7. Ronan

CHAPTER 7

RONAN

“ Y ou’re staying the night,” I command as I stalk off to the bedroom, tossing Nora onto the mattress.

She lifts onto her elbows with a defiant chin, but her wide smile betrays her. “I told you, I don’t date athletes.” Hands on my hips, I narrow my eyes at her. Nora sits up, mirroring my expression, folding her arms over her chest, and crossing one leg over the other. “I’m serious! I came here to tell you something, not for…” Her eyes briefly fall to my cock.

“Came to tell me what, exactly? That you and I have been flirting for a year, and now that you’re here you can’t resist my rugged charm?” I tease, wiggling my eyebrows.

Nora’s grin quickly dissipates as her shoulders fall. She pats next to her on the bed and I hesitantly take a seat, worried I’ve taken things too far. Her voice is quiet as she admits, “You’re right, you’re quite charming, but I need to get this out first. Why didn’t you tell me? Did you think I would report on it?”

“No.” I shake my head and take her hand, loving the feel of it in mine. “I trust you. I didn’t plan on saying anything at the press conference, but I didn’t want to admit the truth of why I missed a fucking hat trick when I had the shot.”

“Why did you miss it?” Nora squeezes my hand tighter. “ Off the record .”

I huff a small laugh. “You were supposed to be with the press.”

“I was,” she agrees, biting back a smile. “I knew you’d get the third and I wanted to see it up close.”

Time stopped when I saw her. Doesn’t she feel this? I knew I was in trouble the moment she told me she was coming to Ireland. Now that she’s here, I’m worse than Lucas. Fuck falling hard and fast, I’m in a free fall.

She doesn’t push for me to admit she’s the reason I missed it, but I sense the truth settling between us. We sit in silence for a beat until I finally divulge, “I should have told you about my, well, you know… Not with a room full of reporters. In fact, I should also tell you I am in group therapy.”

“I know about the therapy; everyone on the team has to do it. It’s brilliant, really. But the reason I wish I had known about your diagnosis is Leo also has SPD. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“What?” My eyes widen at her admission.

“That’s why I came tonight. I understand why you might not want to share that piece of you with someone. Leo told me I could tell you; it’s his diagnosis to share. So, here I am.”

“Shit! Leo! He saw me miss today!” I stand and begin pacing. “Is he disappointed in me? Did he hear about the arsehole who mentioned we had dinner? Fuck! I hope he’s not upset about any of this.” Nora gets up and without a word wraps her arms around my neck, holding me close and burying her face in the crook of my neck. “Sorry if I fucked things up.” My heart rate slows, breathing her in.

“You didn’t mess anything up! You scored twice today. Why would you think that?” Nora tries to pull back, but I don’t let her. She lets out an adorable laugh at my petulance. “Leo looks up to you, which is why I avoided talking to you about him before. It’s also why I didn’t tell him about us talking this past year.” Lifting her head, she sighs. “I was serious before, I don’t date footballers, but I don’t know if I can be your friend, either.”

I cup her neck and lean back enough that I can get a good look at her. “I want you, Nora. With your job, you shouldn’t date me, and I understand why you have to worry about Leo.” Swiping my thumb along her soft cheek, I dare to ask, “What if we keep it a secret? In my home and yours, we spend time together? When I’m on the pitch, it’s all business. Here, you let me show you how much you mean to me. Fuck, I want to kiss you right now, but I’m scared you’ll?—”

Nora’s mouth crashes into mine, sighing a hum against my lips. I’ve imagined this moment no less than a thousand times, and none of it holds a candle to the real thing. It took me by surprise, but I waste no time, swiping my tongue along the seam of her lips, begging for entry to taste her. She opens for me without an ounce of hesitation, letting me explore her mouth as I deepen our kiss.

“This is a terrible idea,” she mutters against me, but doesn’t break away.

“The worst,” I tease, unable to hide my smile. “Stay with me tonight?” Unfortunately, it breaks the spell we’re under.

Nora steps back, brushing her fingers to her swollen lips. “I’m sorry. I don’t like secrets. We shouldn’t do this.”

“I would never keep you a secret from my family, and you don’t have to lie to Leo.” I take a cautious step towards her, closing the distance and cupping her face. She grips my wrists, sighing against my touch. “I also would never want your integrity as a journalist to be compromised.” The wheels are turning as she searches my eyes. She hasn’t said no, and I know if I could convince her to stay the night, she’d never want to leave. “All I’m asking for is a chance to date you. We can have movie nights, order takeaway, whatever you want... Will you stay tonight? You can decide in the morning, just… stay.”

“Okay,” she whispers. “If I stay, will you behave?” A small devilish smirk tugs at her lips.

I answer honestly, “If you want me to. Otherwise, absolutely fucking not.”

Nora laughs and lifts onto her toes to close the last few inches between us, kissing me. She’s been here for a day— one fucking day —and has turned my life upside down. Just as I knew she would. There’s something intriguing about a woman who doesn’t need you, because at the end of the day, she’s choosing you.

I pepper kisses to her cheek, nipping at her jaw as I reach into her back pocket for her phone. “Call your sister. Lettie, was it? Let her know you’re mine for the night.”

As I place it in her hand, she cocks an eyebrow. “Yours?”

“You have one minute to text her. If you take a second longer, I’m strapping you to my bed and bringing you right to the edge over and over, but I’ll never let you come. You’ve tortured me for the last year, it’s my turn.”

“Who the hell are you, Ronan O’Leary?” she laughs, typing a message.

“Fifty-nine, fifty-eight…”

“Ronan,” she groans with no fire behind it. I toss her onto my bed, making her squeal as she continues with her texting.

Slipping off her shoes, I fling them aside, and climb onto the bed until my cock is pressed against her centre. There’s entirely too much fabric between us but I’ve never felt closer to someone. She moans as I kiss her neck, and I fight back the urge to leave a pretty, crimson bruise with my mouth.

Nora tosses her phone onto the other side of the bed and tangles her fingers in my hair. She tugs once and I relish the mild sting, but she pulls away just as quickly. “I’m sorry, Ronan.” I press my forehead to her shoulder, willing the disappointment away. We’re moving too fast, and I have to respect that. “I should’ve asked first.”

I lift my head to find her stunning blue eyes full of worry. “Asked me what?”

“I don’t know if something will overstimulate you.”

Fuck, she’s adorable. “Thank you.” I kiss the tip of her nose. “But I’ll tell you if something is too much. When it comes to what I want to do with you, it’s more sensory seeking, than aversion. Besides, I wasn’t overstimulated at the match. When the reporter mentioned we had dinner together, I was on high alert. I would never want someone to put it together that I was distracted during the game because I saw the beautiful woman I had dinner with the night before. It was too much of a risk. I have no problem with anyone knowing I was with you last night, but I would never want to drag Leo into it without your consent and his.”

“Oh,” she breathes. “Shit, you really missed because of me?”

“Yeah, I did,” I admit a little too eagerly. “Do you trust me?” Nora nods and I reach between us to unbutton her jeans. “I don’t give a fuck about a hat trick.” I slip off her jeans and her hands fly to her face in embarrassment. I hate that she’s hiding from me. Peeling them away, I kiss her wrists, and assure her, “I’ve been dying to taste you for months, but nothing has to happen, if you don’t want it to.”

“It’s been years since I’ve you know .”

“Come?”

Nora breaks out in a fit of giggles. “No! I come all the time by myself. I haven’t had sex since…”

“Your husband?” The words fly from my mouth before I can stop them. Nora nods and I begin pressing soft kisses to every inch of her skin available to me. It’s no wonder she’s been so hesitant about this, about us. I shouldn’t take it personally that she’s guarded. She deserves more than a night, and I want to give her… Fuck, I want to give her everything. “You came here to talk, so talk to me. Right now, you’re not a reporter or a mum. You’re my little night owl who has consumed my thoughts for the better part of a year. We don’t have to have sex?—”

“Ronan, stop. Thank you for being sweet and considerate and saying all of the right things I should want to hear.” Nora slides her palms up my chest and rests them on my shoulders. “No more talking.”

“I need to know you’re okay with this.”

She cups my neck, bringing our lips within a breath of each other. “Show me why I should be.”

My cock will hate me for it, but I know deep down if I dare sink myself inside her, it’ll be one night and I’ll lose her. “No. As much as I want to hear you scream my name with my cock buried deep inside you, I can’t tonight. I’ve waited too long for you, Nora.” I press a soft kiss to her neck. “Every morning you are the first thing I think about. I’m afraid if I indulge myself, I’ll wake up to find you’re gone, like it was all just a dream.”

Nora lets out a long sigh. “You’re not going to let me be a one night stand, are you?”

“Not a chance.” With a groan, I distance myself from my temptress and rush to my chest of drawers against the opposite wall of my bed. Flinging open the second from the top, I take out two nearly identical Cork FC shirts, and toss one at her. “Unless you’re rooting for another club these days?”

She catches it with a chuckle, and holds it out in front of her to examine it. “This will leave little to the imagination, Mr. O’Leary. You expect me to sleep with you wearing this?”

“I’d rather you sleep naked, but beggars can’t be choosers, can they?”

“Ronan!” she laughs, tossing the shirt at me.

“So, no shirt? Got it.”

Nora rushes from the bed to retrieve the top and I hold it over her head. We’re both on the balls of our feet, chests pressed against one another, as we fight for the arbitrary garment. I fucking snap, throwing the shirt onto the bed and wrapping my arm around her to keep her close. Mere seconds that feel like hours pass between us, as we catch our breath from the faux struggle. The moment she licks her lips, it almost does me in.

I want… No, I fucking need to kiss her again, anywhere she’ll let me.

What’s one more small, innocent kiss before I’m friendzoned?

Nora decides for us, hesitantly cupping my neck, and bringing her lips to mine in a sweet kiss that nearly rips my heart out of my chest. She’s so damn cautious, worried I might have sensory overload. To be fair, I am, but in a way I could never properly articulate.

The adrenaline from before is gone, and all of my senses are heightened. I taste a hint of mint—likely chewing gum—along with something smokey like she had steak for dinner. Her lips are warm, inviting, and soft as a damn pillow. All sound is drowned out to the point that even the faint flickering light on the side table in the other room isn’t audible to me. She smells sweet, like a spring day in the fields after a light rain. I don’t dare open my eyes and cast my sights on the beauty before me. If I do, I’ll haul her off to the chapel and marry her on the spot.

We slowly break apart and she touches her swollen lips. There’s a hint of fear in her eyes, and I could place bets on her walking out of here right now. I’m more than pleasantly surprised when I’m wrong, and a drunken smile tilts her lips.

“Where did you learn to kiss like that?”

I huff a small laugh. “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”

“I thought you said you were going to behave yourself? And you go and kiss me like that?”

“I am behaving myself.” I clutch my chest, feigning shock. “I’m wounded, truly.”

Nora bites her lips and snatches the shirt off the bed as I look for mine which somehow ended up discarded on the floor. “You’re right; we definitely shouldn’t…” She searches for the words, and it’s damn cute that she won’t say ‘fuck.’ “If you want me to stay the night, I need proper bedroom attire, Mr. O’Leary.” My name comes out as a purr.

“Fucking hell, Nor,” I groan, looking to the ceiling. “You can’t call me that.”

A small kiss is pressed to my throat as she whispers, “And what would you have me call you?”

Yours.

“You win. You can call me whatever the fuck you’d like.”

Nora slings the shirt over her shoulder and saunters off to the ensuite, calling back to me, “You’re going to regret saying that.”