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  “What’s your hurry?” he asked teasingly.

  “Please, Colin.”

  A low growl rumbled against her skin. She’d found his weakness. Sweet talk.

  She softened her voice. “I want you inside me. It’ll feel so good. You know you want it too.”

  “Not. Yet.” His words were short but required effort. He was wound up every bit as much as she was. His hands continued to explore.

  “Do you want me to beg?” she whispered.

  He chuckled. “You wouldn’t know how.”

  She’d show him. She moaned and then added as sweetly as humanly possible, “Please, Colin. I want you inside me right now.”

  He pulled away, his movements stilted as he reached into his nightstand for a condom. When she heard the wrapper tear, she thought she’d won. Her blood rushed warm and fast. Her nerves pricked with excitement.

  He returned to her body and began rubbing his hands over her breasts, down her stomach. Her breath caught in her throat when his fingers traced along her pubic bone. Almost there.

  He moved his body to cover hers and then stopped.

  “Colin, please. I’ve asked so nicely. What do I have to do to get you to fuck me?”

  “How bad do you want it?” His words rasped across her ear.

  “I want you inside me so bad, that if you do it right now, I’ll owe you. Whatever you want.”

  “That’s a deal I can’t refuse.” He pushed into her waiting body and stretched and filled her.

  Finally. In that moment everything about her body had felt more right than it had in a really long time.

  CHAPTER 11

  Hours later, Elizabeth awoke tangled in Colin’s sheets. His arms wrapped around her waist and a leg lay across her thigh. She stretched and glanced at the clock. She needed to get up and get to work.

  “Okay, off.” She pushed his arm and leg off her. “I have work to do.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” He rolled over and settled back into his pillow.

  She tore her eyes away from his body and headed back to the bathroom. She took a shower and realized that she’d now spend the day smelling like Colin after using his soap. She probably shouldn’t have agreed to spend the night. Things between them were getting comfortable too quickly. She should just dress and go back to the hotel to make her calls.

  While drying off, she saw her reflection and was immediately reminded of watching herself come earlier. She’d never considered herself a prude, but it was the first time she could remember watching herself. It was erotic and intimate.

  She opened the bathroom door and the smell of fresh coffee wafted to her. She checked the bedroom, and sure enough, Colin was no longer in bed. He was pretty good at playing possum. She’d thought for sure he’d still be asleep.

  She walked down the hall, the smell of breakfast calling her.

  In the kitchen, Colin stood at the stove cooking, still only in boxers.

  “Good morning. I thought you’d be snoring away.”

  He turned from the pan in front of him. “You’re the one who snores.”

  She felt the blush rise. “I guess I should’ve warned you about that before I spent the night.”

  “Nah, it wasn’t that bad.” He turned back to the pan. “Ready for breakfast?”

  “Sure, but I’d really love some coffee.” Against her better judgment, she knew she’d drink coffee. As long as she limited it to the one cup, she convinced herself her stomach would be fine.

  He grabbed the cup from off the counter beside him and handed it to her.

  She took a long drink before she realized he’d given her his cup. Again with the comfortableness of the situation.

  As if reading her mind, he said, “Don’t worry. I don’t have cooties.”

  She smiled. “I’m sure sharing a coffee would be the least of my worries after this morning. I think I’ve already been exposed to all your cooties.”

  He slid an omelet onto a plate and passed it to her. Her mouth watered, and she remembered she’d hardly eaten at all yesterday. Her stomach grumbled, but the familiar burn wasn’t present.

  “Thank you. I didn’t peg you for a cook.”

  He turned back to the stove. “I’m not much of one. My mother was determined that we all learn at least the basics so we wouldn’t go hungry on our own. I used to pay Liam to do my share of the cooking.”

  “Liam?”

  “My younger brother.”

  She sat at the breakfast counter. “How many siblings do you have?”

  “Five.”

  A piece of egg caught in her throat and she choked. She took a swig of coffee. “Five?”

  “Irish Catholics. We like big families. How many do you have?”

  “Just my brother, Keith.” She couldn’t imagine coming from a family with six kids. All of the families she knew growing up had only had one or two children.

  He joined her at the counter with a plate of eggs and a fresh cup of coffee. “What plans do you have today?”

  “Total the receipts for last night, and then I’m going to call and get prices on updating the bowling alley equipment and see about getting someone out there to do routine maintenance to see if it works at all.”

  “Anything I can do?”

  “If you could find a manager for the alley, that would be great. Also, we need shoes. I think all the balls are okay. I don’t know what else we need.” She finished her eggs and waited for a response.

  “I have some ideas about managers. Well, at least where to look for one. I’ll focus on that. What’s our budget for hiring someone?”

  “Hell, I don’t know. What’s the going rate for a manager of a bowling alley?”

  “I’m just the personality, remember?”

  “Just make it happen. I need to get this done as quickly as possible. I can’t stay in Chicago indefinitely.” There would be no way to continue to hide this from her father. Maybe she should just come clean and tell him now. She’d already done half the job. He wouldn’t take this from her now. Would he?

  “What’s the rush? We just got the bar turned around.”

  “I know, but . . .” How could she explain that she’d taken this job without her family’s knowledge or permission?

  “Plus, the longer it takes to get the alley up and running, the more mornings we can have like today.”

  “As tempting as that is, my dad has already mentioned a job that will probably come through soon. I’d like to be able to take a break between jobs.”

  Taking that break with Colin might be fun.

  Where the hell did that thought come from? The hormones must’ve dampened her brain cells. They’d have their fun while she was in town. No promises of a return or an attempt at a long-distance relationship.

  “Okay, then. I’ll get dressed and get on it.” He pushed away from the counter.

  God. Did she really just screw up a potentially good thing?

  He turned back with a flirty grin. “I cooked, you clean.”

  Of course he hadn’t been offended; he was a guy. “That’s a deal I’ll take.”

  While Colin took a shower, she washed the dishes and left them in the drainer to dry. Then she gathered her receipts and bag to head out. “Hey, Colin, I’m leaving.”

  He came out of the bathroom with a towel slung loosely around his hips. “Where are you going?”

  Damn he was hot. He’d shaven, so he looked less dangerous than he had earlier this morning, but sexy nonetheless.

  She forced her mouth to work. “I’m going back to the hotel to make my calls and stuff.”

  “You can work from here if you want. You have to be sick of being in a hotel.”

  “I’m used to it. Thanks for the offer, but I have a mini-office set up at the hotel with everything I need.”

  “Okay. See you later.”

  “What time will you be in?”

  “When I’m done with visiting bowling alleys. It’ll take me a few hours.” As he talked he moved closer to her.

&n
bsp; “Sounds good.” She reached out and grabbed hold of the towel and pulled him to her. She leaned up and kissed him. “Thanks for this morning. It was worth the wait.”

  “If you don’t move your hand, you won’t be leaving.”

  She released the towel as if it had burned her, and turned to leave.

  “Don’t forget. You owe me, and I’ll definitely collect.”

  His words sent a shiver down her spine. Lust and anticipation swirled through her. If she couldn’t get her hormones in check, today would be a really long day.

  Colin watched Elizabeth leave and something strange tugged in his chest. They’d had a great morning, not just having sex, although that had been hot, but he liked hanging out with her, discussing their business plans. He’d never had someone he considered a partner before. Certainly no woman he’d ever slept with.

  Her reminder that she was in a hurry to get out of Chicago irked him. Of course, he didn’t need her to know that it had bothered him. It would only complicate their relationship. Things were good and he’d keep them that way.

  He’d gotten a text late last night from Michael telling him which bowling alleys to check out. Then he remembered that he hadn’t told Elizabeth about the missing bottles of liquor. Should he call her now? Or would it be better in person?

  He thought of how happy and relaxed she’d looked before she left. Knowing her, that relaxation wouldn’t last, but why should he ruin it now? He’d tell her when he got to the bar later. She wouldn’t be able to do anything about it anyway.

  After getting dressed, he filled a to-go mug with coffee and headed out. Time to charm a manager into joining his staff.

  His staff.

  He could get used to the sound of that.

  Maybe once the bowling alley was profitable, he might be able to talk to Ryan about a loan. If he had the sweat equity and proof that he could hack it, Ryan might consider it. The thought of asking his little brother for a loan ate at him, but he couldn’t hold it against Ryan. Ryan had always been the responsible one.

  As much as he didn’t want to ask for Ryan’s help, he was becoming attached to Brannigan’s. In a few short weeks, it had started to feel like his.

  Colin visited two bowling alleys. At the second, he hit pay dirt. At least he thought so. The current manager, Bianca, grew up in the bowling alley the way he had at O’Leary’s. The business was under new ownership, and she was willing to leave for more money.

  He left the alley feeling like he was floating. He had another alley to go to, and he’d go because he should, but he knew in his gut that he could get Bianca to work for them.

  Something felt so right about his life right now that he was afraid to jinx it. He was actually looking forward to family dinner next Sunday so he could share his success. Maybe he’d invite Elizabeth.

  Whoa. He needed to put the brakes on that thinking. When it came to the O’Learys, you only brought someone to dinner if it was serious. Someone who could stand up to the grilling.

  Maybe if he just introduced her as his business partner, things would be okay. Then he thought of Moira and knew better. That girl was a gossip hound and she’d sniff out the truth, whatever it was. But part of him felt sorry for Elizabeth. He remembered how hard it was for the three years he had been gone. To have no one to go home to, to eat most of your meals at a restaurant, to spend nights alone, with only the TV to keep you company. At least he’d been able to settle in a few places for months at a time. She talked like she traveled more than anything, so she couldn’t have much.

  He’d wait and see how the rest of the week played out and then he’d decide. He pulled into the next bowling alley that straddled the northern edge of the city. As he climbed from his car, his cell rang.

  Elizabeth.

  “Miss me already?” he asked.

  “You need to get to the bar. Now.” Her voice was tight and strained.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “This place is disgusting. Did you even bother to clean before you left last night?”

  “Everything was spotless when I locked up.”

  “I have a hard time believing that. Do you suppose the crap fairy stopped by?”

  “What are you talking about?” He paused. “Forget it. I’m on my way.”

  He sped toward Brannigan’s as quickly as possible. So much for thinking they were partners. Elizabeth was probably freaking out over some water spots on a glass. It was ridiculous. He shouldn’t have to defend himself. He knew he’d done an excellent job. He took pride in his work.

  He parked beside the building and went in. Everything in the front looked just like he had left it. “Elizabeth?”

  She came out from the back and glared at him.

  He spread his arms wide and turned in a circle. “Nothing’s out of place. What the hell’s your problem?”

  A muscle beneath her eye twitched. “Follow me.”

  She spun on a heel and walked back the way she’d come. She stopped in front of the women’s washroom, where she had the door propped open. “There is urine all over the floor.”

  She took three steps to the left and pointed at the men’s room. “Someone defecated in the urinals.”

  “What?” He couldn’t believe his ears. Someone shit in the urinals?

  “Check it out for yourself.” She pointed in front of her. She clearly was not about to go in with him.

  As he came closer, instead of smelling her inviting cinnamon scent, he was assaulted with the stench of a Porta-Potty. Elizabeth had the back door to the alley propped open to bring fresh air in, but it wasn’t enough.

  “This wasn’t here when I left. Everything was clean.” He pulled his shirt up over his mouth and peered into the rooms.

  He then stepped past her. “I suppose you expect me to clean this up.”

  “No. I already called a professional because I need to know it’s done right and finished in time for us to open.”

  Her jab poked at him. He’d done everything right last night.

  Oh, shit. He hadn’t gone back to check the bathrooms after he told the staff about the missing alcohol. He stayed in the office and then left through the back door.

  He couldn’t imagine any of them striking back because of his accusation. Really, what would be the sense? Especially if they wanted him to believe they were innocent.

  “What?” Elizabeth asked.

  He turned his gaze to her.

  “You just had an oh-my-God look on your face.”

  “Before I tell you, don’t get mad.”

  “That is never the best way to start a conversation. It means you screwed up.” She crossed her arms, and he realized she was back to wearing the boring business suit.

  “I didn’t screw up. And I was going to tell you last night, but you weren’t feeling good, and then this morning, we were . . . busy.”

  She moved one hand in a quick circle to tell him to move it along. What was with this woman always rushing him?

  “While I was stocking last night, I came up two bottles of liquor short. A bottle of Jack Daniel’s and the Bushmills I opened our first night. I talked to the staff about it. They all denied taking them.”

  “You think one of them is a thief. I knew it was a mistake to leave new employees unattended.”

  She dropped her arms, and he watched as her hands folded into fists before she tucked them into the pockets of her blazer. Muscles that he’d thought were tight when she was yelling at him became granite. She looked like she might shatter.

  “What does that have to do with this? Were you so distracted by a couple of missing bottles that you didn’t remember to clean the bathrooms?”

  “The bathrooms were clean. I told Mike, Erin, and Marissa that if the bottles reappeared while I was busy in back, the incident would be over.”

  “So you were going to reward a thief by letting him or her keep the job?” Her head shook stiffly like she thought he was an idiot.

  “I knew that part would bug you, but everyone screws
up sometimes. I think people deserve a second chance. Anyway, the bottles weren’t returned, and while I was in your office giving the culprit a chance, they were left alone. One of them could’ve done it.”

  She pushed past him and walked out to the alley. She inhaled deeply while staring at a tree in the neighbor’s yard. He didn’t know if he should follow or just give her time to cool off. He’d known that their management styles would clash at some point, but he didn’t think it would happen so soon.

  He opted to follow. He wouldn’t let her shut him out. She turned at the sound of his shoes scraping the concrete.

  “I can’t imagine a woman would do something like that,” he said. “I know there are crazy women out there, but Marissa and Erin don’t strike me as insane.”

  “But Mike does?”

  “No, but he’s a guy. We’re calibrated differently. Stupid stuff like that is something you’d see at a frat party.”

  “So I hired an immature idiot of a thief.”

  “No, he seems pretty normal.” He stepped closer and put his arm around her. “You know, as a bar owner, cleaning up messes like that is part of the job. I’ve cleaned up worse.”

  Her face turned a shade of green.

  He shrugged. “You can’t afford to hire someone every time some drunk pukes or pisses all over the place.”

  They moved to return to the bar and then saw graffiti on the back wall.

  In bright orange letters, Fuck You stared at them.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me.” Elizabeth flinched under his arm.

  He sighed. “Maybe the potty patrol you hired will have something to clean this up.”

  Elizabeth slid out from under Colin’s arm. In her office she crunched on more antacids. She really did need to call her doctor and get a prescription; she just wasn’t up for a lecture about her health.

  She closed her office door and let Colin handle the mess and the employees. If she jumped in now, she would continue to be the hard-ass, while he tried to be their friend. She began to question if this partnership could work. Colin was great with the customers, but he kept overstepping his authority. As if this was his bar. She didn’t know what she wanted. Did she want him to be a partner? To be as much of a boss as she was? Or did she want him to be an employee?