She responds by making a small sound of relief and sagging against me, as if her knees are giving out.
I fist a hand in her hair. She clings to my shoulders. We kiss in hot desperation until the airstairs fold up and the cabin door closes. Then she opens her eyes and stares deep into mine.
In a breathy voice, she says, “So you’re a spy for the US government.”
“No. I’m a spy for the Irish government.”
She takes a moment to digest that, blinking slowly in surprise. “A double agent?”
“More like a free agent. Nobody knows what I’m really up to.”
After an astonished pause, she exhales a slow breath, shaking her head. “That explains a lot.”
“So it’s settled, then.”
“What is?”
“We’re getting married.”
After a beat, she hides her face in my chest and dissolves into laughter.
I caress her hair and smile. “Where should we go on our honeymoon?”
“Where’s the closest insane asylum?”
“I’m being serious.”
“So am I.”
I say firmly, “It’s not up for discussion.”
“You have no idea how women work, do you?”
“You’re not the typical woman.”
“There’s zero chance we’re getting married.”
“Why, you want a three-year courtship followed by the fluffy white wedding dress and the white picket fence?”
“Fuck no.”
“I didn’t think so. It’s settled.”
“Declan!”
“Enough for one night, woman. You can yell at me about it later.”
When she remains stiff and resistant in my arms, I add softly, “Please.”
“Oh, you’re evil.”
“You have no idea.”
She says drily, “I think I have a clue.”
I kiss her again, this time even harder.
It’s not altitude that makes me feel like I’m flying, because we’re not even up in the air yet.
43
Sloane
When we get back to the beach house on Martha’s Vineyard, it’s very late. Or very early, depending how you look at it. Spider and Kieran are at the front gate, rifles in hand.
I give them a little wave. Spider smiles and tips up his chin. Kieran sends me a jaunty salute, grinning.
“They seem like they’re in good moods,” I note as we drive through the gate.
Declan says, “That’s because their fearless leader has returned.”
“Aw. It must be a good feeling for you to have such loyal men.”
His voice turns dry. “I wasn’t talking about me.”
That makes me smile.
We park in the circular driveway. In front of the entrance to the house, ten more armed men await. One of them opens the passenger door before Declan is even out of the driver’s seat and helps me from the car.
I recognize him. He was one of the men in the kitchen the night I almost cut off my pinkie to save Spider’s.
Inclining his head, he says something in Gaelic.
I ask Declan what it was once we’re inside.
His smile is amused. “Roughly translated, welcome home, my queen.”
“Really? How fantastic. Can you tell all the guys to call me that?”
“No.”
“Okay. I’ll have Kieran tell them for me.”
He chuckles, then takes my hand and tugs me along, headed for the master bedroom. Just to tease him, I yawn. “I think I’ll take a nice long bath before bed.”
“You can take it after.”
I ask innocently, “After what?”
He throws me a smoldering look. “After I show you why you want to be my wife.”
Pushing open the bedroom door, he pulls me inside, then kicks the door shut behind him. He doesn’t bother with any other explanation, he simply grabs me and kisses me, hard.
I break away, breathlessly laughing. “Did someone miss me?”
Holding my head in his hands, he says gruffly, “Aye. You and that smart mouth and that perfect arse of yours. I almost went bloody mad. I never want to be apart from you that long again.”
My heart pounds with happiness. I look up into his beautiful blue eyes, so full of adoration, and can’t help the stupid smile that takes over my face. “I think that can be arranged…sir.”
His lids lower. A muscle flexes in his jaw. He licks his lips then kisses me again, holding my head as I wrap my arms around his waist. He drinks deep from my mouth, making a masculine sound of pleasure in his throat.
When the kiss ends, we’re both breathing raggedly.
“I have a homecoming present for you,” he whispers.
“Oh, good. How many carats is it?”
He cocks a brow. “How many carats do you want for your ring?”
“I wasn’t talking about a ring. There are plenty of other pieces of jewelry besides rings.” I smile sweetly. “Like tiaras, for instance. Have you seen the one the Duchess of Cambridge wore for her wedding to Prince William?”
He’s trying not to smile, but not managing it. “Aye.”
“Like that. Only bigger.”
“So a crown.”
“Now you’re getting the picture.”
“I knew from the second I laid eyes on you that you were high-maintenance. Come over here.”
Taking my hand again, he leads me over to the bed. Then he stands silently, watching my face as I look at the carefully lined-up display on the silk duvet cover.
A flush of heat blooming over my chest, I say faintly, “That’s quite the collection.”
He slides his hand slowly up my spine and grips the back of my neck. Bending close to my ear, he says, “Choose your favorite.”
My nipples tighten. My mouth goes dry. Between my legs, a pulse of heat blooms to match the one heating my upper body. Oh god. I’m going to pass out.
I don’t want to miss all the fun, though, so I force myself to take slow breaths as I look over the whips, floggers, riding crops, and paddles lined up from one edge of the mattress to the other.
I point at one in red-and-black leather with a braided handle and long leather tassels dangling from the end.
Massaging my neck, Declan makes a low sound of approval. “I like that one, too. Take off your clothes.”
He stands back, folds his arms over his chest, and gazes hotly at me.
Waiting.
Holy cheese and rice, this man knows how to welcome a girl home properly.
I slip off my coat and let it fall to the floor. My hands shaking, I unbutton my blouse. It’s long-sleeved white silk, one that I brought with me to New York when I first went to visit Nat, what feels like a lifetime ago. All my clothes were packed in the trunk of the Bentley that I was taken from, and Nat kept them for me at their house.
I make a mental note to ask Declan later what happened to the Betsey Johnson pink tulle skirt I was wearing that night, then clear my head of all thoughts and slip the blouse off my shoulders.
My bra follows it to the floor.
Declan stares at me with avid eyes as I unbutton the fly of my jeans and pull the zipper down. Licking his lips, he watches as I take them off. When I shimmy out of my panties and kick them aside, he does nothing for a long moment but stare at my naked body.