Bottom Line: Callaghan Brothers, Book 8 (26 page)

“It’s breathtaking,” she murmured, walking over to the windows and looking down. 

Knowing who Aidan Harrison was, was one thing, but actually standing here in his office, seeing the fine leather and hand-carved wood, looking out from his office at the pristine scenery all around, slammed the reality home.

“More so with you standing there,” he said.

A small tablet on his desk buzzed.  Aidan tapped it, and a disembodied female voice informed him that he was awaited in the boardroom.  Aidan thanked her and told her he would be there in a few minutes.

“Thanks for showing me this,” Mary said breathlessly, still feeling a bit overwhelmed.  It was hard for her to comprehend what Aidan’s everyday life was like.  “I can find my own way out; I don’t want you to be late for your meeting.”

He grinned.  “Oh, you’re not leaving, Mary.  Your afternoon is booked solid, in fact.”

As if on cue, a very capable (and very attractive) woman entered quietly.  She was tall, almost as tall as Aidan, and built like a model, despite the fact that she was at least fifty.  Aidan introduced her as Gretchen, and told Mary that she would be in charge of ensuring that Mary made all of her “appointments”.

Mary looked at Aidan questioningly, but he only grinned wider.  Not wanting to embarrass him, she pasted what she hoped was a genuine looking smile on her face and thanked him.  She could have sworn she heard him whistling as he left for his meeting.

Gretchen escorted Mary down to the spa, where Mary was informed her afternoon had already been planned.  She was treated to a facial, a massage, and several other more personal services that she was sure were as much for Aidan’s benefit as hers.  She was uncomfortable at first, but the ladies at the spa were very accommodating and persuasive. 

Maybe being the boss’s girlfriend did have a few perks, Mary thought dreamily as she soaked in mineral-infused water that felt simply heavenly.

* * *

A
idan’s meeting ended earlier than expected.  Working from Mary’s house for a few days had turned out to be quite beneficial.  There were less interruptions, and knowing she was near allowed him to focus rather than worry.  With her in his life, everything fell into place.

Checking his watch, he saw that Mary would be occupied for at least another hour or so.  On a sudden impulse, Aidan took the staff elevator down to the kitchens.

Lexi met him with a huge smile.  “There he is,” she said.  “You’ve got this place in a buzz today.”

“Do I?” he asked smugly.

“Everyone wants to know who the mysterious woman is who’s captured your attention.  You brought Mary in, huh?”

“Yes.  This morning was her first day back at the flower shop.  She was only supposed to work a half day, but she’d still be there if I hadn’t shown up.  I booked her at the spa for the afternoon, so at least I know she’s taking it easy.”

“Good plan,” Lexi smiled.  “Maybe.”

“Maybe?”

“Not every woman likes to be managed so thoroughly, Aidan.  Did you ask her if that’s what she wanted?  Did you even tell her about it first?”

He frowned, never having considered the possibility.  “No.  What woman wouldn’t want to be pampered?”

“I’m not saying she wouldn’t like it.  All I’m suggesting is that maybe you should have given her a little warning.”

Aidan nodded, rubbing his hand over his face, remembering how resistant Mary had been.  “I’m fucking this up again, aren’t I?”

“No,” Lexi said gently. “It’s part of who you are.  You want to take care of the people around you.  That’s not a bad thing.”

“I sense a ‘but’ in there somewhere.”

“But... Mary is used to doing everything for herself.  If you try to assume control over her life without discussing things with her first, she might begin to feel like you see her as incapable and in need of a keeper.”

“I don’t think that at all!” Aidan said.  “It’s precisely because she’s so damn capable that I want to do something nice for her.  Damn it, Lex.  She’s spent so much of her life taking care of others.  I want to be the one to take care of
her
for a change.”

“Then just tell her that so she understands what you’re doing.”

Aidan nodded.  When Lexi said it, it made perfect sense.  “I guess I can do that.  I just can’t seem to think straight when it comes to Mary, Lex.  Christ.  I just want to lay the world at her feet.”

“She doesn’t want the world, Aidan.  She just wants
you
.”

He looked at her, his normally golden eyes dark with torment.  “She loves me.  I know she does.  But I also know that if I asked her to marry me tonight, she’d balk.  Why?”

Lexi was quiet for a few seconds, her expression thoughtful.  “Maybe she’s afraid.”

“Afraid of what?  I would never hurt her, Lex.  Walking away was the biggest mistake I ever made.  I’ll never do it again.”

“I think she knows that, deep down.  And I don’t think she is afraid
of
you, Aidan.  She’s afraid
for
you.”

Feeling frustrated, Aidan ran his hands through his hair in an uncharacteristic gesture.  “Lex, that makes no sense.  Why on earth would she be afraid for me?”

Lexi was quiet again.  “Has she gotten the results back from her surgery yet?”

Aidan was surprised by that question.  “She hasn’t said anything.”  Worry lines creased his brow.  “Do you think she did and she doesn’t want to tell me?”

“I don’t know, Aidan.  I don’t know Mary well enough to speak for her.  But I do know that when it first became a real possibility that Ian and I could have a future together, I was terrified of what he’d have to face because of my illness.”  She laid her hand gently on Aidan’s arm.  “You remember, don’t you, Aidan.”

“You didn’t want Ian to have to watch you die,” he said slowly.  “You wouldn’t let me contact him until you made it through your pregnancy...”

“Until I knew I would make it.”

W
hen Aidan met Mary at the spa, she was glowing from head to toe.  He took her hand and had no problem kissing her right there in front of a gaping staff.  “Good visit?”

“Aidan, it was the most thoughtful, most wonderful thing anyone has ever done for me.  Thank you.”

Aidan’s heart swelled.  At least she wasn’t mad at him.  “My pleasure.  Are you ready to go?”

“Yes.”  After saying goodbye to the staff and thanking them profusely, Mary let Aidan take her hand and lead her out to where Jared had the Benz warm and waiting. 

“You look absolutely radiant, Mary.  Even more beautiful than usual.”

“I feel beautiful,” she admitted.  “I’ve never been to a real salon before.  My friends tried to talk me into a pedicure once, but I chickened out at the last minute.”

Aidan laughed.  “Why?  What is so scary about a pedicure?”

“Well, what if my feet smelled bad?  Or I had gunk beneath my toenails?  I rarely wear shoes in the summer, and the bottoms of my feet get stained from walking around barefoot in the grass and dirt.  I would have needed to soak and scrub them just to feel comfortable enough to go.  And if I was going to do that, then why bother?”

“No such problem today, I take it?”  Aidan glanced her way, barely able to control his smile.

“Well, it’s not summer, is it?”

He laughed, and it felt good.

They shared the delicious meal that Lexi had prepared and sent back with them.  Mary talked about her day, how good it felt to be back at the shop, and how wonderful everyone at the spa treated her.  She asked Aidan about his meetings and listened with genuine interest.  It was exactly the way he wanted every night of the rest of his life to be – sharing it with Mary.

It would have been perfect, had Aidan not been sure that Mary was withholding something from him.  Lexi’s words kept echoing in his head.  The more he thought about it, the more sense it made.

“Mary,” he said, taking her hand when she tried to get up to clear the dishes.  “There’s something I want you to know.”

She sat back down, her expression growing concerned when she heard the serious undertone in his voice.  “Okay.”

“Well, several things, actually.”  He would start easy and work his way up.  “First, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about taking you to the Goddess this afternoon.  I wanted it to be a surprise.  It never occurred to me that you might be self-conscious about what you were wearing, because to me, you always look beautiful.  But Lexi explained that I was being an ass and that I should have given you some warning.  I’m sorry.”

Mary blinked.  “It’s okay, Aidan.  I admit, I was a little freaked out at first, but mainly on your behalf, not mine.  If you really didn’t mind, then I couldn’t see where I should, either.  I mean, I’m the one walking around with the wealthy, gorgeous billionaire.”

He grinned at that.  “And I should have asked about the spa before going ahead and making all those arrangements.”

“Alright, you can stop right there, mister.  Don’t ever apologize for that.  Feel free to do that anytime.”

He chuckled, then grew serious.  “There’s one more thing, Mary.  I want you to know that no matter what, I am right where I want to be, and that is with you.  I don’t know if the results of your tests came back yet, and I don’t care, because it doesn’t matter.  If we have to fight, we will, and we’ll do it together.  We’ll get the best doctors, the best care, the best of everything.”

Mary’s smile faded as he spoke.  “What if I don’t want treatment, Aidan?  Would you try to force me to do something I don’t want to do?”

His gut twisted painfully. 
Yes!
he wanted to scream, because the thought of not doing everything in his power to help her went against every fiber of his being.  But that would be what
he
wanted, not necessarily what
she
wanted.  As much as he needed to care for her, he would not take away her free will.  Ever.  Anything he did for her, to her, would be because she allowed it, not because he forced it upon her.

“No,” he said quietly.  “I will support you in whatever you choose, but I would never give up trying to find some way to keep you with me a little while longer, Mary.  If you refuse, and I lose you, it will kill me right along with you.” 

“You understand,” she whispered.

“Yes,” he said.  He looked down at where their hands met.  “Lex told you about my thrombophelia, didn’t she?”

“Yes.”

He gave a little laugh.  “What a pair we were, her and I.  Do you know why Lexi and I grew so close, Mary?”

She shook her head. 

“It’s because in all the years we’ve known each other, we accepted each other’s shortcomings.  When she refused to terminate her pregnancy and go on what might have been the only drugs to save her life, I stayed by her side and held her hand.  And when I refused the blood-thinners that would make me less likely to throw a clot, she held my hand and told me that if I had a stroke, she would hire only the prettiest nurses to give me sponge baths.”

Mary smiled at that. 

“But we never stopped looking out for each other, either.  I made sure Lexi got the best care possible within the limits she had set for herself, and she ensures that I go for tests every three months or so to check for clots and whatnot.  The point is, we love and respect each other enough to be there no matter what.  I will always be there for you, Mary.  Just as I hope you will be for me.”

They sat there like that for a long time, looking at each other, holding hands.  It was Mary who broke the silence.

“Aidan?” she said, her voice thick with emotion, her eyes glistening.

“Yes, baby?”

“
I’m ready
.”

For several moments, Aidan’s heart stopped beating while his mind processed the words.  Then it pounded fiercely against the walls of his chest. 
She’s ready.

He wanted to laugh and shout and crush her to him, but he had something he had to do first.  His hand reached into his pocket as his body descended smoothly to go on bended knee before her.

“Mary Christine O’Rourke, will you marry me?”

She didn’t speak.  She didn’t nod.  Instead, she, too, went to her knees.

Aidan forgot to breathe.

Mary’s beautiful brown eyes were sparkling beneath a sheen of moisture.  Had any woman ever looked at him with so much love?

“Yes, Aidan Harrison,” she said softly.  “I will marry you.”

Aidan slipped the ring on her finger before she had a chance to change her mind.  Then he sucked in a much-needed gulp of air and gathered her in his arms.  His lips sought hers, sealing the promise with a kiss.

“I am going to spend the rest of my life taking care of you, Mary.”

She grinned against his mouth.  “Yeah?  Then how about starting right now.”

Just that quickly, a familiar heat raced through his body.  No woman had ever had such power over his inner beast.  His cock grew hard and heavy as her fingers made quick work of his shirt.  The feel of her hands on his bare skin made him hiss with pleasure.

“Bedroom,” he managed, his hands slipping beneath the hem of her shirt.

“No,” she countered breathlessly, pushing against his chest.  “Here.  Now.”

He growled, the Dominant in him rebelling against her sudden bid for control.  “The floor is too hard for you.”

“I don’t intend to be on the floor,” she said with a wicked smile.  Her freshly-manicured nails scraped down his chest until she reached the fastening of his slacks.  Every cell in his body screamed for her.

Aidan warred with his inner beast. 
Flip her over.  Assert our dominance
.

She’s still healing, and we don’t want to hurt her
.

Unaware of his inner dialogue, Mary freed him and began to stroke and lick hungrily.  Both voices fell silent as the sensations crashed over him like a tidal wave.  His hands fisted in her silky hair, holding her in place.

“I’m supposed to be taking care of you,” he said thickly.

Hungry, lustful eyes locked onto his.  “You are,” she told him.  “You are giving me exactly what I need.”

Without giving him a chance to respond, she lowered her head and began working him again.  Surprisingly, his beast blinked.