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  She thought he was calling her weak because she was a woman. If she only knew the truth. The strongest people he’d known were women. Sure, being an O’Brien meant always being capable and playing the man role well, but he also knew his dad and Jamie pulled strength from their wives. His mom and Lauren were the ones who kept everything together.

  Trey had meant what he said when he told her she could do anything she put her mind to. A woman who lived her life like Callie needed to be resourceful and capable. For the first time, he felt a twinge of jealousy toward her. The idea of being able to pick up and leave whenever the desire struck appealed to him on some level.

  She had gotten defensive yesterday when he questioned the way she lived, and rightfully so. He didn’t understand her lifestyle choice and as soon as he realized it was a sore spot for her, he started using it to try and get more information. He’d wanted to talk more about where she came from when they’d returned from the nursery.

  That clearly didn’t work.

  But this…this would work. He had been perfecting this tactic since he was old enough to be interested in girls.

  He looked toward the main house, pausing for just a second to appreciate how alive the place was starting to look. A rebirth had happened, not only with the lands but also within his Mom. And he knew it was all because of Callie. She was the breath of fresh air this family needed. But it didn’t mean she could stay or that he wanted her to stay. Even for all the positive things she appeared to be doing, there was something about her that made him uneasy.

  He kicked over a stone that sat next to the guesthouse, reaching down and snagging the extra key. He smiled to himself as he whispered, “Hello, hidden key Callie doesn’t know about.”

  Once inside the guesthouse, he put the key into his pocket and placed the groceries on the island.

  The sun had only begun to rise, peaking through the windows and gently lighting the center of the living room. He crept toward the stairs knowing Callie was up there because of her deep, rhythmic breaths that echoed from the loft bedroom and circled around him.

  He paused for a moment, listening to the soft sound and pictured her upstairs, lost in her own wild dreamland. He hadn’t slept soundly for so long, he’d almost forgotten the feeling of waking up rested. Every night for him was some new form of hell. Whether it be walking the hallways of his house, trying desperately to rid his mind of the flashbacks from the night Jamie died, or the miserable nightmares where he screamed for help as he clung to Jamie’s lifeless body, waiting for someone to help.

  He closed his eyes, absentmindedly matching the sounds of Callie’s breaths with his own. He imagined her fast asleep, curled in the white sheets and down comforter he knew were covering the four-post, oak bed he’d made with his own hands. In his mind, her blonde hair fanned out around her with every inch of her creamy skin on display. He wanted to run his hands gently over her curves and watch as she arched toward his touch, her blue eyes silently begging him for more.

  His eyes popped open when he heard her moving around in the bed. A very unladylike groan, followed by a snort, more movement, and then silence once again.

  He froze, not even wanting to breathe and not really knowing what he’d say if she suddenly appeared at the top of the open staircase. A surge of panic swirled in his chest. Had he crossed some line by letting himself in here? Was it creepy that he was standing here, listening to her breathe, and thinking about all the things he would do to her if she were his, all while she unknowingly slept upstairs in her false sense of security?

  Her rhythmic breathing began again, and he let out the breath he was holding. No, this girl was not playing on fair ground and he needed to keep reminding himself of that. The usual rules didn’t apply in this situation. She was the one who had shown up and brought with her more questions than answers.

  It was his right to be here and he would catch her in her little game of lies and deceit or his name wasn’t Trey O’Brien.

  This entire plan had to start with chaos if it was going to work. Smart-ass comments and sass was where she was most comfortable. Those things made her feel like she had control. And that’s when he would bring in the kindness – the stuff that made her uncomfortable – to catch her off guard with the hopes she would let something slip.

  Maybe he would scream her name or slam two pots together yelling, “Wake up, sleepyhead!”

  His dad used to do that tactic when he knew he and Jamie had been out all night and up to no good. He laughed remembering all the mornings his dad would wake him up because it was time to shovel shit.

  The two brothers would spend the morning in the barn, doing as they were told, and throw up any remaining alcohol in their system. Jed would stop, lean on his pitchfork, and say, “This shit we’re pitching looks better than the two of you. What kind of stories am I going to hear when I go into town?”

  And they would spill everything. Where they were, what happened, and who they'd been with. Jed would listen, shaking his head as he continued to work. “One day, all of this is going to catch up with you boys and when it does, you better not look to me to get your sorry asses out of trouble. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, sir,” they would mumble.

  “And you better hope your Mama doesn’t hear about any of this. I swear you two will be the death of that poor woman.”

  Trey’s stomach fell. He bet even his dad didn’t know how accurate those words would prove to be. So many things had changed since those days.

  But today was about getting information from Callie. She had opened up to him in the truck yesterday just enough for him to feel like maybe she trusted him. Even if that trust was small and conditional, it was something.

  He dug around in the kitchen as quietly as possible, pulling out the pans he would need to make his famous, after sex breakfast. He began cracking the eggs and shredding the cheese.

  This is a good plan, he thought to himself as he chopped the fresh vegetables then put the muffins in the oven. When he was ready, he would wake Callie up with a big surprise. Not the kind of surprise he enjoyed waking a woman up with – and he’d certainly love to wake Callie up that way – but this was a different situation and he needed a different outcome.

  He watched as the coffee filtered down into the pot. Once he woke her up, he would insist she come down for breakfast to eat. First, she would be confused at how he got in and upset he was there.

  Then she would be angry because he thought he’d make everything better by making her breakfast. In her confused, semi-angry state, she would be throwing all kinds of insults and threats his way. This is when he’ll bring in the big guns – a friendly smile here, a kind word there. Maybe even a bit of flirting if the situation allowed it. He might even throw in a wink.

  Before she even realized what was happening, he would catch her off guard and slip in questions she wasn’t ready for.

  So, surprise her, feed her, and mix in some moves he’d perfected over the years that made women give him what he wanted. He was confident he would leave here with most of the information he needed to unearth the truth about Callie’s intentions.

  He smiled to himself, satisfied with his plan, and began pouring a cup of coffee. It was almost time for the Trey versus Callie games to start.

  “Hey,” Callie said softly from somewhere behind him.

  Trey startled, turned toward her voice, and…holy shit. He knew right then and there this was a very bad plan.

  Callie ambled toward the island, her long blonde hair wild and hanging loose around her face. Her sleepy eyes met with his and she gave him a small smile. Her cheeks were flushed a beautiful shade of pink from a good night’s sleep. She slid her tongue over her lips as her eyes fell to the coffee cup in his hand.

  She walked toward him…no, more like stalked toward him. A heat ignited in his chest at the sight of her and spread down to his stomach. He exhaled a trembling breath.

  She wore fluffy, white pajama pants covered in pink lips and a tigh
t, white t-shirt that read Kiss me like I’m dreaming.

  And for a second, Trey thought maybe he was dreaming. He was sure the world had stopped turning, giving just the two of them this moment, and wondered what it would be like to have a woman like Callie belong to him.

  She didn’t stop until she was inches away from him, her fluffy sock-covered feet coming to rest between his. She wrapped both of her small hands around the coffee cup. Her fingers brushed softly against his as she took it and Trey used the opportunity to run his fingertips down each wrist to her elbows, then coming to rest on each hip. This wasn’t exactly part of the plan but right now, she was too much to resist.

  She closed her eyes, breathed in deeply, then glanced up at him through soft, brown lashes. “Smells like Heaven, doesn’t it?”

  Trey was breathless, paralyzed by her closeness.

  She turned, shuffling away from him, setting the cup down long enough to climb onto the bar stool across from Trey. Pulling one leg up so it rested against the island, she reached for the cup again like it was her most prized possession.

  Trey leaned back against the counter, bracing his hands on either side of him. He watched as she slowly raised the cup to her lips and took a drink. Did she just moan?

  “So, you’re having quite the love affair with the coffee,” he said softly. “I might even be a little jealous.”

  It wasn’t a lie.

  Her eyes met his and Trey’s heart was off and racing. Her voice was low and gravely as she spoke, more into the cup than directly at him. “Don’t make this dirty. Coffee and I are in a committed relationship.”

  He chuckled as he turned, needing to snap the connection between them and wanting to get this rolling before he did something stupid…like kiss her. Damn, he really wanted to kiss her.

  He grabbed a plate, piling on the hash browns. “I hope you like meat,” he said as he slid the omelet onto Callie's plate, then rolled his eyes to himself. Jesus, did he seriously just ask her that?

  He turned and Callie smirked.

  “Ohhh, yes I do,” she purred as she batted her eyelashes obnoxiously at him.

  “Hilarious,” he said flatly as he slid the plate over to her.

  Her demeanor changed immediately when she saw the plate of food. “Oh my gosh, thank you! This looks delicious.”

  Trey grabbed another cup, filled it full of coffee, and watched as Callie shoved a big forkful of food into her mouth.

  She moaned as she slowly chewed. Trey knew he was staring, but he couldn’t help it.

  “I was right, this is delicious.”

  Trey raised his cup to her in thanks, but before taking a drink, he asked, “Why weren’t you surprised to see me here this morning? You should be pissed at me for invading your space.”

  Callie finished chewing before answering, wiping both sides of her mouth with her napkin. “It’s the free spirit in me, I guess. I don’t really have a space. I’m temporary.”

  He frowned. Didn’t she understand how dangerous her lifestyle could be? What if he would’ve been some freak who wanted to hurt her? It bothered him that she’d used the word temporary to describe herself.

  She continued, “I’ve been through a lot and I’ve learned to roll with whatever life throws at me. You know, like a random guy who stops to dance in the rain with me, and then a couple of days later surprises me with an amazing breakfast.”

  Their eyes connected and his heart fluttered in his chest. He wanted to believe everything coming out of her mouth was a lie or some sort of game. But this felt…honest.

  Callie tipped her head to the side, a confused look crossing her beautiful face. “Why do you look sad? I said the breakfast was amazing and I think our dance in the rain was hot.” She smiled at him over her fork, piercing him again with her untamed eyes.

  A longing burned in his chest. A heaviness that both scared and excited him. He wanted to tame the wild inside of her. Not completely, not break her of it, but be master of its essence.

  He wanted her feral spirit to respond to only him, his voice, his body. To have her shattering underneath him, screaming his name and giving all of herself over to him. This woman tempted him in ways he’d never known existed.

  He cleared his throat, bringing himself back to the conversation. “First off, that sounds dangerous. You can’t let just anyone have access to you. You need to take better care of yourself. And second, everyone needs to have their own space.” And as an afterthought, he added under his breath, “And don’t call yourself temporary. I don’t like that.” He took a quick drink from his cup.

  She shrugged her shoulders and reached for her coffee mug, pushing it across the island toward him with a smirk. “Ok boss, but it’s like we talked about yesterday, I don’t need that sort of thing. I’m happy. I’m free.”

  Trey turned back toward the coffee pot, Callie’s empty cup in hand. “Well, while you’re here, this can be your space. I promise I won’t come in again uninvited. Maybe you’ll decide you don’t like being homeless and look for a place to grow your own roots.”

  She raised her eyebrows, bringing her shoulders to her ears and dropping them again, “Maybe, but I doubt it. Have I told you this is amazing?” she asked as she devoured another bite. “Where did you learn to cook like this?”

  Trey handed her back a full cup and leaned against the island with both hands as he smiled at her. “My dad.”

  Callie raised her eyebrows at him, chewing another bite and waving her fork in the air, encouraging him to continue.

  “He cooked breakfast for my mom every Sunday morning and as soon as we were old enough, he had my brother and I help. He always told us if we were ever lucky enough to find a woman who would love us, we needed to learn how to take care of her.” He paused, smiling to himself. “He said a good woman will give you the world if you make her the center of yours.”

  “Sounds like your dad was a smart man,” Callie said.

  Trey smiled at her. “Yeah, he was one of the good guys.”

  “I bet you miss him terribly.”

  Trey’s eyes fell to the floor. “I do. It comes in waves and at the strangest times. Sometimes it’s in the middle of the night. Sometimes it’s when I’m walking down the street. But yeah, I miss him a lot.”

  Callie continued to eat as she nodded her head. Trey laughed, “Are you getting full?”

  “Actually, could I have a bit more of those hash browns? They are so good!”

  “You can have whatever you want, Crazy Girl.”

  Callie flashed him a smile, a real one that lit up her face and warmed Trey’s chest. She was a beautiful woman, even in her not-supposed-to-be-sexy, but sexy-as-hell pajamas.

  He took her plate and spooned up another helping of hash browns and she took no time digging in when he handed back the plate.

  “So,” Callie drug the word out in a dramatic fashion, “what’s the deal with you and Andy?”

  Trey dropped his hands to his sides, clenching his fists tightly. This was not at all where he wanted the conversation to go, but he had to keep in control. His plan had already gone to shit, but it would be completely over if he let his anger about Andy seep in. “What do you mean?”

  “Come on, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see things are a bit tense between the two of you. And, if my memory serves me, you two were trading punches just a few days ago.”

  “It’s complicated,” he growled.

  “Clearly.” She paused, looking at him expectedly.

  Trey grabbed a dishcloth and began wiping down the counter. His mind raced, thinking maybe if he opened up a little bit to her, she would feel more at ease and be willing to answer his questions. “I think he and Lauren might have a thing.”

  Callie dropped her fork onto her plate, the clanging sound bouncing off the walls. “Oh no,” she feigned surprise, “what do you mean a thing? Like they’re dating? They have feelings for each other?” She covered her mouth dramatically. “Are they sleeping together?”

&nb
sp; Trey narrowed his eyes at Callie, “Yes. No. I don’t know…all of the above.” He began throwing dirty utensils into the sink.

  Callie paused, feeling the mood in the room change. She softened her voice. “I’m sorry. I can see it bothers you. I shouldn’t tease you about it.”

  Trey twisted the dishcloth in his hands. “It’s okay. It’s just…” He could barely hear anything over the sound of his own heartbeat pounding in his chest. “It’s not appropriate.” He turned away from her heavy stare, tossing the cloth into the sink. “He is supposed to be my best friend and she… well she’s… ”

  “She’s what?”

  “She’s Lauren.”

  “And you’re mad because…?”

  Trey braced himself with one hand against the kitchen counter, the other on his hip, staring at the floor. A volcano of emotions stirred inside of him. How was he supposed to explain this to her when he didn’t understand it himself?

  “Because you don’t want her to be happy?” Callie asked.

  “Of course, I want her to be happy.”

  Callie climbed from her seat and walked around the island. Her heart swelled in her chest at the sight of Trey’s internal struggle, and even though she wanted to rush over and comfort him, she needed him to keep talking.

  “Because you don’t think she should move on? And she should just be alone?”

  “No, of course not,” he whispered, the sound of his breathlessness sending a chill across Callie’s skin. “What would that do to Firefly if Lauren doesn’t move on with her life?”

  “So, you want her to move on, just not with someone else?”

  Trey began pacing back and forth. “I don’t know Callie,” he said through gritted teeth.

  “I mean, I think Andy is a great choice.” She watched him pace a few more times before continuing. “He’s kind, and handsome, and loves Alex already. He used to be your best friend, you have to know he’s a great guy.”

  “He is, but it’s not about Andy.” Trey ran both hands through his hair before locking his fingers together behind his head. “I don’t know, Callie. I’m not sure I know anything anymore.”