“No, it’s fine. Can I see? The room, I mean, the view, not the shower…”
“If you’d like,” Rionan looked around. He scooped up his wine glass, motioning for her to do the same. He grabbed the full bottle from the cooler. “This way.”
“You’re staying in a suite?” Alianna marvelled as they walked through the door. “This is bigger than my apartment.”
She took in the large four-poster bed, the seating and living area, and scanned her eyes around the room until they landed on the door to the balcony. Casting her coat onto the sofa, she went outside. Rionan followed. He topped up their wine glasses before placing the bottle atop the table on the balcony and taking a seat.
Rionan drank in the sight of Alianna as she peered over the railings, looking down at Porthan. She looked toward the beach – West beach, where she had found him – and her eyes scanned the area below.
“You can see my apartment building from here, and the café.” She pointed to the area where she worked, a space Rionan had already identified when he had spent time working out how to get around Porthan on foot. The view from above made doing so quite easy.
She turned to Rionan, who had one leg hooked over the other, and met his gaze as he looked at her.
“Do you like the dress? A bit different to the red one.”
Alianna felt instantly stupid at the childish question. She had just been looking for a way to fill the silence.
“I love it, actually.”
He stood up, moving next to her.
“This,” he said, trailing his fingers very lightly along her bareback, “is very pretty.”
She felt a shiver run up her spine.
Alianna suddenly became aware of how close he was standing behind her. She could feel his breath on her shoulder, steady and even. The opposite of hers right now.
Alianna turned to face Rionan. The sun was beginning to set, casting a myriad of orange and pink throughout the sky. His eyes, caught in the light, glittered and danced. They were locked onto her.
She could step back, and she knew that he’d respect it for what it was. They could return to their wine, continue talking, and enjoy each other’s company for the rest of the evening until she called a cab to collect her.
Alianna scanned Rionan’s face. The way his hair flopped down into his eyes. His sensuous mouth. His perfectly straight nose and chiselled jawline. Her eyes dropped to his chest. His shirt was once again unbuttoned. Two buttons. Her eyes dropped lower…
She felt him step forward, and she looked up. The air hummed as Rionan leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. He pulled back slightly, enough to speak, but not enough that she could see his face.
Alianna felt him raise his hand and tuck her hair behind her ear again.
“I have very much enjoyed my evening with you,” he whispered to her, his breath gently caressing her ear. She found herself, without thinking, leaning towards him, silently begging him to close the gap between them. Alianna felt him once again place his hand, gently, on the bare skin of her back.
Do it.She inwardly pleaded again.
She was certain she heard a sharp inhale, as he pulled his head back to look at her. Their foreheads were almost touching. It would take so little effort for her to close that gap.
Without thinking any further, Alianna leant forward and kissed him softly. She closed her eyes, savouring the feelingof his lips on her. His lips were soft, inviting, moving gently against her own.
They pulled away from each other, eyes searching each other’s faces for a moment. Then Rionan pulled her to him, kissing her again.
She felt him pull her close, his hand pressing against the bare skin of her back, as his other hand rested on her hip. He deepened the kiss, and she opened her mouth to him.
Rionan kissed her slowly, softly stroking her tongue with his own in a silent request. She lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck, entangling her tongue with his own, angling her head for better access. The kiss became heated, more desperate, and he nipped on her bottom lip with his teeth as he lowered his hands to her backside, scooping her up and carrying her in from the balcony.
Rionan placed Alianna gently onto the sofa, leaning over her.
He trailed kisses downwards, peppering them across her jaw, down her neck. His hands remained on her waist and hips, gripping her softly. Alianna grabbed one of these hands, wishing he’d stop being so respectful. She dragged it up the contours of her body, and she felt him laugh breathlessly against her neck as he stroked lazy circles over her breast with his index finger.
“I don’t want you to think you have to do anything you don’t want to do.” Rionan murmured against her skin, continuing to kiss downwards, until the dress blocked any further access.
“I want to. I wanted to yesterday. I want to now.” Alianna sighed, sitting up and reaching for the zip of her dress.
