Chapter Eight
Iris
Callum seemed distracted as he led me to the private tasting room of the Irish Whiskey Museum. I was a college student in a country with a lower drinking age than the States. It was a touristy thing to do, but it was also literally a few blocks from campus and on a bus route. There was no way Allison and I hadn’t taken advantage of that over the years. Usually, though, it was a lark to walk around the bottom floors or to maybe save up for a flight tasting somewhere with most of the other Trinity students or visitors. I hadn’t been led to a private tasting room. That was definitely something I couldn’t just put on Daddy’s card without getting yelled at. I was twenty-one now, and while there wasn’t a problem with me being under the legal drinking age here, Mom and Dad both had tried to lecture me to death over obeying the U.S. laws even while abroad.
Sure, that was going to happen…a college kid not drinking when she had a chance. Not that I did it often. I definitely indulged after finals to get rid of some stress. That was a given, but to stay ahead and stay competitive in the program at Trinity, I had to stay sober mostly.
Didn’t make it any less impressive to be led to the top floor and the private tasting room with Callum. The bar was made of a light-colored oak but thick and sturdy. The shelves filled with the top brand whiskeys gleamed amber under well-placed recessed lighting and embedded mirrors. A lanky guy with a close-shaven head, a black Oxford shirt, and matching dark pants was already waiting for us. Even if Callum seemed a bit distant, I felt comfortable sliding my hand into his and clutching it tightly as I took a seat at the bar.
The guy went through his spiel, talking about the different aging processes for the vintages, about how the Irish brewed and aged to perfection, and covered a bit of the history of creating whiskey in Ireland. Small samples of what clearly was their best stock—even if the server hadn’t pointed that out, it’s not like Callum would settle for less—was poured out in generous portions into the tall, rounded glasses before us. A rainbow in shades of amber and gold was laid out before me.
Once the server had finished his speech and poured everything accordingly—not to mention left the bottles out for further drinks—he made a small, gallant bow and left the room. I was glad for that. After all, there was something weighing on Callum’s mind, and I needed to get to the bottom of it. I hadn’t seen him this stressed since I’d met him.
“So,” I started. However, I made the mistake of taking a sip of one of the glasses. I was definitely a lightweight compared to my friends or Allison. Besides, I preferred a glass of white wine or a fun drink like a chocolate martini, something that didn’t taste quite so stiff. I coughed instantly and sputtered half of the whiskey onto the bar. “Okay, first, I wish that had been more suave.”
Callum brightened for the first time since he’d hugged me that morning. “I thought it was flawless, totally give it a 10.0 as a rating, luv.”
“I’m so glad you think I’m beautiful no matter what I do.”
He smirked. “I said flawless, not beautiful, but you get a 10.0 on the beauty meter too. Any idiot who had eyeballs would have enough sense to at least know that much about you.”
I picked up a different glass and took a small, measured sip this time. The liquid still burned, but it also added a pleasant flare of heat to my belly now that I was expecting the harshness too. “You okay, Cal? You seem off. I…did something happen after we had Chinese?”
He shook his head. “Nothing about you.”
“That’s good, but something’s still worrying you.”
Callum quirked his head at me and seemed genuinely curious. “You can tell already?”
“Even if we, uh, hadn’t been so intimate lately, I’d know.” Most of that answer was stammered out, and I was sure that my cheeks were beet red. He reached out and stroked my thigh, but I retained enough sense of mind to keep talking. “You’re so quiet. That’s not like you, Cal. You’re a complete motor mouth.”
It was obvious he was going to keep trying to brush things off with the innuendo. “You love it when my mouth is moving like a motor all over you, luv.”
“True,” I said, shooting him a glare. “However, you haven’t talked much.”
“Maybe I thought I’d give your ears a bit of rest today.” He was still laying it on thick with his voice a low purr and his lilt in full effect. Damn, that went straight to my clit, but I wasn’t going to let him distract me.
“I’m serious. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Had a bit of an argument with an old friend who isn’t even a friend anymore. Arsehole was all full of hot air, and there’s nothing more to worry about than that.”
I swallowed hard, and my heart fluttered. For a moment, I assumed that meant somehow my dad had found out about us, but that was wrong. It had to be another business associate or friend of Callum’s. Seriously, if my dad knew what I’d be doing this week, he’d already have gotten a flight out here and be making me pack for home. To be fair, it’s not like I could blame him. When I realized it wasn’t about me for once, I took a deep breath and then squeezed Callum’s hand.
“I’m sorry if your friend turned out to be an asshole.”
“Arsehole,” he corrected. “That’s the better word, luv.”
“Still, do you want to talk about it?”
Callum considered that as he picked up his first tumbler and drained it in one smooth swallow. I’d never be able to do that, even if I lived to be a hundred. “Just that I don’t understand sometimes how you can grow up with someone but they can still let you down. We’ve had our ups and downs over the years, but it’s like he’s completely changed. Also, this was not how I intended to start our romantic vacation in the city.”
“Well, I might have messed some of it up by being a lightweight at whiskey.”
He arched an eyebrow at me. “That’s the best part of this.”
“You’re making me tipsy on purpose!”
“I might be at that, but I know this isn’t what you want to talk about.”
“Actually, I want to get to know you. I already broke down over just what I actually want to do in life. You didn’t stop dating me after that spectacular mess.”
“I think it was important,” he said, squeezing my hand back. “Even if you stay on the MBA path.”
“Oh, I will. I don’t have a choice.”
“You always have a choice in life, except for me, that is. I can’t help being this devastatingly handsome and good looking.”
Playfully, I swatted at his shoulder. “Now, you’re just being full of yourself.”
“When you’re this amazing, it’s not being full of yourself, vixen, and you know it.”
“Maybe, but I’m sorry your friend riled you.”
He took a quick swig of the next glass, like the pro he was. “He did a bit, but I think it’s more that I’m surprised about me. I’m a good judge of character. That’s how you get ahead and stay ahead in business. If you can’t read people, then you can’t close a deal.”
“I’ve heard that in my classes.”
“Take notes on that. That’s the only thing you need to really learn in business. It’s crucial to know exactly who’s on the level, who will do what you say, who needs coaxing, and which person is set to backstab you. Usually, I can spot that a kilometer away.”
“But not now?” I asked, frowning.
He rolled the now empty glass around in his hand and between his fingers. Gazing off at the mirrors behind the bar, Callum let out a breath. “Sometimes it’s hard to see a snake sitting right there in the grass, is all.”
“I don’t know exactly how that feels,” I offered. “I do know what it’s like when someone you grew up with changes so much. About five years ago when my brother started getting into smoking and also into his band stuff, he was playing all over these dive clubs in Baltimore by the time he hit junior year.”
“Did he now?” Callum arched an appreciative eyebrow. “Sounds like a man after my own heart. Who doesn’t love a bit of fun?”
“I can see you loving that,” I added. “It’s just…there’s a cost. When one person gets to be off and relaxed—to do whatever they want—then someone else has to pick up all the pieces.”
“Someone like you?”
“Exactly. I love my brother, but I didn’t want to be thrust in his place into the CEO-in-grooming spotlight. Besides, David was such a nerd growing up, a total comics geek and Star Wars obsessive.”
“Now, I should note, those are both multi-billion dollar Hollywood enterprises.”
“Yes, but he was just so quiet. Then once he gets to high school he picks up the guitar, and it was like a completely different person was in his place, like he’d been snatched away or something.”
“Back in the day, my great-gran had these stories about changelings. It was about how fairies or some shite would sneak in and steal human babies and leave their own. It was all the kinds of stories she’d lapse into when she had more whiskey than we’ve had here.” He shook his head. “But it’s all a bloody bunch of trash. People change; they grow. Looks like Seamus and I are growing apart.”
“Sorry about that.”
“I’m not, not really, not if this is who he’s going to be. He made his choices, and I made mine. But…” he added, drumming his fingers on the bar. “…I would have one regret otherwise.”
“And that would be?”
“Don’t write your brother off. You’re both young. He’s still figuring his whole life out, and so are you. People change into douchebags sometimes, no doubt, but don’t give up on family so fast. It’s worth everything.”
“Well,” I said, winking at him. “If you wanted to get us off to a maudlin start, you certainly succeeded.”
He rolled his eyes. “I didn’t intend to have my ex-mate come by and piss in my cornflakes last night. Sorry that this wasn’t the start to our romantic weekend you wanted.”
“Who said it wasn’t?” I asked, taking a third shot of whiskey. By now, the heat that had started in my gut was radiating to my cheeks and down my fingers. I was very well blissed out. “I got you to open up, and I think that’s a plus.”
He hopped off his stool and leaned closer. When he whispered, I could feel his breath against my ear and wished that he’d take my earlobe between his teeth, scrape across them delicately. God, just having him near me had me shaking. When he whispered, it made my most sensitive bundle of nerves pulse between my legs.
“For you, darling, I’m an open book, and I can open other things.”
I chuckled and turned around. Giving his arm a light slap, I said, “Alright, my Casanova, where to next?”
“Oh, you’ll see.”
***
The thick picnic blanket was laid out before me, and I leaned down on it. Beside me, Callum sat cross-legged as he pulled an assortment of sandwiches and salads from the basket he’d also brought. We’d spent the afternoon hand in hand, strolling through the trails and odd statues at the National Botanical Gardens. I’d seen attempts at Greek statues that were headless and bigger, more rounded than any Venus de Milo I’d ever encountered. There were bone-colored, plaster monkey heads on pikes. All mingled in with a plethora of different blossoms and beautiful archways. Currently, we were on the lawn overlooking the greenhouse. It was a two-story glass structure with a spiraling dome, something completely at home with Victorian times, which had to be when it had been built.
The sun was setting behind it, turning the sky shades of lavender, gold, and orange and having the same effect on the panes of glass in the greenhouse. It almost seemed to shine in the dimming light.
Callum handed me a sandwich, and I grinned at him.
“Did you make these yourself?” I asked.
“I can cook a little.”
I bit into the delightfully tasty tuna salad sandwich. He’d added something for a bit of kick along with the mayonnaise. Maybe some celery seed or cumin? At any rate, it was delectable, and I hungrily bit into another section of the sandwich.
“You did a good job.”
“I also make a mean set of deviled eggs, and you haven’t tasted the brownies yet.”
“When did you channel your inner Martha Stewart?”
“When I had a beautiful woman to impress. I’ve been thinking about this picnic the last couple days. Also, when my great-gran wasn’t getting a wee bit tipsy, she taught me a few things.”
I picked up a brownie even though I wasn’t done with my sandwich yet. With Callum, skipping to the good parts was always the best policy. “God!” I exclaimed and, okay, maybe moaned a bit. “This is the best thing I’ve ever had in my mouth.”
He laughed and scooted over to me. Callum trailed his fingers over my thigh, exposed up past the thigh through the fabric of my dress. His hands were callused just a bit, and I wondered what he’d done to earn that rough touch.
“Oh, luv, there will be other, better things to put between those pillowy lips of yours.”
I bit into the brownie again and moaned exaggeratedly for effect. “I don’t think anything could be as good as your chocolate.”
He squeezed my thigh, promising me so much more when we finished up here and returned to our suite. “Vixen, don’t play that naïve. My cock will be so much better than anything cocoa-based.”
I licked my lips, taking care to run my tongue over every exposed corner. “Oh, Cal, I don’t know about that.” My voice was breathy as I said it, like I was doing my best Marilyn Monroe impression. Then I couldn’t keep up the pillow talk; it was just so over-the-top. I broke out laughing and fell into his arms. “About later tonight…can I be honest with you?”
“You’re a virgin?” he asked, and the playfulness was out of his voice too. His ice blue eyes regarded me only with kindness and concern. “I figured that.”
I gulped, and my cheeks flared with warmth again. Looking down at the ground, I traced my fingers over the blades of grass. It was easier than looking at him, no matter how sweet his expression, how understanding his gaze. “Was it that obvious?”
“You were shy and eager and oh so tight. Yes, luv, you weren’t hiding it as well as you thought you were. Trust me, we’ll do whatever you need for your first time, make it whatever you want.”
“I want you to lead me.” It surprised me to have those words tumbling from my mouth. “I know that it’s usually about what makes me comfortable, what makes me feel safe, but I’m most fulfilled with you. What we’ve been doing in your office…I always trust what we do. You’re giving me so much pleasure so far. I’m scared, yeah. I know it’s a big deal, even if it’s not 1950 and this is not some promise ring thing. It’s just…you know how to make me feel good, and I trust you to keep doing that.”
I leaned in closer to him, and he wrapped his arm around my shoulder while supporting both our weights with the other arm. He kissed my temple. “Luv, that’s an honor, that you trust me to give you the best pleasure of your life.”
“This is so crazy,” I said, finally daring to look up into his Arctic eyes, to lose myself in them. There was nothing but a deep earnestness there now. “It’s not even a week, but I feel like my whole life has been changing. This is supposed to be just a chance, a whatever might come, but it feels more special, like I’m probably just some dumb teenager.”
“You’re barely out of it.”
“Nah, I’m almost a college grad, and I know life isn’t hearts and flowers and happy Disney endings.”
He laughed and then gripped my earlobe decisively between his teeth. He flicked his tongue against the skin there, and my clit throbbed in time with his efforts. It was so overwhelming to be in his control, but so intoxicating. I just wanted it to last longer than it logically could.
When he pulled away, he squeezed my thigh again. “Vixen, I don’t think anything we’re doing qualifies as Disney-approved entertainment. I think we’d make that bloody mouse fall over with a heart attack.”
“And most of the Magic Kingdom with him.”
He waggled his eyebrows at me. “Most?”
“I have this feeling that Princess Jasmine and possibly Belle have naughty sides, just a feeling,” I said.
Cal laughed and kissed me, his tongue reaching out to stroke my own. He tasted of chocolate and whiskey, of promises yet to be kept. “Let’s get out of here, luv. I think it’s time to do so much more.”