Intractable Souls : Book 1 of the Bound for Ireland Series (23 page)

Fidgeting with the key fob, Olivia blushes.
“Nothing. Honest.”

Ethan gets his uniform out of his bag and
drops it on the ground beside them. Her witty banter is rendered
silent as he strips off his shirt revealing the bare smooth skin of
his chest and the dark ink of his tattoo. His silver chain and
cross reflect in the sunlight and draw her attention to his rock
hard pectorals. Mercy Sakes! Standing in the middle of the soccer
pitch he is a magnificent sculpture on display. Every muscle is
carved to perfection as if in stone and there is not a woman there
that isn’t enjoying the view.

Suddenly and without warning, he grabs his
athletic pants on both sides of the waist band and lowers them to
the ground. In one swift movement, he steps out of them and picks
up his shorts. Olivia’s eyes open wide in shock, dumbfounded that
he can drop his pants without any modesty at all and in full view
of every woman there. Knowing exactly what kind of fantasies seeing
his body conjures up in a girls mind, she suddenly has the urge to
claw out their eyes. Nope, she doesn’t like the idea of them seeing
his body at all. Peaking at him through her peripheral vision, she
repeats to herself. “Don’t look… don’t look!”

Screw it! Turning, she takes a good long
look at him standing beside her wearing nothing but his under armor
sportswear; all bare chested and muscly. When he steps into his
shorts and straightens, pulling them up over his hips, he turns to
catch her looking and grins. She tries to hide the quickening of
her breath as lust sweeps across her skin like a warm breeze.

Rachel doesn’t filter her thoughts and leans
in to whisper in her ear. ”Holy crap, if you’re crazy enough to
pass that up, I’m interested.”

Olivia’s eyes narrow as she glares at her.
“You’re married.”

“I am?”

Olivia gives her the ‘that’s not funny’
look, when strong arms swoop in and encircle her from behind.
Wrapping her in an extremely intimate embrace, they pull her back
against a tall body and rock hard chest. In contrast, very soft
lips come at her from the side and bite at her neck, nibbling their
way up to her ear. She knows that it’s Noah. No one else would
greet her with such a brash display of affection unannounced.
Leaning into him, she breathes in his delicious sporty scent, and
completely forgets how he broke her heart just a few days
before.

As Ethan watches another man wrap himself
around the girl that he wants, his body tenses. Without breaking
his stare, he tugs at his shoelaces so harshly that it’s a miracle
that he doesn’t break them. Rachel nervously watches his reaction
and she’s concerned there may be a fight before the game even
starts. From the field she see’s Scott expression and she knows
that he’s stressing over the same thing.

“Are you upset with me for missing our date
the other night?” Noah asks, nuzzling against her cheek.

“Sort of.” She doesn’t tell him that she
knows why he ditched her. Lord knows that she should push him away
and give him a piece of her mind but she won’t. That’s the way
their relationship has always worked. She ALWAYS forgives him.

A few feet away, Ethan looks up at Rachel
and captures her attention. “Tell me that asshole is NOT Noah
Thompson.” His words are laced with acid and when he gets to his
feet, he meets Rachel’s nervous expression.

“Sorry, Ethan.” She slightly cringes,
worrying about his reaction. “Yes, that’s Noah.”

Ethan curses and glares at him with murder
in his eyes.

Noah hears the cursing and feels the heat of
his stare burning through him. Glancing over he gives him a
hardened look but says nothing as he takes Olivia by the hand and
walks her along with him to the opposing team’s bench. “Tell me
there isn’t anything going on between you and that guy.” He says
when they are safely on the other side of the field.

“Who?” Olivia turns to see whom Noah is
referring to and meets Ethan’s intense and unsettled stare as he
tucks his jersey into his shorts. “Ethan? He’s a just a friend.”
Yet she can’t seem to tear her gaze away from him.

Noah lifts her hand to his mouth and kisses
it. “Could have fooled me. He’s looking like he’d like to kill me
right now. Promise me you’ll be careful around that one. He has a
bad temper and a very short fuse.” She notes the concern in his
voice and is just about to inquire about his statement when the
referee blows his whistle. She looks between the two men and then
gives Noah a quick kiss on the cheek before she hurries back to the
other side of the pitch to watch the game.

Ethan watches them from the field, his anger
building. He’s had many women in his life but he has never felt
like this. Watching another man touch Olivia makes his stomach
twist and his chest feel like a semi truck has just backed up on
it. The torment he feels watching her kiss him, forces him to admit
to himself that it’s more than just a physical attraction that he
has for her. He cares for her. The day he spent alone with her,
made him feel happier than he has felt in a long time. He wants
more days like that one. He wants her in his life. More than that,
he needs to be the ONLY man in hers.

Olivia quickly makes her way back to Rachel
as the whistle blows to begin the game. Right from the start the
game is very aggressive and the whistle blows every few minutes for
fouls. Ethan is very vocal at criticizing the referee’s calls. It’s
only 20 minutes into the game and he’s already received a warning.
Rachel and Olivia glance at each other with an awkward silence.
Ethan pushes forward hard, determined to get a goal. His efforts
thwarted by an extremely competent Noah playing defensive full
back. He whisks the ball away from Ethan’s feet and causes him to
trip and fall.

Olivia covers her eyes. “Oh God, I can’t
look.”

Ethan screams at the referee wanting a foul
to be called against Noah but it doesn’t come. Noah holds out his
hand to help him up but Ethan rejects it, cursing as he gets to his
feet on his own. The rest of the first half follows suit with
tempers flaring on both sides and still no score. The tension on
the field is making Olivia uncomfortable and Rachel senses her
anxiety.

“You ok?”

“Fine, I guess.”

“Olivia I should have warned you.”

“About what?” She turns to look at her
curiously.

“Ethan and Noah. The last time they played
against each other there were a few… um… brawls.”

“Fights?” Olivia is shocked. “They got into
fights?”

“Yes, and I just want to prepare you because
judging from the way this game is going so far… I think we might
get a glimpse of the nasty Irish temper Scott has been warning me
about.” Rachel now regrets not listening to her husband.

“Oh, I guess that’s what Noah was talking
about too.” She can feel the tension crawl through her shoulders as
she watches him.

“Yes, and to be honest that’s the reason why
Scott didn’t want him around you.“ Rachel feels so much better
getting that off her chest and as she does, Ethan loses what little
self-control he has left, just as predicted.

Olivia watches in horror as he goes after
Noah, shoving him in anger. Noah holds his ground as team mates try
to keep them apart. She cringes as Ethan takes a swing that catches
Noah square on the chin.

“Oh my god, I just want this game to be
over.” Putting her hands over her face she tries to block out
what’s happening.

Rachel shakes her head. “Well you’re about
to get your wish. Ethan just got thrown out of the game.”

Ethan storms across the field peeling his
shirt off as he walks and uses it to wipe the sweat off his face.
Seeing the tattoo on his left shoulder, she’s hit with a stunning
recollection of events. A collage of memories past and present. She
sees Ethan and her, alone and naked in the bathtub. His arms
wrapped around her like a guardian angel. She recalls the feel of
his chest against her back and his lips against her neck. In
addition, she remembers that tattoo, how dark the ink was in
contrast to his complexion, how soft the skin was under her fingers
as she traced its pattern along the hard muscle of his
shoulder.

Then she remembers a different place and
time, a small dark cabin somewhere in the past. Awakening nestled
in the crook of his arm with her face nuzzled into his neck, her
breathing matching his in perfect unison. Both images leave her
with the overwhelming feeling of safety and love. Quickly, she
rises to her feet.

Rachel looks up at her and becomes
frightened for her friend. “Olivia? Are you ok?”

“Yes. I just remembered something.“ She
can’t take her eyes off him. “I mean, I think it’s a memory. Maybe
it was a dream. I don’t know.” She grabs her purse and swings it
over her shoulder.

Rachel gets even more nervous. “What are you
doing?”

Picking up Ethan’s bag, she glances over at
Rachel with a strange look.

“You’re leaving with him?” Rachel gasps.
She’s certain that’s not a good idea.

Olivia watches him as he nears. She should
be afraid of him and she knows it, but she’s not. She looks back at
Rachel. “Believe me... I’m just as surprised as you are.”

“Don’t go with him.” Rachel begs. “What
about Noah?”

Olivia looks at Noah who is staring at her
from the other side of the field. “I’ll check in on him later.”

Reaching the sideline Ethan kicks off his
cleats and is distracted for a few seconds while putting on his
shoes. Olivia uses the opportunity to put her hand to her lips and
blow a kiss across the field to Noah. He holds his hands out in a
questioning gesture as she mouths the words. “I’M SORRY.”

Clutching the key fob tightly in her fist
she hands Ethan his bag and follows him silently to the car,
leaving Rachel flabbergasted that she would go anywhere near him
after witnessing his behavior.

Rushing to keep up, she forgets about the
proximity sensor and the doors automatically unlock as she nears.
Good thing, because Ethan is not exactly in a patient mood as he
swings open the back door and tosses his stuff in the backseat with
the force of a child like temper tantrum. As she rounds the hood of
the car towards the passenger side door Ethan comes around the back
and meets her as she reaches for the handle. “What are you doing?”
He yells. Making her jump and step back embarrassed. She had
assumed that he still wanted her to go with him. She looks up at
him wanting to apologize but she stalls when she sees the anger on
his face. “You’ll never open a car door for yourself as long as I’m
around.” He growls.

“Oh.” She stands back and allows him to open
the door, then climbs in apprehensively. Thinking this might be a
bad idea after all, her hand readies on the handle in case she
needs to escape. He takes his place in the driver’s seat, his anger
not yet subdued, pressing on the brake and starting the engine with
a press of the button. Olivia holds the key fob tightly in her hand
and notices a small cut on the edge of his eyebrow that’s starting
to swell, hinting that Noah got in at least one good shot. “Are you
hurt?” Her voice is a little shaky, not sure of his reaction. “Do
you want me to drive?”

“No, I’m fine.” Suddenly his mood lightens.
“You’re certainly eager to get your hands on my stick shift.” He
smirks and raises his eyebrows in jest but it does little to ease
her anxiety.

A text message beeps on her phone making her
jump.

From Noah: please don’t leave with him

From Olivia: relax. I’m safe. We are just
going to have a coffee

Ethan notices the look on her face. “Let me
guess… that was Rachel.”

Does she dare tell him the truth? “No, it’s
Noah. He just wants to make sure I’m safe.”

Ethan shakes his head. “I have no idea what
you see in that guy.”

Ethan’s phone beeps. He smiles and looks at
Olivia. “Mine’s from Rachel.” He hands her the phone so she can
read it.

From Rachel: Just so you know. If you upset
Olivia in ANY way. Scott will kick your ass

Olivia is shocked. “Oh, for Pete’s sake!
What’s wrong with everybody?”

He types a quick reply.

From Ethan: I don’t doubt that. Olivia will
always be safe with me

On the way to the coffee shop Olivia vents
about how her friends are too over protective.

“You’re lucky to have friends that care
about you that much.” There is a strange regret in Ethan’s voice.
What’s that all about she wonders?

“You must have friends that care about
you?”

His face looks sullen for a moment,
remembering something hurtful. “I thought I did back home, but I
was wrong.”

Feeling sad, she puts her hand on his knee,
giving it a reassuring squeeze. His expression softens with a
gentle smile as he places his hand on top of hers caressing it
softly and enjoying their connection as he drives. He wants to feel
this connect all the time. He has to have it.

Ethan impresses her at the coffee shop by
remembering how she drinks her coffee and ordering for her. The
cashier totals the bill and Olivia unzips her purse and reaches for
her wallet. When she looks up Ethan is staring at her. “We’re not
going to have this argument again are we?”

She looks at him with fawn like eyes, wide
and bright and a soft brown that he has never seen in them before.
Her long eyelashes flutter nervously. “You bought last time. It’s
my turn.”

“Not a chance.” He turns to the cashier and
starts to get his wallet out of his pocket.

His tone is dismissive and it makes all her
pent up anxiety manifest in a fit of anger.

“Excuse me, but just who do you think you
are?”

Ethan’s head jolts sideways looking at her
in shock. “I’ll pay.”

She doesn’t back down. “How about you don’t
make decisions for me.” Her voice gets louder and Ethan has now
turned to face her. “Olivia… Don’t. I’m not in the mood.” There is
a strong warning in his look.