I walked into the dark bar and looked around. The music playing was sultry. This close to the city, I wondered if this was where the businessmen came to when their wives were nagging just a little too much.
It had a romantic feel. But darker. It seemed the perfect place for a tawdry little affair. I walked up to the bar andordered a dirty martini. The dirtier, the better. I’d taken a sip and set the glass down when I felt him behind me.
I smelled his cologne and my eyes closed.
Of all the bars in all the world...
“What the fuck are you doing here, Caity?”
My name was a growl on his lips, and I felt the arousal pool between my legs. He was the only man I’d ever had that reaction to. But he ignored me. He had to. I was off-limits. His best friend’s little sister.
I took a deep breath and turned on the stool. His hands rested on the bar, his arms caging me in.
Cian McCarthy was six feet four inches tall, with dark brown hair and icy blue eyes. The kind of eyes that could pierce into your soul and see every secret you ever hid.
And I was in love with him.
I had been most of my life. But he ignored me. No matter how much I’d flirted, he’d never given me a second look. But here he was tonight. And unless I missed my guess, he was doing his damnedest not to look.
My eyes roamed over his face, noticing the hard set of his eyes. The way his jaw ticked, as if he was grinding his teeth, trying to stay in control. His eyes dipped to my lips, and his jaw ticked again. I knew he wanted to look further. The dress I wore was sinfully low-cut.
Instead of answering his question, I did something I never thought I would be brave enough to do. I leaned forward and placed my hands on his chest. He stiffened beneath me just as I pressed my lips to his.
In for a penny...
I licked at the seam of his lips, praying he would respond to me. If he didn’t—well, we lived in different states. I could easily avoid him for the rest of my life, if I didn’t die of embarrassment first.
When I pulled back, his eyes were the color of sapphires. Dark blue and hooded, they burned with what I could only assume was lust. My hands moved up toward his shoulders, and his heavy breathing emboldened me further.
“Kiss me, Cian,” I whispered.
“Caity,” he groaned back. The sound hit me in my chest. A pleading request, as if he were fighting a war he knew he wouldn’t win, and I wondered if, just maybe, he wanted me as much as I wanted him.
My hands went to his cheeks, and I pulled him forward. My legs spread, enticing him to take a step closer. When my lips brushed his, he finally gave in. He smashed his mouth against mine, pushing me against the bar. His hand moved to the back of my head, holding me in place as he devoured me.
“Why are you here, Caity?” he asked as he trailed his lips across my jaw. My head fell back, giving him room. He sucked the spot where my neck met my shoulder, and I whimpered.
He pulled back and studied my face. I bit my lip as I looked up at him. I couldn’t voice out loud what I wanted. But the look on his face told me I didn’t have to.
“He’ll fuckin’ kill me if he ever finds out,” he confirmed, and I knew in that moment that he’d give me what I wanted. He stepped back and pulled a few bills from his wallet, throwing them on the bar. Then, grabbing my hand, he dragged me outside.
Neither of us said a word as we walked hand in hand down the busy street until we reached a hotel. Inside the lobby, he didn’t stop at the desk; he walked straight to the elevator, and I knew he already had a room.
I had no idea why he was here, but I knew he was here alone. If he weren’t, he’d never take this chance. The elevator doors closed, and he rounded on me, pushing me against the wall.
“Do you have any idea what you fuckin’ do to me?” he asked as his hand trailed up my thigh, lifting the hem of my dress.
I still couldn’t speak; the only sound from my mouth was a gasp when Cian squeezed my ass. His lips were on my throat, and I bit my lip to keep from crying out. My panties were so wet I could smell the anticipation in the small space.
The bell dinged, and Cian stepped back as the doors opened, leaving me feeling cold at the loss of his body heat against me. He took my hand and led me down the hall to a room. The key card he pushed into the lock turned the light green, and he opened the door.
“Be sure, Caity. Because once we go there, there’s no turning back.”
I didn’t say a word; I simply slipped past him into the room, untying the sash at my waist as I walked forward. When I heard the door click shut, I turned around and dropped my dress on the floor.
Chapter One
Cian
