Chapter 2

Everything she does turns me on. Doesn't matter if she's folding her clean clothes, cutting her nails, brushing her hair, or reading a book. I'm drawn to her like iron filings to a magnet. It's like I'm plunging down an endless tunnel with no way of stopping. Not that I want to.

I never had any problem with my libido. I was too focused on my work to care for relationships. That is, until Katherine came along.

Now, instead of staying at home and watching movies on a Saturday night, I'm here at a five-star hotel, wearing a three-piece tuxedo that makes me feel claustrophobic.

Katherine was summoned by her parents to attend one of their charity galas, which was more like an excuse to throw lavish parties and show off than actually try to help other people. It probably helps that it can lower their taxes, but who am I to judge? I'm no millionaire. Close but not yet.

Katherine is wearing a crimson-red dress that makes her look like a queen. A very beautiful but sad one. Her thick hair is in a bun, exposing her slender neck, and making me long to drag my tongue along the tendons.

The dress or gown—whatever—is an off-shoulder piece that drapes to the floor. She has to lift it to walk around without tripping. Her makeup is light, but she has a bold red lipstick on. My favorite.

Despite looking every bit like royalty, she stands in the corner, talking to no one, being approached by no one. Goddamn. Are these men blind? I mean, I would've beaten anyone who flirts with her, but still, ignoring her? The fuck are they on?

Just like every party she attends, after the first two hours, Katherine escapes to somewhere quiet. No one notices, and I think she prefers it that way. She walks toward the indoor pool, which is empty because her parents made sure it was exclusive for their friends tonight.

I follow her at a distance, trying not to seem obvious, but my pulse pounds the moment I hear low voices, one of which belongs to Katherine.

"You're not here with anyone, Kate. We both know it. You're always alone. So what do you say? How about we head upstairs? Your Dad kindly gave me the presidential suite. Let's have our own little party."

Ah, the slime who calls himself Patrick. Son of a senator and the CEO of a multi-million luxury brand empire. A guy who thinks he can take whatever he wants whenever he wants. A prick through and through.

"I said no, Patrick. Which part of your thick skull doesn't understand that?"

A dark chuckle makes me perk up from behind one of the marble pillars. My whole body is primed and ready for a fight. It's gonna put me in hot water when I have to reveal myself, but damn if I'm gonna let this asshole touch Katherine. I'll break his fingers and make him swallow them one by one.

"God, Kate. This is why you're still single and no one likes you. You're so boring. You're no fun."

"Who said I'm still single?" I hear the slight break in her voice, and my chest cracks open. No one hurts my girl and walks away unscathed.

A sharp bark of laughter echoes throughout the empty space. "Everyone knows it. Katherine the Klutz, single and still alone at 24. It's a running joke among our circle, actually. How nobody wants the task of inviting Kate anywhere, but we have to because of your parents."

"I'm not single, and I don't care if you stop inviting me. It's not like I want to go, anyway." Katherine's voice is low, and I strain to hear it. With cautious steps, I saunter toward them, shifting my weight gingerly to avoid making any sound that will alert them to my presence.

I'm one pillar away from them, and I see Katherine pulling on her earlobe—a tell-tale sign that she's lying.

Patrick must have picked it up because he begins to crowd her, and she slowly backs away, twisting at the waist to see if she's about to fall into the pool.

"Yeah? Then where is he? Does he have a name? Does he even exist? Or is it just inside that weird little head of yours?"

When he moves to jab a finger into her temple, I snap. That's fucking it. I don't care what happens next. All I know is I'm not gonna let anyone hurt my girl, even emotionally.

As I straighten to my full height, I walk forward, no longer trying to muffle my footsteps. I watch Katherine, and her expression shifts, lips trembling slightly. She clenches her hands into fists, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

They both turn at the same time, a blank look on his face. When I'm close enough, he says, "Who the fuck are you? You're not allowed?—"

I ignore the prick and wrap a hand around Katherine's shoulder. I pray to God she realizes what I'm doing and won't fight me. "Baby, sorry I'm late. I got held up at work."

Her mouth parts, her eyebrows squishing together. I respond with a smirk and tuck a loose stray of hair behind her ear. I lower my head, pretending to kiss her but whispering, "Play along."

I continue smiling at her, but when I swing my head to Patrick, I cast him the coldest gaze I can muster. His neck flexes as he swallows hard and staggers back a step. "Five seconds."

His head flinches back slightly, and he runs a hand through his blonde hair. "W-what?"

"I'm giving you five seconds before I swing my arm at you and possibly break your jaw. You don't think I heard everything you said to my girl, right? Go fuck off, you thumbsucking shit."

Patrick tries to look like I don't intimidate him, but even in the dim light, I can see his ashen face. He's probably not even aware that he's wiping both hands on his dress pants. "W-who the f-fuck do you think you are? You have any idea who my father is?"

Laughter bursts out of me, startling him. "Damn. At your age, you still calling Daddy for help? You make fun of Katherine, but you can't even stand up for yourself. I'm betting you're one second away from peeing in your pants. Now go before you embarrass yourself. If I see you talking to Katherine the way you just did, I'm gonna break each of those fingers from your disgustingly clammy hands."

His hurried steps reverberate off the cold, tiled walls, his silhouette growing smaller and smaller. The sight of him running away from me, his eyes filled with terror, makes me snort. A typical bully.

"Kieran. It's Kieran, right?" Katherine's voice pierces through my thoughts, and I turn to face her. Her cheeks are flushed, and she's looking at me … almost hungrily, eyes landing on my mouth, tongue peeking out and swiping along her bottom lip.

Jesus. She's so tempting it's not even funny anymore.

"Why are you here? Have you been following me?"

With relief, I realize she's not angry or accusing. She genuinely wants to know, and while I have been behaving like an obsessed lunatic the entire time, I don't have it in me to lie to her anymore. It's time to come clean. Qué será, será, I guess. "Yes, I have."

"Why? How long? Who asked you?"

"No one asked me. I did it because … because the moment I saw you, an obsession has taken root in me. I couldn't stop. I wanted to see you every minute of every day, and I wanted to know everything about you."

"Why me?"

What does she mean? Why not her? She's everything I never knew I wanted. Is this a trap or a trick question? "Why not you?"

She tilts her chin and stares hard at me. "It's rude to answer a question with another question."

"I just told you I've been stalking you, and you're taking issue with that?"

Her lips press into a thin line, and she's trying not to smile. "No, seriously. Just tell me."

"Because I'm drawn to you. I can't explain it. There's this almost primal need in me. I tried to shake it off and stopped for three days. You know, do my thing and let you be. It felt like death, Katherine. I need you. My body, mind, and soul know it."

"How long?"

"Three months."

Her eyes almost bulge out of their sockets. "Three months? Are you crazy?"

My shoulder lifts. "Possibly."

"Oh God. Wait a minute. I've been feeling eyes on me. I thought I was being paranoid. Was that you?"

"Yes."

Katherine paces and rests a palm on her chest. "And you're actually a security guard?"

"That part is true."

"Why did they hire you?"

"My sunny personality."

This stops her in her tracks, and she shakes her head. "What if I tell you to leave me alone?"

"Then, I'll do that. You won't see me, you won't hear from me. But it doesn't mean I won't keep watching you from afar."

"What if I tell you to stop obsessing with me?"

"You might as well tell me to tear my left eye out."

Her eyebrows scrunch. "Why?"

"Because it's impossible, Katherine. I have no control over my feelings. Every single part of me belongs to you. Do with that what you will."

With a voice so low that I strain to hear, she says, "My friends call me Kate."

"I am not your friend."

Her eyes widen at the admission, lips pressing into a grimace. "Then what are you to me? A stalker?"

"Your future husband. Well, at least that's what I hope I'd be."

Silence hangs heavy between us. The only thing I can hear is the pounding in my chest. I'm mentally preparing myself for Katherine to hate me. I deserve it. No normal, sane man will do what I've done. And if she decides to call the cops on me, I won't deny anything.

At least, she knows it's me.

I don't know how long we stand there in semi-darkness, nothing but patches of moonlight filtering from the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting us in shadows. But I don't need the light to see her. I've already memorized every single inch of her face and body.

Katherine takes a tentative step toward me, and I will myself to stay rooted in the spot. Her chest shudders with each inhale, and she runs her hands along her arms.

If she's gonna slap me, I will let her.

If she's gonna do worse, I'll do nothing but watch.

But…

She does neither.

Instead, when she's only two steps away from me, she launches herself into my arms. My brain hasn't caught up with what's happening yet, but my arms instinctively go around her frame, pulling her up to me.

Our faces are inches away from each other, and if I thought she was perfect while watching from a distance, there are no words to describe how beautiful she is up close.

In this angle, her brown eyes look golden and … hooded.

So I take a chance. I cup the back of her head and press my lips against hers, the soft, simple motion sending shockwaves of pleasure all over me.

She runs her palms along my chest and around my neck before she plunges her tongue into my mouth, short-circuiting my brain and making my groin ache.

I kiss like I'm about to lose her because I just might. Maybe this is temporary insanity on her part and she's about to come to her senses in three seconds. But no.

She kisses me back with the same hunger, the same passion, and the same urgency … as if she can't get enough of me, too.

Katherine lets out a whimper, a sound that goes straight to my cock.

Fuck.

This is just a kiss, but it might as well have been foreplay.

She pulls away first and motions for me to let go. My mind is a mess and so is my body. I've never felt anything as electrifying as that. It's like coming up for air after struggling to breathe underwater.

It's right.

Like it"s always supposed to happen.

As I gaze at her, her eyes sparkle with a playful glint, a soft smile dancing across her lips. She edges closer to me and rests both palms on my chest. I'm already thinking of another kiss, but she apparently has other plans.

Katherine gives me a hard shove. Normally, that won't even make me budge, but I'm still reeling at the various emotions threatening to overwhelm me.

The next thing I know, she sends me plummeting into the frigid water below.

And it does a wonderful job at cooling down my burning skin and controlling my rock-hard erection. I surface, sputtering and chuckling, staring at the goddess above me, my heart swelling at the sight.

Before I can say anything, she crosses her arms across her chest and raises a brow. "That's what you get for being a stalker."

The sentence is barely finished when she leaps into the pool next to me, creating gentle ripples around me.

Katherine propels herself to me, her eyes shining. The electrical charge between us is back when our gazes lock, and I meet her halfway.

This time, I make the first move.

Extending an arm, I pull her to me with one hand and cup her face with the other, molding my mouth to hers, dipping my tongue into the warmth of her mouth.

Her dress is getting heavy, so I gather them and push them up, then guide her legs around my waist. She locks them at the ankles and tightens her arms around my neck.

I can still hear faint traces of jazz music from the ballroom, but I'm too far gone to care if someone walks in on us. This is what I've been dreaming of for months, and I refuse to let someone else ruin it for me.

Steering us to the darker side of the pool, I break our kiss, only so I can lift her and settle her on the edge of the pool. She yelps and tries to scramble for purchase, but when she realizes I'm just settling her down, she chuckles. "I thought you were planning to throw me."

"Not a chance, cupcake."

Without taking my eyes off her, I spread her legs and slide the silk material of her dress along her thighs, letting them bunch around her waist. She only has pink lace panties on, but I can see her pussy.

"W-what are you doing?" Katherine's eyes are wide, but her eyelids are fluttering.

"Having my dessert."

I lower my gaze to her cunt and hook her panties to the side. It's fucking glistening, maybe from the water or arousal or both. "Are you wet for me, cupcake?"

She lets out a stuttering breath, and her hips jerk. "Yes."

A sound that's part human, part animal rumbles from my chest, and I dip my head between her legs, inhaling the sweet scent of her arousal, before I swipe my tongue along her drenched slit.

Her hips buck, her hands going through my hair, fingers digging into my scalp. "Oh, God."

With my thumbs, I part her velvet folds and drag my tongue from her pussy to her clit, making sure to trace circles on the sensitive button. My little seductress responds by pushing my head deeper.

Challenge accepted, cupcake.

I toss her legs over my shoulders and pull her closer to the edge before sliding my tongue deep within her tight muscles. She thrashes and moves her hips, her moans and whimpers music to my ears.

"Oh fuck. Yes. Yes, there. That's it. Deeper, Kieran. Deeper. God please."

She groans when I stand back up and smirk at her, my mouth coated with her juices. "What are you doing? Go back."

Katherine scowls at me, her face a mix of frustration, disappointment, and longing. Her lipstick is smeared across her cheek, and mascara runs down her face.

Fucking gorgeous.

With a chuckle, I tip her chin with my finger. "I need my cock inside you, cupcake. I'm gonna go crazy if I don't have you soon."

I wait for her to say no, to protest, or tell me it's too soon. Instead, she bites on her bottom lip. "Then, what are you waiting for? Fuck me."

Holy shit. Say no more.

My clothes are soaked, my sleeves rolled, when I grip the edge of the pool firmly, water sluicing down my arms in rivulets. I hoist myself upward, and my waterlogged leather shoes hit the tiled floor. The squelching sound makes me cringe, and the water sloshing inside doesn't help.

The cool air hits my exposed skin, and I resist the urge to shiver in front of Katherine, who sweeps her gaze along my body, stopping at the ridge between my thighs, the water molding my dress pants into my lap. Her mouth parts, and she darts her tongue out.

She sits with her heels digging on the floor, legs wide apart, her hands braced on either side of her. Her chest rises and pushes her breasts against the tight cleavage, and it unleashes something in me.

I sink to my knees, skimming my hands along her bare thighs until I reach her waist. Hooking a finger under her chin, I lift her face and crush my mouth against hers, sucking her soul, pulling out animalistic sounds from the only one who has ever brought me to my knees.

With my hand on the back of her head, I lower her slowly to the floor while my other hand rips her panties off before shoving them into my pocket. Another pair to add to my collection. My mouth trails kisses along her jawline, and I dip my tongue into the shell of her ear before I lightly nip on her earlobe.

"Look at me, Katherine." My voice is hoarse and gravelly, my throat thick with desire.

When she opens her eyes, I unbuckle and unzip my pants, reaching into my boxers and pulling out my steel rod. She inhales sharply, the sound is loud in this space.

I begin stroking myself, watching Katherine while her breaths come out in sharp, quick gasps.

"Tell me you want this, Katherine. Tell me you want me to claim you. Make you mine. Make you belong to me and only me."

Her slender neck flexes as she swallows. "I want it, Kieran. Give it to me."

Sharp zaps of wicked lust skitter up my spine as I hover over her and wedge my cock at her entrance. When my head slides inside her, I grit my teeth, welcoming the pain in my jaw.

Goddammit. She feels so good just like I knew she would. I might not last long.

I reach between us and tease her clit, and I slowly stuff myself deeper, huffing because she's testing my wafer-thin control. I might come any moment now.

When I lift my gaze to look at her face, I realize it's a mistake. A huge one. Heat kindles in her golden brown eyes, and she says the words that snap my tether. "Claim me, Kieran. Make me scream your name."

My hips ram forward, trapping her in place, as I wrap her hair around my knuckle, tugging on it to expose her neck. With my lips on the pulse between her collarbones, I ride her to the ground.

For a moment, I fear I'm doing too much, that she wants to be handled a whole lot more carefully.

But…

When I slow my thrusts, Katherine rests a hand on my chest, burning through my thin layer of clothing. "I'm not made of glass, Kieran. I won't break."

With a growl, I plunge my tongue in and out of her mouth while I sink into her. She lifts her hips and meets my drives, making me buck faster and harder.

My finger finds her hard nub again, helping push her over the edge. Katherine rocks against me and suddenly stops, eyes snapping shut, mouth letting out halting whimpers of my name. "Kieran. Kieran. Oh, fuck. Oh my God."

Her body stiffens before her breath comes in short bursts and she trembles. Hot on the heels of her orgasm is my own. She continues to flutter around me, and I feel my cock swelling until my climax slams into me.

"Katherine…"

Pulse after pulse of warmth fills her, and after what seems like hours, I exhale in a rush, finally done delivering my spend. I tunnel my fingers through her hair and kiss her long and hard before resting my forehead on hers. "You're never getting away from me, cupcake."