Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Annie
Walking along the street with two incredibly tall, muscular men a couple of paces behind us was a strange experience. I felt as if I’d done something wrong, that I was being marched off to answer for some crime I’d committed. They didn’t speak, and neither did we. I was too self-conscious to chat with Ciaran, knowing his bodyguards would hear every word. He made no attempt to initiate a conversation either, so I assumed he was happy with the increasingly awkward silence.
The looming presence of the two impeccably dressed members of his security team made me question how wealthy the man I was strolling along the street beside actually was. Surely only the richest people needed this level of security to walk a mere two blocks from their apartment.
A part of me welcomed the silence. My head was still a little fuzzy after the unscheduled nap I’d taken. The amazing orgasms Ciaran had given me, combined with the soothing way he washed my hair and then dried me after my bath, had wiped me out. I’d curled up on his bed, intending to shut my eyes for a couple of minutes, and drifted off. When I woke two hours later, I was embarrassed at having made myself so comfortable in the home of a man I barely knew. Ciaran didn’t seem to mind. He assured me I was welcome to treat his home as my own. He lent me some of his sister’s clothes and announced he was taking me to his favorite place to eat.
Sleeping during the day didn’t suit me. It knocked me completely off balance so getting food was probably a good idea. As we stopped outside a little brick building with faded red curtains on the windows, Ciaran held his arms out.
“This is it. Mara’s .”
When he said he was taking me to his favorite restaurant, I’d expected something fancier. He seemed like the sort of man who’d enjoy a good steak. With its shabby wooden door, Mara’s was out of place amid the tall, glass-fronted structures that surrounded it. If I was being honest, I was glad he’d brought me somewhere more down to earth. I’d been staying at a five-star hotel all week and I felt like a fish out of water. Though I liked a few luxurious touches here and there, I didn’t enjoy having to use the internet to work out what would be good to eat in the super-fancy restaurant.
As Ciaran and I walked inside, the two bodyguards positioned themselves outside the door. Shaking off their looming presence, I felt as if a weight had been lifted from me. I was sure they were both very nice men once you got to know them, but boy, were they intimidating.
The restaurant was just how I imagined an American diner would look, with faded red-and-white tiles on the floor and several stools with red leather seats lined up along a chrome-topped counter. Serving staff in pink uniforms with white aprons milled about, checking their patrons had everything they needed. Black and white photographs of Detroit hung on the walls, and there was even a jukebox in the corner. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen one of those.
Bypassing the half-dozen booths by the window, Ciaran led me to a quiet table at the back of the room. The moment we sat down an older woman rushed to greet us. Her white hair was gathered in a tight bun.
“Ciaran! It’s good to see you!” Her warm smile dropped into an admonishing pout. “It’s been a couple of weeks.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry, Mara.” He accepted a menu from her and immediately set it down on the table. “I’ve been busy.”
“You work too hard.” The older woman nudged his shoulder. There was a level of familiarity between them I wouldn’t have expected. “So, who is this lovely young lady?” she asked, handing me a menu.
“This is Annie. She’s visiting from Scotland.” He flashed me a panty-melting grin. “Annie, this is Mara. She owns this place.”
“Nice to meet you, Mara. Your restaurant is great.”
“Thanks, hon. Now, can I get you started with a couple of drinks?”
“I’ll have a bubbly orange juice.” Ciaran winked at her, and she grinned at what was clearly a private joke.
“One bubbly orange juice.” She turned to me. “And for you, hon?”
“I’ll take an unbubbly orange juice, please.”
Mara threw her head back and laughed.
“Unbubbly? You got yourself a good one there, Ciaran.”
“I sure did,” he agreed.
As Mara walked off to get the drinks, I arched an eyebrow. “Bubbly orange juice?”
“I’ve been coming here since I was a kid,” Ciaran explained. “One day I asked for bubbly orange juice instead of orange soda. Mara teased me about it every time I came in after that, so it’s kind of become our thing.”
“You come here a lot, then?”
“Yeah, I grew up a block from here. Our old house is gone. Everyone sold out to developers. Mara refused every offer they made, so they had to build around her.”
“That’s why you chose your apartment? You wanted to stay in the neighborhood you grew up in?”
“I did. The apartment’s where I live during the week, but my actual home is up on Orchard Lake.”
“Oh, right. You don’t have a wife and kids stashed up there, do you?”
Ciaran shook his head. “I wouldn’t be here with you if I did. If there’s one thing I firmly believe in, it’s fidelity.”
The look he gave me was so sincere, I wished it was me he was pledging faithfulness to. But how could it be? I was leaving in the morning.
“So.” I cleared my throat to alleviate the strange tension Ciaran’s declaration had caused and motioned toward my menu. “What would you recommend? What do you like?”
“The meatballs, meatloaf, burgers.” Ciaran rattled off half the menu. “They do a mean Coney Island hotdog, the best you’ll find outside of New York.” His brow furrowed. “You’re not a vegetarian, are you?”
“I’d be in the wrong place if I was, unless I was in the mood for…” I scanned the menu, which was a carnivore’s dream. “A grilled cheese sandwich.”
“The grilled cheese is good, but if you want something to keep you going for the rest of the day, go for the bacon cheeseburger. Mara makes her own relish. You’ll love it.”
“Okay, that sounds good.”
A moment later, Mara returned to the table with our drinks and Ciaran placed an order for two bacon cheeseburgers.
“Want me to make yours a double?” she asked him.
“Yeah, sure. I worked up a bit of an appetite this morning.”
My cheeks heated as he shot me a meaningful glance. Mara grinned and headed for the kitchen.
“So. Annie, tell me a bit about where you live.
“Uh, it’s a small town about fifteen miles outside of Aberdeen, called Inverurie.”
“Inver…..How did you pronounce it?”
“Inver-ooh-ree.”
“Inverurie.” Ciaran’s American twang distorted the pronunciation, but I wasn’t about to correct him. “Have you lived there long?”
“All my life. I still live in the house my parents bought when they got married.”
“So, you’re quite attached to the place?”
I shrugged, not wanting to go into how I didn’t feel the same connection with my home now that both my parents were gone. Thankfully, before Ciaran could probe any farther, Mara came to the table with our meals.
“That was fast,” I remarked, as soon as Mara left us once more.
“She probably told the cook to make ours a priority.” Ciaran was unapologetic about the prospect of other people having to wait so we could get our food first. “She knows I’m a busy man.”
“Yet you’re taking the day off to spend it with me?”
“I think you’re worth it. Now stop fishing for flattery and eat your burger.”
There was no point in denying I was looking for him to say something nice about me, because that was exactly what I was doing. Embarrassed at being caught, I turned my attention to the plate in front of me. There was a huge portion of fries sitting next to the biggest burger I’d ever seen. I couldn’t work out how I was going to eat it all and Ciaran’s was double the size of mine.
“I’m not sure how to tackle this,” I said.
“Just pick it up and take a bite.”
That might be easier said than done. I somehow managed to keep the burger from falling out of the bun as I lifted it to my mouth. Grease dripped down my hand as I took a bite. Delicious was an understatement. The savoriness of the beef patties along with the saltiness of the bacon, the creaminess of the cheese and the tartness of the relish made for a perfect bite. Unfortunately, it was incredibly messy. Setting it down on the plate, I wiped my hand on a paper napkin.
“That is so good,” I said with a happy sigh as I balled up the napkin and dropped it on the table. “But I have no idea how I’m going to finish it with my dignity intact.”
“I mean, you could eat it with a knife and fork, but Mara would probably run you out of town.”
“Well, I wouldn’t want that.” Picking up the burger again, I took another small bite then set it down and tried one of the French fries. Crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside, they weren’t the same as the thick-cut chips I was used to back home, but they hit the spot. After I’d eaten a few, I realized Ciaran was watching me.
“You’re staring,” I pointed out.
“You’re fascinating to watch.”
Laughing, I shook my head. “I’m only eating.”
Ciaran shrugged. “You can tell a lot about a person by how they eat.”
“Oh, yeah? What can you tell about me?”
“You eat slowly and take dainty little bites. That tells me you never had to compete with siblings for your share.”
“Ah, but you already knew I was an only child.”
“True, but even if I didn’t, I’d be able to tell by how you eat.” Ciaran spoke so confidently I didn’t want to argue. He squeezed some ketchup onto the side of his plate and dragged a fry through it. “Did you ever wish you had siblings?”
“Of course. Did you ever wish you didn’t?”
Ciaran rolled his eyes. “All the time. My sisters can be a real pain in the ass.”
“But not your brothers?” I sent him what I hoped was a pointed glare.
“Yeah, they have their moments, but I wouldn’t trade them for the world.” He took a sip of his orange soda and asked nonchalantly, “Would you like a big family?”
The question caught me off guard. It felt more like something you’d ask once you’d got to know a person better. I supposed since we didn’t have much time before I went home, Ciaran was skipping ahead.
“Uh, yes. I love kids.”
“Yeah?” Ciaran grinned broadly. “How many are you thinking?”
“Three, maybe four. You?”
“At least six. Three boys and three girls with your beautiful eyes.”
Assuming he was joking, I laughed. Ciaran didn’t join me, and I suddenly realized he was picturing a future with me. My pulse picked up and a tremor of excitement went through me.
“It’s too soon to be talking kids, don’t you think?” My voice was remarkably steady, belying my true feelings.
Before he could answer, preferably to agree with me, the door opened behind us, drawing Ciaran’s attention. His shoulders sagged, then he got to his feet.
“Excuse me, sweetheart. I need to see what Max wants.”
I glanced behind me as Ciaran walked up to Max, the man who’d driven me back to my hotel last night. Although I couldn’t hear what they were saying, I could tell from their hand gestures and the way they huddled together that whatever they were talking about was extremely important.
Turning back to my meal, I carried on eating, enjoying every mouthful of the insanely good burger. A few minutes passed before Ciaran returned. He didn’t sit down, and my heart sank.
“I’m sorry about this, sweetheart, but something’s come up.”
Disappointment swamped me. “You have to go?”
“I do.” He curved a hand around my cheek. “But I’m going to call a friend who runs a spa on Washington Boulevard. It’s close to your hotel. You can get whatever treatment you like, on me.”
“You don’t have to do that.” I didn’t need a parting gift to ease my sadness that our day was coming to a premature end.
“Sure, I do. I’m not ditching you halfway through lunch without making it up to you.”
“It’s not necessary.”
Ciaran stroked my cheek. “Maybe not, but I want you to do something nice for you. Spend the afternoon at the spa and we’ll meet for cocktails at your hotel.”
Was it pathetic that my heart soared when I heard his plans? Perhaps, but I didn’t care. I wanted to spend as much time with Ciaran as possible before I headed home to my real life.
“Okay,” I agreed. “Sounds good.”
“Great.” He took a few bills from his pocket and dropped them on the table. “This will cover the check. When you’re ready, Jace will be waiting to take you to the spa.” He pointed to the first of two black SUVs parked outside. “He’ll be with you for the rest of the day.”
Though I was sure I didn’t need my own personal bodyguard, I didn’t argue. If Ciaran wanted one of his men to accompany me, I guessed I could put up with their presence.
“Okay.”
“Good girl.” Ciaran dropped a kiss on the top of my head and left.
I ate a few more French fries before deciding I’d had enough. I’d never been to a spa before, but I doubted it was a good idea to get a massage or whatever if my stomach was too full.
Offering my thanks to Mara, who stood behind the counter talking to an older gentleman, I headed outside. A man got out of the SUV. He wasn’t as tall as the other members of Ciaran’s security team I’d met so far, but his muscles were on full display beneath a black t-shirt. He had several tattoos of skulls, guns, and crossed swords. It painted a violent picture, and I wondered how safe I really was around him.
When he smiled, his face softened, and I felt a little more comfortable.
“Hey, Annie, I’m Jace. I’ll be chaperoning you this afternoon.”
“Sorry you got stuck with babysitting duty.”
“Ah!” He waved off my concerns with a flick of the wrist. “Anything for family.”
“You’re related to Ciaran?”
“One of many, many cousins.” Jace grinned broadly as he opened the back door of the car. “Hop in and I’ll tell you all Ciaran’s deepest, darkest secrets.”
Returning his smile, I got into the back seat of the car. It looked like this afternoon was going to be fun.