Unveiled

Miller pushes past me with his suitcase and dumps it at the bottom of the stairs.

‘Was Ted keeping guard?’ I ask, wanting confirmation. Am I to expect this all the time? My own personal bodyguard?

‘Did you honestly think I would leave you alone?’ Miller strides past me again, my head turning and following his path until I’m watching his back getting farther away as he stalks down the pathway to Ted, who’s closing the boot of the Lexus. ‘Thank you.’ Miller passes Ted his keys before offering a hand to William’s driver.

‘Most welcome.’ Ted smiles and shakes Miller’s hand, then looks past Miller to me. ‘Good evening, Miss Taylor.’

‘Evening,’ I murmur, watching Miller turn and return up the garden path. Ted slides into the driver’s seat and is gone in the blink of an eye. Then the world disappears as Miller shuts the front door and secures the locks.

‘We need to upgrade security,’ he grumbles, turning to find my dumbstruck face. ‘You OK?’

I blink repeatedly, looking from the door to him, back and forth. ‘There are two bolts, a Yale, a mortise, and a chain.’

‘And I still got past it,’ he says, reminding me of the occasions when he broke into my home, just to get his thing.

‘Because I looked out the window, saw it was Ted, and then opened the door,’ I retort.

He smiles his acknowledgement to my sass but doesn’t retaliate.

‘I need a shower.’

‘I’d love to join you,’ he whispers, low and primal, stepping forward. My arms drop and my blood heats. He takes another step forward. ‘I’d love to settle my hands on your wet shoulders and work them over every breathtaking inch of your body until there’s only space in that beautiful mind of yours for me.’

He’s succeeded already and he hasn’t even touched me yet, but I nod anyway and stand quietly until he’s before me, lifting me to his body. I wrap around him and my face sinks into his neck as he climbs the stairs and takes us to the bathroom, setting me on my feet once we arrive. I smile and lean over to turn the water on, then begin stripping down. ‘There isn’t much room,’ I say, tossing my clothes into the wash basket one by one until I’m naked.

His head bobs a little on an agreeable nod, and he takes the hem of his T-shirt and pulls it up over his head. The muscles of his stomach and chest roll as a result of the move, keeping my focus on his torso. My tired eyes blink a few times, then drop to his legs when he peels off his jeans. I sigh dreamily.

‘Earth to Olivia.’ The softness of his tone pulls my eyes to his, and I smile, stepping forward to place my palm on the centre of his chest. After a physically and mentally draining day, I just need to feel him and take my comfort from touching him.

I’m allowed to trace the planes of his chest, my eyes following the slow path I’m making, Miller’s head dropped to watch me. I feel his hands rest on my waist lightly, like he’s being careful not to disturb my thoughtful motions. My touch drifts up to his shoulders, onto his neck, and across his dark jaw until I’m at his full, mesmerising lips. They part slowly and my finger slips between them, my head tilting a little on a diminutive smile when he bites down lightly.

Then our eyes meet and a million unspoken words collide between us. Love. Adoration. Passion. Desire. Want. Need . . .

I pull my finger free and we both move forward slowly.

And all of those things intensify when our mouths join. My eyes close, my palms slip onto his waist, and my neck is seized in his grasp, holding me secure while he spends an eternity worshipping my mouth. I’m swallowed up and carried off to a place where only Miller and I exist, a place Miller has created for me to run away to. Somewhere safe. Somewhere calm. Somewhere perfect.

His hold of me is so strong, always is, and the power he exudes is mind-bending, but his constant tenderness douses that control somewhat. Yet there is never any mistaking that Miller is always the one driving things. There’s no denying he rules my body and heart. He knows what I need and when I need it, and he displays this in every element of our relationship, not just when he’s worshipping me. Like when I needed to go to the hospital immediately. Like when I needed to come home and immerse myself in Nan’s lingering presence. Like I needed him to remove himself from his perfect world and be here with me.

Our kiss slows, but Miller’s hold of me doesn’t ease. After nibbling at my bottom lip, then my nose and my cheek, he pulls away and my torn eyes are faced with their usual dilemma. Not knowing which to focus on, my gaze drifts repeatedly from his blistering blues to his mesmerising mouth.

‘Let’s get you showered, my gorgeous girl.’

We spend a blissful half hour under the hot spray. The space restriction makes it a very intimate shower, although I wouldn’t expect it to be anything less, even if we had acres of space. My palms on the tiled wall, I drop my head, my eyes watching the soapy water disappear down the drain while the heavenly sensation of Miller’s smooth, soapy palms work into every tired muscle in my body. My hair is shampooed and conditioner smoothed through to the ends. I remain still and quiet the whole time, only moving when he positions me how he needs me. After raining soft kisses over every part of my wet face, he helps me from the tub and dries me off before guiding me to my room.

‘Are you hungry?’ he asks, pulling the brush through my wet strands.

I shake my head and ignore the slight falter in his movements behind me, but he doesn’t argue. I’m placed in bed and he crawls in behind me until our naked bodies are locked tightly together and his lips are performing a lazy dance across my shoulders. Sleep finds me easily, assisted by the low hum of Miller and his heat compressed to every available part of my back.