Page 9

Eamon steps closer, his hands bracketing my hips from behind.My body betrays me instantly as heat pools low in my belly.

“It’s late, and I’m exhausted,” I tell Ruairi, my voice trembling just enough to make me wince.

“Aoife—”

“I’ll call you in the morning.”I don’t wait for a response, ending the call and tucking my phone into the pocket of my robe as Eamon presses his chest against my back.

“Making excuses, love?”he whispers, his breath warm against my ear.

“You startled me,” I reply, though my voice lacks conviction as his hands slide up my sides, his thumbs grazing the undersides of my breasts.

“Did I?”he asks, his tone teasing as he unties the robe, and it slides off my shoulders, pooling at my feet on the deck.Gently, he kicks it out of the way.

Before I can respond, Eamon spins me around, lifting me onto the railing so that I’m perched precariously, with nothing but his strength keeping me steady.The night air kisses my skin as he spreads my thighs, stepping between them with a confidence that leaves no room for hesitation.

“Someone could see us,” I say, though there’s no real protest in my voice.

His lips curl into a smile as he leans closer.“Let them.”

The heat in his voice sends a shiver through me, and I can’t help the soft laugh that escapes my lips.“Are you always this reckless?”

One hand slides to the back of my neck, holding me in place as his other grips my hip, pulling me flush against him.“Only with you.”The hard length of him presses against my center.My hands clutch his shoulders as he pushes inside me in one smooth, unrelenting motion.

The sensation steals my breath.The way he fills me is overwhelming and perfect all at once.His movements are fast and rough, each thrust driving me closer to the edge as my legs wrap around him, holding him tighter.

The gentle rhythm of the waves mingles with the cries that spill from my lips as he takes me, his pace unrelenting.His hand moves between us, his thumb finding the bundle of nerves that sends electricity shooting through my body.

“Look at me,” he growls, his voice low and commanding as he thrusts harder, deeper.

My gaze snaps to his, and the intensity in his eyes sends me over the edge, my body clenching around him as I shatter in his arms.He follows moments later, his movements faltering as his release crashes over him like a storm, raw and all-consuming.

For a moment, neither of us moves.Our bodies stay locked together, skin slick with sweat, breaths ragged and tangled in the silence.The world feels distant—like it’s paused to let us exist in this one breathless moment.

With a final brush of his lips against mine, Eamon steps back, helping me down from the railing, his hands lingering on my hips as if reluctant to let go.My legs tremble as I find my footing, my body still humming from the intensity of what just happened.

When his hands finally fall away, it’s like coming down too fast from a high I didn’t know I was chasing.The space between us feels too wide, too cold.There’s something about him I can’t shake.He’s a stranger, yet it feels like he sees a part of me I’ve always kept hidden.Like he’s touching a place I’m not sure I want exposed.

“Who are you?”I ask, the question slipping out before I can stop it.

He tilts his head slightly, his lips curving into a slow, deliberate smile.“Someone you’ll wish you never met,” he says, his voice deep and velvety.A chill skitters down my spine.

I narrow my eyes, frustration warring with the undeniable pull he has on me.“That’s not an answer.”

“It’s the truth,” he counters, stepping closer, his eyes locked onto mine.His hand lifts, his knuckles brushing against my jaw, lingering there as if daring me to push him away.“You should be running from me, Eve.”

“Yet you’re the one who can’t seem to let go,” I say my voice thick with defiance.

His smirk deepens, a dangerous glint in his eyes as his hands slide to the back of my neck, pulling me a fraction closer.“Perhaps I don’t plan to.”

The words hit harder than I expect.It’s a confession cloaked in something darker, something that sets my pulse racing all over again.I open my mouth to respond, to throw his words back at him, but nothing comes out.He’s stolen every thought, every breath, leaving me standing here, exposed.

“You don’t trust easily,” he says, his voice softer now, though no less intense.“But you let me in.”

“I wanted to see who you are when you think no one’s watching,” I counter.

He chuckles softly, the sound low and rich, his thumb brushing along my jaw.“Careful, love.You might not like what you find.”

“I’m not afraid of you,” I whisper, though the tremor in my voice betrays me.