“And manage our women with old-fashioned seduction,” Ethan said.
Uh-oh. Aidan half closed his eyes at the slipup and hoped it wasn’t too late.
It was.
Mia narrowed her gaze. Her voice dropped to a dangerous softness. “Did you just say the words manage and seduction in the same sentence?”
The realization of the depth of trouble he was in registered on Ethan’s face. A touch of panic flickered in his tone. “Nope. You must’ve heard wrong.”
Aidan winced. Not a good defense. It was about to get worse.
Harper sipped at her wine. “You guys are meatheads,” she muttered. “Anyone here at the table know about the Me Too movement?”
Kyle threw up his hands. “I didn’t say it, and I wholeheartedly support that movement.”
Ethan shot him a look of disgust. “Really, bro? You’re the suckiest wingman I ever had.”
Kyle patted Ethan’s shoulder. “Sorry, man. But I really want to get some tonight. Have you seen how hot my wife looks?”
Ethan must’ve realized he’d be celibate for a while, because he sucked it up and turned to Mia. “Sorry, babe. Didn’t mean it—I got all caught up in the bar-brawl story. A testosterone thing. I couldn’t manage you if I tried. And I could only seduce you if you wanted me to.”
Aidan pressed his lips together, desperate to keep the belly laugh from escaping. Damn, he liked these two. Why was he so comfortable around their banter and the way they publicly adored their women? Usually, he felt left out when he was taken in to train a horse. Kind of like that uncle everyone tolerated around the holidays but couldn’t wait to get rid of. But here?
He felt like he was home.
Mia shared a glance with Ophelia. Both women gave their men matching smiles that made Ethan and Kyle slump in their seats with relief, but Aidan knew something was coming.
“Apology accepted,” Mia said. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. Ophelia and I decided it would be fun to have a little sleepover. Some strictly girl time. You understand, right?”
“Of course,” Ethan said. “Sounds like fun.”
“It will be. So we’re good for tonight, right, Ophelia?” Mia asked.
“Definitely,” Ophelia said.
Harper choked out a laugh.
Shell shock crawled over Kyle’s and Ethan’s faces. “Huh?” Kyle asked. “What do you mean tonight? I thought we’d be able to have some alone time,” he added in a harsh whisper.
Ophelia never missed a beat. With simple grace, she pushed back her chair and pressed a kiss to the top of her husband’s head. “So did I, but seems like plans have changed. Pity. You can sleep over at Ethan’s tonight, babe. Have some bonding time. Now, I have to go sing.”
With a wave, she disappeared.
Kyle groaned and drained his glass, but unfortunately, it was seltzer, so Aidan doubted it helped much. “I’m an idiot,” he muttered. “Should’ve seen that coming.”
Ethan still looked hopeful. “Maybe you can reschedule your girls’ night?”
“Don’t think so, horse man. How about you, Harper? Want to join us for a little girl time? Watch some chick flicks and drink some pink cocktails?”
Aidan held his breath. He’d been looking forward to laying her out on the bed, stripping her naked, and spending endless hours giving her so much pleasure, she’d never think of another man without remembering his face.
Primitive, yes. But he didn’t feel like analyzing it. Unfortunately, Ethan and Kyle had screwed him in the process. Odds were high Harper would be joining the women in their collusion to teach their men a good lesson.
Harper put down her glass and regarded the table with a measured glance. “No, thanks. I intend on getting laid tonight, but you and Ophelia have a good time.”
Stunned silence fell.
And then Aidan laughed. He laughed so hard and so deep, something eased in his chest and released, a tight knot he’d never even realized existed until it was gone.
And just like that, something truly awful happened.
Aidan began to fall in love with Harper Bishop.
“Did you have a good time?” she asked when they were driving home.
“Yeah. I’ve never heard Ophelia sing before. Her voice gave me chills. What was that song she sang?”
“‘Always Remember Us This Way.’ Lady Gaga sang it in A Star Is Born. My sister’s obsessed with musicals, and that’s her new favorite.”
“Why isn’t she on Broadway or touring?”
“When she was young, she ran off to Hollywood with Kyle to become a star. Unfortunately, she realized her love of singing wasn’t enough. She was urged to turn herself into a pop star with a certain image, and she was never comfortable.”
“The Bishop sisters know who they are,” he commented.
She smiled. “Damn right. She came home, brokenhearted, and lost Kyle to his new career as a hot screenwriter. He returned last year after he realized he’d never stopped loving Ophelia. They had a rocky road, but I’m glad they ended up back together. They’re soul mates.”
“Too bad Kyle couldn’t write that love story.”
“Actually, he did. And it’s being turned into a movie next year. There’s this company called LWW Enterprises that bought the manuscript, and they think the movie will be a huge hit.”
He shot her a surprised look. “Crap, that’s pretty amazing. So now Ophelia is singing again?”
“Yes, but on her own terms. Because she loves it, not because she wants to become a star. And Kyle’s happy to be back home helping her run the inn and writing. They got their brand-new ending after all.”
He seemed to ponder her words, his fingers tapping against the steering wheel. “I think your family is incredible. They’re nuts, but maybe that’s why I like them so much.”
Harper laughed, relaxing back into the seat. “I think Elmo had a good time, too.”
“He did. Hell, he spouted Thoreau tonight. That proves he’s in a good mood.”
Harper shook her head. She adored the jockey, who spoke in broken sentences deliberately and fell into the most poetic pieces of literature and philosophy when everyone least expected it. “I can’t believe that fight story—it was epic.”
He pulled up to the house and cut the engine. “Know what else was epic?”
Her skin tingled under his hooded gaze. The air in the car thickened and sizzled. “What?”
A slow, sexy smile curved his lush lips. “The way you announced you were going to get lucky tonight.”
Heat seeped into her cheeks. The words had popped out of her mouth without apology, but the way Aidan had laughed made her confession worth the embarrassment. She tossed him a teasing glance. “Am I in trouble for assuming? Are you going to join the ladies’ sleepover to teach me a lesson?”
He leaned in. His finger trailed down her cheek, and she shuddered. His amber eyes glinted with satisfaction. “Only lesson I’m going to teach you is what happens if you make me wait too long.” He paused, letting the tension linger. “All evening I’ve fantasized about getting you out of these clothes.”
Seduction wasn’t part of her skill set. She didn’t flirt or tease or own the ability to make a man weak with desire. She’d always been more comfortable with the direct approach, mostly stripped of romance or flowery sentiments, centered straight on sex.
But Aidan made her feel like a goddess. The way he stared at her with open lust and kissed her with such possessive passion, as if trying to claim her. For the first time, she embraced her body with feminine power and confidence gained directly from the way he treated her.
For the first time, she was connecting with her sexy side, and she adored every moment.
With a low chuckle, Harper grabbed his tie and yanked him forward. Her lips paused inches from his, and she spoke each word with deliberate precision and tempting promise. “Then we better get inside fast, Irish.”
He growled and reached for her, but she’d already pulled back with a naughty wink, slipping o
ut of the truck.
Unfortunately, instead of ripping at each other’s clothes, they had an animal menagerie to take care of first. Aidan volunteered to take them all out, and she used the time to brush her teeth, recheck her lipstick, and light some candles in the bedroom. By the time he’d reentered, she had bones ready for the dogs, tuna for Figaro, and special treats for Captain Hoof.
Aidan grabbed her hand, pulled her inside the bedroom, and shut the door.
His eyes burned like golden fire. “We’ve got about an hour before they try to bust down the door.”
She stepped close and began working at the knot of his tie. He was sexy in working clothes, but when he’d walked out of his room in a charcoal suit and red tie, she’d almost jumped him. “We can do a lot in an hour. You look smoking hot tonight.”
“And you’re fucking beautiful. When I caught sight of this beaded top, I almost cried. In a manly way, of course. But real tears.”
She choked on a laugh and began working on the buttons of his crisp white shirt. God, she loved the way he weaved humor into their physical intimacy. How could she be ready to combust from his talented fingers playing with her tight nipples, yet want to laugh with him? He seduced not only her body but her mind.
She curled her nails into the hard muscles of his abdomen as he slipped down the beaded top and played with her breasts. She was so sensitive and swollen, every tug, scrape, and teasing caress twisted her stomach in delicious knots. She managed to yank off his shirt, an appreciative groan spilling from her lips, and busied herself with touching every carved, defined muscle. Crisp chest hair tickled her fingers, and she raked her nails gently down, causing his arms to tighten around her and drag her upward, forcing her into an arch.
His hot, wet mouth closed on her nipple.
She fell into pure sensation, helpless under his ministrations. He licked at her, gathering her taste, sucked hard, then tugged carefully with his teeth. “I love your breasts,” he murmured. “Like a perfect gift just for me.”
“They’re small,” she said, hooking her leg around his hip to grind against him. A sharp tingle of pain cut through her, changing quickly into a hot stream of pleasure. “Ouch. You bit me.”
He picked up his head and gave her a hard stare. “Don’t ever talk bad about your body. It’s perfect. Just like you.”
Her chest ached with a need that practically seared her like a brand, but then his mouth took hers and there was nothing left to do but hold on for the ride.
Clothes dropped off. They fell on the bed, limbs entangled, skin to skin. His tongue buried deep with an animalistic possession she only encouraged, and she climbed on top of him like a madwoman, desperate to touch and taste every inch of his hard body.
With a groan, she yanked her mouth from his and began to work her way lower. Every hiss of his breath, tug of her hair, and curse from his lips urged her on, until she cupped his throbbing erection, stroking and squeezing the hard shaft, drunk on power and pleasure.
Her tongue snaked out to slide over her bottom lip. Her head lowered. She blew a warm breath over the tip, teasing him.
“Fuck,” he groaned, his hips thrusting up. “I need you, Harper. I need your mouth on me.”
His words held a hint of vulnerability, and she was lost. Opening her lips wide, she took him inside, sucking and licking with an urgency and tenderness she’d never experienced with a man. He buried his fingers in her hair, guiding her head, and she fell into a delicious rhythm meant to bring him to the brink.
Sensing he was moments away, she dragged the edge of her teeth down his shaft, and he exploded up from the bed, flipping her over, parting her thighs, and surging inside her in one hot, deep, perfect thrust.
His golden eyes glittered like a provoked tiger’s. Her head arched into the pillow at the complete invasion, her body squeezing tight and welcoming him back. He stayed buried to the hilt, his gaze raking over her face as if memorizing every flicker of emotion, satisfaction oozing from his pores like he’d claimed her as prey.
She reached up and pulled him down for a long, drugging kiss. “I need you,” she whispered against his lips. “Please, Aidan.”
A broken litany of Irish sang in her ears, and then he was moving, each roll of his hips and thrust of his cock shoving her to the edge of orgasm. She clung to him and begged, and then she was breaking apart and shaking with the raw, almost agonizing bliss that took over every inch of her body. He chanted her name like a mantra, teeth gritted, eyes mad with lust, and then he let himself go, pressing his forehead to hers and never breaking his gaze while she watched him orgasm.
The intimacy was too much.
A piece of her broke off and the hole widened, letting in so much light it was almost blinding. She held him tight and prayed making love with Aidan O’Connor hadn’t just destroyed her.
Minutes later, he raised his head, every muscle tight with tension. “I forgot to put on a condom.”
Her fingers were tangled in his straw-colored hair, and she paused in her caress. Dear God, she was so stupid. There was no excuse for not being careful. They weren’t a couple of sex-starved teens fighting out-of-control hormones. Her cheeks heated. “I cannot believe I did that. But I just had my yearly physical, and I’m on the pill for my period. Have been for years.”
His breath left his chest, and he tucked her back into his embrace. “I got tested right before I came to New York. I’m sorry, Harper. That’s on me, I should’ve been more careful.”
The close call woke sleeping demons inside. All the reasons she never wanted children whispered in her ear, and she squeezed her eyes shut, shivering slightly.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
The past and present shimmered together, merging in a blurred memory that demanded her attention. She hadn’t thought about it in so long. Buried the truth under so much rubble, she’d thought it was dead forever.
But it wasn’t. Her talk with Ophelia had stirred the monsters up. And they had never been far from the surface. Here in the dark, in his arms, feeling safer than she ever had before, she realized she wanted to tell one person what had happened.
Just one.
“I was bullied when I was young.”
His arms tightened around her. She waited for his questions, but he settled into a silence that told her he’d spend the whole night listening. She felt like a ravaged animal, not sure if she was ready to take the leap into trust, but his hand gently closed around hers, as if trying to give her his strength.
“I was always ridiculously tall for my age. At fourteen, I looked like a freak, towering over everyone in the school. I’d been teased for years because I was pretty shy and awkward. I never felt like I fit into any groups. There was one girl I hung out with who was supersmart, but she was a nerd and that didn’t really help my popularity.”
She forced a half laugh, desperately trying to lighten the mood. Her palms began to sweat, but when she tried to pull away, he held her tight, refusing to let her do it alone.
“A few new girls started at my school. They seemed to have everything—money, beauty, and an ability to dazzle any boy they wanted. Everyone loved them. Begged to be part of their group, or sit with them at lunch, or be invited to their after-school parties. It would have been fine, I think, if they hadn’t focused on me. This girl named Lyndsey was the leader of their crew. For some weird reason, she hated me immediately.”
Her heart beat off-key, and she dragged in a breath, trying to push through. Panic edged her nerves, but damned if she wasn’t going to finally say it aloud. Just this once.
“At first, they were really mean. They’d gather around my locker to taunt me and make fun of me in the cafeteria. I started to dread school. But then one day, they started being nice to me. Invited me to sit with them at lunch. Asked me to hang out after school. I was so damn relieved; I actually believed they liked me. Until they sprang this awful prank in front of everyone, and I realized the whole thing had been a setup.”
She clenched
her fists but kept talking, desperate to get through it. “Then the torture really began. Every day, they did something to make my life miserable. They got the entire school in on the action, until I felt like every morning, I was entering a battlefield. I began to have anxiety attacks, so I isolated myself from my family to hide it. I spent most of my time around the horses and the barn to keep my distance. I was humiliated. Ophelia and Ethan loved school. They had friends and social lives and everything seemed so easy. They always hung out together with Kyle and did stuff. They were talented. I felt like . . . nothing.”
She paused. Took a few more moments to settle. Then finished.
“I knew I had two more years left of high school. Two years of isolation, and mocking, and pain. I didn’t think I could survive it. So, one day, I made my decision. My mom hated taking meds, so she’d shove her old bottles into her bathroom cabinet, unused. She’d had mouth surgery, and I knew there was a full bottle of Percocet. I took it as a sign, so one day after school, I swiped the bottle. Ethan and Ophelia were in after-school activities. My mom had gone to the horse auction. I’d have several hours before anyone would find me.
“I went to the barn. I decided it was the only place I ever felt good about myself, so it should be the place I say goodbye. We’d gotten a fairly new rescue called Jiminy Cricket. A white mottled gelding. He’d been quiet and withdrawn. Mom had been steadily working with him, but he wasn’t responsive. Anyway, for some reason, I decided to take the pills in his stall. Not really sure what I was thinking, but a part of me almost believed he’d understand. He had this look in his eyes, a look that said he’d met a lot of bad people in the world. I sat down in his stall, on a fresh pile of hay, and opened the bottle. I shook out the pills and stared at them for a long time. I thought about leaving a note, but I didn’t know what to say. I thought about how many pills would do the job and decided on all of them. I was sitting there, thinking through the details, and suddenly, Jiminy Cricket came over and began nudging me. I patted his nose, not really thinking about how it was the first time he seemed to respond to anybody, and then he got a bit crazy.”
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