Irish Wishes Read online

  One man in particular was constantly hounding him for a date. His administrative assistant, Mitch Devan. Although he was attractive he wasn’t Wayne, and Conner turned Mitch down every time he asked him out.

  He didn’t know how the whole mate thing worked at first, but after Wayne’s talk with Wesley, Tucker, Austin and Kurt he had a much better idea of how the fates worked. He wasn’t finding them helpful these days, though.

  Conner finally pulled into his parking spot at Maccon Enterprises and shut the truck off. It was bitter cold out and he huddled his suit jacket around him until he got inside.

  “Good morning, boss.” Sloan slid up against him with files in her hand. “How was the drive in?”

  “Easy, snow’s not packed on the road yet.” Conner took the folders from her and they made their way to the elevator. “So? What’s the gossip?”

  Sloan tapped her long, fake red fingernails on the elevator walls. “Slutty Stella banged half of Seattle at the Seahawks game.”

  “Sounds like a tongue twister,” Conner grinned. “She is getting the miles on her new car.”

  “And on her ass, too,” Sloan snickered. “Mitch was asking about you this weekend. We went out to dinner. He’s got a huge crush on you, boss.”

  Conner squirmed uncomfortably. “I’m taken, sort of.”

  Sloan raised a perfect eyebrow.

  “Sort of? Who is this mystery man you are sort-of taken by? We all know you live with the big boss.”

  Conner stammered. “Nothing is going on between us. Trust me.” Conner blew out an exasperated sigh. “Nothing.”

  Sloan regarded him with narrowed eyes, like she could see through him somehow. Her lipstick matched the shade of her fingernails, blood red. He’d never found her attractive; her black hair hung down to her hips and her eyes were so dark they looked black. She reminded him of a vampire.

  The elevator doors whispered open and Conner stepped out into the crowded hallway. The work week was just beginning. Hustling through the many bodies, he finally made it to his office and sat down.

  Most of the week would be spent here; he’d stay with his friends Jagger and Xander for two days, and then sleep over at Taylor and Grayson’s until he left to return to Denali Park. Although he loved staying with the quad, it made him sad in a way. He wanted that kind of love with Wayne. Conner grinned thinking of Jagger and Xander; Jagger was the beta of the Denali pack, but one second in a room with him and Xander and you knew who the top wolf was in their marriage.

  Jagger’s love for Xander was like a beacon in the night, all-consuming and brilliant. The man would move heaven and Earth for Xander. And Taylor? Much of the same for Grayson. As the fifth wheel, he was odd man out and felt depressed. So Conner concentrated on work. He had a few messages on his desk and one of them caught his eye. With a huge grin, he dialed the number. The phone rang twice before a male voice came over the line.

  “Greystone.”

  “Well, well, if it isn’t wee little Paul,” Conner snickered.

  “Well, fuck! Conner fucking O’Rourke! What the hell? I hear you run Maccon Enterprises!”

  “I’m the CEO; I do have someone above me, however.”

  “Yeah? You got someone under you, too?” Paul chuckled.

  Conner sighed. “I wish. What the hell? I haven’t heard from you in ages! Fill me in!”

  “Well, I’m married, with two sons and a daughter. Colin goes to the University of Washington. Conner, yes he is named after you, goes to college in New York. My daughter, Phoebe, runs Greystones in Ireland. My husband, Mark, is my rock.”

  Conner sighed, God how he’d love to have a family. “That’s great, Paul. I’m so happy for you.” Paul Greystone had been a great friend growing up; they hadn’t been attracted to each other, but had a wonderful friendship. Paul had dark hair and light green eyes and every female in between their towns wanted him. They lived far enough away from each other that Conner didn’t know all of the specifics about Paul’s life, only that their fathers worked together in Dublin.

  Paul had figured out right away that Conner was gay and came out to Conner as well. Then Paul’s parents died and Paul was carted off to the United States. They tried to keep in touch, but over time the phone calls became less frequent as both of them moved around.

  “So, where did you meet the man who puts up with your shit?” Conner laughed.

  “Believe it or not, it was in an alcoholfree club for underage kids that I ran in the Midwest. He’d just broken up with his boyfriend and you know me, man-whore that I am. I made a play for him while he was vulnerable. Something happened, though. I don’t know how to explain it but he got under my skin, Conner.”

  “Well, I guess you had to branch out, seeing as you fucked most of the East coast,” Conner chuckled.

  “Oh, ha ha. I’ll admit I am a hard man to get along with, but Mark? Holy hell he put me in my place. Called me out on my bullshit, too.”

  “I like this man very much,” Conner said with a laugh.

  “Look, the reason I called, besides catching up, is that I want to invest in your boss’ company. I know a good deal when I see it. Can we meet?”

  Conner furrowed his brows. “Where?”

  “Well, I’m in Ireland for a while.”

  “In your town?” Conner stifled a laugh. The Greystone family came from Greystones, Ireland. They had taken the ‘s’ off when Paul was getting picked on in school for being rich. That hadn’t lasted long. Paul gained height in middle school and had taken classes in self-defense. The man was breathtakingly beautiful; he just wasn’t Conner’s type.

  “Nah, we can meet in Dublin if you want.”

  “Sounds good, next month maybe?” Conner looked at his calendar. “I’m free then.”

  “I can do that. It was good to talk to you Conner, I’ve missed you.”

  Conner smiled. “I’ve missed you, too. See you soon.”

  “Hey, you still got a thing for Irish songs?” Paul laughed.

  “Why? Are you going to sing to me? If you are, make it ‘Danny Boy.’”

  “Shite, I still can’t sing,” Paul chuckled.

  “Liar. Bye, Paul.”

  “Bye!”

  Conner hung up the phone with a deep sigh. Paul had kids and a husband. What did he have? Oh, that’s right: a mate who didn’t want him.

  By the time five rolled around, Conner was exhausted. He packed up his briefcase and made his way to the elevator hoping to avoid Mitch. No such luck.

  “Conner!”

  Conner tried to shut the door of the elevator before Mitch could get to it, but it didn’t work. Mitch slid in just as the doors were closing.

  “Hello, Mitch.”

  “Sheesh,” Mitch exhaled. “I thought I wasn’t going to make it.”

  I wish you hadn’t. Conner tried to smile. “I’m on my way out. How was your day?”

  “Same as every day.” Mitch leaned against the wall of the elevator, eyeing Conner. Damn but the man was so beautiful. “So, um…”

  The elevator bell rang and Conner made his escape. “See you tomorrow!” Conner ran for the parking lot. He started the truck and then sat in it waiting for it to heat up.

  It’s not as if Mitch was ugly; on the contrary, he was stunning. Conner banged his head on the steering wheel. He hated being mated with someone who couldn’t, or wouldn’t, make a move on him. Damn he was horny as all hell. He hadn’t gotten laid in… Conner tilted his head, looking at himself in the rearview mirror. Oh God, it had been years.

  Conner backed out of the parking lot and made his way towards Jagger’s and Xander’s house. It was nice that the couples lived right next door to each other; Conner simply had to walk next door on Wednesday. The sun had set and it was quickly becoming dark. He pulled into Jagger and Xander’s driveway a half hour later. Xander stood on the steps waving at him.

  “Hey you!” Xander hugged Conner tightly. “How’s my favorite guy?”

  “I thought that was Jagger?” Conner grinned.<
br />
  “He’s my husband; you’re my sexy boy toy,” Xander snickered.

  Conner laughed, pushing Xander into the house. “I am no boy toy.”

  Conner followed Xander into the kitchen where Jagger was making salad and flipping fish fillets. “Jagger.”

  “Conner,” Jagger winked over his shoulder. “Wayne just called; he wanted to make sure you arrived safely.” He turned to face Conner. “Problems in the rumpus room?”

  “You know better than that,” Conner scowled. “There is no rumpus going on in any room.”

  “He sounded worried about you, what happened?” Jagger threw some cherry tomatoes into the salad bowl.

  “What always happens? He’s not ready to be with me.” Conner sat down with an exasperated sigh. “I feel so…I don’t know, like some kind of reject.”

  Xander sat down and took Conner’s hands.

  “Look, Wayne is not unaffected. You saw him in France, he cares a lot. He’s just confused about how he feels.”

  “Yes, well in the meantime I’m going to die from extreme horniness,” Conner sighed, putting his head on the table.

  “Ha, been there done that,” Xander chuckled.

  Jagger glared at his husband. “Excuse me?”

  “Before we found each other, sheesh.” Xander rolled his eyes. “So sensitive.”

  “I’m still your beta,” Jagger narrowed his eyes.

  “In the pack, babe, not in the bedroom,” Xander raised an eyebrow.

  Conner banged his head on the table. “Why do I come here?”

  “Because it’s a two hour drive home?” Xander ran a soothing hand over Conner’s back. He understood how Conner felt. It had to hurt knowing the man you were mated to be with couldn’t respond to you in a sexual way. The phone rang on the kitchen wall and Xander looked at his husband. “Wayne?”

  “Yes.” Jagger picked up the phone. “Hey, Wayne… Yes, Conner made it here in one piece…Yes, I’ll tell him.” Jagger hung up looking at Conner. “He says he’s got dinner on Friday night, so don’t worry.”

  “Whoopee!” Conner tried to smile.

  “Come on, let’s eat.” Xander grabbed plates.

  Dinner was more talk about work, the packs and Wayne. Conner listened as Jagger told him about Caden looking into land for the camps. They were working with Wayne to put a camp in each state as well as an outreach center for gay teens who had been thrown out of their homes and had nowhere else to go. Jagger, Taylor, Grayson and Xander had been put in charge of finding commercial properties and revamping them. After two hours of talk, Conner just wanted to sleep. After saying his goodnights, he fell into the bed of the guestroom and fell asleep the minute his head hit the pillow.

  ~~

  Tuesday flew by and before Conner knew it, it was Thursday. He’d avoided Mitch as much as possible but had been asked out again. He politely declined and hoped Mitch was finally getting the hint. Hitting the remote start on the truck from inside the building, Conner looked at his watch trying to figure out how long he should wait for it to warm up.

  “Conner.” Conner turned to see Sloan click-clacking down the hall in her six inch fuck-me pumps. “What’s up?”

  “Come have a drink with us.” Sloan’s mischievous grin appeared.

  “I’m tired, Sloan. Maybe next week?”

  Sloan sighed loudly. “I swear, you remind me of a priest.”

  “I don’t like young boys,” Conner grinned.

  Sloan’s mouth opened and a loud laugh almost shook the building. “Why, Conner O’Rourke!”

  “Night, Sloan.”

  Conner ran out to the parking lot like the building was about to come down. Sliding into the safety of the truck, he backed out and started for Grayson’s and Taylor’s house. Wayne had been calling him for three days; he wasn’t about to talk to Wayne about pack issues or work for another minute. Conner smiled, pulling into the driveway; the group of them was out front waiting for him.

  “Oh, no. Now what?” Conner grabbed his parka off the passenger seat.

  “We made ribs!” Taylor licked his lips.

  Conner’s stomach growled. He hadn’t had ribs in forever. “You spoil me,” Conner grinned.

  “Come on in, we’ve got you a nice cold beer.” Grayson put his arm around Conner’s shoulder.

  Sitting around a table with other werewolves was extremely interesting. He’d never thought in a million years they existed, and now he was one of them. He ate a whole rack of ribs by himself; in fact, they all did. A werewolf’s metabolism was off the charts, he never needed to watch his weight again. And the food disappeared so fast, you couldn’t blink or you’d lose out.

  “Taylor.” Grayson smacked Taylor’s hand. “Let Conner get a roll, you’ve had five.”

  “I’m hungry,” Taylor whined.

  “There are almond croissants in the pantry,” Grayson waggled his eyebrows.

  Taylor’s eyes widened comically. “Oooh! Can we eat them in bed?”

  Conner sighed, banging his head on the table. “Why do I come here?”

  “Because it’s a two hour drive home?” they answered in unison.

  “I’m starting to rethink the two hour drive, and being in a cabin with a man who doesn’t want me is better than sitting here with you sex fiends for four days.”

  Jagger laughed. “Sex fiends?”

  “Yes, you heard him,” Xander chuckled. “We are. We can’t help it. I’m sorry, Conner, we should try to behave ourselves around you.”

  Conner looked at his friends with a sad smile. “No, it’s okay. You don’t have to hide your love for one another.”

  “He’ll come around, Conner. I’ll bite his ass if he doesn’t,” Jagger winked, taking Conner’s hands.

  ~~

  Conner snuggled into bed, looking at the full moon across the water. He hoped Wayne was thinking about him. Being around the man was killing him. He wanted what everyone else had. Why couldn’t someone just love him? Conner sighed, closing his eyes. He didn’t think he was ugly. In fact, he’d been told he was gorgeous, in a girlie sort of way. Conner wiped at his eyes. Why couldn’t Wayne want him?

  “Why can’t someone just love me for me?” he whispered to the dark.

  ~~

  Wayne paced back and forth, looking at the clock every few minutes. Conner had Fridays off but he had no idea what time he had left Anchorage and now he was pacing himself into the loony bin. For four days he’d done nothing but work, trying to keep his mind off the angelic blond in Anchorage. He’d checked for traps, spoken to the guys at the lodge and cleaned up trash around the campsites; he was going nuts and he knew it.

  He also knew that Conner would come home, eat dinner, excuse himself and hide in the attic for the rest of the weekend.

  Wayne checked the stew; he’d made it with lamb and potatoes, a staple of Irish cooking. Conner had been born in Ireland, which made him privy to the whole Irish diet. Wayne grinned. Conner had made some fabulous dinners before. The man could have been a chef. Everything had to be presented and garnished. Wayne loved it.

  He also knew how to do laundry and clean, which made things a lot easier on Wayne. The cabin wasn’t hard to take care of; it had been passed down from one generation to another in perfect condition. Along the way, it had gone through some remodeling. Log cabins needed to be specially taken care of, especially one that had been around for hundreds of years.

  When he had checked out of the werewolf life, it was his way of trying to forget Juliet. To deny who he was had to make things better, didn’t it? Yeah, no.

  He had removed himself from his life and legacy only to have it threatened by Carson Drake. Dakota Cadotte and the rest of the boys had become the sons Wayne had never had and he blamed himself for what had almost happened to him at Carson’s evil hands.

  Now he had Conner, a beautiful man with a kind heart - and what was he doing? Oh that’s right, acting like an idiot. But how could he possibly lie down with a man? Would he be expected to do things? Wayne ra
n his hands over his face. He knew what he liked, did Conner like the same things?

  Wayne paced the living room; he knew he was probably wearing a hole in the rug by now. What about kissing Conner, could he do that? He’d certainly thought about it. Conner had beautiful lips, pink and inviting, almost like he wore some kind of shiny stuff on them. And his eyes… Wayne closed his eyes thinking about Conner O’Rourke’s beautiful face. He was so…delicate and almost effeminate. Is that why the fates had given him Conner?

  Wayne heard the truck pull up and his pulse raced. Conner was getting out of the truck, briefcase in hand.

  Wayne opened the door with a smile, helping Conner with his jacket and boots. “How was the work week?”

  “I think the rest of the guys are jealous I get Fridays off.” Conner set his briefcase down by the front door. “That smells wonderful.”

  “Are you hungry?” Wayne walked into the large kitchen. The stove was the type that had a grill on it if you needed it; it was Conner’s idea and Wayne loved it. He checked the stew, pulling the spoon out with a little bit on the end.

  “Here, taste.” Conner leaned forward as Wayne fed him the stew. He closed his eyes, savoring the taste. “That’s good.”

  “I made rolls, too, the kind you like,” Wayne grinned.

  Conner had to smile. Sometimes Wayne had the most childlike looks on his face. It was endearing.

  “Do you need any help?”

  “Nope, you just sit yourself down and get comfortable. I’ll take care of everything. Wine or beer?”

  “Um, wine? White if we have it.” Conner sat back as Wayne served him a bowl of stew and a glass of white wine. It was almost like they were already a couple. They had that part down, cooking for each other, doing each other’s laundry and even folding it. Of course, Wayne folded his underwear in a strange way but he could live with that, considering that Wayne was older than him by over a century. He was willing to overlook the small things.

  The stew was delicious. Wayne knew how to cook and bake; he’d be the perfect husband. For a woman. Conner frowned, sipping his wine. It always came back to that. Because he had a penis, he wasn’t going to get Wayne in that way. Damn dick.