by Joan Bramsch
She shook her head. “No, I'm not sorry.” She prayed to find the right words to dilute his sudden anger. “It's just that things are moving so quickly ... too quickly."
"What's really bothering you, Casey?"
She met his penetrating dark eyes, blinking rapidly to hold back the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. “This is my home, Shawn. I have a reputation to uphold among my family and friends,” she said. “Later, when you're gone, I'll still have to live here."
"Are you nuts?” He gave her shoulders a little shake, then his features softened, as did his voice. “Don't you realize that we experienced something very special together last night? Don't you know we have to explore our friendship to find where it will lead, honey?"
She shrugged, unable to answer.
"Well, we do, and we are!” He spoke firmly, ending the discussion. “Now, are you going to work with me this afternoon or not? I have a mountain of paperwork to wade through and I could use another set of willing hands."
She longed to know Shawn better, to begin to understand what made this man tick. “I'll help."
It was decided she'd come to his hotel in an hour, after she showered and changed.
"Unless you want to do that at my place,” Shawn teased. She flatly refused. He smoothed the pad of his thumb across her full lower lip. “Then don't be late, honey,” he ordered softly.
Casey drove away, ignoring the happy salute from her beaming sister.
* * * *
After she showered and dressed, Casey went back downstairs to the kitchen where she found Mike energetically whipping several eggs for one of his famous omelets.
"Hey, Sis,” he greeted her. “That was some game, wasn't it?"
"Sure was.” Preoccupied, she poured herself a cup of coffee. Turning from the counter, she froze when her gaze fell upon the antique hairpins lying on the table.
Glancing up at the same moment, Mike answered her unspoken question. “Shawn asked me to return those to you, Casey. He remembered he left them in his jacket pocket so he gave them to me at the park.” He watched as she walked slowly to the table and picked up the silvery ornaments as if they'd suddenly dropped from the sky. “He asked me to tell you that this made two now.” A quizzical expression crossed his face. “Two what, Sis?"
Shawn's message was clear; two people now knew his whereabouts last night. Her shoulders sagged in defeat. “It's an inside joke, Mike."
Hoping to raise her spirits, Mike teased her. “He spent the night here with you, didn't he?” He was unprepared for her reaction to his words. Casey's face crumbled. She began to cry softly so he took her into his arms and she buried her face against his chest.
"Yes, Mike. We spent the night together ... here."
Her tears bewildered him. “Didn't you enjoy yourself?"
She laughed brokenly. “Oh, I enjoyed myself all right, little brother. But I've set one hell of an example for you,” she added, revealing the real reason for her unhappiness.
"Are you nuts?” he croaked, holding her at arm's length.
Casey realized this was the second time in less than an hour that someone had questioned her sanity.
"Open your eyes, Casey. Look at me. I'm a grown man now. I am not some sniffling little twelve-year old that you have to protect.” He swore under his breath, making a decision. “Do you honestly think Tina and I are still at the hand-holding stage of our courtship?"
Embarrassed, Casey answered in a small voice. “I guess you aren't."
"You're damn right we aren't!” he exploded. He had to make his point. “And it's about time you realized you don't have to be my surrogate mother any longer.” His voice softened and he hugged her again. “It's time you found a lasting relationship of your own, Casey."
"Perhaps you're right, Mike.” She scrubbed her knuckles against her tear-stained cheeks. “But it's been such a long time."
He had to rile her, he realized. “What you really need is a refresher course in covering your trail."
He chuckled when she jerked her head up. She knew she'd scooped up her clothes before she made the mad dash for her room this morning.
As if reading her mind, he laughed outright when he released her and went back to beating his eggs. “Maybe your little brother can give you a few lessons on the art."
The life came back into her and she flushed when she bridled at his blunt accusation. “Like what?"
He turned and gave her a long look. “Well, let's see now.” He drew out her agitation with a measuring eye. Then he gave it to her with both barrels! “I just made a little trip into the living room—scene of the crime,” he emphasized, motioning against her outraged attempt at denial. “The sofa cushions need to be smoothed. The snifters and bottle of brandy belong out here."
A finger snapped straight with each itemized transgression. “And what's happened to the afghan that goes over the back of the couch?” He grinned when he saw Casey's unconscious upward eye movement toward her room. “And last of all, a lady never leaves behind the two most telling pieces of evidence that show she's spent an enjoyable evening with her man."
At her absolutely dumb-founded expression, he winked broadly. “Your silver shoes and your diamond earrings are still scattered across the coffee table, big sister. Put them away!” he ordered, giving her backside a swat when she scooted passed him. “And don't let it happen again!” His threat sounded like that of a firm father on the verge of grounding his wayward daughter.
"I won't,” she promised from the living room as she quickly plumped the cushions. “I don't know why I thought you needed protecting, Michael, me boy-oh. You're all grown up ... and you're great!"
"I'm only what you deserve, Sis,” he countered happily. “You're pretty wonderful yourself!
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Chapter 7
Casey was half an hour late when she knocked on the hotel room door. Instantly it was flung open and Shawn, a pale look on his clean-shaven face, stood in the doorway. He glanced at her rust colored suede jacket. The color highlighted her auburn hair. It was an incongruous thought, he realized vaguely, considering how relieved he was that she'd come at all.
His attire was much less formal. He was clad only in tight-fitting faded jeans that accentuated the strength and shape of his strong legs. His broad chest was bare as were his feet, and his dark hair lay in damp curls from a recent shower. At the sight of him Casey was frozen to the spot, her lungs felt devoid of life-giving air.
"You're late.” He continued to search her face for something. Casey didn't know what.
"Sorry. There were extenuating circumstances beyond my control,” she said, trying to lighten the mood.
He stepped aside, inviting her into a spacious living room that was doubling as his office. In a sweeping glance, Casey saw that this was a suite and she breathed more freely because she hadn't walked into his bedroom.
"When I called your home a moment ago, Mike told me you were on your way.” He stood directly in front of her when he reached over her shoulder to swing the door shut.
She heard the restrained click of the latch, then a frown creased her forehead when she thought about his authoritarian tactics.
"I was afraid you might decide not to come ... after I sent your hair ornaments home with him."
"It was a high-handed thing to do, Shawn.” She was unable to stop herself from giving him a piece of her mind. “You may as well have taken out a full-page ad in the Sunday Post!” she fumed. “You know how I feel about this. Special or not, we hardly know one another and you're just moving too fast for me."
He made no reply. Instead he took her by the hand and led her unwillingly to the brocade couch where he pulled her onto his lap and held her in his arms. Slowly, she calmed down.
"Better now?” At her nod of acceptance he went on. “I want to discuss last night with you.” He put a quieting finger to her lips when she tried to speak. “Would you have liked it better if we'd waited a month before we made lo
ve together?"
Silently she believed that she should never have let it happen, yet she only nodded again, determined not to interrupt his words.
"But we might not have a month, Casey, had you thought of that?” Her puzzled look fraught with the pain that he cared nothing for her feelings prompted him to continue. “Look what happened to my parents? They had so little time together ... and then they were gone. Yesterday is past and tomorrow isn't here. We only have today, honey."
He eased her against him and her hands automatically rose to stroke his bare chest. “I've been on the run since I was a kid. Working my way through school and then hustling from one job to the next, always learning, always pushing. And now I almost have what I want, a thriving business run by trusted friends who've stood by me through it all. I'm finally to the point where I can begin to pay back all the people who've helped me along the way. I move fast, honey ... but one day at a time."
He cradled her more closely in his arms, murmuring against her long fragrant hair. “I'm sorry if I dented your sense of propriety but I wanted to make love to you last night, and I couldn't wait because I care very much for you. I needed to show you."
He lifted his head. “Kathryn Celestine, look at me,” he whispered, nudging her chin so their eyes were locked in understanding. His face softened with a tender smile. “Now ... you tell me that you didn't feel exactly the same."
The answer was written in her smoky green eyes “God help me, I can't."
"Oh, sweet baby, you don't know how much I needed to hear that answer.” He took a great gulp of air as if he'd just begun to breathe again. Then he brought her warm body back into his arms and kissed her like there was no yesterday or, indeed, no tomorrow.
Casey was shaken by the power of his lips as they sealed the discussion. Her body molded itself to his nude chest reveling in the feel of his muscles, showing that she was becoming aroused. She blinked in surprise when he gently extricated himself and swung her legs from his lap so he could stand.
"Come on, Tiger,” he said, shuddering, trying to clear his mind. “We've got a lot of work to do."
"Oh, Shawn,” she protested, pouting in frustration. “You have the darndest set of priorities."
In answer, he leaned over from the waist and planted a wet noisy kiss on the tip of her nose. “That's some accusation coming from a confirmed workaholic like you!"
She had just paid Shawn the ultimate compliment though she didn't know it. Before he'd come to town, his lawyers and accountants had done a thorough job of investigating her company. Their reports had revealed the monumental job she'd done to pull McDermott's through the tight spots. Actually it had taken super-human effort. Quite honestly, he hadn't been sure he would have been able to do it.
He sighed longingly. What wondrous business opportunities might they be able to accomplish ... together? he asked himself. If he had anything to say about it, they'd soon find out!
He kissed her again. “First, we work, and then we play,” he lectured, raising his dark brow to give his features a lecherous expression that sent Casey into gales of unsuppressed laughter.
Shawn called room service to order a large brunch. After they ate, they set to the tasks at hand, finding that they did in fact work well together. “Almost as good as we make love,” he teased, dodging an eraser Casey sent through the air.
While Shawn quietly taped his responses to pressing correspondence, Casey was kept busy making calls around the country, getting bids on raw materials or parts. She was amazed that he had access to phone numbers where there were actually live knowledgeable people answering on a Saturday afternoon rather than a “call-back-Monday” recording. When she'd completed all the calls, she turned the neatly printed sheets of bids over to Shawn.
He stopped to scan the figures. “Great work, honey. Now will you formulate a proposal outlining a plan to incorporate all energy conservation technology into one consumer package?"
She was overwhelmed with his request. “Shawn, I don't think I can do it justice."
"What are you saying, Casey?” he asked firmly. “I thought we had a partnership. I need your help with this.” He smiled in his special way that she couldn't deny melted her resistance. “I know you can do it, honey."
"I'll give it my best shot,” she promised, settling herself on the floor beside the low coffee table.
Shawn sat on the sofa near her and began reading a stack of reports. An hour went by, and then another. Casey finally had to stop to stretch her stiff legs. She looked up to find that Shawn had reclined more and more on the couch until he was fast asleep, his rhythmic breathing raising and lowering the scattered sheets of paper which had been released from relaxed fingers.
She hadn't the heart to wake him; he looked too peaceful and somehow vulnerable there. A sudden emotion brought tears to her eyes. She didn't dare question if it was a maternal one or something quite different. Instead she walked quietly to the closet and took down a spare blanket that she carefully spread over his sleeping form. Then she gathered her things and went home.
* * * *
The phone was ringing off the hook when Casey stepped from her bath. She grabbed a towel and made a mad dash down the stairs to pick up the receiver. After a breathless hello, her ear was almost deafened.
"Where the hell did you go?” bellowed an exasperated Shawn.
Smiling at the silly question that really didn't deserve an answer, she took pity on him. “It's obvious. I'm at home. You just called me, remember?"
"You know what I mean!” he shot back, his voice still thick with sleep. “Why did you leave me, Casey?"
"Calm down, Shawn,” she soothed. “I finished a tentative outline for your proposal and since I didn't want to go on without your okay, I came back home. You were sleeping so beautifully,” she added. “I just couldn't wake you."
"I'm sorry about that,” he apologized gruffly. “But that damn couch got softer and softer with every page I read. I didn't want you to leave, honey. We could have taken a nap together,” he tempted in a soft voice
"Who are you trying to kid, fella?” she teased back.
"Were you upstairs when I called? I must have let the phone ring a dozen times. Why don't you carry your cell all the time? And why don't you have an upstairs phone anyway?"
"I do carry it all the time and, yes, I will by this evening,” she answered. “Mike is going to put jacks into both our bedrooms and the study. We've been meaning to do it for ages."
"Were you taking a nap, too?"
"No, as a matter of fact, I just got out of the tub,” she replied, “which is why I didn't feel my cell signal. Now I'm standing here, making a big puddle on my hardwood floor so I'd better hang up and talk to you later."
"You mean to say you're standing there in your birthday suit? At this very moment?” he yelled in sudden comprehension. “My God! Don't tell me that. I can't stand it."
She laughed musically at his pain-filled voice. “You've got a very naughty imagination, Mr. O'Brien,” she reprimanded. “Besides, I doubt I'm very attractive since I'm one big goose bump.” At her words, inconsolate moans came over the line to her ear.
"You mean you're not even covered?” he croaked, his aroused mind obviously working overtime.
"I did want to get to the phone,” she answered sweetly. “Just in case you'd gotten up from your nap. But I really have to hang up now, Shawn. I'll call you when I'm dressed, okay?"
"Wait, honey!” he pleaded. “I called to ask if you'd have dinner with me tonight. Will you?"
"Fast-food or fancy,” she asked in a businesslike tone.
"We've done the fast-food bit. Tonight, it's fancy."
"When?"
"An hour?” he suggested, hopefully.
"It's a date, Mr. O'Brien,” she confirmed, throwing him a sizzling kiss across the line and gently hanging up on his rumbling growl.
* * * *
"You look very beautiful tonight, Ms. McDermott."
Casey and Shawn were sea
ted at an intimate table for two in the dimly lit hotel restaurant. She'd chosen a figure revealing oriental design made from China silk in a deep rich shade of purple. Her hair was piled high on her head in a carefree style to contrast with the high-collared mandarin costume.
"Not many redheads can wear purple,” he ventured, “but that dress was made for you."
She smiled. Her eyes reflected the warm candle glow. “May I say you look very handsome too, Mr. O'Brien?"
His black suit enhanced his dark neatly combed curly hair and his crisp white shirt contrasted magnificently with his virile tanned skin. The paisley silk tie was the final touch.
Their mutual admiration society was interrupted by the arrival of the waiter who took their order for dinner. After he returned with their aperitifs, he left as quietly as he'd come. Silently the pair toasted one another and spoke with their eyes as they sipped from their glasses.
"Tell me about Hawaii,” Casey asked. She had a dreamy look in her sparkling emerald eyes. “I've always wanted to visit the Islands."
"It would take a lifetime to tell you everything I love about my home,” he began, smiling at her expression, knowing he recognized a would-be tourist. “But let me see if I can give you a little taste of Hawaii's personality.
"My State is really a group of over a hundred islands. Of course, you know most people only think about the five main ones. The Big Island, Hawaii, is where I was born and raised,” he went on. “It's also the youngest of the chain and the only one with active volcanoes.” He raised a dark brow suggestively. “You know about volcanoes, they're very hot and erupt when least expected."
"More!” she murmured. She watched his other brow join the first in sensual surprise. “About Hawaii,” she corrected demurely. He groaned and made her laugh.
"Each island has different terrain. From the white sand of Waikiki on Oahu to the black volcanic beaches of Hawaii, there lies a variety of scenery. Some mountains have snow—plenty for skiing. Others are cloud-shrouded verdant peaks where it rains hundreds of inches each year giving us sparkling clear waterfalls and streams. We have the high lands of ranch country contrasting with miles upon miles of rolling pineapple and sugar cane fields."
