Pas de Deux: Part Two (A Cross and Pointe Novel Book 2) (7 page)

“Go get comfortable.” He gestured to the bed. “I'll be right back.”

He slipped into the bathroom to splash water on his face and brush his teeth, following that up with a healthy swig of mouthwash.

Exactly what
is
gonna happen in that bed?

His body had its own suggestions, but he took a deep breath. She would be in control, he decided. Nothing would happen that she didn't initiate or say she wanted to happen.

When he returned to the bedroom, it was dark. The light from the streetlamps outside streamed in through his blinds and he made his way to the bed, slipping in beside her.

He froze when his foot brushed bare leg.

She took off her goddamn pants. Holy shit.

Cillian gathered her up and pulled her against his chest, noticing she had taken her sweater off too, wearing just a tank top. He wondered if she could feel the way his heart was slamming against his rib cage, or how utterly aroused he was. She didn't say anything, and neither did he, slipping his hand beneath her tank top to resume stroking her back.

He brushed his lips against her forehead, her temple, down her cheek until he found her waiting lips in the dark. She latched on immediately, grabbing at him, and his heart rate shot up full throttle at her eagerness for him. Her hands were suddenly everywhere, touching his back and chest and face.

I'm so fucking gone...

There was nothing he could do to mask the hardness against her thigh through his thin sweatpants as he pulled her closer. He trailed a hand down her smooth side, mapping every dip and curve, and pulled her leg over his waist and around his back. She let out a soft little moan, and he swallowed it as his mouth claimed hers.

Her tongue slipped between his lips to meet his in a sweet, curious way that drove him crazy. He tasted the sharp mint flavor of mouthwash that had sweetened on her tongue as their kisses deepened and intensified. It was hard to keep things slow and gentle, because he was losing control.

He rolled on top of her, shifting her carefully to her back, and he couldn't help grinding his aching hardness into her, against the sweet spot between her thighs. She gasped sharply but her legs tightened around his waist.

Oh, she likes that.

Cillian slid his fingers up her thigh, heading for the warm shelter they'd found the night before. He stroked her very lightly, his fingers hesitating over her core.

“Can I touch you?” he murmured into her neck.

There was a beat of silence, then a whispered, “...Yes.”

It was music to his ears.

He brushed against the lace boundary of her panties, feeling the material dampening.
She really, really likes that.
Beneath the fabric, it was all smooth, soft flesh.

His fingers slid lightly through her folds, and he couldn't help nipping her bottom lip when his fingers met wet warmth. He listened to her fast, shallow breaths, felt the way her nails dug into his back, and stroked the tiny bundle of nerves at the top of her core. With just two swipes of his finger, she exploded immediately, gasping into his mouth.

Fucking hell, that was sexy.

Cillian couldn't contain a deep growl of pleasure as he kissed her mouth deeply, slipping his fingers lower, teasing her opening gently. He didn't want to press his luck, but he was desperate to know what she felt like.

Sammi lay still, breathing fast, and he carefully slipped a finger just inside her.
Oh, Christ. So tight...

She gasped, and he froze. “Did I hurt you? You all right?”

After a moment, she answered him, and her voice was so heavy and soft with arousal, his eyes rolled back in his head.

“Please—don't stop.”

He explored her gently, adding a second finger, finding a rhythm, losing himself in her pleasure noises and how good she felt. Her gasps gave way to soft moans.

“Cillian...”

He brought his mouth to hers, and her tongue eagerly swept between his lips, her moans muffled. Her hips rolled against his hand, and he felt pressure around his fingers, and more delicious wetness.

Just a little bit more...

Cillian redoubled his efforts eagerly, coaxing her closer to the brink, until she tore her mouth from his to cry out, her body shuddering. At the same time, the pressure around his fingers tightened and pulsed rapidly, and it was so beautiful he almost lost it like a teenager. He waited until she'd calmed down a little before stroking her gently a few more times, then withdrew his fingers.

“You're amazing,” he said against her lips. “Are you good?”

She touched his face, still breathing deeply. “So good.”

Cillian jumped when her fingers brushed his lower stomach, then closed around the waistband of his sweats and tugged. He desperately wanted her touch, but with a tremendous effort, he took her hand and pulled it away.

“Sammi, you don't need to do that.”

“I want to.” Her lips moved over the side of his neck and he shivered, the ache way down low intensifying.

“I'll be okay. I just wanted to touch you. That's all. Remember?”

“But—”

He kissed her. “Not yet.”

Cillian gathered her up against him again, wrapping his arms around her, trying to forget how good she'd felt, and how much he wanted her. He took deep breaths through his nose, willing himself to calm down, listening to the rush of blood in his ears in perfect syncopation with the hammering of his heart against his sternum.

No rush. We got all the time in the world.
And on the tail end of that—
but I am definitely gonna have to handle this myself as soon as she leaves or I will fucking die.

“Cillian?”

“Yeah?”

The light coming through the blinds illuminated her eyes as they gleamed up at him. Her throat worked as she swallowed.

“I...”

He tilted his head down to run his lips over the hollow of her throat. “What is it?”

“I just feel so lucky that I found you.” She reached up to run her fingertips over his lips. “Thank you—for being you. For making me feel so amazing...and safe.”

A curious ache that had nothing to do with the one below his waist tightened up beneath his chest plate. “I'm the lucky one,” he whispered back, kissing her forehead.

You have no idea.

Sammi jerked awake and sat straight up in bed hours later.
Oh, shit. I'm supposed to be somewhere.

Her sudden, sharp movements caused Cillian to wake instantly beside her and sit up too. He watched as she snatched up his alarm clock and brought it to her face in disbelief before slamming it back down on his nightstand. It was thirty-seven minutes past six; she was supposed to have been at the café at five-thirty.

“Problem?”

“Holy shit. I'm in so much trouble. It's inventory-day.”

Sammi hopped out of bed to struggle into her jeans and yank on her sweater. She swept her hair back into a bun as she hurried into the bathroom to splash water on her face, then rinsed her mouth with mouthwash. As Cillian came up behind her, she met his gaze in the mirror. Her face was taut with stress, eyes wide, and his was completely calm.

“Relax. I'll drive you there. Okay?”

Sammi stepped out of the bathroom so he could get ready and paced, pulling her phone from her bag. She groaned aloud when she saw thirteen missed calls from the café and several texts from Jazz. When Cillian emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, she held up her phone.

“Dead,” she repeated. “I'm so dead.
Morto
.”

“So you're a little late.” He picked up his gym bag. “They'll understand. C'mon.”

Outside, Sammi wrenched open the truck door and threw her bag inside, clambering in after it. “I can't be late.
Especially
not today, which is the biggest day of the month.”

Cillian got to the North End in record time, turning onto Hull toward the café.

“You can drop me off here at the corner. It'll just be easier that way.”

Her parents were sure to be livid, and she wasn't interested in hearing what they'd have to say about being dropped off by Cillian this early in the morning, wearing the same clothes from yesterday.

“Sammi, I'm not gonna hide the fact that I dropped you off. We're all adults here.”

“Did you miss the part where my father doesn't give a shit about that?”

“Give the man a break, he seems reasonable to me. Besides, he and I need to have a talk, anyway. C'mon, let's go.”

The café was still locked although the lights were on. Sammi knocked and Jazz appeared after a moment, her face a perfect mixture of annoyance and relief.

“How bad?” Sammi tried to peer over her shoulder into the café.

“Bad.” Jazz nodded at Cillian. “So bad, I'm gonna leave and get some tea.”

“Uh...” Sammi gestured to the barista counter where two dozen containers of tea were lined up neatly in a row.

“Key word being
leave
.” Jazz slipped into her jacket, shaking her head sadly. “It was nice knowing you, Cillian.” She slipped out and let the door shut behind her.

“Samuel, that you?” Joe's voice boomed from the kitchen.

“Yeah, Pop.”

“Get your ass back here. Let's get to work.”

Sammi trudged toward the kitchen, Cillian following close behind her. She peeked around the corner and saw both of her parents holding clipboards, checking items on the shelves. On one of the stainless steel islands, dozens of boxes and bottles and packages were strewn over the surface so they could be rifled through.

“You mind tellin' me why the hell you're almost ninety minutes late?” Joe glanced over at her and did a double-take when he saw Cillian standing next to her.

“Good morning, sir.” Cillian nodded and smiled politely. “Ma'am.”

“Good morning, Cillian,” Carmela replied automatically, but there was surprise and curiosity in her voice. “What, uh—” The question hesitated on her lips.

“I drove Sammi to work this morning, ma'am.”

Joe looked Sammi, lifting his eyebrows.

She sighed. “
What
, Pop? I went to Cillian's last night. We watched a movie, and I fell asleep.”

“You fell asleep. At his place.” Joe looked at her steadily.

“I would've woken her up, sir, except I fell asleep myself. It's my fault Sammi didn't arrive on time this morning.”

No, it's not.
Sammi looked up at him and opened her mouth to protest, but he silenced her with a discreet touch to her back.

Joe sized him up. “All right, then.” He folded his arms.
Wait for it...
“What's all this I hear about you wantin' to take my daughter out of town?”

“Yes, sir. I intended to speak to you about that today. I did ask Sammi if she would be interested in coming with me to Albany for the tournament. I'd like to ask your approval for her attendance, as well, provided she wants to join me.”

“Separate rooms?”

“Yes, sir.”

“
Dad
.”

Sammi despised being discussed like she was neither present nor an adult; Joe had always been overprotective, even with her older sisters, but since the attack, it had become so much worse.

“I'm just tryin' to make sure you're gonna be okay, sweetie.” Joe lifted a finger and pointed it at Cillian. “My daughter better be safe with you.”

“Yes, sir. She is and she will be. Absolutely.”

Joe nodded, then stepped forward and extended his hand. Cillian immediately grasped it, and they shook. Sammi was both touched and annoyed. Seeing her father and Cillian getting along was great, but she despised being treated like a helpless infant.

I refuse to be some fragile weakling. I'm
not
broken.

“Okay. Cillian has to be going now.” Sammi looked up at him. “Right? You have to get to the gym. Or someplace that's not here.”

He took the hint, biting his lip to smother a grin. “I do need to be going. Sir, ma'am.” Sammi rolled her eyes when she saw her mother's eyes go wide and her hands flutter a little when Cillian turned to her. “It was a pleasure, as always.”

“Goodbye, Cillian,” Carmela said with a big smile, patting him on the shoulder. Joe merely nodded at him. Sammi grabbed his arm and hustled him out of the kitchen toward the door.

“See? That wasn't so bad.” Cillian nudged her. “Told you it was all gonna be okay.”

“Oh, the pain is just getting started for me.”

“Shouldn't have slept so late.” He winked and flashed a little charming smile.

“
You
made me late.” She shoved his shoulder. “You were supposed to wake up and take me home last night.”

His smile turned mischievous as he leaned down, tilting his head until his lips were just a breath away. “I didn't wanna wake you up, 'cause you just seemed to be sleeping so peacefully. I have no idea why.”

“You know why.” Her annoyance vanished, and she blushed.

He laughed and kissed her chastely on the lips. “I better get goin' before I get you in any more trouble. Duty calls.”

“Will you text me later?”

“Of course.” Cillian kissed her again, a little less chastely than before. Suddenly he pulled away and Sammi frowned up at him.