Perfectly Scripted (35 page)

“Good luck, man,” he said with a full smile.

Luck—maybe I needed a little. “Thanks, buddy,” I replied, patting him on the back.

In the pouring rain, I ran across the street to the parking garage and hopped in my car. Before pulling out of my spot, I sent Holliday a text message.

ME: Calling please answer.

“Ronan, hi.” Her voice was shaky and clogged with emotion.

Even though she’d only said two words, they were beautiful. Christ, I’d missed hearing the sexy rasp in her tone.

“Holliday.
God
, it’s wonderful to hear your voice,” I replied, trying to control the emotion in my own voice. “Where are you?”

“I’m at Tinley’s.”

“I’m sending Dean out with the Mercedes to pick you up. Unless you’d rather I come to you?”

“Tinley is out of town. You can come out here. I’ve sent the staff home for the day. We’ll have privacy to talk.”

Holliday gave me the address, and I punched it into the GPS. Before I knew it, I was on the freeway heading towards The Hamptons. When I saw a police car, I looked down at my speed pumped the brakes a few times. I hadn’t realized I was exceeding the speed limit. Getting a speeding ticket would have been worth it though.

She
was worth it.

Holliday was worth everything.

Holliday

I ended the call with Ronan and tossed the phone onto the bed. Nervous knots formed in my stomach. The sound of rain turned my gaze towards the windows. Catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I decided to change into my white Burberry sundress with a caramel-colored belt. Then I brushed my hair and applied some lipstick.

This was real now. After nearly two weeks, I was finally going to see Ronan. I must have picked up my phone a dozen times in the last two days to call him. Once the initial anger had subsided, it had been pure agony being away from him. I had been kidding myself by trying to mask my heartache with indignation. The thought of never hearing his voice again, not being able to hold or kiss him, terrified me. There was a hole in my chest—a gigantic gaping hole. It was empty without Ronan.

I was hollow without him.

I believed we could put things behind us and move on. How could we not? I’d given so much of myself to this man. Why on Earth would I let it slip away forever? I only hoped it wasn’t too late, that Ronan wanted the same thing.

The minutes slowly ticked by, and I couldn’t seem to sit still. So I paced around the kitchen and into the living room in the same pattern. I probably walked five miles.

After a while, the nervous energy subsided and I finally managed to sit on the couch. But when the doorbell rang, I sprang from my spot. Then I approached the front door, smoothing my hands down the front of my dress. My hand shook as I pulled the handle.

Ronan stood before me, rain soaked and shivering, his dark curls falling loosely around his temples. His green eyes dazzled when his mouth turned up into a beautiful smile. My heart pounded against my rib cage. He took my breath away. I grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him inside. His arms banded around my waist, and my body pressed against his damp clothes.

He took my mouth in a deep, urgent kiss. I pulled him closer to warm him. Water soaked through the fabric of my dress, hardening my nipples.

“God, I’ve missed you,” he breathed.

My chest tightened. “I missed you so much, Ronan.” Tears grew thick in my throat, but I managed to choke them down. My hands fisted his T-shirt, holding him tighter, feeling as if I couldn’t get close enough.

We held each other in the doorway, and I wasn’t exactly sure for how long. It didn’t even matter, but the rain had finally stopped.

“Your clothes are soaked,” I said into his chest.

Pulling back from our embrace, he curved his mouth into a sexy grin. “You’re wet too.” His finger flitted across my collarbone.

At the double meaning in his words, a delicious shiver moved through me. Closing my eyes, I took a slow, deep breath. I wanted him, but if we went straight to sex, I feared we’d ignore the problem or fight afterwards, and I wasn’t about to let us become that couple.

“Ronan, do you want me to dry them for you?”

His hands stroked up and down my back. “Sure, but I don’t have any extra clothes with me, so I’ll be naked.”

I laughed at the dangerous thoughts swirling in my head. “No, you won’t be. Tinley keeps extra beachwear for guests in the pool house.” Turning on my heel, I motioned towards the back of the house. Then I led him to through the dining room, into the kitchen, and outside to the pool area.

He whistled. “Wow. This is some impressive place Tinley has here.”

I turned over my shoulder, giving him a nod. I told him a little bit about the property and offered to give him a proper tour. It felt silly talking about these ordinary, trivial things when all I wanted was a total reconnection with Ronan—mind, body and soul.

The “body” part would have to wait a little longer though.

After unlocking the door to the pool house, I showed him the collection of new clothing, an assortment of solid tees from J. Crew, shorts, and swim trunks. Then I pulled out a barstool and waited for him to change.

Moments later, the door opened and Ronan entered the room wearing a black V-neck tee and a pair of graphic print swim shorts. He looked undeniably handsome. Was it possible he’d become more gorgeous since we’d been apart? I stared at the curve of his jaw, and then my eyes landed on those lovely full lips. His glimmering, eyes met mine, and I wondered how I’d lived the past weeks without seeing his beautiful face.

I swallowed past the lump in my throat as he held his hand out to me, and I reached for it. My skin hummed at the contact. Adrenaline slid through my veins, crashing into my heart and pumping it full of that wild desire I had only for him. It made me dizzy, and if he asked anything of me now, I wouldn’t hold back.

“Holliday,” he whispered, running his thumb across my knuckles. “I love you, and it was never my intention to hurt you. I’ve made mistakes in my life, but the biggest mistake I could ever make would be letting you go. Letting you walk away from
us
without a fight.”

My eyes darted to our joined hands, and the sight nearly had me in tears. From a simple sign of affection, I was about to lose it. It was all too much, but in a wonderful way.

“You walked out on me once.” He paused, his eyes full of emotion. He was hurting, and his teeth grazed his bottom lip. It was almost as if it were too painful for him to speak. “The very thought of another man holding you…kissing you...” He swallowed hard. “And falling asleep next to you at night terrifies me.”

His words impacted my heart with a painful blow. I knew what he meant, because I was sick at the thought of another woman sharing his bed. Or, worse, captivating his heart.

“
Ronan
,” I said, dropping my eyes to the floor.

“My words are true,” he said, taking my face in his hands forcing me to look at him. “And you know I’d do anything to repair the damage caused by my obsessive desire to keep you safe. I told you I have a deep need to protect you, but that instinct should
never
cause you pain.”

My hands circled his wrists. “I realize now that you had your reasons for trying to catch Derek in this crazy plan of yours. I think I have to understand that you will make decisions, and while I might not like them, you will always have my best interest at heart. But
please
talk to me before you try to hatch another harebrained scheme.”

“Understood,” he said. “We belong together, Holliday. You are mine, and I am yours.”

“I love you,” I said, before pulling his mouth to mine for a kiss. “I forgive you. What we have is real, and I don’t want to lose it.”

“Will you come home with me tonight?”

“Not tonight.”

He gave me a rueful smile. “I
will
earn back your trust, Holliday,” he promised before kissing me deeply. It left me breathless and stars flashed behind my eyes. “Are you busy Saturday night?”

“No, my schedule is wide open.”

“I’m very glad to hear that,” he said, threading his fingers through my hair. “I’d like to take you on a date.”

“A date, huh?”

He nodded, and then his fingers slid over the buttons of my dress. “Yes. Somewhere quiet.” He kissed my neck. “The food is spectacular,” he said, undoing my belt. “At least, that is what I’ve heard.” His steady fingers worked the buttons on my dress as his lips brushed against my skin.

My willpower was crumbling with every tender kiss.

“
Ronan
…”

Cool air breezed over my skin as my dress hit the floor. He hooked his arm around my waist and lifted me off the floor. His mouth sealed over mine, kissing me. His tongue caressed mine with long, delectable strokes. He put me down and spun me before pinning me against the large windows. The whole world was spread before me—sand, sea, and sky. If anyone was outside, they were getting quite the show, and I didn’t care. I needed Ronan’s hands touching my skin, his lethally hot body pressed against me, and his lips touching mine.

“I need you, Holliday,” he whispered. “I need all of you—every single inch.”

His strong hands drifted up my rib cage, his fingers sliding beneath the fabric of my lace bra and rolling my nipples. I moaned as my head fell back against his shoulder.

“Well, then,” I said. “Are you going to rip these panties off me or do you need me to do it for you?”

He made a rough sound that was part laugh, part growl. “You’re a bad girl, my beauty.”

I unhooked my bra and slipped it off, tossing it over my shoulder. With a wink, I replied, “Only for you.”

He pushed me forward, and I gasped. My breath fogged the glass. His hands smoothed up my legs, and then his fingers hooked inside my thong to push it down.

“I think we’ll keep these heels on.”

My hands clutched the sheer curtains for balance. I looked above, hoping to God the curtain rod wouldn’t come crashing down on us. That would have been mildly embarrassing to explain to Tinley, even more so to the ER doctors.

Ronan’s hands slipped over my shoulders, his fingers skimming my back, and goose bumps splashed across my skin. “You’re impossibly beautiful,” he murmured, his lips drifting up my throat. “I want to worship you, and I want the world to know that you are mine.”

“Yes.” My eyes closed, and his erection ground against my ass.

He pushed two fingers inside me, his thumb circling my clit. My eyes opened, and I watched him fingering me in the faint reflection of the glass. His hand left my pussy to slip between us and yank his fly open. He kneed my legs apart, and then he dragged his cock across my ass, teasing me.

“Let me inside you,” he whispered.

I arched my back to give him better access. “Take me. I’m yours.”

Banding his arm around me, he pushed into me, and my breasts pressed against the cool glass. My fingers gripped the top of the window for support.

“Christ, Holliday,” he groaned when my pussy tightened around him.

He fucked me slowly, thrusting deep. My skin scorched, ablaze with lust. After days without him, I knew my orgasm would come quick. I couldn’t stand it. It was too good.

“Ronan,
fuck
…Don’t stop.”

His fingers dug into my hips as he plunged deeper. I moaned, and my inner muscles tightened.

“Come all over my cock, beautiful,” he rasped, pumping into me harder.

My walls rippled around him as he continued to drive into me, pulling pleasure from every inch of my body. I came hard, screaming through my orgasm.

Gripping my hips, he pounded into me. Then he roared my name, spurting and filling me with his orgasm. He slowed his thrusts after that, and we both took a moment to catch our breath.

“Christ.” He exhaled, rubbing his sweat-soaked forehead against my cheek.

As I stood, semen slid down my inner thigh. Ronan looked at me and grinned. Obviously, he was pleased with his handiwork.