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CHAPTER NINE

NIALL

“ I don’t need all this,” Anna murmured, looking at the hangers in front of her.

“You need clothes. I’m buying you clothes.”

She laid a hand on my arm. “A few things. I agreed to a few things.”

“That’s what this is.”

I had brought her to a store I liked to shop in.

I had called ahead, and my personal shopper, Liz, met us at the door, seemingly pleased to be headed to the women’s section for a change.

After a few moments, she suggested that Anna look around, then told me she thought Anna was uncomfortable.

“Let her look so I can understand her likes,” she murmured. “I won’t be far away.”

I walked behind Anna, pulling a wardrobe rack.

I found myself watching her closely. I figured out quickly when she liked something.

Her eyes would widen with excitement, and that dimple I adored appeared briefly.

But most of the time, she would walk past, and it took me a moment to realize she was checking out the price.

After that, I simply hung the garment on the rack.

Liz swapped out the rack, placing it in a dressing room for us.

She checked out the items and added a few more. I added some I liked as well.

Anna looked shy as we walked through the lingerie department, so I decided which items I would enjoy ripping off her the most and added those.

At some point while we shopped, I had accepted the fact that my plans had gone awry and I was giving in. She wouldn’t be going to my mum’s room. She was staying with me—at least for now. What the future held, I had no idea, but right now, I wasn’t letting her go.

“This is more than my entire wardrobe back home. Certainly more than what was in my case.” She frowned, a small wrinkle appearing on her forehead. “I didn’t pick all of this.”

“I did. Or Liz.”

“I can buy some of my own clothing when I get my first check.”

I looked around the store, then backed her into the wall of the dressing room, shutting the door behind me.

“I want to buy you clothes,” I murmured against her mouth. “And you’re going to let me. Then later, you’re going to bake me cookies and model your new outfits.”

“And then?” she whispered, her breath washing over my face.

“Then I’m going to peel them off and let you try on another one. I might reward you if I particularly like one.”

Her breathing picked up. “How?”

I dropped my head to her neck. “However you want, mo mhuirnín. My tongue, my hand, my cock.” I nipped at her skin. “All three if you’d like.”

She whimpered, and I dropped my hand to her thigh, skimming it over to her center and cupping her. I could feel her heat.

“You want me, Anna?”

“Yes.”

“I want to take you right here,” I confessed. “Hard, fast, quiet.”

“You want to fuck me?” she replied.

I had been semi-hard walking behind her. Watching her hips sway. The way her mouth curved into a smile—remembering how that mouth felt wrapped around my cock. But hearing her say the word fuck did it. It sounded so dirty coming from her sweet mouth.

“Yes.”

She met my gaze. “Do it.”

I reached behind me, snapping the lock. She gazed at me, her eyes wide, a dusty, warm pink color infusing her cheeks and running down her neck.

Without a word, I knelt in front of her, taking off her shoes and sliding her pants down her legs. I buried my face into her core, inhaling.

“You smell so good, baby, and I can feel you. You want me as much as I want you.”

She gripped my hair, tugging.

I rose to my feet, covering her mouth with mine.

I slipped my fingers inside her underwear, stroking her, pleased to find her already wet.

I played with her, pushing one, then two fingers inside her.

She whimpered into my mouth, grasping at my shoulders.

I felt her begin to come, tightening around my digits, her body shaking.

“Take off my belt,” I mumbled against her lips.

She fumbled with the buckle and tugged down the zipper as I finger-fucked her into an orgasm. She gasped into my mouth as my pants fell to the floor, and I lifted her so her legs wrapped around my waist. Our eyes locked as I snapped my hips, burying myself inside her.

She shuddered as I started to move. There was no finesse, no buildup.

I thrust in hard, fast rolls of my hips.

She whimpered and shook in my arms. Her tongue played with mine, our breaths mingling, my groans and her pleas muffled and low.

Part of me knew I shouldn’t be doing this.

She was still innocent. All of this was still so new to her.

But she felt too good, and she was right there with me.

I felt her begin to tighten, and I moved faster, my own orgasm rolling over me like a tidal wave, sweeping me under and leaving me floundering. For a moment, I was adrift, then I realized the woman I was holding was trembling, her shoulders shaking.

I froze.

Feck. I had been hammering into her without a care. Had I hurt her? I pulled back, lifting her chin. But instead of the tears I expected, she was smiling. Holding a hand over her mouth to stop the soft giggles.

I felt my own mouth turn into a grin.

“Why are you laughing?” I asked. “You’re hurting my ego.”

“I’m pretty sure the woman in the changing room behind us knows exactly what we’re doing. I don’t think she appreciated your efforts,” she whispered.

I grinned. “Jealous. Maybe I should offer?—”

She slammed her hand over my mouth. “Don’t even pretend to finish that sentence, Niall Black. I will end you.”

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. It seemed my Anna was equally possessive of me.

We looked at each other for a moment. “Are you okay, Anna?”

She traced my mouth. “Perfect. I like fucking you.”

I dropped my head to her neck. “Don’t,” I warned. “Just you saying that makes me hard, and I want to buy you clothes, not get kicked out.”

Just then, a knock sounded at the door. “Is everything okay in there?” Liz asked, her annoyance mixed with amusement.

Anna’s panicked gaze met mine. I kissed her then turned my head. “Great. We might need more items.” I kissed Anna again, silencing her protests. “A lot more.”

“Oh.” Liz’s annoyance disappeared at the thought of the commission she would be earning. “Let me know, and I’ll get whatever you need, sir.”

“Thank you.”

Anna’s eyes shot daggers at me. I grinned at her.

“Bring us everything.”

Back at the hotel, I carried up some bags, Anna taking the rest. She had protested, fumed, and threatened, but I held my ground for the most part.

I’d purchased clothing, lingerie, some dresses and shoes, as well as a new purse.

And unbeknownst to her, I’d left instructions for other items to be delivered, when she’d seemed genuinely upset at my generosity and I thought she was going to refuse everything.

It was something else different about her.

I was used to giving expensive gifts. Trinkets that meant nothing to me, except a transaction on my bank card.

It never meant anything when the woman I gave it to wore it, cooed over it, or coveted the item.

It was usually a gesture of goodbye, prompted by guilt.

Simply seeing Anna in an outfit I bought her gave me great satisfaction.

Watching her delight over a soft sweater or a pretty pair of shoes that cost me less than a meal out most of the time warmed something inside me.

The fact that she wanted to be independent was a turn-on, but it didn’t stop this unknown desire of wanting to spoil her for the next while.

Upstairs, she unpacked the items, confused when I helped her hang things. “This is your closet,” she protested. “Shouldn’t I be hanging them next door?”

“No,” I said with a shake of my head. I kissed her. “You’re not sick of me yet.”

She caught the back of my neck, holding me to her mouth. “What if I never am?”

All I could do was kiss her again.

She drew back, offering me a sad smile. Then she clapped her hands. “I need a grocery store.”

I laughed. “I’ll take you down to the kitchen, and you can get what you need for today. Later, you can order what you need online and get it delivered. I have to go see Finn and do some work.”

“Okay. I might call Una. See if she wants to bake with me.”

“Okay. If you leave the suite, take your phone.”

“I will.”

I paused, hesitating. “Anna,” I began.

She frowned, looking anxious. “Yes?”

I had planned to remind her this was just now. Not forever. To assure her she would grow tired of me, or I her, and things would change. But the words wouldn’t come, and I hated seeing her smile fall. So, I grinned.

“I like chocolate chip cookies. I prefer the term biscuits since that is what they are, but I like the ones with chocolate.”

Her dimple popped as she grinned back. “Okay, then. Chocolate biscuits it is.”

I winked. “Good plan.”

ANNA

Una laughed as we pulled another cookie tray from the oven.

The head chef had been more than generous when Niall explained what I wanted to do.

All sorts of kitchen implements, all the ingredients I asked for, had been brought up to the suite right away.

He also told me if I needed anything else simply to call, and he would send it up.

Una had been thrilled at the idea of baking, and we got right to it.

Soon, the suite smelled of chocolate and ginger.

It seemed Finn’s favorite cookies were dark ginger molasses, so we made a batch of each.

It felt good to feel normal. Baking with a friend. Laughing and chatting.

“Finn asked me to marry him,” she confessed.

I clapped my hands together. “Of course you said yes?”

She nodded. “I did.”

I hugged her, thrilled for her. She had talked so much about Finn when we were being held captive. She swore she would never leave him if she got out.

“I’m so happy for you!”

She smiled, brushing away a tear. “I’m so glad I got the chance to have him back,” she murmured.

“I know.” I rubbed her arm in sympathy. “We made it out,” I said quietly. “Thanks to Finn, Niall, and their friends.”