Intractable Souls : Book 1 of the Bound for Ireland Series (61 page)

Lowering his hands to her waist, he caresses
her as he goes. Reaching up, she runs her hands through his hair,
and holds him against her mouth, afraid to let him go. He leaves
her feeling a little dazed and light headed… weak in the knees,
when he breaks the kiss.

“I don’t want her. I want you. If you ever
doubt how I really feel about you… think about that kiss.”

Leaning his forehead against hers, he
nuzzles her nose for a moment and then moves in for one more kiss.
So sweet. So delicious.

“Are we ok?” He smoothes his hands over her
cheek, her hair, her shoulders… everywhere he can touch her.

Olivia’s brain is numb and she blinks
excessively, trying to re-focus and desperately wanting to believe
him. “She’s just a client right?”

Ethan nods. “Yes, and I intend to make sure,
right this minute, that she knows that I’m not available to anyone
but you. Let’s go.” Releasing her, he opens the door and walks
behind her into the billiards room. Everybody’s eyes turn to stare
and Olivia’s face turns red, embarrassed that they witnessed her
being dragged off into another room.

Reaching down and taking her hand, Ethan
walks towards one of the tall stools set out along the wall of the
room. Sitting in the one beside Carter, he widens his knees and
pulls Olivia between them, planting another kiss on her lips as her
chest lands against him. Carter and Ethan give each other a little
fist bump, which she assumes she’s not supposed to see, and when
she slides her lips away she glances sideways to meet with Carter’s
smile. He nods and winks at her, genuinely happy for his friend,
but there is something in his eyes. Something that tells a
different story. One that he’ll keep to himself, for now.

When she turns around to watch the game,
Ethan slides his arms around her middle and keeps her tucked firmly
between his knees. She’s met with the angry glare of the group of
woman on the other side of the table. All of them listening
attentively to Stacey and then looking over at her with disgust.
Olivia can’t help but notice, and she tenses a little. Ethan slides
his cheek against hers and whispers into her ear. “Just ignore
them.”

“It reminds me of the night we met.” She
whispers back.

“Really? Why?” He asks curiously.

“When you rescued me from the chair of
death?”

Ethan leans to the side so he can look at
her face, shaking his head and looking confused as if he has no
idea what she’s talking about.

“Really, Ireland? All the women were
seething in jealousy when you helped me up and held me in your
arms. They gave me the stink eye the rest of the night.”

Ethan acts surprised. “I had no idea.”

“Oh pulleeze! They had been drooling over
you for weeks from what Rachel tells me.”

“Huh, no kidding? I never knew.” Grinning,
he tightens his arms around her and trails his lips across her
neck. “The only woman I ever noticed at that field was YOU.” He
lifts his eyes and looks at Carter’s impressed expression as he
nods his head in awe and mouths the word “Smooth.”

Olivia relaxes in his arms and sighs. “You
make it increasingly difficult to be angry with you, you know.” She
leans into him, determined not to take his touches for granted any
more.

“That’s good for me, right?” He says with
his lips pressed against her shoulder.

Olivia sighs with the feeling of his heated
breath against her skin. “Yes. But it’s really getting
annoying.”

She grins when she spots Shannon and John
cuddling and kissing over in the corner. “Shannon said that you’re
letting her stay a few more weeks so she can spend more time with
John.”

“Did she? Well I thought I was letting her
stay so I can keep an eye on her while she works on my case. I
don’t trust lawyers, especially the women.”

“Again… you’re not a very good liar, Ethan.”
She turns her head and kisses him, pulling away just a little, and
then dives back in to kiss him again. “I take it back… you’re not a
huge jackass.”

Ethan raises his brows in surprise. “Hmmm. I
don’t remember you calling me that.”

She grins. “Oh I did, and several other less
lady like things actually. Some I’m sure Stacey and her friends
will have to look up on dictionary.com because I’m pretty sure
they’re all too stupid to own a book.”

Both Ethan and Carter chuckle until Carter
opens his mouth. “Definitely my kind of girl.” Ethan stops dead and
glares at him.

“Just saying, boss. So don’t fuck it up.”
Carter warns.

“Uh Oh.” Olivia says, as Stacey makes her
way towards them. Walking right up to them, she talks to Ethan as
if Olivia isn’t even there. “The girls want to go over to
‘EUPHORIA’ and do some dancing.”

Olivia tries to move towards Carter to get
out of the way but Ethan grabs her hips and holds her against
him.

“Sure, if that’s what you want to do. It’s
only a few doors down. I’ll have John call over and get you on the
VIP list so you can get in without any problems.” He waves John
over. “Carter, you’re staying at the hotel right?”

“Yeah.”

“Can you make arrangements to pick up the
tab or have it charged to your room and then submit it with your
expenses?”

“Sure thing, mate.”

Stacey stands staring at Ethan with an
unimpressed expression. “You’re not coming?”

“No, it’s been a long day and I think I’m
going to get on my way.”

Stacey crosses her arms in anger. “You can
kiss my endorsement goodbye if you don’t go.”

Ethan anxiously scrubs his hand over his
stubble and Olivia can feel the tension in his body. She shrugs.
“It’s ok with me if we go for awhile.”

Ethan gives her an apologetic look. He’s
going to have to buy her something special to make up for all her
concessions this evening, not to mention dealing with his temper.
Oh and there is that whole pregnancy thing that she seemed
remarkably calm about… Dragging her out of the elevator… And what
happened under the table. Oh Christ! What happened under the table!
He has no idea what kind of gift could ever wipe that slate clean.
She’s right, he’s a HUGE jackass.

Stacey storms back across the room to her
friends, her heels clicking heavily on the floor as she goes. Ethan
meets John halfway across the room to discuss plans. Shannon
wanders over towards Olivia and Carter. “What’s going on?”

“Barbie wants to go dancing and she’s
insisting that Ethan goes too.” Olivia rolls her eyes.

“Wow! She doesn’t discourage easily does
she?” Shannon looking over at her, trying to figure out how this
woman can still not get it.

“So I hope you have comfortable dancing
shoes on.” Olivia says as she looks down at Shannon’s feet.

“Oh, I don’t think John and I will go.”

Olivia panics. “You have to go, because
Ethan won’t go unless I do. And I’m not setting foot in that place
with the barbie girls unless you go with me to make sure I don’t
scratch out their eyes.”

Carter laughs and raises his beer bottle in
a salute. “Well, you ladies have fun.”

Olivia sneers at him. “Not so fast Crocodile
Dundee. You’re going too. Ethan is going to need you there.” She
narrows her eyes at him in a warning that makes him reconsider.

“Fine, I’ll go.” He says, giving in
reluctantly. There is no way he wants to be on the wrong side of
Olivia’s threats.

“Go where?” Ethan asks as he returns.

“To Euphoria with us.” Olivia answers for
him.

Ethan looks over at Carter who has the
strangest look on his face. “Awesome, I’d feel better if you were
there. Nice of you to offer.”

Both Shannon and Olivia start to snicker and
look away. Ethan looks back at Carter who explains. “Oh I didn’t
offer. I’m going because your girlfriend here, told me I have to.
And quite frankly, mate, I’m afraid of what she’ll do to me if I
refuse.”

Ethan looks at Olivia, who is trying to look
innocent and batting her eyelashes at him. He grins and shakes his
head. “Wise decision my friend.” He glances over at the girls,
“John has already gone over to make the arrangements. We’ll walk
over whenever the girls are ready.”

Thirty minutes pass by and Ethan is going
out of his mind still waiting for Stacey and her friends to
‘freshen up’.

“Jesus Christ, how long does it take?” He
asks looking back and forth between Shannon and Olivia for an
answer. Olivia shrugs.

Pete and Brandon have had way too much to
drink and start to get into an argument over something ridiculous.
Ethan goes over to help Danny put an end to it when the girls
finally file out of the restroom and make their way to the front
door. The boys straighten up and prepare to escort them, thrilled
to have such hot women at their sides. Shannon, Carter and Olivia
follow them to the door and just as they reach outside Stacey
firmly grasps Ethan’s arm and starts to walk. When Ethan looks over
his shoulder at Olivia feeling really uncomfortable, she puts him
at ease. “It’s ok.” She says.

Standing between the lovely lawyer and the
sassy IT consultant, Carter mans up. Presenting his arms for them.
“Ladies? Shall we?” The girls smile at each other and accept his
offer. One on each arm.

The lights in the city are bright against
the black veil of night. The sparkle of the stars remind Olivia of
the shimmery twinkle lights that Ethan had strung on the gazebo
yesterday for their ‘date’. She wonders if there will ever be
another night like that one. One where she doesn’t want to strangle
him.

Ethan peeks over his shoulder at them
several times on the short walk, making Carter chuckle. When they
arrive at the nightclub on the ground floor of the prestigious
hotel in Toronto’s famous entertainment district, John is waiting
outside. Olivia notices that Shannon starts to glow when she sees
him. You would never know that there is close to 10 years
difference in their age. Shannon is wise and mature beyond her
years and John’s style and fit body in no way reflects his age. The
minute Stacey leaves Ethan’s side, Olivia steps up and reclaims his
hand. He grins at her possessiveness and leans in for a kiss. Where
did this new-found confidence come from? Looking around, she
suddenly realizes that there’s a strict dress code in effect and
Ethan is wearing jeans. “Ethan, I don’t think they’re going to let
us in, we’re not dressed properly.”

Ethan kisses her on the forehead as if to
say… ’aren’t you cute for worrying’. “Trust me, they’ll let us
in.”

Olivia shrugs. Looking doubtful, she follows
him towards the door. That’s when Carter leans into her ear. “He’s
part owner.”

Olivia’s body straightens and her eyes open
wide. “Of the night club?” She says in shock.

Ethan turns to take her hand, smirking at
the conversation he’s overheard. “No baby, of the hotel.”

Feeling a little overwhelmed from that news,
she doesn’t know what to say. They bypass the lineup and head right
into the second floor VIP lounge. Olivia takes everything in, the
bright neon signs, the flashing lights and the vibrating bass of
the speakers. The dance floor is packed, there is barely room to
move at all and the line of patrons standing outside hoping to get
in extends down the street and around the corner. On a Monday
night, nonetheless.

After a few drinks, Ethan brushes up against
her as she watches the dance crowd from the balcony of the second
story VIP lounge. “I like that look.” He says, reaching for her and
pulling her into his arms.

“What look?”

“That look, the one that says that I’ve done
something to impress you.”

“You’re a very successful and accomplished
business man, Ethan. I can’t figure out why on earth you are so
concerned about what I think?”

He brushes her hair away from her face and
rubs his fingertips across her cheek. “You’re the only person whose
opinion I do care about. Everybody else can go to hell.”

Clearing his throat to signal his entry,
Carter joins them on the balcony. “Sorry to interrupt but I’ve been
sent over to inform you that Stacey wants to dance now… WITH YOU!”
He points at Ethan and smiles apologetically. Olivia rolls her eyes
and shakes her head. Ethan takes a frustrated breath.

Heading downstairs, they move towards the
dance floor together but it’s so crowded they can barely find
space. Ethan is careful to stay close to Olivia while Stacey
continues to try to capture his attention. A very popular dance
song by Usher comes on and everyone on the dance floor explodes
into his or her best hip hop moves. Carter wanders out and joins
them, not surprising Olivia at all with his accomplished dance
moves. She can’t keep track of the number of female heads that turn
in his direction. It’s as if every vagina in the place has GPS and
the destination is set to 6’2” Australian hottie, built like a
linebacker, and if the old saying is true about the size of a man’s
feet... he’s hung like a horse. Carter has succeeded in getting the
attention of every woman in the place, except for Stacey, who still
has her GPS set on a trip to Ireland. SO NOT HAPPENING, BITCH!

Olivia is shocked at how forward some girls
can be. Carter has never even met any of them and yet there they
are on the dance floor, rubbing up against him and grinding their
asses into him like cats in heat. Geez! Carter moves with great
skill and rhythm making sure no one is left out and nobody is
disappointed. Looks familiar. She expects that both he and Ethan
perfected their dance moves at all the nightclubs they hit while
attending university. She imagines that there were always plenty of
women curious to find out if they could move as good in bed as they
did on the dance floor and doubts that either of them ever went
home alone. When she looks back in Ethan’s direction, she notices
Stacey watching Carter. She looks over at him several times
actually. Thank God! Olivia finally sees a shimmer of hope and
dances over to Carter.