River laughed when she saw Patrick was already in his boxers, and she’d yet to take her shoes off. “There’s just so much to see, Pat,” she remarked, looking at the vaulted white ceiling. River wanted to spend days combing the property and this house.
“It’s almost two in the morning. Barely enough hours left to do everything I want to you.”
That made River’s body shiver in anticipation. “And sleep?”
“On the plane tomorrow. Now come here. Let me help you get out of that dress.” River slipped her heels off, sighing as her bare toes curled into the thick nap of the area rug. Patrick’s hands rested on her shoulders, fingers curling lightly about her neck— a seductive collar. “This dress had me hard from the moment I saw you walking down the stairs. I know Bran was serious when he asked your sister to stay home because it’s exactly what I wanted to do.”
“Was it worth the wait?”
“I would wait a lot longer than an evening for you, River. So yes, very worth it.”
As the hidden side zipper released, Patrick pushed the dress from her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. “Christ, have mercy. You... your... this is all you were wearing under that dress? All night!”
She smiled wickedly at Patrick’s awed expression when he realized she was naked except for a tiny blue silk thong. “Not much room for extras in that dress,” she teased. River’s thumbs hooked the edges of her panties. Patrick appeared mesmerized. “I’ll strip if you strip, Pat.”
Patrick grinned as he hooked his own thumbs at the top of his briefs. They both slid the last of their clothes from their bodies, standing before each other naked and wanting. Patrick closed the space between them. He gently placed his hands at her waist, lifting her body until she was able to wrap her legs around his waist, and their mouths were a breath apart.
“Patrick.”
“River.”
Patrick’s mouth sealed over her own, tongues playing, moaning, panting, and begging for more. Without releasing her mouth, he laid her gently on his bed, following her horizontal position until he covered her much smaller frame.
River ran her hands over every bit of his exposed skin as Patrick traced the shape of her breasts with fingers and tongue. “I don’t want to wait, Pat.”
Patrick took her mouth in a soft, sweet kiss as he rubbed his sex against her own. River arched her hips, her legs falling apart. They both groaned as he pushed inside. There was no pain or pinch, nothing but a tight fullness. Completely seated, he stopped and rested his forehead against hers.
“I don’t deserve you, River,” he admitted, “but I will never let you go.” At that, he began to move. Slow glides in and out. They both moaned at the friction.
Their mouths never stopped touching, breathing.I love you.I need you.You are mine. Tender touches... necks, cheeks, lips. Patrick lifted his body, raising his chest from hers. River used the separation to gently scratch her nails up his arms, across his chest, and down his stomach. His abs contracted as she moved her hands to where they joined.
Pressing into Patrick’s hard length with her thumbs. Each of his in-and-out strokes had him closing his eyes and panting her name. His thrusts came harder now— faster. “Don’t stop, River. Touch yourself, baby.” Patrick leaned further back to watch as she did as he asked. Fingers already damp, River slid them over herself faster and faster until her hips were shaking, and she was meeting each thrust with frantic abandon.
“Fuck, River, I’m about to fill you up, baby.”
Patrick’s raspy growl finished her. “Pat,” River gasped as she felt her body begin to contract around his sex. She screamed at the intense throbbing, repeatedly squeezing Patrick’s length. He stiffened above her, driving home as deep as he could go before stilling— his body filling her with everything he had.
Collapsing, hot and heavy over her body— blanketing her. “God, Pat,” River breathed, too wrung out to move a muscle.
He answered by licking her distended nipple and sucking the swollen flesh into his mouth, causing both their sexes to continue to throb and pulse. “I love you, Miss Byrne. Forever.”
River knew they both planned on hours of hot, glorious sex, but what they had just shared... it felt momentous. A commitment. A promise. They fell asleep tangled against one another.
“I love you, Mr. O’Faolain,” she whispered against his chest.
River wasn’t sure how much time had passed when she felt Patrick’s arms link tight around her middle. “River?” he breathed quietly into the dark.
“Yes?” River asked, kissing his chest before melting once again against his chest.
“Will you promise to love me always?”
River tensed as she decided how to answer. Why had he asked? In the end, there was only one response that she knew to be absolutely true.
“I will.”
* * *
Pat triedto pull a pillow over his head to block out the noise. Someone was pestering him to get up— River. Throwing the pillow to the floor, his eyes adjusted to the light until he could finally see her sweet face.
