Intractable Souls : Book 1 of the Bound for Ireland Series

by Tricia Daniels

  Olivia laughs and looks over at him. “Ireland, huh? You know that’s going to stick, right?”

  He smiles, his eyes reflecting the flashing lights of the dance floor. She can call him anything she wants as long as it’s his name she’s screaming when he’s buried deep inside her and making her come repeatedly.

  “No, no. that’s not right. This is Ethan.” Rachel corrects herself, her legs wobbling. “He is IRISH!” He steps in closer to help support her, chuckling out loud.

  “Yes, I know. We’ve met.” Olivia says loudly over the music, while trying to steer her towards the door. She glances over at him and smiles. “Let’s get her to the car before she drops.” With strained effort, they finally get her through the bar and into the car waiting out front.

  Ethan buckles Rachel safely into the passenger side of Olivia’s ‘64 Mustang and climbs into the back seat. “Nice car.”

  “Thanks.” Olivia isn’t interested in small talk. She just wants to get back home to bed. “I can drop you off first if you like, where do you live?” Olivia turns her head to look at him.

  Ethan stares at her for a moment feeling a little awkward. “I live with Scott and Rachel.” He finds it odd that Olivia didn’t know that. How is it that he has been there nearly a month and Rachel’s best friend had no idea? Deep down he knows it’s another effort by Scott to keep him away from her. He scratches his head and waits for her reaction but there is none. She remains expressionless and doesn’t say a word. Just drives. She will deal with the two of them tomorrow when she’s feeling better and has the strength to kick some ass.

  Rachel is asleep within moments in the front seat, her body slouching forward like dead weight. Nothing but the shoulder strap on the seat belt is keeping her from smashing her head on the dashboard. In a hurry to get her home, Olivia turns the corner a little too quickly, causing Rachel’s limp body to swing to the side heavily as her head hits the side window with a thud. Olivia puts her hand over her mouth. “Oh my God! Rachel, I’m sorry.” She reaches her hand over and puts it on her head trying to steady it but Rachel is still out cold. Olivia tries to contain her laughter by pursing her lips tightly together but when she looks back at Ethan and sees that he’s snickering, she can’t hold back.

  When she pulls into the driveway, Ethan gets Rachel out of the car and steers her to the front door. Olivia pushes it open quickly and stands aside letting them pass. He stops at the bottom of the stairs and looks over at Olivia. “I’m thinking that’s not happening.”

  “Not under her own power anyways.” Olivia slips in under Rachel’s other shoulder and with her and Ethan on either side, they manage to get her up the stairs. Sitting her on the side of the bed, Olivia tips her backwards so that she’s laying flat on her back and slips her shoes off her feet before covering her with the blanket. Scott is passed out on the other side of the bed and is completely unaware of their intrusion. Ethan shakes his head. “Must be bloody nice to sleep that soundly.”

  Heading back downstairs, Olivia suddenly realizes that she has left Rachel’s stuff in the car. “I’ll be right back. I need to get her purse.” She turns towards the door and gets a sharp searing pain in her thigh that forces her to stop dead and take a deep breath.

  “What’s wrong?” Ethan watches her movements with concern.

  Not wanting another lecture about making a doctor’s appointment, she lies. “Nothing.” She takes a small step and carefully tries to bare some weight on her leg. He crosses his arms and wrinkles his brow. “You’re a terrible liar. Sit down.” He motions toward the bench in the front hall. “I’ll go and get the stuff out of the car.”

  Olivia keeps moving towards the door and Ethan quickly steps up behind her. “Olivia.” He reaches for her arm as his voice takes on a much more commanding tone. “I said I’ll get the stuff out of the car.”

  “It’s ok. I can get it myself.” She’s determined to be as stubborn as he is persistent.

  He firmly takes hold of her elbow, making her heart race as she stops and turns to him. Her eyes return his steely glare. Why is this woman so stubborn? He has already given in to her once today and it’s not going to happen again. Ethan stands firm. His tone is militant. “SIT DOWN.”

  Olivia’s legs bend obediently under his command, sitting her down on the bench in the front hall. Her head down and eyes to the floor she makes no further objections. Ethan is aroused by her compliance and standing over her, his heartbeat quickens as his dick starts to throb and grow. He wants her right now. Right here. He wants to claim her mouth in a forceful kiss until she surrenders the rest of her body. She would submit to him. He’s certain of it now. Rachel’s warning stops him. Damn it! He swallows his desire in a heavy lump, exhaling a torrent breath of air and forces himself to walk away. “Thank you. Was that so hard?” He growls in frustration, his dick twitching inside his pants without promise of release.

  She says nothing as he opens the door and heads out to the car. Once he’s out of sight, Olivia puts her hands over her face, appalled at her reaction. What just happened? Why did she do that? This is how it starts every time and she has to stop making the same mistake. She just can’t seem to stop herself; it’s as if she’s hardwired to submit to dominant men.

  He returns only a few seconds later and as he comes through the doorway Rachel’s purse slips out of his hands and falls, spilling all her stuff onto the floor in front of Olivia. She’s thankful for the opportunity to move from the bench, dropping to her knees on the floor to pick everything up. Ethan groans. The sight of her on her knees in front of him is not helping to discourage his erection. She grabs a black leather wallet and flips it open to see Ethan’s driver’s license. She looks up at him.

  He looks surprised. “Is that my wallet? What’s it doing in Rachel’s purse?”

  Olivia hands it up to him. “Knowing Rachel, I’d say we’re victims of a little meddling.”

  “What do you mean?” He furrows his brow, confused.

  “I think she was looking for a way to make sure I had no overnight guest.”

  “I see.” It occurs to him just how sneaky and manipulating women can be. “She took my wallet so that you would have to come pick us up?”

  “Exactly. Effectively ending my date.” Suddenly from upstairs, there is a huge thud. They can tell from the sound, and the cursing that follows that Rachel has fallen out of bed. Olivia stands up alarmed and limps painfully to the bottom of the stairs. “Rachel?” She hollers.

  A muffled voice yells. “I’M OKAY!”

  Olivia puts her hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter. “Poor thing is going to be black and blue tomorrow and won’t remember a thing.” She’s sympathetic but she continues to chuckle in amusement. Suddenly, feeling tired herself, she zips up her hoodie and heads towards the door with Ethan right behind her.

  On the way to the car, she tries desperately hard not to limp at all. He places his hand on the small of her back as they walk and she finds his touch so warm and soothing that she forgets about her earlier upset. She must be exhausted because she can’t think of any other reason to explain why she finds herself wanting to be near him for a short while longer. She surprises herself when they reach the car and she stops and leans back against the hood, staring at him. He moves to her side eager to be close to her, the thought of her earlier submission still on his mind and the remainder of his erection, still a noticeable outline in his pants.

  “Thank you for coming out in the middle of the night to get us home safe.”

  She smiles. “Yeah… well, it’s not the first time I’ve had to pick her drunken ass up.”

  The air around them starts to crackle with excitement as he positions himself as close to her as he can get. This time she’s certain that he feels it too as his body tenses against her and his semi hard dick presses against her hip.

  “So… how was your date?” He has to know, it’s been chewing at him all night.

  The truth stabs at her, making her feel wounded all over again,
but there is no way she’s going to let Ethan see her upset. “It was just fine, thank you.”

  Ethan can’t stop himself. He slowly raises his hand to the back of her head and gently takes hold of the elastic that’s holding her ponytail. What is he doing? Butterflies take flight in her stomach with the anticipation of his touch. Slowly and carefully, he pulls the elastic out and then uses his fingers to comb through her hair, letting it fall softly across her neck. What the ever-loving-fuck? How hot is that? She feels his chest expand against her side as he brushes the hair from her shoulder and lowers his mouth to whisper in her ear. “Did you kiss him?” There is an emulous tone to his question and the rippling muscles of his abs tense while he waits for her reply.

  “What?” Olivia is unnerved by the feelings that are stirring inside her. He continues to twirl the soft tendrils of her long hair around his fingers, occasionally brushing the tips of them across her neck and shoulder, making it hard for her to think or breathe.

  “Did you kiss him?” He repeats in a very serious and demanding tone. She can smell his cologne and feel his breath on her skin. He’s close, too close again. Evidence of her attraction rolls through her body, confirming that his authority influences her. She hates that he senses it. Turning away from him, she looks up at the stars, jiggling her knees nervously. She doesn’t want to tell him what really happened but he has gotten so far into her head right now that her mind can’t even think of a lie.

  Unfortunately for Olivia, a man doesn’t grow up with three sisters and not learn how to read female body language. He can tell something has upset her so he changes gears from controlling into caring. “Hey, what happened?” He raises his hand to her face and with one finger, tucks a loose piece of hair behind her ear.

  That one tender gesture somehow erases her ability to control the communication between her brain and her mouth and she blurts out the truth. “He cancelled.” She’s instantly filled with regret and her shoulders slouch. Why did she tell him that?

  “Is that why you were crying?” He asks softly, his lips dangerously close to her neck. He tries not to be glad of that news, since he had tried to convince her to brush him off. Instead, he positions himself as a caring friend, trying to gain her trust. She doesn’t answer, only shrugs her shoulders in a slight gesture, but it’s as good as an admission.

  “Why did he cancel?“

  “Well… funny thing.” She begins. “I was going to ask him why, but I couldn’t.” Her hands fidget with the cuffs of her hoodie and he reaches down and holds them still in one of his large strong hands.

  “Why is that?” The muscles in her stomach tighten as he brings the other hand up and lightly brushes his fingertips up and down her arm. The night air is cool against her skin but she doesn’t feel it at all. She tries to convince herself that it’s the fever and not Ethan that has her feeling like she’s on fire.

  “His mouth was full.” She looks up into Ethan’s gorgeous green eyes. Even in the dark of night, they look like a summer meadow all warm and inviting. She resists the urge to run her hands through his hair and down his cheek, brushing her fingers over the few day old growth of facial hair, letting it prickle roughly against the soft skin on the pads of her fingertips. Her stomach squeezes and dampness pools between her legs at the thought.

  “Full?” He looks at her in confusion. “What do you mean his mouth was FULL?”

  Olivia takes a short breath as she speaks the painful words. “Full with the tongue of the blonde he was kissing.” Her tone is sarcastic and bitter and saying it aloud gives her the strength she needs to move away from him. Knowing that a relationship of any kind with Ethan O’Connell would surely be a disaster, she slides off the hood and starts towards the side of the car. Not wanting her to leave, he grabs for her wrist, making her body stiffen and stopping her in her tracks. “Olivia, wait.”

  She doesn’t turn to look at him. If she was to look into those wickedly sexy Irish eyes, she knows she’d give in. She keeps her eyes down. “I should go.“ Feeling the intense anxiety in her body language, Ethan reluctantly releases her and follows her to the door. He reaches past her, grasps the handle, and pulls it open. When she gets in, he closes the door and then gently knocks on the window with his knuckle. Against her better judgment, she opens it to hear what he has to say.

  “Olivia, that guy is douche bag.” She stares straight ahead at the steering wheel. She can’t think. She needs to regain control of her thoughts. He brushes the hair out of her eyes and then gently skims his thumb across her cheek. The expression on her face looks like his touch has caused her physical pain. He feels sick at heart when she moves to the side withdrawing from his touch. She lets out a heavy breath. “Don’t.”

  “Olivia, please.” Ethan attempts to calm her. “I know you feel it too.” He reaches for her again.

  “Don’t.” She repeats shaking her head. “You and I… it’s never going to happen.”

  Once again, she leaves him standing alone, watching as she drives away. It doesn’t matter what she says. Now, more than ever, he’s determined to possess her, his desire stronger than gravitational pull. As she disappears in the distance, his thoughts are focused only on her. Always running away from me, Miss James. We are going to put a stop to that.

  When she gets home, she returns to her spot on the couch and tries to settle, finding it extremely difficult to rest comfortably, with the throbbing pain in her leg. This whole friends with benefits thing is a bad idea. Maybe when she talks to the doctor she should take her sister’s advice and have her hormones checked. Maybe there is some imbalance there that would explain her unwanted reaction to Ethan O’Connell. Suddenly her cell phone beeps with an incoming text message. “What now?” She groans.

  From Ethan: Hi, it’s Ethan. I’m checking to make sure you got home safe.

  Ethan? What the hell? He must have taken her number out of Rachel’s phone when he called her from the bar. Geez, he has incredible nerve.

  From Olivia: yes, I am home safely, please don’t worry about me. I’m Ok

  From Ethan: you’re NOT OK. I noticed you feel feverish. Go see a Doctor 2moro or I will come and get you and take you there myself. FORCIBLY if need be.

  Is he joking? She’s known this guy for all of a week. What has she done to make him feel he has any right to be concerned? She frowns. Who is she kidding? He sensed the submissive in her the moment she stepped out of the car and now he’s hunting her like a predator. God help her, she’s not entirely sure that she wants to get away.

  From Olivia: seriously?

  From Ethan: seriously! Over my shoulder kicking and screaming if necessary!

  From Olivia: then I suppose it’s a good thing that you don’t know where I live.

  She hits send and then wonders if he does know where she lives. After all, he has managed to get both her email and her cell phone number the same day without her permission.

  His reply says it all.

  From Ethan: 333 Oak Tree Lane

  Well, she can’t say she’s surprised. He certainly is persistent. That is precisely the problem... controlling AND persistent is a dangerous combination for her.

  From Olivia: Ok stalker boy, put the junior spy kit away. I have an appointment tomorrow morning.

  From Ethan: 

  She shakes her head at his bipolar behavior. One minute he has her submitting in the front hallway of somebody else’s home. The next minute he’s sending smiley faces. She tosses her phone onto the arm of the couch as she covers her exhausted body with the blanket. Despite her efforts to keep him at a distance, thoughts of Ethan linger in her mind as she tries to drift off to sleep. Just as they have every night since she met him.

  Chapter 4

  The next morning, Olivia drags her weary, aching body off the couch and forces herself to drive into the city. It’s a long way to drive for an appointment but her doctor is one of only a few who has clinic hours on a Saturday. As always, they are way behind schedule and she sits impatiently in the w
aiting room feel lethargic and woozy. The skin around her cut is on fire making her fidget uncomfortably. When her phone beeps, indicating that there is a new text message, she’s glad for the distraction. She sighs out loud when she opens it to find it’s from Ethan.

  From Ethan: What time do you see the doctor?

  From Olivia: geez Ireland. Don’t you know how to take a hint?

  From Ethan: do I strike you as the kind of guy who is easily discouraged? WHAT TIME????

  She stares at the screen ready to type him a nasty reply when she realizes that she’s smiling. As frustrating as he is, there is just something about having him fuss and worry over her that makes her feel…normal. As twisted as that seems, she desperately needs to feel normal, so maybe she won’t give him a hard time today.

  From Olivia: I’m here now. They are so far behind I’m more likely to die here of old age than an infection.

  From Ethan: I hope that’s not the case... I am somewhat disappointed since I was looking forward to throwing you over my shoulder. Then you can’t run away from me.

  Olivia reads his reply and gets butterflies. Damn him. That is one sexy thought. She envisions her body folding over one of those rock hard shoulders as he holds her tightly with his beefy biceps to keep her from falling. Thinking about the few extra pounds that she has gained around her hips over the winter, she shudders as the thought paints an unpleasant picture in her mind.

  From Olivia: I’m too heavy. You would hurt your back trying to lift me. Then how would you attract pretty girls if you can’t play soccer?

  She hits sends and for some unknown reason gets a little nervous. So much for not giving him a hard time today.

  He replies immediately.

  From Ethan: YOU are the only pretty girl I’m interested in.

  From Ethan: I don’t like it when you put yourself down. Don’t do it again

  What? She types her reply just as the receptionist calls her name. If she’s trying to discourage him, then this was clearly a bad choice.