The new position allowed him deeper, and he wasted no time taking full advantage of it, fucking her ruthlessly even as he rubbed her clit. “Remember, lovely, be quiet. You never know who might be listening.”
There was that whimper again. His balls went tight at the sound, and words came out of his mouth in an unfiltered river. “I want you so much, I can’t fucking see straight.” He slammed into her hard, the sound of flesh meeting flesh filling the room. “Every time I watch you walk away, all I can think about is dragging you back into my bed, my car, a fucking storage closet. Being inside you is as close to perfection as I’ll ever get.”
She let go of the wall and slapped a hand over her mouth as she came, and he was forced to grab her hips to keep them both from slamming into the wall. Her pussy milked him, taking away his last breath of control. He slammed into her once, twice, and a third time, coming so hard he saw stars. James caught them both from falling with a hand on the wall, keeping another around her waist. “Shit.”
“That about sums it up.” She pulled away and turned around. She had the look of a woman well pleasured, but there was a hint of panic lingering in her green eyes. “This doesn’t change anything.”
He wanted to argue, to rail at her for being so damn determined to drive herself off the cliff, but that wasn’t why he’d come here tonight. He caught her chin and kissed her, moving back almost as soon as he’d made contact. “I wanted to see you. End of story.” But it wasn’t. Not by a long shot.
“Promise me you’ll leave.” She rummaged around and found her panties. “We’ve already been gone too long.”
“So determined to see the back of me.”
She yanked on her dress and, even in his frustration, he made sure he zipped it up slowly so he didn’t damage the fabric. Carrigan turned around as soon as he was done. “Apparently I’m going to have to be the one who has enough common sense for both of us. You can’t be here. This can’t happen like this. Not where we could be caught.”
Her reasoning was sound, but that didn’t stop the bitterness on the back of his tongue. “Got it. I’m your dirty little secret.”
“Do you want a war?” She shook her head. “You know what, no. I’m not doing this. Not now and not like this. If you want to have a conversation like reasonable adults, call me later.”
She was right. He knew she was right. But that didn’t kill the urge to drag her back into his arms and kiss her until she stopped telling him all the reasons they were shitty for each other. He opened the closet door and motioned for her to precede him. “After you.”
“You…God, you drive me so crazy.” She grabbed the front of his shirt and kissed him, moving away before he could do anything about it. Right into the hallway where two of her brothers stood, shock written across both their faces.
Well, fuck.
Aiden grabbed her arm and the younger one grabbed him, slamming him against the wall. “I’m going to fucking kill you.” James didn’t fight back, just let the little shit shake him.
“Cillian, no!”
Aiden gave Carrigan a shake, too, and that set James’s temper off. He grabbed the kid and glared at the O’Malley heir. “You can be pissed at me all you want, but you hurt her and I’ll take your fucking hand off at the wrist.”
Aiden didn’t let her go, but he didn’t shake her again, either. “I think it’s time you left.”
Hell, James agreed with him. He caught Carrigan’s gaze. Unfinished business, lovely. She frowned, obviously worried her brother was going to take him out back and shoot him. “I think you’re right.” He shoved Cillian away and made a show of dusting off his shirt. “I’ll be seeing you around.” He turned and made it all of one step before Aiden’s voice stopped him.
“My sister might be ready to forget what you almost did to her, but I damn well haven’t. You fucking touch her again and it really will be war.”
Carrigan’s brothers dragged her back to the reception. Aiden stopped just inside the door, his grip on her arm tight enough to bruise. “You will go to the banquet table, sit your ass down, and smile like nothing’s wrong. You will give your planned toast. And then you will sit there like someone who isn’t a fucking traitor until it’s time to go home. After that, we’ll deal with this.”
She’d never feared her brother before, but she’d never seen him with another man’s murder in his eyes, or with that bone-deep disgust he turned on her. She’d fucked up, and they both knew it. Carrigan gave a jerky nod, and walked to the wedding party’s table on shaking legs. Teague sent her a questioning look, and she somehow managed to dredge up a smile for him. “The food looks great.”