Page 18 of Protecting Paige

He sighs. “I wish I wasn’t.”

I turn so I’m facing him. I give his hand a squeeze. “But you came. You rescued me. Like a hero in a movie.”

Something flashes in his eyes, darkening them. “I’m no hero. Not like the ones you see in the movies.”

“You’re right. You’re better. Because they’re just made up characters. And you’re real.”

“Heroes in the movies don’t look like me,” he retorts. “Maybe the villains. But not the heroes.”

Pain spears into me, piercing my heart. “No, Cillian. That’s not true.”

He looks away for a second before meeting my gaze. “I wanted to ask you to meet before, Paige. I thought about it all the time. But I always had a reason not to. That I’d make you feel uncomfortable, asking you out when I was a client. Or you’d look at my scars?—”

“Never.” It’s quick. Fierce. “I don’t care about your scars. Not even a little. And I don’t think of you as a client. I—” Belatedly, my brain registers the asking out part of his statement. “You wanted to ask me out?”

Twin spots of pink rise high on his cheekbones. “Yeah. I did.”

“Did?” I take a deep breath as I try to calm my racing heart. “Or do?”

After a moment that feels like an eternity, he gives me a hopeful smile. “I do. I told myself on the way here I’d ask you out. And if you agreed, I’d take you on a date as soon as I could.”

My heart explodes into a firework of joy. “I’d say yes. If you asked.”

Cillian stares at me for a second. Then he removes his arm from the back of the couch and turns towards me. There’s a hopeful expression in his eyes. “Would you, Paige? Would you go on a date? Or… maybe several of them?”

“Several?”

His smile expands. “Yes. Because I don’t think one is going to be enough.” A beat, and then, “If that’s okay with you?”

All the bad parts of the night slip away, replaced by a fizzy, hopeful sort of happiness. “It’s more than okay. Because… I don’t think one is going to be enough, either.”

“Paige.”

“Do you think this weekend is too soon?” I ask. “Or… maybe even before that?”

“Any time,” he replies quickly. “Tomorrow night. The night after. Whenever you want, Paige. I’ve wasted enough time waiting. I want—” He stops. Takes a breath. “This thing between us. It’s different from anything I’ve ever felt before.”

“I know.” My throat goes unexpectedly thick. “I know it is.”

After a moment of silence, Cillian raises his hand to my cheek. “Maybe it’s too soon. But… I really want to kiss you.”

My heart leaps again. At this rate, it’s about to take off and join the circus as an acrobat. “I really want to kiss you, too.”

A slow smile lifts his lips. “Good.”

Then.

He leans in.

With every inch he draws closer, my anticipation builds.

My pulse flutters.

My chest goes tight.

I look into Cillian’s eyes, watching his pupils dilate with desire. Watching the flecks of gold kindle into sparks of fire.

Something coils deep inside me; wanting. Demanding.