Chapter 3

I was up by mid-afternoon, and on the phone with McGill. "I don't know whether to shake your hand or tear your arm off and beat you with it." I said when his secretary put me through to him.

"Hey, I'm on your side." he protested. "I thought that he'd like to know how stubborn you were about certain things."

"Yeah." I snorted. "It almost got me a yard of steel through the gizzard."

I heard him laugh, "You ticked off Ariel did ya?"

"Does everyone know about her bloodthirsty blade but me?" I asked.

"Only a select few." he assured me. "She can be, impressive."

I thought about that for a moment, then shook it off. "I was wondering if you could meet us down at the building this afternoon. I want to show it to Maeve."

"No problem," he replied. "I'll be wanting to give you the keys anyway. The money arrived at the bank this morning."

I had a nasty thought. "This is all happening real fast, isn't it?"

"Now that you mention it." he said thoughtfully. "It usually takes a month or more for money to come out of escrow."

"About 3:00 then?"

"I'll be there." and he disconnected.

I phoned the Kerry's and was put through to Brian. "I want to show Maeve the place I am buying. You and Ariel are invited too. Do you have the address?"

"Well I think so." He said

I gave it to him anyway. "And Brian, we really need to talk. Alone."

A long pause, "OK, before or after?"

"After." I said. "Very well," he said. We made our goodbyes and hung up.

Someone with a lot of ready funds had bought my house and greased the wheels a bit to get things expedited. And of course, that was Brian's specialty.

Call me stubborn or stupid, but I don't like being outmaneuvered like that.

I arrived at the building right at 3:00. McGill was already there with the door open. I pulled inside and parked out of the way.

Before I could even get out of the Caddy, a stretch limo eased into the building and stopped a few yards inside. The doors opened and people started pouring out.

Maeve and her crew first, followed by Brian and Ariel.

Maeve snuggled up to me immediately, much to the amusement of McGill.

I had been getting the impression that my Prize had been something of an ice princess with the temper of a teased tiger before I had met her and thawed her just a bit.

I gestured for McGill to lead the way. We inspected the downstairs offices, then we all rode the massive elevator to the second floor. I found a switch and turned on the lights. They were hardly needed though as the now clean windows let in more than sufficient light.

Maeve left my side and went scurrying this way and that, exclaiming and pointing and conspiring with her friends, no doubt plotting to drive me to the poorhouse with their ideas on decorating.

Ariel wandered off with McGill in tow, leaving Brian and I alone for a moment. "It seems that things are moving a little too smoothly these days." I said conversationally.

"How so?" he asked.

I explained about the swift purchase of my house and the speed of the paperwork.

"I see," he said. Then he turned to face me and took my hand. "It was neither Ariel nor I who have done this. I will give blood oath on it."

"If not you..." we both turned to look at Maeve. She saw us watching her and waved, then went back to her plotting.

Brian sighed. "See what I mean about her ways of getting what she wants?"

I saw a push broom lying on the floor nearby. I picked it up and unscrewed the handle.

Brian eyed me warily, but said nothing.

I held the broomstick upright and rapped the end sharply on the floor, getting everyone's attention.

Maeve walked over with a smile that faded as she saw the look on my face.

Ariel also saw the look and hurried over to stand behind her daughter.

I raised my voice only slightly, but it carried in the empty room. "Fergus, please take the ladies there downstairs. We will be along shortly

I waited until he had herded the gals onto the elevator and started down before I looked back at Maeve. "Do you want to marry me." I asked in a cold voice.

I knew I might be blowing the best thing that had ever happened to me, but this had to be done and done now.

Maeve trembled and tears welled up. "Yes." she said softly.

I handed her the stick. "Feel like hitting me?" I asked. "Hell, I'll just stand here and let you. Your dad can hold my arms if you like."

She let go of the stick like it was white hot. "Why are you acting this way?" she cried.

Ariel started to speak, then subsided.

"I know about the house and the rest." I said. "You need practice to be sneaky enough to put something that big past me."

She dropped her eyes.

"Do you really think I am that damn stupid?" I asked. "I love you more than life itself. But I can't be with you if you are going to do things behind my back."

I put my hand out and tilted her face up. Tears were streaming down her face and she was shaking like a leaf. "From now on, talk to me first. That's all I ask. If you want to help reach our goal of marriage, I'll happily accept any aid you offer. But we cannot afford to sneak around behind each other's backs like this. You would have hurt me less if you had beaten me with that stick."

She threw herself at me and wrapped her arms around me so tight that my ribs ached, babbling promises that she would never ever go behind my back again, and begging me not to leave her.

I folded her into my arms and comforted her. When she was calmed again, I called down the elevator shaft for Fergus to bring the others back up.

Ariel gave me a strange look and pulled me away from Maeve and well to the side. "You would have been kinder had you beaten her with that broomstick." she said.

I looked down at her. "You know that it had to be done, and done now. Else any marriage would have been a sham and quickly over."

She closed her eyes and her shoulders slumped. "Aye, but 'twas not an easy thing to watch my daughter treated so." She peered up at me. "I'll warrant that you had just cause this time, and let it pass."

"I would have expected her to do the same if the positions were reversed." I said. "But I doubt the situation will ever arise again."

Ariel nodded, then went on tiptoe to kiss me lightly on the lips. "Thank you." she said.

I walked with her back to her husband and daughter. Maeve quickly moved to my side and twined her fingers with mine, holding on as if her life depended on it. She was still trembling, but not nearly as much as before. I raised her hand to my lips, then leaned down to whisper into her ear. "We'll have to reinforce the floor wherever we decide to put the bed. Otherwise we're likely to end up dropping into the floor below."

She looked confused. "I thought this building was structurally sound?"

"But with all the acrobatic sex, we'll be placing an incredible stress on this old joint."

She blushed beet red, but grinned despite herself, and I felt her relax.

I walked around with her to point out the few places where I wanted to put a few things. Then I turned to her and gestured to the rest of the huge expanse. "The rest is yours to decorate." I told her. "After all, you'll be living here too after we are married... Just leave room for a nursery. We will be needing one within a year."

She responded by fastening her mouth to mine with a fierce hunger.

"Now." she whispered as she broke the kiss. "Let's go to your hotel, or anywhere. Just take me now!"

"When we're married." I said as I held her tight. "You will go virgin to our marriage bed. I vowed this to your father."

She looked rebellious, then broke out in a happy grin. "Then we'll just have to get married as soon as possible."

"Sounds like a good plan to me." I replied.

As I turned her toward the elevator, I let my hand drift while our bodies blocked her parents view. I brushed my hand across her pubic mound and pressed lightly. She rose up on her toes and drew in her breath with a hiss. I brought my hand up and cupped her breast for a second, giving it a gentle squeeze. Then converted the motion of my hand to caress her cheek with the back of my fingers. "You bastard!" She hissed into my ear. "You'll pay for that!" but there was twinkle in her eye when she said it.

I kissed her lightly, "Now you have something to encourage you to speed up the wedding as much as possible."

She poked her tongue out at me and ran over to her friends.

I waited for everyone to board the elevator. As we sank down to the ground floor, Brian leaned over to me. "You play a dangerous game." he said in a low voice.

I kept my voice equally quiet as I replied. "Ultimate risk for the ultimate prize." He grunted and turned to say something to his wife.

McGill handed me the keys and the remote. "I have a spare remote at home. I'll bring it to your hotel in the morning." He climbed into his car and drove away.

I held the limo door for Brian and the rest. He hesitated before getting in, looking into my eyes. Then he nodded once and eased down onto the seat. I closed the door and walked to my Caddy. It had been a nerve-wracking afternoon.

Back at the hotel, I called Mayflower and told them to deliver my boxes and bike to my new home between 11 AM and 4 PM the next day. Then I lay down on my bed fully dressed except for my shoes. My gut was roiling from the tension earlier, and I couldn't have eaten and kept it down if my life depended on it. I just stared at the wall opposite the bed and thought dark thoughts.

A couple of hours later, the door opened. I sat partially up to see who was there. Maeve poked her head in and saw me. She came in quietly and closed the door behind her. She stepped out of her shoes and climbed onto the bed to lie beside me.

Neither of us said a word. We didn't have to.

She lay on her side facing me, with her head on my shoulder and her arm across my chest. In a few moments, her breathing slowed and deepened. When I heard a soft purring snore, I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep as well. It had been a long time since I had slept with a woman in my arms. I had forgotten how good it felt. I woke up in the morning stiff and with a numb arm, but happier than I had been in years.

Maeve woke up when I stirred and pulled herself half atop me for a good morning kiss. "I like waking up next to you." she said. "You're cuddly."

I laughed and hugged her until she gasped. "You're mother and father are going to want to hang me." I said. I rolled us over so that I was half atop her and kissed her again. Then I pushed up and got off the bed.

"But we did nothing but sleep!" she protested.

"Yeah," I called back as I got ready to shower. "But I'm going to play hell convincing your mother and father of that."

"My coming here was mother's idea." she replied.

Now that was an interesting twist that I hadn't anticipated.

"I stepped into the shower and called out to her. "Did she know that you were going to spend the night?"

"Of course she did." Maeve said as she opened the shower door and stepped in.

I shook my head at her. "I made a Vow to your father, and I always keep my vows."

"There's nothing wrong with taking a shower." the little minx said innocently.

*Fine* I thought *If she wants to play it that way... *

I moved around her so that she was directly under the spray. As she got thoroughly wet, I took the soap and started washing her back, then reached around to wash her front. I used every trick I had learned from years of successful seductions to bring her to a gasping, quivering peak of arousal, and then I backed away and let the stream of water rinse her off. She was flushed from her breasts to her forehead. I stepped out of the shower and picked up a towel. Maeve came out of the shower a moment later, and I wrapped her in the towel and rubbed her dry. "That was just mean." she said as she dressed.

"And stepping nude into the shower with me WASN'T mean? You little temptress," I shot back. She giggled and blushed.

"Do you want to help me get my things unpacked so you can figure out where to put them?" "Sure." she said. "I'll get us some help."

"Your henchwomen again I suppose." I said with a grin.

She tossed her head and put her hands on her hips. "Of course. And just wait 'til I tell them how you treated me this morning."

I grabbed her up in a hug and toppled back onto the bed, pulling her down with me. "Tattle away wench." I teased. "Just remember who started it."

"Beast." she said, then kissed me quickly and pushed herself up. "I'm hungry. Feed me."

We ate in the Hotel dining room. While we were waiting for the waitress to bring our food, she dug out her cell phone and called her friends to meet us at our new home.

When we arrived, I opened the door with the remote and drove on in. We had a few minutes to ourselves before the others got there, so we spent a while making out in my car like a couple of teenagers.

Mayflower came about an hour later, followed by the Kerry' s limousine, bringing not only my fiancée's usual entourage, but Brian and Ariel as well. And much to my surprise, Molly, the barmaid who had been there for the first story was among the gaggle of beauties. And holding her own quite well too.

The Mayflower men stacked the boxes onto the elevator. Groups of ladies accompanied each load until most of them were upstairs hauling the boxes out of the way so that we could send up another batch.

The last thing to be unloaded was my Harley. Brian's eyes widened as he saw my Hawg. He came over and ran his hands over the chrome, steel and leather.

"Care for a ride?" I asked and tossed him the keys. He swung aboard the bike and inserted the key. He didn't bother with the electric start, he flipped out the kick-starter and stomped the big v-twin to life. He settled into the seat with a huge grin on his face. He brought up his feet and pulled up next to Ariel. He offered his hand and helped her aboard. She wrapped her arms tightly around his body and laid her cheek along his back. Brian rode around the main floor, weaving in and out among the support poles, the thunder of the Harley filling the building.

Maeve watched her mother and father on the bike and leaned against me. "I haven't seen them have this much fun in far too long." she said with a sigh.

Just then, one of the Mayflower guys dropped one of my boxes with a sickening crunch. Maeve stormed over, her eyes flashing. "And what do you think you're doing you butterfingered jackass?" And the conversation deteriorated from there. I was glad to see that my fiancée hadn't lost any of her fire and spirit, but I felt that I had better rescue the hapless mover before Maeve made good on some of her more graphic threats.

"Maeve." I said in a normal tone of voice. She looked at me and her jaw closed with a nearly audible snap. "It was just an accident. And nothing in that box is irreplaceable."

She gave the mover one last glare, then came back to my side. The mover picked up the box and carried it to the elevator with great care. I hugged Maeve and let her nestle against me.

Brian steered the bike to a stop next to me and shut it down. "Ah, to be young enough to enjoy the simple things again." and he smiled fondly at his wife as she gracefully swung herself off the bike.

I took a folder out of the saddlebag and opened it. I took out the title for the Harley and signed it. Then I handed it to Brian. "Happy Anniversary." I said.

"But, our anniversary was months ago..."

"So I am a little late," I grinned, "Or you could consider it an early gift for the next one."

Brian started to hand back the title, but Ariel placed her hand on his arm to stop him.

"We accept." she said with a grin almost as big as mine.

Women and Harley-Davidsons. Must be those vibrations.

Brian tucked the title into his breast pocket. I spotted a certain box that had not been taken upstairs yet and trotted over to it. I opened the box and withdrew the two helmets. I took them back and handed them to Brian. "The law in this state requires these on public roads."

He handed one to Ariel and eased the other onto his head. He flipped up the visor when he had it firmly seated and fastened. "More comfortable than the last helm that I wore," he quipped.

Ariel finally had hers on and I helped her fasten it. She got back on the bike and wrapped her arms around her husband again, pressing her body tight to his. She winked at me as Brian told his driver that he was at the disposal of Maeve for the rest of the day. Then he started the bike, with the button this time. He rode out of the building with a whoop of joy echoed by Ariel.

"That was a wonderful thing that you just did." Maeve said as she smiled happily up at me. "Thank you."

"It will also make them more amenable to our desire for a quicker wedding," I grinned.

"Let's go up and unpack." she said as the Mayflower truck rumbled out of the building. I used the remote to close the big door and handed it to the limo driver. "In case you need to go anywhere before the rest of us are ready to leave."

'Very good sir." he said.

It was quite late by the time we got the boxes sorted and some of them unpacked. "We have to go shopping tomorrow." I told Maeve. "I need someplace to put all this junk."

She wrinkled her nose at me and sighed. "This place is going to be a lot of work."

She came into my arms and leaned back to look up at me. "Do you have any objection to me using some of my own money to buy things for our home?"

"Not at all." I assured her. "All I ever wanted was for you to let me know what you're doing."

She rested her head against my chest and sighed. "I love you."

"And I you, Maeve the Minx."

She gave a silvery laugh and moved off to talk to Astrid.

I walked over to Molly. "Hello again." I said. "I am proud to welcome you to our home and our friendship."

She flipped her mane of hair back and laughed. "It's going to take a legion of helpers just to get this hulk into a home."

"That's what my fiancée just said." I laughed.

"Then she has a head on her shoulders." was the pert reply.

I moved on and talked with each of the others. Then we all trooped downstairs to go home. The limo driver was sound asleep behind the wheel, and we had to wake him by knocking on the window because he had the doors locked.

He drove the girls back to the Kerry house, and I went back to the Hotel.

I didn't hear from Maeve by noon, so I called her home. It seemed that she had already left to go shopping before 7AM, and had taken all of her friends with her.

I hung up and drove down to my building. The big door was open, and there were trucks and vans going in and out in a fairly steady stream.

Once I got inside, I found the main floor, vast as it was, full of cars and pickups of every description. I found a place to park along one wall and rode the elevator up with a box that said it contained a refrigerator.

As my head rose above floor level, I could see chaos. There were workmen of all kinds scurrying around and the noise was incredible.

"Don't just stand there, wheel that damn reefer over and onto the platform over there before the damn redhead has a hissy fit."

I turned and saw a big beefy guy wearing jeans and a flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up. "I don't care WHAT your usual job is." he snarled. "We'll square it with the unions later. Capice?"

I just followed directions and tilted the fridge back on the hand truck. I wheeled it over to the platform and had a couple of guys help me get it up the stairs.

Once I had it placed to the satisfaction of the foreman, who had followed me, I started to go look for Maeve. I could hear her voice somewhere nearby.

Then I felt a hand gripping my arm. "Hey," yelled the foreman. "Where the hell do you think yer going? Get down there and get to work. And if you show up without your tools again, you're off the job!"

Before I could say anything, Maeve spotted me and came running over to give me a hug and a kiss. "Hi honey!" she said brightly "We'll be ready to move in by day after tomorrow at this rate!"

She glanced over my shoulder to the foreman. "Have you met Guido Balducci? He's the one who's keeping everything running smoothly and quickly." She turned me to face him. "This is my fiancée William Bard."