Chapter 11 #2
“Do you? Ma said pink didn’t suit me, not with my auburn hair, but I had to have it.”
“It was a good choice.”
“You don’t think the skirt is too short?” she asked, peering out the window.
“No, ’tis shorter than I like, but I know ’tis the style now. Girls want to show off their legs,” he teased, “and as long as that’s all the showin’ you do, I’m fine with it.”
“Amazin’,” she sighed as she relaxed back into her seat.
“What is?”
“You don’t mind the short skirt, but hated those hot pants,” she teased.
“I didn’t hate them. You can buy a dozen pairs to wear around the house once we’re settled. I minded others bein’ able to see those sweet cheeks, and I minded what happened to my body every time I saw you in them.”
“Really?” she laughed. “If I’d known, I would have paraded all over in them.”
“I’m sure you would have. You’ve always enjoyed tormentin’ me.”
“That’s not true,” she defended herself.
“Aye, ’tis true, but I’ll soon have my revenge,” he replied, leaning closer and growling into her ear.
Maeve shivered, eyed him suspiciously and moved away. Sean grinned, leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.
* * *
Maeve was surprised she’d dozed off during the flight.
She’d been a mass of nerves for the last few days worrying the wedding wouldn’t go as planned.
Thankfully, it had. She couldn’t have asked for nicer weather or a more beautiful day.
While saying good-bye to her ma and da had been painful, she now found herself looking forward to her new life as Mrs. Sean O’Malley.
Sean appeared to be a seasoned traveler and quickly got them through the required stops and into a taxi headed toward the Hilton Hotel. Her bridal jitters returned as she watched him sign the register. Tucking her arm through his, he led her to the elevator.
“Are we goin’ up right away?” she asked nervously.
“Aye,” he replied. “Why?”
“I’m a little hungry.”
“We’ll order somethin’ brought up,” he assured her. His hand on her back urged her into the lift.
“I thought maybe we could look around a bit,” Maeve suggested. “It’s not as though I’ve ever been to Paris before, nor am I likely to return.”
“We have all day tomorrow,” Sean pointed out, a knowing grin tilting his lips.
Maeve frowned and straightened her spine. He thought she was afraid, frightened of what was going to happen once they were alone in their room. Well, hell would freeze over before she’d admit it, even if there was a little bit of truth in his assumptions.
The bell boy stepped back as Sean unlocked the door to their room and followed them in. Maeve began to laugh.
“This won’t do,” he stated firmly, looking around the room. “Have you another?”
“I do not know,” the young man replied in perfect English. “You could call down to the desk and ask.”
“Aye, I’ll go down to the desk. You stay right there,” he snapped, pointing at Maeve. “Don’t unpack a thing. Come with me,” he continued, ushering the boy from the room and near slamming the door behind them.
Maeve kicked off her pink heels and collapsed on one of the twin beds with a giggle. The entire room was pink, like a bottle of the stomach soother they sold at McGreevy’s had exploded. It was ridiculously funny in a way. Sean’s mother had obviously gotten her revenge.
Sean was furious when he returned to the room. Kicking off his shoes he plopped down on the other twin bed.
“No other available rooms?” Maeve asked, biting her lip as he stared at the ceiling.
“None,” he barked back.
Turning on her side she wiggled her toes and glanced at him.
“Care to make a wager who booked this room?” she asked with a giggle.
“I already know. I called Da from downstairs, certain there had been a mistake. He paid, but Ma booked it. I could hear John laughin’ in the background and Ma was runnin’ up the stairs to their room as we hung up.
’Tis a rotten trick to do to your own son,” he sighed in frustration. “Da was furious.”
“Well at least she’ll pay for her transgressions, and when I write my ma, the whole town will know. I doubt she’ll ever live it down.”
“That may be, but ’tis a fine way to spend our first night as man and wife, in a monstrously pink room with two tiny beds,” he sighed in frustration. “As a honeymoon, two days is short enough, but in this room t’will be a joke.”
Maeve suddenly felt sorry for him and sat up, pulling the pins from her upswept hair. Without giving herself time to think about it, she walked the few feet to the other bed and gave him a shove.
“Move over.”
Sean turned on his side and she lay down beside him. He opened his arms and pulled her close.
“’Tis not so terribly small,” she offered against his chest.
“We won’t get a wink of sleep,” he groused.
“Were you plannin’ on sleepin’?” she teased. Softly her fingers reached up to stroke his hair.
“You have a point, lass,” he replied, pulling her up until they were face to face. “I was plannin’ to be a mite more comfortable is all.”
“Aye, I believe you said I would be the uncomfortable one.”
“I’ll make it as easy on you as I can, love,” he promised looking into her eyes. “I won’t rush you. I’ll be gentle.”
“Will you spank me?” Maeve breathed out.
“Are you plannin’ on givin’ me trouble?” he asked in surprise.
“I’ve thought about it,” she admitted, looking away.
“Then I reconsidered. ’Tis no way to start a marriage, and to tell you the truth, I’ve been mighty curious ever since that night in your flat.
I want to know what ’tis all about, O’Malley.
I know there’s more, and now that we’re wed, I’ve decided to trust you to show me. ”
Sean laughed, a rich hearty sound that surprised her.
“You wee liar, you would have let me show you long before we were wed,” he crowed.
“’Tis rude of you to point that out, husband,” she said with a sniff, pulling back.
“Aye, t’was rude, wife,” he agreed. “’Tis sorry I am to have said it.
T’was all I could do not to take advantage of your passionate nature, and I’m thankful for it.
I’m still not sure how I managed to survive these many months without takin’ you fully,” he admitted before he gently claimed her lips.
Maeve felt her body soften as his hand stroked her shoulders before moving lower on her back. He kissed her for a long time, gently nibbling, nudging her lips open with his tongue so he could explore her mouth. Twice he drew her lower lip between his and bit gently.
All the while, his hands traveled up and down her spine, moving her closer and closer to his hard body.
She could feel the strength of his chest, his erection pressed against her tummy.
At some point she noticed that he’d worked her skirt up to her waist and was cupping her bottom through her panties, pressing her ever closer.
“Sean,” she whispered against his mouth.
“Hmm?”
“We best make sure the door is locked, and close the drapes.”
“Aye, I’ll do it. Don’t you move,” he ordered, his voice a bit ragged.
She watched him get up and hurry to the door, checking the lock.
Then he strode across the room and closed the drapes.
Before he got back to the bed, he was already shucking his suit jacket and pulling his shirt over his head.
She smiled and sat up, unbuttoning her top.
They both froze when a knock sounded at the door.
Jumping up, Maeve rushed to the bathroom and closed the door so she couldn’t be seen.
“What is it?” Sean demanded, yanking open the door.
“The management apologizes for the misunderstanding regarding the reservations, sir. They’ve sent this up as a small token and hope you and Mrs. O’Malley enjoy your evening.”
A uniformed waiter wheeled in a cart carrying a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket, two glasses and a bowl of strawberries. A single red rose stood in a small crystal vase on the linen covered cart.
“If there is anything else we can do to make your stay with us more pleasant, please let us know.”
Sean reached into his pocket, pulled out some bills and pressed them into the young man’s hand. “Thank you.”
“Will there be anything else, sir?”
Sean appeared to look around the room, spotted something and picked it up, handing it to the waiter.
“Aye, you can hang this on our door,” he said before ushering him from the room and locking the door behind him.
“What was it you gave him?” Maeve asked as she came from the bathroom in her light pink slip.
“A Do Not Disturb sign,” Sean replied with a wink.