Intractable Souls : Book 1 of the Bound for Ireland Series

by Tricia Daniels

  He’s at the door in minutes, flashing his million-dollar smile as he holds up the first-aid kit he has brought along with him. Geez, she was so caught up in his dreamy good looks she had almost forgotten about that. Standing aside, she lets him in and leans in for a hello kiss as he passes. Shrugging out of his leather jacket, he throws it over the back of the chair. “Come on then… let’s get you fixed up.” He opens the first-aid kit and takes out a few things, while she tries to lift the bottom of her shorts. Crouching down, he lets out a long, drawn out whistle when he sees it. “Now that’s nasty. Do you want the good news or the bad news first?”

  “The bad news I guess.” She’s starting to feel very nervous.

  “Well, it’s not really a cut. More of a gouge. Something took a chunk of skin right out of your thigh.“

  “Ew… stop it, I think I’m going to barf now.” She holds her stomach and tries not to fall over. “What’s the good news?”

  “The good news is that I can’t get to it, so you’re going to have to take off your pants.” He looks up at her and smiles.

  “That’s good news?” She scowls at him.

  “Well its good news for me.” He shrugs playfully.

  She doesn’t think twice about it as she unzips her shorts and drops them to the floor. Her and Noah have known each other a long time and have an incredible friendship. He has seen her in a bikini for heaven’s sake, so there isn’t much difference standing there in her underwear.

  Noah squirts a large amount of antibiotic first-aid cream on his finger and roughly applies it over the torn flesh. “Ouch!” She jumps as he pokes at her.

  “Sorry.” He wipes the excess cream off his finger onto the gauze pad and sticks it to her leg, pushing on it to make sure it sticks.

  “AH! Holy crap, Noah! Do you have to be so rough?” Picking up the tape, he tears off inch long strips and presses them cross ways on the corners as if he’s wrapping a Christmas present. She squirms in discomfort.

  “Stay still and don’t look down.” Leaning forward, he wipes the dried blood off her leg with an alcohol wipe, and discards it quickly out of sight. Reaching down, she runs her hand through his inky black hair as he forcefully applies one last piece of tape. “Ok, all done.” He stands and her eyes follow him. At 6’ 2”, he’s a giant standing beside her. “How does it feel?”

  “Truthfully? It feels worse than before you started. You aren’t exactly gentle.”

  He chuckles. “Sorry, I’m a veterinarian. As far as humans are concerned I guess I’m more of a spiritual healer.” Leaving behind the supplies she’s going to need, he closes the first-aid kit and places it by his jacket. “You sounded pretty upset when you called. What’s going on?”

  “It’s been kind of a rough day.” She admits.

  Looking down, he sees the photo album opened to the picture of her and Sam. Picking it up, he turns to face her.

  “Why is this out?” He walks towards her waiting for an answer but she only shrugs.

  Closing the album, he puts it down on the table, knowing now, why she seemed upset when she called. “Come here, you.” He sighs, wrapping his arms around her in a nurturing embrace. His lips press gently on the top of her head. “How about I hang around and watch TV for awhile?”

  She nods her head. “Yes, please.” Releasing her from his hug, he takes her hand and leads her into the living room. Plopping down with a thud on the couch, he pulls her down beside him as he picks up the remote and turns on the TV. She tucks in under his arm for a cuddle, leaning her head against his chest. Nuzzling her cheek against him as she has done a thousand times before, she relaxes when he tilts his head down and returns her affection. Her hand is trapped between their bodies and she wiggles trying to get free without success. Sitting up, she frees it and in a very brave move puts it on his thigh as she leans back against him. She waits to see if he protests but he says nothing. Slowly she starts to move her hand, gently caressing his thigh with her thumb and fingertips, keeping her gaze focused on the TV.

  It’s a very intimate gesture and after a few moments Noah’s chest tightens and she can feel his heartbeat quicken against her cheek. He twists and shifts trying to get more comfortable and when he arches his back, moving his hips forward to adjust the way he’s sitting, she feels him take in a quick breath as she moves her hand out of the way and accidently brushes it across the bulge starting to form in his pants.

  She has fantasized about Noah so many times over the years when she pleasures herself. Finally, here he is, sitting beside her, live and in person with a semi hard-on forming in his pants. So why on God’s green earth is she suddenly thinking about Ethan O’Connell’s rather impressive package? It was difficult not to notice with the way his shorts clung tightly around it, but absolutely impossible to ignore when he pressed it up against her. STOP IT! Why is she thinking about that guy?

  Noah adjusts his position so he can reciprocate her touch, tracing his fingertips lightly up and down her side. Wiggling closer to him, she gives him a little more space and his thumb brushes across her sensitive breast. Her excitement is so underwhelming that her nipples don’t even harden in response to his touch. Until she thinks about Ethan’s green eyes and sensual lips, then they harden into taut pebbles as she imagines his soft mouth muttering dirty words in that sexy Irish accent while his warm, wet tongue teases her. Heat rushes through her body. These thoughts just need to stop!

  She obviously needs to look after this aching need and soon. She lifts her chin to look at the handsome man sitting beside her right now. Noah is the solution… focus on Noah! But Noah is focused on the TV. Why won’t he look at her? She wants him to lower his lips to hers and claim her in a passionate kiss but it looks like she will have to make the first move. She’s going to go for it. Pressing a tender kiss on his neck and then another, she nibbles a little trail up towards his chin. She feels his excitement start to grow, but before she can continue any further he picks up the remote and turns off the TV. Pressing his lips to the top of her head, he whispers. “I need to go now.”

  NOOO! Quick, think of something! Before she can protest, he’s on his feet and across the room, sliding into his jacket and reaching for the door. Confused, she follows him. Is he running because of what she was doing?

  “Thank you for coming over, Noah.” She desperately thinks of a way to stop him.

  “You don’t think I’d miss the opportunity to get into the pants of the prettiest girl on the block do you?” Then why are you leaving? He looks at her with sheer affection and touches his finger to the end of her nose. “YOU... need to be more careful.”

  She panics. “Noah, can I ask you a question?”

  He answers reluctantly. “Yes.”

  Here goes nothing. “Why do you think you and I have never…” She pauses, thinking for the right words. “What I’m trying to say is that… WE are friends.”

  Curious where this is going he stops and listens to her. “Yes.”

  “Well, I’m wondering if… I mean why, we have never been… MORE?”

  “More?” He quirks an eyebrow at her. If she only knew of all the times he thought about having more with her. She’s a beautiful girl, one that any man would jump at the opportunity to have. He thought that she put him in the friend zone a long time ago, so he worked hard to squash his desires when they arose over the years.

  “Please don’t make me say it… you know what I’m talking about.” She blushes and looks down, pretending to study some mysterious spot on the black ceramic tiles.

  Grinning, he puts his finger under her chin and lifts her gaze to his. Is she really asking for this after all this time? “Because you have never asked for MORE.”

  She wonders if it’s just that simple. Was that all she had to do was ask? Turning the knob, he pulls the door open.

  “I’m asking now.” Her intentions spill out of her mouth leaving no room for misinterpretation. He stops and turns to look at her, a faint smile on his lips.

  “I want mor
e.” She suddenly feels nervous. “If... if you want that too.” She can’t process the expression on his face. He almost looks amused. Is he going to laugh at her?

  “Okay.” He is quick to agree, wanting to get her into his bed before she changes her mind.

  “Can we do it on Friday?” She asks anxiously.

  He laughs. “In a hurry are you?”

  She starts to feel a little shy. “I’m extremely… umm… err... restless. Should we have dinner first?” Fidgeting uncomfortably, she shifts her weight from side to side.

  “Good idea, we’ll need our strength.” Now he’s definitely making fun of her.

  Wrinkling her nose at him, she moves in for a goodbye kiss just like every other time he leaves. This time her lips brush gently against his and then hover closely, waiting. Leaning in, he claims a second kiss with more passion than he has ever given her before. She can feel him start to swell against her hip as he pulls his lips away. She’s confused as to why she isn’t feeling the same arousal and tries to convince herself that it’s because she’s nervous. There is no way she’ll admit to herself that it’s because she’s had a particular annoying Irishman on her mind all night.

  “I’ll text or call you and let you know what time I can get off work.” He moves away from her but still holds her hand as he backs away.

  “Ok. Where will we go for dinner?”

  “You decide and let me know when I call.” When he has backed far enough away so that only their finger tips still touch, he takes one further step back, releasing her and letting her hand drop heavily to her side. He smiles. “Good night, Olivia.”

  “Good night. I’ll see you on Friday.” She grins, feeling a small sense of victory as she watches him swagger up the street and out of the luminous glow of the streetlights and into the darkness. Closing the door, she secures the lock, then turns and leans against it feeling lightheaded. She’s unsure if it’s the excitement or the fact that it’s now 11pm and she hasn’t had anything to eat.

  More than likely, it’s because she just thought about Ethan O’Connell but she pushes that thought out of her head quickly. Climbing into bed her mind is racing. Still fighting to deny her attraction to the sexy Irishman, warmth rushes over her skin as she recalls her body’s reaction to his touch. Appalled at its betrayal she tries to focus on Friday, planning her outfit and where they will go for dinner. Instead, she finds herself drifting into sleep with the thought of Ethan’s strong, well-developed muscles pressed against her.

  Friday morning arrives quickly as her cell phone comes to life, blasting out an alarm. Its brassy melodic ring tone repeats itself in an unrelenting manner. Without opening her eyes Olivia searches blindly, trying to find it amongst the pillows and blankets. Finally getting her hands on it she peeks at the time through one eye and turns it off.

  She rolls out of bed still tired, having woken a few times in the night with the thoughts of a particular smoking hot Irishman on her mind, and feeling more than just a little restless. Pushing unwanted thoughts of him out of her head, she stands in front of the bedroom closet trying to focus on her rendezvous with Noah and fusses over what to wear. Finally, she chooses a black chiffon dress in a simple A-line design and a very revealing neckline that makes her feel feminine, despite her tomboy tendencies. It’s also just the right length to hide the hideous wound on her leg. After showering and tending to some personal landscaping she decides to use the flat iron to straighten the curls out of her hair. She thinks it gives her a much more alluring appearance and today she’s feeling very seductive. Sliding on her black patent high heels, she admires her appearance in the mirrored closet door. Perfect.

  On the way through the backyard the sounds of the mourning doves welcome her to the garden. She wishes she could stay and enjoy their hospitality but she’s in a rush to stop at the local coffee shop to buy her breakfast. A small, green finch sits on the fence and watches her make her way to the car. Studying it as she passes, she wonders if it could possibly be the same one that sat outside her office window yesterday. She’s certain it must be… she has never seen a green finch before and it seems unusual that she would see two different ones a few days apart. It seems even more unlikely that he would travel from her work several blocks away to be casually sitting on her fence. Yesterday she didn’t notice the white patch of feathers on its chest and the two black scrolled marks in the center that almost touch at the top and bottom to form the outline of a heart shape. He’s a beautiful little bird she acknowledges, and she finds its presence almost comforting. Weird.

  Her old, worn out vintage Mustang coughs and sputters as she makes her way up the street to the coffee shop. The drive-thru line up is backed up around the parking lot and out on to the road. She mutters her frustration, hating the thought of going inside and standing in line, but it doesn’t look like she has much choice this morning. She’s too hungry to wait until lunch time to eat but she’ll be late if she stays where she is. When a spot opens up by the door, she ditches out of the drive-thru lane and parks. Getting out of the car and heading for the door, she forgets briefly that she’s wearing heels and has to adjust her steps to a smaller, more ladylike gait. She’s definitely much more comfortable in her Converse high-tops, but these heels are perfectly suited for this dress.

  Approaching the building, she’s aware that there is a man walking behind her and she’s surprised when he suddenly rushes past to open the door for her. She smiles at him. “Thank you.” Gee, that’s never happened before. She has seen him here every morning for the past two years and most of the time he lets the door close behind him pretending he doesn’t see her. He nods at her and smiles back. “You’re welcome.”

  There’s a lecture here about how men shouldn’t reserve their manners just for the pretty girls, but she lets it go. In the reflection of the glass door she can see him checking her out as she walks past him through the doorway. His acknowledgement makes her hopeful that Noah will like what he sees as well.

  There are only a few people in line and she’s happy that coming inside, although an inconvenience, was a good choice. Ordering her usual multigrain bagel with cream cheese she digs through her purse looking for her wallet when she becomes aware of a man standing at her side and intruding on her transaction. A strong masculine hand slides a five dollar bill across the counter in front of her. “Please... allow me.” She doesn’t have to look up to know that it’s Ethan O’Connell. The Irish accent and the shiver that runs through her body gives him away.

  Feeling a little irritated that he has invaded her space she turns him down. “Thank you, but you don’t need to do that.” She makes a huge mistake turning to look at him. His piercing, green eyes and warm, friendly smile instantly make her forget that she’s annoyed. How does he do that?

  His eyes wander her body from head to toe, admiring her figure in that black dress. He nods once and grins, indicating his obvious approval. Entertaining a little fantasy in his mind, he has to fight the urge to back her up against the counter, press his body against her soft, luring curves and taste those tempting lips. As if she can read his mind, a warm flush spreads across her skin and she forces herself to tear her eyes away from his penetrating gaze. Her reaction strengthens the want already growing deep inside him, causing his muscles to tense and flex.

  “I want to and I’m used to getting the things I want.” He pushes the money towards the cashier. Olivia begins to feel uneasy about the lack of space he’s left between them and tries to back up, but someone standing behind her halts her escape. Sensing her resistance, he puts his large hand on top of hers, pressing it against the counter and stopping her. Leaning in closer he gestures to the cashier to accept the money he has offered.

  Olivia tries to ignore the sudden electricity that passes between them while he traps her hand under his, pinning her involuntarily where she stands. Ignoring it, however, is not an easy task since his chest is now pressed up against her shoulder and as she breathes in his intoxicating cologne, she recalls the
feeling of being pressed against his hard muscles.

  Reluctantly, she lifts her eyes and meets his gaze. His green eyes are breathtakingly bright against the contrast of his royal blue dress shirt, which is unbuttoned casually at the neck. The sleeves are rolled up away from his wrists, exposing powerful forearms and large masculine hands that she’s certain will adequately cover the soft swell of her breasts and feel like heaven against her skin. What the? Now she’s definitely heading down a dangerous path.

  Ethan’s hair is slicked back to give the appearance of a shorter style and his thin beard is neatly groomed. He looks every bit the successful business executive and she imagines how the girls in his office must swoon over how seriously hot his ass looks in his dark grey dress pants. She closes her eyes and groans internally. Holy Moly! This is going from bad to worse! Why did she just check out his ass?

  He tips his head to the side looking at her in a questioning manner. “You aren’t going to fight me on this are you?” He teases her with a playful smile that she finds both sexy and annoying at the same time. FOCUS! She tries again to move but he presses harder, flattening her hand underneath his, not intending to release her until she gives in. Looking down at his hand on top of hers, the gesture brings back memories of a man who used his strength to intimidate her, and a fearful stillness settles into her. Yet the warmth of Ethan’s skin and closeness of his body makes her feel sheltered and secure. Confusing emotions rush through her mind as she experiences both fear and arousal at the same time.

  “No, I guess I’m not.” She gives in to him, not wanting to cause a scene and eager to put some distance between them. She senses his dominance and knows that she would too easily fall under his command. Her body’s reaction to him is definitely proof of that. In order to put an end to this ridiculous exchange she smiles politely at him, accepting his offer and tries to pull her hand out from underneath his as she feels him start to lighten his hold.