Burning For Claire (The O'Connell Family Book 2)

by Steele, C. M.

  When introductions were made, I tried to be as normal as possible without drooling like a fool. I tried to hide the fact that it ticked me off that Brady and Sam were once an item. It wasn’t something I wanted to think about. It was clear they were just friends now. Something I still didn’t like, but that worked for my brother because he was super interested in Samantha—insanely interested.

  I walked back to my office after they left because I needed to get myself together. I paced back and forth and only stopped to dig into my candy bowl for a handful of chocolate covered hazelnuts. Brady was sex on a stick, and it wasn’t fair.

  I’d just plopped down on my chair when my receptionist, Tad rushed in without knocking.

  “Thanks for knocking,” I said sarcastically.

  “Oh. Please. It’s not like you’re getting busy in here with some hot guy like that hunk that just walked out of here. Damn. That man was fine as hell. Did you see his cowboy look? All he needed was a cowboy hat. Whew! A night of naughty fantasies for me. I wonder if he swings my way,” Tad gushed.

  “I doubt it. He’s my last client’s ex-boyfriend,” I hissed in my jealousy.

  “Pity, well at least I still have hope that your brother would switch sides,” he said wistfully.

  “Ha! Who are you fooling? My brother can’t keep his dick tucked into his pants when it comes to women. Besides, I think he’s got it bad for the same damn girl.”

  “Ooh, a cock fight!” I glared at him with annoyance, but he just smiled. “Hey, a man can dream,” Tad said as he licked his lips.

  I didn’t want to hear Tad’s dirty thoughts when my mind was on Brady, especially his thoughts about my brother. “Get out of my office. I have some paperwork to do, and you have a front desk to manage.”

  “Don’t get all bitchy with me, just because the cowboy got you all hot and bothered.”

  “Shut up,” I hissed.

  Tad stuck out his tongue at me before he left my office and headed out to the front to pretend to work. I had so much work to do as the owner on top of being a stylist, I needed every chance I got to get things done on my “down time.”

  Twenty minutes later I was on the phone with my ex-boyfriend, Everett. He asked me to lend him more money that he never paid back, when my brother stormed into my office looking like a wild man. I knew it was because of the lovely Samantha. This was going to be fun.

  “Hey, I’ll call you back. My brother is here and practically breathing fire. Yeah, talk to you later.” I wasn’t planning to call him back. He only wanted to borrow more money from me like I was a damn bank, but I already said no. I rolled my eyes as my brother was breathing heavy.

  “What’s up big bro? Got your panties in a twist?” I used Sam’s words against him. He was ready to snarl at me. It was clear he wasn’t in the mood for my humor. Screw it. I was his little sister. I could tease him all I wanted. It was in the sibling handbook.

  “Tell me now, Claire. I’m not in the mood for your shit,” he growled.

  “Hey, chill. If you don’t, I won’t tell you what I learned,” I teased and gave him a wink.

  “Fine, Claire, I am sorry. What did you find out?” I could tell he wanted to choke on his own words. Apologizing wasn’t something he cared to do—ever.

  “Well, she is going to be eighteen, a bit young for you. Her mother and she don’t see eye to eye for shit. She has a hot date tomorrow with a rich sexy man. She wasn’t interested until she saw his picture, and I couldn’t blame her—it’s Antonio Moreno. That man is something else.” I loved messing with him. It was clear he was not going to let that happen.

  “The fuck if that is going to happen. What else?” I was right on the money.

  “Oh, she was picked up by this other guy who was so hot. I’ve never seen a hotter guy. She had been texting him the whole time I was doing her hair. From what I could read, he was stalling her mother outside of the salon, and he was picking her up before going back to their apartment. Lucky bitch. If I had that handsome guy living with me, he wouldn’t be getting out of bed, and I wouldn’t be looking for another date.”

  “Ugh, gross, Claire. Please let me pretend that you’re still innocent. Well, anything else?” he asked impatiently.

  “No, well, she did ask me if you came in here all the time. I told her that you come every two weeks to get your haircut and to chat with me,” I said as I batted my eyelashes.

  “What the fuck? Now she probably thinks we are together,” he fumed.

  “Bro, I did it on purpose. You know nothing about women, besides what they look like naked.”

  “Hey, I resent that shit. I know something about women—little sisters are brats.”

  “Hahaha, get over it. She is interested in you. She couldn’t help but ask even though I could tell she was feeling awkward about it. Well, what are you going to do lover boy?”

  “You’ll see soon,” Rick said before he left my office in a hurry. I just laughed. I had work to get done before Rick picked me up to take me to our parents’ place for a nice quiet family dinner.

  When he came to pick me up, I was shocked to see who he had in the truck with him—Samantha. Man, he wasted no time. I jumped in and started my campaign to embarrass my brother. “Why hello, Samantha. It’s so nice to see you again…so soon.”

  I turned to my brother and put my head on his headrest. “So…this is where you needed to go. Why didn’t you tell me that you already asked her out when you grilled me for details about her?”

  “Claire, why the fuck are you such a brat? And get your ass off the back of my seat!” His face was flush with mortification and annoyance. I felt I’d done my job. Now it would be Ethan’s turn to piss Rick off—all with love, of course.

  It was a fun car ride. I liked Sam or at least I would have if it wasn’t for her relationship with Brady. Can you say jealous? Because that’s how I was feeling, completely and utterly jealous.

  My brother was on edge all night. His eyes never leaving Sam, I think he was ready to belt my brother Ethan in the face if he didn’t quit flirting with Sam. We were having a good time talking when my father called my brother into his study to discuss business. I knew damn well that wasn’t the case, so when I got a chance I walked over to the door and listened.

  I learned more than I wanted to learn and something that had pissed me off the most. Brady Williams wasn’t Brady, but rather the cop who investigated my family a long time ago, Travis Williams. He was a lying asshole, and I hated him. Then why was it that I spent the next several days thinking of him?

  Chapter 3—Travis

  It was Saturday morning, and I’d waited long enough to make a move, I saw her for the first time on Wednesday after all. I spent all my available time at the apartment, pacing and thinking about her. I wanted her and no matter how much I tried to count all the reasons I should stay away, I couldn’t. The more I was away from Claire the more I wanted her. The salon would be opening up soon, and I’d get to see her again. I was practically clawing at my skin like an addict looking for a fix. I felt like I was on a major sting operation. I was sitting in my truck down the street just waiting for the clock to strike nine. I’d already reviewed the file I pulled on her like six times.

  Claire O’Connell was beautiful and talented. She just turned twenty and was successful; something that was astonishing, especially when she came from a family where the women didn’t have to work a day in their lives. It seemed all of the siblings were overachievers. It was one of the pluses to starting a relationship with her.

  While I waited, I thought about her beauty. She was only about five three and had the loveliest face I’d ever seen. It was round, but not chubby. She had light brown eyes that shined brightly and lips that were lush and plump. Her black hair was rich in color with a red streak going through it and went down to her shoulders. My jeans were getting tighter just thinking about her.

  I spent the last few days dealing with the emotions racing through me. The thought that she might have a boyfriend wh
o touched her had me ready to start whooping some major ass. It was something I was going to take care of right away.

  Claire was in my thoughts far too much, and none of those thoughts had been pure. I wanted to do everything I could to her. Since I met her, I stroked myself off a lot. I had my hand on my dick every time I was alone. I was kind of glad Sam went off with Rick, so I had the apartment to myself.

  I needed to possess Claire soon, or I was going to lose my mind. Finally the clock on the truck struck nine. I jumped out in a hurry, almost forgetting to lock my doors. That would have been a big fuck up because that’s where I kept my service weapon.

  I walked up to the entrance, and the receptionist was there unlocking the door. He gave me a giant grin as he let me in.

  “Good morning and welcome back, you sexy cowboy. Are you here for a cut or are you here for one of us? If it’s one of us, I’m more than available and ready to be your bucking bronco.”

  “I’m definitely not here for you and never would be. I’m looking for Claire,” I stated angrily.

  “She’s in her office. It’s right in the back. I’m Tad by the way.”

  “Does she have a boyfriend?” I needed to know.

  He shook his head and theatrically responded, “Nope.”

  “Then it was Rick that was here that day,” I mumbled aloud.

  “Yes, two hot men in one day. What a treat for me!” he said gleefully.

  “Thanks, Tad,” I grumbled as I walked away.

  “Damn, that is a nice ass.” I heard him whisper under his breath. That boy is lucky that I’m civilized. Some of the men in my town would put a foot up his ass for suggesting that shit to them.

  I walked to the back of the salon, and there was a door that said Claire’s office in a gothic black and hot pink design with flowers added into the mix. I knocked briefly before walking right in, and I was staring at a thing of pure beauty—a pissed off little pixie as Sam calls her.

  “Get the hell out of here!” she shouted as she stood up and rounded the desk. She didn’t stop until she was all up in my face, well, more like up to my shoulders. At six three, I was a foot taller than her.

  “What a greeting, sweetheart.” I lowered my head and made it look like I was going to kiss her, and she stepped back with an evil look. Pity, I really wanted to taste those lips.

  “Don’t sweetheart me. Just beat it,” she snarled.

  “I already did,” I whispered to myself. They say little people were mean, but she looks like she’s going to bite me for nothing. Unless…she knows the truth. “What’s your problem with me? You don’t even know me.”

  “I know that you’re a liar, and you’re not who you say you are. Does Sam know that you’re a Fed, Travis?”

  I turned to shut and lock the door. Then, I rushed up to her, and she stepped back only stopping when her ass hit her desk. My face showed I was pissed. I couldn’t have her blowing my cover, no matter how much I wanted to do her. There were more important things at stake than fucking her. Wait, I couldn’t believe I’d thought such a thing

  With my hands on opposite sides of her body, I growled, “Watch your mouth. I’m undercover for a damn reason. I’m protecting Sam. I’ve spent almost the last two years on the case. I can’t have it blown not matter how hot you are.”

  She paused and with a stutter added, “I won’t tell anyone, but don’t you think it’s wrong to keep this from her?”

  “Yes and no. I want to tell her because I love her.” I saw a sign that she was interested: hurt. I needed to correct my statement fast. “I love her like a sister, but since I care about her I have to do all I can to protect her. Now she’s being protected by your brother, so that leaves me all available to spend time getting to know you.”

  “Getting to know me or my family? Are you trying to find something illegal on them? Do you think you can charm it out of me?”

  “No. The reason I’m here has nothing to with your family. I came to take you on a date and maybe a little more,” I replied suggestively.

  “I’m supposed to believe you when you tried to take my family down? You’re here to try and get more information against my uncle.”

  “I told you already. I’m here for you, no one else. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since I walked out that damn door on Wednesday. So here’s what it is, I want to take you out to dinner tonight. The sign says you close at six tonight. I’ll be here then. Don’t make any excuses because I’m not having it.”

  “Are you done giving orders? What if I have a date already? Do you think I can’t have a date or a boyfriend already?”

  She was bluffing, and I could see it in her eyes. She didn’t want to want me, but she already gave me the signs when she blushed deeply.

  “I don’t care if you have plans with anyone else. You better cancel them. You’re busy tonight with me.”

  “I’m not sleeping with you. You’re the enemy.”

  “The enemy? Why because I was investigating your family so many damn years ago?” I hated that she thought of me that way. Hell, Rick didn’t anymore.

  “Yes. My family got you in trouble. Or is this because of Samantha and Rick getting together? Are you jealous?”

  “This has nothing to do with Rick and Sam. I actually like your brother. Everything I found out about your father and brothers were on the up and up. They proved to be honest and hardworking.”

  “So this is about me? Do you think I’m guilty of being crooked?” She was spitting venom.

  I didn’t think anything of the sort, but I wanted to get her riled up, so I asked, “Do you have anything to hide? Are you as crooked as your uncle?”

  I must have hit a point of contention because she rose up from the desk, and I received a hard smack to my cheek. “How dare you?”

  I growled, “Little girl, that was a very bad move.” I grabbed her wrist, and she tried to smack me with the other so I captured that one too.

  “Tsk, tsk, Miss O’Connell. You never hit a grown man like that unless you have somewhere to run. I wouldn’t hurt you, but someone else might not tolerate that shit,” I whispered in her ear. My body was pressed against hers as her ass hit her desk again. I could feel the soft curves hidden under her smock. Oh, Lord, I was in trouble. Her breasts were larger than I expected with a tiny frame like hers. She heaved as she fought to get out of my grasp. I wasn’t holding her tight or roughly. I was just using enough strength to restrain the fiery pixie before she got tough again. I pressed my lower body on hers to prevent her from kneeing me in my nuts. That shit would hurt, and then I would have to take it out on her ass later—when I got her naked.

  “Let me go,” Claire pleaded.

  “Are you going to hit me again?” I asked tersely.

  “No,” she said in resignation.

  “Fine, but if you try that shit again. I take you over my knee and spank that little ass. Remember if you hit me in my nuts you’ll pay.” I wasn’t an asshole. I was rather a gentleman, but she brought out the perverse, feral man in me.

  “I’m not. I just want you to get off me…are you hard?” she asked as if it was an absurd thing. I had my body pressed against her sexy body. How in the world could I not be hard as a rock? I didn’t say shit, I just gave her a smirk and a wink.

  “Sick! Get off me.”

  “Sick? You’re beautiful, and I want you. What’s so sick about that?”

  “We don’t know each other, and you’re ready to do me.”

  “I know enough about you. Anyways, people screw the first time they see each other. I’ve given you three days.”

  “This is the second time we’re speaking. Three days means diddlysquat. The fact that you have a report on my life doesn’t mean you know me and don’t deny that you don’t have one.”

  “I know things about you that aren’t in the damn report.”

  “Like what,” she panted. I wanted her mouth on mine.

  “You prefer Dunkin over Starbucks. You like hazelnuts and you’re into classic r
ock.”

  “Have you been stalking me? Do I have to add security cameras and an alarm system to my apartment?”

  “No, babe. Your desk alone tells me a lot about you.” She turned back to look and sure enough, she had a Dunkin coffee, a jar Nutella and a Led Zeppelin CD on her desk.

  “Just because you’re observant doesn’t mean you get to be all up on me.”

  “I’m observant all right. You’re body wants me on it. I can feel your heart pounding, your breath is harsh, and the look in your eyes as you look up at me speaks hunger.”

  “That’s not true,” she protested.

  “Let’s test that,” I whispered as I slid my hands into her hair and bent my head. I captured her lips in a slow and tender kiss. Her hands had moved to my chest in an attempt to stop the inevitable, but had stayed there as she shared some of her passion with me.

  It was everything I expected it to be and then some. I pulled back and looked at her closed eyes, realizing this was more than just lust. I suddenly wanted to know more about her like and dislikes.

  She opened her eyes and in a hushed tone, she whispered, “Your heart’s pounding too.”

  “Yes…it is,” I murmured. It was a short kiss, but it changed everything for me or maybe it adjusted my mind to what my heart already knew.

  “I’ll see you tonight,” I reiterated.

  “What if I don’t want to?” she challenged.

  “You want to see me. I know you do, so you should stop lying to yourself.” I stepped back then walked to the door. I needed to think straight. I had a meeting with my team after I went to work at the mall.