Chapter Four

 

A little while later, they were enjoying mac and cheese next to the windows in the social pod—much to the dismay of Jeremy, who was horrified at their choice of meal.

Once he saw the rapport the two had, though, he left them alone.

Lily was charmed. There was no denying it. Kieran intrigued her, and it was more than just a sexual itch. Spending the last few hours with him and spending time with him in the kitchen only compounded the feeling.

Kieran was fun, beguiling, and a delight to hang out with. He was just so easy to talk to and be herself around. Nothing at all like she’d thought he would be.

She did hope that he was like how she imagined him in bed, however.

Lily could picture him being every bit as incredible in bed.

Imagining that big—and she knew he was hard all over thanks to the tumble earlier—body bare and pressed against her had Lily squirming in her seat. Her attention drifted to his hands, and she watched them as he manipulated his fork, which inevitably led to her following the path it took to his lips.

God. His mouth.

Just watching him eat was a tantalizing experience. What could he do with those lips? His tongue?

Lily shivered.

“Are you okay?”

His inquiry took her off guard. “I’m good.” She coughed delicately and took another mouthful of macaroni.

“I can’t imagine there being a lack of stories in a place like this. Not with so many people cooped up in one place.”

She took a sip of her water. “Yeah, for a bunch of scientists some of the stuff I could tell you would have you thinking we’re a bunch of kindergarteners.”

That caught his interest. “Really?”

Lily started laughing as a personal faux pas came to mind. “Absolutely. For example, I noticed that all anyone took with them for food on day treks was chocolate. For my first trip across the ice I wanted to be healthier, so I made myself a couple of sandwiches. Very nutritious. Very stupid. Three hours in we stopped for a break.” She gestured with her fork. “You know how we have to eat several times a day to keep our calories up. Anyway. We’ve settled down and everyone pulls out their chocolate bars and happily starts eating. I smugly pull out my sandwich. It was only when I tried to take a bite that I realized it was frozen. Solid. After watching me suck on a soggy corner for ten minutes, the rest of the team couldn’t take it anymore and gave me some chocolate.”

Kieran chuckled. “I bet you never did that again, huh?”

Giving him a mock scowl, she speared another bite of food. “Of course, I did.”

They shared a laugh.

Lily couldn’t get rid of the smile. She was so relaxed with Kieran. It was if she could tell him anything. “No, I never did it again. I learned that popular opinion was probably the best way to go in a situation where I had no prior experience.”

“Probably for the best. In most cases. There are times, however, that call for a little…deviation.”

She bit her lip to keep the moan from escaping. The look he’d given her as he’d said it sparked all kinds of images in her mind.

Lily pushed away her plate of cold macaroni. They’d spent so long chatting that it was no longer appetizing. Not a problem since eating was out of the question when she was getting so twisted up inside.

She looked at her watch and sighed. They’d been talking for over three hours.

Her glance prompted him to do the same. Kieran winced. “I’m sorry I took up your whole day.”

What was incredible was that Lily didn’t mind. “I had a nice time.”

He frowned. “But I ate up all your research time.”

Patting his hand, she shook her head. “I’ll just have to make up for it tomorrow.”

She hadn’t anticipated him flipping his hand over and caging hers in it.

“I’ll be around for the next few days. Dr. Caulder mentioned something about showing me his research.” His grip tightened. “I hope I’ll see more of you.”

“You will.” And she meant it.

Kieran’s face lit up. “Allow me to walk you back to your room?”

Lily nodded.

The walk back was quiet. She wondered if he had a lot on his mind. There must have been several projects that he was involved with. What were they? Where were they? Did he have a woman at each?

That thought didn’t settle well with her.

Lily’s steps slowed. Was this what he did? Go around seducing every woman who caught his eye?

Seducing? He’d done nothing more than talk to her. There were a few touches, sure. But did he see them as casual even when they threatened to melt her bones? Was she so hard up that she was mistaking everything that was happening?

Kieran’s deep voice softly interrupted her thoughts. “What’s on your mind?”

He’d stopped and she was several paces down the hall from him. “Nothing.”

“Really because it looks like something. Also,” he looked pointedly at the door, “you walked past your room.”

The heat in her cheeks told her that he could see her embarrassment as much as she could feel it. “Right.” She closed the space between them.

“So, what’s going on in there?” He gently tapped her temple.

Even that touch zapped electricity through her.

Lily tried to read his eyes but found herself getting lost instead. Shaking it off, she inched back. “Can I be honest?”

He cocked his head. “I’d be disappointed if you weren’t.”

“All right.” She licked her lips. “I’m attracted to you. And I feel like you are into me, too.”

He nodded and was about to say something, but she held up her hand.

“I just want you to know that I don’t fall into bed with just anyone. So, if you think that I’m going to be another notch on your belt—”

Kieran engulfed her hands in his, and her ability to string words together disappeared.

“I am attracted to you, Lily.”

The breath left her lungs in a rush.

“I can imagine what’s going through your mind. That I’m some sort of player who would jump into bed with anyone,” he continued. “I admit I’ve been with my fair share of women. But I’ve never cheated, nor have I ever been cavalier about sex.”

That led her to another problem. “I’m glad to hear it, but if whatever this is leads to something else... You have to know that right now my research is the most important thing in my life. It comes before everything else.”

He closed his hands around her shoulders. “And I completely understand that. I would never get in the way of you and your work.”

“But what if—”

He slid his hands up her neck to cup her cheeks. “Let’s worry about the what ifs if they come.”

Kieran sealed his words with the sweetest kiss Lily had ever experienced.