“Did this grade have anything to do with your intentions for my daughter?”
“My only intentions, at that time, were to teach her. I can’t teach someone set on not learning.”
“Sheilagh has a lot to learn. She’s book smart, always has been, but she lets her heart get in the way of commonsense from time to time.”
“I agree.”
Frank scraped his fingers slowly along the stubble covering his jaw. “I’m not sure how I feel about your relationship.”
Alec nodded. He couldn’t dictate others’ emotions. Others also couldn’t dictate his actions. He didn’t want to cause trouble between Sheilagh and her family, but he wasn’t planning on letting her go simply because others didn’t approve.
“I have a son. It isn’t always easy watching strangers enter our children’s lives. Innately, we want to protect them.”
“How old is your son?”
“Twenty-two.”
Frank’s brows lifted. “Some would say he’d be more suited to call on my daughter.”
“Some, but not anyone that knows her. Sheilagh’s wise beyond her years. She needs someone who can challenge her, mentally and emotionally. We have a good relationship and share a mutual respect for each other. I’d never intentionally hurt your daughter, sir.”
He nodded. “I appreciate hearing you say so. Saves me bullets.”
Alec hesitated and then decided to push ahead. “She’s contemplating leaving school after this semester. I feel this would be a mistake. Sheilagh seems to need time to find herself and come to terms with who she is.”
The man’s expression was unreadable. “So long as you’re not the one deciding for her, I’ll trust her to come to that realization on her own.”
“I care for your daughter very much.”
“Good. I’ll remember that after my sons get ahold of you. If you’re sincere, you’ll feel the same when you leave here. If you have a change of heart, you’ll leave her alone and I’ll never see you again.”
“What are you guys doing?”
They both turned and saw Sheilagh standing in the doorway, her hair wet, pajama pants patterned with frogs, a luck of the Irish shirt covering her small frame, and two extremely juvenile cow slippers on her feet. Alec smiled.
“We were just having a chat,” he said.
She nervously looked at her father. The man stood and kissed his daughter’s head. “I’m off to bed. Sleep tight, Devil. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Goodnight, Dad.”
She stared at him after her father disappeared up the stairs. “Everything okay?”
Alec nodded and held out his hand. She came to him and snuggled onto his lap. “If your family has a gun safe, maybe we should hide the key.”
She laughed. “They’re just messing with you. They aren’t used to me bringing home men. I’m sure they treated my sister’s boyfriends the same.”
He nuzzled her shoulder and kissed her neck. “Where are we sleeping?”
She sighed. “In the pink nightmare that is now my room.”
“Are you ready for bed?”
“Yes.”
He followed her up to her room. Pink was a lovely color, often shown on the belly of a blushing cloud or on the cheeks of a shy woman. Sheilagh’s room was not that sort of pink. It was hideous, the sort of putrid color medicine came in. Her brothers had painted every wall and every piece of furniture, finishing off their prank with a ruffled nightmare on her bed.
Alec placed his bag on the chair and laughed. “Why would they do this?”
“Because they love me. Of course now I’ll have to retaliate. Did you bring any black clothes with you? At some point we’re going out ninja style and getting even. I’m not sure what I’ll do yet, but they’ll be sorry.”
He unzipped his luggage and removed his shirt. “I have a feeling, after tomorrow night, I’ll enjoy getting a little retribution where your brothers are concerned.”
She grinned and kissed him. “Those bitches are going down.”
Chapter Eight
Alec saw a different side of Sheilagh the longer they stayed in Center County. Here she seemed freer, more comfortable to be herself. However, her behavior sometimes shrieked performance.
She took him for a tour of their property on the ATVs. He’d spent a good hour after the tour was finished trying to unclench. He didn’t mind the speed, but the ramp jumping, close encounters with sharp mountain edges, and spiraling through muddy puddles he could do without. Still, he was fascinated by her uninhibitedness.
Sheilagh was wild and untamed. It was a side to her that was sexy as hell and he’d barely been able to keep his hands off of her when they returned to the house. But where there was one McCullough, there were many, he soon learned. And getting her alone seemed impossible.
That morning he’d woken up in her bed, made love to her, and then went to find the bathroom. There was no other incident in his life that came remotely close to stirring the guilty confusion he felt when he stepped out of her room and came face to face with Frank.
The man gave him a cold look and kept walking. Alec had no intention of being disrespectful. He was forty years old, God damn it. Yet he suddenly felt eighteen again.
When they returned to the house after riding the quads, Maureen made them supper and chatted away. His jeans were covered with splashes of dried mud and his skin smelled of sweat and pine. He decided to shower after dinner and left Sheilagh for some private time with her family.
As he was buttoning up his shirt, she entered the bedroom. She smiled and shut the door. “Hello, Dr. Devereux.”
He rolled his eyes. “You look like you’re up to something.”
She sashayed over to him and ran a finger down the buttons of his shirt, not stopping until she reached the zipper of his pants. “When you wear shirts like this you remind me of Alec the teacher.”
He didn’t know what kind of bar O’Malley’s was, but he knew he’d be up against several protective brothers that night. He thought if he dressed respectable they might be respectful. He was probably wrong. “Is that a bad thing?”
“Not at all.” She fit her hands into his back pockets and pulled him closer. Her breasts pressed against his chest.
She hadn’t showered yet and her hair smelled of the outdoors. She wore muddy jeans and a tight T-shirt that had a vintage silkscreen for the cereal Lucky Charms. He reached up and plucked out the clip holding her hair in a twist. Copper strands coiled over her shoulder and she smiled.
The look in her green eyes was full of intent and his body hardened. “Did you lock the door?”
“Yes.”
“And is there something I can do for you?”
She grinned, a full show of teeth pulling in her plump lower lip. “I was actually thinking I could do something for you.”
He raised a brow. “What did you have in mind?”
“Me, on the floor, deep throating your cock.”
He coughed. Yes, that sounded like a wonderful idea. He reached between them and lowered his zipper. Her smiling eyes glittered through her lashes, never taking her gaze off of him as she sank to her knees.
His cock was fully aroused. Her fingers curled around his thick flesh and she slowly blinked up at him, lips parted in anticipation as she kissed the tip. He brushed her hair out of her face and gathered it in his hand. A moment later he was engulfed by the tight, suctioning heat of her mouth.
He sucked in a breath and flexed his hips, softening his knees. She moaned around him, her fingernails digging through his slacks and into his thigh. Her mouth worked over him rapidly and his toes flexed in his shoes. “Jesus, Sheilagh…”
He couldn’t remember ever being so attracted to someone. Even his ex-wife, before he’d known of their irreconcilable differences, never made him feel what Sheilagh did. He really didn’t care what her brothers thought about their relationship. He wasn’t letting her go.
Her fingers curled around his length and she pumped her fist
over him, her tongue focusing on the sensitive tip. As he felt his climax drawing near, he urged her on, holding her hair a little tighter and thrusting himself to the back of her mouth.
A lot of Sheilagh’s inner turmoil came from a need for control, yet when they were intimate, she thrived under his command. Her surrender was stunning, a sight of beauty no other woman had ever offered him.
Emotion swirled inside of him as he shut his eyes and savored the pleasure. They were moving fast, yet he didn’t have the slightest inclination to slow down. He should probably examine those feelings a bit closer, but when it came to Sheilagh, he wanted to gorge himself on every bit of her, submerge himself in her presence, and stop rationalizing for a change.
She did something fascinating with her mouth and his knees nearly buckled. His hand coasted over her hair as words pressed into his tongue, begging to come out. As a man who didn’t easily confront change, he became aware of all the ways she was altering him. Oddly, he wasn’t afraid of the differences in himself she was slowly bringing to light.
Excitement for the unknown propelled his release. His fingers tightened and he whispered, “Now, sweetheart.” She hummed in satisfaction and his spine tingled with pleasure.
* * * *
Never had someone handled her so aggressively and not frightened her. She relished the sting at her scalp, the sawed out pacing of his breath. Alec was so gentle and patient, yet incredibly dominant when it came to sex. His forcefulness fueled her passion and she took him deeper.
He moaned and whispered, “Now, sweetheart.”
Her heart fluttered at the endearing term and she sucked harder. His hips thrust and heat coated her throat. The novelty of finishing a man in such a fashion shocked her. His hold gentled and as she licked up from the base of his length, swirling her tongue at the tip, his hand coasted over her jaw.
Strong yet gentle fingers tipped her chin, drawing her gaze to his. Bashfully, she blinked at him. His thumb traced over her lower lip. “Was that all right?” she asked, suddenly feeling exposed and shy.
Smiling, he shook his head slowly. “Everything about you is right.”
Unsure how to process the effect of his praise, she lowered her eyes and hid her smile.
The tug at her hair took her by surprise. “On the bed. Your turn,” he announced, infusing the emotionally laden moment with something lighter.
“I need to shower.”
“Tough. I need you more.”
She gave a wicked grin and backed to the hideous pink bed. He ripped off her shoes and tossed them on the floor, shucking her jeans in one fluid motion. Her panties gave him pause, probably because they were blue with white stars and had the Wonder Woman logo on the crotch. He laughed and pulled them off of her.
He wrenched her thighs apart. Growling, he dove at her sex and devoured her. She gasped and dragged a fluffy pink pillow over her face. His tongue pierced between her folds. She’d never met a man who performed oral sex so well or enjoyed it so much.
Arching her back, her thighs curled over his shoulders. His fingers bit into her tender flesh as he pulled her closer. All of her boundaries came down as she held onto the thread of knowledge that others were in the house. Her muffled cries filled the room as he teased her clit. Sweet mother of orgasms he was an oral guru.
The orgasm rushed through her, shaking her to the core. His body climbed over hers and she gasped at the press of his cock on her stomach, hard once more. He took her mouth passionately, his hands gripping the back of her neck.
Suddenly he stood and yanked her by her ankles to the edge of the bed. “I need you.” Such beautiful words.
“I need you too,” she rasped.
He drove into her and she twisted. He held her ankles wide, lifting her ass off the lip of the mattress and fucked her hard. The bed rocked and she hoped to God her parents weren’t listening.
Her arms stretched to her side, clawing at the bubble gum pink comforter. “Come here,” he said, pulling her off the mattress and into his arms.
Her hands gripped his shoulders and he lifted her off the noisy bed. Her legs wrapped around his hips and he gripped her ass, pressing her back into the wall as she bounced on his cock. His feet braced and his thighs tightened as he lifted her up and down over him.
When her gasps grew louder he kissed her. Their bodies ground together and he exploded, filling her with each thrust. They were both breathing hard as he dropped into the chair, still holding her to him.
She nestled his shoulder and sighed. Alec was potent. “You’re amazing.”
“So are you,” he said, brushing her hair over her back and kissing her temple.
She languidly rested in his arms for several minutes, enjoying the feel of him still inside of her. Finally, she whispered, “I have to shower and change. I should be ready in about forty minutes then we can go.”
“Okay. I brought some midterms to grade. I’ll do that while you get ready.”
She carefully climbed off of him. As she gathered her things her gaze continued to shoot shy glances over her shoulder toward him. Never had a man affected her the way he did.
* * * *
Sheilagh opened the door to O’Malley’s, her grin wide and heart pounding with a sense of homecoming. Alec’s fingers laced with hers as she led him through the crowd and to the bar. She let out a sharp whistle and everyone turned, including her brother Kelly who was tending bar. “Can I get some service?”
Kelly stilled. His face split with a wide, beautiful smile as he tossed the rag he was holding and leapt over the counter. “Well, I’ll be damned. The Shei-Devil’s finally home!”
His strong arms lifted her in a full body hug and she laughed as he spun her and squeezed her tight. Placing her back on her feet he said, “You’re lookin’ as lovely as ever, little sister. Princeton hasn’t broken you yet!”
She shoved him. “Of course not! I’m tougher than the stuff they’re made of out there.”
He pinched her chin affectionately. “I knew you were.” He turned to Sue who met her glance with an excited wave. “Line ‘em up, Sue. Sheilagh’s come home to roost!” Kelly’s smiling blue eyes turned and he carefully took Alec’s measure. “The professor?”
“Kelly, this is Alec. Alec, this is my reprobate brother, Kelly McCullough.”
Alec held out his hand and Kelly shook it, which seemed to surprise Alec, as his expression lifted. “Nice to meet you, Kelly.”
“I heard you tried to give the Shei-Devil a D.”
Alec’s smile faltered, but he quickly recovered. “She could have had an A if she wanted it.”
Her brother’s smile remained in place as he lifted a sharp brow. He mumbled out the side of his mouth to her, “The guys haven’t killed him yet for saying shit like that?”
“I think they’re gonna try tonight.”
Alec looked a bit nervous then Sue lined several shots of Tully on the bar. “Shall we wait for the others or start without them?”
“I wait for no man,” Sheilagh announced, stepping close to the bar and grabbing two shots. She handed one to Alec. “Buckle up. Liquid fortitude. You’ll be needing it tonight.”
He and Kelly took their shots. Kelly held his high. “To you, love. I’m proud of you.”
They tossed them back and Alec winced. The fiery burn made its way to Sheilagh’s belly and she hollered, ready for a night of shenanigans.
They settled into their regular table and Kelly joined them. There was a loud squeal and Sheilagh turned. Her sister-in-law, Mallory, charged toward her.
Standing, she held out her arms as Mallory nearly plowed her over. “You’re home!” They did a little hug dance and bounced up and down.
Sheilagh released her and faced her brother Finn. “Hey, handsome.”
Finnegan smiled, his eyes taking a quick assessment. Holding out his arms he pulled her close and whispered, “How you doing, little red?”
She sighed, embracing his strong hug. “I’m good. It’s good to be home.”
/> “I’m supposed to kill a man. Is that him?”
She laughed. “Luke talked to you?”
“Tristan,” he corrected.
She groaned. “Be nice.” Turning, she did a quick introduction of Alec. Mallory seemed intrigued, but Finn, like her other brothers, seemed weary and guarded.
Sue brought over a few drafts and a Cosmo for Mallory. Next to arrive were Colin and Sammy. Sheilagh hugged Colin the hardest, not realizing how much she’d missed her oldest brother’s stoic presence in her life.
Colin, as expected, was a complete gentleman. Sheilagh whispered to Alec that he was the brother he wanted to stick with. No one pulled any shit around Colin.
They were settling in and Sheilagh was relaxing since no one seemed to hassle Alec. When Luke arrived, she held her breath out of habit, knowing Tristan wouldn’t be far behind.
Luke continued to eye Alec coldly and she wasn’t sure what he was so damn broody about. She fidgeted, waiting for Tristan to show.
“You all right?” Alec whispered.
“Mmm-hm. Just having fun.”
He gave her a look that said he didn’t necessarily take her reply as sincere. Sometimes it was off putting that she couldn’t fool him as easily as the others.
The door to the pub opened and her breath sucked tight in her lungs. Tristan strode to their table, meeting Luke’s eyes and then hers. He wore rugged jeans, boots, and a thin white T-shirt stretched over his tight muscles. His hair was tied back, his chin needing a shave, and his dove gray eyes smoldered as he took her in with each stride.
Like always, Luke made no gesture of acknowledgement at his arrival. The others greeted him and he nodded. Tristan was like a surrogate brother, but not really, being that he was sleeping with Luke and she’d spent a great deal of her life wishing he was sleeping with her.
It was odd. She still got the same twinge in her belly when he looked at her, but there was something different about it now. Glancing at Alec, who was watching her carefully, she suffered a flush of guilt. She was with Alec. She shouldn’t be looking at Tristan.
Faking It (McCullough Mountain) Page 12