The word floats through my head even after Conor has collapsed on top of me. It’s dangerous that I’ve allowed myself to want this man beyond the physical. But then he starts kissing my neck and face, pushing back to study me with that concerned look in his eyes… I find myself falling even deeper for him.
An hour later, when we’ve both cleaned up and are cuddled together, I find myself wondering what the heck I’m going to do now since I’ve fallen hopelessly in love with Conor. I turn toward him, taking in his rugged features in the dark. The man looks so goddamned handsome even asleep. Is it a wonder that I find myself attracted to him?
Enjoy the moment and stop overthinking.
I can almost hear my sister’s exasperated voice in my ear. Except I’m usually the one trying to pull her out of her mind. I smile at that and nuzzle into Conor, whose arms tighten around me. This time, I don’t let my mind wander. I’m about to fall asleep when my phone vibrates. I grab it quickly before it can wake Conor, intent on turning it to mute, when I see that the notification is from that same private number. I open the message, and when I see another picture, I feel a chill run down my spine.
The picture is of me and Conor looking up at a mural on the side of the Corn Palace. The longer I stare at it, the more I realize that this person isn’t just following us but seems to know my itinerary. The thought alone is enough to send fear coursing through me. I shut down my phone and turn to Conor, burrowing into his arms. The only place that makes me feel safe. I realize that I’ll have to tell him about this stalker fan, even if it ruins the trip.
I’ll always stand between you and danger,a rún.
As if sensing my tension, Conor’s arms tighten even more around me, his warmth surrounding me and dragging me under into a fitful slumber.
Chapter Six
Conor
Seven years ago, I left the MMA to join the family business. This choice was forced on me, after an accident that left me in a coma for weeks. Once I came out of the hospital, I knew I would never fight professionally again. With Roarke off in the military, someone had to start learning the ins and outs of the family business.
So, at twenty-five, I left the ring and donned a suit to start working for the firm. And for the last seven years, I’ve poured blood and sweat into helping turn the O’Shea security firm into one of the best in New York City. For the first few years, I worked exclusively in the field, guarding everyone from celebrities, politicians, wealthy businessmen, and their wives—yet not once did I feel any attachment to those clients. Once the contract was over, I was done and on to the next project.
After mere days of traveling across different states with Arianna Marino, I’m already dreading the moment we’ll have to go back.
In the last couple of days, we’ve visited the Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater in Denver, visited the Arches National Park and the Canyonlands in Moab, made love like animals in just about all those stops, and yet, I can’t get enough of her. I can’t stop wanting her. And as we leave the Grand Canyon, yet another breathtaking landmark we’ve seen in the last four days, I realize that I can’t wait to get Arianna alone in that little cramped van. My hands gripping her thighs as I pound my cock into her tight pussy, driving her as insane as she drives me. Thethought of her wetness wrapped around me is enough to have my cock hardening in my pants.
“Oh, sweet baby Jesus. You can’t be serious, Conor!”
I turn to the girl walking by my side to find her watching me with something akin to horror, and immediately, my thoughts run to danger. “What?” I ask, positioning myself in front of her as my senses turn razor sharp, looking for a threat. “What’s wrong?”
“You’re what’s wrong,” she says, sounding exasperated. She glances around to make sure no one’s watching, then steps closer, her voice dropping. “How are you hard again? After this morning?”
There’s heat in her eyes even as she scolds me, and I don’t miss the way her gaze lingers on the bulge in my jeans before she catches herself.
Fuck, now she’s gone and planted that memory in my lust-fogged brain—this morning, her riding me in the cramped van bed while the sun came up over the canyon rim. There must be something in the air because I haven’t been able to keep my hands off her in the last couple of days.
With no threat of danger, I allow myself to relax, leaning forward to speak in her ear, brushing my lips discreetly over the shell. “There’s no condition,a rún. Just you,” I whisper, my hand winding around her waist and pulling her close. “Do you want to know all the things I plan to do to you when we get back to the van?”
“Yes,” she whimpers, her eyes growing dazed with desire for a second before quickly shaking her head as if to right her thoughts. “I mean no. You’re insane.” Her voice comes out in asharp exhale as she nudges me back. “You are to stay at least ten feet away from me in public.”
With one last glare at me, she spins around and speed-walks to the van. I laugh as I follow her around and don’t fight her when she offers to drive. I’d rather watch her on the ride to the campground we’ll be staying at for the night.
During the ride, I realize that we’re completely different people from who we were when we left New York. And these past few days have revealed that I’m not just physically attracted to her body but drawn to her as a person too. I like it when she smiles or gets visibly excited about something. She makes my heart clench with affection like no woman ever has.
With Arianna, I’ve shared parts of myself that not even my siblings know. Hell, I can’t believe I told her about feeling lost before I found MMA. Roarke always knew he’d join the military, and Fiona’s love for computers was obvious from the moment she touched one, and I…well, I had nothing. I could fight but that was about it. I found my purpose in competition, in the discipline of training, in pushing my body to its limits. I was scouted from a local gym after winning a string of amateur fights, and the rest is history.
It’s been something I’ve always kept to myself. I didn’t expect Arianna to understand, but the look on her face when I opened up about this was one of understanding. Which led me to opening up more about myself than I intended.
But why won’t she open up to me?
I question whether to bring up the fact that she’s clearly hiding something from me. I’ve stopped myself from pushing too hard, but I’m beginning to think that maybe I should.
Hell, we’re running out of time, and I don’t want there to be something between us. Tomorrow, we go to Vegas for a fewdays before heading to Los Angeles for the final stop. There’s no telling what will happen about this heated but delicate relationship we’ve formed once this trip comes to an end.
No, I’ll have to make her open up to me about what’s bothering her so we can get past it.
I consider broaching the subject when we arrive at the campground, but Arianna seems distracted, so I decide it’ll have to wait. Maybe later tonight. After dinner, when we’re both relaxed. Whatever the case, it’ll have to be tonight.
We both go about a routine we’ve perfected. Setting up the van in comfortable silence after which Arianna heads out first to take a shower. I only leave for mine when she comes back. I linger in the shower, giving her space as I search for how to broach the subject. I could seduce her…make love to her first and get her to relax so she can open up to me. Hell, that’s the only time she seems to let down her guard a bit.
