“Sausage. I need sausage.” Olivia’s face turns a crimson shade of red.
While the waitress writes down Olivia’s order, Ethan tries to orchestrate a discreet retreat of his hand.
“And you, sir?”
Ethan tugs on his ear then scrubs his hand across the whiskers on his chin. “I’m in the mood for fish tacos.”
The waitress looks at him confused and reaches for the menu. “Is that a new item on the menu, Mr. O’Connell?”
Olivia elbows him hard in the ribs, making him grunt. “Steak! Just bring me a steak.”
Chapter Seven
Ethan tosses and turns for hours. He found the self-control to deny Olivia’s advances today, but it came at a cost. There will be no sleep for him tonight. The smell of her perfume, as she lay beside him, draws him in and makes him walk down that path of fantasy. He reaches out to touch her but stops himself. If he were to get his hands on her right now, he’d be done. He sits on the side of the bed, frustrated.
Making a move to the couch might be a wise decision. On the way past the bookshelf, Ethan runs his hand along the row of weathered, first edition, hard cover novels and pulls out one of his favorites. He reads for hours in the oversized armchair. Still restless and finding it hard to concentrate, he heads upstairs and stands in the bedroom doorway, watching her. Satiny sheets wrap around her, accentuating every feminine curve. Her hand disappears beneath the sheets. When she lets out a soft moan, he knows exactly what she’s doing. Enthralled, he continues watching as she squirms, pleasuring herself. When she whimpers his name, Ethan’s entire body tenses. He inhales a deep breath and holds it until his chest feels like it’s about to explode. A thousand different thoughts flash through his mind; all of them involving his cock. He knows what he has to do.
Straddling his legs, she reaches down and takes hold of him, guiding him toward her opening. When she feels the hard head glide into place, she slowly lowers herself onto him. Growling, he grabs her hips and pulls her down, burying himself deep inside her. An inspired rhythm quickly has her body glistening with perspiration. His hands smooth across her damp skin, stopping to grip her ass cheeks and squeeze them tightly.
“Come for me. I want you to come all over my cock.”
Olivia’s eyes open and she rolls over to wake him, hoping that he’ll look after her need. Frustrated, she searches for her phone beside her.
“Where are you?”
“I’m on my way to work. Is everything okay? You sound upset.”
“No, everything’s not okay. How much longer are you going to make me wait? You’re killing me.”
“Until I’m satisfied that I know you inside out. You’ll live. You seemed to have everything well in hand this morning,” he teases.
“You’re not funny.”
“I’m sorry, Love. I know it’s hard on you. It’s just that, you’re the most important thing in my life. And I don’t want to fuck it up by not knowing something I should know.”
“And this is going to help, how? You know everything about me. You even know things about past life me.”
“Still. Not until I say so.”
“Grrr,” Olivia growls. “You’re so annoying.”
“Try a cold shower. I’ve had several in the past week. Listen, Sweetheart, I’m at the office now. What are you plans for today?”
“I’m going to work in the office today. Ian scheduled a conference call with the team. I think we’re finally making headway.”
“That’s great to hear. I knew you were the right girl for the job.”
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t try to butter me up. I’m still sexually frustrated and really annoyed at you.”
“I love you.”
She sighs, “I love you too, but if you don’t put out soon, I’m looking for a new baby daddy.” The following silence concerns her. “Ethan? I was only joking.”
“I know. Sorry, I have to go.” He disconnects his call and sighs. “Hello, Eva.”
“Hello, boy.”
“Seems we’re always meeting like this. Do you always hang out in cold, dark parking garages?”
“Only when it’s necessary.”
“Do you have something you need to say?” He looks at his watch.
“You can’t let the past repeat itself,” she warns. “She needs to explore the reason for these dreams. That’s the purpose of them; a message.”
“And what’s the message?” he says impatiently, as he begins to walk toward the door to the main building.
“She must discover that for herself.”
“Eva, I have a meeting. Can you just get to the point?”
“You’re the key; the balance that she needs. Help her find her strength, boy. The baby’s life depends on it. Her journey is a difficult one, but it’s necessary.”
“How did you know about the baby?” Ethan asks as he stops and reaches for the door.
Eva flashes him an astonished look.
“Right. Stupid question.”
“Be careful, Ethan. You’re the one who will provide the loving tenderness she needs to survive; while still being able to look after the dark side of her that needs to be dominated.”
Ethan pulls open the door. “I know how to look after her needs.”
Eva grabs his arm, causing him to turn around. “Sometimes the line becomes fuzzy, unclear. She trusted in a man who used his strength to abuse her, not guide her. I see confusion, fear. You need to pay attention; be aware.”
“I’ll take good care of them, Eva. I promise.”
Olivia takes a lunch break and calls to check in on him. “Is everything okay? You sound more stressed than usual.”
“This new kid is really starting to get on my nerves.”
“Oh, is that the guy I met on the plane? The one from France?”
“You met him on the plane? Why are you just telling me about this now?” Ethan asks annoyed.
“Oh, well we only exchanged a few words, and I’ve been sort of wrapped up in this… having your baby thing. I guess it slipped my mind.”
“I have to go, my next meeting is about to start and John is pacing the floor. I’m afraid he’s going to have a heart attack.”
“You better go then. If he drops dead you’ll have to do everything for yourself,” she giggles.
“Very funny. We can talk about your new friend over dinner tonight.”
“Please,” Olivia groans. “No more dinners. I’m busting at the seams already.”
“Good, at least I know my baby isn’t malnourished. You need to eat.”
Olivia looks down at the tiny baby bump and rubs her hand over her belly. “Okay, under one condition.”
“I told you. I’m done with rules and agreements. Conditions fall under the same category.”
“I’ll go out for dinner tonight, if you give John a few days off. From all his jobs.”
“What?”
“He’s been working non-stop without a break. He’s up early every day to make sure everything at Aurora and OCI is in order. He closes the bar every night at two a.m.”
“He seems to be managing fine,” Ethan argues.
“He’s tired, Ethan. He’d never admit that to you… but I can see it in his eyes. No man can survive on four hours of sleep a night for an extended period of time. He’s going to burn out.”
“And if I tell him he can have the day off, you’ll stop fighting me on the dating issue?”
“A few days off, starting today. Then, yes. I promise.”
“It’s a deal. I’m hanging up now. Why don’t you go home and finish what you started. Take all day if you like. I’m giving you my permission. As many times as you’d like.”
“Geez. You’re so generous.”
“Careful, Princess, you don’t want me to change my mind and take that privilege away.”
“As if,” Olivia says under her breath.
“I’m sorry, did you say something?” Ethan asks unimpressed.
“Errr. Yeah, I said come watch me, then.�
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“I like the sound of that, but this kid has me on my toes. I need to make sure I’m not leaving any doors open here.”
“Booo! Then I think I’ll just get go to work.”
“Suit yourself. I’ll see you at home. Love you.”
Before Olivia has the chance to repeat his sentiment, he’s gone.
Ethan walks down the hallway and into John’s office. He’s leaning back in his chair, resting his head with his eyes closed. Standing at the other side of the desk Ethan clears his throat.
Startled, John’s eyes pop open and he sits upright.
“Is everything alright?” Ethan asks concerned.
“Yes, everything’s fine. Is everything okay with you? Did you need something?”
Ethan yields to Olivia’s observations. John looks haggard. “No, actually.” He frowns. “Olivia would like you to take a few days off.”
“She would?” John asks surprised.
“Yes, she’s concerned that you’re working too hard, and you need some rest.”
“Hmmm,” John says suspiciously. “I find her concern a little strange, since she’s clearly wanted to kill me a few times in the past few weeks.”
Ethan chuckles. “At one point I wasn’t sure if I should be more afraid for you or myself.”
John nods. “How do you feel about me taking a day off?”
Ethan crosses his arms in front of him. “I’m inclined to agree with her. You look like shit, McCabe. Go home and get some rest. You’re no spring chicken anymore.”
“Alright, I’ll go home and get some sleep before work tonight.”
“Nope. You’re not working tonight. Arrange for one of Travis’ guys to head up security at the restaurant. The condition was you get complete rest. No work.”
“Condition? Do I want to know?” John smirks.
“I’m not telling you anything.” Ethan nods in the direction of the door. “Get the fuck out.”
John doesn’t waste any time grabbing his things, but he pauses in the doorway. “Promise me you won’t go toe to toe with the French kid. He’s just as ambitious as you were when you started out. We need to be smart about this.”
Ethan grins. “I’m kind of looking forward to a day without you around spoiling all my fun.”
John hesitates. “Can I trust you to keep your mouth shut for a few days?”
“Probably not.”
“Didn’t think so. See you in a few days. If you need me… Don’t call.”
Ethan smirks. “Got it, old man.”
John raises his finger and then drops his hand to his side. Shaking his head, he walks away without saying a word.
Olivia hates to admit it, but now that she’s pregnant, she’s starving all the time. Running a few errands takes her close to home. She hasn’t been by there in a few days. If she’s honest with herself, she’s afraid. This break-in has stirred up some very uncomfortable memories. Despite the anxiety that’s causing her to grit her teeth, she turns down the street and pulls up behind the house. It’s quiet today. There’s no sign of sub-contractors on the premises at all. From the outside the only hint that there was any damage to the house, is a few piles of construction waste.
She’ll just take a quick look inside and make sure that everything’s in order. Walking the main floor, she gets an eerie feeling. A feeling like she’s not alone. When she wanders along the upstairs hallway, she cautiously pushes open each door and peeks in. When she enters her bedroom, she feels a chill creep across her skin. The room still smells of fresh paint. She takes a long remindful look around. There’s no longer any sign of the horrific warnings that were painted on the walls a few days ago.
Feeling a little overwhelmed, she closes all the doors and goes downstairs. She’s halfway down when she hears a noise at the front door. She stops, frozen in her tracks, her heart pounding loudly in her chest. If she moves quickly, she could possibly get out the back door, but her feet refuse to move. She clenches her fists tightly, her nostrils flaring as she tries to get air into her lungs. The doorknob turns and the door swings open slowly. Olivia holds her breath.
A handsome, well-dressed man fiddles with the key, before removing it from the doorknob, and closing it behind him. He takes a moment to admire his own reflection and run his fingers through the caramel highlights in his dark brown hair. When he turns, he’s shocked to see Olivia standing on the stairs, with her hand on her chest, trying to settle her breathing.
“Oh, I’ve frightened you.” He begins toward her, his moderately well trimmed body, tensed. “I was told that no one would be here.” He sends her an apologetic look.
“Who are you?” she asks, cautiously inching her way down the stairs.
He reaches into his suit jacket, making her even more nervous. “I was just going to ask you the same question.”
Olivia takes a few more cautious steps down the stairs, keeping her back as close as she can get to the banister.
“Business card,” he advises, noting her fear. “I’m the real estate agent.” He flashes her a charming smile, trying to put her at ease.
“The what?” she asks, taking the card out of his hand.
“The real estate agent. My associate was asked to come in and do a market assessment on this property, but she had a family emergency. Apparently, there’s some urgency to sell, so she asked me to come by. I’m sorry I frightened you. She told me that no one would be here.” He holds out his hand. “Blake Sheridan. And you are?”
“Pissed off,” Olivia says shocked.
“Excuse me?”
“Sorry, I’m Olivia James.” This is my house. But I didn’t request a market evaluation. Nor am I considering selling.”
He looks at her confused. “I’m sorry, I’m afraid I don’t understand.” He quickly looks through the paperwork and the details provided by his associated. “I’m in the correct place.” Flipping over a page, he looks at her with a look of regret. “It looks like your husband has requested the evaluation.”
“Well. This is a little awkward.” Olivia begins to relax, deciding that Blake’s warm smile and kind brown eyes are nowhere near intimidating. His hands are so well manicured and soft looking, that she’s sure the man has never killed a bug, let alone murdered a girl in her own home.
“We’re not married,” she informs him.
“Oh? Engaged?”
“Nope, not yet. Maybe not at all after today.”
“I see. I hope there isn’t trouble in paradise. I can come back another time, if that would make you more comfortable.”
“That’s not necessary. In fact, why don’t we get started right now? I’ll walk around with you, in case you have any questions.”
Blake’s brown eyes begin to sparkle. “That’s great. Let’s begin downstairs.” There’s something flirtatious in his smile as he gestures toward the stairs. “After you.”
Olivia takes out her phone and sends a text.
Olivia: Hey, Baby. How’s your afternoon?
Ethan: Miserable. I let John take the day off like you asked.
Olivia: You did? You’re awesome. Guess what I’m doing.
Ethan: Mmmm have you got your hand inside your panties?
Olivia: Nooooo. I wanted to thank you.
Ethan: For giving you permission to masturbate?
Olivia: No. I stopped by my house this afternoon
Olivia follows Blake down the stairs with an amused smile.
Ethan: You’re at the house?
Olivia: Yes. I just met the incredibly sexy real estate agent you sent to do the appraisal.
Ethan: I see.
Ethan: Wait. You think Ms. Chandler is Sexy? Not that I’d object if you were a little bicurious, but she’s got to be at least 100 years old. lol
Blake wanders the basement, taking notes and Olivia follows behind. “Blake, I was wondering. Would you mind if I got a quick snapshot of you and I? I’d like to post it on my Facebook timeline. I’ll tag your business and recommend you to all my friends.”
Olivia holds up her phone and waits for him to arrive beside her. “Oh, I can’t get us both in.” She pouts. “I guess you’re going to have to move in a little closer.”
Blake slides in closer, his body against her. “Closer,” she requests as she holds up the phone again. He moves in, pressing his hard muscular chest against her back. “Would it be completely unprofessional for me to tell you that your perfume is a little distracting?”
Olivia grins. “Are you smelling my neck, Mr. Sheridan?”
“Yes, I am. I apologize.”
“No need. It’ll be our little secret. Now…Smile.” Tipping her head in, she rests her forehead on his jaw as she snaps the picture.
Olivia: Oh, you didn’t know?
Ethan: Know what?
Olivia: Ms Chandler couldn’t make it. She sent her associate. Meet Blake Sheridan.
Olivia snickers and bites her lip as she sends the photo.
Olivia: He’s assured me that he can look after ALL my needs this afternoon.
“Olivia?”
“Hmm?”
“I’m done here, let’s move upstairs.”
Olivia slides her phone in her pocket and follows Blake to the upper level. When he’s done, he sits at the dining room table and reviews his notes. Olivia blushes, thinking about the things that she and Ethan have done on this table.
A loud rumbling noise disrupts his thoughts, causing him to look up. “What the hell is that?”
Olivia’s eyes open wide, her chin slightly dropping.
Blake’s brow furrows in concern at Olivia’s alarmed look.
“Have you ever had to deal with a jealous, ill-tempered, possessive Irishman, Mr. Sheridan?” she asks, looking aghast.
Intrigued, he cocks his head to the side. “I don’t think so, why?”
“I suspect you’re about to.”
Chapter Eight
The door swings open with such a force that it smashes into the wall, leaving a dent. Blake quickly gets to his feet and extends his hand. “Mr. O’Connell, I’m glad you’re here, I was just going to go over the details.”
Indivisible Souls: Book 3 of the Bound4Ireland Series Page 7