And, if she hadn’t been in the hospital when he’d finally called, would she even be thinking about this? Or would Aidan be spending his nights elsewhere?
The thought was too painful to contemplate for more than a brief moment or two. No matter what, Mary knew she was in love with him. It was one of the things that was making this so hard. If she didn’t want him so much, didn’t want the fairy tale ending so badly, she wouldn’t be feeling so conflicted.
When she was with him, it was impossible to doubt anything he said. One look from those golden eyes, one masterful stroke from those long, skilled fingers and she was lost. She wasn’t complaining; she’d never felt as good as she did when she was in Aidan’s arms. But it tended to wreak havoc on her normally logical, reasonable thought processes. Here, at least, in the peaceful quiet of her little sanctuary, she could try to be objective.
“Time’s up, Mare.” Andrew stuck his head through the inner greenhouse door. “Time to go.”
“In a little bit,” Mary called absently. Perhaps it was cowardly of her to attempt to hide behind the trio of enormous weeping ficus trees she’d been trimming, but she was not an overly proud woman. She thought she’d gotten away with it, too, until she felt the brush of familiar fingers at her elbow.
“Nice try, baby,” Aidan murmured in her ear, making her nipples instantly harden. “I knew I couldn’t trust you.”
“You can trust me,” she sniffed indignantly, wishing it sounded a bit more mature and a smidge less petulant. “I just lost track of time.”
He chuckled, his hands tracing along the sides of her waist, hesitating along the swells of her breasts before beginning their descent. “You know, you’re sexy when you’re in your element like this,” he crooned, moving closer behind her.
His fingers played about the waistband on her pants, skimming along her skin. While the apron covered her fully from the front, only thin strings tied at the back. Before she could fully realize what he was doing, her pants were down around her ankles and those wicked fingers were probing her slick folds.
She inhaled sharply, and before she’d let the breath back out, he was sliding into her.
“Aidan!” she hissed, grabbing on to the bases of two of the ficuses, “we are in a greenhouse. Made of glass.”
“Mmmm,” he said, leaning over to kiss her neck. “Good thing the windows are foggy then.”
He slid in and out of her as if they had all the time and privacy in the world, long, lush strokes that filled her deeply. When he felt her tensing around him, he wrapped his hand around her mouth and pumped hard and fast, throwing her over the edge. The rush of wet heat deep inside her told her he’d followed right after her.
Aidan gracefully pulled up her pants and did up his own before turning her around and kissing her passionately. “Who knew that plants could be so arousing? I think we should have a whole room filled with nothing but plants and pillows and a Liberator chair or two. What do you say?”
He pushed from behind, his larger, harder body like a sexy bulldozer until she was out of the greenhouse and back in the shop. Mary was speechless. Aidan grinned at her as if he hadn’t just made love to her in the middle of the afternoon in her own greenhouse where anyone might have walked in and seen them.
Although she had to admit, it had been exciting.
“Come on, baby, a deal’s a deal. Half days this week.” Aidan had deftly managed to remove her apron and was holding out her coat for her to slip her arms into while Andrew and Becky watched. Andrew looked amused. Becky looked star-struck.
Aidan gently pushed her out the door. “Don’t you have anything better to do, like run a multi-million dollar resort or something?”” she griped, but there was no bite to her words. It was hard to come across as genuinely annoyed when all she really felt like doing was purring.
He gave her a crooked smile. “Better? No, Mary, there is nothing more important to me than taking care of you. Besides,” he added with a wink as he pulled away from the curb. “that is exactly where we’re going.”
“I’m not dressed to go to the Celtic Goddess!” she panicked, looking at the dirt still under her fingernails.
“Don’t worry about it,” he said with a twinkle in his eye.
No amount of cajoling would get him to change his mind. Thankfully, he did allow her to dash into a woman’s restroom just off the gleaming gold and white marble lobby to attempt to scrub out some of the potting soil and run a brush through her hair. She glanced in the floor to ceiling mirrors, feeling woefully underdressed in her jeans and sweater amidst all the marble and crystal.
“Aidan, I am not happy about this,” she said, looking more than a little uncomfortable when she emerged and sought out the comfort and shadow provided by a massive potted fern.
“What?”
“I don’t belong here, Aidan, not like this.”
He frowned. “Why not? You’re beautiful.”
“I’m in jeans and you’re in Armani,” she hissed. “Which one of us do you think stands out?”
For the first time, he seemed to realize she was uncomfortable. “Lex wears jeans all the time.”
“Lexi could make a paper bag look attractive. And she’s the reason this place even exists.”
“You’re with me, Mary. No one would dare say anything.”
“That’s kind of the point, Aidan. I am with you. I don’t want to humiliate you.”
Mary never saw a man go so completely, eerily still before. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
Aidan stared at her in disbelief. “Do you think I fell in love with you because of what you wear? Or because of your hair or your makeup or any of that other bullshit? I fell in love with you because you are real, Mary. Because you are more beautiful and sexier to me in those jeans than any other woman is in Dior. And the only way you could possibly humiliate me is by leaving me hanging here, Mary. People are starting to get concerned that I’m getting a little too friendly with this fern.”
Mary allowed him to tug her out of the shadows. She noticed one or two curious glances their way, but no one was stupid enough to glare outright.
In the elevator, Aidan caged her body into the corner. “You are mine, Mary, and I want everyone to know it.”
It was hard to breathe with him that close, but she didn’t need air, not when Aidan’s scent was filling her lungs. “Maybe next time you’ll allow me to change out of my dirty work clothes first?”
“I like you dirty,” he growled, pressing his body up against her. “Have you ever had sex in an elevator, Mary?”
“Uh... no.”
He grinned lasciviously as the car stopped moving and a soft chime announced their arrival. “We’ll put it on the to-do list then. Right now, though, there’s something I want to show you.”
Aidan’s office, like his townhouse, oozed good taste and money. He held the corner office on the top floor, with a stunning view of the valley and the ridge of mountains that rimmed it.
“It’s breathtaking,” she murmured, walking over to the windows and looking down.
Knowing who Aidan Harrison was, was one thing, but actually standing here in his office, seeing the fine leather and hand-carved wood, looking out from his office at the pristine scenery all around, slammed the reality home.
“More so with you standing there,” he said.
A small tablet on his desk buzzed. Aidan tapped it, and a disembodied female voice informed him that he was awaited in the boardroom. Aidan thanked her and told her he would be there in a few minutes.
“Thanks for showing me this,” Mary said breathlessly, still feeling a bit overwhelmed. It was hard for her to comprehend what Aidan’s everyday life was like. “I can find my own way out; I don’t want you to be late for your meeting.”
He grinned. “Oh, you’re not leaving, Mary. Your afternoon is booked solid, in fact.”
As if on cue, a very capable (and very attractive) woman entered quietly. She was tall, almost as tall as Aidan, and
built like a model, despite the fact that she was at least fifty. Aidan introduced her as Gretchen, and told Mary that she would be in charge of ensuring that Mary made all of her “appointments”.
Mary looked at Aidan questioningly, but he only grinned wider. Not wanting to embarrass him, she pasted what she hoped was a genuine looking smile on her face and thanked him. She could have sworn she heard him whistling as he left for his meeting.
Gretchen escorted Mary down to the spa, where Mary was informed her afternoon had already been planned. She was treated to a facial, a massage, and several other more personal services that she was sure were as much for Aidan’s benefit as hers. She was uncomfortable at first, but the ladies at the spa were very accommodating and persuasive.
Maybe being the boss’s girlfriend did have a few perks, Mary thought dreamily as she soaked in mineral-infused water that felt simply heavenly.
* * *
Aidan’s meeting ended earlier than expected. Working from Mary’s house for a few days had turned out to be quite beneficial. There were less interruptions, and knowing she was near allowed him to focus rather than worry. With her in his life, everything fell into place.
Checking his watch, he saw that Mary would be occupied for at least another hour or so. On a sudden impulse, Aidan took the staff elevator down to the kitchens.
Lexi met him with a huge smile. “There he is,” she said. “You’ve got this place in a buzz today.”
“Do I?” he asked smugly.
“Everyone wants to know who the mysterious woman is who’s captured your attention. You brought Mary in, huh?”
“Yes. This morning was her first day back at the flower shop. She was only supposed to work a half day, but she’d still be there if I hadn’t shown up. I booked her at the spa for the afternoon, so at least I know she’s taking it easy.”
“Good plan,” Lexi smiled. “Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
“Not every woman likes to be managed so thoroughly, Aidan. Did you ask her if that’s what she wanted? Did you even tell her about it first?”
He frowned, never having considered the possibility. “No. What woman wouldn’t want to be pampered?”
“I’m not saying she wouldn’t like it. All I’m suggesting is that maybe you should have given her a little warning.”
Aidan nodded, rubbing his hand over his face, remembering how resistant Mary had been. “I’m fucking this up again, aren’t I?”
“No,” Lexi said gently. “It’s part of who you are. You want to take care of the people around you. That’s not a bad thing.”
“I sense a ‘but’ in there somewhere.”
“But... Mary is used to doing everything for herself. If you try to assume control over her life without discussing things with her first, she might begin to feel like you see her as incapable and in need of a keeper.”
“I don’t think that at all!” Aidan said. “It’s precisely because she’s so damn capable that I want to do something nice for her. Damn it, Lex. She’s spent so much of her life taking care of others. I want to be the one to take care of her for a change.”
“Then just tell her that so she understands what you’re doing.”
Aidan nodded. When Lexi said it, it made perfect sense. “I guess I can do that. I just can’t seem to think straight when it comes to Mary, Lex. Christ. I just want to lay the world at her feet.”
“She doesn’t want the world, Aidan. She just wants you.”
He looked at her, his normally golden eyes dark with torment. “She loves me. I know she does. But I also know that if I asked her to marry me tonight, she’d balk. Why?”
Lexi was quiet for a few seconds, her expression thoughtful. “Maybe she’s afraid.”
“Afraid of what? I would never hurt her, Lex. Walking away was the biggest mistake I ever made. I’ll never do it again.”
“I think she knows that, deep down. And I don’t think she is afraid of you, Aidan. She’s afraid for you.”
Feeling frustrated, Aidan ran his hands through his hair in an uncharacteristic gesture. “Lex, that makes no sense. Why on earth would she be afraid for me?”
Lexi was quiet again. “Has she gotten the results back from her surgery yet?”
Aidan was surprised by that question. “She hasn’t said anything.” Worry lines creased his brow. “Do you think she did and she doesn’t want to tell me?”
“I don’t know, Aidan. I don’t know Mary well enough to speak for her. But I do know that when it first became a real possibility that Ian and I could have a future together, I was terrified of what he’d have to face because of my illness.” She laid her hand gently on Aidan’s arm. “You remember, don’t you, Aidan.”
“You didn’t want Ian to have to watch you die,” he said slowly. “You wouldn’t let me contact him until you made it through your pregnancy...”
“Until I knew I would make it.”
Chapter Nineteen
When Aidan met Mary at the spa, she was glowing from head to toe. He took her hand and had no problem kissing her right there in front of a gaping staff. “Good visit?”
“Aidan, it was the most thoughtful, most wonderful thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you.”
Aidan’s heart swelled. At least she wasn’t mad at him. “My pleasure. Are you ready to go?”
“Yes.” After saying goodbye to the staff and thanking them profusely, Mary let Aidan take her hand and lead her out to where Jared had the Benz warm and waiting.
“You look absolutely radiant, Mary. Even more beautiful than usual.”
“I feel beautiful,” she admitted. “I’ve never been to a real salon before. My friends tried to talk me into a pedicure once, but I chickened out at the last minute.”
Aidan laughed. “Why? What is so scary about a pedicure?”
“Well, what if my feet smelled bad? Or I had gunk beneath my toenails? I rarely wear shoes in the summer, and the bottoms of my feet get stained from walking around barefoot in the grass and dirt. I would have needed to soak and scrub them just to feel comfortable enough to go. And if I was going to do that, then why bother?”
“No such problem today, I take it?” Aidan glanced her way, barely able to control his smile.
“Well, it’s not summer, is it?”
He laughed, and it felt good.
They shared the delicious meal that Lexi had prepared and sent back with them. Mary talked about her day, how good it felt to be back at the shop, and how wonderful everyone at the spa treated her. She asked Aidan about his meetings and listened with genuine interest. It was exactly the way he wanted every night of the rest of his life to be – sharing it with Mary.
It would have been perfect, had Aidan not been sure that Mary was withholding something from him. Lexi’s words kept echoing in his head. The more he thought about it, the more sense it made.
“Mary,” he said, taking her hand when she tried to get up to clear the dishes. “There’s something I want you to know.”
She sat back down, her expression growing concerned when she heard the serious undertone in his voice. “Okay.”
“Well, several things, actually.” He would start easy and work his way up. “First, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about taking you to the Goddess this afternoon. I wanted it to be a surprise. It never occurred to me that you might be self-conscious about what you were wearing, because to me, you always look beautiful. But Lexi explained that I was being an ass and that I should have given you some warning. I’m sorry.”
Mary blinked. “It’s okay, Aidan. I admit, I was a little freaked out at first, but mainly on your behalf, not mine. If you really didn’t mind, then I couldn’t see where I should, either. I mean, I’m the one walking around with the wealthy, gorgeous billionaire.”
He grinned at that. “And I should have asked about the spa before going ahead and making all those arrangements.”
“Alright, you can stop right there, mister. Don’t ever apologize for that. Feel free to do that an
ytime.”
He chuckled, then grew serious. “There’s one more thing, Mary. I want you to know that no matter what, I am right where I want to be, and that is with you. I don’t know if the results of your tests came back yet, and I don’t care, because it doesn’t matter. If we have to fight, we will, and we’ll do it together. We’ll get the best doctors, the best care, the best of everything.”
Mary’s smile faded as he spoke. “What if I don’t want treatment, Aidan? Would you try to force me to do something I don’t want to do?”
His gut twisted painfully. Yes! he wanted to scream, because the thought of not doing everything in his power to help her went against every fiber of his being. But that would be what he wanted, not necessarily what she wanted. As much as he needed to care for her, he would not take away her free will. Ever. Anything he did for her, to her, would be because she allowed it, not because he forced it upon her.
“No,” he said quietly. “I will support you in whatever you choose, but I would never give up trying to find some way to keep you with me a little while longer, Mary. If you refuse, and I lose you, it will kill me right along with you.”
“You understand,” she whispered.
“Yes,” he said. He looked down at where their hands met. “Lex told you about my thrombophelia, didn’t she?”
“Yes.”
He gave a little laugh. “What a pair we were, her and I. Do you know why Lexi and I grew so close, Mary?”
She shook her head.
“It’s because in all the years we’ve known each other, we accepted each other’s shortcomings. When she refused to terminate her pregnancy and go on what might have been the only drugs to save her life, I stayed by her side and held her hand. And when I refused the blood-thinners that would make me less likely to throw a clot, she held my hand and told me that if I had a stroke, she would hire only the prettiest nurses to give me sponge baths.”
Bottom Line: Callaghan Brothers, Book 8 Page 20
