She tensed as he moved it between her cheeks, her anus puckering under his caress. “I want in here, too, if you’re up for it.”
“I-I’ve never—” She groaned as his finger continued to circle but didn’t go inside.
“I know, honey, and we don’t need to go there if you don’t want to. Make no mistake: I want you, Persy. I want every. Single. Inch. Of you.”
Oh God. He was kissing her again, hard, demanding.
Possessive.
His finger was still at her ass, circling her, his cock was caressing her clit, sending sharp pangs of heat lancing through her, and his mouth was owning hers.
He had control over her body, teasing and plucking it like an instrument he’d played for years. He knew just the right pressure to make her squirm and beg, which she was perilously close to, but he was still restraining himself.
She tore her mouth away. “Sully, please.”
“God, I want you, Persy.”
“Take me. God, please.”
He stilled and rested his forehead against hers. “I’m trying to be a good guy right now.”
“But I want this. Why are you holding back? I don’t understand.”
He let go of her to run a hand through his already disheveled hair. “Take a shower. We’ll talk during breakfast.”
She pouted, and he grinned, shaking his head. “Even your pout is fucking sexy.”
He picked up her panties and handed them to her. Then he turned her body away from him and towards the bedroom. He smacked her ass lightly, causing her to jump in surprise. She glared at him over her shoulder and he smiled wide.
“Shower, honey.”
She started to walk away, the heat of the slap feeling surprisingly good and the sting quickly fading.
She took a fast shower and dressed in her clothes from last night. When she came back into the kitchen, he’d just finished washing some pans and set them on a rack to dry.
He walked by her, dropping a soft kiss on the way. “I made coffee and tea, take whatever you like. I’ll just be a couple minutes.”
“You did the dishes.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Yeah. Everything’s ready, it’s just warming in the oven.”
“I should’ve helped.”
His gaze softened. “You’re not doing dishes today unless you’re getting paid for it. Just relax.”
She stilled. She wasn’t sure if she remembered what that word meant, or even how to achieve it. She didn’t think she’d relaxed in years.
Well, except maybe sex, but she didn’t think that counted as relaxation.
He gave her another kiss. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be back.”
He slapped her jean-covered ass this time.
“Hey!”
He chuckled as he walked away, apparently amused at her outburst.
She wasn’t concerned about that; she was more concerned that she wasn’t upset that he’d slapped her again. No, she was upset he’d slapped her when she wouldn’t feel it as much.
She shook her head and poured some tea into a generic white mug and added some milk and sugar. A quick sniff let her know it was strong Irish tea and it was surprisingly soothing.
While he showered, she took a longer look around his place. His dishes were the same white as the mug, the silverware sturdy and functional. Considering how crazy some of the décor was, she was surprised to see something so plain. He’d set the table—she wondered if his ma had taught him that—and set out coasters for the hot food.
It was simple, not fussy, and lovely.
Her chest tightened; no one had taken care of her like this in a long while. She couldn’t even remember the last time someone cooked her breakfast, unless she was in a restaurant paying for it.
She walked around the living room, sipping slowly. She pulled back the blackout curtains and marveled at some of his furniture in the light of day. Wrought iron side tables mixed with a large wooden table in the center of the room, perfect for putting his feet up and watching the extremely large television fixed to the wall. Wooden—or fake wood, she could never tell—bookshelves were shoved into corners and blank spaces, one bright green, the other bright yellow and covered with white daisies; she guessed the latter had belonged in a little girl’s room.
She took a deep breath followed by another sip of tea. It wasn’t so hard to think about Molly today. She didn’t feel alone with her; Sully knew her name, knew about her. She could talk to him about her.
No, she didn’t feel alone today. It was another unfamiliar feeling that she really quite liked.
Pictures were scattered in nice frames through the shelves and on tables; she guessed his ma or sisters gave him the frames considering how pretty they were. She paused at a photo of him with a dark-haired woman on each side and a small boy in his arms who was squirming to break free. One of his nephews, she guessed.
She brushed a finger over the glass of the frame, caressing the little boy’s cheek. It didn’t make her sad to see this picture. She got anxious around children, even seeing them in a photo, but today was easier.
“He’s two now.”
She jerked, then arched her body away from the tea spilling over her mug. “Sorry.”
He was beside her in a few seconds with some napkins. “I’m sorry. Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine. I was just startled.” She moved the mug to her other hand and sucked the spilt tea from her fingers.
He covered her hand with a napkin and led her to the sink. “Let’s wash it with some cool water, just in case. I’ve got some aloe in the house, too.”
She set the mug on the counter. “It’s fine, Sully. Really. I burn myself all the time at work.”
He frowned and ran her hand under cool water. She had to admit, that felt really good. Not just the water, but him taking care of her.
“How do you burn yourself at work?”
“Usually during the dinner rush because Frannie warms the plates. I use towels, but I sometimes forget.”
“Does Hector know?”
She shrugged. “Probably not. It’s usually too busy for me to mention it.”
He frowned and turned off the water. He reached into a cabinet and pulled down a bottle of green aloe liquid.
“Wait.”
“Persy—”
“Just until after breakfast.”
He nodded and put it on the counter. “After breakfast, then. Sit down, I’ll bring the food.”
She took a seat at the table and watched him reach into the oven. The sight of him bent over in jeans was a nice sight to behold. Also nice was the fitted tee he wore bearing the MPF logo.
He brought out two plates filled with food—sautéed tomatoes, mushrooms, and potatoes, and scrambled eggs mixed with herbs. He finished with sides of beans and sausages, and a basket of fresh soda bread.
Okay, it was official. She really liked Sully.
He sat down next to her. “The sausage is turkey, if you’re interested. Just eat what you like and leave what you don’t.”
“What kind of soda bread is this?”
“Mexican-inspired. Hector mentioned a cheese bread Millie makes for him, and I wondered if I could do the same thing. It’s got some heat from jalapenos and spices and three kinds of cheese.”
Oh. Oh. This was delicious. “Wow. This is great, Sully.”
He winked at her. “I know.”
She rolled her eyes and dug in. They ate in silence for a few minutes, the rest of the food just as good as the bread. He could seriously cook.
“I didn’t know your name was Ronan.”
At his blank look, she continued. “Last night? Prince Lorenzo introduced you as Ronan. I know your last name is Sullivan but I never knew your first name. Why do you go by Sully?”
He shrugged. “My ma and sisters call me Ronan, but Sully stuck at school and in the Garda. It followed me here, too. I don’t mind it and I don’t mind you calling me that. I like it when you do.”
It would be odd to call him Ronan after months
of thinking of him as Sully, though she’d do it if he wanted it.
He poured himself some coffee. “Persy’s not a typical Irish name. Is it a nickname?”
She grimaced. Her name was an oddity, all right. “Yes.”
“And?”
She blew out a breath. “Persephone. My name’s Persephone.”
His mug paused halfway to his lips. “You’re named after a Greek goddess?”
She nodded, her head facing down and fixated on her plate. Most ‘proper Irish girls’ didn’t have names like that. Her name had made her feel like an outsider with her neighbors and the rest of the village, and she’d only felt that more after Molly’s death, and even worse after her divorce.
“Persy.”
She pushed her food around, then took an inordinate amount of time cutting her sausage into the most minute pieces.
His hand settled on her wrist. “That’s a beautiful name.”
She peeked up. “It’s a little strange.”
He nodded. “It’s different, but it’s still beautiful. Why’d your parents pick that?”
“Um, my father picked it out. My mother thought they’d decided on another name and was pretty shocked to learn my father had noted this for the birth registration.”
“Why’d your Da pick it?”
She looked down at her plate again. “He’s half-Greek. His mother was Irish and he eventually moved to Ireland with her after his father died. He’s also a history buff. He’s always reading books about ancient Greece. I think he wanted to go back at one point, but then he met my mother and married her, and they took over my mom’s family farm. He told me once he liked the name and, when he saw me for the first time, he knew that had to be my name.”
“That’s a nice story, honey.”
She shrugged. She’d never really thought of that. She only remembered the other kids teasing her, and the passive-aggressive comments from her mother’s friends.
“Are you an only child?”
She nodded. “My mother told me they tried for more, but they never could have any kids after me. I don’t know what it’s like growing up with siblings.”
He got a wistful expression. “It’s crazy. It’s wonderful. It’s terrifying.”
She sat back in her chair. “Terrifying? You were scared of your sisters?”
He nodded solemnly. “Sure was. Not ashamed to admit it.”
She chuckled. “I find that hard to believe.”
“Well, one day, when you meet my sisters and they tell you stories about how they tortured me growing up, you’ll understand.”
She stopped breathing. Meet his family? Was she ready for that?
Not to mention, would they even get to that point if he left her and Valleria behind?
He squeezed her wrist and sat back. “In the future. Not today, not tomorrow. Sometime. Think about it.”
She inhaled and nodded.
They ate in silence for a couple minutes before she plucked up the courage to ask. “Um, will you tell me now why you didn’t sleep with me?”
He put down his coffee and reached for her hand. “I did sleep with you. Last night, gotta say, it was heaven watching you sleep.”
His thumb was brushing over the back of her hand, and it felt seriously nice, almost as nice as what he’d just said. “But this morning—”
“You’re not just an easy fuck to me.”
Her breath hitched.
“You’re more, Persy. You deserve more. And I’m going to give it to you.”
She felt that deep in her heart, and the warmth of it spread through her body at lightning speed. “You, uh, are?”
He tugged her hand, bringing her closer to him. “Yeah, honey. You’re under my skin, Persy. You’ve been there for a while. I decided a few nights ago that I liked having you there and I want to keep you there. I’m going to prove to you that you deserve more. I’m going to prove to you that I want more than just your body.”
She licked her lips as she took in his face. They hadn’t spent enough time together for her to know all his expressions, but the soft look in his eyes and the determined set of his jaw let her know he was serious.
She liked that. She liked what he said and how he’d said it. She liked him. She really, really liked him.
Oh man.
“Now eat up. We’ve got a long day ahead of us.”
She cleared her throat. “Oh? Why?”
“Thought we’d spend the day together. Does that sound good?”
“Um, yes. I’d like that.”
“Good.”
After they finished and cleared up, Sully put on a light sweater and they headed out. He carried a beach blanket-filled bag with some food, ‘For lunch later’, he’d said.
They stopped by her apartment first and she changed, then they walked hand-in-hand through the city.
It was Sunday. She lost track of the days so easily as she usually worked on weekends. Days—especially since Molly—had always drifted into each other.
It was a quiet, spring Sunday in Masillia. Back in Ireland, she would have been getting ready for church or up early to make breakfast for her ex before he headed out into the fields.
Here, though, it was calm and cool. The breeze from the ocean was sharp and tangy. The streets were filled with wanderers just like them. The street markets were setting up for the day’s business and the Sunday street fair was doing the same, too.
They wandered through the stalls, stopping to look at handmade goods, clothes, and jewelry. She saw Millie’s stall—her jewelry was the by far the best in the bunch—and they went to say hello.
“Persy!” Millie waved with a bright smile as she saw them approach. She finished with her customer and came around to the front of the table.
She grasped Persy’s hand and shook it. “Thank you so much!”
Persy blinked, her body shaking with the force of Millie’s grip. “For what?”
“Princess Rebecca contacted me! She saw you wearing my jewelry last night.” Millie, apparently giving up on a more detached thank you, drew her into a hug. “If you hadn’t worn that, they wouldn’t have contacted me for custom pieces!” She drew back. “I mean, it’s not a lot, just a custom set for some charity auction, but I’ll get such great exposure.”
“Wow, that’s great.”
Millie grasped her own hands together and curled her shoulders in, as if giving herself a hug. “I mean, they’ll have real jewelry there, too. I think they’re hoping my pieces will be more tempting for the non-rich set—my words, not the princess’s—so commoners can bid in the auction, too. The proceeds benefit an organization that’s researching women’s health issues. I’m so excited!”
Sully leaned over and gave Millie a kiss on the cheek. “Pleased for you. Bet Hector’s thrilled.”
“He’d be more thrilled if other men kept their hands off his woman.” Hector approached them with a scowl on his face and two cups of hot beverages in his hand. He put the cups down and tugged Millie against him.
She put a hand to his chest. “You know Sully didn’t mean anything.”
His scowl didn’t fade. “You’re going to get exposure because of the auction, babe, and I’m not taking any chances. They see Sully kissing you, they might think they can do it, too. Not to mention all the assholes that could pop out of the woodwork.”
Millie frowned, her voice whispering. “It won’t be like that again. I won’t get hurt.”
Hector’s face went cold and still. “Fucking right you won’t.” He turned to Sully. “Hands off my woman, man.”
Sully didn’t seem affected by Hector’s glare and merely smiled as he put an arm around Persy. “I was just congratulating her.”
“Use your words next time.”
Sully chuckled. “Do you think I’d hurt her?”
Hector shook his head, no hesitation. “Fuck, no. But how’d you like it if I kissed Persy on the cheek?”
Sully’s smile faded.
“Now you get it.”
Millie glanced between Hector and Sully, then smiled lightly. “It’s good. Now that the weather’s turned nicer, a lot more people are out and about. In the winter, it’s not as busy except around Christmas.”
“Don’t sell yourself short, baby. You know people love your jewelry.”
Millie flushed. “They like it, sure, but there are at least three other jewelry vendors here and I’m definitely not the cheapest.”
Persy piped up. “That’s because your stuff is quality. I saw some of the other vendors; really, they don’t hold a candle to your stuff.”
Millie’s flush deepened. “Thanks.”
Hector gave Millie an indulgent smile. “My baby still can’t take a compliment.”
She slapped his chest. “Hector!”
Sully squeezed Persy’s hip, and she got the message. “Well, we’ll leave you to it. Congrats, again, Millie. Are you working tonight?”
She shook her head, then patted Hector’s chest. “He doesn’t like me working at the pub on days I’ve got a show, but I’ll pop in for dinner since Hector’s closing.”
“See you then.”
They all said good-bye. As she and Sully were walking away, she glanced back.
Millie and Hector were still in each other’s arms. Hector was rubbing a hand down her back and leaning in close. He was saying something to her, and she was nodding.
Persy turned away. That’s what she wanted. She wanted that closeness and acceptance and praise and support from someone who cared about her.
She glanced up at Sully. His head was turned to the side, eyeing the vendors along their left. Could he be that man to her? Tom hadn’t been, but maybe Sully could be.
They continued their trek, picking up some food and drinks for a picnic. They eventually made their way to the beach.
It was still too cool for most to enjoy the water, or even too cool to enjoy the sand, but they braved it. Sully laid down the blanket and they settled in for a picnic.
They had pieces of fruit, cheese and crackers, and some bread with slices of meat and cheese for sandwiches. Sparkling cider—alcohol was banned on the beaches—finished off their meal, along with some flaky pastries.
Ripple (Persy & Sully) (Seaside Valleria #2) Page 11