First and Only (Callaghan Brothers #2)

“Ian!” she cried out as he ruthlessly took total possession of her mind, body, and spirit. “Yours, always yours... only yours... oh, God, Ian!” She cried out in climax, clenching around him with more force than he’d ever felt. With a final thrust he buried himself at the entrance of her womb and emptied inside her.

For a few timeless, precious moments, he held her as she sobbed against his chest. He had done it. He had stripped her down to her bare soul, made her reveal what he had suspected all along. There would be no more pretending, no more walls between them.

“Sweet Lexi,” Ian said against her ear as he withdrew, his voice raw. “My sweet Lexi. Remember that no matter where we go today, no matter who we see, that it is me inside of you.”





Chapter Eighteen




Something changed in Ian after that. He became centered, focused. He had a goal now, knew exactly what he wanted. He wanted Lexi. Not for a night. Not for a week. Forever. And he had the next four days to convince her of that.

She loved him, he knew that much. He saw it when she looked at him. Felt it in every touch. Heard it in every word she spoke to him. But she was scared, and he couldn’t blame her. When it was just the two of them, she was open and loving and free. Around anyone else, she tended to get very quiet, very subdued, hiding away her thoughts and keeping to the shadows. It tugged at something deep inside. He was beginning to realize why Kieran was so fiercely protective of her.

“You okay?” Ian asked, catching Lexi’s hand.

“Yeah.” She glanced into the front door of the Pub and looked back at him uncertainly.

Impulsively, Ian pulled her to him, the need to comfort her overwhelming. “Are you sure?” he asked, kissing the top of her head before releasing her. She’d been quieter than usual at breakfast, and it had him worried. She nodded, but the way she nibbled her bottom lip gave her away.

“It’ll be okay, baby,” he said, smoothing her hair. “Do you trust me?”

She looked at him with those big amber eyes and nodded again, sending a rush of warmth through him.

Jake was in the Pub, restocking the shelves when they walked in.

“Lex,” Jake greeted with a friendly smile for Lexi and a quick glance toward Ian. If he was surprised to see the two of them arrive together, he hid it well.

“Taryn’s putting on a fresh pot of coffee in the kitchen. I know she’s worried about you. Think you can go in and talk to her for a bit?”

Lexi nodded quietly, offering a small, shy smile as she left the two men alone. Ian didn’t take his eyes off of her until she disappeared into the next room. Jake’s voice dropped down low to avoid being overheard.

“Tell me you are not doing what I think you are,” Jake said, his voice laced with concern.

There was no good way to respond to that, so Ian didn’t. He didn’t have to. All he had to do was look into his brother’s eyes and Jake understood. Along with understanding was empathy, because less than a year before Jake had had the same tortured look in his eyes.

Jake blew out a breath. “I sure hope you know what you’re doing, Ian.”

“Not a fucking clue,” Ian responded, echoing the words Jake had said to him all those months ago. It was honest, at least, even if he couldn’t admit it to anyone but Jake. When Taryn came into their lives, Jake fell hard and fast. Ian hadn’t understood it then, but he sure as hell did now.

Jake whistled softly. “So it’s like that, is it?”

“Yeah. Exactly like that.”

Jake held out his hand. “Welcome to the club, man. Hits you like a freight train, doesn’t it?”

Ian took his hand and smiled. Oh, yeah. Jake got it.

“You have your work cut out for you though. It’s not going to be easy.”

Ian snorted. When had things ever been easy? In the end it didn’t really matter. He needed Lexi, more than he’d ever needed anything. He accepted that now, and all he could do was move forward with it. But he had a feeling Jake was referring to something a bit more specific.

“Tell me.”

Jake placed both hands on the bar and leaned a little closer. “Kieran went over to Lexi’s hotel this morning. Apparently they got into it last night, and he’s been crawling the walls ever since. When he finds out she’s not there, he is not going to be a happy boy. When he finds out she’s with you, he’s going to go completely batshit.”

“I’d never hurt her, Jake,” Ian said quietly.

“Yeah, I get that. But I don’t think Kieran is going to be quite as understanding. He remembers, even if you don’t.” As Ian’s eyes flashed, Jake put up his hands. “Hey, I know you were clueless then, man, so I’m not laying blame here. I’m just saying.”