Intractable Souls : Book 1 of the Bound for Ireland Series (54 page)

Ethan grins, very eager to comply, lowering
his lips to brush across hers gently and then pulling away. “I’m
contemplating on doing more than just kissing you here.” He growls,
his voice dark and edgy. Sliding his fingers under her skirt,
lifting it well over her thighs, he smoothes his palms past her
hips and over the rounded flesh of her bottom. Exhaling a long
tortured breath, he pulls her forward, and then in a quick
movement, skims his hands along the edge of her panties, tightening
his fingers around the thin fabric. His wicked glare is full of
sinful promises; her pulse beats erratically as she realizes his
intentions are to rid her of them. “Do it!” She begs, squeezing her
thighs together, trying to appease the ache between them and
encouraging his dick to jump and press harder against her.
Straining against the pleated fabric of his pants, he tightens his
grip on the delicate lace, seconds from ripping them away with a
forceful tug, when his cell phone springs to life in his
pocket.

The theme from Rocky blares out loudly in
the enclosed space of the stairwell and Olivia frowns, completely
frustrated. Growling his displeasure, Ethan leans his forehead
against her and drops his hands, pulling the edge of her skirt back
into place and straightening it. “John’s new ring tone.” Ethan
confirms as he pulls it out of his pocket. “Yeah? Yes, I know… I
know… I said I KNOW. Well stall them a few minutes.” He looks at
Olivia and rolls his eyes. “Just make something up. Don’t you have
a list of excuses ready for these occasions? Well then I’m
obviously paying you too much money.” John loudly protests and
Ethan winces, holding the phone away from his ear and making Olivia
giggle. Ethan smiles and winks at her.

How does he do that? How does he make her
completely forget about all the ugliness with such a small
gesture?

“So let’s recap shall we… I’M the boss, and
YOU’RE the assistant. So assist me… by lying to them. I’ll be there
in a few minutes.” He looks at his watch and then disconnects the
call. Olivia is holding her stomach and full out laughing when he
turns his attention back to her. He thinks it’s the most beautiful
sound in the world. “I figure he’s going to kick my ass later
anyways I might as well make It worth his while.” He shrugs.
“Come…” He holds out his hand. “I’m going to make sure you’re
safely locked in your car and then get back to work. Not that I’m
going to be able to think about anything other than you for the
rest of the day.”

She smiles at his honesty, but as they walk
to the car, there is something she needs to ask him. “Ethan?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you have any other baby mamma’s I should
know about?”

Ethan’s hand tightens around hers painfully
and it forces her to look up at him. She can’t read the expression
on his face as he shakes his head. “None. Well, at least none that
have made themselves known to me.” He opens her car door for her
and when he turns to look at her, she’s standing with a worried
expression on her face. “That’s not funny, Ethan.”

He frowns. “I’m sorry babe. My bad.”
Grabbing her, he pulls her into him, crushing her against his chest
and lowers his lips in a greedy kiss. He pulls away cursing when
the LCD display of his phone lights up in the dim parking garage
and Rocky plays again. Kissing her on the top of her head, he
exhales heavily. “I have to go.”

She gives him an understanding expression
and nods. “I know.” He hates the disappointed expression on her
face. It would suit him if he never had to see it, EVER.

Once she climbs in behind the steering
wheel, he closes her in, making sure she’s safe. As he turns to
walk away she rolls down her window. “Hey, Ireland?”

He turns to look at her, walking backwards
towards the stairwell door.

“Do I have a ringtone?” She asks
curiously.

Grinning, he takes another step backwards
without disclosing anything.

Knew it! “What is it?”

He ignores her and keeps moving backwards
towards the door, smirking in a way that she knows can’t be good at
all. Reaching over, she hits speed dial on her cell and when the
call is connected to his phone, Olly Murs ‘Troublemaker’ rings
loudly from his pocket and echoes through the underground garage.
Ethan closes his eyes in regret. When he opens one eye to peak at
her, she’s staring at him with her eyes wide, her mouth hanging
open and her arms crossed angrily in front of her. “SERIOUSLY?” She
yells.

He starts to laugh and continues to back
away. She tries hard to be angry with him but his laugh is
contagious and the sides of her mouth start to curl into a smile.
Rolling her eyes, she shakes her head. Ethan places his hand to his
mouth, blows her a kiss and then turns and jogs to the door.

On his way to John’s office, Scott meets him
in the hallway. “Is Olivia ok?” He’s concerned about how upset she
looked when she left.

Ethan nods, but it in no way makes Scott
feel at ease. He puts his hand up as Ethan passes, placing it
firmly on his chest and stopping him. Ethan raises his eyebrows and
gives him a look to warn him that he’s dangerously close to
crossing the line. He looks down at Scott’s hand and then glances
up to meet his irate expression. “I believe my wife has already
explained what will happen if you do anything to hurt Olivia.”

Ethan pushes his hand away and returns his
stare. “She’s fine, Parker. And if you’re looking to kick my ass
today… you’ll have to get in line.” Shouldering past him, he opens
the door to John’s office finding both him and Miss Quinn
there.

“What did you tell the people from
Bramtech?” He asks, standing in the doorway.

John stands. “I told them you were detained
and I’ve sent them down to the executive lounge for coffee.” He
hesitates. “It’s not like you to be late for an appointment.”

He purposely avoids the last statement.
“Thank you, John. Could you give Miss Quinn and I a few moments
alone to talk?” John looks nervous, and he’s hesitant to reply.
When he looks over at Shannon she’s nodding, her expression
indicating that she’s comfortable with his request. “Ok. I’ll go
down to the lounge and bring your clients back to your office.”

Ethan nods and closes the door behind him.
Shannon stands so she can meet his gaze when he turns around to
address her. He’s full of regret and not sure where to start, but
he has promised Olivia that he would apologize and make things
right and he intends to do so.

When John returns to his office, he
hesitantly opens the door, afraid to learn what has transpired
while he was gone. He finds them engaged in a casual conversation
and Shannon is smiling. Relief washes over him. “Ethan, I have
taken Mr. Anwar and Miss Daniels to your office.”

Ethan stands and buttons his suit jacket,
nodding at John as he passes. “Thank you. You can join us when
you’re ready.” Making his way to his office directly across the
hall he stops and looks back at them with a warm smile before he
puts on his business face and opens the door.

Shannon lets out a loud breath and
physically relaxes. Walking towards her, John runs his hand up her
arm in a comforting gesture. “What happened?”

“He apologized.”

John’s face morphs into shock. “He
what?”

Shannon nods her head. “Believe it. He
apologized.”

“Wow! Shae, you have no idea how HUGE that
is for Ethan.” John is flabbergasted.

“I think I understand just how huge that is.
But that’s not all.” She watches him nervously, not sure how he’ll
react. “He’s asked me to stay until after the grand opening of the
bar, all expenses paid.”

“That’s two weeks from now.” He blinks a few
times in disbelief.

“I know.” She whispers.

John is hit with an overwhelming amount of
emotions all at the same time. Suspicion, surprise and joy. Joy
being the outward emotion that he wants to convey to Shannon but
he’s hesitated just long enough to make her feel insecure about his
reaction, even when he wraps his arms around her and lifts her off
the ground. When he touches her feet to the ground she leans back
so she can see his face. “John, I…I don’t have to stay. That’s a
long time for you to be stuck with me. Just say that word if you
need some space and I can go.”

“Stuck with you? Are you kidding me?” He
leans down and kisses her briefly, barely skimming her lips when
his cell phone vibrates in his pocket. He reads the message and
sifts through a stack of folders on his desk and pulls one out.
“I’ll be right back, Ethan needs this file.”

She nods, but she’s still feeling
uncomfortable with his answer. Reading it in her eyes, he puts down
the file and rounds the desk to get to her. “Hey, what’s
wrong?”

“Nothing.” She shrugs and then busies
herself with the documents in front her, pretending that it doesn’t
affect her when he presses his body against her side. “Shae? Talk
to me. Do YOU want to stay?”

She stops what’s she’s doing, distracted by
his hot breath against her ear. Hesitantly, he reaches for her chin
and turns her, searching her eyes. “Shannon? Answer me… do you want
to stay?”

She swallows hard as her breathing becomes
shallow, her body tingling in reaction to the muscular body
pressing against her. “Yes.”

She blushes and it makes him smile. “Good,
because I really want you here with me.”

She sighs in relief and closes her eyes,
visibly relaxing. Pressing his lips to her temple, he lingers
there. “I’ll call your hotel and arrange for them to check you out
and have your stuff sent to my hotel. No point in having two rooms
when you won’t be there.”

Her eyes open in shock and she stiffens in
his arms. She looks up into his eyes, loving him enough to give him
an ‘out’. “Are you sure you want me to stay with you the whole
time?”

Putting his hands on her hips, he pulls her
into him. “Let me show you just how sure I am.”

He lowers his lips to hers in a slow teasing
kiss. When her hands snake up his arms to his shoulders and then
around his neck holding him in place, he deepens it, parting his
lips and encouraging her with his tongue.

They don’t even stop when Ethan bursts
through the door. He stops frozen and clears his throat trying to
interrupt them. “Ahem. I need that file lover boy.” He finally
says, trying not to laugh. Without breaking his kiss John reaches
down to pick up the folder and holds it out in his direction.

Ethan chuckles lightly, taking it out of his
hand, while John continues to kiss and caress his woman as if he
isn’t even in the room. Feeling a little awkward, he shakes his
head quickly to break his stare and then smiles. “Ok then, don’t
let me interrupt… ” He salutes with two fingers. “Carry on!” He
leaves the room feeling warm and happy, and he’s not sure why all
of a sudden he has become some kind of romantic, sappy guy. A few
months ago there was no room for disruptive women in his career. He
wouldn’t have tolerated that from John either. But now here they
are… both of them distracted…enamored and totally consumed with
thoughts of the warm tenderness of a loving woman. It’s a huge
contrast from his normal persona… Ethan O’Connell, badass
executive.

When John finally joins them, Ethan has just
finished wrapping up the meeting. Mr. Anwar gets to his feet and
shakes his hand before he leaves. Stacey Daniels however, hovers…
twirling her blonde hair and drawing out finished conversations
trying to prolong her time with Ethan. Leaning forward, she makes
sure he can see down her blouse and when that doesn’t seem to get
his attention, she sits back and crosses her legs allowing her
skirt to ride up high enough to expose her thighs and long, silk
stocking covered legs.

John eyes Ethan nervously, knowing where
this is going. John has seen it happen all too often and Ethan,
being Ethan, has always been receptive to their advances. He has
flirted… schmoozed… and charmed them. He knows for a fact, that
early on in his career Ethan had bedded a few of his female
business associates with the intention of “firming up” business
deals. Not that he condoned it but he certainly understood. He made
every effort to discourage it once Ethan hired him full time.

That doesn’t seem to be the case today.
Something seems a little off as he notices Ethan’s somewhat
uncomfortable expression and tense body language. An unusual
behavior, since Miss Daniels is an incredibly sexy young woman.

“I think we might be able to do business
together.” She smiles, batting her eyelashes at him.

“I think it makes good business sense.“
Ethan nods in agreement, walking to the door hoping that she will
follow his lead and get on her way.

Instead, she takes a breath and bites her
lip. “I was wondering...”

Gliding over to where he’s standing, she
reaches up to touch his arm. “Maybe we could discuss how our
arrangement could be mutually beneficial… over dinner?” She
squeezes his bicep as she takes an appreciate gaze at his
chest.

Ethan glances over at John. Arrangement?
Fuck he hates that word, he thinks to himself. When he hesitates in
his reply, she finds a way to make him agree.

“After all, I am the swing vote on this deal
with Bramtech.” She reminds him, feeling his body tense beneath her
hand as she says it. “I’m staying downtown for a few nights and I’m
so tired of eating greasy fast food and bored out of my skull. I
thought you could think of something for us to do?”

“Us?” Ethan asks nervously, his male mind
betrays him and takes a long perusing look at her body.

She smiles when she notices. “Yes silly, you
and me. Later, my friends are coming to meet me downtown and you
could take us to all the best night clubs in the city.” She bats
her eyelashes and smiles. “Maybe you could introduce my girls to
some of your hot friends so we can all have some fun?”