Holding Out For Skye (29 page)

He grinned when she blushed. “I love your eyes, how they make me feel like I could drown in them. I love every little thing about you. You’re the only one I want.”

Skye’s eyes filled with awe at the heartfelt litany, chasing away the shadows. Her heart fluttered in her chest, the beats quickening with joy.
He loved her!
Cian really loved her.

A luminous smile lit her face and in that moment, she looked utterly beautiful to Cian.

“You love me,” Skye breathed in wonder.

“I said it, didn’t I? I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it.” Cian leaned his face close to hers so their noses touched. “You damn well better believe it. I didn’t go to all this trouble to let your doubts come between us. Am I making myself clear?”

“Crystal!” Taking him by surprise, Skye threw her hands around his neck and pressed her lips to his, smiling into the kiss.

Cian moved in, relief rushing through his veins. He was never letting go of her ever again. His heart felt whole, no holes, no more pain. He tightened his arms around her.

All the anguish of the past few weeks, the burden hanging over Skye’s head were gone. He was here, with her. And
he
loved her
. She couldn’t quite believe it. She was afraid she might be dreaming.
Cian loved her!

After a while, he finally pulled back, staring at her with a look in his eyes that Skye had never seen before. Or maybe it had always been there and she hadn’t been looking carefully. A look that was love and joy and wonder wrapped up altogether.

She had no idea how badly Cian’d wished to see that dazed look in her eyes again. He could see he was flustering her. He smiled. Yep, things were right in his world again.

“Why the hell did I have to say it first? Why couldn’t you have said it first?” was the first thing Skye could think of to say.

“Because I loved you first,” Cian retorted with a smug smile.

“Not true.”

“Wanna bet? When did
you
know?”

She regarded him with suspicion. God, how he’d missed her suspicious looks.

“Nuh-uh. I’m not going first this time. You’d just top mine.”

“I don’t think you
can
top mine. So I’ll go first. The day all this started when you did your little masquerade in front of Vanessa and Alastor.”

“
What?
But that
can’t be
! You couldn’t already have! We didn’t even know each other then.”

“
You
didn’t but I did. I already loved you. I just hadn’t realized it until that day. Which is why I wanted a
real
relationship with you.”

He’d loved her that long? Skye remembered something Cian had said to her when he’d had her pinned on the couch.

“It’s been months, Skye. It’s been years.”

Tears filled her eyes again. She was really turning into a crybaby today.

“Don’t cry,” Cian whispered, cradling her against his chest. “I can’t bear to see you cry.”

Skye rubbed at her eyes. “I’m not crying. I’m just sorry that it took me longer than you.”

“When?” Cian asked curiously.

“The day after Kiera’s breakup with Ash. You came over and comforted her.”

Awareness flashed in his eyes. “I knew something had happened, that there was something you weren’t telling me.” He recalled something else and laughed at the memory. “Tasha knew, didn’t she? That’s why she grabbed Kiera and got out of the house like a shot.”

Skye’s cheeks flamed. “Yeah, that fox,” she grumbled.

Cian laughed and squeezed her. “You know she loves us both.”

“I know.” After a pause, “She wasn’t mad at me.”

Cian understood. “Like Thea was?”

Skye hid her face in his shoulder. “She had the right to.”

“No, she had no right,” Cian disagreed quietly. “I know she and I are childhood friends. I care about her too and I appreciate that she’d try to defend me. But you were also her friend. She shouldn’t have treated you that way. And the irony of it doesn’t escape me. You gave me up for her happiness and she treated you like dirt.”

“You didn’t say anything to her, did you?” At his silence, Skye groaned. “Oh, Cian. It’s not her fault.”

“Nick didn’t blame you. That should have told her something.”

“Cian—”

“No, I don’t want to hear it. She and I might be close but I could see how her behavior hurt you. And it hurt me too. I’ll never forgive myself for not seeing through to how much you were hurting.” Pain flashed in his eyes.

“Cian, don’t beat yourself up over that. I didn’t let you see. It’s not your fault.”

“Still—”

Skye pressed her hand against his mouth, cutting off his words. “Now, you listen to me, mister.
I
made sure you’d believe I didn’t care. It’s
not
on your head how much it hurt. It’s on mine. So stop blaming yourself. Am I making myself clear?”

“Crystal,” he said against her hand, tickling it.

She tried to pull her hand away but he caught it and pressed a kiss in her palm. Skye shivered.

“I love it when you’re bossy.” When she blushed, Cian grinned. “It’s sexy.”

“Stop it,” she muttered, flushing even more.

Skye lifted her head to glare at him and it seemed only natural to lower his so his lips hovered over hers. Anticipation rose in him. She stared at him, her brown eyes so eloquent, Cian couldn’t resist her. He closed the distance and settled his mouth on hers.

Skye pressed closer, needing to feel him, to reassure herself he was here with her. She kissed him back, showing him just how intense her feelings for him were.

When he pulled away, Cian smiled knowingly at her. Her cheeks went pink. He cradled her against his heart, his chin brushing the top of her head, the stubble on his jaw catching at the silken strands of her hair. With her in his arms, he was filled with utter contentment.

“There’s just one thing I don’t get,” Cian mused aloud.

“What’s that?” Skye looked up at him.

“Who told Uncle Lee about Nick and Thea. Neither of them knew who did it.”

“It was Alastor,” Skye answered without thinking. In the next instant, she could have bitten her tongue off.

“And how do
you
know that?”

Skye looked at him nervously. What if he went after Alastor?

“Cian—”

“How, Skye?” he said in a clipped tone.

“Promise you won’t go off on a rampage.”

“I can’t make a promise I can’t keep,” Cian countered coolly. “Tell me now or I’ll go rip the truth out of his throat.”

Skye blew out her breath in agitation. “I had a run-in with him at the waterfront,” she mumbled, her voice barely audible.

He had sharp ears. “When?”

“The week following our breakup,” she confessed, sending him another nervous glance.

“Tell me,” Cian demanded.

Resigned, she told him about the encounter at the waterfront.

His eyes filled with cold fury. When she finished, he swore, viciously. “Do you really expect me to just let this go and not beat the shit out of him for laying a hand on you?”

“Yes.” Skye understood what she was asking of him. His pride demanded that he break Alastor into tiny pieces for assailing her.

“You ask too much,” Cian said with a tinge of bitterness.

“I know. I ask that you let it go because I took care of it myself.”

In one swift move, Cian pinned her beneath him. Taken aback, she stared at him with wide eyes.

“You are mine, Skye,” he stated in a dangerously soft tone. “Anyone who lays a hand on you is just asking for a low, horribly excruciating beating.”

His words had her eyes widening further. It astounded Skye that classy, smooth Cian could have this fierce, aggressive streak in him. Then her shock was replaced by indignation even as her heart fluttered at his statement. He meant every word. “I’m not your property or some little lady in need for a man’s protection.”

Cian stared down at her for a moment, his eyes unreadable, then leaned closer until his face almost touched hers. “You
are
mine, just as much as I’m yours.”

The words deflated the fight out of her. “I’m sorry. I’m still getting used to being part of a couple.”

“Get completely used to it,” Cian ordered.

“I understand you’d feel the need to protect me,” Skye began hesitantly, “but you also need to understand and trust that I can take care of myself.”

“Don’t you think I know that?” Cian asked incredulously. “Me, more than anyone else?”

Skye realized, abashed, that he was right. More than anyone,
he
had been on the receiving end of her bad moods. She had asked him to trust that she could take care of herself when she herself hadn’t trusted in him, that he could and would want to look out for her. Didn’t loving someone mean that you’d want to protect them from any harm?

Just like she’d shield him in a heartbeat. So how could she deny him the same?

Skye touched his face gently, her heart in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I… have a hard time expressing my feelings,” she confessed awkwardly. “How about this? I’ll hold your coat while you beat the crap out of Alastor, even though he got bested by me, a
girl
, imagine that. I’ll even cheer you on.”

An unexpected laugh rumbled out of Cian, melting his anger away. She gave a relieved smile, though her eyes remained solemn. Tenderness welled up in him. He placed a kiss on her brow.

“You sure know how to snatch the wind out of a guy’s sails, don’t you?” Cian remarked in an amused voice. “You know damn well there’s no worse insult for Alastor than to be beaten by a girl.”

Skye shook her head, smiling. “Nope, I don’t know anything of that sort.”

“Smartass,” he said tenderly.

“Are we good?” Brown eyes regarded him worriedly.

“Yes, we’re good. Unless… .” His watchful gaze roved over her face.

“Unless what?”

“Unless there are any more secrets you’re keeping from me?” Something passed over her face. “What?”

“It’s just… your mom came to see me.”

“She did?” Cian said, surprised.

“She didn’t tell you?”

“No. What did she say?”

She recounted his mother’s visit and Cian smiled at the baffled look on her face as she told him she couldn’t understand why his mom had been so nice to her. No, she wouldn’t. Goddamn Thea for treating her so badly.

“She loves you, Skye.” When she only gave him a bewildered look at that, Cian smiled again. “And unlike me, she would have seen right away that you loved me.”

He couldn’t still be blaming himself for not having seen through her pretense, could he? “Cian—”

“I’m fine,” he reassured her. Then he remembered something. He had to come clean too. And there was no doubt in his mind she’d give him hell for it. Cian cleared his throat. “Come to think of it, I have something to tell you too.”

“You do?”

“Ah, yes. The thing is—”

“You’re blushing!” Skye cut him off, astonished.

“I am not!” he retorted, mortified. God, he hoped not. He could feel heat stealing up his neck though.

“You are too!” A delighted smile curved her lips. “What did you do?”

“Jesus. I am
not
blushing. I… uh.” This was harder than he’d thought. “Hmmm. I, uh, went out on a date with someone when you and I broke up.”

“Did you, now?” Skye said slowly.

Cian watched her warily. “Yes.”

“And?”

He cleared his throat again. “And nothing happened. I just took her to dinner and back home again. Kiera saw us and she gave me a piece of her mind. No hanky-panky, I swear.”

“Is that so?” In a pissed-off tone, Skye hissed, “You two-timing jerk! You expect me to believe that you, Cian Hunter, were involved in no hanky-panky and you claim to love me? Let me go, I never want to see you again!” She squirmed, trying to push him away.

Shock flashed in his eyes. “Skye—”

Skye tried to keep her expression furious but he looked so devastated, she couldn’t quite maintain the façade. “Did you expect me to say that?” she continued in a more normal tone.

“Wh—what?” He stared at her, confused. Then understanding dawned and he realized he’d just been played. The little minx.

Skye giggled. Then her laughter was cut short when his mouth covered hers in a sizzling kiss that made her forget what she’d been laughing about. He caught her slender arms and wound them around his neck, moving them closer. Her heart sped up as his hands spanned her waist.

Cian pulled back and looked into her glassy eyes with a satisfied smile. “Now we’re even.”

Her eyes cleared at his complacent expression and she scowled at him. “Not even close.”

“Oh, one kiss wasn’t enough?” His eyes laughed at her.

Skye’s face flushed. “I wasn’t the one dating someone else.”

His eyes turned wary. “I knew it was a mistake the moment I sat down and that the only one I wanted was you.”

“Oh,” Skye breathed, undone.

“Kiera was really pissed off at finding me with another woman.”

“Yes, she would,” Skye said loyally. “What did she call you?”

“Didn’t she tell you?”

“No, she didn’t.”

Cian knew why Kiera probably hadn’t told her. The knowledge would just have hurt Skye at the time. “She called me an idiot.”

“Wow, she held back.”

“That was holding back?”

“Yep. Trust me, she was holding back. She could have called you worse names.”

“Good thing she didn’t. Why aren’t
you
mad?”

“Because I trust you. And I know how hard it was for you to feel rejected.” Skye ducked her head.

She humbled him. “It was hard for us both, baby, not just me.”

Skye’s heart turned over in her chest at the soft endearment.

He buried his face in her hair and breathed her in. Before her, he’d never thought it possible to love someone so much. And love her, Cian did. With every fiber of his being.

“Cian,” Skye fidgeted in his arms.

She made him think of a kitten, always squirming to get away when you held it.

“Shush, just let me hold you,” he murmured. “I’ve spent far too long without holding you. And I’m not spending another minute without you.”