“What?”
“Sit down.”
“On the stairs?”
“Yes, on the stairs. Do we need another lesson on how to follow instructions? Sit your ass down, right here.”
Olivia does as she’s told, her eyes immediately connecting to his, awaiting his next command. Ethan kneels on the step below her and grasps her ankles, spreading them apart. He growls, as his hands caress along the stockings from her ankles to her thighs. He lifts her dress, and leans forward, brushing his cheek along the silky material to the lace band at the top of them. Feeling a little self-conscious of their surrounding, Olivia tries to close her legs. His hands grip her knees, holding them apart.
“Ethan,” she pleads. “Somebody might see us.”
“I really don’t care right now,” he declares, as he spreads her wider and moves in between her knees.
Olivia’s heart pounds so fast that she can hardly think. Her surroundings fade away as desire becomes stronger than her fear of being caught. As he leans forward, she adjusts her position and lifts her dress higher. Ethan slides his finger under the small patch of material that she calls panties, and lifts it to the side. The rough growth of late evening stubble brushes across her thigh. Olivia leans her head back and closes her eyes, letting out a small moan in anticipation. The warmth of his breath is followed by the teasing tip of his tongue. He grips the soft flesh of her thighs, squeezing tightly as he begins to explore her with his mouth. The thin fabric becomes a nuisance and he grabs it, giving it a robust tug and snapping the thin strings with ease. Tossing it aside, he returns to his teasing.
“Slow… go slow,” she begs.
“Is everything okay, dear?” An elderly voice echoes from above. Olivia’s eyes open wide with panic. Mortified that they’ve been caught, she pulls her dress over his head, hiding him beneath it. Ethan chuckles; amused at her reaction. He doesn’t show her any mercy. Determined not to let anything stop him from having what’s his, he continues licking, nibbling, and sucking.
“Yes, Mrs. Malloy. Everything is fine.” Olivia closes her eyes in shame, willing her to go away.
The elderly neighbor stands on the landing above them. “I heard a noise.”
Ethan slides his hands underneath her and holds her ass firmly in the palm of his hands. When she panics and tries to get up, he uses the leverage to press her firmly against his face.
Flustered, she stops fighting him. It’s useless, she knows her man and he’s not going to stop. His tireless attention causes her vagina to twitch, making it even harder to fight the desire building inside her. “It’s only me, Mrs. Malloy. You can go back to your apartment now,” Olivia encourages.
“Is that Ethan?” she asks curiously, peeking over the handrail at a pair of dress shoes, mysteriously protruding from her dress.
He draws from her, a sharp intake of breath as his lips surrounds her swollen clit and he nibbles, hungrily at it.
“Ohhh Yes! Err… I mean, yes it’s Ethan,” she says embarrassed. Ethan finds a way to free his arm from under her dress and waves. “What are you doing, Ireland?” she squeaks, rattled at his brash gesture. “Go on to bed now, Mrs. Malloy,” Olivia begs. “It’s getting late.”
She gasps as he pulls that sensitive knot of nerves into his mouth with gentle suction, then pulls away.
“What’s he doing under there?” the elderly woman asks, innocently watching the lump under Olivia’s dress bop and move.
Feeling way out of her comfort zone, Olivia puts her hand on the top of his head and tries to move away, but Ethan anchors her to the step. “Oh, God,” she moans.
“What did you say, dear?” Mrs. Malloy moves closer so she can hear better.
“Shoe. Fix,” she rambles, in between short panted breaths.
Amused by her addled state, Ethan nips at her thigh. She screams, the shock helping her to refocus. “The strap, on my shoe. It broke. He’s fixing it, so I don’t trip on the stairs.”
Ethan pushes his tongue inside her, making her squirm. “Ahhh, pleeease go back to bed, Mrs. Malloy. Tomorrow… I’ll come… and we’ll have… tea.” Olivia lets out a muffled cry, as her skilled lover brings her to the edge.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asks again, squinting over the top of her glasses.
“Yessss, I’m fine!” Olivia says, trying to disguise the sounds of her passion.
“You haven’t been drinking have you, dear? Drinking wouldn’t be good for the baby.”
Olivia moans as the waves of pleasure begin to unfold. She surrenders to it, using every ounce of restraint she has to keep from screaming out loud. “No,” she pants. “No. I wasn’t drinking.”
“Well, for goodness sakes, child. Just take of your shoes and walk in your bare feet.” She turns to go back to her flat. “Kids today, just have no common sense,” she complains as she opens the door to her flat. “Good night, Ethan, dear.”
Ethan reappears from under her dress. “Good night, Mrs. Malloy. We’ll see you tomorrow for tea.”
Embarrassed, Olivia yanks her dress down quickly. “I really hate you, Ireland.”
He grins proudly, wiping his hand across his mouth. “Mmhmm, I can tell.”
Chapter Fourteen
“Thank you, Noah. Oh,” she pauses, “I’m sure I don’t have to explain why he didn’t include you.”
“I don’t like you,” Ethan says loudly enough to be heard, while he maneuvers through traffic on the way to the office. “I’m sure the feeling is mutual,” he adds when she scowls at him.
“He says, yes it is.” She shakes her head in a disapproving manner. “I’m not sure when I’ll be back in Canada, Noah, but when I am, we’ll have dinner.”
“Not if I have anything to say about it.”
Olivia holds the phone away from her ear and gives him an angered look. “You don’t, so just drive.”
Ethan reaches down for her hand and lifts it to his mouth. He places a gentle kiss on her engagement ring, and lingers there, making a silent statement that’s not so subtle. When he glances at her, she’s glowing. That glow, the pink blush that washes over her, causes his heart to pound. The way that she’s looking at him right now, makes him want to pull over to the side of the road and kiss her, the way a girl should be kissed: long, slow, and with a definitive possession.
“Olivia?” Noah’s faint voice is heard.
“Oh, sorry,” Olivia says, snapping back to reality. “I’ll message you later.” She disconnects the call and rolls her window down a few inches. Fanning her face with her hand, she continues to stare out the window, avoiding him.
“Is everything okay?” Ethan asks amused.
“Yes, I’m just having a little bit of a tropical moment.”
“Oh?” Ethan smirks.
“Just drive.”
They’re barely through the front door of O’Connell Industries, when Ethan’s administrative assistant flanks him from the side. His pace quickens as she rambles through the things that need his immediate attention. Olivia struggles to keep up and abandons her efforts as he blows past the research room on the way to his office. She opens the door, and is met with several smiles. “Congratulations,” James offers, as she makes her way into the room.
“Thank you.” She stands at her desk, looking down at her empty hands and feeling lost. Everybody is startled when the door swings open with a crash and Ethan swiftly makes his way across the room. “I’m sorry, Love,” he apologizes, as he places her bag on the chair. “You know how it is.”
“Yes, I know. Shitstorm.”
He smiles and leans in to give her a quick kiss, but it’s not enough. Pulling her closer, he returns to her lips, giving her a deeply passionate goodbye.
Olivia breaks free to catch her breath. Smiling she wipes her lipstick from his lips. “You do know that all your employees are watching, right?”
“I know, and I don’t care. I’ll see you at lunch.”
She fans her face, feeling flushed again. “After that kiss, I may be
down to your office shortly,” she teases.
“It’s a busy morning, but I’m sure I can find some time for you to…err…update me on your progress on Artemis.” Ethan grins and turns to take his leave. “Take good care of her for me, gentlemen.”
“Yes, sir.” James promises, as he drops a folder full of new data down in front of her.
“Are you getting any closer?” Olivia asks hopefully.
James glances to the door to ensure Ethan is completely out of the room. “Sadly, I don’t think so.”
Olivia sighs. “Okay, let’s have a look.”
“Olivia,” James says anxiously. “I’ve been in a few meetings and overheard a few comments recently.”
“And you’re afraid Aiden’s going to pull the plug,” she acknowledges.
“I was brought in specifically to work on this project. I have a wife and three kids to support.”
“Well, then let’s start at the beginning and figure out what we’re missing. We can wrestle this one to the ground, James. I’m not gonna let it win.”
Pulling over a chair, he takes a relieved breath and nods.
Hours pass and Olivia’s back is beginning to throb. She excuses herself and gets up to walk around. Even on her way to the water cooler, her mind is consumed with technology, gateways, and logistics. A cool glass of water and a short break is just what she needs to refocus. A familiar female voice in the reception area catches her attention and makes her heart pound anxiously. What possible reason could she have for being here, she wonders. She steps back, so as not to be seen as the blonde makes her way, unescorted, toward Ethan’s office.
Ethan looks up from his laptop and gets to his feet.
“What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to talk to you.”
Ethan hesitates, wanting to ask her to leave, but he can’t help but be concerned. She looks tired, unwell. Her coat is old and worn, and her pregnant belly protrudes from beneath it.
“Funny, you don’t have much to say when we’re trying to resolve these ridiculous accusations you’ve made against me.”
“Did you propose to her?”
Ethan crosses the room and closes his office door, concerned that the conversation is about to become volatile.
“Yes, I did. Is that why you came all the way here, in the cold?” Ethan busies himself at his desk, not wanting to encourage her to linger.
“I wanted to hear it for myself.”
“Well, now you have.” He watches as her eyes well up with tears. Seeing her in such an emotional state tugs at his heartstrings.
“What about us?” she sniffles, trying to control her emotions.
“There is no us, Jessica. The minute you had an affair with Reese, you had to know it was done. Where is he now? Why aren’t you two together?”
Tears flow freely down her cheeks. “Because I love you. I made a mistake. I’m sorry. I’m sorry about everything.”
“Jessica, don’t.”
“I’ll write a letter to the media, recanting my story. I’ll say that I was taking prescription pain meds and drinking and everything was very fuzzy and I was confused.”
“Jess, just stop.”
“I’ll say that it wasn’t you, that I was followed back to the apartment and attacked by a stranger.” Her hands begin to tremble with her heightened emotion.
“Is that really what happened? If that’s the truth, then why won’t you just tell everybody that?”
“I want you back.” She moves toward him, her eyes pleading with him.
“It’s too late. I’m in love with Olivia.”
She holds her hands over her mouth and breaks down into a hard sob.
Olivia sits at her desk, flipping through schematics and only half listening to the team. Distracted, she opens all the drawers and closes them again. She stands, then sits, and repeats her actions several times.
“Are you okay?” James asks concerned.
She tosses her pen on the table, aggravated. “No, actually. I’ll be right back. She opens the top drawer and takes out the key to his office. She squeezes it tightly in her clenched fist as she makes her way down the hall. Her heart beats loudly when she reaches the closed door. She turns the knob but finds it locked. Nervous, her hand trembles slightly as she slides the key into the lock and turns it. When she pushes the door open, she holds her breath at the sight of Jessica pressed against his chest and his arms wrapped around her. Blood pumps through her veins causing a wooshing sound in her ears. It momentarily drowns everything else out. The sound of Jessica’s sobs finally tune in loud and clear. Ethan glances up at her, seemingly unfazed by her presence. She stands there for what feels like an eternity, feeling helpless, watching the other woman wrapped in Ethan’s embrace.
When Jessica finally stops crying, Ethan releases her. Her red, puffy eyes follow Olivia as she crosses the room to the credenza behind his desk. Other than her stuttered breathing as she tries to compose herself, she remains silent.
Olivia passes her a box of tissue and forces a sympathetic smile. Jess hesitates, watching Ethan as he looks for something in the suit jacket hanging in the cupboard.
He hands her a wad of folded bills. “Go buy yourself a coat that fits.”
“I don’t want your money,” Jessica protests.
“That’s my baby. You need to take care of yourself and stay warm, yeah?”
Reluctantly she takes the bills out of his hands and looks over at Olivia, feeling ashamed.
Ethan tucks her scraggly hair behind her ear. “There’s a good girl,” he says, trying to pull the edges of fabric around her swollen belly.
Olivia takes in a deep breath and stiffens. Hearing him say those two words to another woman makes her feel sick to her stomach. She wishes she could speak up, say something. Yell…scream… ANYTHING. But she can’t. Deep down she feels kind of sorry for her.
“What is that cunt doing here?” asks a very angry female voice from the back of the room.
“McKenna!” Ethan intercepts.
“I told you, if you don’t deal with her, I will.”
“I’m just leaving,” Jessica says weakly.
“Good.”
Olivia takes her place at Ethan’s side and reaches down to take his hand.
“Take care of him,” Jessica says to her, as she heads to the door.
Olivia nods as her own emotions start to bubble to the surface.
As Jess reaches the doorway, she glances over and locks eyes with an extremely cross Irish woman. “Stop fucking with my family,” McKenna warns.
“I’m sorry, Ethan,” Jessica says, trying hard not to break down again. “Please forgive me. I hope you’ll understand.”
“Understand what?”
His question goes unanswered as she takes her leave. Ian arrives at the door, looking shocked. “Was that Jessica? What was she doing here?”
“Yes, it was. She came to ask me about the engagement in person. Make sure she gets to her car, please, Ian. You’re wife looks like she’s going to stab somebody.”
“Not somebody. Her,” McKenna clarifies.
Ian glances over at her enraged expression. “I see. Let me escort her safely out of the building, then. You, stay here,” he instructs.
“On second thought, don’t leave McKenna in here with me,” Ethan pleads, a few moments too late.
McKenna scowls at him.
“Stop looking at me like that,” Ethan demands.
“What the fuck are you thinking?” McKenna asks exasperated. “The woman is going to fuck you over. She can’t be trusted. Why in the name of Christ are you in here playing nice?”
“She seemed genuinely upset,” Olivia says sadly.
“She was,” Ethan agrees.
“I think she’s a good actress. She convinced everyone that you beat the snot of her. Remember?”
Ethan tilts his head, from side to side, trying to work the tension out of his neck. “No. I haven’t forgotten. But I think, now that she knows that there�
�s no chance for us to get back together, she’ll drop it and move on.”
“Let me guess, you gave her money again, didn’t ya?”
“I feel responsible for making sure she’s looked after,” he justifies. He looks down at Olivia, hoping she’ll understand.
“It’s the right thing to do,” she admits.
McKenna growls, “Gah! You’re both fucking daft.” She turns in a huff and bounces off a mountain of muscle. “Jesus, get the fuck out of my way.” She spouts in an angry Irish accent.
Addled, John raises his eyebrows. “Do I want to know what’s going on?”
“No!” They all answer at once.
McKenna pushes past him, cursing like a sailor. John grimaces and scratches his head.
“I will never understand how her and Ian make it work.”
“They say opposites attract,” Olivia tries to reason.
“Those two are polar opposites. I’m surprised she hasn’t killed him.”
“I’m surprised he hasn’t taken his own life,” Ethan adds in jest. He holds back a boisterous laugh; frightened she might still be in earshot. John nods his head, apparently having the same fear. “Olivia, we need to go now,” he says, looking at his watch.
“Go?”
“To see, Doctor Cameron.”
“Oh. I didn’t know.”
“I updated your schedule,” John says, looking at his phone.
“I haven’t looked at it today, John. I’ve been a little distracted.”
Ethan looks at his watch. “I’ll just see you at home, then.”
“You’re not coming?” she asks, disappointed.
“Not this time, Sweetheart.” Ethan organizes a bunch of papers on his desk. “I’ve got an important meeting today over at Aurora. I need to kick some ass.”
“Olivia,” John prompts, holding up her coat. She slides her arms in and frowns.
“Hey, none of that. Everything is fine. We’re just going to have him check things out.”
“I know.”
Ethan places a kiss on her lips. “Be honest with him, Olivia. If something is wrong, he’ll figure it out. But you have to tell him the truth. No hiding anything.” He caresses his hand over her tiny baby bump, smiling when the mini Princess squirms and wiggles at the sound of his voice. “I need you both healthy, and I need you both safe.”
Indivisible Souls: Book 3 of the Bound4Ireland Series Page 14
