Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 115308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
I tried to pull my hand away. “I need to leave.”
He hauled me into his arms, a tight band around my waist as I tilted my head back to look at him in anger. What was he doing?
“She doesn’t get to do this to you,” he said, just loud enough to be heard over the music. “This song … it’s ours now. Okay?”
“Baird …”
“Whenever you hear it, you’ll think of this. Us.” He abruptly let me go and started jumping on the balls of his feet. “Control yourself …” He shouted at the top of his voice, grinning encouragingly at me.
My heart thumped in my chest.
Baird kept singing and bopping more than dancing, totally loose and uninhibited. He ignored the guys shouting good-natured abuse at him, his gaze fixed firmly on me.
“Control yourself …,” I whispered, forcing my legs to move.
He reached for me, twining his fingers through mine as his movements vibrated down my arm, making me move too.
My voice grew louder, my hips looser as I focused on Baird. And instead of the memories of Mum, I let the memories of the past few months flood over me. Baird’s confession about wanting to be with me, the way he knew me, really knew me, his protectiveness, his encouragement, his belief in me. The way his body felt wrapped around mine, his sweet kisses, his hard kisses … his utter devotion.
I laughed as Baird tossed his head like an idiot, his hair that he’s growing out flying around as he winked at me, trying to keep me with him in this moment.
It was then that I realized how unfair it was to wait for him to say the words I love you when he’d been making all the first moves from the very beginning.
Knowing the song by heart, I knew when the last refrains of it were dying, and I stopped dancing.
Baird did too, concern puckering his brow as he waited to see if he’d done the right thing.
Be brave, Maia. Be brave for him.
My heart thumped so hard I felt sick, but I took a breath and then I let it out on three words, “I love you.”
Baird’s expression slackened.
Oh shit.
“I—”
He abruptly stepped into my personal space, his grip on my hips almost bruising. “Say that again,” he demanded harshly.
I refused to look away as I licked my very dry lips. “I love you, Baird McMillan. I’m in love with you.”
There. I’d said—
Baird kissed me hard, rough, desperate, and I clung to his shoulders as I tried to match his ferocity. Suddenly he pulled away, physically turning us and nudging me back toward the booth. What the heck …
He snatched up my purse, barely looking at our companions. “Maia and I need to leave. Catch you later.”
“What—” I shot my friends a look of apology as they catcalled after us, seeming to understand the situation better than I did.
“Baird!”
“Keep going.” He gently pressed on my back as I descended the mezzanine stairs.
“What is happening?”
Baird did not answer. Instead, he grabbed my hand as soon as we reached the bottom and bulldozed his way through the crowd of dancers, leading me out of the club.
“Hey, that’s McMillan and his bird!” some bloke shouted.
“Oh my God, it’s Maia and Baird!”
A phone appeared in my face. “Can I get a selfie?”
“No!” Baird barked, tugging me after him.
It was a chaotic departure, and my heart was pounding. “Baird, will you talk to me, please?” I demanded.
“As soon as we are alone,” he replied breathlessly.
“Baird!” I jerked on his hand, almost stumbling on a cobble.
He glanced back at me and bit out a curse at the uncertainty in my expression. “No, Maia.” He cuddled me close, cupping my cheek. I was surprised to feel his erection prodding my stomach as he confessed gruffly, “I’ve been in love with you since we met.”
“Really?”
“Aye, really. And you telling me you love me is the greatest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. Problem is, my cock thinks so too, so I need to get you alone. Now.”
Joy bubbled out of me in a flood of giggles. “Oh.”
Baird chuckled. “Aye. Oh. Can we hurry this along, please?”
From there we were a bundle of giddiness as we ran to my apartment. I nearly went over on my ankles a few times on the bloody cobbles, but Baird kept me upright.
He also practically dragged me up my flat stairs, but when we got inside, my laughter fled at the utter adoration in his eyes. He locked the door and held out his hand. And I wanted to burst into tears—the good kind. I held it together as I threaded my fingers through his and let him lead us at a far less hurried pace to my bedroom.
Baird released his hold on me to unbutton his shirt, throwing the expensive piece of fabric on my bedroom floor. He was so beautiful. I reached out to press my palms to his pecs and trailed my fingers over the artwork tattooed on his skin. One day, as we’d lain in bed, I’d asked him about each piece. Most of them were art he saw, loved, and wanted on his body. The Celtic tribal mandala mishmash design that faded as it scribed its way up around his neck. The dragon breathing fire on his leg. The Caley United logo caught between the thorns of a few roses as they spread down his arm and across the top of his hand. When he was drunk, Ainsley dared him to get the word Love tattooed across the top of his knuckles, so he did, and he didn’t regret it.