Page 66 of Thanks for Coming Along
"Okay," she said, reaching for his phone on the bedside table. As she unlocked it, an email chain titled "Iran Position Available" was already open. Anxiety gripped her chest as she read the message, and a cold pit formed in her stomach.
The room seemed to grow colder, and she struggled to catch her breath. Insecurity wrapped its icy fingers around her heart. Was she biding her time until he decided she wasn't worth the effort? Just like everyone else had. He was leaving. It was only a matter of time. She was foolish to think this day wouldn't come.
She had wanted to believe that this time would be different, that he would stay. But her old wounds still ran deep, and this email had torn them open in seconds. The fear of being abandoned, of not being enough, overwhelmed her.
She stared at the phone, feeling numb. Her thoughts raced with doubts and insecurities. Was she just a temporary distraction for him? Was their connection nothing more than a fleeting moment in time, destined to be forgotten when he moved on to his next project?
"Did you find it?" Ronan's voice broke through her thoughts as he walked towards her, still in his wrinkled clothes from yesterday. Doubt gnawed at the edges of her mind, causing her pulse to quicken. She backed out of the email and handed the phone to Ronan.
"No," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. She had found something much worse.
Ronan
He stood in the foyer, his glossy black dress shoes tapping nervously on the wood floor. His tuxedo was impeccable, but his mind was in disarray. Tucking his hands into his black tuxedo pants pockets, he paced back and forth, the rhythmic sound of his steps the only thing grounding him.
The last twenty-four hours had been like a dream. Being with Eden had been more than he could have ever imagined, and now it seemed that something had unfurled inside him, and there was no longer a way to hide his feelings. He could tell his love was obvious in the way he touched her, the way he looked at her. And from the way she looked back at him, he thought maybe she felt the same. He wasn’t sure if she fully realized how deep her feelings ran, but he couldn’t help but hope that she did.
The steady echo of her heels on the hardwood floor broke through his thoughts, and he turned to see her approaching. She appeared in front of him, bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun reflected through the window. Time stood still as he gazed upon the woman he adored, the woman he was utterly and hopelessly in love with.
She wore a rich red dress that clung to her like a second skin, made of heavy maroon satin fabric that subtly reflected light. The dress's bodice was asymmetric, with an off-the-shoulder design and a single shoulder strap. The rigid corset hugged her curves, accentuating her hourglass figure. The dress had a high leg slit that started just above her knee and extended upward, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of her toned leg with every step she took. A matching pair of red heels added to her height.
Her hair cascaded in loose chestnut waves over her shoulder. Subtle smoky eyeshadow brushed over her eyelids with eyeliner that framed her eyes. Her long, dark lashes fluttered softly like butterfly wings. Her lips, painted a dark blood red, turned up in a smirk. Those jewel-blue eyes sparkling with mischief are what held his attention.
"Wow, you are a goddess among mortals," he murmured, kissing her cheek and pulling her closer. "It feels unreal, like I'm dreaming, because I can't believe someone like you is actually here with me," he whispered in her ear, his hand resting on the hard vertical boning of the bodice of her gown.
"You are gorgeous," she replied, her fingers gently caressing his cheeks. Her eyes lingered on his tuxedo-clad form, trailing down his body. "Perfect, actually."
No, he wasn’t perfect—not by a long shot. But to him, Eden was perfect in every way. Somehow, she seemed tailor-made for him, as if by some mysterious design. She made him feel valued and cherished, grateful for life in a way he hadn't felt in a long time. She had opened his eyes to the beauty he had overlooked for far too long.
The sound of the doorbell rang in the room, signaling the arrival of the limousine driver who would chauffeur them to the award show. Eden reluctantly removed her fingers from his face and walked toward the front door together. A sleek black limousine waited for them in her driveway. Ronan held the door open for Eden, and she touched his chest gently as she entered.
Ronan followed behind her, settling beside her on the long leather bench. As the limousine started driving to the award show venue, Ronan's thoughts revolved around the strict instructions they'd received from BNN. No interaction was allowed between them. Separate entrances and no joint interviews. It felt like an impossible challenge for him when all he craved was to be by Eden's side, feel her presence, and touch her. Weeks of longing had culminated in this moment, yet people who clearly didn't understand anything about their relationship forbade him from being with her.
Ronan intertwined his fingers with Eden's delicate ones. He glanced at her with a smile, and she quickly stuck her tongue out at him.
"Keep that tongue in your mouth, or I might use it," Ronan's voice was a low rumble against Eden's ear as he chided her, his warm lips brushing the shell of her ear. She leaned up, placing her hands against his face as she whispered, "Don't threaten me with a good time." She leaned in closer, sinking her teeth teasingly into his lower lip. A grin curled at the corners of Ronan's mouth. Ronan turned his head and made sure the privacy partition was up.
"Naughty girl," he tsked, his fingers brushed along her thigh, sliding gently between the slit of her dress. In one smooth motion, he pulled her leg over his lap, their bodies pressing closer together. "I'll have to punish you later," he murmured gruffly, delivering a sharp slap to her ass through the silky satin fabric of her dress. His hand tingled slightly from the contact, and he gently massaged the spot he'd just spanked. Eden gasped quietly at the sensation, her fingers digging into his tux-covered shoulders.
"You like that?" he breathed, his voice husky with desire. His words brushed against Eden's ear, causing her to tremble slightly.
"I bet you're all wet for me," he continued, his lips trailing down her neck. He felt her pulse quicken under his lips, its rhythm that matched his own racing heartbeat. His hands roamed down her silk-clad body, determined to memorize every curve. Now that he could touch her, he couldn't stop, refused to stop. Distance felt like the worst punishment.
"Why don't you find out?" Eden whispered, her eyes locked onto his under her long, dark eyelashes. The intensity of his emotions, the all-consuming nature of his desire, felt like a force beyond his control. His fingers trailed up her thigh, slipping beneath the luxurious fabric of her gown. The cool satin glided against the back of his hand, leading him to bare, slick flesh beneath. He groaned at the sensation, his dick straining ridiculously hard in his pants.
"No panties?" he gritted out, his molars grinding together as he discovered her bare beneath the dress. He buried his face in her temple, inhaling her soft hair and addictive perfume. How on earth was he supposed to endure hours at an award show knowing that she was bare and dripping under that gown?
"Nope," Eden confirmed, her panting breaths matching the rhythm of her hips as she rubbed herself against his eager fingers. Ronan felt like he might lose consciousness from the sheer intensity of it all, as if every drop of blood in his body had rushed southward, leaving his brain starved of oxygen.
His fingers danced over her slick folds, feeling her heat and wetness. He bit down on her neck as his fingers found her clit. She arched into his touch, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. He slowly increased the pressure, and a small moan escaped her as her body shuddered. Her moans, soft and needy, were driving him insane. Her hips bucked against his hand, her body responding to his every move.
She stared directly at him as he slid two fingers inside her. Her sapphire eyes locked onto his, filled with a mix of desire and desperation. She tightened around his fingers, trying to keep him there, her sounds growing louder and more desperate. Her breaths came in ragged gasps, and her nails dug into his shoulders. The feel of her, the sound of her, was almost too much to bear. Her muscles clenched around him as if she never wanted him to stop, as if the world outside the limo had ceased to exist.
He increased his tempo, feeling her tensing beneath his touch. Her moans turned into a gasp as she ground against his hand, her muscles pulsing around his fingers as she came. The sensation of her climax, the way her body convulsed and squeezed his fingers, sent a surge of satisfaction through him.
He watched her, mesmerized by the look of ecstasy on her face, the flush of her skin, and the way her chest rose and fell rapidly. Her lips parted as she gasped his name, eyes fluttering shut for a moment, lost in pleasure. Her nails dug into the fabric of his tuxedo as she rode out her orgasm.
Her body relaxed into his, the aftershocks of her climax still sending tremors through her. Her eyes opened slowly, a dazed, satisfied smile playing on her lips.
