Intractable Souls : Book 1 of the Bound for Ireland Series

by Tricia Daniels

  The hairs on the back of her neck stand up as the door flies open and a woman dressed with a gypsy like appearance heads straight for her. Several talismans are strung around her neck and large ornate rings decorate her fingers. Her long, silver hair blows in the breeze, leaving it tousled and looking unkempt.

  When she reaches her, she takes Olivia’s hands in hers. They feel weathered and boney, like brittle twigs on a fallen tree. After giving Olivia’s hands a squeeze, she releases them to move her long fingers upwards to both sides of her cheeks, holding her still while she studies her face for what seems like forever. Strangers push past them, making their way along the busy city street, oblivious to their presence in the middle of the walkway. Olivia is frozen, staring back at the woman she presumes is the Psychic. Her face, pale and wrinkled, shows her age but her eyes sparkle with a youthful appearance as a smile starts to form across her bright red lips.

  “It IS you, I knew it!” Lowering her hands to her side, she smiles. “Everybody is finally here!” She’s delighted and it shows in her expression.

  Olivia finally finds her voice. “I think you have me confused with someone else, we’ve never met before.”

  “No child, it’s YOU. I’d know you anywhere.”

  Olivia gets nervous and takes a step. “I have to go.” Pulling away, she tries to sidestep her, when boney fingers grip her arm to stop her. Olivia’s head jerks back to look at her.

  “He’s looking for you.” Her voice gets soft and eerie and fear washes over Olivia. “He’s very close.” When she lets go of her arm, Olivia takes a few steps backwards afraid to turn away. She is obviously insane. As she puts some distance between them the woman calls out one last time. “Trust your intuition child… he WILL find you… soon.”

  Olivia feels dizzy and slightly nauseated as she takes the elevator on its long journey to the penthouse offices of Aurora Technologies. Her impromptu psychic encounter has left her a little unnerved. She can’t help but worry that her warning is about Sam returning for her but she does her best to push the thought out of her mind. When the door opens, she feels like she’s been teleported to another world. The receptionist smiles as she approaches.

  “Hi, welcome to Aurora technologies. How can I help you?”

  Olivia suddenly feels severely under dressed. She’s in awe of her perfect teeth and beautifully styled, blonde hair. Her bright pink lipstick is dull in comparison to the diamond chandelier earrings she’s wearing and her low cut dress looks more like a ball gown than office attire. Olivia is suddenly aware that she’s staring. “I’m here to see Scott Parker.”

  “Whom should I say is here?” She gives her a friendly smile but Olivia senses the insincerity in it.

  “Olivia James.”

  The receptionist motions Olivia towards the waiting area as she returns to her desk to answer a call. Feeling small and insignificant in this space, she fades into one of the oversized leather chairs. They are heavy and huge and look to her like they belong in a gentlemen’s cigar club rather than an office reception area. A familiar voice rambles off instructions in the hallway and she gets a nervous stomach as she peaks around the large winged back of the chair. A young man wanders out of an office trying to juggle a stack of heavy papers and beside him is a very professional looking Ethan O’Connell. His perfectly tailored double-breasted suit hangs ruggedly off his broad shoulders and he buttons it as he walks, accentuating his very trim muscular waist. Jesus, the man can work a suit. His tanned skin is flawless against the apple green silk dress shirt and his hair is brushed back, falling in soft curls behind his ears. Extremely sexy! She draws in a deep breath, knots starting to tangle in her tummy.

  Olivia’s sudden onset of nerves gets worse, making her wish that she had given this more thought. Maybe he won’t see her and she can just leave and ask Scott to meet her downstairs. Suddenly a conference room door opens and the hallway fills with activity as its occupants return back to their offices. Amongst all the commotion, she is met with polite smiles and greetings as they pass, despite the fact that she tries to shrink further out of sight and blend into her surroundings. Ethan senses her presence immediately and eagerly searches the room. Whether it’s the pheromones, or the subtle smell of her perfume that alerts him of her presence he doesn’t know. The burning desire that coils deep inside his stomach when she’s near is an indisputable sign. When he spots her across the foyer, his face lights up and he heads straights for her.

  Pretty strong feelings have been burning inside Olivia since the last time she saw him. It doesn’t help at all that he has frequently been visiting her dreams. As he nears her, the intensity of his green eyes set the butterflies already fluttering in her stomach into a frenzy and a tingly kind of warmth washes over her body. She can keep trying to deny it but it’s clear that she has it bad for Ethan O’Connell. As he walks past the large wooden desk in the foyer, on a direct path towards her, the receptionist calls his name.

  “Mr. O’Connell!” He doesn’t acknowledge her, continuing right on past, on his way towards Olivia. His eyes locked to hers.

  Not to be ignored she pursues him with eagerness. Olivia looks past him to see the receptionist heading around the oversized desk towards them and scowling. As Ethan reaches her she gets to her feet. “Hi.” There is something quiet and almost shy in her greeting. His commanding presence overwhelmingly strong when he’s in his element.

  “Hey! You look like you’re feeling a lot better.” Ethan reaches out and puts his hands on either side of her shoulders and rubs them up and down in a manner that makes her think it might turn into a hug, but they are interrupted by the receptionist who is now standing right beside him. “Mr. O’Connell.”

  Olivia feels a little embarrassed for stealing away his attention as he continues to ignore her. The persistent receptionist, Hannah, stands tall and puffs out her chest like a peacock trying to get his attention and allowing Olivia to get her first full view of her. She is magazine perfection. Long, lean legs leading up to what can’t be anymore than a size 2 waist and the largest breasts she has ever seen. Olivia looks down at herself and frowns at her curves. She wonders how Ethan can be unaffected by her voluptuous presence but he seems unfazed by her.

  “Walk with me to my office.” He directs his hand towards the hallway to the left.

  Olivia glances at Hannah, almost as if she is looking for her approval. “Oh well, I shouldn’t really.”

  Pressing his hand on the small of her back, he begins to gently guide her down the corridor and turns to the receptionist who is now looking extremely bothered by his dismissal. “Hannah, please hold all my calls.”

  “But Mr. O’Connell…” Ethan shoots her a warning look that immediately halts her. “Yes sir, I’ll hold all your calls.” She returns to her post with a very sour look on her face.

  Olivia is glad to see that she’s not the only woman who falls in line with one look from Ethan O’Connell. She assumes that he probably has that effect on all the beautiful women that are around him. Leaning in, she whispers to him. “I think she’s pouting.” She finds her reaction a little odd for an employee and wonders if her reaction to his dismissal is an indication that they have more than just a business relationship. Ethan leans in and whispers back. “Don’t worry, she’ll get over it. She always does.”

  She always does? What does that mean? Olivia glances back for one last look at her, jealousy nibbling at her as she wonders if he has slept with her. Trying to get the thought out of her head she turns her attention to the art along the hallway. When he ushers her into his office she’s immediately drawn to the window view and walks directly to it.

  “Do you like it?” He pours them both a glass of water from a pitcher on his desk that has been filled with freshly crushed ice and lemon slices. Hannah’s handiwork no doubt. Why does the thought of this woman claw at her?

  Olivia is quickly distracted by the overwhelming view of the city from this height. “It’s beautiful.” She turns back to Ethan who has j
oined her at the window and hands her a glass. Taking a sip, she looks at him over the edge of the glass and meets with his ardent stare. Stepping closer, he takes the glass out of her hand, and puts it down on the windowsill. “You are beautiful. I could gaze into your eyes forever. They promise me all kinds of wonderful things. I feel lost in them and to be perfectly honest with you, I don’t want to be rescued.”

  Olivia takes a quick breath and tries to hide her blush. “Always so poetic, Mr. O’Connell.” She takes the opportunity to turn his game against him. “Tell me…does your receptionist fall for your sweet talk?” She walks away leaving him standing alone at the window smirking.

  “My receptionist?” He turns and watches her lean back against the edge of his desk. He’s pleased at the jealousy in her tone. It’s proof that she does have feelings for him.

  “Yes, your receptionist. Have you kissed her?” She fans her hand out in front of her, admires her bright red nail polish, and then looks up at him.

  “What?” He knows she’s teasing him. Mocking the conversation they had about her date with Noah and turning his little jealous inquisition against him.

  “Have... you... kissed... her?” She raises her eyebrows in a taunting manner. “It’s not a difficult question, Ethan.” She fights hard to keep from smiling.

  He unbuttons his jacket, shrugs it off his shoulders and hangs it over the arm of a chair. Finding her performance entertaining, a radiating grin forms on his lips. He loosens his perfectly knotted tie and releases the button beneath it. “No, I haven’t kissed her and before you go any further with this line of questioning… I don’t sleep with my staff.” He undoes the cuffs of his shirt and rolls them back one fold at a time exposing his forearms. Watching him meticulously smooth out each crease, in what seems to be a compulsive behavior, makes the hair stand up on the back of her neck and a nervous chill move through her. It’s a gesture she recognizes as a sign that he means business, though she’s not entirely sure how she knows that.

  “Hmmm, I don’t think that I believe you.”

  Her playful manner kick starts a rush of testosterone that he can’t ignore. “Well that’s your prerogative, Olivia. But I assure you that it’s true.” His smile fades and he prowls towards her like a hungry lion stalking his prey as he makes his way to the desk and places his hands on either side of her, trapping her there. He smells so good that she feels giddy and her heartbeat kicks up a notch. Denying her any space, he moves in closer, pinning her between his desk and his rock hard body. Her body reacts, heat surging and moisture gathering between her legs. Afraid she doesn’t have the will to fight him, she plans her escape. “I really should go find Scott. He’ll be waiting for me.”

  “You’re here to see Scott?” He leans back so he can look at her, feeling wounded and she can see it in his eyes. She leans back further, trying to move her body so that her sensitive breasts are no longer pressed against him.

  “Yes, well… kind of. My car is fixed so I was returning the fleet car. I’m going to do some shopping this afternoon and then Scott is going to drive me home.”

  His mood swings from playful to petulant in a split second. “You drove all the way to the city to return the fleet car? Why would you do that?” He snarls at her.

  Scott was right. He’s pissed! “I was having someone arrange to pick it up.” There is no hiding the annoyance in his voice.

  She shrugs her shoulders. “Don’t be mad. I’m just used to doing things for myself.“ Ethan stands up straight, releasing her from his muscled cage and moves to the other side of the desk, growling audibly. Picking up the phone, he pounds one of the buttons and waits. “Please let Mr. Parker know that I will take Miss James home myself.” He hangs up and looks extremely pleased with himself.

  She turns to look at him with her mouth open in disbelief and her arms crossed. “Really? What makes you think that I want to go home with you?”

  “Not home. I have an errand to run and I’d like you to go with me.“

  Ignoring her obvious objection to him taking control, he picks up the phone again. “Clear my afternoon, I’m leaving for the day.” He glances over at her as he hangs up the phone.

  “Can you do that?” She’s impressed by his position of authority. Ethan in charge is definitely a huge turn on for her and it’s a fact that’s becoming increasing hard to ignore.

  He smiles at her. ”I just did.” Ethan is used to getting everything he wants. And he wants Olivia. He will do anything to have her.

  “What are we going to do?”

  “Shop for my new car. Give me two minutes to change and then we’ll go.” After heading through a door into a private bathroom, he returns momentarily wearing a pair of jeans and a casual plaid cotton shirt.

  She wonders if he could ever look anything but fantastic. His beard is no more than a few days worth of growth, neatly trimmed, and traces his hard jaw line down to his perfect chin. She likes how it conveys his masculinity. Without it he would look too… pretty. His boundless swagger has definitely won her over despite her best efforts to resist him. She tries to distract herself from thoughts that are causing her face to turn red. If he notices her admiring him, it would certainly go straight to his head.

  “So what’s wrong with the car you have now?”

  He takes his wallet and keys out of his desk drawer and puts them in his pocket. “It’s not mine. It’s a fleet car as well. Since it looks like I’m going to be sticking around for awhile I thought I’d buy myself something a little more... stylish.”

  “Sounds like fun. What did you have in mind?” Olivia has just a little bit of a fetish for fast cars.

  “I’m not sure. I thought we could take a few out for a test drive.”

  “Can I pick?”

  Ethan laughs. “Pick what? The color?”

  “No… the car. I know a lot more about cars than you think.” She crosses her arms in front of her offended by his comment.

  “Well then, I guess this is your chance to impress me.” He opens his office door and stands against the frame forcing her to brush against him on her way out. She knows that he’s done it on purpose and gives him a daring look as she turns sideways and slides fully against his body, drawing from him a deep raspy growl as her breasts brush against the taut muscles of his chest.

  As they reach the foyer, the receptionist once again throws herself at him as they head for the elevator. “Are you leaving for the day, Mr. O’Connell? Is there anything I can do for you this afternoon?”

  “No thank you, Hannah.” He pushes the elevator button and waits, rubbing Olivia’s back with a nurturing touch. One that she has missed the past few days. Feeling angry eyes burning into her from behind, she turns her head to look over her shoulder. If looks could kill then she would most certainly be dead. The elevator door opens and as they get in and the heavy steel doors begin to close, Hannah yells again. “Anything at all, I’d be happy to…”

  In the privacy of the elevator, Olivia looks at Ethan and makes a face. “Amazing!”

  “What do you mean?” He asks curiously.

  “That she doesn’t tip over when she stands up. Honestly how does she support those things?”

  “What things?” He knows that his best defense here is to play dumb.

  “Seriously? Her boobs!”

  “Oh, I hadn’t noticed.” He tries not to smile.

  She rolls his eyes at him. “Whatever, like I’m supposed to believe that?”

  It’s a long way down and Olivia starts to fidget uncomfortably. As they stop to pick up a few more people she begins to visibly look distressed. He reaches out and touches his hand to her hip making her jump. “Are you ok?” He asks concerned.

  She takes a few short breaths. ”Yes, sorry. I get a little anxious in elevators. I’m ok until people start getting in and then I start to panic.”

  “Claustrophobia? I hear it’s not uncommon in elevators.”

  Unsure on how to explain herself, she makes a face. “Yeah, but it’s kind
of strange. I’ve never had problems before. It just started a few months ago.” She shrugs. “I have no idea why.”

  “We can get off on the next floor and wait if you want.” His need to protect her is instinctive.

  “No... I’m ok, I’m wearing my big girl pants today. And besides I need to learn how to deal.”

  When the door opens again and a few more people join them, Ethan moves in front of her, shielding her from the crowd and impressing her with his chivalry. The valet has his car waiting for them at the front door and dutifully opens the passenger door for her. She gets in as Ethan tips him generously. “Thank you Mr. O’Connell. Have a nice afternoon, sir.”

  As they pull away from the front of the building, Olivia stares nervously at the small psychic shop, remembering her warning. He will find you! Fear grips her by the throat making her swallow hard and shiver.

  While Ethan maneuvers them through the busy city streets heading for the highway, Olivia takes a long look at him. She has never met any Irish men before and she wonders if they are all as handsome as he is. Who in their right mind leaves Ireland to live in the little hick town in Dufferin County? It’s an hour from anywhere for activities and sightseeing. Well it’s an hour away from any form of excitement really. She’s intrigued now. “So, why are you here? In Canada, I mean.”

  He glances at her from the corner of his eye while trying to concentrate on driving. “The Board of Directors felt I needed a change of scenery.”

  “Oh.” She figures from his tone that it’s not something he wants to discuss so she decides not to press him for more information. This is the first time that they have spent time together when she’s actually enjoying his company. The conversation is light and playful and she hasn’t felt this happy in a long time.

  When his phone rings, he looks at the display and hits the hands free button. “O’Connell.”

  “Mr. O’Connell, your offer has been accepted.”