When her hand dipped lower, Danny groaned. It had been a while since the last time he’d had a woman. And he’d never had any trouble taking care of a woman’s needs before his own. But this woman could do things to him that had never been done before.
He waited, holding his breath, as her hand slipped beneath the waistband of his jeans. Danny was almost afraid to touch her, afraid that just the simple feel of her flesh beneath his fingers would send him over the edge. She still wore the T-shirt and panties and he was almost grateful that she was covered.
But that gratitude didn’t last long. Suddenly, she got to her knees and pulled the T-shirt over her head, tossing it aside. Danny’s breath caught in his throat. She was, by all standards, the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen.
He quickly stripped off his jeans and she rid herself of her panties. When they were both naked, she sat next to him, as if she wasn’t sure how to proceed. “I’ve never been much good at this,” she whispered.
“I find that very hard to believe.”
“If I’m doing something wrong, I want you to tell me. Promise?”
He shook his head. “We’ll show each other,” he said. “Take my hand.” She did as she was told. “Show me where you like to be touched.” Slowly, she placed his hand on her breast.
That was all it took to start them down a path of undeniable pleasure. That simple contact, the soft weight of her flesh in his hand, the stiff peak of her nipple, sent waves of desire racing through his body.
A sigh slipped from her throat and Danny pulled her down next to him and captured her mouth in a kiss filled with overwhelming need.
He pulled her beneath him, drawing her legs up alongside his hips. She was soft and warm, every inch of her naked body like a revelation. Had he ever felt this kind of need before? Had he ever been so determined to possess a woman?
Though he wanted to lose himself inside her, Danny realized that he’d left the condoms back at the caretaker’s cottage. He weighed the risks of leaving her, knowing how easily the connection between them could snap. There were other ways to satisfy them both.
He moved against her, his shaft sliding along the moist slit between her legs. Jordan gasped, arching against him in response, her breath quickening. Danny closed his eyes, enjoying the sensations racing through his body. It was as close to sex as they could get without actually having sex and he thought it would be enough.
But for Jordan, it wasn’t. She shifted beneath him and his next thrust was met with a different kind of resistance. He slipped inside her once, then quickly withdrew.
“I have condoms,” he murmured. “But they’re back in the cottage. I can go get them.”
“I have condoms. And they’re in the bedside table. I bought them after we met,” she admitted.
Danny stretched out on top of her and opened the drawer, then grabbed the box. He quickly sheathed himself and a few seconds later, slipped back between her legs. He kissed her softly, his hands braced on either side of her shoulders, his shaft gently probing at her damp entrance.
It took every ounce of his willpower to wait, to move against her without plunging deep. But with every stroke, she seemed to grow more impatient, her moans tinged with frustration. And when he finally gave in, the sensation of entering her warmth nearly sent him over the edge.
Danny sensed she was close and every now and then, he pulled out and rubbed up against her for a time, before slipping back inside.
Jordan’s breath quickened and he continued to tease her until she was clutching at his shoulders and delirious with need. When the first shudder wracked her body, he knew that he could finally relinquish control.
Jordan arched against him, crying out as her body convulsed in a deep and powerful orgasm. He felt her tighten around him and drove into her one last time, then let himself go, his orgasm exploding deep inside her.
They continued to rock together, slowing the pace as the intensity of their pleasure subsided. It had been so quick, yet so powerful, nothing at all like he’d planned. He’d imagined a long, slow seduction, a gentle teasing before complete surrender.
This had been nothing more than a headlong rush toward mutual orgasms.
Danny pulled her down on top of him then rolled to his side until they faced each other. “Whoever told you that you weren’t good at that ought to have the shite beat out of him on a daily basis.”
“I think he might have been compensating for his own shortcomings,” Jordan said.
“Shortcomings? Really?”
“Yeah,” she said. “Really short shortcomings.”
As he wrapped her in his arms and tucked her body into the curve of his, Danny found a certain satisfaction in the notion that he’d been the best. It was a good place to begin.
THE END OF DANNY’S FIRST WEEK of work was cause for celebration, at least according to him. In Jordan’s mind, they’d been celebrating every night in her bedroom. There hadn’t been any question where he’d sleep at night and each evening, after a late dinner and a sunset hike along the cliffs, they’d climb the stairs and begin a lazy night of lovemaking.
Jordan glanced over at him as he steered the car through the narrow streets of Ballykirk. Though she would have been happy to find their fun between the sheets, Danny had insisted that they go out. His brother Riley was singing at the family pub and everyone would be there.
He pulled the Land Rover into the narrow lane behind the blacksmith shop and stopped it. “Now, don’t worry about meeting the family. You already know Kell, though I think he’s back in Dublin this week. Oh, and Ma and Da are still in Scotland. But you’ll like Riley. And his fiancee, Nan, is American, so you’ll have that in common.”
“I’m not nervous,” she said. “Why would I be nervous?”
He shrugged. “You shouldn’t be. It’s just that the pub can be a wee bit…well, everyone will be happy to meet you, I can promise that.” He jumped out of the car and jogged around to her side, then opened her door. “You look beautiful, by the way.”
She took his hand and got out of the car. “Thank you.”
He let the dogs out of the back, then slipped his arm around her waist. “I know this won’t be anything like the clubs you go to in New York but you’ll have fun, I promise. We’re going to dance and sing and have a few pints. And at the end of the night, I’m going to take you home and make love to you.”
“Can’t we just skip to the last part? I’m really not much of a party girl.”
“If you don’t like it, we’ll leave. But I promise, I’m going to show you a good time.”
“Then let’s go,” Jordan said. “I’m ready…I think.”
The pub was noisy and crowded when they walked inside. Danny wrapped his arm around her shoulders and guided her through the crowd, calling out greetings to friends as he passed. Jordan pasted a smile on her face and tried to appear friendly.
Suddenly, a beautiful dark-haired girl appeared out of the crowd. “You’re here!” she cried. “And you’ve brought a friend.”
“Nan Galvin, this is Jordan Kennally. My boss and my-”
“His friend,” Jordan interrupted, holding out her hand.
Nan took Jordan’s hand and gave it a firm shake. “Hello. I’m Nan. Tiernan, actually, but everyone calls me Nan. I’m the soon-to-be sister-in-law. Not
“Yes, I’m from New York. And-and thank you.”
“Madison, Wisconsin,” Nan said. “Come on, I’ll get you a drink. Do you like margaritas? No one knew how to make them here. Can you imagine that? I guess they’re not very Irish. Now, everyone is drinking them. I’m not a fan of Guinness. It makes me burp.”
Nan took Jordan’s hand and led her to the bar. She glanced back and waved at Danny and he grinned. “How long have you been in Ireland?” Jordan asked.
“Since July.” She paused and smiled. “I rented the Quinn family cottage for my vacation and decided to stay for the rest of my life. What about you?”
“I’ve been here for sixteen months.”
“Really? That’s a long time. Then I’m sure you’ve been to plenty of pubs.”
“Just for the occasional meal,” Jordan said. “I didn’t really get out much…until Danny.”
“Well, then, we’ll have to make sure you have a grand time, won’t we?” When they reached the bar, Nan
