“Aye.” There was no mistaking the lust roughening his voice or the heated gleam in his eyes. “Most certainly.”
I wanted to memorize his expression because this was the first time he’d had the pleasure of meeting Emily Campbell, and I’d been waiting for this day. I hadn’t been able to witness their introduction for myself, but based on the way he was looking at me now, she’d affected him in much the same way she did me. The fact that he had taken to her the way I had filled me with something I wasn’t familiar with. Lust, sure. Always that. But there was something else. Something … potent.
“She is rather lovely,” Steph, Kieran’s older sister, agreed when she strolled over from the other side of the room. “I know my wife is happy to see her.”
Yes, I knew Hannah was happy and hoping to be back in Emily’s life again, although not in the same capacity. While she’d acted as Emily’s caretaker for years, I no longer wished that for Emily. She was a grown woman and no longer needed a babysitter, but now that Steph and Hannah were residing in New York, Hannah and Emily would have plenty of opportunities to spend time together if that was something Emily wanted.
“She seems rather … wholesome for twenty-three,” Steph added.
“Aye. Pure indeed,” Kieran agreed, his expression mischievous.
I knew they were both referring more to her sexual experience than anything else. As far as I knew, Emily was still a virgin. Not that she looked the part in that sleek, sexy dress she wore tonight. She looked incredible. The way the shimmery fabric clung to her delicate curves, the prism of colors weaved into the underlying black catching the light and highlighting her every luscious curve. My groin tightened just thinking about it. It should’ve been a sin for any woman to look that delectable.
“What’s next on the agenda?” Kieran asked as he strolled over to the highboy, poured a glass of his favored Irish whiskey.
I peered over at Steph, gestured toward the door. “I’d like a few minutes alone with Kieran.”
“I’ll just be out”—Steph fluttered her hand in the direction of the door—“there. You two boys play nice.”
I could’ve told her there was no fun in playing nice, but rather, I watched Kieran, waiting patiently until Steph left, closing the door behind her.
When we were alone, I turned my attention to the monitors, using the keyboard to shift the angles until I found Emily. It was a wide-angle view from a distance, but I could still make out her beautiful face as she sat beside Hannah, the two of them smiling as they chatted.
I’d been keeping a low profile ever since I was made aware of her arrival. Once she and Kieran began moving through the club, I’d opted to hide out here, ensuring she didn’t see me while I had the ability to watch her.
It pained me that I was still seeing her through the lens of a camera and not in person, but I knew better than to approach her yet. My goal was to make this night memorable for her while at the same time inserting myself back into her life. As for my reasons for having Kieran manage the integration, I had two. One, I wasn’t certain how Emily was going to react to seeing me, considering how we’d left things between us. And two, I’d wanted her introduction to Kieran to be unbiased by my presence.
Now that they had met, I wanted to watch things progress between them.
“Just out of curiosity, which closet do you intend to hide me in?” Kieran asked, his voice near my ear as the heat of his body pressed up against my back.
“I have no intention of hiding you.” I slowly stood tall, continuing to watch the monitor.
“No?”
“Of course not.”
“So you plan to inform Emily about us?”
I turned to face him, let my eyes roam over his handsome features, pausing momentarily on his mouth then meeting his gaze. “Eventually.”
His blue eyes glittered beneath the sweep of thick, dark lashes, his desires etched in the distinct line of his rounded jaw. I could tell what he wanted, but we both knew I wouldn’t give in. Not here. Not yet.
“And until then?” Kieran prompted.
I stepped in close, let my lips teasingly brush his. “Until then, you’ll seduce her.”
“While you watch?”
“While I watch,” I confirmed.
“What are my limits?”
I leaned back enough to meet his gaze, held his stare. “You have none.”
“No holds barred?”
“Provided she’s willing.”
