The Millionaire's Proposal

She’d clasped the fingers of one hand around the wrist of the other before lifting her arms above her head and had her head tilted back, eyes closed as she let the sun warm her face. And the combined stretching of legs and arms had arched her spine off the bench, her breasts straining against the snug fit of her azure-blue vest-top.

‘I am so hot.’

Ronan couldn’t help but silently agree.

‘Is it normally this hot here this time of year?’

When she resumed a normal sitting position he just about managed to look at her face before she opened her eyes. ‘They’re having a heatwave. But it’s probably the humidity you’re feeling. We Irish aren’t used to it. You’ll adjust in a couple of days.’

‘A couple of days before I move on then— don’t s’pose you know what the weather is like in Canada?’

He cocked a brow and she smiled.

‘Okay—yes, you do.’ She rolled her eyes while reaching out for the iced water they’d bought from one of the street vendors who’d happily tossed it to the upper floor of the bus in exchange for a scrunched-up dollar bill thrown down at them. Something that had entertained her immensely at the time.

‘I keep forgetting this is all old hat for you. I must look like a little kid on Christmas morning.’

Yeah, she did. But he liked that about her. He’d soaked up some of her enthusiasm as she took in everything on the tour, and the number of times she’d gently set her fine-boned hand on his arm to get his attention before pointing at something or leaned across him to get a better photograph of the Flat Iron Building or the Courthouse or the Woolworth Building or City Hall had only added to his overall enjoyment.

Somewhere along the way he’d forgotten what it was like to feel so excited about everything. But, as good as it was to be reminded not to take things for granted just because he’d seen them a thousand times, it was also a little like poking an open wound with a stick; reminding him of the dark thoughts he’d been putting to the back of his mind the last few months—which had been a bit tough to take, and left him pensive.

What he needed was a way to lighten his mood, and to stop him obsessing about Kerry’s ‘hot’ body.

He turned his head and focussed on the kids playing in front of them. At the bottom end of the island of Manhattan, Battery Park was packed the way it always was, hundreds of tourists milling around filling in time while they took turns patiently waiting in the mile-long queue weaving its way along the concrete paths to the ferries for Ellis and Liberty Islands.

The kids between them and the incoming ferries had the right idea in the heat, Ronan reckoned—in fact…

He grinned, taking Kerry’s hand before standing up and tugging to get her off the bench. ‘C’mon.’

‘Where are—?’

‘You said you were hot, right?’

She resisted, dragging her feet while trying to open her bag and stow away her water, a curtain of hair hiding their destination until it was too late, ‘I did and I am but—’

She squeaked when the narrow fountain of water appeared directly in front of her feet, shooting high enough above her head to sprinkle her face on the downward journey. And Ronan chuckled at the look of surprise on her face, deliberately stepping back so another jet appeared beside them.

Kerry’s eyes narrowed.

He shrugged. ‘Cooler now, aren’t you?’

For a moment she simply glared at him. And then she caught him off guard by moving neatly to one side and tugging on his hand so he was stood pretty much directly over the next jet of water when it appeared.

Closing his eyes, he pursed his lips and shook his head hard to get the water off his hair. Then he opened his eyes, looked down to locate another of the metal rings, and when she tried to tug her hand free he closed his fingers tighter, hauling her forwards and smiling at her gasp as her breasts hit the wall of his chest.

She shook her hair out of her eyes, looked up at him with wide eyes and then laughed as he smirked and spun her—once, twice, in and out of several jets of cold water before releasing her without warning and swinging her out to arm’s length where she was promptly soaked from head to toe by fountains either side of her. Only then did he allow her fingers to slip free from his, deliberately slow so they touched fingertip to fingertip for a few seconds before both their arms dropped.

He prepared himself for outrage.

But before his captivated gaze she simply tilted her head to one side, quirked an arched brow, and deliberately skipped sideways underneath another jet.

Ronan laughed, feeling an inner lightness returning to his chest that’d been missing for longer than he cared to admit. So he made a sideways slide in the opposite direction to her skip—and got wet.

Kerry checked the ground, made a skip back and to her left and got wetter still, lifting her arms from her sides and leaning her head back to welcome the cooling spray. Then she turned round and round in slow circles getting wetter and wetter as each plume of water appeared, her effervescent laughter drawing answering, somewhat lower laughter from Ronan as he watched.

She was amazing. He wondered if she knew that. Somehow he doubted he’d forget it. And, having talked to her briefly about ‘moments’, he knew he was experiencing one of them right there and then…

Kerry laughed at the sheer ridiculousness of what she was doing. What was it they said about people shedding their inhibitions when away from home ground? But it wasn’t just that. She was having fun. Honest-to-goodness fun—joy bubbling up inside her like bubbles in a flute of champagne.

She was in New York, on the first leg of a dream of a lifetime and to top it off she was messing around with an incredibly sexy guy under a set of fountains in the bright sunshine in Battery Park. Life didn’t get much better than that, she reckoned.

They managed to get wet another couple of times on their way out, both still grinning from the shared experience as they walked through the crowd and Kerry fully aware, but not the least bit bothered, by the amused looks aimed their way.

She shook droplets of moisture off her arms and lifted her hands to her hair—ruffling it in the vain hope the hot midday sun would dry it into something resembling curls rather than a frizzy mess. She then stole a sideways glance at Ronan, who was flapping the end of his white T-shirt back and forth, no doubt to try and dry it some—not that Kerry actually had a problem with it plastered against his well-defined chest.

And when he turned his head to look at her she felt her breath catch again, the way it had when she’d spotted him in the crowd. He really did do incredible things to her pulse rate, didn’t he? She’d never met anyone who could do that—and so effortlessly too. He had only to breathe in and out and she found it completely fascinating.

They laughed.

‘Well, you’re cooler now, aren’t you?’ He nudged his upper arm off her shoulder.

So she nudged him back a little harder, laughing all the more when he made an exaggerated stagger to the side. ‘You’re a big kid, you know that, don’t you?’

A large hand was slapped against his chest. ‘Me? I’ll have you know I’m the responsible one—I just made sure the chances of you getting heatstroke were lessened. You’re the one who turned it into a game.’

Still smiling, but with her gaze now fixed forwards on the poignant sight of the mounted globe salvaged from Ground Zero, Kerry admitted in a soft voice, ‘It was fun.’

She dropped her chin to study the painted toenails visible in her sandalled feet for a moment before giving in to the need to look back at Ronan, who was looking at her with a strangely intense expression on his face.

‘You make it sound like it’s something you don’t normally make time for.’

She scrunched up her nose.

‘How come?’

Spoken by the man who was as free as a bird to the woman who’d been trapped by responsibility for over a decade. ‘I have fun. I just don’t—’

‘Have fun the way you just did?’

Normally the lack of smart suits and forcefully tamed hair was enough to fool the world into thinking she was more carefree than she actually was. And he hadn’t seen her in work clothes, so, ‘Do I look boring?’

‘No, that’s why I’m surprised—and now curious.’

Kerry liked that she could make him curious. In the short time she’d known him Lord alone knew there’d been plenty of things that had her curious about him, so it was a good feeling to be able to return the favour.

When she didn’t speak he asked the obvious. ‘So what holds you back?’

‘Is therapy a complimentary part of the tour?’

‘Ooh—defensive.’

How had he done that? Having used the gentle tone he just had, he’d made her feel guilty for not spilling her guts. And Kerry never did, well, not unless she’d known someone a really long time, which technically made it a moot point because anyone who’d known her that long already knew.

But she wasn’t going to ruin such an amazing day with a conversation examining the psychology of why she was the way she was in normal everyday life. So she brushed it over by nudging her shoulder against his arm again, lifting her other hand to push her fingers into the hair on top of her head and ruffling it before letting it fall.

‘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.

When she looked back he was gone and it took a few minutes for her to see his head in the crowd. He obviously wasn’t one for long goodbyes, then. What man ever was?

And if she was honest, Kerry didn’t think she’d have been able to say it either. So instead she stood still until she couldn’t see him any more, only then turning in a circle to look at all the wondrous sights around her. It was a different universe. One city with a larger population than the entire island she lived on.

And she’d just been kissed senseless in the middle of Times Square by a good-looking guy she’d met on a plane less than twenty-four hours ago. How incredible was that?

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