by Cali MacKay
There was a knock at the door, and she half hoped Conall had come back to keep her company, despite the fact that she’d been the one to send him away. Of course she couldn’t possibly be that lucky. She let out a sigh when she pulled up the view of the security camera and found Andrew at her door. It’d be easy enough to ignore him since the windows were tinted and he couldn’t see in, except for the small fact that he’d seen her go in and would know she was ignoring him.
Damn. She opened the door and managed a smile. “Hey.”
“Saw Conall leave and wanted to make sure you were all set with the alarm. Anything I can do to help?” He shifted his weight and looked up at her while she stood on the steps of the bus, his brown eyes nearly black in the dim of dusk.
Maggie shrugged. “I’m not quite sure what happened. Probably a power surge that managed to short out the entire system. It’s unusual but not completely out of the question, I suppose.”
“You’ve got my number if you need it, right?” Indeed, she had numbers to almost everyone working the job. He gave her a crooked smile. “And don’t worry-I won’t ask you out again for a drink. I get that you’re not interested.”
“Andrew…” She felt guilty.
He looked down at his feet before glancing up at her out of the corner of his eye. “You’re with Conall, right? I get it. Not like I haven’t had girls turn me down before-though they’re not usually as pretty as you.”
More guilt. “Look…I don’t know what to tell ye. I don’t want things to be awkward when we’re stuck working together for the next few months. And yes-I’m with Conall.”
“I know-and I promise not to be a pain again. It’s just that I’ve sort of been on my own up here. My boss doesn’t say much, and the crew we’ve hired is fairly local, so they head home. Really…I didn’t mean to go bugging you, and I can’t apologize enough for grabbing your arm. I’m mortified.” With his eyes on the ground, he shook his head, his shoulders slumped. “I’ve just been lonely.”
All she wanted was for him to go, yet she now found herself feeling sorry for the guy. She let out a weary sigh, hoping she wouldn’t regret being friendly. “I just poured myself a pint. Could scavenge another glass if ye’re interested-though it’s nothing more than just a drink between colleagues.”
His smile widened, his eyebrows flicking up for a second. “Never been one to turn down a drink-especially when it’s between colleagues.”
Stepping to the side to let him pass, his body brushed against hers in the confines of the tight space. She locked the door and secured the systems before following Andrew into the main galley. “I’ve got Guinness, Boddington’s, hard cider, and Jameson.”
“Boddington’s, if you don’t mind.” He looked around and let out a whistle. “Bloody hell, this is a lot of equipment.”
“Yeah. Goes with the job.” She reached over and flicked off the monitors before grabbing him his beer. “Here ye go.”
“It’s a pretty nice setup, though. Better than some of the places I’ve been forced to sleep in when on a job.” He leaned against the bank of seats, his long legs crossed out in front of him. “Iain’s been nice enough to set us up in one of the cottages not far from here. Share the space with a few of the other guys on the nights they stick around-which has its moments.”
She had to laugh. She knew exactly what it was like to live in a house full of men. “Which is probably why you keep trying to escape to the pub.”
“Well, you’re certainly better company and a hell of a lot better-looking than that lot, so I hope you don’t blame me for my enthusiasm.” He cracked open the top of his beer and poured it into the pint glass, though his gaze hadn’t wandered much from her face. “I’m sure you know how lonely it can get when on a job away from home.”
“Yeah…” Wasn’t she suffering from the same fate? She sat down across from him.
And just like that, her thoughts went to Conall, desperate to have him back.
Chapter Eight
With his eyes racing over the lines of code, Conall wondered if he’d find what caused the power surge at Maggie’s beast of a bus. It hadn’t taken him long to regret leaving her on her own, and he was now desperately looking for a distraction. If not, there was a good chance he’d find himself racing back to her side to try to convince her he’d be worthy company for the night.
There was nothing in the code, which meant it was outside interference, either a normally occurring surge that somehow managed to overpower the system or a device used to temporarily fry the connection. He should tell her. She’d want to know. Not that it couldn’t wait until morning. But if it was the latter and someone tripped the alarm, then she needed to be aware of it.
And it had nothing to do with the fact that he couldn’t stop thinking of her. Damn it. How could he not after kissing her, touching her, seeing her half-naked? Hell, he wouldn’t be a guy if he didn’t still want her. The mere of thought of her had him going hard again. It was enough to have him grabbing his keys and heading out the door to see if they could pick up where they’d left off.
There wasn’t a moment’s hesitation, his focus complete on the only thing that mattered in that moment. Maggie. It didn’t matter that she might think him crazy. Or that he didn’t want anything serious. Nor did he care that she might turn him away yet again. He just had to see her. Had to feel her lush lips on his, her curves against his body, the weight of her breast in his palm, the warmth of her in his lap.
Occupied as he was with his thoughts, the drive was at once a blur while also lasting an eternity, taking him far too long to reach his destination. All he wanted was to be by her side. He thought of how he’d pull her into his arms the moment he got there. Kiss her. Hold her. Thought of how her breath would catch when he ran his hands down her back and nuzzled her, his stubble grazing the smooth skin of her neck as he nipped his way down the slope of her shoulder.
He pulled up to the church and threw the car in park, a glow seeping out through the windshield of the bus and into the dark of night. He took a deep breath and a moment to calm himself before heading to her door and knocking. It took longer than he’d expected for her to answer, but knew she’d likely be checking her security monitors and overriding the systems before letting him in.
The door opened, leaving her silhouetted in light. “Conall…what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, lass.” He climbed the few steps between them, and wrapped an arm around her waist, covering her mouth with his, taking, tasting. Her eyes went wide, not having expected it, her body stiff, but only for a moment before going supple under his touch, though she still tried to hold him at bay, her hands on his chest.
And then he knew why. “Maggie, is everything all right?”
Conall pulled away, anger and jealousy balling up in his gut as he spotted Andrew. His hands curled into tight fists, his chest so tight he could barely breathe. It was like his past coming back to haunt him, his scars torn open. He turned a hard gaze on Maggie. “Ye want to tell me what’s going on here, Maggie?”
“Not particularly-though I can tell ye, it’s not what ye think.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest.
“The lady’s allowed to choose the company she wants to keep.” Andrew’s smug smile had Conall moving forward to pummel the bastard, though Maggie held Conall back with a firm hand to his chest and another wrapped tightly around his arm.
She glanced over her shoulder. “Andrew, I think it’s best ye go.”
Conall headed down the few steps and back into the open so Andrew could pass, though Maggie kept a hold of his arm as if to keep him from lunging at Andrew.
What the hell had he been thinking to fall for her? Because that was exactly what had happened. Like a fool, he’d let her into his life when he knew better than to let his guard down.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, love.” The way Andrew’s gaze lingered on her had Conall’s fists clenching tight again.
“Just go, Andrew-and it’s Maggie to you.” Maggie threw
him a baleful glare, and then once it was just the two of them, she took Conall’s hand and led him back onto the bus. “Come on.”
Although Conall was still furious, in part with himself for being stupid enough to let her into his life, he followed behind her. She put a glass of beer in the sink-probably Andrew’s-and then turned with a sigh, leaning against the counter, her arms crossed in front of her chest once more. “Ye know I can do as I please at this point in our relationship. Until we establish some sort of commitment level, I’m a free agent.”
He wanted to groan. Of course she was right. So why was it the woman made him crazy? “I know that.”
“That said, nothing was going on with Andrew. He showed up and sort of finagled his way in for a drink.”
“No offense, lass, but ye don’t exactly seem the sort to let anyone finagle anything unless ye want them to.” The heat in his gut-his anger, jealousy, frustration and the pent-up passion that had him driving to her in the first place-left him wanting to take her then and there, to claim her as his own.
“He guilted me into being hospitable-which is the same reason I haven’t tossed ye out of here on yer arse for pulling this attitude with me. I like ye, Conall. A lot. Hell…” She shook her head. “Probably more than is wise. But I’ll not suffer through your alpha male shite. I’m not yours, Conall.”
His jaw was set tight, his body tense. “Not yet, anyway.” He all but growled at the thought of her with another.
She started to say something, but he was having none of it. He now had one goal in mind, and one goal only. With an arm around her waist, he silenced her words with a hard kiss, his mouth bullying hers, her resistance fleeting as she now returned his passions. She was yanking off his jacket as his hands slipped onto the warm skin of her waist, pulling her shirt up and over her head, their kisses stopping no longer than necessary. A flick of the clasp and her bra soon found its way to the floor, with his shirt adding to the pile.
By the gods, he’d never wanted anyone more and she left his head dizzy and heart yearning. All logic, all thought, all caution melted in her touch, her kiss, the feel of her body yielding to him. She was all that mattered, all he needed-and he’d be damned if he was going to share her with another.
He spun her around to face the counter, and pressed himself against her from behind, as one hand fisted her hair and pulled her head back so he could feast on the soft curve of her neck, while his other hand cupped her perfect breast. A whimper of need escaped her lips as he toyed with her hard nipples and she ground her hips against his hard length, his heart thrashing against his ribs.
“Bed.” It was all he could manage to get out, reduced to a monosyllabic vocabulary by his need for her. He’d take her against the counter if they waited any longer.
She spun in his arms, their kisses deepening as she moved them towards the back of the bus and through a narrow doorway, a bed just beyond. The way she looked at him, her eyes alight as she bit her lip and the way her hair cascaded over naked breasts, had his erection growing up past the edge of his jeans. Nearly all self-control was lost when she freed him, her hand running over the taut skin, making it pulse under her touch. With her help, he rid himself of his jeans and then yanked hers off, taking her black lace panties with them.
Bloody hell, she was beautiful. And just like that, he felt his heart slip another notch down that slippery slope of no return. Not that he cared. At that very moment, he’d give her anything she wanted-including his heart.
Taking a moment to steady himself, he brushed the hair from her eyes, his touch lingering before leaning in to kiss her. “Ye’re mine, Maggie. If we’re to do this, there’s to be no other. Are we clear? I’ll not share ye. Not with Andrew. Not with anyone.”
She laughed and kissed him again. “Aye, love. I’m yours and no other’s.”
***
How Conall managed to get anything done over the next few days was beyond him. He’d been working right alongside Maggie, each of them doing their thing and collaborating when need be. They’d then spend the evening in each other’s company, and their nights tangled in each other’s arms.
He looked over at her as she tinkered with one of her contraptions, and thought her the most seductive and intelligent creature he’d ever seen. She was unlike any other woman he’d dated-and certainly nothing like Janet who’d broken his heart repeatedly and made him swear off any and all serious relationships. Yet being with Maggie was enough to have him rethinking his stance, suddenly willing to risk heartache if it meant he could be with her.
It surprised him that he could fall for her so hard and fast. And even more surprising was that he was willing to put his heart on the line. How could he hold back when she gave him everything she had? The girl did nothing in half-measures. Not with her work, and not with her affections. Better yet, with them openly pursuing a relationship, Andrew was finally keeping his distance.
Conall wasn’t normally the jealous sort but Maggie brought out something fierce and primal in him-not to mention his protective side. And it wasn’t that he didn’t trust her-he did-but he sure as hell didn’t trust Andrew. The man irked him like few others, especially when he’d been so intent on pursuing her.
With his laptop and equipment slung over his shoulder, he headed out to his car, where it was parked next to Maggie’s bus. He tossed the stuff in the back seat while thinking of their plans for the evening when he spotted her walking towards him. She looked around as if to make sure they were alone, and then leapt into his arms as he spun her around to absorb her momentum, her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his neck.
“Where are you sneaking off to?” Maggie’s smile slipped towards the mischievous, her eyes bright with humor. His body’s reaction to having her in his arms was instantaneous, and it took all he had to not press her against the hood of his car and set off his car alarm. “You must know I have plans for ye. All day long, you’ve looked far too enticing.”
“Enticing, eh?” He had to laugh. She lowered her legs to the ground, though she’d yet to step out of his arms. “Ye’re the only one who could think I’m enticing when I’ve done nothing more than sit in front of a computer screen all day.”
“And ye’re damn lucky I do, Mr. Stewart. This way we can skip right to the fun stuff, and ye need not woo me.” She flicked her eyebrows up and gave him a seductive look over her shoulder as she wandered to her bus. “Are ye not coming then? It’s not nice to keep a lady waiting.”
“Maggie…” He grabbed her hand to stop her from going any further. It was an idea he’d been toying with but had dismissed it as too soon. Yet now it felt like perfect timing. “Since it’s Friday, and we have the weekend ahead of us, I thought we might go away for a day or two. What do ye say? Rowan and Angus agreed to take Piper.”
Her eyes widened in surprise, a crooked smile tugging at her lips as she wandered back into his embrace. With her arms slipping around his neck, she trailed kisses across his jawline to his ear, her words spoken between nips, which had him going even harder. “What did ye have in mind, lover?”
Lover…that word left him dizzy. “London, Edinburgh, Paris…wherever ye’d like to go.” It didn’t matter where they ended up, as long as he could get her naked.
“Dublin. I want to show ye around my ole stomping ground. And I want to check in with me parents. I’ve been gone a while. Ye don’t mind, do ye? We wouldn’t stay with them, or anything that extreme.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him-kissed him until he’d agree to anything she wanted. “Please? I promise I’ll more than make it up to ye.”
“Aye, love. Whate’er makes ye happy.”
Bloody hell. He was going to be meeting her parents. Not exactly what he’d had in mind-and yet he didn’t care, nor did he mind, as long as she was in his arms.
She went on her tippy toes and bit his lip. “You do. You make me happy-like no one else ever has.”
***
They’d landed and booked a room in the cent
er of Dublin, but before they’d even had the chance to unpack, she’d rented a motorbike and had them on their way to Blackrock. He’d held onto her for dear life as she sped through traffic, leaving him to wonder how she’d managed to live this long. By the time they got to her parents’ house, his legs were wobbly as custard on a hot day-though he couldn’t blame the ride entirely.
It didn’t matter that this was a simple visit to see her parents because she happened to be in town. Meeting the parents always increased the seriousness of a relationship. It was a big step, and one he’d only done once before. To do this now with Maggie…it left his stomach in knots.
“Are ye sure it’s a good idea to surprise yer family? With me in tow? I’m sure they’d rather have ye all to themselves.” Conall seldom cared what anyone thought of him, but this was different. This was Maggie’s family. And he couldn’t imagine they’d be happy about their only daughter shacking up with someone she’d known barely a month, even if they’d be sharing a hotel room for no more than the weekend. “Ye’re their wee lass and ye have a gaggle of brothers.”
“You’re worrying too much. They’ll like ye just fine.” She took his hand and pulled him towards the door, walking backwards.
“Ye forget I’ve got a sister of my own, and I can tell ye now, yer brothers and father are not going to be happy.” He was doomed. But one look from Maggie and he knew he’d do just about anything for her. The feelings she elicited in him had gone far beyond the physical. And though that scared him to no end, he couldn’t imagine it being any other way.
“Liam’s the worst of them, and he’s away on that job. Ye have nothing to worry about.” She leaned over and gave him a peck before ringing the doorbell. “And I promise to make it up to ye once we’re back at the hotel.”
