Celina (Connelly Cousins #1)

by Abbie Zanders

  Pounding heavy metal music blared in the background, easily heard over the loud hum and crackle of the TIG welder. Kyle was on the floor, his attention focused solely on his task. Jamie waited patiently for Kyle to finish, but couldn’t resist turning down the music when the screaming guitars made his back teeth rattle.

  “How can you even think with that so loud?” he asked when Kyle flicked off the welder and lifted his safety shield to peer at him. Jamie didn’t really expect an answer, which was good, since he didn’t get one.

  “What’s wrong?” Kyle asked instead.

  “Nothing’s wrong.”

  Kyle examined the stainless steel exhaust pipe he’d been working on. Seemingly pleased with it, he pushed the welder base off to the side and shifted, reaching for a wrench. “So this is just a social call?”

  “What, a guy can’t drop in and see if his brother’s up for grabbing a beer or something?”

  The snort from beneath the bike was audible. “Now I know you’re full of shit. What do you want, Jamie?”

  Hands in pockets, Jamie shifted his weight slightly. Miffed as he was that Kyle would think the only reason he’d come to see him was because he wanted something, it hit a little too close to home. The truth was, they didn’t have a lot in common. Though they were brothers, they were as different as night and day. And while that didn’t preclude them from having the occasional beer together, it didn’t happen often enough to make his sudden presence plausible.

  Feeling a slight pang of guilt, Jamie turned his gaze to the wall, where a calendar sported a scantily clad woman in a suggestive pose involving a Harley. “Jesus, Kyle.” His brother’s piercing blue eyes bored into him until the urge to squirm nearly overwhelmed him. “Okay, fine. I want some advice, okay?”

  Kyle returned his gaze to the cycle. “On what? You thinking of getting a bike?”

  “No. I want your opinion on ... a woman.”

  “That library chick you’ve been seeing?”

  “Yes. And her name is Celina.”

  “Whatever. What’s the problem?”

  Jamie dropped down into the rolling desk chair that looked as though it had seen far better days. As a twenty-five year old professional on the executive fast track at the publishing company where he worked, it was awkward asking his older brother for advice on women. But Jamie was desperate, and no one knew more about seducing a woman than Kyle.

  “Celina is different. She’s everything I’m looking for in a woman – quiet, intelligent, sweeter than honey.”

  A barking laugh sounded from Kyle’s position on the floor. “Fugly, huh?”

  “No,” Jamie scowled. “She’s beautiful. Built like a Greek goddess. Golden hair, green eyes.”

  “And she’s a librarian?”

  “Yes. She works at the Birch Falls library during the day and attends classes at night. She’s working on her Master’s degree,” he told his brother proudly.

  That was how they had met. Celina enrolled in the Aspiring Authors class Jamie’s publishing company sponsored at the local university as part of the continuing adult education program. Jamie had attended as a representative in his boss’s place. It was only supposed to be a one-night thing, but after that first night, he was hooked, and volunteered to take over the remaining classes. His boss, a curmudgeonly sort who hated lecturing, had readily agreed.

  Those had been the longest eleven weeks of Jamie’s life. He’d been forced to watch every other male on campus vie for her affections. He hadn’t been kidding when he said she was beautiful; Celina was the type of woman men had been writing sonnets about for centuries. She had golden hair the color of sunshine, with natural, random streaks of copper beneath. Her green eyes reminded him of the deepest oceans, and they sparkled when she smiled. She probably didn’t realize how they grew wider, like big doe eyes sometimes, or how she tended to lean forward, accentuating those lovely, full breasts, when she found something particularly interesting. Her favorite genres were classic love stories and mythologies. She found them fascinating, and Jamie found her irresistible when she found something fascinating.

  As far as he could ascertain, she firmly – but politely – declined all offers. That, of course, made her even more desirable. As a representative of his company, his hands were tied. He’d had to wait until the final grades were posted before asking her out himself. Expecting to be turned down, he was pleasantly surprised when she accepted.

  Celina was every bit as charming as he’d dreamed she’d be. She was witty and quick, and she laughed at all of his jokes. They could speak for hours on nearly any subject; Jamie found her thoughts well-organized and sometimes shockingly insightful.

  His only complaint was that their relationship had not progressed past the comfortable, intellectual stage. He had held her hand and kissed her chastely good night, but nothing more. Though he’d never been a big proponent of one-night stands, he was a normal, healthy man and he wanted her with a passion he’d never felt for anyone.

  She was so sweet, exuding an innocence rarely seen in women his age. He suspected she’d never been with a man. It was in her eyes, in her body language, in the shy way she cast her eyes downward and hesitated when anything even remotely sensual arose in movies or conversation. That kept him from pushing too hard, while at the same time, drove him nearly insane. After all, how many perfect twenty-somethings were there in today’s world who had never known the pleasure of a man?

  But while Jamie grew increasingly obsessed with Celina, she remained quietly unreachable. And for the last couple of weeks, he had begun to feel like she was slowly slipping away. He believed if they took things to the next level, she would see him as something more than a friend.

  He tried to explain this to Kyle, but his brother was far more cynical.

  “Yeah, right, Jamie. A twenty-five-year-old virgin goddess. Man, is she yanking your chain or what?” Kyle snorted.

  “It’s true,” Jamie insisted. “If you met her, you’d know what I was talking about.”

  “Yeah, then why haven’t I ever heard of her, huh? I think word would get around if she’s half as hot as you say she is.”

  Jamie shrugged. “You don’t exactly hang in the same circles. She’s not a biker groupie, and I doubt you’ve been spending your free time in the library.”

  “Maybe she just doesn’t want to have sex with you, little brother. Ever think of that?”

  Yes, he had. Sometimes it was all he thought about. But since she wasn’t actively seeing anyone else, Jamie preferred to remain optimistic.

  “Will you just meet her? Then decide for yourself.”

  “What the hell would I want to do that for?” Kyle pushed himself out from under the bike and got to his feet. He’d apparently finished everything he could with the parts he had, wiping down his wrench with a soft cloth and placing it just so on the rolling tool bench. Kyle didn’t care much for neatness and order as a whole, but he kept his tools in a state of perfection, his work area a place of pristine mechanical beauty.

  “You have a gift. Meet her. Talk to her. Then tell me what I need to do to get her to, well, you know...”

  Kyle laughed, a full, rumbling, masculine laugh that sounded a lot like the custom engines he worked with all day. “You can’t even say it?” He shook his head and laughed harder. “Let me get this straight. You want me to meet some chick that’s been giving you a hard-on for the last couple of months but refuses to put out because she’s some kind of virginal goddess or something, so I can give you advice on how to get into her lily white cotton panties?”

  Jamie smiled ruefully. “Yeah. That’s pretty much it.”

  Kyle peeled off the blue coverall he wore over his jeans and plain white T-shirt. Jesus, thought Jamie when he saw the bulging biceps and the way the XL T stretched to capacity across his brother’s broad chest. He’s been working out.

  Kyle hung up the coverall on the hook near the door and pulled the tie loose from his jet black hair. It fell below his shoulders, in stark c
ontrast to his icy blue eyes. Everything about him screamed ‘bad boy’. Suddenly, putting Kyle anywhere near his sweet, gentle Celina seemed like a horrible idea.

  “Look, Kyle, I’m sorry. It was a stupid idea.”

  Kyle looked up at him through the curtains of hair that fell across his face as he laced his boots. Yep, definitely a stupid idea. Introducing Kyle to Celina would be like introducing the lion to the lamb.

  “All right, bro. I’ll meet her, if it means that much to you. But I’m telling you, she’s yanking your chain. Virgin, my ass,” he chuckled, sliding into his black leather jacket. “Hell,” he added with a lopsided grin, revealing his perfect white teeth. “If she is as hot as you say she is, I might have a go at her myself.”

  Jamie was on his feet in a second, in Kyle’s face the next. “The hell you will.”

  Stunned, Kyle narrowed his eyes. The whole aggressive male thing was not Jamie’s style, but he was feeling especially protective of Lina at that moment.

  “Whoa, take it easy, little brother. Christ, you’re really serious about her, aren’t you?”

  Jamie’s attitude dropped down just a little. “Forget it, Kyle. Just forget I ever mentioned her.”

  “No way, man. I have to meet her now. Set it up. I’ll be there.”

  Jamie had a sinking feeling in his gut, wishing he’d never brought it up. He left Mo’s feeling worse than when he went in. What the hell had he been thinking when he asked Kyle for help? Why couldn’t he have just kept his big mouth shut?

  Chapter Two

  A week after that fateful day, Jamie arranged for the three of them to have dinner together at a popular, out-of-the-way place where he thought they’d all feel comfortable. It boasted an interior dining room, as well as an open-air patio, complete with brick ovens and grills for the more casual fare.

  It was on the outside patio where Jamie sat with Celina under the darkening skies of the sunset. She looked gorgeous as usual - the perfect blend of sweet and sexy, a timely and fragrant reminder of what had driven him to this point in the first place. He was a patient man, but even he had limits.

  Torch lamps flickered around them, lending everything a warm, cozy glow. A soft breeze blew the scent of pine and mimosa over the terrace; the muted sounds of the patrons provided a pleasant background hum while soft rock played through mounted outdoor speakers.

  “Should we wait for your brother?” Celina asked when the waiter came over to take their drink orders. Sweet Celina, Jamie thought. Always thinking of others. A slight pang of guilt hit him. What was he subjecting her to tonight? Then she looked at him with those big green eyes and that unease in his chest became a stronger, visceral ache farther down.

  “No, I don’t think he’ll mind.” Jamie ordered himself an imported Pilsner. “Wine spritzer?” he asked, looking to Celina.

  “Smithwick’s, please,” Celina spoke up, surprising him.

  “You drink beer?” he asked when the waiter had left to get their orders.

  “Sometimes,” she said, lowering her eyes as though embarrassed. “It sounded good when you said it.”

  Jamie placed his hand over hers and smiled. “That’s okay. I like it.” He watched as her face relaxed a little, then her eyes grew overly large as she looked over his shoulder. He turned to see what had captured her attention, and was instantly sorry he did.

  Kyle was parting the crowd like Moses through the Red Sea, leaving panting females flopping like water-deprived fish in his wake. He wore snug-fitting blue jeans with a black leather belt, a white button-down shirt opened only at the neck, and his black leather jacket.

  Even in the twilight he wore his dark sunglasses. Most people thought it was to feed the whole bad boy persona, but Jamie knew his brother had a form of photophobia. Kyle’s eyes were overly sensitive to light and he needed the filtered lens for protection.

  Kyle’s black hair hung loose, framing his face, so shiny it reflected the flickering torches like polished black marble. He strode right up to their table, bringing with him the scent of clean, male soap and leather.

  Jamie had practically begged Kyle to keep himself low-key for this dinner, but that was asking for the impossible. Jamie grudgingly had to admit he’d done his best, though. There was nothing flashy about blue jeans and a plain white shirt, or the leather work boots he always wore.

  Except when they were on Kyle, of course. He could wrap himself in scraps from the dumpster and the women would be lining up to lick them off, Jamie thought with a touch of irritation.

  Kyle’s shaded gaze took in Celina and he paused for only a moment before nodding to his brother. “Jamie,” he acknowledged, dropping smoothly into the chair across from them. Jamie flicked a quick glance at Celina, and was pleased to see that her eyes were already cast downward. At least she wasn’t openly drooling like so many of the women now staring at Kyle’s back. Kyle seemed totally oblivious to the attention. Or maybe he was just used to it.

  “Kyle, I would like you to meet Celina,” Jamie said with a proud smile. “Celina, this is my older brother, Kyle.” Celina raised her eyes briefly and offered a shy smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Kyle,” she said softly. Kyle nodded, but otherwise his expression didn’t change. Her smile faded, and her eyes dropped again almost immediately.

  The waiter arrived with their drinks. “For you, sir?”

  “I’ll have what he’s having,” Kyle answered, pointing at Jamie’s Pilsner. His voice was rough, as if he hadn’t used it in a while. In a smooth move, he reached across the table and twisted the cap from Celina’s beer, tossing it on the table and leaning back again. Her eyes flashed up at him, but she said nothing.

  Jamie inwardly cursed himself for not thinking to uncap her bottle himself. “I’ll get you a glass when he comes back,” he told her.

  “That’s all right,” Celina said. “I don’t mind.” She lifted the bottle to her lips and pulled hard, downing half the contents in one shot. Jamie didn’t even try to hide the look of surprise on his face.

  * * *

  The corner of Kyle’s mouth twitched. He didn’t know what was more amusing – the cute blonde chugging her beer like it was the last one on earth or the priceless look of shock on Jamie’s face as she did. He hadn’t been looking forward to playing Jamie’s personal sex counselor, but this might actually turn out to be fun.

  The chick – Celina – suddenly realized they were both staring and lowered the bottle, blinking rapidly and blushing furiously. “Sorry,” she managed. “I was a little thirsty.”

  Kyle knew it was impossible for anyone to see his eyes behind the heavily tinted shades, and he was thankful for that because he simply could not take his eyes off the woman sitting across from him.

  Jamie hadn’t been exaggerating when he said how gorgeous she was. She was on the petite side, so he could only glimpse her from mid-chest up – and quite an abundant chest it was. She was wearing some kind of simple cotton sundress, a light pastel color that showed off her bronzed skin to perfection. A brief scan revealed no visible tan lines. Did she sunbathe topless? The thought had him shifting slightly.

  His eyes raked over the parts of her he could see, mentally cataloguing her with the skill of a man who was an expert when it came to sizing up women. Her jewelry was understated. A simple gold chain, semi-choker, hung around her neck. Small gold and diamond studs in her double ear piercings, and – was that a chain dangling from one hole to the other in her right ear? Interesting. A hint of naughty, perhaps? Spiral gold thumb ring. No other adornments, though he would bet she wore a matching gold anklet beneath the table.

  He was sorely tempted to drop something to check. As it turned out, he didn’t have to. A mild breeze blew her menu off the table and Kyle reached down for it. Bingo. Knotted gold anklet and matching gold strappy-heeled sandals, adorning perfectly shaped, curvy legs. Legs made expressly for wrapping around a man’s hips. Damn.

  And that innocence thing? She was a real pro. Right down to the baby powder and cocoa butter scent
s wafting his way, with subtle overtones of a citrusy shampoo that had his pants suddenly two sizes too small. And her voice – it was soft, almost purring - a total bedroom voice. Make that three sizes.

  Amazing green eyes, too. The way she flashed them at him did nothing to alleviate his burgeoning arousal. Oh yeah, she could play the proper little prude all she wanted, but he saw the fire in her eyes. Deep down, she was a hellcat; he knew that as surely as he knew his own name. Get her in bed and she’d pull a man’s soul right out through his dick, then make him sit up and beg for her to do it all over again.

  When she tilted her head and started pulling on that beer again, his mind was assaulted with images of her pulling on something entirely different with that incredible mouth, swallowing something thicker and saltier than that swill she was downing.

  Holy shit. He was close to coming in his jeans.

  Kyle’s beer arrived. He was enjoying the show so much, he ordered another for Celina. Jamie had barely touched his, so he didn’t bother. Kyle wondered what she would be like after the second beer. Would she start to loosen up a little? Or would she maintain her quiet, shy girl act?

  The server disrupted his train of thought. “Are you ready to order?”

  Yes, kitten, thought Kyle. What are you hungry for this evening? Gonna play dainty and get a little salad with a light vinaigrette on the side, perhaps?

  The men deferred to Celina, allowing her to order first. “I’m starving,” she said, looking at the plastic-coated menu before her. Her tongue peeked out absently, running slowly along her top lip while she perused the choices. Kyle shifted quietly across the table.

  “Um, let’s see. Can I have the meatball parm, heavy on the parm, and, um, maybe something gooey and deep-fried in the meantime?” This time Kyle could not completely contain the grin that tugged at the corners of his lips. Jamie didn’t seem at all fazed by her order, and said that sounded good to him. Kyle kept it simple by saying “Just make it three.”