Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
KIERAN
It will take a lot more than a cold shower for my body to calm down.
It’s not out of the norm for me to wake up hard as a fucking rock, but ever since Riley Walsh entered my life, my usual methods barely scratch the itch, and the one person my body is craving more than anything is strictly off limits.
I have no idea how Riley ended up in my arms last night, but when I woke up and found her curled up against me, it felt like she belonged there.
It felt too good to breathe in the smell of her shampoo and hear the soft sounds of her breathing as she slept.
I’ve spent most of the day pretending I didn’t enjoy it, and I have a feeling Riley is doing the same.
After getting in a few hours of studying after breakfast, I managed to persuade Riley to head back out on the Strip to explore some of the sights.
We stop by the Bellagio fountains, the casino at the Venetian, where Riley quickly loses the best part of a thousand bucks at the blackjack table.
“Remind me never to give you access to my credit card.” I lead her back outside before she can bankrupt the entire Sullivan empire in one afternoon.
“Don’t act like you can’t afford it.” Her green eyes dance with mischief.
It’s good to see her spirits have lifted after last night.
Riley might think I don’t pay her much attention, but I could tell the second we got back to the hotel last night that she started overthinking everything. It was written all over her face. Hence a day of sightseeing to keep her mind off of things.
After making a quick stop for iced coffee and overpriced souvenirs for her friend Lucy, we continue on down the Strip.
Riley is full of commentary and questions and an occasional smart-ass remark that gets under my skin in a way I both love and hate.
It’s disarming, the way she makes me laugh. Even more disarming is the way her hand brushes mine sometimes when we’re walking, how our shoulders bump just enough to remind me she’s close.
Every touch, no matter how casual, sends heat right through me, but no matter how badly I want to slip my fingers through hers, I hold back.
She pulled away after the first kiss. But then after the one we shared at the altar last night, from the dazed look on her face, it felt like she forgot her own name.
It was incredible, and I wanted nothing more than to take it further, but I don’t want to push her. It’s clear she’s in her head about a lot of things, and so, I’ll keep the boundary in place for as long as she wants to.
But when she’s ready to cross that line, I’ll be right here, waiting for her.
As we head back toward the hotel, I catch a glimpse of her profile in the reflection of a shop window. With her auburn hair in a messy bun, sunglasses perched on her head, and a slight flush to her cheeks from walking in the Vegas heat, the thought hits me like a punch to the gut.
This fake marriage is starting to feel a lot less fake.
The thought should scare the shit out of me. Instead, it just makes me want to reach for her hand again.
Riley gets in a few hours of studying before dinner, and I take the opportunity to catch up on some work.
I brought my laptop with me, so I set myself up in the living area of the suite to keep out of Riley’s way. As much fun as I had studying with her the other night, she does need to focus, and so do I.
By the time eight o’clock rolls around, we head out to a trendy little French bistro. It’s quieter than the Italian place we went to last night and a hell of a lot more intimate.
It’s dimly lit by a single candle on each table, and there’s a small jazz trio playing in the far corner.
Riley looks divine tonight, with her hair down and her lips painted a bright red that are just begging for my attention. She’s wearing a silky little dress that slides off one shoulder every time she shifts, and I can’t stop staring at the flash of skin.
She catches me looking more than once and grins like she knows exactly what she’s doing.
Of course, she does.
We order duck confit and steak frites, but I barely taste it. All I can think about is how small the table is and how every time I shift my legs, my knees brush up against hers, sending a jolt of desire down my spine straight to my cock.
She’s too close, and the tension is unbearable.
She wants me. I know she does. So, why the hell won’t she just admit it so I can finally tear off her clothes and devour her?
“Kieran?”
I blink, and Riley smirks before licking a bit of crème br?lée off her spoon in a way that has me adjusting myself beneath the table.
Christ, this is torture.
My hand tightens around my wine glass, and I’m a second away from shattering the damn thing when my phone buzzes in my pocket.
“Sorry,” I mutter as I pull it out of my pocket. “Shit, it’s Ronan.”
“It’s okay, you can answer,” Riley says before taking another seductive bite of her dessert.
I quickly answer the phone in the hopes that the sound of my brother’s voice will be enough to kill my growing erection.
“Is everything okay on your end?” Ronan immediately asks.
My gaze flicks to Riley’s, and my stomach turns to lead.
I can tell from Ronan’s tone that something is wrong, but I keep my face neutral so as not to frighten Riley.
“Just been doing some sightseeing.”
Riley glances at me, and I offer her an easy smile, which she returns.
Fuck, she’s so beautiful when she smiles.
“I’ve heard some whispers that Sean might have sent a few guys to Vegas to find you. I’m not sure what he wants his men to do if they find you, but just be careful. It’s probably best to stay at the hotel where there are cameras everywhere.”
I glance over at Riley, who is watching me, her dessert untouched now.
“I’ve got it covered.”
“I’ll let you know if I hear anything else.”
I hang up the call with Ronan and pocket my phone. “How’s the dessert?”
“What was that about?”
“Oh, nothing…”
“Kieran.”
“Riley.”
A faint blush creeps up her cheeks, and I smirk.
I love how easy it is to get a reaction out of her. But it seems no amount of teasing will have her dropping the subject of my phone call.
“What’s going on?”
“Apparently, Sean has sent some of his men to Vegas as a little wedding present.”
Riley goes deathly still as fear flashes behind her eyes.
Before I can even think, I reach across the table and take her hand.
“It’s probably nothing,” I assure her.
“You don’t know that.”
I shrug. “My guess is he wants confirmation of our marriage. But if they are planning anything violent, they wouldn’t try it in a casino hotel. It’s too risky, even for Sean.”
“So, we’re safe?”
“With me? Always.” I flash her a grin as I squeeze her hand. “But if you feel safer heading back to the hotel, then that’s okay too.”
“No, it’s fine. I don’t want to ruin our night.”
She’s anything but fine. It’s written all over her face.
“You haven’t ruined anything, all right? So, I’ll settle up the bill, and we can head back.”
Riley nods, but through the smile she gives me, it’s clear the anxiety is starting to creep in.
I wave down a waiter and hand over enough cash to cover our meal three times over, but I don’t care. Right now, my priority is making sure Riley feels safe.
Riley is quiet the entire walk back to the hotel, and even when we’re safely back inside our suite and I’ve locked the door, she keeps pacing back and forth around the living area and jumping every time a door slams down the hall.
Her mind must be spinning, but I won’t let her fear of the unknown ruin this trip for her.
She needs a distraction.
I kick off my shoes. “Wanna go for a swim?”
Riley stops in her tracks and looks at me as if I’ve just grown two heads.
“What?”
“A swim. There’s a private rooftop pool for the executive members. Unless you’d rather go to bed…”
I’m praying she doesn’t choose the latter option. I’m wired after the phone call with Ronan, so I won’t be falling asleep anytime soon, and the last thing I need is to lie next to Riley’s warm, soft body for hours on end.
“Are there cameras up there?” she asks.
“They’re everywhere, so if Sean’s guys are here, they’ll see us married and in love.” I flash her a wink. “It will be good for the act and for your nerves.”
She hesitates before nodding. “Actually…I did bring a swimsuit that Lucy lent me.”
“I hope it’s not too scandalous,” I tease, and Riley rolls her eyes, which is the first normal response she’s given me since Ronan called.
I take it as a good sign.
While Riley disappears into the bathroom to change, I shed my shirt and slacks and pull on a pair of swim shorts. When Riley emerges from the bathroom wearing a baby blue string bikini that leaves almost nothing to the imagination, I almost choke on my own breath.
Her curves have my mouth watering with the need to explore them with my tongue.
I might have caught a glimpse of her naked, but somehow, having a scrap of material covering her nipples and pussy has me even more worked up.
She’s teasing me, and I don’t appreciate being teased.
I always have the upper hand, and if I’m lucky enough to get my hands on her, I’ll make it known that between the two of us, I’m the one in control.
“Let’s go.” I turn my back on Riley before I do something stupid, like throw her on the bed and show her what it’s like to belong to me.
On our way out of the room, I grab the bottle of champagne and two glasses because I’m going to need something to do with my hands so I don’t end up putting them all over Riley’s sweet ass.
I’m walking a very, very thin line.
It’s almost midnight, so the private pool area is completely deserted. No doubt most of the other residents are still out enjoying the Vegas nightlife.
As I settle myself on a lounger and work on pouring us a drink, Riley slips into the pool.
Her pale skin is almost pearlescent under the pool lights, and her dark red hair fans out behind her as if she’s a mermaid coming from the deep seas to lure me to my doom.
I quickly pour us both a glass of champagne and follow her in.
She sighs as she swims up to the edge of the infinity pool, where she stops to look down below at The Strip. “This is amazing.”
“It’s one hell of a honeymoon.”
“I think you have to travel to a new place to count it as a honeymoon.” Riley takes a sip of her drink.
“Is that so?”
“I mean, I think it’s a bit of a cop-out if you get married in Vegas and then honeymoon in Vegas too.”
“Where would you rather honeymoon, wife?”
“I hear Bora Bora is nice this time of year.” She grins.
I chuckle. “Noted.”
“And if we’re being technical, I actually didn’t get to have a bachelorette party or a bridal shower, so if you could arrange for Lucy and me to go on a vacation too, to make up for it, that would be great.”
“Are you single-handedly trying to bankrupt me?”
“That was my plan all along, Sullivan.”
I bark a laugh. “I think you would be worth it.”
Riley’s breath catches, and I take the opportunity to slide a little closer to her.
Her cheeks are flushed pink, and her green eyes are sparkling with mischief.
“What else am I worth?”
“Hmm…that depends.” I purposefully let my eyes linger on her lips before trailing lower, taking a moment to admire the swell of her breasts that are barely covered by the water.
“On what?” she asks a little breathlessly.
“On how obedient a wife you are.”
Riley’s throat bobs, and I have to fight a smile.
She can try as hard as she wants to pretend she doesn’t want me, but her body gives her away every time.
I shouldn’t move closer to the point where if she took a deep breath, her breasts would brush against my chest. But I do. I want to see just how far I can push the boundary.
Come on, Riley. Tell me you need me.
Her lips part, and I brace myself for the rejection, for the wall to go up around her once more, but nothing happens.
Instead, the next words out of her mouth have me completely coming undone.
“Why don’t I show you how obedient I can be?”