One side of the wide-open space is missing a wall, also bare to the studs like so much of the living spaces, but the rest is covered with original paneling, rich and warm wood decorated with a vast expanse of empty, original bookshelves. Up a half-step at the far end is a space for an office with more shelving and wide windows. Off the office is a nook inside what I can only describe as a turret. The walls in the nook are mostly windows with a view of the city outside. I can already see it filled with old rugs and comfy seating. The perfect reading nook. My breath catches.
Through the windows in the nook space, I glance down and see a pool, also in need of work, but filled with bright blue water. A little oasis in the lush backyard. More towering oaks line the property boundary.
When I turn, finished exploring, I find Aiden in the office space, hands shoved into his pockets.
Waiting.
CHAPTER 32
CATRIONA
“Are you going to tell me what you think or will you keep me in suspense?” he asks, his posture deceptively casual. If I didn’t know him better, I’d think he didn’t care about my answer. “If you don’t like it, we can find somewhere else. There are other?—”
“I love it,” I say as I cross the creaking floor to his side, careful not to trip on the half-completed step up to the office. “It’s perfect. But you didn’t have to do this. I would have gotten over my issues with the house. It already doesn’t bother me as much.”
I’m not trying to bullshit him. Each day since we’ve been back from Ireland has been a little easier now that I know the truth about what happened to my mother. Now that I have justice for her. Of course, considering the circumstances, it wasn’t like I could go to the police. That would have put Aiden in an uncomfortable position. I suppose what I really needed more than justice was the truth. Now that I have it, it feels like thepuzzle inside of my chest has been solved. There isn’t an aching emptiness where the pieces should be, waiting to be filled.
Aiden pulls me to him when I get within reaching distance. His expression is solemn as he takes in the tears I’m just now realizing are streaking down my cheeks. I expect him to get awkward in the face of my uncharacteristic display, but he doesn’t. In fact, he shifts closer to me, hands drifting up my throat to cup my jaw. He tilts my face up, and uneasiness crawls through me at being so exposed to him. More so than I’ve ever been when he had me stripped completely to the skin.
“It’s okay to let it go. You’ve done what you set out to do. I want to make this home with you. For our future. I want to build a life with you, Catriona.”
He lowers his head until his lips press to my skin, following the trail of tears. He erases each one until my hands are gripping his wrists to keep from trembling. When he’s done, my breath shudders over his mouth as it lowers to mine. A needy sound escapes from my throat, and it’s all the invitation he needs to press me against the wall of shelves behind me. If they bite into my back, I don’t notice. God, I’ve missed him. I’veneededthis. So much.
My arms go around his waist, needing something to hold on to as I’m rocked off center. His tongue invades and conquers, and I relent, letting him plunder until I’m a needy mess under him.
When I try to press closer, drown out my thoughts in the taste and impossible hardness of him against me, he pulls away, and I find myself leaning toward him, hazy and confused.
“Is that what you want?” he asks.
It takes me a minute to remember what he asked. “Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.” My words are watery. I push to my toes and sob against his mouth. “Yes.”
He kisses me until I’m trembling, then pulls away. His silver eyes ignite, and his body shudders with the effort of his eagerness and restraint. “Take off your clothes,” he says, releasing my hands. Taking two steps back so he can watch me, he rests a shoulder on the wall to my left, arms crossed over his chest, legs at the ankles.
I don’t think about it as I draw the baby pink dress up my thighs to tease the sight of my panties. Thank God it’s a rare warm day. The sun coming through the windows keeps the interior at the perfect temperature. I can practically feel Aiden begging me to go faster. Just for that, I change direction and undo the buttons at my chest, letting the dress gape away nearly to my navel to expose the pale blush lingerie I have on underneath.
Aiden straightens, pushing away from the wall, but doesn’t come closer yet. His gaze is fixated to the sliver of skin exposed down my ribs.
Moving from the buttons to my hair, I unwind it from the claw clip at the top of my head and shake the length out over my shoulders. In the past year, I haven’t had much time to focus on personal care, so it’s grown out nearly down to my waist. His eyes caress my exposed skin, trailing from my face to my dress to where it splits over my breasts.
“The longer you make me wait, the longer I’m going to tease you,” Aiden says in a low rumble.
Sending him a wicked grin, I say, “Maybe that’s my plan.”
“My wife’s a masochist,” he murmurs.
I pull the dress over my head and let it fall to the floor by my feet—not because he tells me to, but because I’m eager to see what he has planned for me. He contemplates my half-naked body like it’s his new favorite meal.
“This new?” he asks with faux innocence.
“You know damn well it’s new, Aiden O’Connor. You had a truck full of lingerie delivered to the house last week. Do you like it?”
“I love it,bhean chéile. Now take it off, or I’m going to rip it off, and I’d hate to do that because I know how much you hate it when I ruin them.”
Because he’s right, I unhook the shelf bra and let it fall on top of my dress. I shimmy out of my panties next and kick them toward him. He catches them and shoves them in his pocket before he prowls to me. Delicious, dark fear rolls through me, causing my heart to kick up and my breath to come faster.
He doesn’t say a word as he studies me, his gaze hard and hot. Pinned in place, I can only submit to his observation, my nipples pinching under his perusal.
Does it make me a terrible person that I enjoy his attention after all that he’s done? Probably.
