2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Declan

I ’m going to kill Maverick. I know he’s up to something. Sure, it’s working, but it looks bad. Can’t say that he hasn’t done this to me before, but the last time he pulled this kind of shit, it was with a fucking escort. That sort of thing is a lark when it’s a whore, but not when it’s the most beautiful lass in the world. And I told him those things in confidence. I should have known better. The asshole. But as I watch her face light up while we pull into the driveway, I decide to plant my seed accordingly, and take her to the guest house first. This way I can wow her there, and then go in for the kill, taking her to the main house afterward.

Why I’m taking leave of my senses, forgetting about all the things that I already know about Moira, I don’t know. Maybe I figure I’ll take Maverick’s word on it and give her a chance. Get her side of the story first, before believing the things that our almost-hired new spy has uncovered for me. Da would have a shit if he knew. More so about me using a spy that he hasn’t fully checked out yet, or getting involved with a lass that has a shoddy track record at best. I know I’ll hang for this. But something inside me won’t let her go. The fact that she’s so beautiful, smart, hardworking, and if I’m reading the signals accurately, she’s feeling something for me, too, is utterly novel.

The cobblestone drive leading to the guest house is lined with a variety of small flowers. The house was designed to look like a little cottage, and it’s fitting. It’s a smaller version of the main house, but with a sort of miniature flair. Almost whimsical. Being a fan of The Lord of the Rings, I found myself wanting to mimic some of the themes in the stories. “This house is darling!” She says, as we pull up, and I open the garage door with the remote tucked under my visor. “Thanks. This house wasn’t built when I bought the place. I had it done custom.”

“You can tell. It’s very cute.”

“Truth be told, I spend a lot of time in here versus in the main house.”

“Is this where your office is?”

“I have one in both. My laptop has a docking station in both as well. I’ve got a charging station, too. Much of my work is done remotely or electronically, anyhow, so my office goes where I go.”

“I take it you travel a lot?” She asks as I exit the truck and walk over to let her out, extending my gallantry. She has the grace to stay inside and let me do it, too.

“Aye, I’m all over the place, most of the time. And when I’m home, I normally come here first.”

The garage is double-doored, and the back door leads to the gazebo and garden out back. A kidney shaped pool is hidden behind the gazebo, and the whole place is surrounded by landscaping, trees, bushes, flowers, you name it. I could have a party back here, and nobody would know, unless they were in a helicopter. Admittedly, I have had many gatherings here, mostly for work, and mostly for seasonal things like Christmas parties, things like that. “Do you want to see the outside or inside first?” I ask her.

“Either way.” She shrugs, looking around, in awe.

I chuckle. “Come on. Let me take you to the office inside.” I hesitate to take her to the main house now, if she’s this enthralled with the guesthouse. “For someone that has a lot of money, you don’t seem like you’re used to larger dwellings.”

Something changes in her face. “My house is a shoebox compared to this. I mean, it’s nice, and it has all the modern things, but it’s small. And it’s a condo.”

I lift a brow. “You don’t seem like a condo sort.”

“I hate yard work and the idea of having someone come and trim my bushes makes me shudder.”

I’m not sure if she’s speaking in euphemisms or if she’s being literal, but with her profession, what she just said is funny to me. I snort a laugh.

“What?” She smiles, broken from her reverie.

“Nothing.” I lie.

It takes her a second. Her face turns pink and she slaps me playfully. “Pig.”

“Come on. Let me show you inside, so you won’t think I’m such a swine.”

Her long brown hair glistens in the sunlight that’s peeking in from the picture windows. Calves so edible and toned, I have to divert my eyes from her legs, she’s stunning. Breasts perfectly shaped under her conservative blouse, yet she’s so sexy I could fucking take her against my accent wall before us. What a sight. I’ve never met a lass so beautiful. When her eyes meet mine I can’t help the smile. Every. Single. Time. It’s something about her presence. She’s...luminous. There is not a pretentious, sinister, manipulative air to her body language. Moira is about as transparent as you can get. And about as sexy, too.

“So you had this designed yourself?”

“Aye. I know a few architects.”

She scoffs, impressed. “I’ll bet. Hey, I can hook you up with a good doula if you need it.” She frowns, lightening the conversation.

I snort. “What’s a doula? Or, do I want to know.”

Her smile is wicked. “For that I’m not going to tell you.”

“That’s my punishment for being a smartass, hm.”

We walk into the living room. The fireplace still smells of the fire I had last night. “Oh, wow. That’s nice.” She says, inhaling the fumes. I watch her breasts swell upward and downward with her breaths. My cock twitches.

“It is. That’s the best way to relax after a long day.” I have a better one, but I keep that to myself. Suddenly, I can picture her and I fucking on the leather couch, her legs spread wide, as she lays on her back, begging me to make her come as fast as I am. I have to divert my thoughts, so I take her to the back of the guest house, away from the bedrooms, not bothering to worry if she’ll question me. “Do you like gardening?” Then I chide myself for the foolish thought. “Sorry. I forgot for a second there that you live in a condo. And that you hate that sort of stuff.”

“I like swimming.” She says, throwing me a bone.

“Oh yeah?”

“I swim in the pool in the basement almost every night after work. That’s how I relax.”

“I do, too, most of the time.” I open the sliding glass door that leads to the back, figuring I’ll take her back to the office in a moment.

“You mean the pool isn’t just for show?” She asks coyly.

I shake my head. “Nothing is for show here, lass. You’ve seen my truck. I own just one vehicle. I’m not the showy type.”

Her head tilts slightly. “I can see that about you.”

I’d like to slide my tongue into her mouth while I have the chance, and I know that my eyes betray me, as my gaze moves down to her lips. But I’m battling with myself. I’ve never been one to make the first move. It terrifies me. Even with Moira here, who I find most attractive, and where all arrows point to the fact that she’s into me, too. My brothers call me a pansy for never taking the reins, but it’s not in me, and until I get a twinge of a signal from her, my feet remain firmly planted on the ground.

“I don’t like to play games, Moira.” I tell her, giving her multiple angles to take that in.

“Me neither.” Her voice is soft, her eyes round. “I’ve got too much at stake.”

I get it. She’s left her home in Scotland to come here, only her reasons for doing so are much different than mine. It takes everything in me not to tell her that I know her secret. That I knew it before bringing her here. That I violated her privacy to protect myself and my family, before giving her the chance to tell me herself why she fled the place where she grew up. The place where she had ties all her life. Every cell in my body begs for her to be innocent in this. And every bone in my body senses that she is. I’ve never been wrong. But da always says to know the facts and believe them.

The fact is that if I fall for her, I risk everything.

But something in my gut tells me that she’s worth the risk. It’s not just my cock telling me that. But I’ve listened to my gut before, and it got me nowhere fast. I can hear Maverick’s voice inside my head telling me to let the past go. That I was young and foolish. It was a long time ago. But the memory still stings. Moira’s face changes. “It’s none of my business, but do you bring your prospects here?”

My eyes widen. She’s figured me out. She thinks that I’m here to get into her pants. I’ll admit that my cock is still wide awake, but I have control, and I’ll not make a move unless in some way she tells me to. Moira sees my expression and her eyes widen as she back pedals. “Oh, shit!” She gasps outwardly at her folly. “God, that’s not what I meant!” A chuckle as she covers her face and laughs. “I mean...do you bring potential clients here?”

I let out the breath that I was holding and laugh with her. “No, I bring all my whores to the office, Moira.”

She laughs out loud. It’s such a wonderful sound. And it’s contagious as hell.

“I don’t do...that.” I say flatly, but my eyes are dancing.

“No, I don’t suspect that you would have to.” She chuckles.

“What do you mean by that, lass?” I ask curiously.

“Well, um...” She looks away, blushing. God, she couldn’t be more sexy or adorable if she tried. “You’re quite handsome, Declan.”

There it is. Usually, when women make comments, it’s ‘well, you’re as rich as they come’. And, while I know that Moira isn’t exactly destitute, some of the wealthy are also the greediest. I can attest. I have the grace to look away as I blush, too. “Are you going to tell me what a doula is, or shall I look it up later?” I ask, changing the subject.

“It’s someone that aids a lass having a bairn, Declan.”

“Ah. Like a midwife.”

She nods. “Yes.”

The gazebo is to her left. It’s got a gauze drape covering it on all four sides, and a couch in the center, with a coffee table and two smaller end tables. The pool house is to her right, complete with potted plants in the windows, and a round doorway. “God, that’s cute.”

I want to say, ‘so are you’, but I lick my lips to stop myself. “My architect and designers had way more fun planning this house than anyone, I think. They’re married with a couple of kids together. Part of me thinks that they always wanted to build something like that for their own bairns.”

She chuckles. “It does look like a playhouse.”

I want to ask her if she wants to go in and play, but I stop myself. “If you want to take a look, feel free.”

“Can I?”

I walk towards her, even though I don’t trust myself, and open the door. She takes steps towards me and it’s like a stop-motion video as she passes me in the doorway. Our bodies almost touch. I can smell her shampoo, and I can almost taste her lips. My eyes are magnetized to her lips, and I can’t stop it. I swear she lifts her hands to place them on my chest, but she stops herself. Inside the pool house is another small couch. A few buckets of chemicals are hidden in closets, and simple pool tools are hanging on hooks, hidden behind other closets. The place is immaculate. Windows let a little light inside, but the ambience screams romance.

I want to walk away, to stop myself from taking the first step, but this time my feet won’t move. Just the proximity to her is making the animal inside me awaken. The animal that has been dormant since my last heartbreak. “Do you want to take a look inside?” I ask, my voice husky with need.

That’s when my goddamn cell phone rings. Our eyes are locked as we gaze at each other. I’m frozen. “Aren’t you going to answer that?” She asks, although her voice and her eyes beg me not to.

“I should.” I tell her, as though convincing myself.

My phone is in my pants pocket. Vibrating on my upper thigh. Moira looks down, bravely slides her hand inside my pocket, eyes not leaving mine as she reaches inside, grazing the side of my hardened cock, and she lifts the phone out, handing it to me. My eyes don’t leave hers. As I slide the call button over, not bothering to look at who’s calling, my voice is flat, as I’m in a trance. “I’ll call you back.” I say simply, and hang up, not missing a beat.

Our lips crush together, not sure who made the first move, but it appears mutual, as I pull her to me, lifting her as my tongue plunges into her mouth. Her body melts into mine, like we’re molded together, fitting together like a puzzle. My rock-hard cock pulses against her softness, as she moans into my mouth, as starved for affection as I am. Her long dress unapologetically gives me access to all of her, and I waste no time, while she voraciously grasps my hair, pulling me to her, as I lift her dress, palm down, up her thighs. I press her back into the outside wall of the pool house, leaning my cock into the apex of her thighs, answering her cries.

Pelvis pulsing on her, hitting her in all the right places, my tongue batters hers, as she climbs, desperate for release. “God, I want you to fuck me.” She says quickly on exhale, as she practically claws her way down to my zipper, forcing it open. She slides my briefs down, exposing me, as I give one swift tug to the side of her lacy panties, effectively ripping them off. Hands on her ass, I part her legs and thrust into her, gliding in on her wetness, eyes rolling into the sockets.

“You want me to fuck you.” I pant, filling her to the hilt. “I’ll fuck you. I’ll fuck you so hard, baby.”

Her lips envelop mine as we kiss like lovers. My pelvis thrusting into her, fucking her on the side of my pool house. Never in my life have I ever wanted to take a lass so bad. Our breathing is labored as we fuck like animals against the siding. As I feel her insides clench, I slow, wanting to savor her, and I lift her back off the wall, fucking her as I walk to the soft couch inside the gazebo. As her legs move when she feels the material against them, she whispers. “You sit. I want to fuck you like a cowgirl.”

My pants come off and she pushes me down, so my ass hits the couch, and my dick points true north. I watch her slip her dress off over her head and I undo my shirt buttons, joining her in her nakedness, as she removes her bra and sits over my lap. Her eyes roll into the sockets as my cock fills her again. Lips on hers, hands on her ass, she rides me just like she said she wanted to ride me. I can feel her perfect breasts skating over my chest, and I no longer can resist them. And the second my lips are on them, sucking them, licking the nipples, I feel her insides clench again.

“Oh! Fuuuuck!” She shouts, as she comes like thunder on my cock, threatening to suck my seed out with her thunderous orgasm. But I miraculously hang on, throwing my natural rhythm off, while she continues coming, setting me on fire. As her body loosens slightly, I reach down to her clit, circling it with my thumb, and she starts to mewl, head rearing back, making me so ready to shoot my wad into her. Then I suck her one nipple while kneading the other, thumb still working her clit, and she starts crying out again, in another wave. That’s when her fingers move from my hair to my chest, grabbing my nipples, and I lose it. I grunt so loud, I almost drown her out, as I empty myself into her, feeling every nerve ending from head to toe in utter ecstasy.

My cock feels bigger than it’s ever been, inside her, as every cell in my body is awake, and I explode more intensely than I ever have before. Her head rests on my shoulder as our chests heave. Neither of us moves for several moments, until I scrape a hand down my face, remembering something very important. “Shit.” I exhale.

Moira lifts her head, eyes heavy, looking as satiated as I think I do. “What’s wrong?”

As I inhale, my arms circle her body, and on exhale I kiss her on the mouth. “I didn’t use a condom.”

Her fingers comb through the hair at the sides of my head. “Not to worry, Declan. I’m on the pill.”

I nod slowly. “I imagine you would be, in your line of work.”

“And I’m clean. There has been no...activity...for me...in a long time, I’m afraid.”

I search her eyes, in awe. “How is that even possible? You’re so beautiful.”

She swallows. “I assume you’ve been with many women.”

“What makes you say that?”

She shakes her head. “Declan, God, you are the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.”

“You can’t be serious.” I chuckle.

“Well, lad, I hate to tell you, but you are. You, Maverick, the whole lot of you...all of you belong on the cover of a goddamn magazine.” She scoffs softly, searching my eyes. “When you tumbled into the emergency room that day that I was treating Trudy, hell, I almost died.”

“You’re just paying me lip service, lass, because I told you you’re beautiful.”

Her face changes. Her gaze moves away from mine, like she’s had a thought, an unpleasant one. “I should go.”

She lifts off me, quickly picking her dress up off the concrete.

“Moira? What’s going on?” I hesitate. “Did I hurt you? Was I too rough? Did the wall injure you, lass?” I ask, slipping my pants back on, leaving my briefs.

“No. No, it’s not that, Declan.” She says, and I believe her. “I just...I shouldn’t have done this. This was a mistake.” She leaves her bra, and she doesn’t even bother looking for her ruined panties. “I should never have come here.”

“I...I don’t understand, Moira.”

She inhales and then exhales. Her tone is argumentative, like I’m refuting what she’s about to say. “Declan, you and I...this can never be. Please take me back to the restaurant so I can get my car.”

“I will, lass, but...can you please tell me why?”

Raking a hand through her hair, she speaks in a growl as she fists a handful of it. “God, Declan! I can’t even begin to explain!”

“Okay, okay, just relax.”

“No! I can’t relax! This was stupid! So, so stupid! What was I thinking!” She starts to shout at herself.

“Moira! Calm down! So, we had sex! We’re human beings! We both wanted it and clearly, we both needed it! I don’t see the harm!”

“You’ll never understand, Declan! And I can’t even explain it to you!”

“What do you mean, Moira! What!” I shout, knowing full well that I know exactly what she’s thinking, but I can’t tell her. She’d never forgive me for invading her privacy like that.

“Oh, forget it, Declan! Just...get me out of here!” She almost shrieks.

That’s when my phone rings again. “Oh, for fuck’s sake!” I growl, picking it up off the concrete, glancing at the display. “What a fucking time, Maverick!” I shout as I answer the call.

And he says three words that I’ll never forget as long as I live.

He’s winded, like he’s been running a mile when he says. “Declan....Trudy’s been shot.”