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“Yes, I mean, I thought you wanted to… uh ….” Her voice trailed off, and she lifted one shoulder in a lazy shrug. Her emotions seemed to be all over the place. She sounded dejected now, as if she imagined I’d already had my fill of her.

“What? You thought I wanted to use you and send you on your way?” A touch of annoyance infused my words. I couldn’t deny I’d selfishly used women to fulfill my needs in the past, but it irritated me that Annie might think that instant gratification was all I wanted from her. There was something special about this woman, and I needed to make her see that.

“Well, I mean, we used each other, right?” She was trying to sound nonchalant, but I detected a touch of sadness in her tone. Was that why she’d cried after giving me the best blowjob of my life? She thought this was a meaningless transaction. “It was just a bit of fun.”

“No, sweetheart.” I strode across the room, needing to be closer to her. “That’s not what it was.”

“Then what was it?”

Fuck if I knew. There was no way to explain the pull I felt toward this woman. It was visceral. If I believed in fate, I’d call it that.

“That was just a warm-up.” Cupping her cheek, I stroked the soft skin with my thumb. My heartbeat quickened as she leaned into my touch.

“A warm-up?”

“That’s right, sweetheart. It was a mere taster of what’s to come, because I am nowhere near finished with you.”

A flash of panic crossed her face, and she stepped back. I dropped my hand to my side.

“What if I’m done with you, Ciaran?”

Her challenging glare stunned me. I’d assumed she was as drawn to me as I was to her. Perhaps I’d read it wrong when she went down on me. Though I wanted Annie desperately, I wasn’t about to force her into anything. That wasn’t my style.

“Then you’re free to go.”

“And you’ll ask your men to stop following me?”

“If that’s what you’d prefer.” The concession didn’t come easily. Her safety was important to me, and I hated the idea of her being left without protection, especially since I didn’t trust her not to look for Mulhearn.

“It is.”

“Then I’ll tell them to stand down if you decide to leave.”

She cocked her head to one side. “What’s the alternative?”

“Well, you could choose to stay with me until you get on that plane tomorrow. For twenty-four hours, you’d be mine to do with as I please.”

Her eyes widened. “What would that entail?”

“Nothing you wouldn’t enjoy,” I assured her. “If you stay, you’ll give me complete control for the rest of our time together. In return, I’ll show you the greatest pleasure you’ve ever felt.” I gave her a minute to digest what I said. “So, Annie, what’s it to be? Will you stay, or will you go?”

ChapterFive

Annie

As Ciaran waited for an answer, I tried to untangle the thoughts swirling in my mind. Giving a man I barely knew complete control over me for twenty-four hours seemed crazy, yet a part of me wanted to do it. There was no denying I was attracted to Ciaran in a way that was raw, powerful and unlike anything I’d experienced before. That wouldn’t normally be enough to convince me to say yes to that sort of proposition from a total stranger, but somehow, despite his heavy-handed tactics to get me here, I trusted Ciaran.

Even with us being alone in his apartment, I felt safe. He could have done anything he wanted, but he hadn’t hurt me. When he spanked me, he told me to pick a safeword. Of course, I didn’t need to use it, so I couldn’t be sure he would honor it. Something told me he would have.

“Okay.” I took a deep breath to calm myself. “I’ll stay.”

“And you’ll follow my instructions without question?”

“Uh.” Needing to be sure about this, I paused. “Yes, if my safeword still applies.”

Ciaran nodded. “It does. If at any point you feel uncomfortable, just say beetroot and we’ll take a pause to discuss your concerns.”

His willingness to allow me a safety net was all the assurance I needed. Why shouldn’t I give in to him and have a little fun on my last day in Detroit? I may not have achieved my goal of finding my long-lost family, but at least I’d have a story to tell my friends back home. A wild fling with a handsome American was way more interesting than meeting a third cousin once removed, or whatever Danny Mulhearn was to me.