Bottom Line: Callaghan Brothers, Book 8

by Abbie Zanders

  She placed her hands in her lap and attempted to wrangle her overzealous hormones back to the ranch.

  “So who’s Jake?” Mary asked as they crossed over the river and left the limits of Birch Falls.

  Aidan shot her a sideways glance. “Jake Callaghan. He owns a pub over in Pine Ridge.”

  “Another Callaghan?” Mary asked, making Aidan laugh. “Afraid so. There are seven of them, in fact. You’ve already met Ian, Lexi’s husband, and Michael, the doctor.”

  “Why are we going to Jake’s Pub? Is he a friend of yours?”

  “Sort of. Jake’s a good guy. A little intense, but a good man to have on your side. But he’s not the reason we’re going.”

  “He’s not?”

  “Nope.”

  Mary waited for him to say more, but he didn’t.

  “Aidan,” she prompted.

  “Yes?” His lips twitched. The man was exasperating sometimes! It was a good thing he had so many other redeeming qualities.

  “Why are we going to Jake’s Pub if not to see him?”

  “Oh. Because my sister wants to meet you.”

  That was unexpected. “Your sister?”

  “Yes.”

  Mary mentally ran through her internet research, but she couldn’t remember any mention of a sister.

  “Her name is Rebecca,” Aidan said, clearing his throat.

  “Pretty name,” Mary murmured. “You’ve never mentioned her. Are you close?”

  Aidan’s hands curled reflexively over the steering wheel. Mary noticed that he did that – flexed his hands – when he was working out exactly what he wanted to say. His facial expressions and other body language didn’t reveal much, but she supposed that was a survival skill in the world of high finance and big business, the ability to give away little.

  “In some ways, very,” he said, carefully choosing his words, as if it was hard for him to talk about his personal life.

  That was something she could understand; she wasn’t big on sharing, either. But if this was going to work, he had to believe he could confide in her. Aidan kept a large part of himself closed off. And while she loved him, she was not the type of woman who would accept only a part of him. She wanted – no needed – to know all of him before she would be ready to answer his pending proposal.

  She was a patient woman. For Aidan, she would wait.

  Mary placed her hand lightly on his thigh. “It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

  * * *

  “But I do want to,” he said honestly. “I want to share everything with you, Mary.” One hand came off the steering wheel and curled around hers. “It’s not something that comes easily to me, though.”

  Aidan kept his private life just that – private. It was something he learned and perfected at a very young age. Because of their wealth and power, his family had always been under the microscope. To avoid any hint of scandal, and to keep an edge in the business world, it was imperative to keep anything that might be used against them well-concealed. That was especially true of personal information – the tabloids lived for that kind of stuff.

  But Mary was different. She was his croie. And for there to be any kind of a future for them, he had to start treating her as such. As if she could sense his thoughts, Mary gave his hand a gentle, encouraging squeeze.

  “Rebecca is two years older than me,” he began. “She left home right after her eighteenth birthday, and I didn’t see or hear from her again until two years ago. Since then, we’ve been doing a lot of catching up.”

  “Why did she leave?”

  Aidan gave a slight smile. “She and my father didn’t quite see eye to eye on her future. Dad thought she should play the part of the wealthy heiress. You know, take a suitable husband and an active role in the family business. Rebecca disagreed. She wanted to go away to college – to a state university, no less – and travel a bit before she settled down. It didn’t go over very well, I’m afraid. Dad gave her an ultimatum. None of us ever expected she’d walk away with nothing but the clothes on her back, though.”

  “I like her already,” Mary commented.

  Aidan laughed. “Yes, you two are very much alike, actually. She tends to shun the spotlight, and spends more time taking care of others than she does herself. You even share the same weakness for adopting monster dogs. Her dog, Angus, was scheduled to be put down before she rescued him. I think he’s bigger than you are.” Mary chuckled at that.

  “For more than ten years she travelled with organizations like the International Red Cross and Catholic Relief Services, providing aid to third-world nations and impoverished areas around the world. We didn’t even know if she was alive...”

  Aidan’s voice trailed off for a moment as he remembered how hard it had been, then cleared his throat and continued. “Then, out of the blue, she showed up in Pine Ridge during the flood a couple of years ago. She’s been here ever since.”

  “What prompted the big change?”

  “What else?” Aidan grinned, glancing at Mary as he laced his fingers through hers. “She found her croie. A Callaghan, no less.” He shook his head and laughed. “Can’t get away from the bastards no matter what I do, it seems.”

  “Rebecca and her husband, Kane, live up in the mountains, and have a beautiful little girl, Aislinn. They come down every couple of weeks to visit with the rest of the family. I thought it would be a good opportunity for you to meet her.”

  Aidan felt Mary’s hand tense in his. “I don’t want to take away from their family time.”

  He laughed, his eyes filled with amusement. “Are you kidding? Trust me, Mary. This will be the highlight of their day.”

  * * *

  Refusing to say any more on the subject, Aidan requested that Mary trust him. She recognized that Aidan was showing faith by sharing parts of his life with her, and wanted to show some in kind, so she let the subject drop. It didn’t make her any less nervous, though.

  Before long, Aidan turned off the main road and into a gated community. All worries about meeting Aidan’s sister and the infamous Callaghan clan faded into the background when she spotted the townhomes built along terraces right into the mountain. She blinked several times, never having seen anything like it. If she’d had any doubt about Aidan’s financial plentitude, they vanished quickly.

  It was Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, except she was seeing it with her own eyes instead of through a television screen. From the moment they walked through the door, Mary had the strangest urge not to touch anything.

  It was so... perfect. Just inside the door, the ceiling rose up the full three stories. The outside walls of the upper portions boasted solid panels of darkly tinted glass; a gleaming chandelier in sculptured brass hung down above their heads, bathing everything in a soft glow. Beneath her feet, neutral-shaded marble tiles glittered with fine veins of what look like real gold.

  And that was just the foyer.

  Beyond the entrance lay a spacious living area. Dark, polished hardwood floors were artfully decorated with Mediterranean-inspired throw rugs. Exotic tapestries and fabrics hung from the cream and beige walls. On the right, a few steps led down to a sunken area where a cream-colored L-shaped leather sofa formed a cozy “U” shape with matching upholstered chairs. A glass and marble table sat in the middle. No matter where you chose to sit, you would be able to appreciate the huge floor-to-ceiling fireplace that dominated the far right wall, flanked on either side by handcrafted shelving and glass cabinets showcasing museum-quality pieces.

  At the far end, off to the left, was a gleaming wood and brass bar that rivaled those of some of the smaller pubs in town.

  Aidan carelessly tossed his jacket on one of the chairs, then took Mary’s and did the same. Perhaps he felt at home here, but she was afraid to touch anything. She was fairly certain some of the pieces were worth more than everything in her entire house put together.

  “You live here?” she asked in awe as her eyes tried to take in everyth
ing at once.

  “Yes.” Aidan pulled her into his arms and lowered his head, brushing his lips against hers. She parted for him with the softest of sighs, and he deepened the kiss, coaxing her tongue to dance with his. It centered her, and was exactly what she’d needed.

  “Better?” he asked.

  “Much. Though if the rest of your place is like this, you may have to do that a lot.”

  “I can do that,” he said, his voice noticeably huskier than it had been only moments ago.

  “It’s so beautiful, Aidan.”

  He looked around and shrugged, far less impressed than she was. “It’s nice, but I like your place better.”

  “You do?” she asked doubtfully. He nodded.

  “Why?”

  “Because, your house is a home. It’s real, filled with you. Nothing here is me. An interior decorator did all this. I had nothing to do with it.”

  She looked around again and realized he was right. His place was like something out of a House Beautiful magazine, but there was nothing personal about it. Nothing she saw gave her the slightest impression that Aidan lived here, as opposed to some other (incredibly wealthy) man.

  “Come on,” he said, tugging at her hand. “I’ll give you a full tour later, but right now there is one thing I absolutely have to do before we head to the Pub.”

  They started up the spiral staircase to the next floor, Mary following a step behind him. She was about to ask Aidan what it was that he had to do, but the answer became clear soon enough.

  Aidan pulled her into what had to be his bedroom. Unlike the first floor, this room was very much his. It reeked of decadence and pleasure. Arched floor-to-ceiling windows with dark burgundy draperies. An S-shaped chair in front of the fireplace. Sleek, glossy black furniture covered with an assortment of fat, glass-encased candles. A huge, four poster bed wrapped in black silk and at least a dozen pillows.

  “Take off your shoes,” he commanded, kicking his off and then getting on his knees before her to slip off her casual boots and socks.

  “Now the rest,” he whispered. Long, deft fingers unfastened the button of her jeans and tugged at the zipper. Warm, soft lips pressed against her abdomen, commanding her attention. Mary’s fingers tangled in his golden hair as he worked the denim over her hips.

  “I thought you had something to do,” she teased breathlessly.

  “I’m doing it.”

  His hands continued to work her jeans down until she stepped out of them, then he pulled one leg over his shoulder. A soft gasp escaped from her lips as his kisses targeted one very specific area. Mary was forced to lean back against the wall when her knees instantly went weak.

  “Christ, Mary,” he mumbled, the vibrations adding extra sensations. “You’re so sweet, and I can taste myself in you...”

  She groaned at his words, so erotic, so naughty. Her fingers flexed, her nails scraped against his scalp.

  “Do you still taste like me?” She heard herself speak, but hardly recognized the deep, sultry voice as her own.

  “Mmm,” he hummed, sending delightful little shivers directly into her core. “Let’s find out, shall we?”

  Mary was suddenly weightless, then felt the brush of cool silks and satins on her naked bottom half. Before her heart could thunder out more than a few beats in anticipation, Aidan was naked, too, sliding onto the bed and lifting her on top of him until she straddled him.

  Two large, strong hands grabbed her hips and locked her in place while his tongue once again did wicked, wicked things to her. Directly before her, Aidan’s erection, thick and heavy, bobbed for similar attention.

  One hand wrapped around him as she began to place tender kisses all around the tip. “Mmmm,” she breathed across the head, “you do.”

  Her tongue peeked out and lapped at the pearly drop of pre-cum beading there, causing Aidan to buck beneath her. She teased him like that for a while, taking great pleasure in the ability to do this to him. But when Aidan started mimicking her moves with tiny flicks of his tongue, she decided to take pity on them both. Her hands tightened around him in a firm, twisting motion, and Mary took him deep into her mouth with a powerful sucking pull.

  “Fuck!” he shouted, but the exclamation was muffled against her now drenched and swollen lips. Mary was forced to release him when he lifted her into the air. Before she could protest, he lowered her so that she was bracing her arms against his bended knees, and he was sliding into her.

  Mary’s knees found purchase on either side of his hips. She let his hands guide her to the perfect angle, then he began to piston into her from underneath while holding her in place. It was all she could do to hold on.

  Aidan set a fast and furious pace, pounding into her from beneath until her screams of pleasure rent the air. Aidan joined her with his own shout, pulling her hips down hard on his while he gave one final, brutal thrust. Mary’s eyes rolled back in her head as she felt his fiery warmth filling her, deep, deep inside.

  “Fuck, baby,” Aidan breathed, shifting them so that they lay spooned against one another, Aidan still deep inside her. “I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you.”

  The only response she was capable of was a moan of absolute agreement.

  “That’s what you had to do?” she asked as Aidan reluctantly handed her clothes.

  He grinned unrepentantly. “Yes.”

  She rolled her eyes and laughed. “I like the way you prioritize.”

  “Thought you might. Feeling a little better about meeting my sister now?”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Is that what this was all about? Giving me an earth-shattering orgasm so intense I was incapable of getting myself worked up about meeting your sister?”

  “Earth-shattering, huh?” he gave her a smug male grin.

  “Like you need me to tell you that,” she muttered, turning her back on him. “As if you don’t already know what you do to me.”

  A sharp sting fell across her behind, followed by a sensual caress. “Maybe I need to hear it.”

  “Fine.” She straightened and turned around, linking her arms up around his neck. It was hard to believe someone as confident and powerful as Aidan would need assurance, but she was more than willing to give it to him.

  “You, Aidan Harrison, rock my world.”

  He stilled for a moment. Aidan looked deep into her eyes. She stared back, willing him to see the raw, honest truth. A slow grin curved his lips. “That’ll do,” he said before pulling her into a soul-searing kiss.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Are you sure this is alright?” Mary asked, looking doubtfully at her jeans and soft cream sweater. If she’d known they were going to meet his sister, she would have chosen something nicer for the occasion. Thankfully, she’d put in her small diamond studs – the most expensive jewelry she had - this morning, which dressed the outfit up a little.

  Aidan was also casually dressed, sporting jeans and a dark chocolate button down that complimented her outfit. Of course, Aidan managed to make everyday Levi’s and a cotton shirt look like something right off the cover of a fashion magazine.

  Mary sighed. He was just too gorgeous for his own good.

  “You look beautiful,” Aidan assured her, giving her a reassuring squeeze about her hip. “Absolutely lickable,” he added in that silky purr that had her tingling, reminding her of exactly what they had been doing less than an hour ago. Warmth flooded her cheeks (as well as a few other areas), making him chuckle. “But I’ll force myself to behave until we get home.”

  Until we get home. The phrase sent a different kind of warmth through her, one that wrapped around her heart.

  “Glad you finally made it, man,” Ian called out from behind the bar with a huge grin before pinning his gaze on Mary. “Ready to run the gauntlet, Mary?”

  “Cut the shit, Ian,” Aidan said lightly, but his eyes held a definite warning. “She’s nervous enough the way it is.”

  “I’m sorry, Mary,” Ian said, though his mischievous eyes were
twinkling. “Lexi can’t stop talking about you, and she’s got everyone dying to meet you.” Ian leaned over the bar and winked playfully. “But you can send Aidan up there alone and hang down here with me if you’d like.”

  A low, deep growl sounded nearby, and Mary realized it was Aidan. “Sit with your own croie,” Aidan said, pulling Mary tightly against him. Ian laughed.

  “One of these days someone’s just going to shoot you and be done with it, Ian,” warned an amused female voice as a striking woman appeared on Ian’s side. She had long, streaked honey blonde hair and the most amazing violet eyes Mary had ever seen.

  “Don’t mind him,” she said, tilting her head toward Ian. “He gets off on irritating people. Mary, right? I’m Taryn.”

  “Irritating people?” Ian said, somehow managing to look genuinely affronted. “Me?”

  Taryn ignored him, rolling her eyes and Mary felt a smile tugging at her lips. There was something about Taryn she liked instantly. Anyone who could manage to hold her own with Ian was okay in Mary’s book. She was also pleased to see that Taryn was dressed even more casually than she was in faded jeans and a black ladies T sporting the name of a well-known heavy metal band.

  “Want to head upstairs right away, or would you like a drink first?”

  Aidan looked at Mary and shrugged, leaving the decision up to her. “A drink might be nice,” Mary admitted. It would buy her a few more minutes to mentally prepare. Aidan’s unique method of distraction had worked wonders, but a little extra couldn’t hurt.

  “What’s your poison, Mare?” Ian asked, showing off by juggling a couple of bottles, tossing one behind his back and up over his shoulder.

  “Oh no you don’t,” Taryn said, snatching one, then the other bottle out of the air. “You’ll get her soused.”

  Ian grinned. “But she won’t be nervous anymore.”

  Taryn selected a few items from the shelf behind the bar and proceeded to mix Mary a drink, her moves smooth and practiced. “Here. Try this.”

  Mary took a sip. It was light and fruity, with just a hint of kick. “It’s delicious,” she said. Taryn beamed and winked. “I’ve got your back, sister. Now, here’s what you need to know before you go upstairs and face the clan...”