Hard on the Heart Read online

  Hard on the Heart

  Callie Cole

  Hard on the Heart© 2020 by Callie Cole

  All Rights Reserved.

  Editor: Kasi Alexander

  Cover Design: Callie Cole

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Epilogue

  Also by Callie Cole

  About the Author

  1

  Lucy

  Pushing my glasses up on my nose, I look at the address on the paper. I take a step out onto the street to look over the property. Moving to the right of the building, I can see workers congregating around blueprints, talking about the plans for the design.

  The Wild Rose has been a staple in this part of the city since I can remember. It’s the place where you can either stop in for a meal or hang out with your friends over a few beers. It was established in 1949 by Liam Montgomery, who came to America from Northern Ireland, and now it’s now run by his son, Cade Montgomery.

  It wasn’t long after Liam died that Cade opened two more pubs in the greater Boston area. He’s a legend in this city, and there isn’t a celebrity or politician who doesn’t stop into The Wild Rose once in town. Cade has been on the cover of Boston Now magazine and several other publications. Each article describes Cade as a hard-working first-generation Irish American success story.

  Well, Lucy, you can’t stay outside forever. You won’t accomplish anything standing on the sidewalk. You might as well go inside and get this over with.

  The interior of The Wild Rose is dark with an elegantly carved mahogany wood bar that spans the length of the pub. Several guys are sitting side by side, talking and drinking beer. They turn and look at me when I come in, and the room goes quiet. Standing at the door, I try to make out which of the men is Cade. The bartender, an elderly man who looks like he’s been here since the pub opened, calls to me.

  “Can I help you?”

  “I’m looking for the owner.”

  The bartender points to a man sitting at a table toward the back of the pub.

  “Cade. This woman here is looking to talk with you.”

  The owner stands, gathers his plate and beer and walks toward me.

  The photos I’ve seen of Cade Montgomery don’t quite capture the intensity of the man. He’s tall and muscular and heavily tattooed. He’s wearing a white T-shirt that stretches across his torso like it’s a size too small. Several chains hang around his neck and looped around his right wrist are three leather straps. His rugged and slightly distressed jeans fall over the top of his boots.

  His confidence is hard to ignore. Something tells me he would dress like this for a board meeting or a bar fight. Nothing pretentious about him.

  My immediate attraction to him surprises me. I’m hardly a prude, but I’ve never felt my nipples go hard at the sight of anyone before. I realize my gaze has betrayed my thoughts, and I have to talk myself down off the sex ledge before I’m in a puddle of orgasm, right here on the pub floor.

  Keep a poker face, girl, or you’re never going to get what you want.

  As he approaches, I suddenly feel naked standing in front of him. Using my briefcase and shoulder bag as a shield to cover my body, I feel his pale blue eyes looking me over from head to toe. He puts his plate on the bar, pulls a stool under him, and pulling another close, he pats the chair pad.

  “Have a seat.”

  There’s a comfortable distance between us if I stay where I am, but I can’t start trouble right out of the gate, so I sit.

  He turns back to his food and carves away at his steak.

  “So what can I do for you?”

  I look at his plate with disgust, the smell making my stomach turn. It doesn’t help that I didn’t have breakfast. I always feel sick to my stomach when it’s empty, and the smell of the meat isn’t helping.

  “Are you going to eat that?”

  He looks at me, then at his plate, and back at me.

  “What else would you have me do with it?”

  “Can you please move that cow away from me? I don’t think I can talk to you with it so close.”

  He doesn’t move the plate away but turns to me.

  “You don’t look so good. Can I get you something to eat or drink?”

  I look up at the menu scrawled on a chalkboard and cringe. There isn’t a thing in this place that I can eat.

  “I’m a vegan.”

  “You’re a what?”

  “A vegan. I don’t eat anything that has a mother or a face.”

  He turns to the bartender.

  “Michael, me man. Do we have anything that we can offer this lady that doesn’t have a face or a mother?”

  The bartender looks confused, and as he waits for further instruction, I figure if I order a cup of tea, that should keep me from passing out.

  “I’ll have a cup of tea, please.”

  Cade Montgomery isn’t done making fun of me.

  “Michael, whatever you do, don’t put any milk in it. I’m pretty sure it came from this here cow.”

  He turns to me and smiles.

  “Now that we’ve got that out of the way, what do you want to talk to me about...Miss—?”

  His blue eyes are staring into mine, and I feel flushed.

  “Bennett. Lucy Bennett.”

  “Ms. Bennett. What has you visiting our establishment this fine day?”

  Cade doesn’t have a strong Irish accent, and yet, the lilt in his voice is unlike anything I’ve heard before. Subtle but direct, his voice is intimidating.

  I open my briefcase and pull out several photos and a flyer detailing the benefits of urban community gardening.

  “I work with a non-profit organization that supports the sustainability of families by helping them help themselves. We work with many people to implement programs that contribute to society. Lily’s Urban Garden Project is just one of those programs.

  It was established to honor the memory of a woman who did so much for the local community. She was also my grandmother, so I have a particular interest in seeing this dream become a reality. You may have heard her name mentioned before, Lilian Bennett? Everyone called her Lily.”

  Still staring at me, Cade doesn’t react.

  Michael, the bartender, brings me my tea with a slice of lemon on the side.

  I thank him and push my paperwork in front of Cade.

  “That’s a lovely thing you got there, Ms. Bennett, but I don’t understand what any of that has to do with me.”

  Stalling, I take a sip of my tea.

  “We’d like to build the garden here.”

  “Here? Where here?”

  “In the spot where your workers are now framing an addition to this pub.”

  Standing, Cade pushes his stool and walks away from the bar.

  “Whoa, wait one minute. You want me to stop construction on the addition, which I might add has been approved by the city already, and plant a garden in its place?”

  “Yes. That’s right.”

  “Are you out of your min
d? Lady, you need to eat some meat because you’ve lost some brain cells.”

  “But you just said it was a lovely thing. Besides, we’ve looked for available land in the city, and we can’t find a thing. This property is the perfect location for the community. It’s within walking distance for so many already struggling families. You would be doing a wonderful thing if you would be willing to donate your land.”

  “Donate? You want me to donate my land?”

  Not wanting to anger him any further, I stand and gather my briefcase, leaving the flyer and pictures on the bar.

  “Look, I’ll leave you with all the information, and my business card. Take a few days to think about it and call me. We can talk again.”

  I give Cade my business card, take one last sip of my tea, and extend my hand to him.

  He takes my hand, holding it for much longer than my willpower can stand. There's electricity between us, and I’m sure he feels it too.

  “Thank you for your time, Mr. Montgomery. I hope to hear from you soon.”

  I pull my hand away, grab my bags, push my glasses up on the bridge of my nose, and turn to leave. Walking out of The Wild Rose, I realize I’m shaking and my face is hot. I can still feel Cade Montgomery’s hand in mine, and I’m shocked at how quickly I wonder what it must feel like to have the weight of his body on top of me.

  2

  Cade

  From a distance, she looked like any other blue suit from the financial district. Her tax-auditor persona was off-putting, but as I moved closer to her, I felt the seduction of her curves and dark red hair pulled back in a ponytail.

  I can’t tell if her dark-rimmed glasses are a fashion statement or if she needs them to see, but they couldn’t keep me from staring into her deep green eyes. I’m convinced there is more to her than the image she projects. I could have fucked her against the bar if it wasn’t for the damn piece of steak.

  She’s not the kind of woman who usually comes into The Wild Rose. Michael, my bartender, probably thought she was lost. We get lots of people who stop in for a bite of lunch during the week, but I’ve never seen her before. I would have noticed. Not because of the way she looks, although she is beautiful, but because there is something vulnerable about her even though she works hard to hide it. It makes me want to know more.

  Lucy Bennett is nothing like the women I’ve dated in the past. There is an innocence about her, but also an intelligence that is both alluring and disturbing. Not to mention she’s got control issues for sure. I feel like she could talk circles around me, and it’s as annoying as hell. I’m not used to losing my bearings with any woman, but something about Lucy Bennett confounds and intrigues me, and I’m not sure what to do about it.

  Who is Lucy Bennett?

  I look down at her business card.

  Lucy Bennett, Program Director - Boston CPH

  Promoting Civic Interests to Enhance the Lives of the Community.

  A tree hugger.

  Michael comes over to me.

  “What was that all about?”

  Not wanting to seem at all interested in Ms. Bennett, I shrug it off.

  “Nothing important, just someone trying to make a sale.”

  Sean O’Connor speaks up from the other end of the bar.

  “You going to tap that, Cade? Something tells me you won’t get far with that one.”

  “What are you talking about, Sean? I could have her any day of the week.”

  Sean throws a hundred-dollar bill down on the bar.

  “I’d like to see you put your money where your mouth is.”

  Three others do the same, including Michael. Before long, there are five hundred dollars on the bar, and five people waiting for me to make a move.

  Looking past the bar, I hesitate, but I can’t look like she got to me.

  I throw more money down. “I’ll take that bet and raise it another five hundred, and I’ll keep it in the office safe.”

  “Wait. Before we do this, what exactly are we talking about here? How will we know who’s won the bet?”

  I look up at the clock.

  “Sean, I’m betting that one week from today, at exactly one o’clock, I’ll get her to admit right here in this bar, in front of all of you, that she and I have had carnal knowledge of one another.”

  Confused, they all look at each other.

  I clarify. “She’ll admit that I fucked her.”

  In unison, they all say, “Oh.”

  The guys couldn’t wait to throw more money on the bar.

  “Michael. A round for my friends here and one for you and me. We’ve got to drink on it.”

  I hold up the business card, and we each lift a pint to it.

  “To Ms. Lucy Bennett. May she find heaven in my arms and paradise in my bed.”

  To that, Sean adds, “And may she tell us all about it.”

  I spend the next two hours formulating a plan.

  I don’t need a whole week to get this one into my bed. I’ll have her before this day is over.

  Not wanting to let the grass grow under my feet, so to speak, I call Lucy to talk further about the garden project. There is absolutely no way I am giving my land to this woman, but she doesn’t need to know that.

  I have to get her body under me as soon as possible.

  The money doesn’t mean a damn thing to me, but the need to conquer this woman is intoxicating. I’m used to taking what I want, and this time will be no different. She might differ from the other women, but she’s still a woman, and I love a challenge.

  I go to my office in the back of the bar and dial her number. It rings several times before she answers.

  “Lucy Bennett.”

  “Hello, Ms. Bennett, it’s Cade Montgomery.”

  “Oh, hello, Mr. Montgomery. I’m glad to hear from you so soon. Have you given any more thought to my request?”

  “Please call me Cade. That’s why I’m calling. I’d like to talk with you about it more before I make such an important decision. You can understand that.”

  “Oh, absolutely.”

  “I wonder if you might join me for dinner tonight. I have a lot of questions and thought maybe you could tell me more about this project, and about your grandmother.”

  “Yes, that would be perfect. Where would you like to meet?”

  “If it wouldn’t be too inconvenient, could you come to my place? I can make us dinner and we can discuss the details without interruption or noise.”

  There is quiet on the line for a moment before she answers.

  “Do you think that’s such a good idea? I’ve seen the food you eat.”

  “I promise I won’t make you eat steak. Leave it to me. You won’t be disappointed.”

  “All right. I’ll be there at seven o’clock if that works for you.”

  “Yes. That’s fine. I’ll text you the address.”

  “Oh, I just assumed that you lived in the apartment above the pub.”

  “No, I live in the Back Bay area. I’ll send the address along and see you at seven. Goodbye, Lucy.”

  “Goodbye, Cade.”

  Hearing her say my name makes my cock push against my zipper. I hang up and smile, trying to ignore my racing heart.

  3

  Lucy

  Hanging up the phone I lean back in my chair. Pulling my ponytail into a messy bun on top of my head, I can’t stop smiling. I thought it would take much longer to convince Cade to donate his property to the community but meeting him again this soon after our talk this morning is a good sign.

  I grab last month’s Boston Now magazine and look at the interview photo of Cade. He’s sitting at the bar, his boot heel resting on a bar stool. He looks exactly as he did when I walked into The Wild Rose this morning, but he’s much taller and stronger looking in person. There’s no way the magazine can convey the actual heat that comes off his body.

  I swear the guy could heat up an entire room in the middle of winter.

  I walk to the fireplace mantle and look at my fami
ly photos, taking down the picture of my grandmother. I remember her laughter and how much fun she was. She wasn’t like any of my friends’ grandmothers. Lily was a free spirit. She wore her hair long past her waist, streaks of light and dark gray framing her face. She always wore skirts that flowed down to her ankles, her feet comfortable in her Birkenstocks. She called herself a hippie until the very end, and everyone loved her.

  There’s a real chance I might pull this off after all, Gran.

  I put her photo back on the mantle and think about my talk with Cade. It’s hard to know someone from a magazine article, but Cade’s reputation is such that there’s no way the guy could ever get a fair trial in this city. That is, if he ever did anything worth getting arrested for. Everyone knows Cade Montgomery, and it would seem he knows everyone.

  I’m about to get a very intimate understanding of the man tonight.

  What the hell should I wear?

  This is a business meeting, so I need to dress appropriately, but how do I do that exactly? In the end, I pick a navy skirt and a comfortably loose blouse that I tuck in, with matching navy heels. I brush my hair and pull it back into a ponytail.

  It might be a casual meeting, but I need to send the message that this is not a date. I need to be friendly but stay in control of the evening. The last thing I need is to piss this guy off.

  Satisfied that I look neither conservative nor slutty, I grab my bag and head out the door.

  Cade’s apartment is on the other side of town and it takes me about thirty minutes to get there. I pull my car into the underground parking garage. Obviously expecting me, the guard directs me to an elevator that goes to the tenth-floor penthouse suite only.