Chapter 39 #2
Later, after we’ve taken a long soak in the bath together, Kieran tells me to get dressed. Of course, he won’t tell me where we’re going no matter how many times I ask, which only makes me more curious.
I never would have thought Kieran Sullivan was a secret romantic, but he looks to be enjoying himself just as much as I am.
A car is waiting for us outside the hotel to drive us to a fancy Italian restaurant for dinner. Inside, it’s warm and softly lit with flickering candles and the faint hum of jazz music in the background.
Kieran orders for us without even glancing at the menu, and I just smile because it seems he knows what I like better than I do.
We take our time with each course, sipping our drinks and laughing quietly as we talk about what it will be like in a few years when the next generation of Sullivans will be running circles around us.
Kieran reaches across the table for my hand. “I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait.”
It’s enough to have my eyes welling with tears, though that’s not exactly hard these days with all of the hormones running rampant through my body.
But I can’t complain too much when the same hormones are also the reason I can’t wait to get back to the hotel and rip Kieran’s clothes off.
After dinner, we walk along the waterfront.
The night air is crisp enough to make me shiver, so Kieran shrugs off his jacket and drapes it around my shoulders.
His hand finds mine, and I lean into him, soaking up his warmth.
“This feels nice,” I murmur.
He hums, thumb brushing slow circles over my knuckles. “Yeah, it does.”
We walk a little farther before he stops suddenly, turning to face me. There’s something in his eyes that makes my heart skip a beat.
“What?” I ask, suddenly nervous. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
He doesn’t answer. He simply grips the lapels of his jacket and tugs me closer.
For a second, I think he’s going to kiss me, so I close my eyes, waiting to feel his lips press against mine.
But it doesn’t come.
Instead, he reaches into the inside pocket of his jacket.
My eyes fly open, and I’m about to protest about the lack of attention he’s paying to my mouth only to find Kieran on one knee in front of me holding a small velvet box.
The world around us seems to fade. The cold air stills, and even the river seems to hold its breath as I try to process what’s happening.
“Kieran…” I whisper, my heart in my throat.
Inside the box, nestled against the dark lining, is the most stunning ring I’ve ever seen. It’s a gold band with a single oval diamond in the center. It’s simple, and yet so perfect that my eyes start to sting.
“Riley.” His voice is rough with emotion. “When we got married, it was nothing but a contract. It wasn’t this.” He gestures between us, his dark eyes glinting in the light.
“And I hate that that’s how our story started, so I want to rewrite it. This time, I want it to start by just asking the woman I love to be my wife.”
“But we’re already married.” I laugh despite the tears that spill down my cheeks.
“I want us to get married because we want to, not because we had to. So, let me ask you, Riley Sullivan, my beautiful wife, the mother of my child, will you do me the honor of marrying me, again?”
That’s it. That’s all it takes for the dam to break.
“Yes.” My voice shakes. “Of course, I’ll marry you.”
He exhales a breath that sounds like relief and joy all tangled together, then takes the ring and slides it onto my finger above the gold band that he bought me all those months ago.
It fits perfectly, like it’s been waiting for me all along.
I don’t even wait for him to stand before I throw my arms around him and kiss him, nearly knocking him over.
Tears stream down my cheeks. “I love you.”
“I love you too, little dove.” He brushes a thumb over my cheek and wipes away my tears. “More than I ever thought I could love anyone.”
I look down at my hand, at the diamond sparkling in the light, and it hits me all over again that this is real. Kieran Sullivan loves me, and I love him.
And I know without a shadow of a doubt that this moment right now is the happiest I’ve ever been.
When we get back to the hotel, we barely make it inside the room before Kieran is tugging off my dress.
It’s crazy how I could need him again so soon, considering he spent most of the afternoon buried between my thighs. But the moment he sinks his cock inside me once again, I feel such overwhelming happiness that I have to fight back tears.
“Little dove,” Kieran murmurs as he settles himself between my thighs. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’m just so happy.” I take his face between my hands and kiss him softly, wanting to take my time savoring the feeling of his lips brushing against mine.
Kieran lowers himself onto his forearms, caging me beneath his body, and makes love to me until we’re both covered in sweat, and I’m completely limp with pleasure.
Almost immediately I start to drift off in Kieran’s arms.
His phone starts vibrating on the nightstand.
“I thought you said no phones,” I mumble, half-watching through my heavy lids as he reaches for it.
He doesn’t answer, but from the way his body tenses against mine, I know whatever it is isn’t good.
“What is it?”
He hesitates, then shows me the message.
Unknown number: All of you are going down. I promise you that you’ll never see me coming.
“Lorcan?” The name catches in my throat.
He nods, his eyes dark as he re-reads the message.
“If you need to go back and sort this out, I understand.”
“No.” He runs a hand through his hair. “We’ve spent days trying to track him down and found nothing. What we need to do is reserve our resources and wait for him to slip up, which he will. For now, I just want to enjoy this.” He sets down his phone and tightens his arms around me.
I nestle closer, pressing my cheek against his chest and focusing on the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
“Okay. I’ll stay with you.”
But sleep eludes me.
My mind races with thoughts of Lorcan and the chaos he’s left in his wake.
There’s no saying what he’s capable of.
Even wrapped in Kieran’s arms, the unease lingers, gnawing at the edges of my peace, and I can’t shake the feeling that what happened with Cormac is only the beginning of what Lorcan Sullivan is capable of.