“And, while I know you’re apprehensive if I can handle it after...” she said nothing for a few seconds then drew in a deep breath. “I’d rather have the memories than always wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t the nerve to do this.”
Again, she was honest, always. Sometimes painfully so, but he never had to doubt her feelings on a subject. It was one of the many things he loved about her.
“You know I love you, right?”
Her lips curved. “Yeah.”
He looked out and watched Rory again as he rode another wave in on his boogie board.
“How did you two meet?” she asked
He glanced down at her. She had set her hat aside and he knew her eyes were closed.
“Actually, Mum found him. He was trying to steal some food from the grocery my Mum and stepda own. We were both about fifteen at the time. Rory was none too happy with the situation, I will tell you that.”
“What happened to his family?”
He sighed. “His mother…she had what I think was clinical depression. She had mood swings. Rory doesn’t talk about it much, but she took her own life.”
“Oh, that’s horrible. How old was he?”
“I think he was about eight. After that he was left with an alcoholic father.”
She was quiet for a while then she said, “That’s why he doesn’t drink.”
Zeke nodded, although he knew she was looking at him. “That and the control issues he has. I’ll let you in on a little secret about our boy. He can’t hold his liquor.
She chuckled. “Really? Like in one drink and he’s under the table?”
“No, love, he’s on the table. Dancing. I hate to admit that I love a stereotypical drunken Irishman on those nights.”
“But he doesn’t drink anymore.”
“Only when he gets mad. And I mean really fucking mad.”
“So, you’re mother caught him stealing. What happened after that?”
“She dragged him into the house by his ear, sat him in the kitchen and yelled at him. In English and French. Then she fed him. Mum had a soft spot for bad boys.”
“It seems that her son has that trait.”
He smiled thinking about Rory. “Yeah.”
“And I guess I do too.”
“Yeah, I guess you do too. So, after she fed him, she told him he would take the guest room and sleep. He was all skin and bones and it was pretty evident he’d been living on the street. Rory tried to leave. He thought Mum was a softie.”
When he didn’t go on, she groaned. “You Irishmen. Finish the damned story.”
He chuckled. “Rory tried to take a few things, including a silver frame of Mum and my Da. He got to the front door and found my mother standing there.”
“Where was your stepfather?”
“In the kitchen brewing some tea. Mum ran the house, and he was just standing by if needed.”
She sighed. “They sound wonderful.”
Zeke didn’t miss the wistful tone. Maura had lost both her parents at a crucial time in a person’s life. His father died when Zeke was young, but he’d had his mother. He didn’t know how he would have turned out without her. At least she’d had Conner.
“I’d like you to meet them. I was just talking to them last week about coming over for a visit.”
“I’d like that. I’d like that a lot.” It warmed his heart to hear the easy acceptance of his family. He had a feeling his mother was going to love Maura.
“So, he threatened my mother. She boxed his ears and dragged him back to the kitchen and told him she found him stealing from her store so he was under house arrest. So he stayed.”
She laughed. “I think that is probably the best way to handle Rory.”
“You’re right. So, Rory moved in.”
She opened her mouth then shut it. He hated that she didn’t feel comfortable enough to ask him questions. He had tried to be open with her from the start.
“No, ask.”
“When did you become lovers?”
“We were eighteen. We had gone to London for a week and we got a little drunk. We had both been thinking about it but never acted on it. Then, we did.”
“Then you fell in love.”
For all her savvy and her protest that she was sophisticated, there were times that Maura was naïve about the ways of the world.
“No, we both freaked a little bit. Being gay or bisexual is not the thing to be doing when you both want to go in the military, not then. But, we didn’t do that. We were both in the military, and we both found ourselves in the Special Forces.” Conner and he had decided not to tell her of his work for Interpol and MI-6. “And…well over the years we finally got our shit together.”
She laughed. “You always sound funny when you use American colloquialisms, but you know more of them than I do now.”
He smiled and looked back at the water. Who would have thought two poor Irish boys would be living like this now? He was spending a week in Hawaii, in a million dollar house, and enjoying a sexual relationship that was beyond anything he had ever hoped for.
“So, what does your mother think about the relationship?” she asked, cutting into his thoughts.
“She’s okay with it. She does wonder if either of us will give her grandchildren.”
“Your mother does understand basic biology, right?”
He looked down at her and wanted to tell her what he really wanted. He wanted them all together, and he wanted to have babies with her. He had never had that feeling about any other woman, but knowing Maura, and knowing Rory, they would both freak if he told them.
“You two should get out on the water. It’s fantastic,” Rory said as he walked up the beach.
“In a bit. I need some rest because I have these very insatiable lovers and they won’t leave me alone,” Maura said.
He laughed. He bent down, kissed Maura and leaned over to kiss Zeke. Before Zeke could say anything, Rory was on his way out to the water.
“He doesn’t care what other people think and neither should you,” Maura said.
He nodded as he watched Rory run back out into the water.
“Zeke?”
“Yeah?” he asked.
“You know I love you, right?”
He smiled. “Yeah, I do.”
And for now, that was enough.
Chapter Twelve
The next day, Maura walked down the hall to their new offices trying not to be bummed. She had thought the guys would come with her, but apparently they weren’t interested in seeing the new offices. Rory she understood, but she thought Zeke would have been interested.
“We’re still getting everything settled, but you’ll be able to get an idea of the layout,” Conner said as he punched in the security code for the door.
Maura stepped in and smiled. The carpets had been laid and she could still smell the paint.
“Wow, this is nice.”
It was sleek and elegant, but she didn’t expect any less than that from Conner. He’d always had an innate sense of style that sometimes irritated her.
“Yeah, I like it. I wasn’t sure if it was going to come through, but we got the bid with the contractors, and the rent isn’t that bad—for Honolulu.”
She smiled. “Let me guess, Evan Chambers had something to do with it?”
Conner smiled. “Yeah. He said something about a family discount.”
She was really happy for Conner. A man who had been a workaholic for years, he was finally starting to take life more slowly thanks to Jillian. Just a few months ago, he had ended up in the hospital and had been ordered to rest. She sent him to Hawaii and to Jillian.
“So, you still like living here?”
He nodded. “I would have never thought I would.”
“Why would you say that?” she asked walking toward the ceiling to floor windows. She could see the Honolulu Harbor from where she was standing. The sunlight sparkled on the water below. Traffic buzzed by.
“It’s hot he
re all the time.”
She laughed. “Conner, you used to live in Miami.”
“That’s different. Here nothing ever really changes. Okay on our side of the island we get a bit more of the winter storm season, but that’s it.”
“But, you love it.”
He said nothing and she looked over her shoulder at him. He was studying her as he often did when she was a teenager. Their difference in age had never been a problem. He had treated her with kindness most teenage brothers wouldn’t have for their egghead little sister. But, when he got that look on his face, he was trying to figure something out. Usually what she was up to—and that would not be a good thing right now. She was still trying to sort her feelings out for the guys. She didn’t need Conner sticking his big nose in and mucking things up.
“What?”
He cocked his head to the side. “There’s something different about you.”
Maura had to resist the urge to fidget. “What do you mean?”
He shrugged but didn’t say anything. God, she hated him when he was like this. He was trying to figure her out like she was some kind of a puzzle.
“Spit it out, Conner.”
“It’s like you’re another person.”
That wasn’t what she expected to hear. She digested that for a second or two. “Than I normally am? I think not.”
“No, just the last few months.”
“I’ve been a bit stressed,” she said, hating that she was lying to him but knew it was best. She wouldn’t keep Rory and Zeke a secret from her brother if she knew where they were headed. They didn’t need the added pressure of her brother judging them before they decided what to do.
He mulled that comment. “Jillian’s been worried.”
“Yeah, she’s mentioned that to me.”
“I…”
He trailed off as if unsure what to say next. This was definitely not like him. Conner was always sure of his actions. He never started anything he wouldn’t finish, including a simple conversation.
“I’ve been a little worried.”
She settled on the large windowsill and leaned against the window. “You’ve been worried? Conner, don’t lie to me.”
He sighed. “We’re not good with picking up on feelings, you know that. Both of us are…kind of lost when it comes to all these feelings but Zeke gave me hell yesterday.”
“So, you’re doing this because Zeke told you to?”
Another sigh. “No. Not really. Both of us are kind of bad about picking up on things like that.
That much was true. She was always too focused on whatever project she was working on. Conner, well, he was just focused on the company. The idea that Zeke had yelled at him about it made her feel better.
“So, Jillian said something to you?”
He shrugged. “Not until Zeke said something. She…well Jillian claims there are times you don’t try to tell me anything because I will just ignore it.”
She gasped theatrically and put her hand on her chest. “Never say you are…stubborn. It can’t be.”
He chuckled. “Well, she claims we both are.”
“Yeah. She’s said that to me more than once. Although, I have to say she’s turning into something of an old mother hen. And while we’re on the subject, when am I getting a little niece or nephew?”
“Jesus, kid, we just got married.”
“You two have so much sex, I’m amazed she isn’t pregnant already.”
He rolled his eyes. “Probably sooner than later.”
“You are getting kind of old.”
“Gee, thanks.” He studied her. “What about you. Are you seeing anyone?”
Damn, he thwarted her again. Best way to answer was a non-answer. Conner himself taught her that. “No, not really.”
“What does not really mean?”
“It means if you aren’t careful, I will go into detail about something that will totally embarrass and disgust you.”
He sighed. “Are you going to settle down any time soon?”
“Why should I? You didn’t do it for a very, very, very—”
“Watch it.” He slanted her a look.
“Well, you are a bit older than I am right now. Besides, you know my view about marriage.”
“I think you should reconsider that.”
She would have argued with him before. She had never thought to marry. Her years in the dating scene had convinced her that she wasn’t the type of person to settle down with one guy.
Now, if she could get Rory and Zeke into a happily ever after, that would work.
“Tell you what. I’ll reconsider it. But, work on giving me that nephew or niece, okay? I would love to go crazy shopping for little outfits.”
He nodded. “Okay. Although, you know Jillian, she’ll want to work her release schedule around it.”
Maura laughed. “Yeah, but then you can’t complain too much, buddy. You will probably come up with a chart.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
God, it was good to hear that again. Conner had been on the edge of something horrible before she’d convinced him to go to Hawaii for a visit. She had almost lost him and while he was thousands of miles away most of the time, she knew he was there all the time for her. She stood and gave him a hug. He wrapped his arms around her and tears burned her eyes. The warmth of the embrace made her feel as if nothing in the world could hurt her—just like it had all those years ago. He had been the hero, the one who had strode through the ER that horrible night their parents died and picked up the pieces of their life. He kissed her head.
“How about you buy me a pork football for lunch?” she asked.
He leaned back and looked down at her. “I’ll do you one better. How about Bubba Gumps?”
“Sounds fantastic.”
She pulled back and he put his arm around her like he had a hundred times before. Probably a thousand.
“You know I love you, kid, right?”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Yeah. And I kind of like you.”
* * * *
Rough ‘n Ready was busy, even for a Monday evening. Being the only official BDSM club on the island, it made sense to Rory.
It was a nice club. Huge even. The red and black was to be expected, but not every club could make you feel welcomed the moment you walked through the door. Micah Ross had the ability to do that. He’d never really been one for clubs, except to play out some of the scenarios with a sub. Sometimes a sub needed certain things that only a club would allow for in a safe way. Public submission was one of them. Rory had a feeling that this club had some great playrooms. He was still irritated they weren’t going to get to use one of them
“I’m going to say hi to Dee,” Maura said. Then, she looked at him. “If that’s alright with you.”
Rory fought to keep a smile hidden. Maura might say she wasn’t that experienced, but she understood that she was his to order around in Rough ‘n Ready.
“Yes, love, go ahead.”
She smiled, gave both of them a quick kiss, then ran off in the direction of the bar. They both watched her and he would have been amused if it weren’t so damned pathetic. Maura had dressed in the tiny little dress he’d picked out. He thought it would be great to see those long legs all night long. Now that he noticed all the other men watching her, he realized he’d made a mistake. It took all his control not to beat the shit out of the men looking at her.
There it was again, that possessiveness he couldn’t seem to fight. It had only been three days and he wanted everyone to know that she belonged to Zee and him.
“I don’t think that dress was a good idea,” Zee said.
Rory sighed. “Not much we can do about it now.”
“I want it noted I told you the dress wasn’t a good idea.”
“Hey, don’t tell me that you don’t enjoy seeing her dressed like that. A woman with a set of legs like that should always wear short dresses. And you have to admit she looks fantastic.�
� They walked through the club and stopped when they came to a demonstration floor. “They must make a fortune here.”
“As a matter of fact, we do,” Micah said from behind them. Damn, he was losing it if a six-foot plus man could sneak up behind him.
When he turned Micah smiled. “Welcome to Rough ‘n Ready. And don’t feel too badly, McAllister, I used to be a bounty hunter. I know how to sneak up on people. Want me to show you around?”
“Maura will be right back.”
He glanced past them. “Lord, give that idea up for right now. May’s here and they are all over there gossiping.”
Rory followed his line of vision and saw Maura talking to Dee and another woman. Even through the darkened club he could see she was stunning. Hawaiian from what he could discern, and with hair as long as Micah’s. She said something that had Maura throwing her head back and laughing. Something tickled the back of his throat and his chest suddenly felt tight. Damn, what the hell was happening to him?
Another man joined the group, almost as tall as Micah, dressed in a pair of jeans that looked like they had seen better days.
“Evan, this is Rory McAllister and you know Zeke.”
He shook both their hands, and said. “I think we met at the wedding. Does that mean Maura is here?”
Rory had to bite back a growl—although Ross gave him an amused glance. Rory realized he hadn’t kept the sound as quiet as he thought. Bloody hell, this was getting embarrassing.
“Don’t worry about it, McAllister. May is Evan’s wife.”
It still didn’t make him feel any better. The jealousy he kept feeling in regards to Maura was troubling. He had never dealt with it before when it came to a woman.
“Want to take a look at our store?” Chambers asked interrupting his thoughts.
He had been so focused on watching Maura—and watching the assholes who were watching her—he hadn’t realized they had a store. He nodded and followed the owners and Zee into it. He had to fight the urge to look back and check on Maura. It was getting pathetic that he would feel that need. As a Dom, he’d never had a problem with it before. Not just the possessive feelings, but also the worry that she wouldn’t obey him. He didn’t like the fact he wasn’t sure he had complete control over her.
A Little Harmless Fantasy Page 16