us again.”
The sad frown that covers his face at my words and the tension that grips the room again, has me wishing that I'd kept my thoughts to myself. I know honesty is the best policy but I don't want to hurt him unnecessarily. Searching my mind for something to break the tension I've caused, I smile when it hits me.
Grabbing his arm to stop him when he moves as if to leave, I wink at him flirtatiously.
“How are you going to deal with that if you go home?” I ask him, boldly gesturing to the large bulge he is still sporting in his jeans.
My teasing causes his expression to lighten and he growls at me, stalking towards me which forces me to back away towards my bed. My legs hit the edge and I tumble backwards onto my backside. Mik drops to his knees between my legs and places his forehead against mine.
“Angel, I'm going to deal with it the same way I've dealt with every other hard on I've had since the last time I buried my cock in your tight body.” He nips my bottom lip before he continues teasing me with visuals of our previous lovemaking, “I'm gonna lie back in my bed and imagine your hot, wet mouth swallowing me whole as I jerk myself off.”
“Oh my God, Mik,” I moan as my body comes alive again when he runs his tongue down my neck, stopping at my collarbone.
“I think you need to stay now.”
“Mo Ghrá, I'd fucking love to stay but I'm not fucking this up. You need me to take this slow, make you trust me again. If I stay, I'll won't be able to stop myself from making love to you and that's not what you need. You need me to take you out for dinner. To date you properly. To bring you flowers and woo you.”
I swallow hard at his sincere words. He's right that is what I need. What I think we both need. We never had the opportunity to have a normal relationship the first time due to the spectre of Brendan hanging over us.
Mik kisses me hard on the mouth and then softly on my forehead before he backs towards the door.
“I'm gonna leave you to think tonight. But tomorrow I'm picking you up at six o'clock and taking you out on an actual date. You're gonna get dressed up for me and I'm gonna bring you flowers. We’re gonna do that as many times as you need until you're ready to marry me again. You hear what I'm saying, Lainey?”
“I do.”
“Good. Now sleep tight and remember that I do fucking know you, and I definitely fucking love you.”
I swear on my mother's grave that I feel my heart begin to heal at his words. I'm finally filled with hope that we are going to be alright.
“I love you too, Mik.”
“I know, Mo Ghrá. I'll see you tomorrow night.”
He winks at me, his characteristic cheekiness shining from his face as he pulls my door shut behind him. The twinkle that has been missing from his gorgeous hazel eyes for the last seven months finally reappears. Seeing it sets my mind at ease.
The Mik Kennedy I love is back.
PLAYLIST
Calvin Harris ft Florence & the Machine, Sweet Nothing
Linkin Park, New Divide
Evanescence, Everybody’s Fool
Beyoncé, Halo
Major Lazer ft Ellie Goulding & Tarrus Riley, Powerful
Little Sea, Change For Love
Linkin Park, Numb
John Legend, All of you
The Weeknd, Can't Feel My Face
Delta Goodrem, Wings
Robbie Williams, Real Love
Lama Del Ray, Young and Beautiful Instrumental
Linkin Park, Castles of Glass
Guns n Roses, Patience
Evanescence, My Immortal
Little Sea, Change For Love
Guns n Roses, November Rain
Seether ft Amy Lee, Broken
AC/DC, Shook Me All Night Long
Years + Years, Shine
Rachel Platten, Fight Song
Selena Gomez, Good For You
Travie McCoy ft Sia, Golden
Guns n Roses, Don’t Cry (album and alternate version)
SPOTIFY PLAYLIST
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My two beautiful children, Dylan and Mickayla who put up with their Mum living in her head as she walks around mumbling to herself, staying up way too late each night writing, and torturing them with the ‘old peoples’ music she uses for inspiration. P.S. - Dylan, here is your acknowledgement for your tech assistance with Instagram, Twitter, Spotify… the list goes on and on.
My husband, who listens to my flights of fancy, plot outlines, and vivid descriptions of hot, muscled fictional men with at least half an ear.
Cassia Brightmore, who took me under her wing to edit and proofread for me, and hooked me up with the best beta readers ever. The world would be a better place if it was full of more generous, beautiful souls like you.
My betas- Michele Gantz, Megan Alexis Dane and Claudia Ortega- for taking the time to read my story.
The various bloggers, especially Philomena Callan and Jelena Bosh, who I have ‘met’ on Facebook and Twitter, and who all generously donate their time to read, review and promote self-publishing authors. The sheer volume of support I have received has overwhelmed me. This industry wouldn’t work without you all taking a chance on our work. Thank you.
The wonderful authors who belong to Ask An Author for their words of wisdom and support. It still amazes me how a bunch of women who should technically be competitors can be so generous with their time and knowledge.
About the Author
Kylie Hillman is an Australian author who lives in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales. Wife to a Harley riding, hardworking Aussie bloke, mother to two beautifully stubborn children, Crohn's Disease sufferer, and (self-proclaimed) Queen of Sarcasm.
The insidious, invisible disease that forced her to give up her career, also inspired her to finally fulfil her lifelong ambition to bring the characters that live inside her head to life, in stories that she can share with others.
Connect with me:
FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM
Or send me an email at: [email protected]
Website currently under construction.
OTHER TITLES
Making Choices (Black Shamrocks MC #2)
December 7th, 2015
Brawl (MMA YA Standalone)
Anticipated late January 2016
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