Chapter Four

 

She was panting hard by the time she reached her baby blue VW bug. Her lungs burned and her heart hammered in her chest, as much from panic as from her eight-block sprint through the rain. She fumbled for her keys. They slipped, fell, and she searched frantically until her half-numb fingers curled around the cold metal. She opened the car door and slumped into the seat, slammed the door and locked it.

Her body was a mass of confused sensations. Still shuddering with the buzz of orgasm after orgasm, she shivered with shock and cold. Reaching out, she turned on the engine, then switched on the heat. The rain clattered onto the roof of the car in a static cacophony, so loud she could hardly think.

What the hell had just happened to her? She tried to go over it in her mind, but it was too damn weird. Why had she felt so instantly comfortable with Reece? Even though she’d never been this deeply attracted to anyone in her life, and simply looking at him made her pulse race with lust, that wasn’t enough to explain it. And how had he known how to touch her just right, as though he’d anticipated her every need? Could it really be just a collection of coincidences? And then that last moment, when he’d slid into her body…

She groaned. She’d never felt anything that intense before, that excruciatingly pleasurable. And so damn frightening.

Maybe she’d been so out of her head with lust she’d imagined the whole thing?

No, the event played like a movie in her mind, crystal clear. And thinking about it made her want to cry, for reasons she couldn’t comprehend.

Shaking her head, she shifted into gear and pulled out onto the street. She would go home, have a nice long bath, and maybe a cup of tea to clear her mind. No, a glass of wine was called for after the night she’d had. Hell, a vodka martini. Not that she had any vodka—a good Cabernet would have to do. Then she’d call Janie and have her friend help her figure out what the fuck had just happened with him.

With Reece, this beautiful stranger who didn’t feel like a stranger. A man who felt as if she’d known him forever.

She had every intention of going home—she really did—but something made her turn onto Reece’s street and drive past his house.

Through the delicate pattern of the wrought-iron gate she could see the glow of lights in the house. What was he thinking? What was he doing right now? Slowing down, she let the engine idle for a moment. She shook her head once more. What the hell was she doing stalking his house? God, she really had to get a grip.

Gunning the engine, she drove down the wet street. The white glare of streetlights shone on the slick surface, reflecting off the puddles of water. It hardly ever rained in L.A., and the city was poorly prepared for a storm, so when it did rain, the streets always flooded. The intersections were the worst, and the one two blocks from Reece’s house was a perfect example.

As Destiny tried to round the corner she realized, too late, that her tiny car was no match for the small pond that had accumulated there. She careened through the intersection, her wheels hitting the curb before the engine sputtered and died.

“Great,” she muttered.

She turned the key. The engine whirred, but wouldn’t turn over. She tried again. And again. Nothing.

She leaned her head on the steering wheel while her whole body slowly grew numb. What was she going to do now? It was almost midnight. Who could she call to help her?

Triple A. She rummaged in her purse, dug through her wallet and found her card. The emergency road service number was on the back. Good. Now for her cell phone. But a five full minutes of digging in her big purse didn’t turn it up. She felt around her car seat with her hand, but didn’t find it there, either.

Leaning back in her seat, she let out a frustrated sigh. She knew exactly where her phone was. On Reece Kellan’s entry hall floor.

She pounded her fist on the steering wheel.

“Damn it! Seriously?”

Either she’d have to go back there and get it, or she’d have to sit in her car, soaking wet in the middle of a storm, freezing and shivering, until morning.

She didn’t know which option was worse.

She did not want to go back to his house. At least, that’s what she told herself, even as her stomach, her pulse, fluttered simply thinking about him. But either she was crazy, or something very weird—Twilight Zone weird—had happened with him, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to know which.

Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes. God, what a night she was having.

Thunder rumbled in the distance, and a few moments later a flash of lightning illuminated the darkness behind her closed lids. The face of Madame Anna came into her mind’s eye, as clear as though she stood before her.

…you are going to meet your soul mate… It always starts with attraction, doesn’t it? But this goes far beyond that. You’ll know. It will be unmistakable.

Impossible. It had just been the psychic-babble she was certain Madame Anna used on everyone. Destiny was very much grounded in reality, and things like that did not happen in her world. It was silly to even consider it. And she had more important things to think about right now—like how to get her cell phone so she could get out of this mess.

“Damn it.”

She ran the two blocks back to Reece’s house, telling herself she would just get her cell phone, then leave. End of story.

 

“Destiny. Lord, you’re soaked through. Here.”

Reece stood in the doorway in a pair of blue and white striped pajama bottoms, his dark hair tousled, looking too damn beautiful. His chest was bare, his skin golden in the soft light of the entryway. Incredibly gorgeous. Undeniably sexy. He held up a towel and draped it over her shoulders carefully, as though he knew it was a good idea not to try to touch her.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“I only came to get my cell phone. It must have dropped out of my purse.”

She knew she sounded sullen, and she truly didn’t mean to be so rude. She could almost hear her Nana tsk-tsking in the background at her poor behavior. And he was being so nice. Not a word of recrimination for her running out in the middle of sex, for God’s sake.

“Yeah, I saw it on the floor and picked it up. Let me get it for you. Come in.”

He was gone for several moments and she took the opportunity to ruffle her hair dry with the towel. The house was warm and cozy, and it smelled like him—fresh and earthy and sexy as hell.

Stop it.

He returned quickly with her phone and held it out to her. She made a grab for it, trying not to come into contact with his hand.

“Can I make you a cup of tea?”

“I only came to get my phone. I need to get going. I have to call Triple A.”

“You weren’t in an accident, were you? Lord, Destiny, are you alright? Come and sit down.”

Why was he being so damn nice to her? She could see the sincere concern in his eyes.

God, his eyes are blue. Like the sky in summer.

But she wasn’t supposed to be noticing that. She was supposed to get her phone and get the hell out of there. Away from him. Away from the strangeness that had occurred in his bed.

Her body surged with yearning, both physical and…something else. Her head began to spin.

And then he was touching her, making her head spin harder. He slipped a strong arm around her waist and guided her to the kitchen. She followed him mutely, feeling numb and exhausted.

“Come on now, darlin’,” Reece was saying. “Let’s sit you down and have a cup of tea. You need to get dry and warm. Then we’ll talk.”

He settled her into a wooden chair at a granite-topped table, then turned to fill an electric kettle with water and turned it on. Destiny stared down at the striations running through the sandstone and amber-colored granite. She couldn’t look at him. It was too confusing.

Reece settled his big body down in a chair across from hers. “Now, tell me what happened.”

“I went through this huge puddle and my engine stalled. I couldn’t get it to start again, and it’s raining so hard, everything is flooding…”

“Where’s your car?”

“A few blocks from here. I managed to pull it pretty close into the curb. It’s not in the middle of the street.”

“Good, it’s safe enough, then.”

Lightning crashed outside, as if the storm was right over the house, and Destiny flinched.

“It’s getting worse out there,” Reese said. “I think you’d better stay here until morning. The storm should pass by then. We’ll call a tow truck tomorrow.”

“I should take care of it now. I should go.”

“Destiny, you’re shivering with cold. It’s ridiculous for you to go back out into the rain and wait for them. You can stay here.”

She looked up at him and said quietly. “I want to go home.”

Why did that feel like a lie?

He nodded. “Aye, I can see that.”

He ran a hand back through his already mussed hair, then blew out a breath as if he were about to speak, but there was another sharp crack of lightning, followed by a deep rumble of thunder that shook the house, and the lights went out.

“Shit. Sorry about the profanity, but…hang on a moment. I’ll get us some light.”

She sat in the dark, shivering with cold and listening to him moving around the kitchen. A few moments later the room was illuminated by a match, then by a trio of candles on a plate he set on the counter.

“Look, if the power is out, who knows how bad the storm is out there. Just stay here tonight. I won’t touch you, I promise. I didn’t mean to scare you earlier. I don’t know…I don’t quite know what the hell happened, but I understand why you left the way you did. I was fairly freaked out myself. But, you know, I’m a man—what can I say? I tried to ignore it in light of what else was going on. But it won’t happen again. I won’t touch you. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“It did happen…” Her heart was beating at a thousand miles an hour as she watched the flickering candles light his handsome face.

His dark brows creased. “Yeah. Something happened, though I’ll be damned if I know what.”

“I thought…I thought it was you who did it, Reece. Or that I was crazy.”

“Well, if you’re crazy, then I am, too. But I didn’t do it, whatever the hell it was.” His features relaxed, softened. “All I know is that up until that moment, this was the most incredible night of my life. And I didn’t want you to leave.”

His words warmed her through, and she hardly even felt her cold, wet clothes against her skin any longer. Something inside her loosened.

“Reece, what happened to us?”

“I’ve no idea. Not even a theory, which is odd for me.”

“Do you think it’s possible for people to…manifest things? To manifest their thoughts?”

“You’re the psychologist. You know a lot more about the powers of the mind than I do.”

Their conversation and the soft candlelight was helping to calm her, to quiet the confusion whirling like the wind outside in her head. This sort of problem-solving dialogue was something she was used to. And she found sitting in the warm kitchen comfortably reassuring, with his big, solid body across the table from her. Yes, something about him…his face, his hands, even, so familiar…

“I think the water had a chance to heat before we lost power. I’ll make the tea. Earl Grey alright with you?”

“It’s my favorite.”

He turned his head to flash a smile at her. “Why am I not surprised?”

Destiny watched the muscles ripple in his bare back before glancing away to look around the dimly lit kitchen. It wasn’t large, but it was well designed, with state-of-the-art brushed-steel appliances and pale granite counters that matched the tabletop. Wood cabinets in a dark finish gave the kitchen an earthy warmth. She loved the look and feel of the room. It was a kitchen to really cook in, to make a home in.

She hadn’t had anyone to cook for in a long time. A quick flash of herself standing at the stove over a pot of something fragrant with steam blazed across her mind’s eye like a movie. Reece coming up behind her as she stood there, her sinking back into his big, warm body while his hands slipped around her waist…

What was she thinking?

Reece set a steaming cup down in front of her. “We really should get you out of those wet clothes.”

“I haven’t agreed to stay here yet,” she answered, wrapping her hands around the heat of the cup.

“Shall I beg you then?” His eyes twinkled, more blue than ever, even in the soft, flickering light of the candles.

The corners of her mouth twitched. She couldn’t help it. “I can’t say I’d mind seeing that.”

“Ah, there’s that lovely smile, however grudgingly.”

“Just as long as you know it’s grudging.”

He nodded, grinning. Reece Kellan was the kindest man she’d met in a very long while. Warm and funny, caring and considerate. Nana would have loved him. And God help her, he was the hottest piece of male flesh she’d ever laid her eyes on. She had to repress the girlish sigh that wanted to well up in her. He was too close to perfect. Except for that truly bizarre, frightening moment.

But maybe it wasn’t him. Maybe it was her. Or maybe they’d both lost their minds. Either way, she was tempted to try it again, despite her scare. So damn tempted.

Yes, his clever hands on her, his lovely, wet mouth, his body poised over hers for one exquisite moment before he slid his big cock inside her…

She groaned.

“Is your tea too hot?”

“What? No, it’s fine, wonderful.” She took another sip to hide the flush of desire she knew was creeping over her face, and was thankful the lights were out.

“You really should get out of those wet clothes before you catch your death, as my Nan used to say.”

“You were close with your grandmother?”

“Aye, she helped raised me. She’s the only reason I didn’t grow up to be a total hellion—her and the willow switch she kept in the pantry.”

“In Ireland?”

“In County Clare. I grew up in a small fishing village called Quilty.”

“Quilty?” A strange knot began to form in her stomach.

“Yeah. You’ve heard of it? Pretty much no one has, certainly not here in the states.”

“My Nana grew up there.”

“Did she now? What a small world. What was her family name? Perhaps my family knows her people. Everyone in Quilty knows each other.”

“It’s Gallagher. Rose Gallagher. Well, I guess she was known as Rosheen in Ireland—”

“Rosheen Gallagher? You’re sure?”

“Yes, of course I’m sure.”

“That was the very name of my Nan’s best friend growing up as a girl. She moved away to marry an American and her whole family followed.”

Goose bumps sprouted along Destiny’s spine. “Your Nan was Brighid O’Ryan?”

“The same!” His brows furrowed and he brushed a hand through his hair. “A small world, indeed. And you are the descendant of Rosheen…” he trailed off.

She waited for him to finish his sentence, but he just sat there looking confused.

“What? What is it?”

“Destiny, did your grandmother never tell you of the vow they made between them when she left the country? That someday their two families would be joined together again?”

“Of course she did, but I always wrote it off as nothing more than some silly sentimental pipe dream.”

“Apparently not so silly after all.”

She set her teacup down and dropped her hands to her lap, her fingers twisting together. “It’s a coincidence, that’s all. A small world, like you said.”

She tried to shrug it off, but the tiny hairs at the back of her neck stood straight up and the chill she was feeling was more than her wet clothes. And somewhere at the edge of her senses she could swear she smelled lilacs again.

“You’ve spent too many years analyzing things, perhaps,” he said quietly.

“And why do you find this stuff so easy to believe?”

“It’s an Irish thing, I suppose, to accept the strangeness in the world. We’re a superstitious lot. And when we make a vow, we keep it—even if it’s others who must keep it for us.”

He was silent for a moment, as though he were waiting for her to argue, but she couldn’t. In her mind she saw again her Nana’s face, remembered the stories about her girlhood in Ireland, her best friend who was like a sister to her. She remembered the letters with the foreign postmarks that had fascinated her as a child, letters talking about Brighid’s daughter, about her grandson who had moved to the States.

She could not believe this was happening. And yet, it was.

Reece shrugged, smiling a little, and she felt a flutter of heat in her stomach.

“Come on then,” he said, taking one of the candles from the plate, “let’s get you into something warm and dry. We can argue about the viability of our grandmothers’ pact later.”

She followed him down the hallway to the bedroom, thinking of her superstitious Nana talking to her about the inescapable power of fate.

What did all this connectedness mean? Dissecting her feelings was second nature, but for the first time in her life, she didn’t want to question it, to analyze. It was too complicated, too surreal. She knew she didn’t have an answer.

In his bedroom, she couldn’t help but eye the rumpled sheets. The room still held the musky scent of sex. She closed her eyes, inhaled, savoring the scent. It was them, after all, and she’d never felt so physically connected to anyone in her life. Physically, and something so much more, she couldn’t even begin to understand it.

Her body began to heat up. When she opened her eyes again, Reece stood before her with another of those big, fluffy towels in his hands. The pale candlelight made his smooth chest gleam, golden skin over hard muscle. She knew the feel of him beneath her hands, knew the exact texture of his shoulders, his palms, his stomach, his cock. She knew where his body was most exquisitely sensitive, what made him respond to the slightest touch. She wanted to touch him now. Needed to. And when he laid the towel over her hair and began to rub, that sexual urge was joined by the hungry beat of her heart.

She’d been lonely, she realized, even though she’d never thought of herself that way before. She had her friends, her work, her hobbies. But it all seemed a bit empty when she stopped to think about it. She hadn’t been in a real relationship in years. No one had ever felt like a fit.

Reece fit.

He smoothed the towel over her hair. She held very still, a strange series of sensations and emotions washing over her. The rain came down hard outside, the storm not letting up for a moment. In the distance was the muffled rumble of thunder. But here, with Reece, she was warm and safe. When was the last time she’d felt cared for this way? Could it all be an act to get her back into bed?

No. A man who looked like Reece Kellan had no need of such machinations. She was ashamed for even thinking it. He was simply a good man.

Good for her, perhaps?

Reece withdrew the towel, dropping it on the floor. Very carefully, giving her time to back away, he curled his fingers around her face, cupping it in his big hands. Warmth suffused her entire being. Her body trembled with need, lust, emotion.

His voice was soft. “I’d really like to kiss you, Destiny. Just kiss you. But I won’t unless you tell me it’s okay.”

His hand heated her skin, reminding her of what the rest of his body felt like pressed against hers. But she felt something else in his touch, something more. Something she didn’t want to fight.

The hell with it. She would figure it all out later.

“Kiss me, Reece.”