Katie decided to go home around 6:00 p.m. because she had to get her things done to prepare for the next week of work. Aaron offered to give her a ride home, but she reminded him that she had her own car. As a date, he had not spent a lot of time or effort to engage her more than having her join the group. However, she did notice that if it didn't involve him or his interests, he was not attentive. The only one who gave her direct conversation that did not include just chatter about themselves was Ciarán O'Connor. She was not a person who believed a man's attention was a contest to be won, but after spending some time with Ciarán, she did understand other women's motivation to do so.
She had experienced the familiar panic begin to rise when Aaron wanted to drive. She was glad she had avoided that incident. She was getting pretty good at it. She had concluded several years ago, that if she wanted to stay perfectly safe, then she would not give up her control to a man. Katie got into her car and turned the ignition switch, receiving nothing but a click in response. Damn. Her hand hurt from the frustrated slam on the wheel. Had she left her lights on? It didn't seem like she had and then she remembered it would not have mattered because they turned off automatically.
She checked for her cell phone and remembered she had left it at home earlier in the day. She hadn't wanted to go back to get it because that would have made her late. Something she tried never to be as it helped her retain her control. Show up and leave early was her motto. She rummaged through her bag to see if she had the ticket stub so she could go back inside and find Aaron or someone she knew to see what was wrong with her car. As she sat in the seat, rummaging for her lost stub, Ciarán came up and startled her with his deep voice asking her if she was all right.
She punched the window button to no response. With a grimace followed by a tenuous smile, Katie opened her door and said, "I think the battery is dead because it makes that wonderfully awful clicking noise when I try to start it."
"Where is Aaron?" Ciarán looked around as though he expected to see him somewhere.
"Oh, inside, I told him that I was going home and I didn't need him to go with me if he wasn't ready. We came in separate cars so that worked out fine, or it seemed like it would."
"He allowed you to go home alone? Where is your phone? Did you already call someone to come and get you?"
She shrugged her shoulders to dismiss her answer. "I left it at home. And just to be clear, no one allowed me to do anything. I do what I want."
Ciarán growled as he told her to sit tight and he would be right back. A shiver of something ran through her body at his tone, creating a rolling anticipation in her stomach and a clenching of her core. Ciarán got into his pickup a few rows away and pulled up in the row front of her car. Jumping out, he told her to get into his truck to stay cool and he would jump-start her battery.
"Oh, I'm all right, it isn't too hot," Katie said quickly, not moving from her leather upholstery so he would not know that her legs were quickly becoming seared to the seat. She knew that the sound of skin peeling from the seat would be a dead giveaway.
She had made it a hard and fast rule not to let another person, especially a man, dominate anything associated with her actions or her will. She had allowed that before with disastrous results and would not do it again. She had come a long way but it was still difficult to trust anyone with macho tendencies. Gorgeous as this specimen was, he was machismo personified.
Ciarán opened the door wider and went down on his haunches saying deliberately and in a quiet voice, "Don't argue, beag Leanaí. You will be perfectly safe. Mind me and go sit on the passenger side of my pickup or I will not get your car started and you will have to let me take you home in my truck."
Again, Katie was dismayed when she sensed a thrill that went right to the center of her womanhood. However, she was not going to acknowledge it by dwelling on it. Nor was she going to let another man tell her what to do even if this one was sexy as hell while doing it. Been there, done that. However, her inner soul was begging that she let this one in. It was begging her to try again with this man.
"What did you say? You said it twice now, beag Leanaí. What is that?"
"Truck." He stood up. The conversation was over.
Katie looked up at Ciarán, who had backed up from the door to give her room to step onto the hot pavement and had pushed his Stetson back on his head. He reached his hand down to help her out. She stared for a moment at his hand and then looked up at his face that immediately housed raised eyebrows and a question that seemed to ask, really, you want to push this?
Her panic button did not go off with bells and whistles as normal. She wanted to trust him. She was wary of him even though she had heard he was a good person. Katie shook her head but she was obviously ambiguous about it.
That calm and quietly confident voice rang out again. "Katie, you need to get in my truck now or your hind end is going to feel hotter than the rest of you already is."
Did he just say that? Did he just threaten to spank her? Oh, no, he did not! Even as she thought it, the zinging his words created pinged all of her erotic zones so quickly that she was almost panting. She made a final look into his eyes and saw there was no way he was bluffing. She instinctively knew he would spank but not damage her in any way. She was not quite ready to test his level of commitment.
Decision made, she growled, "Fine. Move."
She was in a huff and pushed his hand away to get out on her own.
"Katherine."
He still stood there offering her his assistance and she didn't have enough room to get out without taking his hand. As she stood and then twisted away from him, he swatted her bottom one time, hard enough to make her sizzle both inside and out. She gave him a look of outrage but it bounced off the side of his head. He had dismissed her.
She stomped over to the passenger side of the truck and climbed in, slamming the door and sitting with her arms folded, staring straight ahead. She had begun, she thought secretly, to overheat in more than one way, but she would rather die than admit that to him. He was just too cocky and she was feeling slippery as she wiggled the tingle away.
Ciarán chuckled. He put the cables on the batteries, opened his door to climb in and waited for a moment.
"What are we waiting for?" She looked at him with a question on her face and watched him ignore her.
"Little one."
"Beg pardon?"
"Beag Leanaí means little one. It is an endearment, meant to be something nice to say. It's Irish, from my mom."
"Oh." That is what she said but what she wanted to say was, Are you truly that incredibly charming or pulling my leg? Is this a trick? It would mean a man might be trustworthy because he did sweet things and admitted to liking his mom. Oh. In addition, he called her an endearment. It didn't matter that the affectionate word implied she was young and inexperienced and his. She liked it. She liked him. She decided to ask the question he obviously ignored earlier.
"What are we waiting for?" she asked again.
"I am trying to give your battery a few minutes to charge so it will start on the first try."
"Oh. That makes sense." Then silence. It was too heavy for Katie to breathe in. She had to break the silence to alleviate her unease.
"You hit me," she accused.
"Swatted."
"Same thing."
"Nope. Hit is with intent to do harm. I would never hit a woman. Swats are to reinforce my words or gain attention. I swatted." Ciarán had been chatty before but he was succinct now. "Once."
"Oh."
Again, the silence that filled the cab was oppressing and she was glad when he made a move. After a few minutes, he turned to her and said, "Stay here."
Ciarán jumped out and went over to her car to reach in and turn the key. Before he had turned the ignition, she was out of his truck. It started right up. Disengaging the cables, he brought down the hood of the car and reached over to shut his, all the time watching her come to a stop next to him.
"Um, th
anks for the help, Ciarán."
He put the jumpers back in his utility box in the bed of the truck before turning to address Katie.
"You do not mind very well, beag Leanaí."
"What?"
"Turn around."
Still calm, still in control, and Lord have mercy, it still made her bottom twinge and her juices flow. "No, just no. You are not hitting me again."
"Swatting. You need a whole spanking but I can tell you are skittish, so one good swat to reinforce the fact that I expect obedience when it is for your protection. I have not done anything that would tell you I am not safe to be around have I? I would not do you any lasting hurt, and you know that. Now, turn around."
There is that voice she melted immediately upon hearing. Katie had thought spankings were what she wanted but quickly learned she didn't. Somehow, though, it felt like this man knew the type she wanted; no needed. He leaned over, grabbing her upper arm firmly but with a gentleness that she had not had from a man in a long time. In a caring way. Her father did not count.
Ciarán turned her bottom at an angle and she looked into his eyes as her peripheral vision caught his right arm rise up and descend on her shorts-clad bottom hard. She squealed.
"Ow, dammit that hurt."
"It was meant to. Watch the mouth." Reaching down, he leaned in and kissed that mouth with reined in passion she wanted to fall into. "Tastes sweet, though," he said with a raspy voice clogged with emotion. Katie smiled; satisfied she had affected him too.
"I'll follow you home to make sure you get there. You may need to get a new battery or alternator because if it has done it once, it will do it again. I checked the cables and they are fine so it was something else. If you bring it out to the ranch, my guy can look at it."
Katie shook her head to deny his statement and to clear her head. "I know how to drive home and I won't turn the car off until I get there. I'll take it to a mechanic. Thanks, though." Her panic was rising fast now that her thinking had cleared.
Ciarán stood in front of her car and waited for her to allow him to follow her home. "Really, Ciarán, I will be okay. I can't have you follow me. I will be okay. I promise."
"Can't or won't?" he reached up to place a strand of hair behind her ear and she flinched. "Katie honey, I do not intend to do more than make sure you get home safely. I won't get out. I will just follow for your protection. But you need to let me."
Katie looked away as she struggled with letting him do that; letting any man get that close to her. She knew it made logical sense. She knew everyone knew where her father lived. It would serve no purpose to deny him what he seemed to need to do. She would just let him follow her home and that would be the end of his trying to take control.
"Listen, Katherine, I cannot let you go home alone without an escort in case the car stops for some reason. You don't even have a phone. So you have two choices; let me drive you home and come back to get your car later or I follow you to get you home safely."
Ciarán's voice was gentle, reasonable and yet authoritative. Katie looked for a reason to not do what he asked. She hesitated. He'd called her Katherine again and that was the universal sign of warning. She did not want to push Ciarán for she could see and instinctively knew this was a man who operated under a different code than most men that she encountered. It was certainly one that her ex, Stuart, had never even understood. Nevertheless, control was control and that was more than she would allow. Her hesitation seemed to cue his next response.
"Let me get in the truck and get you home. I bet you are getting tired. It's been a long day. I'll back up and you can pull out. I will follow behind. Don't forget to buckle up."
It was delivered as merely a statement of fact. It worked to make her not want to buckle. Katie did not wonder why she gave in; she knew that she instinctively followed a strong leader, whether a doctor, professor or lover. It infuriated her sometimes and it was that instinct that had put her in danger before, but this was somehow different. She hoped her instincts had not gone on the fritz again.
Katie decided to let him follow her because she did feel safer and his suggestion made sense. She could be stranded if something went wrong, or worse. She noticed that he had quit asking and assumed she would do as he said. Katie had let Stuart tell her what to do with disastrous results. His voice, in the beginning, had sent her stomach tightening and her heart pounding just as Ciarán's did now. She had not had that feeling for a long time and was not ready to deal with it again. It was lust and attraction and she wasn't sure if it was a good feeling or a more sickly feeling. Her instincts had not always steered her in the right direction and so could not to be trusted capriciously.
When he pulled up behind her at her dad's house, she got out and rushed to lock up her car, waving her thanks to Ciarán from the safety of the porch.
Ciarán, when driving the circle, slowed at the steps and said, "Would you like to go to a church picnic with me next Saturday? It is the church welcoming Jocelyn and celebrating Liam's and Jocelyn's wedding." Katie hesitated a few moments before agreeing.
Ciarán said, "Great, pick you up at eleven-thirty next Saturday. Don't bring anything; I'll take care of that. Nothing except your phone; bring that." He gave her one last chastising look, for not having it today, before putting on a smile and giving her a nod of goodbye as he was driving off. Katie wanted to tell him she could get there herself, but he was gone before she could say a word.
Darn, that man seemed to get what he wanted. She went in to fix dinner for herself and her dad. She wondered if she could ever trust again. Would Ciaran be able to help her find her faith in herself and men again? He sure seemed to know the right things to do and say, unlike other men in the last few years. She didn't want to shut him down. She wanted to see what he would do next. She wanted him to be the one who excited her days and shattered her nights. She hugged herself and did a little twirl before going into the house.
She spent the whole next week anticipating the picnic. It had been too long since she had enjoyed the celebrations of life, but she got scared. As the day of the picnic drew closer, Katie became more anxious. She was not afraid of Ciarán, but her power would be minimized if she allowed him to drive her to the function. Katie decided she was not ready to relinquish any of her hard-earned control. She called him and when he did not answer, she left him a message that she would stay home. She got a succinct return message.
"No, you will not. See you Saturday."
She tried again. "I need to stop at the hospital first so I'll meet you."
He would not even hear of it. "I said 'no' and that is what I meant. I know you are worried about it, but you are going with me. I will take care of you and you will be safe. Now, do not leave me a message about this again unless it is to say how excited you are to be going."
For a moment, she considered how he knew she was scared and again thought to cancel, but something told her he would come anyway. Therefore, she decided to accept it and tell herself she would survive. What could happen at a church function? She brought a pasta salad that was actually like a dessert that she had called 'froggy-eyed' salad because of the tiny pasta. Kids loved it.
Ciarán gave her a look as if to say she had not followed his instructions. However, when she explained that it simply didn't feel right coming empty-handed and that kids loved it, he merely leaned down and kissed her cheek. He then helped her into the truck and placed the bowl on her lap. The feeling that simple act of kissing her cheek, not taking her lips, evoked comfort and security. It gave Katie a glow of warmth inside and out. It was a delicious feeling of kindness, not aggression.
The picnic went well and Katie enjoyed herself. Ciarán was very solicitous and introduced her to his brother and sister-in-law. Ciarán was very careful not to leave her alone and Katie appreciated how attentive he was. When it was time for him to take his turn at the grill, Ciarán left Katie with Jocelyn. He made sure the women did not need anything and then left explicit instructions that they were t
o stay together until he returned.
Jocelyn laughed. "What do you think is going to happen at a church picnic, Ciarán?"
"Nothing, because you two are going to do as you are told." His serious look was accompanied by a fixed stare.
Katie giggled and found herself promising to be 'good'. It drew a nod of acceptance and a quirk of his lips. She found she had a lot in common with Jocelyn as they shared experiences. The women laughed often.
"Don't mind him, Katie. He is just an O'Connor man. They work hard, play hard, and love harder. He must like you and it is easy to see why."
"Thanks. Um, Jocelyn, you don't have to answer me and please don't take offense, but is your husband as high-handed as Ciarán?"
"Oh, Ciarán has his moments, but Liam is that way with me. They take care of what is theirs and as long as you are dating, you are Ciarán's to protect. What's wrong? Why, does that bother you?"
"Not really, well, yeah, it feels odd. I mean, it seems wonderful and scary at the same time. But actually, we aren't dating."
"If you are here with him, you are dating. Ciarán is a slow and patient kind of guy so just tell him if you feel uncomfortable, he will back off some."
"I don't want to run him off but he can be intense at times. Like when I don't let him do things for me or I try to be too independent. "
"It's like wanting to drive yourself today or get out of it all together, right? Sorry, Ciarán told Liam and I overheard. He is rather intuitive, but if he misses something, because he is a man after all, then tell him. He will be fine if you tell him. If you keep things from him that he needs to know, that is when things will get hot."
"Hot? As in he gets angry?" The apprehension was evident in Katie's voice.
"Nope, hot as in butts burning."
"Huh?" Katie's mind went to the rodeo parking lot and his swatting of her bottom.
Jocelyn chuckled. "I'm kidding. Just don't keep information to yourself that you should be sharing. It hurts your relationship." Katie let it go but thought that was a peculiar thing to say.
Ciaron O'Connor 01 - His Gentle Persuasion Page 2
