Intractable Souls : Book 1 of the Bound for Ireland Series (20 page)

She bites at her lip and then finally finds
her nerve. “I definitely prefer North American muscle.”

He smirks. If she insists on playing this
game, his Irish sense of humor will prove to be a worthy opponent.
“Is that so?” Ethan turns the car into the next row of dealers.

Olivia becomes downright cheeky. “Yes it is.
While imports make a lot of promises about their performance it’s
the North American muscle that always comes through… with a Good.
Hard. Ride!” She returns his stare with a ballsy confidence that
makes his dick twitch. Jesus! This woman seriously turns him
on.

“Well then, I’m always up for a good hard
ride. Convince me. Where will we start? I’m guessing we’re heading
for the Mustangs?”

She scowls at him and snickers. “Now you’re
just talking crazy, Ireland. You’re not cool enough to drive a
Mustang.”

Ethan smiles and takes a good long look at
her, realizing that he hasn’t thought about the office, or work or
the nasty investigation back in Ireland all day. He can’t remember
the last time he felt this happy and it’s definitely because of
Olivia. He had thought his attraction was just physical, that his
need was one of a sexual nature but that’s not it at all. The curve
of her hips and her full soft breasts get his pulse racing, that’s
true, and he fantasizes about how good it would feel to sink deep
inside her and lose himself in her softness, but that’s not what is
drawing him to her. He is starting to feel something for her.
Something he can’t explain deep down inside. He wants to protect
her, know everything about her, take care of her, be with her
always. HE wants to be to be the one to make her smile.

They pull into the first lot and enter the
show room from a side door. Ethan sees nothing spectacular, just
normal looking family sedans. He wonders what she has up her sleeve
as he follows her to the far side where they are met part way by a
salesman who looks very tired and stressed. “Hello, again. You’ve
brought a friend I see.” He holds out his hand for Ethan, who
shakes it and looks at Olivia inquisitively.

“This is Jim, salesman of the month.” She
points over to his picture mounted on the nearby wall. Ethan
follows her lead. “Congratulations.”

Jim is still shaking Ethan’s hand
vigorously. “Thank you.” He turns to Olivia. “Are we here to visit
again or are we considering something else?” Ethan is trying to
follow the conversation. Obviously these two have a past.

“Actually Jim, my friend Mr. O’Connell, SVP
of INTERNATIONAL Sales for Aurora Technologies, is looking to
purchase something with a lot of power and a lot more style.” She
purposely accentuates the part about Ethan’s job so that Jim knows
that they are here on serious business and not just
window-shopping.

Jim nods his head. “Is that so?” He finally
lets go of Ethan’s hand.

Ethan shrugs. “Apparently so, Jim.” He
glances over at Olivia and raises a brow. She bites her lip, trying
not to laugh.

“Well, right this way then. I assume we’re
taking a look at Olivia’s favorite?”

Ethan chuckles. “That would be my guess as
well.” When he glances over at her, she’s batting her eyelashes and
giving him the most seductive smile. It takes enormous restraint on
his part not to grab her, smash his body against her and kiss her
lips. Growling, he curses under his breath.

”What?” She asks innocently.

“One day….” He whispers.

“Is that a threat, Mr. O’Connell?”

“No Olivia, it’s a promise.”

The chemistry between them is strong today.
She tries to mask the excitement that races through her at that
promise, but she’s unsuccessful. Ethan knows exactly how she’s
feeling, she can tell by the look of satisfaction on his face.

They follow Jim, as he makes his way to the
far side of the show room and through a narrow walkway into another
room. Bright lights and fancy displays adorn this room. It’s
obviously where they keep the “expensive” cars. Olivia walks over
to the brand new Challenger SRT8 392 Hemi and runs her hand along
her as if she was caressing a lover. Ethan watches her with
curiosity as Jim jumps through all the hoops spouting
specifications, gas mileage, engine power and performance
points.

“I’m sure Olivia could give you all the
finer points, she has them memorized. Would you like to take it for
a test drive? I’ll go get the dealers plates.”

Olivia leans back against the door and looks
at Ethan. Standing on the other side of the room, he can’t help but
notice that she’s glowing. He gets a warm, tingly, tight feeling in
his stomach that spreads outwards to every nerve ending in his
body. Good Lord, what is it about this woman? Within seconds Jim is
back and hangs the dealer plates on the car and hands Ethan the key
fob. Olivia opens the passenger door, flips the seat forward and
begins to climb in the back seat. Jim pipes up, “You can sit in the
front, Miss James. I won’t be going with you.”

Ethan is a little shocked. He has never
known a dealership to send out a car on a test drive without the
accompanying salesmen. “You won’t?“

“No sir, I’ve driven with Miss James before
and if you drive anything like her, there’s not a snowball’s chance
in hell that I’m getting in that car.”

Perplexed by Jim’s comments Ethan glances
over at Olivia and notices her blush. “Now Jim, I’ve said I’m sorry
at least a thousand times.” She’s feeling a little embarrassed
right now.

He bangs his hand on the roof twice. “All
good to go. Don’t be gone long we’ll be closing soon.”

Pulling out of the showroom and into the
parking lot, Ethan can’t stand it any longer. “So, you and Jim have
some history do you?”

“No, not really. He came with me on a test
drive once.” She couldn’t stop smiling if she tried but decides not
to elaborate on the details.

“Are you going to tell me what
happened?”

“Nope, not a chance.”

Ethan grins, and pulls out onto the road,
cautiously testing the steering and control. He speeds up and slows
down taking his time, getting to know the clutch and all her sweet
spots. The interior is lush and luxurious comfort, molded perfectly
for them side by side. For the first time in hours she looks at
him. Really looks at him. Something happened when she was sick,
something that profoundly connected her to him on an intimate
level. She doesn’t know how much longer she can continue to fight
him or even if she wants to. How will she ever deal with all the
other women in his life? She doubts he would ever give up his
bachelor’s lifestyle.

He notices her staring. “So you like this
one do you?”

“Yes, but I think the Z4 is more for you.”
She watches his facial expressions as he changes gears and checks
his rear view mirror for approaching traffic. “Why do you say
that?”

“Because, not only do you look like a girl…
but you also drive like a one!”

“You’re hilarious today.” He reaches over
and playfully pokes at her and tries to tickle her as she squeals
in laughter.

“No seriously.” She pants through her
giggles. “I think you might actually have ovaries.”

Ethan puts his hand back on the shifter and
gears down, pulling over onto the shoulder and stops. “Alright
then, miss ‘I know a little something about cars’… you drive then.”
He undoes his seat belt and jumps out. “Seriously?” She’s out her
door and around the front in seconds. Grabbing her as she passes,
he slows her for a second, his touch stoking a fire in her belly.
“Just get us back in one piece.”

Olivia jumps into the driver’s seat, adjusts
the position, and mirrors. Reaching into her purse, she finds an
elastic and pulls her long hair back into a ponytail. “Can I use
your sunglasses?”

He hands over the aviator style sunglasses
without hesitation. Putting them on, she looks over at him with a
smile. “Sexy?”

“Very sexy.” Lure you into the backseat and
fuck you, kind of sexy. Calm yourself!

“Hold on!” She warns.

“What?”

Tires squeal as she jolts into first gear
and hits the gas hard. The force pushes him back against his seat
and she grins, feeling pleased for the first time that she has some
power over him. Heading south among the slow moving traffic, she
signals towards the highway. A very nervous Ethan is starting to
regret his decision. “Are we supposed to take it on the highway?”
He looks tense and nervous and Olivia likes that she has made him
feel that way for a change.

“Of course! They want us to check her out.”
She merges safely into the southbound traffic and turns on the
radio. The volume vibrates the dashboard. No longer able to contain
herself, she finds an opening between cars, shifts gears and is
gone! In and out of traffic she puts that car through its paces
with expert maneuvering and precision shifting. Finally relaxing,
Ethan enjoys the ride and becomes even more intrigued with her. He
wishes they could just drive off somewhere together, forgetting
about everything and everyone else.

When she finds her exit she gets off the
highway and takes a country road that loops back towards the
dealership. The car caresses the sharp curves in the road and takes
every hill with ease. The tires grip the road and stay their course
as she pushes speed and steering to its limits. Finally they are
led back towards the dealer. When Olivia pulls over to shoulder to
change places with him, there are no spoken words, only the look of
desire and passion. The chemistry in the air is electric as the
pass each other, but neither of them makes a move to act on it,
heightening the anticipation.

When they pull into the lot, Jim is waiting
for them outside. “Well, what did you think?“

Ethan rushes around and opens Olivia’s door.
“Let’s talk in your office Jim.”

Olivia is like an excited child waiting for
Christmas morning as Jim heads towards his office, Ethan following
behind. He takes Olivia by the elbow and slows her. “Olivia,
negotiations are my thing. When we begin to talk about money, don’t
say a word.”

When she nods her understanding, he allows
her to enter before himself. Jim has started piling paperwork on
his desk. “Let’s start with the model.”

Ethan defers. “Olivia?”

She sits up towards the desk with eager
anticipation. “SRT”

Jim looks over at Ethan for his approval.
Ethan nods “Of course.”

“6 speed manual.” She adds. This time she
looks for Ethan’s approval. “V8 392 Hemi.”

Ethan raises his eyebrows. “Not concerned
about reducing my carbon footprint?”

She shakes her head ‘no’ sheepishly, knowing
that she should. There is just something about the additional power
the V8 provides that she has to have. Or… that Ethan should have.
She grins.

He accepts. “Ok then.”

Jim hands Ethan a page of options and
accessories to review. Ethan hands it Olivia with a pen. “Pick what
you want baby, you know better than I do.”

Olivia wonders if he’s really going to let
her build this car for him. He did say that he could afford the
things he wants. Did he just call me baby? Tummy flip. She grins
and makes short work of the list, checking all the appropriate
boxes for the best performance options. She hands the list back to
Ethan who raises his eyebrows and nods in appreciation of her
choices as he reads it. “Impressive, but do I really need that
stereo system?”

She nods her head hoping he’ll agree. She
went for broke, but expects that he will veto a few of her choices.
He reads further down the list and hums in appreciation. “Nice call
on the rims.”

Olivia is gleaming when Ethan hands the list
to Jim who peruses it quickly and whistles. “Your girl sure knows
what she wants, Mr. O’Connell.”

Ethan grins. “Yes she does and I’m sure it’s
going to be very expensive.” He glances a look of adoration her way
that makes her feel off balance. His girl? It’s alarming how much
she likes the way that sounds, since a little more than a week ago
she couldn’t stand to be in the same room as him. She knows she’s
heading into dangerous territory but for the moment, she lets him
lead her there.

Jim starts to bang numbers into the
calculator adding options and accessories. She glances over at the
number and suddenly feels very overwhelmed. Poor Ethan. What has
she gotten him in to? Jim is eager to close the deal on this big
ticket item, she can tell. “I just need to know what color.”

Ethan looks over at Olivia. “Well? What’s it
going to be?”

“Orange! With dual black centre stripes.”
She waits nervously to see if Ethan will object.

Jim flips through the glossy sales
brochures. “I’m not sure this model comes in Orange anymore.”

Ethan looks at Olivia in amusement and she
shrugs her shoulders. “The lady would like orange, Jim.” There’s
that authoritative tone. The one that makes her tummy feel funny.
The one that lets everyone know that Ethan O’Connell means
business. Apparently, he’ll not be denied what he wants in any
facet of his life. Desirous feelings stir deep inside her and
moisture gathers between her legs making her squirm uncomfortably
in her chair. Ethan gives her a half smile and she wonders if he
knows what’s going on inside her pants. Of course he does!

Her eyes dart back and forth between the two
men waiting for someone to speak. Jim taps his pen nervously on the
desk, his stare locked in a power struggle with Ethan. He needs
this sale, the four growing children in the family picture behind
him, tells the story and Ethan has already figured it out. Sensing
the deal could go sour at this point, Jim becomes very
accommodating and breaks the silence. “Of course, we’ll look into
it for you.”

Ethan picks up one of Jim’s business cards
and slides it into his shirt pocket. Taking out his wallet, he gets
out one of his own, flips it over and writes something on the back
of it. Jim pulls a large document out of a folder on his desk. “We
just need to fill out the finance paperwork.” Ethan very
confidently picks up the sheet of options and accessories and
places his business card on top of it. Lining it up in the top
corner he picks up the stapler off the desk and attaches them
together. “Finance papers won’t be necessary, Jim.” He puts the
papers back down on the desk in front of him. “I’ll be paying cash,
and that’s what I’ll be paying.”