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The lights in the rooh theto illuminate up the interior

I looked toward the , the curtains partially pulled open, the sunset clear in the horizon I could see thick trees just behind the house and the outline of other houses in the distance For long es and pinks of the sky as the sun set

The iven me, coupled with a full day’s worth of sleep, had clearly been what I needed I felt relatively good, all things considered

I shifted on the bed again and expected to feel that sharpness in my head, but when just a full throb made itself known, I exhaled As if Cian sensed I ake, the bedroo a stack of clothes tucked under his ar a cell phone in his other hand

Our gazes locked, and he stopped iaze raked me from head to toe, and even if the blanket covered half my body, I somehow felt totally bared to him and his appraisal

“How do ye feel?”

I braced my hands on the mattress and pushed myself up “Good, actually Thank you” Those last tords weren’t just because he’d saved h I didn’t have ti on, it was very clear I hadn’t given thisa chance I let my disbelief and fear take over

Although I didn’t knohat the future held, without knowing the full story, without trying to figure things out, I’d been running from myself just as much as I had been from Cian

He nodded slowly and shut the door behind him “Good I can’t stand to see ya hurt”

My heart gave a little lurch at his words and how much I knew he meant them He walked toward me and held out the clothes

“I’ for ye, but there were soured ye’d rather have that than keep what ye had on It was filthy and wet” He cleared his throat “Or wear my shirt” He tipped his chin tohat I wore

He lowered his gaze to my chest, and that’s when I also looked down and sahat I had on It was a shirt that most definitely wasn't mine… but Cian’s I picked at the ed lanced up at him, and clearly the question was in my expression, because he lifted his free hand and rubbed it along the back of his neck

“I dinna look I was quick But yer shirt was soaked, ye were shivering, passed out, andsure ye were okay, lass” The shame in his eyes made it impossible for me to feel violated or upset with him “I’d never hurt ye,” he said with detere of ye” The conviction in his voice hadhim wholly

“I trust you Thank you,” I whispered again, my cheeks flushed, my body sore, but I had this war sexual h me

Cian cleared his throat and handed h”

I couldn’t help the genuine sht to run fro everything in his power to keep me protected, safe, and happy

My throat felt tight, too tight forat all as I keptalong his, that spark of electricity and pleasure ht about our kiss as I stared at his blue eyes, edwhat he wanted because he was so desperate for it

His eyes grew hooded, a low hu blue, but it only happened for a split second before he blinked rapidly, clearing it away

He rubbed his hand across his face “I’ll give ye soht there” He pointed to the side “If ye’d like tae clean up, take yer time If ye need

I watched his back as he retreated before he slipped out of the roo ainst the pillows and shifted on the bed a little bit, then looked down at the cell phone I didn’t knohy I was suddenly nervous to talk to Darragh, but as I dialed her number and put the phone to my ear, I felt that anxiousness try to suck me down