Checking on Aidan once more and finding him sleeping peacefully, she shut off all but a few dim nightlights and went to her own bedroom. Max curled up next to her, and they drifted off to sleep.
* * *
Aidan woke up feeling disoriented. His mouth felt like it was stuffed with wool and just the slight opening of his eyes resulted in the very unpleasant sensation of someone sticking knife blades into his corneas. It wasn’t his custom made bed, but it was very comfortable. The sheets felt smooth and cool against his naked – naked? – body. The pillows that cradled his aching head were soft and smelled faintly like jasmine and vanilla.
Scrubbing at his face, he took a deep breath and tried to remember something, anything. He recalled talking to Faith at her and Kieran’s wedding, then ditching before Lexi found him feeling sorry for himself. Stopping at his condo, changing out of his suit and tugging on some jeans and long-sleeved shirt (presents from Lex in an attempt to get him to relax). Driving away from Pine Ridge in search of someplace he could anonymously drink himself into oblivion.
Apparently it worked.
Turning his head to the side, he spotted a glass of orange juice and a bottle of OTC painkillers. With great and deliberate effort he managed to sit up and down both.
He took a moment to acclimate himself. The room was on the small side. Besides the bed, there was a nightstand table, a small chair, and a chest of drawers, none of which looked even vaguely familiar. The walls were a soothing dark shade of cream that was very easy on his searing optic nerves, and trimmed with an upper border of simple geometric patterns of dark blue and hazel that reminded him of the Greek tapestries in his mother’s drawing room. There was one window on the side wall; but thankfully the draperies were drawn tightly enough that only a fraction of light was visible.
On the far side of the room, the door to the bathroom was open slightly. Feeling oddly at peace and in no hurry – despite the fact he had no idea where he was – he headed there first to take care of his most urgent needs.
After relieving himself, he took further advantage of his mysterious host’s generosity and took a long, scalding shower until the pain relievers kicked in. After brushing his teeth and shaving, he felt almost human again.
He found his clothes freshly washed and folded on the dresser, with all of his personal effects on top. Peeking inside his wallet, he was relieved to find his platinum cards and cash untouched. He dressed carefully, desperately searching back into his foggy mind for answers.
Going to Tommy’s had been an impulsive, spur of the moment decision, but his overindulgence had been a gross lack of judgment. He knew better. Just thinking of what might have happened made him that much more anxious to find and thank his mysterious guardian angel.
The house was on the small side. Quiet. Simply but tastefully furnished, more for comfort than show. The light scent of lemons and laundry detergent hung in the air as he made his way out to the main living area.
A soft thumping drew his attention. Aidan looked over to see a huge yellow Labrador easing himself off the sofa and coming to greet him. Aidan was not, by nature, particularly fond of pets, but this dog seemed exceptionally well mannered. He approached Aidan at a relaxed pace, stopping before him to sit and look at him expectantly.
“Hey, big guy,” Aidan said, holding out his hand, palm down, to allow the dog to sniff it. That’s what his sister, Rebecca, had instructed him to do when he first met her gigantic hairy monster, Angus. The dog leaned forward and sniffed, then sat back and panted softly in what Aidan took for acceptance.
“Think you can help me out?” Aidan said quietly, wondering why, exactly, he was talking to a dog. The dog swished his tail back and forth a few times and regarded him with intelligent brown eyes. “I’m looking for your owner.”
The dog blinked and rose, trotting softly away. He looked over his shoulder and paused, waiting for Aidan to follow.
“Hey, Max.”
Aidan paused at the soft female voice, sounding foreign and familiar at the same time. He glanced at the speaker through the doorway. Silky, shiny chestnut hair fell halfway down her back; she was dressed casually in an oversized shirt and faded jeans. She leaned over the Labrador, petting him affectionately.
Brief snippets of hazy memories floated in and out of his brain. Sitting at the bar. Climbing into her warm truck and her wrapping a blanket around his shoulders. Looking down upon the top of her head as she was on her knees before him...
Max looked back at him, and the woman followed his gaze. Her smile was kind and genuine. “Hi. I thought I heard you up. Would you like some coffee?”
It was so strange. His first impression of her (his first sober one, anyway) was that she was definitely not the type of woman who would pick up a man in a bar and take him home. His cock, however, disagreed. It began to rise in interest at the sound of her voice, and Aidan was glad he’d left his shirt untucked.
To the woman, he simply nodded. “Coffee would be great, thanks.”
She smiled kindly again. “Come on in and sit down. You look a little shaky yet.” He walked hesitantly into the kitchen and sat down at the breakfast counter. Max placed himself at his side, and Aidan found himself reaching down absently to stroke his soft head.
“I’m sorry,” he said as a name popped into his head. “Mary?”
She turned to face him, affording him a full frontal view. Aidan couldn’t contain the slight curving of his lips. Her oversized shirt featured the shadowy outline of a dog, captioned I Like Big Mutts, and I Cannot Lie.
“That’s me,” she said, returning his smile. “And that’s Max.” Max’s tail thumped at the sound of his name. “He likes you.”
Aidan looked down, surprised to find the dog listing drunkenly to the side. “Does he always sit like that?”
“He has severe hip dysplasia.” At Aidan’s blank expression, she explained, “His hip sockets are filled in; his back legs aren’t in the joints, so he sways when he walks, and leans when he sits.”
“Sounds painful.”
She shrugged and looked at the dog with obvious affection. “Doesn’t seem to be. At least not yet. I think he’d let me know.”
Aidan didn’t know what to say to that, so he just continued to pet the dog. He found it strangely comforting.
“You don’t remember anything about last night, do you?” she said, clearly taking pity on him when she saw him working so hard to put it all together.
“Not much, I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t cause you any trouble.”
“You didn’t.” As she turned away, he saw the slight tilt to her lips, as if the question amused her.
His eyes were drawn to her shapely behind as she reached for a mug, though the rest of her was pretty nice, too. Brown hair, brown eyes. Delicate, feminine features. She wore little to no makeup, and certainly didn’t make a habit of dressing to impress. She was no kid; he’d put her around his own age, maybe a little less.
There was nothing about her that immediately drew the eye. He remembered thinking along the same lines the night before. He doubted he would have given her a second glance, then realized what a damn shame that would have been. She had a very serene, natural type of beauty that he found surprisingly attractive.
“Can you, uh, maybe fill me in a little? Like why I was naked?”
The lips, just a little fuller than normal, quirked again. “Yes. Do you take cream? Sugar?”
“Black is fine.”
She put the mug in front of him, then went over to the microwave and extracted a covered plate. Placing it before him, she lifted the lid to reveal scrambled eggs and toast. “Go on,” she coaxed, putting a fork and napkin beside the plate. “It’ll help settle your stomach.”
He studied her carefully, but didn’t make a move to eat. “It’s not poisoned or anything,” she said with a teasing glint in her eyes. To prove her point, she moved close to him, picked up the fork, and took a bite herself. “See?” Then she broke off a corner of the toast and fed it to
a patiently waiting Max.
For whatever reason, those little actions eased him. Or maybe it was the subtle scent of jasmine and vanilla he’d scented when she came close that did it. She crossed her arms over her chest and glanced down at his plate expectantly, then back at him. Apparently he wasn’t going to get any answers until he ate something. In that moment, she reminded him of Lexi with her motherly but well-intentioned bossiness.
Hiding his urge to smile, he dutifully speared some scrambled eggs on his fork and brought it to his mouth. She nodded, satisfied, and went back to the sink to fill a small, copper colored watering can.
“I didn’t take advantage of you,” she said, glancing up at him with a mischievous sparkle in her eye, “if that’s what you’re thinking. You slipped in the parking lot last night, and your pants were covered with slush and rock salt.”
“And my shirt?”
She reddened perceptibly and averted her eyes before answering. “I think someone might have spilled a drink on you at the bar. You reeked of Scotch.”
Aidan dipped his head and stuffed another forkful into his mouth so she wouldn’t see him smiling. While she might be telling him the truth about the spilled drink, the obvious blush suggested that perhaps she might have had an ulterior motive for removing his shirt as well. He probably should have felt some faint sense of violation, but as it was, he was amused by her embarrassment.
He took his time chewing. “Thanks for that. And for, you know, not taking advantage of me. These eggs are great, by the way.”
“Glad you like them.”
Mary worked her way around the kitchen, watering the multitude of plants that gave the space an almost tropical feel. As he watched her progress surreptitiously from beneath hooded eyes, he noted the warm, cozy feel of the kitchen. With buttery cream colored walls, oak-stained cabinetry, and gleaming white appliances, the room was like a balm to his soul. A small hand-painted canvas suspended on the wall proclaimed “Life is Short. Eat Dessert First.” That made him smile.
Unlike the state-of-the-art, stainless steel showplace he had in his condo, this was the type of place to share intimate homemade dinners for two, or have a cup of coffee and unburden your soul. And the breakfast bar was just about the right height to allow a man to sneak up behind an unsuspecting woman, grasp her hips and sink into...
Aidan shook his head, forcing the bizarre and totally inappropriate images from his mind. Mary gave him a curious look, but thankfully, said nothing.
Aidan went back to perusing his surroundings, appreciating the clean, bright space. Large sliding doors and oversized windows allowed copious amounts of sunlight to stream in and afforded a nice view of the backyard. The previous night’s quick-moving clipper storm was long gone, leaving a glittering fresh top coat of two or three inches on top of what was already out there. It was so cozy, so welcoming, that he felt instantly at home.
“So, Mary, do you make a habit of picking up strange men in bars and bringing them back to your house?”
Mary stiffened at the sink, and he realized what he’d just said. It had sounded much more amusing in his mind, but hearing the words out loud like that sounded rude and insulting. His comment hung in the heavy silence that followed for several heartbeats.
“I’m sorry, that didn’t come out right.”
“It’s okay,” Mary said, though her warm and friendly smile had weakened. “It’s the truth. And to answer your question, no, I don’t. But you really looked like you needed some help.” She took his now-empty plate and silverware over to the sink, refusing to meet his eyes.
“Mary, please, I’m sorry.” The words were too little, too late. It was as if a switch had been flipped. The bright sunshine dimmed, and the cozy warmth he’d felt up until this point chilled quickly.
Mary grabbed a thick cable-knit sweater from a peg near a closed door and pulled it over her head. “No biggie,” she said, but her smile was forced. “Max and I have some errands to run. We can give you a ride out to your car.”
It was clearly a dismissal. Maybe not as blatant as “don’t let the door hit you in the ass on your way out”, but there was no mistaking the meaning. Aidan was reluctant to leave things the way they were, especially when she had done nothing but been exceptionally kind and generous.
Unfortunately, his recovering brain was suppressing his natural ability to find the right words to repair the damage. Mary was obviously a kind woman, but also a sensitive one. He didn’t want to make things even more uncomfortable by saying the wrong thing, so he sighed quietly and stood.
“Come on, Max, let’s get the car loaded.”
“Let me help.” Aidan said, wanting to do something that might get her to look at him again like she had only a few minutes earlier. “Just let me get my jacket.”
Mary gave no indication that she heard him, and by the time he made his way out into the attached garage, she was loading the last of more than a dozen reusable canvas grocery bags into the back of her Jeep.
Sighing again at having missed an opportunity to soften her toward him, Aidan slid quietly into the passenger seat.
It was a relatively short drive back to Tommy’s, only about ten minutes or so. The roads had been cleared and heavily salted, and traffic was light due to the holiday. Mary hadn’t looked his way once; he knew because he was watching her with his peripheral vision.
She really was a pretty woman, he decided. From the side, he could see that her pert little nose had just the tiniest upturn at the end, and that her eyelashes were even longer than he’d first thought. No, she was no glamorous vixen, but she was very attractive in a quiet, understated way. She had the kind of face that grew more beautiful every day for what lie beneath it, he realized with shocking, sudden clarity. Ageless beauty that a man would never tire of.
Mary pulled next to the Honda, but left her Jeep running and gave no indication that she was getting out.
“Thank you,” he said, knowing the words were insufficient. “For everything.”
Mary nodded. “You’re welcome.”
His hand was on the door handle, but he didn’t want to leave yet. The Jeep was warm, and clean, and filled with Mary’s light, fresh fragrance. “What errands do you have to run on New Year’s Day?” he asked. It was a not-so subtle attempt to prolong the inevitable. He knew it, and suspected she did, too. “Maybe I could help.”
Another smile, this one not as forced, but hinting of sadness. “Thanks for the offer, but Max and I have it covered.”
Well, that was clear enough, wasn’t it? Aidan was disappointed, but not completely ready to throw in the towel. “I’d like to repay your kindness. I’m not sure where I would have ended up if it wasn’t for you,” he said honestly.
“Not necessary.” Aidan opened his mouth to speak but Mary put her hand up to stop him. “But if you feel the need to do something for me, how about promising me you won’t get yourself all liquored up and try to get behind the wheel again?”
Aidan winced. He supposed he had that coming, but it still stung to think Mary believed he was in the habit of driving under the influence. It was a taste of what Mary must have felt when he asked if she was in the habit of picking up inebriated strangers and taking them home with her.
“It was a stupid thing to do,” Aidan admitted. “And not something I make a habit of.”
She nodded slightly, but he wasn’t sure if she believed him or not. Maybe she was thinking exactly the same thing about rescuing his sorry ass the night before.
“Mary? Would you mind if I called you sometime?”
He heard her breath catch, and for a moment he felt a slight surge of hope, but then she said, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Shit. “Would it be okay if I gave you my number then?” Mary was about to protest, so before she could deny him outright, he added, “Please. Just in case you ever find yourself doing something uncharacteristically stupid and in need of a friend.”
Her features softened, and she accepted the small ca
rd he handed her. Aidan took that as a small victory. “Anything. Anytime. Anywhere. You need something, you call me, alright?”
“Thanks, Aidan. Happy New Year.”
Her words brought a hazy memory to the forefront of his brain. A clock striking twelve. Soft lips touching his as a delicate fragrance filled his lungs. Happy New Year, Aidan.
Aidan climbed into the POS Honda, wishing he had his Benz. What must Mary think of him? Coming on to her. Getting soused. Trying to get into a car that was, in the daylight, truly a piece of shit.
And yet she had been kind to him, despite all that. She’d taken him home, given him a warm, safe place to sleep it off, washed his clothes, cooked him breakfast. Had even been thoughtful enough to have juice and ibuprofen waiting for him when he woke. She had asked nothing in return.
And what had he done? He insulted her.
Aidan shook his head, wondering what had come over him. He wasn’t usually such an ass, and never to a sweet, kind woman like Mary. Then again, he didn’t meet many women like her.
He was nearly back to Pine Ridge before the car’s heater actually kicked in and he started to regain feeling in his numbed fingers. He decided he would do something nice for Mary, but what? Dinner? Flowers? Candy? Or maybe a complete all-access weekend pass to the spas and salons at the Goddess?
Maybe all of them. Hell, why not? Money was no object. And he wanted to do this, if for no other reason than to see her pretty brown eyes light up.
Aidan drove right to his townhouse, excited to put together a surprise gift package for Mary, but the wind quickly left his sails. How would he get in touch with her? He didn’t know her last name. He didn’t have her number. And he’d been so preoccupied with looking at her that he hadn’t noticed a house number, or even a goddamned street for that matter.
Sinking down into a chair, Aidan ran a hand across his face.
Bottom Line: Callaghan Brothers, Book 8 Page 3