Catch Your Breath Read online

  “Hi, I’m Moira.”

  The woman nodded, although now that Moira got a closer look, she appeared much more like a girl.

  “Piper. Nice to meet you.”

  “Have you worked here long?”

  The corners of Piper’s mouth turned down for a second and she said, “A few months.”

  “Do you like it here?”

  “Way better than other places I’ve worked. Billie’s fair, and anytime you want to stop by for a cup of coffee, her door is open.” Piper held her cup up.

  “You came here just for coffee?”

  Piper smiled. “I came to pick up my pay. Billie was busy, so I grabbed a cup.” She dumped the rest of the contents and washed out the cup with a dab of soap and couple of quick swishes of a rag.

  When she turned back, Moira said, “I’ll walk out with you.”

  In the hall, they waved at Lisa and stepped on the elevator. Once the doors closed, Piper said, “A little heads-up, one new girl to another. Watch your back with Jenny. She’s nice, she knows what she’s doing, but she’ll steal any guy you have on the line.”

  “She just finished telling me that there were plenty of dates to go around.”

  “There are, but she wants first pick.”

  Moira laughed. “I like you. Can I buy you a cup of coffee?”

  “I just had a cup.”

  “I meant some other time. Billie said I should talk to some of the other girls to get the scoop, and you strike me as a straight shooter.”

  The elevator stopped on the first floor and they stepped out. Piper pulled a card from her pocket. “Sure. Give me a call. Right now, I’m free on Thursday and Friday, but that could change.”

  Moira turned the card over in her hand. Was she supposed to have business cards? “Thursday would be great. I’ll give you call.”

  Piper waved down a cab and Moira walked to the lot. Next time she’d park at a meter. It had to be cheaper.

  Moira drove to her mom’s house and ran different scenarios in her head. While she did her laundry, she tried to figure out how she could change her look for the party on Saturday. Maggie had her coloring, except for the hair, so maybe Moira would get a brunette wig. And new makeup. Then she realized Jenny hadn’t given her information about where they were going, only that they’d meet at the office.

  Her mother made small talk about work she wanted to get done around the house, and Moira helped her make a list. Ryan and Colin would be thrilled. Every time Mom mentioned paying someone to do something, they jumped in, sure she would get ripped off. They ate dinner and Moira thought she was going to escape personal questions, but she never had that kind of luck. Eileen always had questions.

  “You’re dating Jimmy O’Malley?”

  Moira rolled her eyes. “Who told you?”

  “It should’ve been you. When did this start?”

  “A week or two ago. We’ve only been out twice, kind of.”

  “Kind of.” Mom sniffed. “What man takes you on a kind of date?”

  “We had a real date at a carnival Sunday. Before that though, he had to work late, so our plans fell through. He came over to my apartment and we watched a movie.”

  Her mother’s stare bothered her almost as much as Liam’s anger. What was with this family?

  “I expect a man you know through Liam to offer more than showing up to take advantage of you. He should still be putting in the effort.”

  Moira pushed the food around on her plate, no longer hungry. “He’s not taking advantage, Mom. He came over to apologize and he’d had a bad day, so I invited him in.”

  “Is it serious?”

  Moira dropped her fork, unable to pretend anymore. “I don’t know. I haven’t had the chance to find out because everyone in this family is trying to push me away from him. He’s a good man, damn it. What the hell is everyone’s problem?”

  Her mother’s eyes blazed at her language, but she couldn’t care. She shoved away from the table and brought her plate to the kitchen. After giving herself a moment to calm down, she returned to the dining room. “I’m sorry I swore and yelled at you.”

  Eileen nodded. “I know you’ve always looked at that boy with stars in your eyes. I want to make sure he’s not taking advantage.”

  Her language was crisp with a bit of an edge, and if she listened closely, Moira could hear the hint of the brogue, which meant Mom was angry.

  “I’m not a starry-eyed kid. I’m a grown woman and I still like Jimmy. I don’t know where our relationship will go, if anywhere, but it should be up to us to figure that out.”

  “You’re right. A mother can’t help but worry.”

  “Can you tell my dumb brothers to back off ?”

  Eileen smiled and stood to clear her plate, but Moira took it from her.

  “I’ll get you a cup of tea. My laundry should be about dry, so I’ll be heading home.” In the kitchen this time, she found a little peace. If Mom understood her need to do this on her own, there might be some hope for her brothers. She put the kettle on the stove and went to the basement to pull her clothes from the dryer. By the time she had them folded, the kettle was whistling.

  She poured her mom’s tea and delivered it to the living room. As she carried her laundry basket to the front door, Eileen’s eyes focused on the clothes on top.

  Jimmy’s clothes.

  Moira followed her mother’s gaze. “We got caught in the storm Sunday night, and he gave me a sweatshirt to wear home.” No need to mention the fabulous orgasm he’d also given her. “I’m going to drop it off now.”

  Her mother simply nodded and turned on the TV.

  Moira lugged the basket to her car and slid it into the backseat. Pulling Jimmy’s sweatshirt and the T-shirt he’d given her at the block party, she scanned the street for his car. He was home.

  She closed her car, remembering to lock it just in case Jimmy quizzed her, and headed across the street.

  A headache pounded behind Jimmy’s eyes on the way home from the station. He didn’t like Kittner’s implications. When he walked in the door, Kevin was sitting on the couch with their dad, watching a ball game. They each had a beer.

  “Did you test your blood?”

  “Yeah, yeah. It’s fine.”

  Jimmy knew that brush-off answer. He gathered the test stuff and shoved it at his father. “It’s not fucking fine. We’ve been over this.”

  Seamus grumbled but pricked his finger. Surprisingly, the test came back normal.

  “Ha,” Seamus shouted. “Now get outta the way. The Sox are gonna win this one.”

  Kevin pushed up from the couch and followed him into the kitchen. “What bug crawled up your ass?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Right. My guess would be a sexy, little redhead.”

  Jimmy grabbed a beer from the fridge and looked at Kevin. “What are you talking about?”

  “Dad told me you’re going out with Moira.”

  Jimmy didn’t answer. He hadn’t wanted to deal with his family about Moira. Not now. He went to walk around Kevin to go upstairs, but Kevin grabbed his elbow.

  “Of all the fucking women you could go after, why her? You know I’ve been after her for years.”

  Jimmy snorted. “She can’t stand you. It was never going to happen. Besides, my relationship with Moira is complicated.”

  This time, he did push past, but Kevin yelled, “Bullshit. You’re either going out with Moira or you’re not.”

  “I am, but . . .”

  “But what? You’re just looking to fuck her? It’s nothing serious like every other girl you’ve ever had? Shit, I could get behind that. In fact, when you’re done, maybe I’ll get my turn.”

  Jimmy turned back to face Kevin, rage boiling. “Shut the fuck up.”

  “Are you really into her?”

  He wanted to punch Kevin for talking about Moira like she was nothing more than a piece of ass, but he had no idea what they were to each other. The last person he wanted to talk to about Moira
was Kevin. “I’m undercover and she’s part of the assignment. I don’t want my cover blown.”

  “I’m sure you want something blown.”

  His fist cocked back, but a sharp intake of breath caught his attention and he dropped his arm. He spun and saw Moira standing in the living room in front of his father, who wore a smirk. Her mouth hung open for a second and he saw the hurt in her eyes. It lasted exactly one heartbeat and then her eyes narrowed and color rose in her cheeks.

  “Thanks for clearing that up.” Her voice was tight, too controlled for her. She tossed some clothes on the couch. “There are the shirts I borrowed.”

  She turned on her heel and slammed the door. Kevin chuckled behind him. He set his beer on the table and shot a dirty look at his father, who had obviously let Moira in and thought the situation was funny.

  Jimmy ran out the door and called, “Moira.”

  She was at her car across the street, yanking on the door handle. Then she pressed the button to unlock it.

  “Moira. Stop.”

  She looked up at him, stark anger in her bright eyes. Then she got behind the wheel and peeled out.

  “Fuck.” He fumbled for the keys in his pocket. By the time he got behind the wheel of his car, Moira was nowhere in sight. His hands gripped the steering wheel, muscles in his hands tight to the point of almost cramping. He forced his fingers to loosen.

  While at a red light, he pulled out his phone and called her. No answer. He hoped she was going straight home. He had no clue where else to look for her, and he needed to fix this. As he drove through the streets, he wondered how much of his conversation with Kevin she had heard. She’d definitely heard him say she was nothing more than work for him. If she heard everything Kevin had said, he didn’t know if he’d be able to smooth that over.

  Kevin had a way of pissing her off just by breathing. For as long he could remember, he’d had to force Kevin to apologize to Moira for one thing or another.

  When he pulled up in front of her apartment, her car was there, and he released a relieved breath. He went to her apartment and knocked, but she didn’t answer. He waited, hoping that she wasn’t ignoring him, and then knocked again. Then he tried the knob. Locked.

  At least she listened about something.

  He knocked again, a little louder this time. “Moira, open up. I know you’re in there. Stop acting like a kid and let me in so we can talk.”

  “I have nothing to say to you.”

  She was right on the other side of the door.

  “I have things to say.”

  “No one’s stopping you. Talk to your heart’s content. Knowing you, it’ll be short.”

  Her ride home hadn’t taken the edge off her anger. Jimmy rubbed a hand over his head. He didn’t know where to start, but he was sure that he didn’t want to be in the hallway. Bracing a hand on the door, he hoped she was still there when he said, “I wasn’t ready to talk to my family about us. Especially Kevin. I didn’t know what to say to him.”

  The lock clunked, and he removed his hand a half second before she tore the door open. “How about ‘I’m dating Moira. I like her’? Would that have been so painful?”

  “When it comes to Kevin, yeah. Can I come in?”

  “Why? People might get the impression you actually want to be around me.”

  He shoved the door wider, forcing her back with his size, and closed it behind him.

  She sputtered for a moment and then said, “I didn’t say you could come in.”

  “You didn’t say no either. You were too busy with smart-ass comments. I do want to be around you and you know it.”

  “Then why lie to Kevin? That’s bullshit. I’ve been killing myself to defend our relationship to my family, and you can’t even admit we have a relationship. I deserve better than that.”

  Her words struck him, and he stepped back until he was against the door. “What? Defend what to who?”

  “Us. My family has questioned whether I know what I’m doing and if I really want to get involved with you. Liam was actually pissed. He doesn’t get mad about anything.”

  “Shit.” His shoulders sagged. He’d wanted to believe her when she’d said Liam wouldn’t care. Jimmy should’ve talked to Liam himself before he even thought about a date with Moira.

  “That’s your response?”

  Right now, Moira was the priority. He straightened from the wall just as she pulled back to hit him.

  He snatched her arm at the wrist and pulled her into him. She was breathing hard and her chest collided with his torso. She pulled back her other arm to swing, so he caught it and held both arms behind her back. Her eyes blazed and her nostrils flared.

  She was so fucking hot when she was mad.

  He lowered his head and kissed her hard. She fought against him for a minute, but then her lips softened. In her stubbornness, she refused to participate in the kiss, though. He moved his mouth to her ear. Her hair fluttered with his breath and she shivered.

  “I lied to Kevin because I didn’t want him to know about us. I wanted to keep this for myself. I want you so fucking much I can’t think straight.”

  Moira stopped struggling in his grasp, but he didn’t turn her loose. Using her bound arms to push her forward, her soft flesh pressed into him. “You’ve been tormenting me for longer than I can remember. Sunday night my cock was so hard it hurt. I jacked off in the shower thinking about you. Smelling you on my hand.”

  Her shoulder twitched with another shiver and her breath quickened again. She swallowed hard and he pressed a kiss to the pulse on her neck. “I want you every time I see you.”

  “So show me,” she rasped out.

  She tugged her hands, and this time, he released her. She stepped back and started unbuttoning her blouse. Her eyes were hot with lust instead of anger now. She licked her lips, and when he groaned, her fingers fumbled on a button. He’d seen the bared skin before when she’d been in a fancy dress and again when he ripped her dress open, but it was no less erotic this time.

  He stepped closer and she retreated. She wanted him to watch, but she wasn’t moving fast enough for him. No man had enough control for that. He reached out, using his size to his advantage again, and tugged her closer. His fingers curled in the waistband of her skirt to hold her in place and his other hand yanked the blouse free.

  She finished opening the last two buttons and shrugged out of the shirt. It slid soundlessly to the floor.

  Jimmy kissed the white freckled skin above her bra and trailed down to her waist. He knelt in front of her. His hands went to her thighs and shoved the skirt up. He could smell her arousal as he pulled her panties down. With them removed, the patch of red curls was revealed and he brushed his fingers over her mound.

  Her hands came down on his shoulders abruptly and her fingers dug in with every slight stroke. He spread her lips and flicked his tongue against her, tasting her, savoring her. Shouldering her thighs wider, he ran his tongue down her seam and she moaned. Her thighs trembled, so he shifted her entire body to make her lean against the wall. Her shoulders thumped against the wall as he lifted her knee over his shoulder, giving him better access.

  Her pink center was warm and wet. After a couple of swipes of his tongue, he sucked on her clit, drawing it into his mouth. Her body jerked and then settled against him again when he pressed his tongue inside her. Her gasps and moans urged him on. His teeth scraped gently across her sensitive flesh, causing another little jump.

  He licked and sucked until she went up on tiptoe as if to escape while pushing at his head to keep him on target. He sank two fingers into her and stroked while his tongue focused solely on her clit. A string of ohs and fuck yeahs and oh my gods rang in his ears. Her hips bucked and her thighs trembled. Her walls tightened on his fingers as she came. He pulled them out and replaced them with his tongue, tasting her juices as she rode the waves of her orgasm.

  When her body began to calm, he pulled his face away and wiped at his chin. He kissed her inner thigh
and it twitched. He held her in place with his hands on her hips mostly to hold her up, but also to ground himself as he looked at her. He’d thought she was beautiful after she came in the backseat of his car, but that was nothing compared to this.

  Jimmy pressed his body against Moira, and it felt like it was the only thing keeping her upright. The orgasm had shaken her so hard that she felt boneless. Her entire body tingled and trembled at every touch. Jimmy’s hands moved to her breasts and rubbed at her nipples through her bra. Everything was so sensitive it almost hurt.

  “I don’t think I can take any more,” she whispered weakly.

  He tilted her chin toward him and waited until she made eye contact. “You wanted this. You wanted me to show you and I’m not nearly done.”

  The power of his words shot through her and she shivered. He crushed his mouth to hers, and she tasted herself on his lips, mixed with the taste of Jimmy. That alone was enough to turn her on again. His tongue, that magical, talented tongue plunged into her mouth, and his hands dove into her hair, gripping tightly.

  Everything Jimmy did, he accomplished with gentle forcefulness that made her want to surrender. He made love to her mouth. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been kissed so thoroughly.

  “I’m taking you to bed now.” His voice was gruff and hoarse with need.

  Smiling, she said, “Give me a minute so I can regain the ability to walk.”

  “I don’t have another minute. I need to be inside you now.”

  Then he scooped her up. He actually picked her up and carried her to her bed. Of course she knew he was a big guy; he towered over her. But never in any of her dreams had she thought about him using that brute strength to carry her to bed. It gave her a little rush.

  He placed her on the bed and while he stripped down, she reached into the drawer of her nightstand and pulled out a condom. She set it on the bed beside her and wiggled out of her skirt, taking her pumps with it. Then she unclasped her bra to set her breasts free. Jimmy had gotten his shirt and pants off, but when he saw her breasts, he groaned and dove at her. He still wore his boxer briefs and his erection pressed into her leg.