Intractable Souls : Book 1 of the Bound for Ireland Series

by Tricia Daniels

  Gaaaah! That’s the last straw! He’s not the only one that didn’t get any sleep and she’s way too tired to deal with this shit. “Stop interrupting me!” She growls at him angrily. “Then maybe I can tell you! Geez! Why are you harassing me anyways? Don’t you have to get ready for a lunch with important clients?” She gasps! Oh no! She’s not supposed to know that. There is dead silence on the phone and she closes her eyes waiting for that Irish temper to erupt.

  Ethan is no longer sitting back in his chair calmly. His entire body leans forward, sitting on the edge of his seat, fingers digging into the arms with white-knuckle force. He refrains from shouting angrily, although that would be his usual reaction. He’s been thinking about what she said last night and worrying that her inability to handle violence is the reason she’s been avoiding him. John’s advice this morning was to prove to her that he can control his temper. He forces himself, with tremendous effort, to push his angry tension aside and answers her in a tone that is calm and steady. “How did you know about that?”

  She cringes knowing that this is not going to go over well. “I met John McCabe this morning.”

  Ethan’s face turns red and the nerve on his temple starts to spasm. Keeping calm is extremely difficult and he’s unable to hold back his sarcasm. “I see. Did you two meet over breakfast to discuss my schedule for the day?”

  “No! I couldn’t find my phone. When I drove past the bar, I noticed the Challenger there and I wondered if it had fallen out of my pocket last night. I stopped to check. That’s all!”

  “And that’s when you and Mr. McCabe decided to discuss my schedule?” There is still a bite to his tone that he’s unable to hide as he taps his pen against his desk repeatedly.

  “No Ethan! It wasn’t like that. Stop being an ass!” Did she just say that out loud? Immediately, she slaps her hand over her own mouth.

  The tapping stops abruptly and she thinks she hears him growl something under his breath. Finding it hard to swallow she decides she might as well finish her thought. She tries not to be intimidated but her voice is small and timid. “He only told me that to explain why you and he had switched cars. Please don’t be upset with him. It’s my fault.”

  There is a long torturous silence before he speaks. “Did you find your phone?”

  She’s confused. Where is the temper everyone is warning her about? What’s going on? “Yes. John checked for me and it somehow ended up under the front seat. I’m so sorry, that’s the reason I couldn’t answer your messages. You had my phone.”

  “I was worried.” Terrified actually, that he had lost her before he even had a chance to have her.

  There is a strange vulnerability in his voice and it makes her stomach flutter. “About what?”

  “At first I was worried that you’d gone out and that death trap you call a car had broken down again leaving you stranded somewhere alone and unsafe.” He’s not sure why he makes his next confession. “Then I worried that you were upset with me. I thought maybe you weren’t talking to me because you were angry with me about the fight at the game.”

  The torment in his voice makes her heart start to throb. “Ethan. No.”

  “Not hearing from you for either of those reasons would not be acceptable to me, Olivia. Especially the second one.” He doesn’t sound at all like the bossy, in control Ethan O’Connell that she knows and has been repeatedly warned about.

  “Stop.” She says softly, not allowing him to drag her into one of those emotional girlie reactions that she hates so much. “It was only because of the phone. I just got here and was in the middle of sending you a message when you called.”

  Ethan flexes his fingers and relaxes; leaning back in his chair again, he’s feeling much more at ease now. “I’m glad everything is ok. Do you still want to go with me tonight to look at an apartment?”

  “Yes, of course I’ll still go. You’re going to pick me up at the house at 8pm right?” She lifts her voice a bit trying to lighten the mood.

  “Is that ok? If it’s not I can reschedule the appointment at a more convenient time for you.”

  “No, that works out fine for me, I’ll see you then.” Scratching her head, she wonders why it feels like she has just climbed down the rabbit hole?

  “I’ll see you then.”

  There is still something tense in his tone and she desperately wants to change it. “Ethan!” She hopes to catch him before he hangs up. She’s not sure exactly what it is that she wants to say and she searches her brain for a reason to draw out a finished conversation.

  “Yes?”

  She panics. “Have a nice day. I hope things go well with your important clients.” She’s as bright and cheery as she can be hoping to end the conversation with a little levity. “I’ll be thinking about you.” She slaps her hand to her forehead and shakes her head at her ridiculous comment.

  A happier tone returns to his voice. “I like the idea of that. You... thinking of me. I can’t wait to see you tonight.” Ethan hangs up and digs his cell phone out of his jacket pocket to send John a message.

  From Ethan: Something you’d like to tell me about a visitor you had this morning, McCabe?

  Dressed in the prettiest flowered cotton dress, she chooses comfortable flat shoes this time, wanting to avoid the challenge of high heels tonight. She’s decided, with much deliberation today, that she will take John McCabe’s advice and tell Ethan, open and honestly, what her needs are. The thought scares her a little. She’s still unsure how she can meet her physical needs without developing any emotional attachments to him. She’s not ready to involve her heart any time soon, in fact, she’s not entirely sure if she can ever trust someone with her heart ever again. She’ll have to give it some thought. The one thing she does know for sure is that the thought of him touching her, sets her whole body on fire. She needs him to look after those needs and soon.

  At 7:30pm, Ethan knocks on the front door. She glows when she sees him, the butterflies whirling around in her stomach when he smiles. “Hey, you’re early.”

  “Yes, well… I have an extreme intolerance to tardiness.” He says with a serious expression before smiling.

  “Good to know. Luckily, I’m ready to go.” Heading into the living room, she grabs her purse and her sweater. When she gets to the front entranceway, he moves to stand in the doorway with his hands on each side of the frame, stopping her from exiting. Looking up at him, she gives him the most beautiful smile that sends his heartbeat into a hurried rhythm.

  “You look beautiful tonight.” He says seductively, staring at her full sensual lips and thinking about them on his body. Oh, the places they would go, and the things that they would do. His dick twitches, and he takes a deep slow breath in. Jesus, there is no controlling it. The minute she’s anywhere near him, the damn thing has a mind of its own.

  “Thank you, Ethan.” She can’t resist giving him a hard time. “I was hoping to run into my favorite guy this evening.”

  Ethan recognizes the playful tone in her voice and he’s intrigued. “And who might that be?” Standing aside, he lets her exit, and then pulls the door closed behind her.

  “Oh, I think you might know him. He’s the most handsome and charming man I’ve ever met. And my knees get weak when I hear his sexy Irish accent.” She bites her lip.

  “Is that right?” Smiling, he places his hand on her back and steadies her down the front porch steps, then escorts her the rest of the way to the car.

  “Yes, his name is John McCabe. Do you know him?” Ethan stiffens beside her for a moment. Peaking up at him from the corner of her eye, she sees that he’s smiling. Thank God! He opens the door and as she turns to get in, he holds on to her arm forcing her to look up at him.

  “Yes, I do know him. Luckily for him, he’s way too old for you or he might find himself in the unemployment line as of tomorrow.” Making sure that she’s tucked in safely, he closes the door. When he gets in behind the wheel, he glances over at her, taking a moment to appreciate her beauty. Wh
en she smiles at him, his heart beats loudly in his chest, pumping blood straight down into his dick. Holy shit this woman is potent! How much longer will he be able to keep his hands off her?

  It’s been a tense couple of days since his loss of temper at the game and their awkward conversation this morning, but there is a sparkle in his eyes that makes Olivia feel like things are back to normal. She knows that she’s making the right decision tonight.

  Ethan pulls up to the front of a rather old, brick apartment building. “Wait.” He says as he jumps out to get her door. Her phone beeps several times on the walk to the front door where he punches in a security code to gain access. “Your friends are very demanding.” He muses.

  “Oh, wait a minute, MY friends? Who is living with them?” She snorts. He shakes his head from side to side comically mimicking her words stopping only when she looks at him. As if it was possible that she didn’t know what he was doing.

  She raises her eyebrows at him. “Seriously? She tries not to chuckle. “How immature!” He grins from ear to ear as she stops in front of the elevator and pushes the button. “Well that’s why we’re here to look at this apartment, so I can move out of mom and dad’s house and have sexy dance parties.” He grabs her hips and twirls her around, almost dropping her in a failed attempt to dip her in a graceful manner. When the elevator door opens, she squeals as he quickly stands her upright.

  Ethan pushes his way in, as people push their way out. Olivia moves to the side to get out of the way. Sticking her head inside, she whispers. “Hello? Is the coast clear?” In an over exaggerated sigh of relief she quickly steps in, speeding up her entrance as the door starts to close. He stares at her smile in adoration. Oh how he loves playful Olivia. He can’t get enough of her. He pushes the button for the 15th floor and for some strange reason the elevator starts to descend causing Olivia to look at him in confusion. “Oh oh, we’re taking a trip to the dark underworld first.” She whispers.

  As the elevator stops abruptly, she tips forward and reaches for him to steady herself. Sliding her hand slowly from his shoulder down to his chest, she lingers against him, remembering the first day they met. His mouth is dangerously close and she thinks about how soft and sweet his lips look. She’s so close to leaning forward and presses her lips across his but she’s distracted by the small purple bruise on his eye and healing cut on his brow. Pouting, she rubs her thumb across it, making his chest rise and fall in reaction to her touch. Standing on her tippy toes, she gives it a gentle kiss.

  The sexual tension between them is unbearable and he reaches for her, swooping down for her lips as the elevator stops abruptly. The doors open, revealing another mob about to encroach on their privacy. She turns to face the crowd as they push in around her, edging her breathing into short erratic pants that she tries desperately to control. Feeling space starting to disappear, she gives in to her irrational fear and continues to retreat into the corner and towards Ethan. When his back is against the wall, and they can move no further, he puts his hands firmly on her hips and guides her back against his rock hard chest. “I’ve got you.” He whispers in her ear as his arms wrap around her in a protective embrace. He can feel the tension in her body and the tremor in her hands as she grasps his forearms and squeezes them tightly.

  As the elevator begins its journey, delivering its residents to the safety of their homes, she begins to feel an amazing calmness in his arms and relaxes. She doesn’t stop him when he begins to caress his hands up and down her sides from her hips to the sides of her breasts, creating a heated connection between them. As the elevator repeatedly stops and starts with jerky movements, she can feel the hard brass button on his jeans rubbing against her backside.

  Leaning his head in, he rests his chin on her shoulder for a brief moment before lifting his cheek to rub against hers. Slowly he massages his whiskers across the very sensitive skin of her neck and downwards; stopping only to place a small tender kiss on her shoulder. “Are you ok?” She nods her head trying to ignore the searing heat his lips are leaving behind and the moisture starting between her legs. He takes in a slow deep breath as he moves his lips back to her neck, exhaling when he reaches her ear and whispers. “You smell so delicious.” Heat bursts through her veins and her pulse quickens. Squeezing her thighs together, she tries to soothe the gnawing need between her legs as she gently sways her hips in a gentle motion, rubbing her bottom against him. He moans softly against her skin as she feels the beginning of his erection press the button of his jeans against the thin material of her dress.

  The elevator empties and Ethan exercises incredible restraint the rest of the journey, thinking about business and politics, war and foreign affairs… anything to get his mind off how badly he wants to lift her dress and fuck her against the elevator wall. He’s relieved his hard-on has finally subsided when they finally reach the 15th floor.

  The building manager meets them at the door and walks them through, what her father always referred to as a two-dollar tour. Her hair is mousy grey and pulled back out of her face with an elastic band. Tired eyes tell a story of way too many long days at work. The place is small and stuffy and although there is a strong smell of disinfecting cleaners, it’s worn out appearance makes it look filthy. Surely, it hasn’t had a fresh coat of paint in many years and the floors are scuffed beyond anything a good scrubbing would revive. He reaches down and clasps her hand, making her heart flutter as he obediently follows the manager down a narrow hallway. Olivia decides to keep her opinions to herself about the apartment since this was not her decision to make, but she hopes that he will find this place unacceptable. She can’t fathom the idea of spending any time with him here, assuming of course, that he’s interested in what she’s going to propose to him tonight. There was not much to see. One bedroom, one bathroom and a living room with a small kitchen. Suddenly the tour is done.

  The manager’s voice is harsh and dry as if she has smoked way too many cigarettes. “Two more couples are coming tonight so you better make your mind up fast.”

  Ethan suddenly looks a little awkward and lost for words. Olivia is smirking in amusement at that rare sight. “Well I think...” He pauses, reaching down and taking Olivia’s hand in his again and gives it a squeeze. “I think we will just have to take our chances. Won’t we, sweetheart?” He’s a pretty good actor. “We have a few other places to look at yet.”

  She puts on a serious face as they turn to look at her. “Yes, you’re right.” She chirps. “But we will be in touch.” She extends her hand out to the manager and shakes it quickly.

  “Suit yourself.” She answers in a gravelly tone.

  Ethan keeps a firm grasp on her hand as they make their way down the hallway to the elevator. It’s a comforting and familiar feeling and she makes no effort to pull away. She starts to snicker and tries to hush the sound. When the door to the elevator opens, he follows her in, thinking about the feelings he had for her on the way up. In an attempt to protect her, from himself, he pushes the button for the ground floor and heads for the opposite corner. “That was horrible.” He gasps as the door closes.

  She tries not to laugh at him. “Truly dreadful.” She adds. Twisting the curls in her hair around her finger, she starts to hum a pleasant tune, swaying with the melody.

  Raising one eyebrow, Ethan takes on a look of bewilderment followed by an amused smile. “Are you humming Shostakovich’s Second Waltz?“

  She looks at him and shrugs. “I have NO IDEA. Last night I dreamt about beautiful women in long flowing ball gowns waltzing around a grand ballroom.” She holds out the bottom of her dress and side steps back and forth, imitating their movements. “That music is stuck in my head now.”

  “I see.” He leans back against the wall and crosses his legs at the ankle watching her in amusement.

  Realizing how odd that must sound, she starts feeling a little embarrassed and glances over for his reaction. “That sounded strange didn’t it?”

  Ethan shakes his head. “Not at all.�
� What’s strange and alarmingly peculiar to him, is that he had the same dream last night. Dressed in tails, he keeps her in hold. She surrenders to his lead. The orchestra plays Shostakovich’s waltz and it’s as if they are alone in the room. Her long ball gown flows around her, as he dances her effortlessly across the floor. Such clear and vivid detail. Such strong emotions attached to the dream. He can’t bring himself to tell her.

  Feeling a little sheepish, she looks down to the floor. “Sorry, I usually wait until I know someone better before I unleash the crazy.” She nervously taps her foot against the wall avoiding his grin. There is an awkward silence between them as he continues to stare at her from the other side of the elevator.

  “Sooooooo…” She stops dramatically, deciding not to finish her thoughts.

  Squinting his eyes, he tries to figure out what’s going on in her head. With curiosity evident in his voice, he asks. “Soooo what?”

  “So… is that the reason you’re all the way over there?” The words fall out of her mouth.

  He raises his eyebrows. “Because you’re crazy?” Enchanted by her demure behavior he shakes his head and chuckles. “No. Not at all.”

  She peaks over at him coyly, barely lifting her head. “Why then?”

  “Well, you see… I have this problem.”

  She’s immediately haunted by her insecurities and thoughts roll through her mind at lightning speed. He probably isn’t attracted to her or maybe he’s just tired of her bullshit. She couldn’t blame him for either. Finding it hard to hide the disappointment on her face, she looks away from him. When he can’t tolerate the distance between them anymore, he crosses the empty space in one stride to get to her. Leaning in close, he whispers. “Apparently…” His Irish accent soft and sensual. “When I’m close to you, I’m prone to inappropriate behavior.”

  The excitement building inside her is whirling like a cyclone, sucking in all the energy that surrounds them. The tension is almost unbearable as he reaches for her, and again their journey ends as the elevator door pops open. On the way to the car, Olivia’s hormones are screaming at her! She has to do something. Her head and her heart begin negotiations. She gets into the passenger seat and as always Ethan waits until she’s buckled in safely before he closes the door. As he rounds the hood of the car, she watches his perfectly silhouetted physique in the moonlight.