Souls ReAligned (30 page)

Aiden stands before her, completely confounded. Blinking in rapid succession, he tries to find an argument, but comes up short.

“He’s waiting for you in the study.” Her heart palpitates as she turns to walk away.

Ethan is concerned when she returns looking a little jumpy. Entering the study, she looks around the room in front of her, reminded of a scene from
Gone With The Wind
. The men standing at the fireplace engaged in conversation; the women gathered in a cozy sitting area. She quickly takes her place at Ethan’s side.

“Are you okay?” he pries. “I thought you’d gotten lost.”

Silence falls over the room. Olivia glances up to see Aiden entering through the double French doors.

Taking a huge breath, she smiles, “I’m fine.”

Every one watches nervously as Aiden crosses the room. Heading toward the bar, he pours two glasses. Ethan tenses when he turns toward the fireplace, heading in his direction. Nodding, Aiden hands him a glass of Irish whiskey.

“Hey, Dad.” He respectfully accepts his offering.

“Ethan,” he acknowledges. “I understand it was a difficult morning.”

Reaching down, Olivia takes Ethan’s hand, grasping it tightly.

The normally thick air around him suddenly becomes less burdened. No longer feeling scrutinized, Ethan tells his father about the results. The family gathers around him, in support, ensuring him that he is loved.

Ethan catches Anna’s smile and lets his guard down. Pulling Olivia closer to him, he shows his mother just how much he loves this girl.

A very strong woman herself, Anna lives her life with outward compassion. Her compulsion to ensure everyone else around her is happy always supersedes her own needs. Yet, something tells Olivia that this small, seemingly quiet woman puts forth that façade in the company of others. When push comes to shove, she doubts that anybody in the family would risk crossing Anna O’Connell, not even her husband.

Despite her best efforts, Anna has been unable to resolve the battle between her son and husband. Anna knows Olivia is the cause of her husband’s concession. With tears in her eyes, she stands at Olivia’s side, giving her a knowing look. Trying to avoid her gaze, Olivia fights back her own tears as emotion overtakes her.

Excusing herself, Anna makes her way to the kitchen to put on the kettle. The girls move to the other side of the room, but Ethan keeps Olivia anchored tightly at his side. Across the room, he notices Madison whispering to McKenna and Kaylie. McKenna lifts her eyes, looking right at him with a surprised expression.

“That can’t be good,” Ethan says drawing Olivia’s attention to the situation.

Olivia looks over and knows that Madison is obviously sharing their conversation. Smiling, she gives his hand a reassuring squeeze.

“Are you kidding me?” McKenna’s voice says loudly. Madison shushes her, but it’s too late. All the men are now looking in their direction, curious as to what’s transpiring.

“I’m telling you,” Madison whispers, “She has Ethan wrapped around her finger. I’ve never seen him talked down from a temper tantrum. She was amazing.”

McKenna quickly makes her way across the room, grabs Olivia by her free hand, and pulls her away. “Sorry fellas. Olivia is needed in the kitchen. Girl stuff!”

Olivia looks over her shoulder at Ethan, who looks terrified. He releases her hand as she’s dragged across the room, followed by his other two sisters. Ethan and Ian look at each other, awkwardly, and then glance over at the patriarch of the family. Aiden shakes his head, sucks back his last mouth full of whiskey, and reaches for the bottle.

After a few minutes, wicked laughter erupts from the kitchen. Looking at Ian, nervously, Ethan takes another mouthful of whiskey. “Jesus, they scare the shit out of me when they all band together like that”

“Tell me about it,” Ian agrees, swallowing back his last mouthful. “At Sunday dinner, a few weeks ago, I apparently made a comment that McKenna interpreted as me thinking she’s getting fat. I got the cold shoulder from the three of them, until we sat for what was supposed to be a wonderful prime rib dinner. The only thing they gave me was salad.”

Ethan laughs, “What the hell did you say?”

Ian shrugs, “I don’t even remember exactly. It was something about her pants looking a little snug.”

Ethan cringes, “Yikes! Bad move.”

“I know, I know… but it was out of my mouth before I could stop it. My dear father in-law left me hanging out to dry.”

“Do I look stupid, Ian?” Aiden chuckles. “I was starving. If I had come to your defense I would have gotten nothing but salad, as well.”

Ethan shakes his head. “Well, I half expect them to come rushing back in here with torches and pitchforks yelling and pointing at me,
there he is! Kill the monster!
”

They all chuckle, even though Ethan is really only half joking. The thought really does terrify him.

When the girls come back into the parlor they all sport mischievous expressions. There’s no question that they’re keeping a secret or two. Even his mother looks over at him, trying to hide a smile. Ethan squirms uncomfortably.

Aiden lets out a masculine laugh and tips the whiskey bottle in Ethan’s direction. “Do you want another drink?”

Ethan looks down into his almost empty glass. “No thanks, Dad I’m driving and I suddenly have this feeling that I should get the hell out of Dodge while the gettin’s good”

Ian laughs out loud, “God, I miss having you around Ethan. When are you coming home for good?”

Ethan looks over at Olivia, who’s chatting with his mother and absolutely glowing. The sight of her takes his breath away. At that moment, he wishes, with all his heart, that it were Olivia carrying his child.

“I don’t know yet, Ian. I’d like to come home for good, but I’ll end up wherever she wants to be.”

Olivia senses his gaze, from across the room, and looks over at him. They smile as their eyes meet.

“Jesus, you have got it bad,” Ian says, as he refills his glass.

Ethan exhales deeply, “You have no idea, brother.”

Ian looks over at McKenna, “Don’t be so sure of that. I feel the same way about your sister. Just a few moments ago I was thinking about how...”

Ethan interrupts, “Dude, I don’t want to know anything about what you and my sister do. I love you, man, but if I ever think you’re going to share, I swear I’ll drop you where you stand.”

Ian looks at him and scowls, “Relax, O’Connell. I was just going to say that I was thinking about how amazing she is. I can’t imagine my life without her.” He takes a large swig of whiskey. Ignoring the burn in the back of his throat, he raises his glass to him, “Did you just call me, dude?”

Watching Olivia closely, Ethan notices that she’s starting to look tired. Her body is fighting an infection while still trying to get used to the time change. She tries to hide it from him, but she needs her rest. When she looks over at him again, he points at his watch, indicating it’s time to go. To his surprise, she actually nods her head in agreement. She must really be feeling unwell.

After saying goodnight to everyone, they make their way back out to the grand entrance to put on their shoes. The moment they’re alone Olivia whispers, “You’re ‘gettin’ out of Dodge,’ huh?”

Ethan looks up at her, grinning as he ties his shoes.

“That’s not the first time I’ve heard you use an Old West reference. On opening night, you declared there was a ‘new sheriff in town’.” She gives him the same mischievous grin that she had when she came out of the kitchen.

Getting to his feet, he stands in front of her looking amused. “Yes, I did. What’s your point?”

Looking around, she makes sure that no one else is within earshot. “So do you think that maybe, in one of our past lives, you might have been a cowboy?” she asks curiously, blinking her eyelashes in a flirtatious way.

Ethan cuddles up against her, wrapping his arms around her middle and whispers in her ear, “Will it get me laid if I say yes?”

She grins from ear to ear, “You’re getting laid anyway, O’Connell. That will only make it more fun!”

“Well, in that case, giddy-up! Let’s get you home, little lady.”

“Michael is a great teacher,” Madison argues.

“I don’t like the way he looks at her.”

“You’re imagining things, Ethan.”

“No, I’m not. I’m very serious about this, Madison. Find her another instructor. This discussion is over.”

Hearing the bedroom door open, Ethan hurries to finish his call. “And, Madison… when Olivia asks why, make something up.”

Olivia gives him a suspicious look as she enters the room, wondering why he quickly ended his call.

“What?” he asks innocently.

“You tell me? What are you up to?”

“Nothing.”

“I’m not buying it for a minute.” She grabs her cell phone, checking her calendar. “Did you schedule anal sex, again?”

Crossing his arms in front of him, his face takes on a serious expression. “No, I didn’t. If you wish to avoid that, then my advice to you is that you be on your best behavior.”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Oh, I would. Perhaps you’d actually follow instructions for a change.”

“I’m not a masochist,”

A smug grin slides across his lips. “Says the woman who recently asked for a spanking. If you wish to explore those things, I’m certain it would be a more effective form of punishment for you, than spanking.” Stepping forward, he presses his lips against her ear. “I know the things you crave. I’ll give you what you’re afraid to ask for.”

He runs his palms across her hips, gliding over the round curves of her ass cheeks. Squeezing the soft flesh firmly in his hands, he pulls her forward.

“I’ll never ask you for that.” She insists.

“That sounds like a challenge, Miss James.” He grins, when she shakes her head, adamantly. “We’ll see about that,” he says confidently. “I know how aroused you get when we talk about what we’re going to explore on Thursday night. Not that long ago, you would never have asked for that, either.”

Olivia’s chest expands as she inhales a long breath, and holds it. Her mouth opens, but she’s at a loss for words.

Pulling away, he straightens his tie then looks up, waiting for her response. “I’m working at Aurora Tech for the next couple of days. John will pick you up and take you to Maddie’s tonight and… what are you doing tomorrow?”

“Taekwondo.” Olivia gets ready for work, avoiding eye contact.

“What happened to Aikido?”

She looks up, giving him two thumbs down with raspberries.

Slightly amused he shakes his head. “You’re going to run out of martial arts soon, Love. Find one you like, and stick with it, please.” Reaching up he firmly grasps her chin between his thumb and forefinger, halting her protest. “Shh, don’t argue,” he whispers against her lips. “This mouth is so much more beautiful when it’s being kissed.”

A playful brush of lips grows into a passionate kiss. The touch of Ethan’s hands on her body sparks a need that only he can sate. When she reaches for his belt, undoing it with precision, he swallows hard. She’s quick to kneel and release him from his trousers.

“Olivia,” he begins, looking at his watch.

Ignoring his obvious concern about time, she guides him toward her mouth. Holding his shaft firmly in her hand, she surrounds the sensitive head with her mouth. He moans at the first teasing lick of her tongue along the slit. Slowly, she takes him in further, closing her mouth around him; pressing his cock to the roof of her mouth with the flattened edge of her tongue.

“Fuck it,” he groans, looking at his watch again. Relaxing, he leans back against the counter, letting her continue. Tangling his fingers in her hair, he grasps it firmly, guiding her head forward until he can’t go any further. He continues to set the pace, loosening his grip only to allow her to draw in air.

She continues taking him deep into the back of her throat with every thrust, until he lets go of her hair and grasps the edge of the counter. He no longer needs to give her warning of his release; she knows his body and all the signals. The powerful muscles in his thighs tense as she massages his balls with her hand, teasing them with gentle pulls. Paying attention to his moans and reactions, she waits until she knows he’s about to come. Pulling her head back, she releases him from her mouth and wraps a firm hand around him. Stroking him rigorously, she edges him closer. When he pants wicked dirty words about her lips around his cock, she opens her mouth, pressing her tongue against the engorged pink head. When she lifts her eyes to meet his gaze, he explodes. Holding him as he grunts and rocks his hips forward, she licks and sucks… gathering everything he has given, making sure that she doesn’t miss a single drop. With eyes still connected, he moves his hands to brush her hair away from her face, brushing his fingers across her cheek.

“We’ve got ten minutes to look after you,” he pants.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to. I like looking after you.”

Tipping her chin up, he looks into her eyes. “You know me better than that. Bedroom. NOW! Don’t waste any time… be naked by the time you get there.”

A trail of clothing is strewn down the hallway as they make their way. When she’s completely naked, he scoops her into his arms and carries her into the room, stopping just inside the door.

“What’s wrong?”

“I used the last of the condoms last night. You’re finished with the antibiotics right?”

“Yes,”

“You took your birth control? You didn’t miss any?”

“Yes,”

Leaning back, he looks at her, confused.

“Yes, I kept taking them. No, I didn’t miss any,” she clarifies.

Tossing her on to the bed, he climbs in on top of her.

“Thank God,” He kisses and nibbles along her body until their eyes meet. There is something daunting in the way that he holds her gaze. The connection pins her in place, taking intimacy to a level she never knew existed.

Her knees spread, inviting him in, allowing him to look after her needs. She knows he won’t stop until he has. It’s not in his nature. In his mind, he considers it a failure.

Later that afternoon

Ethan: Thinking about this morning keeps making my dick hard.

Olivia: Everything makes your dick hard. But I’m not complaining.

Ethan: Not everything. Only you.

Olivia: Aww you’re so sweet.

Ethan: I have to go out of town for a meeting. I’ll be gone before you get home tonight.

Olivia: When will you be home?

Ethan: Day after tomorrow.

Olivia: I don’t have to go to dance tonight. I can come home and spend time with you before you go.

Ethan: No need to change your plans. Go to dance. I’m taking the jet to London.

Olivia: London? Can I go? I’ve never been.

Ethan: Another time. This is a quick business trip. In and out.

Olivia: Oh, ok.

Ethan: Sorry about the short notice. If you’re worried about staying at the flat alone, ask John to stay. Even better, spend the night at Madison’s.

Olivia: I have to go. John’s here.

Ethan: You’re upset with me?

Olivia: No, I’ll see you when you get home.

Ethan: HOME. I love hearing you say that.

Olivia opens the car door and tosses her stuff in. “Hi, John.”

“Olivia.” He grins as she sits and buckles in. “I take it you had a good day.”

Cocking her head to the side, she raises an eyebrow. “What do you know?”

“Only that Ethan was extremely late for a meeting this morning. It’s not like him to be late,” chuckling, he pulls up in front of the dance studio.

“Anytime I’m responsible for disrupting his corporate world I consider it a WIN,” she claims proudly.

Opening her door, he helps her out, “Between you and me, I’m rooting for you.”

Without Ethan around distracting her, she makes significant headway on the Artemis project in a few short days. It feels strange giving the progress report to Ian without Ethan hovering near by. She looks over at Aiden O’Connell several times, hoping to receive his approval. Thumbing through the pages in front of him, his expression remains stoic. Ian gives her a sympathetic look and encourages her to keep talking.

Afterwards, she walks with Ian to her office, frowning.

“Wow, I can see the O’Connell intimidation method is hereditary.”

“Don’t let him get to you. It’s not personal. It’s all business,” he assures her. “Enjoy the peace and quiet while you can.” Needing to talk to McKenna regarding business, he gives Olivia’s elbow a squeeze and leaves her in the hall.

Feeling restless, she organizes her notes and shifts uncomfortably in her chair. Anxiety starts to take its toll.

Ethan wasn’t able to talk to her last night for very long. She tried to talk to him about Michael not being her instructor, anymore, but he was distracted and not very sympathetic at all. When she asked questions about the business in London, he deflected or changed the subject, all together. She can’t put her finger on it, but something is definitely off. More secrets. Gah!

She checks her phone again, but there are still no messages from him today. Frustrated, she lets out a heavy sigh. Feeling eyes on her, she turns to see Aiden O’Connell standing at the doorway watching her. When she makes eye contact, he fidgets with his cuffs and unbuttons his jacket. “Nice work today, Miss James.” Turning, he begins to walk away.

“Mr. O’Connell,” she calls out, stopping him.

“Yes.”

Nervous, she struggles to find words. “Thank you, Sir”

Aiden nods. A familiar grin begins to curl at the corner of his lips; one that she’s seen a million times from his son. Olivia returns his smile, amused at the thought that once upon a time, he likely melted Mrs. O’Connell’s panties with that smile. They are a perfect reflection of each other, the O’Connell men.

Olivia awakens excited that Ethan is on his way home today. He refused her offer to pick him up at the airport. She was relieved that he was acting like himself when he called to say goodnight.

Noting her restlessness, Ian suggests that she take the afternoon off. Calling Madison, she arranges to take an earlier lesson. When she arrives at the dance studio, Michael is just leaving. She waits in the cab until he’s a good way down the street. She thinks it would be awkward to run into him today. All the way up the stairs, it eats away at her, picking at her insecurities as if it’s an ugly scab.

When she swings open the door, she asks Maddie for a straight answer, “Did he quit on me because I’m not very good?”

“Excuse me?” startled, Madison almost drops her water bottle.

“Michael. He quit because I suck, right?”

Madison closes her eyes, showing her regret.

“No, Olivia. That’s not the reason.”

“You can tell me the truth. I can take it.”

“Michael was pleased with your progress.”

“I’m confused. Why then?”

“I had to assign him to another client.” She uncomfortably avoids eye contact.

“Why, Maddie? Can you please just answer the question? What is it with you O’Connell’s?”

Turning, Madison walks away, refusing to answer.

Suddenly it all becomes very clear. Olivia knows why; her chin drops in shock, “Oh My God! Ethan?

Maddie glances back at her but says nothing.

“Ethan asked you to assign him to someone else didn’t he?” Angrily, she shakes her head.

Fear runs up Madison’s spine, “He’s going to be furious that you found out. He’ll assume I told you.”

“I don’t care!” growling, she throws her shoes against the wall. “Some days I love him so much it hurts, but days like today, I want to throttle the man.”

“I know what will make you feel better.” Madison makes a call. “McKenna. I need you to leave work early, pick up Kaylie and meet Olivia and I at Harvey Nichol’s.” Putting her hand over the phone, she whispers to Olivia, “Our favorite dress shop.”

“Oh yes, he seriously fucked up. We need new dresses for the charity gala, dinner, and lots of wine.”

Hanging up, she smiles, “All settled. The ‘
I want to throttle my man’
group therapy starts at four, with shopping.”

“Do you do this often?” Olivia stares up at Maddie as she puts on her shoes.

Madison quirks an eyebrow, “You’ve met McKenna and Ian, right?”

“Right. So… retail therapy is a weekly occurrence, I’m guessing.” She laughs at the expression on Madison face.

Olivia’s new female partner becomes annoyed that she’s having trouble with the choreography. It’s the most miserable dance lesson of her life. When the instructor finally leaves, Olivia grabs the phone and makes a call.

“O’Connell”

“You had Maddie switch my partner?”

“Yes.” There’s no point denying it.

“Why?”

“I don’t’ like the way he looks at you. I’m just going into a meeting. We can talk about it when I get home tonight, but I’m not changing my mind.” The authority in his voice, demands compliance, but for once, she ignores the tone.