He glanced back at me and bit out a curse at the uncertainty in my expression. “No, Maia.” He cuddled me close, cupping my cheek. I was surprised to feel his erection prodding my stomach as he confessed gruffly, “I’ve been in love with you since we met.”
“Really?”
“Aye, really. And you telling me you love me is the greatest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. Problem is, my cock thinks so too, so I need to get you alone. Now.”
Joy bubbled out of me in a flood of giggles. “Oh.”
Baird chuckled. “Aye. Oh. Can we hurry this along, please?”
From there we were a bundle of giddiness as we ran to my apartment. I nearly went over on my ankles a few times on the bloody cobbles, but Baird kept me upright.
He also practically dragged me up my flat stairs, but when we got inside, my laughter fled at the utter adoration in his eyes. He locked the door and held out his hand. And I wanted to burst into tears—the good kind. I held it together as I threaded my fingers through his and let him lead us at a far less hurried pace tomy bedroom.
Baird released his hold on me to unbutton his shirt, throwing the expensive piece of fabric on my bedroom floor. He was so beautiful. I reached out to press my palms to his pecs and trailed my fingers over the artwork tattooed on his skin. One day, as we’d lain in bed, I’d asked him about each piece. Most of them were art he saw, loved, and wanted on his body. The Celtic tribal mandala mishmash design that faded as it scribed its way up around his neck. The dragon breathing fire on his leg. The Caley United logo caught between the thorns of a few roses as they spread down his arm and across the top of his hand. When he was drunk, Ainsley dared him to get the wordLovetattooed across the top of his knuckles, so he did, and he didn’t regret it.
“It’s what life is about at the end of the day. What we love, who we love … that’s what gets us up in the morning,” he’d whispered in my ear, and I’d held my breath waiting for him to tell me he loved me.
But now I knew that he was waiting for me to make that move, not because he was playing games but because he didn’t want to scare me off.
“I want you on here somewhere,” Baird suddenly whispered.
My gaze flew from tracing his ink to searching his dark eyes. I swear I nearly melted to the floor at his meaning. “Really?”
He swallowed hard and nodded. “I already know what I want.” He pointed to his left pec that was free of any ink. “Violets, for the color of your eyes, with the letter M entwined in them. Right over my heart.”
Emotion choked me. “Are you sure?”
He cupped my face in his big hands, bringing his nose to mine. “You are forever for me, Maia. Permanentlytattooed on my fucking heart, whether I get it done in ink or not.”
“I love you so much,” I gasped on a slight sob.
Baird squeezed his eyes closed as if in pain. Then he pressed his forehead to mine, his reply rough with feeling, “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear that.”
“I’m sorry I made you wait.”
“Och, don’t you worry, gorgeous. It was worth every agonizing second.”
“You always say the most perfect things to me.”
“You make it easy.” He brushed his mouth over mine, and I sighed into the tender kiss.
Then his fingers tickled my stomach as he pulled gently on the cropped camisole I’d worn tonight. We broke apart so I could lift my arms as he pulled it over my head. His nimble fingers plucked off my strapless bra next. As soon as it was gone, Baird wrapped his arms around me, crushing my bare breasts to his chest as he kissed me with a deep but slow, tender passion.
Baird kissed me like I was cherished and precious, and I wanted him to feel that in return. I reached up onto tiptoes, pushing into him as I wound my arms around his neck and curled my fingers into the soft, thick hair at his nape. Our tongues met in sweet, languid exploration.
He guided us back toward the bed but didn’t break the kiss even as we laid down on it. Finally, we broke apart, panting, and my belly swooped with arousal as he lifted me with ease into the middle of the bed.
Holding my gaze, Baird moved to kick off his shoes and unzip his jeans. I shivered at the fierce, possessive look on his face. My hungry eyes traveled over his six-pack, to that miraculous V-cut of his obliques that I loved to explore with my tongue. His cock sprang free from his jeans and boxerbriefs. I licked my lips possessively. Because every inch of Baird McMillan belonged to me too.
“I want you bare tonight …” There was a question in his gruff words.
I’d gotten my health check, but we hadn’t yet had sex without a condom. I didn’t know if it was because Baird was being extra cautious or if he was waiting for me to suggest it. Now I realized he’d been waiting for me.
“I want that too.”
I tingled with anticipation as he kicked off his jeans and underwear and then bent over to slip off my high heels. He reached up to unzip my wide leg trousers. My nipples peaked into tight buds, my stomach muscles fluttering as he yanked down my pants, along with the barely there lacy knickers.
I didn’t know why I bothered with nice underwear because Baird took very little time to appreciate it before he whipped it off me.
