Bottom Line: Callaghan Brothers, Book 8

by Abbie Zanders

  “It was a test, right?” Aidan shrugged. “Well, I don’t like to fail. I didn’t know what you liked, so I got a little bit of everything.”

  Her lips twitched. “Do you ever fail at anything?”

  “No,” he answered truthfully, without a trace of arrogance. “And if it’s something I truly want, then I excel.”

  The heat in his eyes had her growing wet again, so she went back to a safer topic – the food. “So I see. Did you get all this from the Celtic Goddess?”

  “Yes,” he said, the heat morphing slightly to wariness. “How’d you know?”

  “The logo on the takeout boxes,” she said, matter-of-factly. “Plus you wrote your number on a Goddess business card, so I figured you worked there. You do, right?”

  Aidan nodded, but did not elaborate.

  “Did you make all this yourself? Are you a chef?”

  Aidan cracked a smile. “No. I’m afraid I’m rather useless in a kitchen.”

  Mary’s eyes flashed. “Oh, I wouldn’t say that.”

  He growled in the back of his throat and pinned her with a look that brought his earlier comment about dessert to the forefront of her mind.

  “Well,” she said, squirming on her chair, “this was really wonderful, but honestly, if you had brought any one of these you would have ‘passed’ in my book. Please don’t feel like you have to spend a lot of money to impress me, Aidan. As wonderful as this is, it’s too much.”

  Aidan opened his mouth to say something, then reached for his glass of water and took a drink instead. “That’s okay,” he said finally. “It didn’t cost that much.”

  “Employee discount, huh?”

  He smiled enigmatically in response. “So,” he said, changing the subject before she could ask him what exactly he did for the Goddess. “How long have you been a sub?”

  “A what?”

  “A sub. A sexual submissive. I have to say, I never would have guessed.”

  “Um, I’m not a submissive.”

  Aidan looked up sharply. “You’re not? But you were perfect.”

  Part of her wanted to preen; another part wanted to crawl under a rock. A submissive? Her? As in BSDM and Fifty Shades and all that? Yeah, she’d secretly read plenty of erotic novels that featured that kind of stuff, maybe even fantasized late at night sometimes, but her actual sexual experience (this afternoon notwithstanding) had been about as vanilla as it got. Did he really think she made a habit of this sort of thing?

  Then again, why wouldn’t he think that? She’d literally begged him to have sex with her, without birth control or a condom, screaming for more as he used his belt like a whip on her ass. Afterwards, she’d dropped to her knees and sucked him clean. And if that wasn’t bad enough, she’d nearly melted in his arms when he’d been playing back there.

  Suddenly, she didn’t feel so good.

  * * *

  Aidan watched the color drain from her face, saw the dawning shame in her eyes, and knew. “Christ. You never did anything like that before, did you?”

  She shook her head, her eyes suspiciously moist. “No.”

  Fuck, fuck, fuck! How did he keep screwing this up? She had known exactly what to do, how to behave, and what to say with only the slightest direction. What was he supposed to have thought?

  Then again, if she really had never done anything like that before, had never assumed the role with anyone else, then that meant she was only like that for him. Both his heart and his cock swelled at the thought.

  “Did you like it?” he asked softly.

  Mary sniffled; she refused to look him in the eye.

  “Mary, answer me.” It was the same command he had given before, but in a different context. This time there would be no punishment. “Did you like it?” He hoped to God she said yes, but if she didn’t he would find some way to go without, because there was no way he was letting her go now. Not after this afternoon.

  “Yes,” she whispered through her tears. “I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine what you must think -”

  He was kneeling beside her in a heartbeat, pulling her into his arms. “I think,” he said softly, but firmly, “that you are the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. And that what happened between us was fierce and powerful and so beautiful that I can’t even comprehend it any other way.”

  She buried her face in his neck and inhaled deeply. “Yeah?”

  “Yes,” he said, stroking her hair, kissing the top of her head. “God, yes, Mary. But if it’s not what you want, we’ll find another way. One you’re more comfortable with.”

  * * *

  Warmth flooded her at his words. They were exactly what she needed to hear. This afternoon had been wonderful – impulsive and wild and electric – but it was all new territory for her. The one thing she was certain of was that she didn’t want this man to walk away and not look back because she was afraid to explore the possibilities. His willingness to offer alternatives suggested that maybe he wasn’t keen on walking away yet, either.

  Before she could respond, a knock at the back door broke into their little world. Max went over to the door and sniffed. His soft growls told Mary exactly who was there.

  “Malcolm.” The way she spoke the name was a low rumble that sounded suspiciously like Max’s.

  “Uh-oh. Reinforcements,” Aidan quipped. He didn’t look any more pleased with the interruption than she did.

  “Ugh! And they wonder why I put blinds on that side of the house!” she muttered, hastily wiping at her eyes as she got up to answer the door. Aidan stood, but made no move to leave the room.

  “Uh, hi Mary,” said a tentative male voice at the door. “Mom wanted me to come check on you, make sure everything’s alright.” He tried peeking around Mary, but she had only opened the door enough for him to see a small section of the kitchen. As he wasn’t much taller than her, peering over her wasn’t an option.

  “Of course I am,” she said, making an effort not to sound as annoyed as she felt. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “Uh, well,” Malcolm licked his lips. “Uh, Mom said you were going out, but she didn’t see you leave.”

  “We decided to eat in instead.” Aidan’s rich, deep voice came from beside Mary.

  Malcolm’s head suddenly snapped upward in an attempt to look Aidan in the face. Since Aidan was several inches taller than Malcolm it was a stretch. His eyes widened. Aidan smirked. Mary sighed.

  “And who are you?” Malcolm bristled in a rare show of courage. He tried to make himself taller, but it had little effect.

  Aidan’s eyes narrowed. “I might ask the same of you.”

  “Aidan, Malcolm. Malcolm, Aidan,” Mary said quickly. She wasn’t particularly fond of Malcolm or his ill-timed interruption, but she had no wish to see his blood on her back porch. Given the possessive gleam in Aidan’s eye and Malcolm’s lack of common sense, that was exactly what was going to happen if she didn’t put a stop to this as soon as possible.

  “Malcolm, as you can see, I’m just fine.”

  “Yes, Malcolm,” Aidan said, sliding his arm around Mary’s waist in a blatant statement. “Mary is just fine. Go on back and tell your mother - ”

  “ – that I really appreciate her concern,” Mary finished, slipping her hand behind Aidan to discreetly squeeze his ass in warning. Unfortunately, the action only seemed to make him puff out his chest more. “Goodnight, Malcolm.”

  No sooner had Mary closed the door than Aidan had her pressed against it. His body molded to hers, the heavy proof of his erection against her belly. “He wants you,” he growled as his lips trailed a path from beneath her ear down along her jawline.

  “Yes,” she admitted. Aidan was like a powerful drug under normal circumstances, but when he was aggressively male like this, it was downright intoxicating.

  “He can’t have you,” Aidan said, his hand palming her breasts, plumping them even as he began to suckle her through her shirt.

  “No,” she agreed dreamily.

  “You’re mine
, Mary. And I already told you. I don’t share.”

  The next thing she knew, Aidan had her cradled against his chest and was carrying her with purposeful steps toward the bedroom. He laid her down on the bed and methodically began to remove her clothes, piece by piece. Each section of skin he bared was treated to a barrage of kisses and caresses.

  * * *

  The inner Dom rose up inside him, but he forced it back. He’d already had his turn. This time it would be slow and sweet. Now that he’d found her, he was not taking any chances by scaring her away.

  “Aidan?” she asked, her voice trembling along with her body.

  “Hmm?” he mumbled against her belly. Her skin was so soft, so fragrant. He could happily spend hours just licking and tasting every inch of her. Planned to do exactly that, as a matter of fact.

  “Are you okay with this? Don’t you want it, you know, fast? And hard?”

  “Not this time,” he crooned, surprised by how much he meant it. “This time, I’m going to savor you, Mary. I want to see your face when you come for me, baby. I want to see your eyes when I’m so deep inside of you, you can’t think of anything else but me.”

  “Ahhhh,” she said, her body relaxing, surrendering to his. It was still submissive in nature, giving him whatever he wanted, and that was enough to satisfy the beast clawing within him. Yes, the beast wanted to bite and claim, but even it seemed to realize that Mary was different. It, like the man, needed to care for and protect her just as much as it needed to mark and possess.

  She tried several times to take him in her hands or her mouth, but he gently rebuffed her attempts. This was his turn to serve her, to prove to himself as much as to her that this was about something more than sex. He wasn’t quite sure what, exactly. Didn’t really care at that point, either. It was something he’d allow himself to analyze and contemplate later, when she wasn’t hot and writhing beneath him.

  By the time he actually entered her, Mary screamed out in pleasure, climaxing around him even as he slid deep. Her walls squeezed and massaged him, grabbing on and holding him with everything. He pushed deeper, needing to feel her collapse around him, needing to be in her so he could feel every last shudder and squeeze.

  Mary’s nails raked across his back, her heels dug into his ass, trying to pull him deeper, though his testicles already rested heavily on her ass. Inside, his beast roared with pleasure and approval at this newfound ecstasy, all the more powerful because of its gentleness.

  “Ah, no fair, Mary. I wasn’t looking. You’re going to have to do it again for me, baby.”

  Aidan gave her a minute or two, then began moving when she relaxed her inner muscles enough for him to continue without hurting her. He gave her three more orgasms before he finally gave in to his own need, withdrawing at the last possible moment and ejaculating over her quivering belly with a force that literally left him too weak to support his own weight.

  “Christ, Mary,” he breathed into her neck. “What are you doing to me, woman?”

  He felt her arms wrapping around him, thought she might have mumbled something, but he was already losing himself to the darkness.

  * * *

  Mary stroked his hair, so soft and silky beneath her fingers. Felt his heartbeat, strong and steady, travelling through the walls of his chest and right into hers. His arms held her close, like iron bands. All around her, his heat, his scent, his essence cocooned her in something heady and amazing.

  This, this is what those erotic novelists wrote about. This feeling of soul-deep satisfaction, of having every want, need, and desire not only met but far exceeded. If only it could last...

  The room was dark. That in itself didn’t mean anything. At this time of year, daylight fled as early as four-thirty, but Mary’s internal clock told her that it was much later than that. As much as she wished they could remain like this, she knew they couldn’t. There were too many curious neighbors watching to see when he would leave. Knowing them, they would probably call the sheriff to check on her.

  As if on cue, Mary heard the low, distinctive rumble of Bill Toomey’s F150 pulling into her driveway.

  “Aidan,” she said softly, caressing his face. “Aidan, you have to wake up.”

  “Don’t want to,” he grumbled against her breast, making her smile. “Like it here.”

  “I do, too, but I think the local sheriff is about to knock on my front door.”

  Aidan lifted his head, instantly alert. “Are you kidding me?”

  “No,” she admitted with a quirk of her lips. “I bet Mrs. Shaughnessy’s been calling him all afternoon, ever since you made Malcolm pee his pants.”

  Aidan grinned unrepentantly. “I did, didn’t I?”

  “Yes, you did,” she said, cupping his face with her hands and kissing him. “But you have to go now before they post a warrant for your arrest.”

  “On what charge?” he asked, reluctantly pulling on his pants.

  She didn’t hesitate. “Stealing my heart.”

  Aidan stilled. “Is that what I’ve done, Mary?”

  “No,” she exhaled. She reached for her jeans, pulling them on hastily while she searched for her bra. “I think it’s more a case of me handing it to you on a silver-plated platter.”

  “Silver-plated?”

  “Yeah, well, I’m a woman of humble means. I can’t afford real silver.”

  Mary quickly ran a brush through her hair in an attempt to tame some of the just-fucked look, but there was nothing she could do about the radiant glow she had going. On her way out of the bedroom, she clicked on the television and inserted Life of Brian into the Blu-Ray. With a few taps on the remote’s chapter button, it looked like they were halfway through the movie.

  To further set the scene, she grabbed a couple of takeout containers and put them on the coffee table, along with some additional DVDs. When Aidan walked in shortly thereafter (he looked perfect, as always), she told him to sit down on the couch and let her do the talking.

  Aidan raised a perfect brow, but thankfully, did what she asked. Confident that she had done all she could on a moment’s notice, she counted off several seconds after the doorbell rang while Aidan looked on in quiet amusement.

  Max was at her side when she opened the door, but the moment he saw the sheriff, he positioned himself behind Mary’s legs and growled in warning.

  “Hi Bill,” Mary asked, doing her best to look surprised. It wasn’t too hard; her neighbors might be meddlesome but they’d never actually called the sheriff on her before. “What’s up?”

  “I’m sorry, Mary,” Bill said, clearly uncomfortable. “Esther won’t stop calling, and she’s got Molly all worked up.” Molly Toomey was Bill’s wife, a sweet but easily excitable woman. Thankfully, Birch Falls was a relatively uneventful place as far as criminal activity went.

  “Esther’s convinced you’re being murdered in your bed.”

  Mary felt her cheeks grow hot, wondering if there was any way Mrs. Shaughnessy had heard her screaming in the throes of passion earlier. It shouldn’t be possible, but if Esther was outside “walking her dog” and just happened to wander toward the side of the house where Mary’s bedroom was...

  Forcing a laugh, Mary said, “Well, obviously I’m fine.”

  Bill nodded, but he made no move to leave. “Do you mind if I have a look around?” he asked.

  “No, of course not,” Mary said. “Come on in.”

  “I’m real sorry about this, Mary,” he apologized again. “But if it’ll keep Esther from calling...”

  “It’s okay, Bill. Come on in so you and Molly can get some sleep tonight.”

  She led him to the room where Aidan was sitting on the couch eating a spring roll, the flick paused on the flat screen. “Bill, this is my friend, Aidan Harrison. Aidan, this is Bill Toomey, sheriff of Birch Falls.”

  Bill’s eyes went wide. Before he could say anything, Aidan stood and offered Bill his hand. “Sheriff. Good to see you again.”

  “You, too, Mr. Harrison. I’m so
rry. If I had known it was you I wouldn’t have bothered you.”

  “No problem. I’m afraid we got caught up in a Monty Python marathon and lost track of time.”

  “Yeah. Yeah, of course. Happens all the time.”

  “Satisfied?” Mary asked, looking from one man to the other.

  “What?” Bill turned around, his expression one of mild shock and embarrassment. “Oh, yeah. I’ll, uh, just leave you to your marathon then. I can show myself out. Thanks, Mary. Mr. Harrison.”

  Mary followed Bill out to the foyer and slid the deadbolt behind him, wondering if she was the only person in Birch Falls who didn’t know Aidan.

  She went back into the family room to find Aidan cleaning up. “How do you know Bill Toomey?”

  Aidan shrugged. “I saw him at the Goddess a few times.”

  “Why did he look at you like you were Kobe Bryant and Tom Brady rolled into one?”

  “How do you know I’m not?” Aidan countered, slipping his arms around her waist and lowering his head to trail soft kisses along her jaw.

  “Fine,” she said, tilting her head to give him better access. “You can keep your secrets, just as long as you keep doing that.”

  He chuckled against her skin. “Are you really going to make me go home tonight?”

  “Yes,” she said, though it was more of a moan than an actual word.

  “But it’s cold out there.”

  “Yes, it is. But if you don’t go, every one of my neighbors will be so scandalized I’ll have to move.”

  “You’re a big girl,” he murmured, kissing along her jawline again, working his way up to nibble on her ear until her knees went weak again. “You’re allowed to have a life, aren’t you?”

  “Aidan,” she groaned. “This is a small town. If you stay, my reputation will be ruined.”

  * * *

  That was enough to give him pause. He pulled away. Yes, he wanted to stay, but not if it would make things difficult for her. Their relationship was still too new, and he couldn’t be selfish. He, more than anyone, understood the need for discretion.

  “Okay,” he breathed reluctantly. “But next time, I’m parking two blocks over and sneaking in.”