Heated Rush Part 13

"I don't," he replied with a c.o.c.ky grin. "But it's covered, anyway."

"I can't show up at my folks' place in a limo."

"Not a chance," he said. "You think I want them to immediately take me for either a spoiled rich punk, a pimp or a drug dealer?"

She laughed and rolled her eyes. "As if."

"Seriously, don't worry about it. The hotel has a car rental service. I've got it covered."

That was true. The hotel had a luxury luxury car rental service that was exorbitantly expensive, but would be well worth it. First, it would enable him to avoid another ride in a pram disguised as a full-fledged vehicle. And car rental service that was exorbitantly expensive, but would be well worth it. First, it would enable him to avoid another ride in a pram disguised as a full-fledged vehicle. And he he could drive, letting Annie relax for the long ride to her folks, when he knew she'd already be feeling worked up and worried. could drive, letting Annie relax for the long ride to her folks, when he knew she'd already be feeling worked up and worried.

"Fine," she said, accepting his explanation without further questions. Probably because she wanted to go-to get out of here, now, before he tried again to tempt her to stay.

He could. Part of him wanted to.

Another part-the part that saw the fatigue around her eyes and the way she kept s.h.i.+fting in the driver's seat, as if she truly was a little uncomfortable-knew better.

She had a stressful couple of days ahead of her. Best that she go into it refreshed after a good, uninterrupted night of sleep. Not physically uncomfortable after a good, wild night of lovemaking.

But when they got back here on Sunday, after he helped her pull off her little charade in front of her family? Well, then, all bets were off.

He'd take what he wanted. Give her what she hadn't asked for. Then he'd be able to say goodbye to her knowing they'd both gotten more than they'd ever dreamed of out of her single bid at the auction.

7.

ANNIE HAD SEEN SLEEK, ridiculously expensive convertibles like the one Sean had rented, but she'd never actually ridden in one. So she'd never heard the way the engine's powerful roar actually sounded more like a smooth rumble from the inside. Nor had she realized the engine's power felt tangible, like the vehicle was a living creature harnessed and impatient to go. go.

"G.o.d, this car is s.e.xy," she said, amazed at how good it felt to just ride, watching the miles slip past as the car's broad tires skimmed over the steaming blacktop below.

"Handles beautifully, too," he said, talking loud enough to be heard over the wind and the music. "Maybe you can get behind the wheel for a while later."

Not a chance. With her luck, she'd drive it into a ravine and end up having to sell a kidney to pay for the damage.

"That's okay, I'm fine here," she said, settling deeper into the b.u.t.tery-soft leather seat.

Usually the two-and-a-half-hour trip back home seemed interminable and boring. Each mile pa.s.sing under her minivan's minivan's plodding tires always darkened her mood. plodding tires always darkened her mood.

Though she adored her family and loved going home for holidays, there was always the inevitable conversation she'd give anything to avoid. The one where they all cornered her and demanded that she at last admit she was lonely and miserable living away from them all in the big city.

That she never did-and that it wasn't true-didn't keep them from repeating the refrain during at least one family meeting every single time.

This trip, though, was shaping up to be entirely different. Maybe it was the man by her side, whose presence would provide some physical barrier and also, hopefully, get the clan off her back for a little while. Or h.e.l.l, maybe it was just the sheer pleasure of riding under the brilliant, bright blue sky, with the wind blowing wildly in her hair and hard rock music pouring from the speakers.

It was...freeing. That was a good word for it. She felt free of her family expectations, her business stresses, her ugly romantic history.

Free to just enjoy the wind in her face and the strong, solid presence of the man sitting beside her. And while she would very much like to feel free enough to ask that man to pull over and make love to her under the vivid summer sky, she knew they didn't have the time. Not for the kind of lovemaking she wanted to do with him now.

Last night had been hard and fast and frantic. Utterly mind-blowing.

Today? If she had her way and could actually get him to pull over into a secluded country lane? She'd want hours and hours of deep, sensual pleasure under the hot, drugging rays of the sun.

Annie s.h.i.+fted in her seat, still tender. She was very aware of his possession of last night, and wanted so much more she could barely stand the wait.

"Thank you for driving," she said, needing to think about something else. She spoke loudly to be heard over the engine, the music and the wind. "Though, I think this car is expensive enough to put those pimp or drug dealer thoughts into a normal person's mind."

"We'll make sure they know it's a rental."

As if he knew she had been thanking him for even more, Sean reached over and put his hand on hers, squeezing lightly. "It would be nice to just keep on heading west until we hit the Pacific." He wagged his eyebrows. "Or to pull over and have a nice, long...picnic." Shaking his head, he added, "But we are almost there."

How, she wondered, could the man be so intuitive, knowing that she'd love nothing more than to keep on going, see something new-the big beautiful ocean-and skip the whole ordeal with her folks altogether? Why did he seem to know her so well after a few short days when her own family hardly knew her at all after twenty-seven years?

Had anyone? Really, had there ever been a single person who'd totally gotten her? Not just her goals, but her deepest dreams, her conflicts, the way she was torn between wanting to seek out new experiences and yet also have the warmth and happiness of family? The daring to see the world...and the stability of a home and a life filled with love and warmth? Really, had there ever been a single person who'd totally gotten her? Not just her goals, but her deepest dreams, her conflicts, the way she was torn between wanting to seek out new experiences and yet also have the warmth and happiness of family? The daring to see the world...and the stability of a home and a life filled with love and warmth?

She didn't think so. Not ever.

Sean released her hand, needing to downs.h.i.+ft, and distracted her from her morose thoughts. "How's the big boy holding up back there?"

She glanced at the backseat. Wally, who was usually very fussy in the van, had settled in nicely. He was sprawled in his crate, either asleep or doing a good impression of being that way. Though sheltered from most of the wind, he obviously enjoyed the feel of it ruffling his belly fur because he appeared completely comfortable.

She still couldn't get over how the ultraspoiled cat had taken to Sean right away. Wally obviously liked the man's touch as much as Annie did.

Don't even go there, she reminded herself. Riding beside Sean, feeling his heat, smelling that musky, male scent of his skin, was distracting enough. Giving in to the memories of every delicious moment the night before would probably have her saying to h.e.l.l with the time, and demanding that he pull over. she reminded herself. Riding beside Sean, feeling his heat, smelling that musky, male scent of his skin, was distracting enough. Giving in to the memories of every delicious moment the night before would probably have her saying to h.e.l.l with the time, and demanding that he pull over.

As they pa.s.sed a sign stating the exit for Green Springs was only ten miles ahead, Sean reached to flip off the powerful stereo. "I think maybe I could use a primer."

"What?"

"We covered so many details last night...maybe you should test me. Though, of course, there's no question that I remember what you wear to bed." Then, a self-satisfied tone in his voice, added, "Or that I now know exactly where your real real ticklish spot is." ticklish spot is."

Oh, boy. Annie s.h.i.+fted in the seat, suddenly a lot hotter than she'd been a moment before under the direct rays of the sun. Annie s.h.i.+fted in the seat, suddenly a lot hotter than she'd been a moment before under the direct rays of the sun.

"But I don't suppose anybody will be asking about those things."

"Definitely not." Glad for the chance to focus on their arrival, not how much she wanted Sean to stop and do all the things to her that he hadn't done last night, she thought about the most crucial issues. The things a man who'd been dating her for a few months would absolutely know about.

"What are my brothers' names?"

"Jed's the oldest, and he's engaged to Becca. Then Steve, who's one year older than you and is the ladies' man of the family." He rattled the details off rapidly, obviously a quick study. "Randy is the baby, and he's interested in joining the Air Force, though he hasn't yet worked up a set of ballocks as big as yours to tell your parents that."

She snorted, taking that as a compliment. "Right. But don't say a word."

"Wouldn't dream of it." He narrowed his eyes in concentration. "Hmm...what else...oh, Randy's almost twenty-one. That's easy to remember, since my sister's the same age."

That was the first time he'd mentioned a family member other than his parents, and the affectionate smile hinted at a close relations.h.i.+p. "Sister? Where is she?"

"Back in Ireland."

"Do you get to see her often?"

"Almost never. Moira and I mostly keep in touch by phone and e-mail." He was silent for a moment, then, as if he'd weighed his options and decided he could trust her with more of himself, he continued. "I had a falling out with my father several years ago and haven't been back home since."

"I see."

"No, you probably don't," he muttered. "I can hear in your voice when you talk about them that you adore your family, even though they drive you 'round the bend."

"When I don't want to shove them all in a river."

He chuckled. "Still, there's genuine affection there."

"But none in yours?"

He pushed his silky black hair off his face-the wind had tugged it free of its ponytail. Oh, Lord, was her father going to have something to say about that, and the tiny gold earring flas.h.i.+ng from one lobe. "I love my father," he admitted, sounding as though it hurt him to say it out loud. "But affection comes with a price in my family. If you pay it, all's well and good. If you don't..."

"Then you have to keep in touch with your sister only by phone and e-mail."

"That's about it. Although whenever she has a cla.s.s trip off the island, I try to arrange a business trip to meet up with her." A wicked laugh escaped his lips. "I showed her the hot spots in Prague when she was seventeen and the strip in Amsterdam a year later."

Annie snorted, able to picture it. "Intentionally trying to corrupt her?"

"Just trying to let her live a little, since our father and her mother have clamped down on her pretty hard because of the choices I've made."

"That's a shame."

Although he didn't frown or otherwise appear to regret telling her as much as he had, he immediately returned to the subject at hand. "Is your relations.h.i.+p with your brothers anything like that?"

"My brothers couldn't find Prague on a map," she muttered, then sighed at her own tone. "Sorry. That was b.i.t.c.hy. They're very nice guys. Steve and I were like twins when we were kids. Practically inseparable."

"But?"

"But," she explained with a simple shrug of her shoulders, "they never left home. Never wanted to. Never will. Randy wants to join the service because he's young and patriotic...but if he does it, he'll still come back here afterward to live out the rest of his days."

"While you couldn't wait to go live out yours almost anywhere else."

"Exactly. I had posters of foreign cities on the walls of my room growing up, maps, brochures from the Peace Corps, even the military. Anything that would take me someplace far away and different."

His eyebrows shot up and he turned to cast a quick, surprised glance at her. "The Peace Corps? Yes. But the military?" Shaking his head at the very possibility, he didn't even have to say what he was thinking.

Not that he was wrong. "Hey, I was just thinking of all the angles." Remembering the brouhaha that had accompanied the arrival of an envelope from the Army with her name on it during high school, she rolled her eyes. "But I didn't seriously pursue it. My father told me he'd lock me in the bas.e.m.e.nt if I even thought about enlisting."

He chuckled.

"My mother was worse. She told me I'd be putting my brothers' lives at risk because all of them them would have to enlist, too, to keep me safe, including Randy, who was eleven at the time." would have to enlist, too, to keep me safe, including Randy, who was eleven at the time."

d.a.m.n, her mother was good at getting her own way. At least, she had had been. Not anymore. Annie had had her taste of freedom and she'd never give it up. "That's another reason he's delaying telling them he wants to sign up now," she added. been. Not anymore. Annie had had her taste of freedom and she'd never give it up. "That's another reason he's delaying telling them he wants to sign up now," she added.

"Twenty-one's better than eleven," he said with a laugh. The laughter quickly faded and his tone became serious. "Chicago's not far enough for you, though, is it? Not in the long run."

Funny that he'd figured that out so quickly. "I love Chicago, and I'm not at all unhappy there. I've got a great business and lots of friends, and someday I'm sure I'll be happy to settle down and raise a family there."

"But?"

"But you can bet I'm h.o.a.rding my pennies so that I can see some of the world before that day comes." She shook her head and stared at the trees whipping by along the side of the highway. "To the rest of the Davises, Green Springs you can bet I'm h.o.a.rding my pennies so that I can see some of the world before that day comes." She shook her head and stared at the trees whipping by along the side of the highway. "To the rest of the Davises, Green Springs is is the world, and that's exactly the way they like it." the world, and that's exactly the way they like it."

"Different dreams," he mused, his voice so low, she almost didn't hear it over the wind. "None better. None worse. Just different."

Different dreams. That's what it all came down to. That's what it all came down to.

She didn't reply, didn't need to. Because with those words, he'd nailed it. Why Annie had left, why her family had been upset about it. Why she hated going back to deal with their disappointment again and again. Even why Sean was sitting beside her in the car, about to help her get through the weekend with a combination of half-truths and excuses.

She had different dreams...which they didn't understand.

Yet somehow, the man sitting beside her, who she'd known for less than a week, did.

SEAN DIDN'T QUITE know what he was expecting when he pulled up the narrow lane to Annie's childhood home. He'd certainly seen plenty of farms back in Ireland, many of them on Murphy land his father had rented out to others. But most of those were small, family-run operations with sheep grazing on lush green fields, a dash of color on their backs distinguis.h.i.+ng one owner's flock from the next. Small cottages would dot the landscape, with ramshackle barns and old-fas.h.i.+oned plows rusting in the fields. know what he was expecting when he pulled up the narrow lane to Annie's childhood home. He'd certainly seen plenty of farms back in Ireland, many of them on Murphy land his father had rented out to others. But most of those were small, family-run operations with sheep grazing on lush green fields, a dash of color on their backs distinguis.h.i.+ng one owner's flock from the next. Small cottages would dot the landscape, with ramshackle barns and old-fas.h.i.+oned plows rusting in the fields.

Nothing like this.

"Good G.o.d, it looks like a factory!" he said as he drove alongside the enormous, entirely modern barn, two stories tall, and a few hundred feet long.

A small fleet of trucks was parked at the end of it, all bearing the same dairy logo of a jolly cow. Impeccably maintained equipment was visible through the wide-open doors of another building, and several workers dressed in khakis and uniform s.h.i.+rts were in sight.

"I was picturing something more like..."

"Green Acres?"

He glanced at Annie, who had noted his surprise and was amused by it. "What's that?"

"An ancient show on TVLand TVLand about...never mind, it doesn't matter." She pointed to the top of a hill beyond the barns and a huge, sloping field where horses grazed lazily under the bright June sky. "There's the house." about...never mind, it doesn't matter." She pointed to the top of a hill beyond the barns and a huge, sloping field where horses grazed lazily under the bright June sky. "There's the house."

Another surprise.

Annie's parents' home was enormous, a sprawling, three-story farmhouse, painted a bright yellow with contrasting white shutters around every window. Curved flower beds overflowing with daffodils that reminded him of home surrounded the broad front porch. Tall shade trees lined the soft green perimeter of a well-tended lawn, which was separated from the pasture by a long picket fence. And a gazebo complete with two-person swing perched at the very edge of a sloping hill that melded into the expansive countryside.

The Davis home was absolutely nothing like he'd pictured.

Shocked into silence because of his own faulty preconceptions, he drove up the hill. Given how wrong he was about the house, he had to wonder if he'd entirely underestimated the family he was about to meet, too.

A hint of misgiving crawled up his spine. Maybe this wasn't going to be the piece of cake he'd figured it for.