A Little Harmless Fantasy (21 page)

“I’d like you to meet them. I was just talking to them
last week about coming over for a visit.”

“I’d like that. I’d like that a lot.” It
warmed his heart to hear the easy acceptance of his family. He had a
feeling his mother was going to love Maura.

“So, he threatened my mother. She boxed his ears and dragged
him back to the kitchen and told him she found him stealing from her
store so he was under house arrest. So he stayed.”

She laughed. “I think that is probably the best way to handle
Rory.”

“You’re right. So, Rory moved in.”

She opened her mouth then shut it. He hated that she didn’t
feel comfortable enough to ask him questions. He had tried to be open
with her from the start.

“No, ask.”

“When did you become lovers?”

“We were eighteen. We had gone to London for a week and we got
a little drunk. We had both been thinking about it but never acted on
it. Then, we did.”

“Then you fell in love.”

For all her savvy and her protest that she was sophisticated, there
were times that Maura was naïve about the ways of the world.

“No, we both freaked a little bit. Being gay or bisexual is not
the thing to be doing when you both want to go in the military, not
then. But, we didn’t do that. We were both in the military, and
we both found ourselves in the Special Forces.” Conner and he
had decided not to tell her of his work for Interpol and MI-6.
“And…well over the years we finally got our shit
together.”

She laughed. “You always sound funny when you use American
colloquialisms, but you know more of them than I do now.”

He smiled and looked back at the water. Who would have thought two
poor Irish boys would be living like this now? He was spending a week
in Hawaii, in a million dollar house, and enjoying a sexual
relationship that was beyond anything he had ever hoped for.

“So, what does your mother think about the relationship?”
she asked, cutting into his thoughts.

“She’s okay with it. She does wonder if either of us will
give her grandchildren.”

“Your mother does understand basic biology, right?”

He looked down at her and wanted to tell her what he really wanted.
He wanted them all together, and he wanted to have babies with her.
He had never had that feeling about any other woman, but knowing
Maura, and knowing Rory, they would both freak if he told them.

“You two should get out on the water. It’s fantastic,”
Rory said as he walked up the beach.

“In a bit. I need some rest because I have these very
insatiable lovers and they won’t leave me alone,” Maura
said.

He laughed. He bent down, kissed Maura and leaned over to kiss Zeke.
Before Zeke could say anything, Rory was on his way out to the water.

“He doesn’t care what other people think and neither
should you,” Maura said.

He nodded as he watched Rory run back out into the water.

“Zeke?”

“Yeah?” he asked.

“You know I love you, right?”

He smiled. “Yeah, I do.”

And for now, that was enough.

The
next day, Maura walked down the hall to their new offices trying not
to be bummed. She had thought the guys would come with her, but
apparently they weren’t interested in seeing the new offices.
Rory she understood, but she thought Zeke would have been interested.

“We’re
still getting everything settled, but you’ll be able to get an
idea of the layout,” Conner said as he punched in the security
code for the door.

Maura
stepped in and smiled. The carpets had been laid and she could still
smell the paint.

“Wow,
this is nice.”

It
was sleek and elegant, but she didn’t expect any less than that
from Conner. He’d always had an innate sense of style that
sometimes irritated her.

“Yeah,
I like it. I wasn’t sure if it was going to come through, but
we got the bid with the contractors, and the rent isn’t that
bad—for Honolulu.”

She
smiled. “Let me guess, Evan Chambers had something to do with
it?”

Conner
smiled. “Yeah. He said something about a family discount.”

She
was really happy for Conner. A man who had been a workaholic for
years, he was finally starting to take life more slowly thanks to
Jillian. Just a few months ago, he had ended up in the hospital and
had been ordered to rest. She sent him to Hawaii and to Jillian.

“So,
you still like living here?”

He
nodded. “I would have never thought I would.”

“Why
would you say that?” she asked walking toward the ceiling to
floor windows. She could see the Honolulu Harbor from where she was
standing. The sunlight sparkled on the water below. Traffic buzzed
by.

“It’s
hot here all the time.”

She
laughed. “Conner, you used to live in Miami.”

“That’s
different. Here nothing ever really changes. Okay on our side of the
island we get a bit more of the winter storm season, but that’s
it.”

“But,
you love it.”

He
said nothing and she looked over her shoulder at him. He was studying
her as he often did when she was a teenager. Their difference in age
had never been a problem. He had treated her with kindness most
teenage brothers wouldn’t have for their egghead little sister.
But, when he got that look on his face, he was trying to figure
something out. Usually what she was up to—and that would not be
a good thing right now. She was still trying to sort her feelings out
for the guys. She didn’t need Conner sticking his big nose in
and mucking things up.

“What?”

He
cocked his head to the side. “There’s something different
about you.”

Maura
had to resist the urge to fidget. “What do you mean?”

He
shrugged but didn’t say anything. God, she hated him when he
was like this. He was trying to figure her out like she was some kind
of a puzzle.

“Spit
it out, Conner.”

“It’s
like you’re another person.”

That
wasn’t what she expected to hear. She digested that for a
second or two. “Than I normally am? I think not.”

“No,
just the last few months.”

“I’ve
been a bit stressed,” she said, hating that she was lying to
him but knew it was best. She wouldn’t keep Rory and Zeke a
secret from her brother if she knew where they were headed. They
didn’t need the added pressure of her brother judging them
before they decided what to do.

He
mulled that comment. “Jillian’s been worried.”

“Yeah,
she’s mentioned that to me.”

“I…”

He
trailed off as if unsure what to say next. This was definitely not
like him. Conner was always sure of his actions. He never started
anything he wouldn’t finish, including a simple conversation.

“I’ve
been a little worried.”

She
settled on the large windowsill and leaned against the window.
“You’ve been worried? Conner, don’t lie to me.”

He
sighed. “We’re not good with picking up on feelings, you
know that. Both of us are…kind of lost when it comes to all
these feelings but Zeke gave me hell yesterday.”

“So,
you’re doing this because Zeke told you to?”

Another
sigh. “No. Not really. Both of us are kind of bad about picking
up on things like that.

That
much was true. She was always too focused on whatever project she was
working on. Conner, well, he was just focused on the company. The
idea that Zeke had yelled at him about it made her feel better.

“So,
Jillian said something to you?”

He
shrugged. “Not until Zeke said something. She…well
Jillian claims there are times you don’t try to tell me
anything because I will just ignore it.”

She
gasped theatrically and put her hand on her chest. “Never say
you are…stubborn. It can’t be.”

He
chuckled. “Well, she claims we both are.”

“Yeah.
She’s said that to me more than once. Although, I have to say
she’s turning into something of an old mother hen. And while
we’re on the subject, when am I getting a little niece or
nephew?”

“Jesus,
kid, we just got married.”

“You
two have so much sex, I’m amazed she isn’t pregnant
already.”

He
rolled his eyes. “Probably sooner than later.”

“You
are getting kind of old.”

“Gee,
thanks.” He studied her. “What about you. Are you seeing
anyone?”

Damn,
he thwarted her again. Best way to answer was a non-answer. Conner
himself taught her that. “No, not really.”

“What
does not really mean?”

“It
means if you aren’t careful, I will go into detail about
something that will totally embarrass and disgust you.”

He
sighed. “Are you going to settle down any time soon?”

“Why
should I? You didn’t do it for a very, very, very—”

“Watch
it.” He slanted her a look.

“Well,
you are a bit older than I am right now. Besides, you know my view
about marriage.”

“I
think you should reconsider that.”

She
would have argued with him before. She had never thought to marry.
Her years in the dating scene had convinced her that she wasn’t
the type of person to settle down with one guy.

Now,
if she could get Rory and Zeke into a happily ever after, that would
work.

“Tell
you what. I’ll reconsider it. But, work on giving me that
nephew or niece, okay? I would love to go crazy shopping for little
outfits.”

He
nodded. “Okay. Although, you know Jillian, she’ll want to
work her release schedule around it.”

Maura
laughed. “Yeah, but then you can’t complain too much,
buddy. You will probably come up with a chart.”

He
chuckled. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

God,
it was good to hear that again. Conner had been on the edge of
something horrible before she’d convinced him to go to Hawaii
for a visit. She had almost lost him and while he was thousands of
miles away most of the time, she knew he was there all the time for
her. She stood and gave him a hug. He wrapped his arms around her and
tears burned her eyes. The warmth of the embrace made her feel as if
nothing in the world could hurt her—just like it had all those
years ago. He had been the hero, the one who had strode through the
ER that horrible night their parents died and picked up the pieces of
their life. He kissed her head.

“How
about you buy me a pork football for lunch?” she asked.

He
leaned back and looked down at her. “I’ll do you one
better. How about Bubba Gumps?”

“Sounds
fantastic.”

She
pulled back and he put his arm around her like he had a hundred times
before. Probably a thousand.

“You
know I love you, kid, right?”

She
swallowed the lump in her throat. “Yeah. And I kind of like
you.”

* * * *

Rough ‘n Ready was busy, even for a Monday evening. Being the
only official BDSM club on the island, it made sense to Rory.

It was a nice club. Huge even. The red and black was to be expected,
but not every club could make you feel welcomed the moment you walked
through the door. Micah Ross had the ability to do that. He’d
never really been one for clubs, except to play out some of the
scenarios with a sub. Sometimes a sub needed certain things that only
a club would allow for in a safe way. Public submission was one of
them. Rory had a feeling that this club had some great playrooms. He
was still irritated they weren’t going to get to use one of
them

“I’m going to say hi to Dee,” Maura said. Then, she
looked at him. “If that’s alright with you.”

Rory fought to keep a smile hidden. Maura might say she wasn’t
that experienced, but she understood that she was his to order around
in Rough ‘n Ready.

“Yes, love, go ahead.”

She smiled, gave both of them a quick kiss, then ran off in the
direction of the bar. They both watched her and he would have been
amused if it weren’t so damned pathetic. Maura had dressed in
the tiny little dress he’d picked out. He thought it would be
great to see those long legs all night long. Now that he noticed all
the other men watching her, he realized he’d made a mistake. It
took all his control not to beat the shit out of the men looking at
her.

There it was again, that possessiveness he couldn’t seem to
fight. It had only been three days and he wanted everyone to know
that she belonged to Zee and him.

“I don’t think that dress was a good idea,” Zee
said.

Rory sighed. “Not much we can do about it now.”

“I want it noted I told you the dress wasn’t a good
idea.”

“Hey, don’t tell me that you don’t enjoy seeing her
dressed like that. A woman with a set of legs like that should always
wear short dresses. And you have to admit she looks fantastic.”
They walked through the club and stopped when they came to a
demonstration floor. “They must make a fortune here.”

“As a matter of fact, we do,” Micah said from behind
them. Damn, he was losing it if a six-foot plus man could sneak up
behind him.

When he turned Micah smiled. “Welcome to Rough ‘n Ready.
And don’t feel too badly, McAllister, I used to be a bounty
hunter. I know how to sneak up on people. Want me to show you
around?”

“Maura will be right back.”

He glanced past them. “Lord, give that idea up for right now.
May’s here and they are all over there gossiping.”

Rory followed his line of vision and saw Maura talking to Dee and
another woman. Even through the darkened club he could see she was
stunning. Hawaiian from what he could discern, and with hair as long
as Micah’s. She said something that had Maura throwing her head
back and laughing. Something tickled the back of his throat and his
chest suddenly felt tight. Damn, what the hell was happening to him?

Another man joined the group, almost as tall as Micah, dressed in a
pair of jeans that looked like they had seen better days.