Intractable Souls : Book 1 of the Bound for Ireland Series (38 page)

“I don’t know, Rachel. She doesn’t seem very
flexible where the rules are concerned.”

Rachel grins. “Ah, but she will give in to
you. The minute she packed up and followed you to your car after
you punched Noah in the face…I knew. You’re the one she needs.
You’re the one she wants.” She looks at Ethan and smiles.
“Something tells me that you know exactly how to handle her.”

“Well I can tell you one thing; I know
exactly which rule is going to go first.”

Ethan stands up to his knees in warm, salty
ocean water. The force of the crashing waves hits the back of his
knees, pushing him forward toward the shore. Holding his hand out,
he waits for her to join him. Olivia stands on the beach just out
of reach of the water, looking like a Goddess under the golden glow
of the midday sun, the ocean water reflecting in her eyes and
making them sparkle. Removing her hairpins, she lets her hair fall
loosely to her shoulders and allows it to blow in the ocean breeze
like a banner of silk.

Lifting her face to the sun, she breathes in
the fresh ocean air, holding her arms out at her sides and letting
the wind wash over her. Overwhelmed by her beauty, Ethan stands
frozen where he stands, incredibly at peace and very much in love.
Leaving the water, he joins her on the sand, taking her in his arms
and claiming her lips. Lifting her gently off the ground, he spins
her, then presses his lips against hers again before releasing her
and letting her slide slowly down the length of his body. When her
feet touch the ground she raises her hands to the sides of his face
and holds him as she returns his kiss with an unbridled
passion.

As he wakes, he can still feel the warmth of
her lips on his. With the last few moments of fleeting sleep, he
takes in one last breath of the comforting scent that he encounters
only in his dreams. It’s a mixture of the crisp ocean air and the
sweet smell of her perfume. Now fully awake he lays there for
several minutes, his heart basking in the afterglow of her
kiss.

Dressing for his day, he feels a heartbroken
emptiness. He hasn’t seen Olivia in a week and what little contact
they’ve had has been brief and indifferent. Thinking about it in
the car on his way to the new house, it feels unnatural and he
needs to see her today and make things right.

The garden walkway to the front door of the
new house is lush and fragrant with flowering bushes and bright
summer flowers. There is a small brown bunny peaking at him from
its safe haven underneath the front porch. Ethan knows already that
he’s going to love living here. He had a strange kind of déjà vu
the first time he saw it. From the outside, its quaint cottage
appearance hides the modern upgrades that have taken place inside.
The previous owners took meticulous care in making sure that the
interior renovations provided modern comforts and style while
maintaining the houses charm and character. It suits Ethan
perfectly.

Flipping on the lights, he’s glad to see
that the hydro has already been switched on. Wandering from room to
room, he imagines what it will look like with his stuff here. It’s
just after 10:30 when the technician arrives to hook up the
internet. Finally, he can get some work done. Setting up his laptop
at the counter, he prepares to send Olivia an email.

To: OIivia James

Why aren’t you eating?

Ethan O’Connell

SVP International Sales and Marketing

Aurora Technologies

Olivia sits at her desk and reads his email.
Seriously? He hasn’t spoken to her in two days and that’s what he
starts with?

To: Ethan O’Connell

Which one of your spies told you that? As if
I didn’t know.

Olivia James

Business Solutions Specialist

Dunn & McLellan IT Consulting

He grins. Relieved that things seem to be
back to normal.

To: Olivia James

You didn’t answer my question

Ethan O’Connell

SVP International Sales and Marketing

Aurora Technologies

Olivia rolls her eyes but a smile starts to
form on her lips. Oh how she has missed him. She wouldn’t admit it
to herself until just now.

To: Ethan O’Connell

I’m not hungry

Olivia James

Business Solutions Specialist

Dunn & McLellan IT Consulting

That’s not a lie. She has had very little
appetite since her chat with Hannah. It could be the thought of
Ethan and Hannah together or that Hannah suggested Olivia was a
little too thick around the middle. Either way food has had no
appeal to her.

To: Olivia James

You need to eat. You know this.

Ethan O’Connell

SVP International Sales and Marketing

Aurora Technologies

Gahhhh! He is going to drive her nuts!

To: Ethan O’Connell

Don’t worry. There is still plenty of me to
hold on to.

Olivia James

Business Solutions Specialist

Dunn & McLellan IT Consulting

Ethan leans against the counter and reads
her reply. Shaking his head he mumbles under his breath.

To: Olivia James

I’m certain that I’ve told you before that I
don’t like it when you say stuff like that about yourself. You are
beautiful. Now… please tell me that you brought a lunch today and
that you intend to eat.

Ethan O’Connell

SVP International Sales and Marketing

Aurora Technologies

Olivia does the only thing she can do…
lie.

To: Ethan O’Connell

Yes I did and I do. Now leave me alone I
have work to do.

Olivia James

Business Solutions Specialist

Dunn & McLellan IT Consulting

Ethan has a hunch that she’s not telling the
truth. His phone rings and he answers it promptly. “O’Connell.”

“This is the technician calling to confirm
your installation for today. Is someone going to be home?”

“Yes.”

“We’ll be installing both your land line and
your satellite. We’ll be there sometime between 4 and 8.”

“4 and 8? You can’t narrow it down any
further than that?”

“No sir. We have several installations
booked for this afternoon.”

“Ok, I’ll be here.” Ethan is annoyed. At
least he has free time up until 4pm and he knows exactly what he’s
going to do with it.

To: Olivia James

You’re a horrible liar Miss James and I’m
afraid you’ve left me with no other choice.

Ethan O’Connell

SVP International Sales and Marketing

Aurora Technologies

Oh, crap.

To: Ethan O’Connell

What are you going to do?

Olivia James

Business Solutions Specialist

Dunn & McLellan IT Consulting

She gets nervous when he doesn’t reply.

To: Ethan O’Connell

Ethan?

Olivia James

Business Solutions Specialist

Dunn & McLellan IT Consulting

Ethan has already left the house and is on
his way into town. Stopping at the market, he grabs a variety of
fruit and two mixed green salads. The delectable smell of homemade
bread lures in into the small sandwich shop next-door. He flirts
with the woman behind the counter as she makes him two fresh
sandwiches and wraps them to go. There is no woman immune to his
sense of humor and Irish charm and she slips two brownies into the
bag without charging him. He winks at her as he says thank you,
making her blush and break into a smile that lasts for a long time
after he has left.

Walking into the office of Dunn and McLellan
he realizes that he doesn’t know which one is her office. The
receptionist smiles politely at him as he approaches.

“I have lunch for Olivia James.” He says,
smiling at the look on Diana’s face.

“I’ll make sure she gets it.” Diana smiles
as she checks him out from head to toe admiring his exquisite male
physique.

Leaning his forearm on the edge of the desk,
he gives her a playful smile. “I need to give it to her in
person.”

She smiles and blushes, a reaction that
Ethan so easily draws from women. “I’ll call her.” Picking up the
phone, she dials Olivia’s extension. “There is a delivery for you
at reception. Can you come down?”

Olivia feels nervous as she gets up from her
chair and opens her office door. Heading down the hallway towards
the reception area, his muscular body comes into view. “Ethan.” She
whispers. Her heart skips in excitement and she fights to keep her
composure. Why does he make me so nervous?

He watches her approach, grinning at her
puzzled expression as she looks at the bags he’s holding. “What are
you doing here?”

“I’ve brought you lunch.”

Of course he did. She should have known. She
looks nervously at Diana the receptionist who is busy answering
calls and still shamelessly checking out Ethan’s ass.

“Thank you, but you didn’t have to do
that.”

“Ah, but I did. And don’t think for even a
minute that I’m leaving without making sure that you eat it. Do you
want to go to your office?”

Staring at him, she contemplates what he
would do if she refused when the smell of fresh bread reaches her
and suddenly she’s starving. For both lunch AND Ethan.

“Liv?” He wonders what’s going on in her
brain. The damn thing always seems to be working overtime.

“Sorry, my office is down here.” It seems
like a long walk past all the closed office doors as her coworkers
look up in curiosity. “I thought you were stuck at the new house
today?”

“I found myself with some free time until
the next installation.”

Putting the bags on her desk, he starts to
unpack the food while she closes the office door.

“I have to admit it smells really good.” She
sits in her chair as he passes her a sandwich and salad. Unpacking
a couple of apples and oranges and the brownies, he leaves them in
the middle of the table.

“Help yourself.” He gestures as he sits in
the chair on the opposite side of her desk. This is something new.
Ethan has never sat on the far side of the desk.

She surveys her choices, reaches for an
orange, and places it in front of her. While unwrapping her
sandwich, her stomach makes a loud grumbling noise and she looks up
to find Ethan staring at her with one eyebrow raised and that damn
annoying boyish grin. She’s embarrassed by her body’s basic need
for food and its announcement that it has been lacking. The bread
is still warm and she restrains the urge to moan as she takes her
first bite. “Thank you Ethan, this is really good.”

Having already finished his sandwich, Ethan
moves on to his salad. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it. You have no
idea what I had to do to get those brownies.” He smirks when her
eyes widen until she realizes that he’s just joking.

Finished with his meal he puts his fork down
and watches her eat, smiling at the adorable way she alternates
between sandwich and salad. Reaching across the desk , he picks up
her orange and proceeds to peel it. “I wish you would tell me
what’s upset you so I can put your mind at ease.”

She thinks about it for a minute as she
carefully uncovers all the tomatoes in her salad and pushes them
off to the side with her fork. “It was just something someone said.
I’m over it.”

“You don’t want to tell me about it?” He’s
not very optimistic about her willingness to confide in him yet and
she confirms his thoughts when she shakes her head NO. Finishing
with her orange, he places it down in front of her on a napkin.

She looks at it in curiosity and then across
at his quizzical look. “Did you just peel my orange?” She
teases.

“I always peel your oranges; we’d be here
forever waiting for you to pick off all the stringy things.”
Tidying up, he says it so casually that he doesn’t even realize
what he’s said.

Olivia sits there staring at him completely
baffled. You always peel my oranges? She has never eaten an orange
around him before. How did he know about her strange aversion to
the white stringy things that remind her of veins? Most people just
eat them but she has an irrational phobia and a compulsion that
won’t let her eat the orange until she picks off every single last
little string. How did he know?

She watches him with a schoolgirl
infatuation as he continues to tidy up, while completely unaware of
his strange confession. She has been craving his body for days and
now he’s standing right there. Close enough to touch. Close enough
to…. Stop! Don’t even go there! She shakes her head. What is she
thinking? This is her office! Damn hormones!

Without looking, Rachel bursts into her
office ignoring the closed door. “Ethan’s car is in the parking
lot!”

They both freeze and look up at her
startled. She looks back and forth between them feeling ridiculous.
“Aaaaaand Ethan’s in your office.”

Olivia laughs. “Can’t put anything past you,
Rach.”

“Oh no, I’m sorry… I’ve interrupted
something.” She starts to feel awkward.

“Lunch.” Ethan holds out the remaining
brownie for her.

Rachel looks over at Olivia who appears to
be well nourished for the first time in days. She smiles and shrugs
her shoulders as Rachel picks up the brownie and sinks her teeth
into it. She rolls her eyes at its sinful chocolaty taste. “Mmm,
this is so good.”

She notices the way that Olivia is looking
at Ethan. “I’m going to go back to my office and let you guys
finish your… lunch.” She closes the door behind her.

Ethan watches her, sitting at her desk
brushing crumbs into her hand and discarding them in the garbage.
The light through the window glistens golden on her face, just like
in his dream. He situates himself between her and the desk and
leans back on the edge so they are facing each other. Crossing his
legs at the ankle, he gives her a disapproving look. “Now… am I
going to have to hire someone to follow you around and make sure
you eat?”