CHAPTER 17
Carigan loved her brothers, but she didn’t exactly like them. Sure they meant well, but they weren’t kids anymore. She was an adult, perfectly capable of sorting through her love life without their help, or interference rather. She had tried to send them home, many times, but since their parents were on an extended trip to Ireland, all five insisted on staying through Thanksgiving...at the very least.
Though BJ wasn’t intimidated by their many attempts to do so, she was. She knew them, what they were capable of, and just how ornery they could be. Of course they weren’t so full of malice that they would hurt him intentionally, but they certainly weren’t afraid to taunt, tease, and lightly bruise the guy. It had been Carigan’s experience that most men eventually fled, not so much breaking up with her, but breaking up with the brothers.
Not this time, she refused to let them get the better of yet another relationship, especially this one because BJ really felt like the one – her true soul mate – and she wasn’t about to lose true love twice. But alas, they didn’t listen to her despite her own bodily threats and wish for wrathful harm to rain on them. They thought it was cute…of course.
She had even reduced herself to asking Blake to arrest them for everything from harassment to trespassing, but the law wasn’t on her side, nor was karma or any other universal force that tended to right wrongs. She was desperate, not just to get rid of them, but to be with BJ; she missed him and was beginning to crave him. If only she knew how to dispose of a few bodies…she was sure Blake knew how, but asking would make her an immediate suspect should one…or five…go missing.
Exhausted by their shenanigans, she was done with them and had been tempted to call their mother, as childish as that seemed. Colleen O’Reilly was every bit as sweet as she looked with her petite frame, and soft voice – unless you pissed her off – or one of her boys was causing trouble. Then all Irish hell broke loose and she was a larger than life force to be reckoned with. Carigan was saving that as her last hand to play because it would likely end in an in person
scolding for which she would bring their father too. Dad was on the boys’ side.
Every time she and BJ made plans, or worse, were in the middle of hot and steamy bonding, the guys would show up or find a way to interrupt them. Other times, they just swept him away for some macho man challenge in an attempt to scare him off or humiliate him. BJ could hold his own, though, and rather enjoyed those moments. In more desperate attempts, it was Carigan they whisked away in the name of family dinner or game nights, sometimes both if they wanted to keep her busy late.
Conveniently, the only time her brothers gave her to herself, were the times in which BJ was working at his family bakery. She was wise to them and their ways and assumed they had found a way into his schedule and planned accordingly. They probably hacked BJ’s cell phone, an easy amateurish task for these boys.
Sitting in her room reading a book, or really just pouting and licking her wounds, her last thought inspired an idea that couldn’t go wrong. If they had hacked his cellphone, which she was certain they had, she decided to give them something to read while they were in there. Worst case scenario, they hadn’t hacked it, and it was just a little fun flirting with her guy – a win/win.
A heated slew of steamy words full of suggestive innuendo were quickly wrangled and sent to her favorite guy in the form of a text. His reply was nearly immediate, picking up where she left off adding his own ideas and memories of some of their favorite acts
together. Their exchange ended with a plan full of promised acts that were sure to elicit sensual pleasure…more than once.
Odd that a few weeks back in each other’s company could go such a long way. She supposed it was because neither ever truly got over the other and their love was kismet. Regardless, she loved him like they were never apart and hoped it would stay that way, despite the interference.
Shaken from her thoughts, the rowdy entrance of her loud brothers had her back to boiling. Timing about right, they had read the texts because they were originally planning to be out all day working with Beck McCain on a new venture he was establishing. Even in her bedroom, with door closed, down the long hall from where they were, she heard them plain as day which meant their intentions were to interrupt whatever they put together from reading the text exchange between Carigan and BJ.
Something she had neglected to think through was what would she do should she confirm her suspicion and catch them spying like the juveniles they were behaving as – or what could
she do. She could scare them off. Let them think they were too late and stepping right into the middle of what they were trying to prevent from starting in the first place.
Laughing to herself, she looked around the room, plotting as quickly as she could. Tossing a few pairs of shoes and books ahead of her, she climbed up on her bed, standing near the headboard. Her bed sat on the wall that separated her space from the space which the guys were occupying so this couldn’t be more perfect. With her back to the door, and steadying herself on the bed, she began to jump. It was time to let them think she didn’t care if they were around – for anything.
Her squeaky metal bedframe noised, and her headboard hit the wall if she jumped just hard enough. This was perfect. Her intensity increased and she tossed a shoe to the carpeted floor for a muffled thud that she followed with a provocative moan. Quickly covering her mouth to muffle the laughter building, she continued to jump wishing she could see the looks on their faces when another brilliant idea struck.
Cellphone in hand, she scrolled to find the right mood music
to really get things going. She tossed the phone behind her and let it play, volume all the way up, and slapped both hands against the wall for good naughty sounding measure. Oh, this was good, so…so…good. Another shoe to the floor and headboard against the wall, she decided to increase the heat
with more breathy moans and a few random high-pitched squeals.
Completely jaw dropped and red faced, all five of the O’Reilly brothers stood cemented to the floor where they stood in the living room. Fists were clenching while knuckles went white as heads began to shake in disbelief. First unsure of what the banging was, it quickly became apparent when the banging lead to moaning.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Dace spat.
Wylie covered his ears and shook his head rapidly, “No, no, no…I can’t hear this. How the hell did this… When did she start… Oh, my God!”
“I must have found a lag in the system, those messages must have been from earlier. We’re too late,” Liam surmised, confused by his assumed error.
“Look, this was all just for fun, but he’s… That guy is in there…you know, and she’s our baby sister, just a kid!” Luke lunged toward the hall only to be stopped by Declan who tried to offer reason.
“Guys, she’s an adult. What are you going to do, charge in there and kick his ass? He’s naked…she’s naked…you want to see that?
I’ll tell you this right now, I won’t hold him down for you unless he has clothes on.”
Timing couldn’t be better, or perhaps worse, when BJ himself walked through the front door behind them. “Oh, hey…guys. Is something...wrong?”
Another bang against the wall and drawn out moan coursed through the air. BJ’s brows furrowed and his chest puffed out, taking on the same clenched fists and white knuckles the brothers had.
“What the hell?” he questioned.
“Yeah…what the hell, Bart?!
” Wylie’s sharp tone was as threatening as it was sarcastic, “We were wondering the same thing! What the hell?”
“What…what’s going on in there? Is that Cari?” Hot and bothered for all the wrong reasons, BJ was ready to come undone.
“What’s going on in there? Seriously? We read the texts…you know exactly what’s going on in there.” Anger was clearly interfering with logic at this point, given the direction Luke had taken the conversation.
“Wait, you read my texts? How did you…” BJ looked at Liam who had a smarmy grin that screamed fuck you and I’ll drain your bank account next if you touch my sister.
“Asshole…she’s just a kid.”
“First…she’s not a kid. Let’s just be clear about that. Second…how can I be in there with her, if I’m standing out here with you guys?”
“Oh…well, that was our next question too. Who is
in there - asshole.
” Asshole
was added as a distraction, and for good measure, by Wylie who was feeling about as lowly as his brothers at the realization that they looked like a bunch of Neanderthal idiots.
“That’s what I would like to know, I’ll kick his ass.” The moaning quickened as did the squeaking from the bed, fueling the fury consuming BJ. “Cari wouldn’t…”
Declan grinned with a surprised, or maybe impressed, expression as awareness washed over him, “You’re right, Squirt
wouldn’t. I think I know what’s going on. Follow me…quietly.”
Six oversized men tip toed down the hallway with faces of disgust and covering their ears. A few I’m going to be sick
and my ears are burning
were shared in whispers as they approached. The same sounds could be heard from outside Carigans door, as they heard in the living room…just louder, and clearer, making their stomachs roll.
Declan chuckled, certain he knew what was going on in Carigan’s room. He raised his finger to his pursed lips, indicating he wanted them all to be quiet then slowly and quietly turned the door knob, opening the door. Just as he thought, Carigan was in there, alone, covering her mouth to muffle her laughter.
What Dec hadn’t expected was the lengths she had gone to, but knew exactly why. Had BJ not walked in when he had, she would have succeeded. She jumped hard enough for the headboard to hit the wall and tossed her head back to moan, quickly covering it to shield the fit of laughter.
Unable to stay quiet, the guys in the hallway began to snicker as they watched their sister jump on her own bed and have fake sex. The sound of their laughs stopped her mid-jump. She stood there for a long moment before slowly turning to face them. First mortified, her expression transitioned to a red fiery anger and she had the tight fists and gritted teeth to match.
“Yooou…” she said with a sharp steely glare.
Declan shrugged his shoulders, and tilted his head toward the rest of the guys as if declaring innocence and indicating blame where blame was due. “What’s going on here, Squirt? Not quite a pillow fight you got going on there.”
“Or a pillow biter.” Wylie laughed.
“How dare you. I knew you were reading those messages. You five are leaving, understand? If you don’t, I will.” She paused to step off the bed and move closer to them and continued her scolding. “This is ridiculous! If you have a problem with me and BJ, well that’s your
problem. I love him, probably have forever, and you won’t change that by acting like a bunch of fucking buffoons so go beat your chests somewhere else and maybe work on your own love lives so mine won’t be so appealing. Now get out, go pack – something – because I’m sick of the sight of ya!”
She stared them down with her hands on her hips silently challenging them to say something, anything, so she could inflict another round of her tempered wrath on each of them.
“Squirt, look…”
“Carigan, Cari, Sis…that
is what you can call me. I may be your little sister, but I’m a grown woman and you need to start treating me like one. Now get out.”
BJ smiled with pride. Declaring her love for him so boldly made his heart swell, being a total badass while doing it turned him on. He pushed through the guys, into the room and pulled Carigan into his arms, kissing her hard. When grunts from the hallway festered, he kicked the door shut with his foot and reached for the door knob, locking it, without breaking their kiss.
BJ and Carigan didn’t leave the room once, the whole night…