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ChapterNine

Glenda

“Glenda!” My eyes fly open as I’m jolted awake with my Kindle still in my hand. I must have nodded off. “Baby!” Cillian's voice booms through the cottage, and it sounds like a herd of animals coming down the hallway. I sit up, wondering what the heck is going on just as the door to my room swings open to reveal a frantic Cillian.

“What’s wrong?” I ask as he freezes in the doorway. “What’s going on?” I say again when he doesn’t respond.

“I…ah.” He pauses, clearing his throat. “The living room looks ransacked. I thought something happened.”

Heat rushes to my face as I put what he’s saying together. “Sorry. I can be a bit messy. I’ll clean it up,” I say as I stand from the bed. “My mother is always on me about it and says no man is going to want to marry a tornado.”

“It’s fine. I was worried something happened, but clearly you're fine.” His voice is quiet, and he’s still standing there frozen in the doorway. “I don’t think any man is going to care if you make messes, Glenda. Not if they get to be married to you.”

Such a sweet thing to say, but his words puzzle me. My mind flashes back to him shouting my name through the cottage; did he really call me “baby”? I could have sworn I heard it, which is crazy because I enjoy that more than him calling me by my name. Maybe I was still half asleep and dreamed it.

“I don’t want to get married I’ve decided.” I raise my chin in defiance.

Cillian runs his hand down his face before he braces it on the doorframe, gripping it with both hands.

“I’m sure you’ll have your pick of suitors.”

“That’s the problem, I don’t get to pick. Maybe I’ll become a spinster instead. I could get a few cats or something.”

“But you love romance.” I don’t much feel like smiling right now, but I can’t help it with him remembering what kind of books I enjoy reading. He’s right, I do love romance, but that’s not going to be in the cards for me.

If I go against my parents’ wishes, I’ll end up painted as the black sheep. The willful daughter who is a snotty brat. My own mother’s words from years ago play around in my head when I asked her what would happen if someone didn’t marry the person their parents picked for them. That was her description.

“I do but…” I trail off, not sure what to say.

“I should go,” he says, his voice rough and low. Why did he come over in the first place then?

“Okay,” I answer, but Cillian doesn’t move. His hands are still gripping the doorframe in a death hold, and his eyes rake over my body. I swear I see lust there, but I must be mistaken. “Was I a terrible kisser?” I suddenly blurt out. It must be the wine making me brave.

“What?” he asks, sounding confused by my question.

“Was I a bad kisser or something? I’d never done it before so I…ah. Never mind.” Keep your mouth shut, Glenda. I’m going to make this worse than it already is. I have to see this man for the rest of my life. Let's not make it weirder than it already is.

“Babe,” he clips. Not “baby” this time but close. “I can’t stop thinking about that kiss, but I can’t talk to you like this. I’m barely holding on to my control.” Again, I don’t understand his words. I swear we’re speaking two different languages or something. He closes his eyes for a long second before he opens them again. “Tell me to leave.” That’s the last thing I want him to do, but I don’t want him here out of some pity.

“You don’t have to leave. It’s your cottage. I thought you said you might stay here too.” Didn’t he tell me if his mom invited a bunch of people over to the main house he'd come here?

“If I stay in this cottage with you, there’s no way I won’t end up in your bed. Especially with you dressed like that.”

When I look down at myself, I gasp. That’s when I realize I’m wearing a matching set of soft pink underwear and nothing else. Neither of them cover much, so not only am I in my underwear, but I’m nearly falling out of it.

“Oh my god,” I whisper. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize.” I lift my head to say I’m sorry again, but the words die on my lips. Cillian has silently moved to stand right in front of me.

“Don’t apologize. I was the one that burst into your room. I’m the one that should say I’m sorry.” He pauses as he licks his lips. “But I’m not.”

“You’re not?”

“No, I’ve been dying to know what you looked like under all those clothes. What it is that you keep hidden away.” He’s been thinking about that?!

“You have?” I stare at his mouth, and my body begins to tingle.

“You’ve got to stop, baby. You’re too damn tempting.”

I let out a small laugh. “I don’t think I’m tempting, Cillian. That’s the last thing anyone would call me.”

“That’s just it, you don’t even know it. But if you keep staring at my mouth, I’m going to use it on you.” Cillian's whole demeanor has changed, and it fills up all the space in the room. It’s like he’s surrounding me, and I love it.

“I liked when you kissed me,” I admit as my tongue darts out to wet my dry lips. Now he’s the one looking at my mouth, and a sound rumbles from him that makes my stomach flutter.

“You could have fooled me.”

“What does that mean?”

“You got cold on me. I’m sorry if—”

“Don’t apologize.” I throw his own words back at him. “I wasn’t cold, I was upset that you were embarrassed about being caught kissing me.”

“Embarrassed!” The one word booms from him, making me jump back a step.


Tags: Alexa Riley Romance