Intractable Souls : Book 1 of the Bound for Ireland Series by Tricia Daniels

then disappears.
    Scott looks at Ethan feeling a little
nervous. “A date? Who is the lucky guy?” Please, not Ethan. Please,
not Ethan he repeats in his mind.
    “Noah Thompson.” She blushes as she says his
name aloud, feeling as if she has somehow revealed her intentions
for the evening.
    Scott looks relieved and his shoulders
relax. Starting towards her car, her eyes dart quickly to Ethan one
last time and she can’t help but notice that he looks annoyed.
Passing the coffees through the open car window to Scott he follows
her, quickly making his way to her car and holding her off while he
opens her car door. She likes all the attention she’s getting
today. She’ll have to wear this dress more often. Slipping behind
the wheel as ladylike as she can, she makes sure that her dress is
neatly tucked in underneath her and winces as the edge of the seat
rubs painfully against the sore on her thigh.
    After closing the door he leans down to her
eye level and speaks to her through the open window. “I thought
your leg was ok?” His previously playful mood is now solemn and his
smile has faded into a much more serious expression.
    “Well it seems that I may have under
estimated the damage. Apparently something sharp on the chair
gouged out the panama canal in my thigh.” She tries to make light
of it but he doesn’t smile.
    “Olivia, you shouldn’t mess around with
tissue damage like that. Make an appointment with your doctor and
have it checked out.” His voice takes on an imperious tone that she
finds rude and insulting and yet warmth blooms inside her and
spreads outwards. Sweet Jesus, help me. Despite it, anger brews in
her belly. “I am an adult, if you hadn’t noticed. I’m capable of
determining when I need to see a doctor.” She looks straight at him
contemplating saying something extremely unladylike.
    His only response is a long intimidating
stare. His jaw line tenses and it looks like he wants to say
something. His mood sets off warning bells in her head and for the
second time this morning she feels the need to put some space
between them.
    “Ethan, I need to get to work.” She finally
manages to speak.
    “Is Noah your boyfriend?” He waits for her
reply without breaking his stare, making her feel like she’s under
interrogation.
    “WHAT? No!” She looks away from him when she
answers, fighting the anger that’s starting to rise in her. Closing
her eyes she forces herself to turn back and look straight at him.
“And that is really none of your business.” Her tone is curt and
she’s proud of herself for speaking her mind. She learned to keep
her mouth shut and avoid all conflict around her Ex-Boyfriend, Sam.
However, it’s another self-preservation habit that she’s trying to
break.
    Ethan struggles with the decision to hold
his tongue. He knows how to handle difficult women and Olivia is no
different. He senses that her confident and stubborn disposition is
just an act to protect her from men like him. Confident and in
control. Something inexplicable happened the first time he saw her,
very intense feelings stirred inside him, like nothing he has ever
felt or experienced before. He’s determined to have her, explore
these feelings and find a way to explain them, so he will concede
to her this time in hopes to gain her trust.
    He nods his head in agreement. “You’re
right, it’s none of my business.” Standing upright, he takes a step
back, allowing her to pull out of the parking spot. Watching as she
leaves, he grins as he comments aloud to himself. “But I fully
intend to make it my business, Miss James.”
    Finally at a safe distance, Olivia exhales,
trying to expel some of the emotional energy zinging around inside
her like the positive electric charge of a proton. She pulls into
work just a few short blocks away and decides that she’s going to
put Ethan O’Connell out of her mind. Today is all about her and
Noah and she will focus all her energy on that.
     
    Ethan jumps in