by Rhian Cahill
Text copyright ©2017 by the Author.
This work was made possible by a special license through the Kindle Worlds publishing program and has not necessarily been reviewed by Maribeth Carmichael. All characters, scenes, events, plots and related elements appearing in the original Wild Irish remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of Maribeth Carmichael, or their affiliates or licensors.
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Wild Rush
Wild Irish Kindle World Novella
Rhian Cahill
Dedication
To the best CP and friend in the world, while this isn’t the “writing together” we’ve talked about doing for years, it’s close enough. Love you, Mari.
Prologue
Rush stood, white-knuckled fingers gripping the bar, thumbs hooked under the curved timber edge, wondering what the fuck was wrong with him.
He couldn’t remember what the hell he was supposed to be doing.
He’d pulled days of double shifts before and never had a problem concentrating on his job in spite of the long, exhausting hours on his feet.
He knew all too well what his problem was, he just didn’t want to admit it.
A curvy, five-foot-six-inch package of distraction had him so far off kilter he wasn’t sure which way was up anymore. And to top it off, that distraction was no longer here.
He couldn’t go for a walk and find her wandering the grounds enjoying the spring sunshine. Wouldn’t see her smiling face across the bar late at night.
Like every other guest’s, her vacation had ended and she’d gone home. She’d left, and he hadn’t thought to get her fucking phone number.
But he could get it. All he had to do was tap into the lodge’s reservation system…
Goddammit. Scrubbing a hand down his face, he closed his eyes on a growl.
She’d been gone a week—seven days—and unlike every other woman he’d hooked up with over the fifteen years he’d worked at the lodge, he couldn’t get this one out of his head.
Sabreena Howe.
She wasn’t his type.
He went for older women, ones who’d been around the block a time or two. Ones who knew the score, knew all he offered was a tumble in the sack, mutual pleasure for a night—or the duration of their stay, if they were inclined—but nothing beyond sex. And he’d happily rolled from one bed to the next without a backward glance for years.
Until her.
Reena.
Different from the start with her fresh-faced innocence, smoking-hot body and a complete lack of pretense, she’d drawn him in. Had him seeking her out when he wasn’t working and doing things he’d never done with any woman who’d sought his attention.
He should have known she’d get under his skin. Christ. She hadn’t made the first move, he had. One more thing he’d never done before Reena. Fuck. He’d done a shit-ton of stuff that had never been on his radar.
Hiked up to the ridge for a picnic. Rowed a boat to the middle of the lake and floated around in the afternoon sun. Held hands beneath the star-filled sky, talking until dawn peeked over the top of the mountains.
With Reena, it hadn’t been about sex.
Sure, he’d wanted in her pants. She was hot. He was male. Only way he wouldn’t want in her pants was if he swung the other way, and in the twenty years he’d been indulging in that particular pleasure, he hadn’t even looked the other way.
They’d spent more time together clothed than not. In fact, he’d only gotten her clothes off once.
The night before she left.
And while there had been passion and explosive chemistry he expected, there’d been something different, something…more. Something he couldn’t put his finger on…
She moaned in his ear as he pressed the hard length of his cock against her thigh, her body still shuddering with the orgasm he’d stroked her to.
“Reena,” he pleaded with a rock of his hips. “Let me have you.”
“Yes…”
Rush wasted no time stripping her of her jeans, stripping his own. His fingers trembled, his limbs shook, need razor sharp as it clawed at his balls. He sheathed his cock, barely keeping it together long enough to roll the latex down and get back between her thighs—
“Hey, Rush.”
Snapped from the vivid memory, he jerked, his hips bucking forward, slamming his erection into the metal racks beneath the bar. “Fuck,” he grunted, pain ripping through his groin.
“Damn, sorry, didn’t mean to startle you.” His boss rounded the bar to stand beside him. “Where was your head? I called out twice on my way across the room.”
Rush turned his face to Cam but kept his body pressed up against the bar. The last thing he needed was for his boss to see where his head had been. Christ. If the man knew Rush had been screwing around with a guest, he’d probably fire him on the spot.
Cam studied him closely. “You all right?”
He forced a smile. “Yeah. Tired. Been a long week.”
“That’s what I want to talk to you about. Thanks for doing all the extra hours. What do you think of the new staff?”
“Good. They’re good. Competent. Fast learners, and Desi is a wiz with cocktails. I’m thinking we should utilize her skills somehow. Maybe do a specialty cocktail on the weekends. See if we can’t draw in more customers.”
“Hmm…we could theme them with food or an event… Remind me at the next department meeting.”
“Sure.” Relieved to discover talking with his boss had deflated his cock, Rush moved away from the bar and picked up the clipboard he’d left beside the register before he’d forgotten what he was doing. Again. “I’ll have this order on your desk within the hour.”
He wasn’t on until tonight but with training the five new bartenders over the last week, he hadn’t gotten around to placing the liquor order and they were getting low on supplies. The local brews were easy to restock but everything else was trucked in, and they needed to get the order processed today or they wouldn’t get a delivery this week.
“Can someone else do that?” Cam asked, reaching for the board. “Me?”
“What? Why?” Rush stared at Cam. Was he worried about overtime? “It’ll only take me a few minutes then I’ll be out of here.”
“I’ve rearranged the schedule. You’re off for the next six days.” Before Rush could form a question, Cam continued. “You’re owed holidays, but I’m not taking this time out of your leave. You’ve worked your ass off for the last week and even when you aren’t pulling double shifts, I’ve noticed you’re always working. Take a break. We’ve got the staff to cover it now and with the reading of Harry’s will week after next, we’ll be dealing with a new owner—and I’m sure more long hours.”
“They’re finally reading the will?” God. It had been three weeks since Harry’s death.
Rush swallowed the lump in his throat that formed every time he thought about the lodge’s owner. He still couldn’t believe the old guy was gone. They’d been close before Harry had taken a step back to take care of his adopted daughter and granddaughter and hired a GM to run the lodge. Now he was gone.
“Any idea who Harry left this place to?” Rush asked.
Cam shook his head. “No. But there’s plenty of rumor and speculation circulating.”
“Usually is around here.” Rush frowned, wondering how he’d managed to keep his own liaisons with guests secret over the years when the favorite pastime for locals was gossiping, especially among the staff here at the lodge.
“I remember.”
Cam rubbed the back of his neck and Rush noticed the fatigue stamped on his face. It was obvious his boss could do with a few days off too
. He opened his mouth to suggest they split the week when Cam sighed, his gaze darting around.
In a low voice, he said, “Listen. I need you fully on deck when the new owner shows up. There’s bound to be shit hitting the fan when whoever it is discovers how bad things are around here, and I’m down to only a couple of management staff I trust.”
Rush hadn’t been sure what to think of Camden Newell when he’d shown up five weeks ago to take on the general manager position, but the guy had proven he knew what he was doing and wasn’t out to run the place into the ground like the last GM had done for the past four years.
With everything that was going on, it didn’t make sense for Rush not to be here though, and it went unsaid that neither of them could guarantee they’d have a job once the new owner showed up.
“Why the hell are you giving me time off? You need me here to cover your back,” he argued.
“This is the calm before the storm. Take the time while you can. We’ll be working our asses off, or be out on them, once the new owner arrives. I think—no, I know we’ve got things turning around. I want that to continue but that won’t happen if I run my best employees into the ground. I’d rather you took some time now. We’ll have a few days to get a battle plan together before the will is read and whoever Harry left this place to takes over.”
“Are you sure? A few normal work days will have me back up to speed.” Hell, if he could clear his head of a certain distracting woman and get a good night’s sleep, he’d be back to normal by morning.
Cam waved him off. “No. Not good enough. I’ve checked your timecards. You never punch in overtime.”
Rush shrugged. “I love the job. I’m not here for the money, and living onsite means that’s not something I have to worry about.”
Besides, he had a trust fund. Not that anyone around here knew about it.
“I don’t give a shit whether you need money or not. You do the job, you get paid or compensated.” Cam stepped closer and tugged the clipboard out of Rush’s hand. “Take the week off,” he snapped in what Rush figured was his do-as-you’re-told voice, one Rush hadn’t heard from the man until now.
With a grin, he saluted. “Yes, boss.”
Cam returned his smile with a muttered, “Smartass.”
Rush believed once things settled—if they were both still here—Cam would be someone he’d not only call boss, but friend. They’d already forged a connection and he was actually looking forward to working with someone he respected and trusted. It would be a complete turnaround after the last few years.
“Your next shift is Saturday night.”
“What about tonight?” Rush frowned. “I’ve got six ’til close.”
“Not anymore. Desi has it covered.”
“Oh. Okay. It looks like you have every protest countered.”
“I do. Get out of here. Go have some fun and make sure I don’t see your face in here before next weekend,” Cam said over his shoulder as he walked into the storeroom at the back of the bar.
Fun? The last time he’d had fun, he wasn’t alone.
Rush’s mind ticked over. Six days.
How long would it take to drive to Baltimore? Eight hours?
He glanced at his watch. Eight fifteen. He could be on Reena’s doorstep by tonight if he got on the road now. They’d have a week together.
Fuck.
When had he decided to chase after her?
For seven days, the only thoughts in his head regarding Sabreena Howe were memories. Regrets. And now he was thinking about hitting the road and driving hours to see her?
To do what, exactly?
Chapter One
Reena’s feet barely lifted off the floor as she made her way to the far booth in Pat’s Pub. Her feet hurt. Her legs hurt. Her arms hurt. Sinking into the seat, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes with a relieved sigh.
God. Even her damn eyelashes hurt.
“Wow. For someone who recently returned from a two-week vacation, you’re looking pretty trashed.”
Reena forced one eye open and saw Caitlyn Wallace slide into the other side of the booth. Stretching her lips into a semblance of a smile, Reena hummed. “Hmm…long day.”
“Busy next door?” Caitlyn asked, glancing at the archway Reena had shuffled through.
“Next door” referred to Sunday’s Side, the restaurant half of Caitlyn’s family business. The place Reena had worked since she was old enough to have a job. A little before that, if you counted the hours she’d hung out while Caitlyn babysat her when Reena had first come to live with her great-aunt Beth in Baltimore.
“Yeah, and we were down a waitress after Felicity took a tumble and rolled her ankle.”
Not that Reena’s tired state was due to being on her feet carrying trays stacked with food, drinks or dirty dishes for hours on end. But she wasn’t about to explain her exhaustion stemmed from seven nights of little sleep. The bliss of slumber had proven elusive since her returned from the lodge.
“So. How was the trip?” Caitlyn leaned forward, eagerness lighting up her pretty face. “Meet any hunky guys?”
Spine snapping straight, eyes popping wide, Reena stared at her friend and tripped over her own tongue. “W-why do you ask that?”
Caitlyn cocked an eyebrow.
Dammit. She’d given herself away.
She wanted to bang her head on the seat behind her or the table in front, but knew the action would be futile. Knocking herself senseless wouldn’t deter her friend. Caitlyn would only sit there and wait until she spilled the beans. She’d been doing that since Reena was eight with a high level of success. Why change things now?
With a sigh, Reena flopped back against the seat. “Fine. I met a guy.”
“Do tell,” Caitlyn purred. “I want all the juicy details.”
“Nothing to tell.” There might have been, but…
Well, Reena wasn’t sure why she’d stopped Rush. Or why he hadn’t kicked her out of his bed when she’d called a halt to their encounter.
“No juicy details,” she muttered with self-disgust.
Caitlyn eyed her with curiosity. “Does this guy have a name?”
“Rush.”
“What?” Caitlyn blinked, a baffled expression creasing her brow.
Reena smiled. She’d had a similar reaction when Rush had introduced himself. At first she’d thought it was a nickname, but he’d promptly produced his driver’s license as proof. “His name is Rush Whelan.”
“Unusual name.”
“Apparently he was born in half an hour, well before his expected arrival date so his mother called him Rush because he was obviously in one.” She shrugged.
It seemed stupid to name a kid that way, but as the days had gone on and she’d gotten to know Rush better, the name fit. Everything about him was a rush. From the way he looked to the way he moved to the way he made her feel. Then again, he’d taken his time in other ways…
“Did you at least kiss him?” Caitlyn asked. “Please tell me you at least got some tongue action.”
Reena laughed. “Yes. There was tongue.”
Her friend frowned. “But you didn’t do more.” It wasn’t a question.
She shook her head and once again gave herself a mental kick in the ass.
The orgasm he’d given her before she’d freaked out counted as more, but she wasn’t going to mention that mind-blowing event because then she’d have to explain her behavior, and she really didn’t want to. Not even to the woman who knew every other detail of her nonexistent sex life.
God. Why had she stopped him?
Caitlyn scrutinized her for a few moments before her frown turned to understanding. “And now you’re regretting not taking things further.”
“Yes,” she sighed. She’d regretted it the second they put their clothes back on, and hadn’t known how to get them back to the place where they would take them off again.
She’d been so stupid, letting her fear stop her from giving herself to Rush. A fool. T
here hadn’t been any man in her twenty-five years who’d inspired such powerful desire. She’d messed around some but never gotten around to going all the way, and now she feared her best chance had passed her by.
“I…” She swallowed with difficulty as words jammed in her throat.
Caitlyn reached for her hand. “It’s okay. It wasn’t the right time or the right guy.”
Reena could only agree on one of those points. “It was the right guy,” she whispered.
“Oh, Reena.”
Caitlyn slipped out of her side of the booth and squished in next to Reena, wrapping her up in a warm hug, one that brought back memories of childhood and how this woman had become such an important part of her life. The big sister and confidant she’d never had prior to arriving in Baltimore.
“Any chance you’ll see him again?” she asked.
A sound that could have been a laugh burst from Reena’s throat as she broke her friend’s embrace in spite of the overwhelming appeal of staying cocooned in Caitlyn’s comforting hug. “Not unless I take another vacation.”
“What’s stopping you?”
“I… It…”
What was stopping her? It wasn’t as though she had a job where she was really needed. Finding someone to cover her shifts wouldn’t be difficult. More often than not, she was at Sunday’s taking orders and delivering food because she couldn’t stand to be inside her empty house. Alone. She was pretty sure the Collinses put up with her because they didn’t seem to be able to say no to strays.
In the years since she’d met them, the Collins family had treated her like one of their own, welcomed her into their fold with open arms. Except she always felt as though she circled the group rather than mingling among the big, boisterous clan.
“Sabreena. Don’t take this the wrong way.”
Uh-oh, the use of her full name meant Caitlyn was going to get in her face about her aimless life again.
“You’re treading water. Something needs to change. I thought your trip might shake things up.”
“It was a holiday, a chance to visit a part of the country I’ve always wanted to see, not a journey to find myself or change my life.” Her words rang hollow though. Something had changed.
