The Millionaire's Proposal

‘What’s next? I assume from your previous disdain for people with patience that we’re not joining the longest queue in the history of mankind so we can make some kind of Irish pilgrimage to Ellis…’

The low rumble of laughter reassured her she’d managed to brush over what could have been an awkward moment. ‘You’d be correct in that assumption. But I do need to know how you feel about boats.’

Kerry stopped and turned to face him, considering a random point above his left ear while she answered. ‘Kinda depends if we’re talking rowboat or cruise ship here. Though I should warn you I hadn’t planned on the cruise portion of my fantasy list for another twenty years or so. And I was thinking more along the lines of the Caribbean for that one.’

‘I’m sure you’ll enjoy that. But I’m thinking more along the lines of the Staten Island ferry. You can see Ellis and take some pictures of Liberty while I fill you in on the associated history free of charge—I’m helpful that way.’

Her gaze shifted to lock with his, the smile immediate and reciprocated just as fast. ‘Lead on Macduff.’

He stared at her for a long moment, searching her eyes while a dozen thoughts crossed through the varying shades of blue in his. But just when she thought he might say something else, he laced his fingers with hers and tugged.

‘C’mon then, Kerry, Kerry Doyle.’

The invisible angelic midget on one shoulder said she really shouldn’t allow him to keep touching her the way he did; as if he had a right to do it and had been doing it for ever. But the equally small invisible siren in high heels on her other promptly reminded her she’d been just as keen to touch him on the bus tour. And fair was fair.

So she decided for just one day of her life she wasn’t going to over-think. She was simply going to do things because she wanted to and because they felt right. Not because she was expected to behave a certain way or because she was concerned what other people thought—the trip was the first thing she’d specifically done for herself in a long, long time, after all. And she’d earned it; she didn’t have to feel guilty about anything.

If karma was going to punish her for grabbing hold of one perfect day, then let it try—they’d be having a long talk about time served.

So she tangled her fingers a little firmer around Ronan’s—softening any subliminal meaning he might get from it by then swinging their arms as they walked down the path out of the park.

He grumbled out a warning. ‘You even think about doing any skipping to go with that arm- swinging and I’m tossing you under the first yellow cab I can find.’

‘You’re no fun.’

The look he gave her was so heated it practically melted her knees, his voice a low, deliciously sensual rumble. ‘Oh, I can be fun. Believe me. And now I know how much fun you can be, my new aim is to make sure you have as much of it as humanly possible. So consider yourself warned, young lady.’

Kerry grinned the whole way out of the park. She could quite happily have the day never end…

CHAPTER THREE

LITTLE did she know it but Kerry Doyle had managed a bit of a miracle in the twelve hours Ronan had spent with her. She was a ray of sunshine. And, caught in her reflected warmth, he’d miraculously forgotten his reason for being in New York this time round.

It wasn’t until the end of the night tour on another open-topped bus that he was faced with a very visible reminder of why he would never be able to forget, because when the light dimmed his world went dark, and he had to force his other senses into overdrive to keep from showing his weakness in front of her.

Thankfully Kerry had been distracted by all the varying photo opportunities afforded to her by the stunning sight of Manhattan lit up against the night sky Ronan didn’t have to look at to know— so indelibly was it imprinted onto his mind after dozens of trips. And by the time they’d returned to Times Square he had enough light to work with to leave her with his pride intact.

He frowned as he stepped off the bus, jostling a couple of people in the crowd before he focussed hard on Kerry. He then allowed himself the luxury of studying her face one more time—watching as the newly familiar soft smile formed on her full lips.

Resentment built inside him like a tidal wave. In another life he wouldn’t have been letting her go. He’d have suggested sushi or lobster or cocktails in one of the bars overlooking the free floor- show that was Times Square at night. He’d have taken her back to the Empire State before it closed so she could see the panoramic view of the city from eighty-odd floors up and he’d have walked her back to her hotel—no matter how far it was— and kissed her long and slow before persuading her to spend another day with him.

Though being gentlemanly enough to leave after the kiss might have taken some effort—he had a sneaking suspicion kissing her might be something he didn’t want to stop doing in any great hurry.

‘Are you hungry?’

Not in the way she probably meant. Looking at her all day had brought on the kind of hunger he hadn’t experienced in a long time, if ever. As if she’d uncovered something his body was desperately lacking and now that it knew it craved it as badly as the air he breathed.

He saw the open warmth in her face as the question hung between them and felt momentarily angry at the universe for having to turn her down. ‘I’ve gotta go. I have an early appointment.’

At least he wasn’t telling her a lie.

She nodded, turning her face away, then leaning her head back a little to smile up at him one last time, one hand resting on the bag at her hip, the other waving out to her side as she raised her voice enough to be heard over the hundreds upon hundreds of people and honking car horns and the yelled voices of vendors selling everything from fake designer label handbags to T-shirts to hotdogs to—

‘I had an amazing day—thank you.’

And there was that word ‘amazing’ again. Somehow he knew he’d always associate it with her, ‘You’re welcome. I haven’t been on one of those buses for years. But they’re a good way to get your bearings the first time. Stick to them and crowds and you won’t go too far wrong. No more flirting with strangers, mind.’

She laughed when he added the last part with an edge of mock severity to his voice. ‘I’ll keep it in mind. And I might take your advice on the helicopter ride before I leave too.’

‘You should.’

‘Another moment to remember…’

‘Exactly.’

He stayed focussed on her and only her for as long as he could manage it without inviting the usual ache behind his eyes, but when it was getting too uncomfortable and he opened his mouth to say the words to let him walk away she distracted him again by moving in to place a warm kiss on his cheek.

It was her fault.

Because if she hadn’t done it he wouldn’t have had the opportunity he now had. He might have resisted the temptation to take one last memory with him, but now he couldn’t, turning his head and pressing his mouth to hers before she had time to react. His hand lifted to cradle the back of her head, he took a step in so his body was close enough to hers to feel the added heat in the humid air, and only then did he close his eyes and let his lips drag over hers the way he’d been thinking about doing since he’d met her.

Every hair on his body immediately tingled with awareness; she tasted of the iced coffee they’d stopped for, a hint of raspberry flavouring lingering on her lips and practically begging him to sample more with the tip of his tongue.

So he did. He had to.

For a second Kerry froze, hands floundering on either side of her body while she was caught in the indecision of reaching for him or simply waiting until the world stopped tilting beneath her feet. Oh, heavens above, but the man had sinfully magic lips! And even while alarm bells rang in her head, they were already being drowned out by the sound of her own blood roaring in her ears.

When he ran the tip of his tongue over the parting in her lips, she opened up and met him in the middle, feeling his low hum of approval all the way to the tips of her toes.

When someone bumped her arm, Ronan’s arm circled her waist—drawing her in against the protective hard planes of his body as he spread his feet wider. And Kerry’s wavering arms automatically lifted in response, her hands settling on his shoulders while she instinctively stood on the balls of her feet to get closer still.

She wasn’t even aware of the fact there were other people around them after that. All there was was him and the kissing. Oh, my, the kissing. Kerry had honestly thought she’d been kissed before—had she been able to think in a straight line she’d probably have had a look back in her memory to check. But after this—

She sighed contently. It was bliss.

Ronan tilted her back a little so he could kiss her deeper still. And it wasn’t a hard kiss, or a kiss that said they were seconds away from being horizontal; in fact it was the very controlled softness and warmth of it, as if he was holding back from her, that wrapped tight around her heart and made it ache for more.

It was a kiss goodbye, wasn’t it? He was ending the amazing day with an even more amazing kiss goodbye. And knowing that made Kerry ache as she’d never ached.

His hand slid forwards so that his thumb was brushing against her cheek when he lifted his head, a small frown deepening the crease between his dark brows as he blinked hard to focus on her. While Kerry in turn looked back at him with drowsy, heavy-lidded eyes and somehow eventually managed the energy to smile.

Ronan smiled back a split second before he removed his hand, loosened his arm and stepped away from her, his voice just husky enough for her to know she wasn’t the only one affected by the kiss.

‘Enjoy your trip, Kerry, Kerry Doyle.’

She swallowed, smile wavering. ‘I’ll try.’

There really didn’t seem to be much more to say. And she didn’t want to ruin the perfect ending to a perfect day by trying to force out words that currently didn’t exist in her scrambled brain. So she stepped back, turning her head to get her bearings before deciding to simply flag down a cab and head back to her hotel. After all, anything she did alone would only make her miss his company after everything they’d done together. She missed him already.