Redeem Me (Beckett Brothers #2)

36. Caelon

Chapter Thirty-Six

CAELON

Ivy knows exactly what to do to make me blow. I love how unashamed she is of her body and her sexuality. How she knows what she wants and takes it. I love the taste of her. The way she trembles when she comes. The way her fingers claw into my thighs as she bucks against my face.

She spins until she’s straddling me, and despite having the most debilitating orgasm of my life, my dick is already stirring again.

‘Ready for round two, old man?’ She shimmies on top of me.

‘You have a thing for old men, don’t you?’ My fingers grip her ass, guiding her onto me.

‘Not, usually,’ she admits. ‘But I have a thing for you.’

Her words stir something in my soul.

I have a thing for her too. A thing that’s growing every damn day. Instead of analysing it, analysing the future, I surrender to the inevitable and let her claim me, one life-affirming inch at a time .

When I’ve proved exactly how capable this “old man” is,–twice–I might add, I order room service. Ivy showers while I pad around the penthouse barefoot, a deep sense of contentment filling my chest.

It’s been so long since I experienced it, I forgot what it felt like. I peek in at the kids, who are spread out like starfish across a queen-sized bed. Orla’s glossy hair falls messily over her forehead and Owen’s small hand rests on that tatty teddy, as usual. At least it smells better since Ivy washed it. I pull the door closed and head in search of a drink.

Ivy saunters in, hair damp, wearing one of her flimsy nighties just as I’m opening a bottle of white wine from our own Provencal vineyards. I’m in the process of building a luxury spa retreat in the region, offering bespoke wine-tasting experiences.

‘Food will be here any minute,’ I say as I pour two glasses.

‘I’m starving.’ She accepts the wine gratefully and sips, a low appreciative moan melting into the glass.

‘Riding a person’s face, then their cock tends to have that effect,’ I tease, feeling a smile stretch across my face. Smiling is something that’s been happening more and more frequently lately. ‘Shall we sit outside?’

‘Sure, it’s such a gorgeous night.’ She strides out onto the terrace and rests her elbows on the glass balustrade as she gazes out over the sea. A myriad of stars decorate the sky. Moonlight cascades over the water, the soothing sounds of the waves providing the perfect soundtrack to what has been a perfect night. Away from Dublin, away from the house, I feel… lighter.

No, that’s not right. It’s not being away from the house.

I’ve been here all week, and between work and watching the cameras at home, the load was heavy.

It’s Ivy’s presence that makes me feel lighter. Ivy and the kids .

I step outside, drawn to her like a moth to a flame.

‘This is the perfect temperature.’ Ivy inhales the balmy evening air and breathes out a happy sigh.

‘It’s perfect now. Earlier, it was like a sauna.’ Though it wasn’t nearly as hot as her sitting on my face. ‘How do you fancy a boat trip tomorrow? I have meetings all morning, but I can get away in the afternoon.’ I can pretend it’s for her sake, but really, it’s for mine. I want to be with her every minute of the fucking day and night, and the feeling is escalating. ‘I can arrange a sitter for the kids.’

‘I am the sitter.’ She eyes me over the rim of her glass.

‘We both know you’re so much more than that.’ Again, those three little words linger like heart-shaped balloons between us, yet I can’t quite bring myself to say them.

A genuine smile lifts her lips. ‘Still, I think we should take the kids.’

I love how she put my children’s needs before her own.

‘Be ready for two.’ I force my voice into a gruff tone to hide how hard I’m falling for her.

A short, sharp knock at the front door alerts us to the arrival of dinner. Rui, a young waiter, wheels in a gleaming silver trolley loaded with delicious-smelling food.

‘Good evening, Mr Beckett.’ his voice trembles slightly as I direct him to the terrace.

‘Good evening, Rui.’ I make a point of knowing all my employees’ name, where possible.

His head snaps up in shock, his face creasing in surprise . I fetch the bottle to top up our glasses while he sets the table. Ivy being Ivy is asking him if he likes working here. Ha, like he’d say no with me within earshot.

‘This is the most luxurious hotel in Portugal,’ he tells Ivy.

‘Yeah, I heard the boss is a real dictator, though.’ Ivy winks at me. Brat.

‘Only to some of his staff,’ I bite out. ‘The ones who should keep their mouths shut if they value their positions.’ I eye her meaningfully.

‘Oh, I value every position,’ she snorts, and as much as I want to put her over my knee and smack her pert ass for her audacity, I laugh.

Rui’s deep brown eyes dart between Ivy and me as he backs away. ‘Can I get anything else for you, sir?’

‘No, thank you.’ I hand him a hundred euro note and motion for him to leave.

‘You and your runaway mouth,’ I tut, my eyes boring into Ivy’s.

‘You seemed to like it earlier,’ she shrugs, taking a seat at the table, poring over the decadent spread.

This woman. So full of sass. My brain is overflowing with the sinful things I want to do to her. But more than that, I want to take her to my bed and hold her all night long. To feel her body curl around mine, her heart pressed against my chest. The comforting sound of her breathing beside me.

‘What are you doing to me?’ I blurt out, watching as her head whips up from the lobster salad she was eyeing up.

‘I know what I’d like to do to you.’ She cocks a brow. ‘Just let me eat first.’ She pierces a chunk of lobster with her fork and pops it into her mouth.

‘I didn’t mean sexually, though I’ve never been one to look a gift horse in the mouth.’ I wink as I fall into the chair at her side.

‘So what did you mean?’ Her usual sass is replaced with a rare seriousness.

‘You’re in my head all the time. You steal my every waking thought and most of my sleeping ones, too. You fill my life with noise and mess and a fucking dog, and I’m still fucking crazy about you.’

She sucks on her lower lip, processing for a second. ‘The feeling is mutual. You’ve turned me into one of these crazy bitches who checks her phone all day, every day, in case I miss a text from you. And as much as I love your body…’ she pauses, and her eyes widen like she’s waiting for me to freak out at the “l” word, but I don’t. I’m slowly starting to accept that’s what this is. So much so, I’m almost ready to tell her. But once I do, there will be no going back.

‘You were saying…’ I prompt, spearing a scallop dripping in lemon butter, and shove it into my mouth.

‘As much as I love your body, I’ve missed your arms around me at night, and your snoring.’

‘I don’t snore.’

‘You do, but I don’t think we’ll have to worry about that tonight.’ She winks.

‘What are you talking about?’

She waves a hand over the table. ‘Am I supposed to believe you accidentally ordered every aphrodisiac on the menu? Come on, admit it, you planned to get me even hornier and keep us both up all night, right?’ Her soft laugh permeates the air, weaving through the space between us to thaw the final remnant of ice surrounding my previously frozen heart.

‘I wasn’t planning anything,’ I tell her honestly. ‘Funnily enough, all my plans get forgotten when you’re around.’

Which is why I need to tell Dermot I’m in love with his sister.