Love Reflection (Entwined Hearts #1)

by Maria Macdonald

Now I’m here wondering what to wear and wishing Soph was around to help. I lean slightly away from the radiator, not wanting to lose the heat and reach for my phone then dial Soph’s number.

  “Hey lady, you okay?” she answers.

  “Yeah, just trying to find something to wear for tonight. When are you going to be home?”

  “Oh yeah, you have your first date with Con,” she chuckles.

  “Come on Soph, I need your help,” I whine.

  “You do?” Soph replies sounding surprised.

  “Yeah, I haven’t been on a date with him in years and it’s not the same as just hanging out as friends.” Soph giggles down the phone. “Okay, okay, calm down diva. We’ll figure this out! I’ll be home in five minutes,” she chuckles again and hangs up.

  I stay in the same position listening to her come into the house and up the stairs. When she pokes her head around the door and wiggles her eyebrows teasing me, I shoot daggers her way and sit down on the edge of my bed with the hump, like a schoolchild.

  “Calm your tits, okay? Let's break this shit down,” she starts. “You’re going to dinner with him, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, that’s the first thing, it means you don’t have to worry about the weather, or being too hot or too cold.” I nod, Soph’s making sense. “Secondly, you’re not going to a club or bar so you don’t need night vamp clothes, hair or makeup.” I roll my eyes.

  “Soph, I don’t go in for those outfits anyway, you know that! I only wear crap like that when you make me,” I moan.

  “Okay, but it still means we’re narrowing the field. Trust me, this is what I know.” There’s nothing I can say to that because I know she’s right.

  “You don’t want to wear leggings or anything that screams I’m on my period, stay away from me!”

  “Hey! I like leggings!” I shout.

  “Case and point,” Soph says grinning. I look at her hoping that she realises I do not find her even slightly funny. “I can see the corner of your mouth tipping up lady, you want to smile,” she says and I’m trying desperately not to laugh. Damn that woman. I can’t help it though and I smile. My damn friend. I love her.

  “Okay, so we’re down to conservative clothing, you know your suits and Sunday best. Yeah, erm… nah uh! Not going to work,” she says while shaking her head no.

  “What exactly are we left with then?” I question.

  “In your wardrobe?” She looks at me. “Not a lot.” I stare at her unamused and she smiles again.

  “Okay, so pick, skinny jeans or a dress?”

  “Skinny jeans,” I say immediately.

  “Dress it is!” she laughs and I roll my eyes again.

  She pulls out two dresses and says, “Pick.” One is an A-line, long-sleeved, crew-necked, purple jersey dress with a belt around the middle and its skirt is fairly short, although as it’s A-line it doesn’t feel too short. The other is a white sweater dress, it’s straight up and down, cable knit, long sleeves and comes to my mid-thigh.

  “Do you really want me to tell you which one I want or are you going to choose anyway?” I ask.

  “Oh, you tell me what you want, I’ll still make the choice,” she tells me smirking.

  “Have I told you that you’re a pain in my arse yet today,” I murmur and she laughs.

  “The white sweater dress,” I announce waiting for her to choose the other one.

  She surprises me when she says, “Yeah, that’s a good choice.” I’m shocked, until she says, “But, the condition of wearing this is that you have to wear your black suede ankle boots. I huff, dreading the idea of trying to walk in them, but agree. I shoo her out so I can get ready.

  I decide to blow my hair out and it hangs down my lower back straight with two tiny plaits gathered at the front to keep it out of my eyes. I put make up on, opting to add some sexy smoky eyes and put on the killer ankle boots that Soph’s making me wear.

  Grabbing my clutch, I make my way downstairs and Soph claps.

  “Yay, look at you! I’ll make a girl out of you yet! Come on hunny let me take a photo, this is a big occasion,” she teases pretending to snap photographs of me with her hands. She always takes the piss when she manages to dress me. It’s a standing joke with her, of course she hasn’t been living with me and therefore on hand to dish out the snark at any given opportunity before!

  I hear Con’s car pull up outside and before he gets a chance to knock I poke my tongue out at Soph, giggle and wink, then rush to the door just as Con is walking up the path.

  “I was going to be a gentleman and knock, precious,” he says slightly perturbed.

  “Sorry, I just couldn’t wait to get to you.”

  He smiles then steps back and takes me in. Starting from my feet his eyes eat me up as they move over my body, when he reaches my face he stops momentarily on my lips and takes a step forward encroaching on my personal space. He looks into my eyes and I feel his hot breath caress my face.

  “I don’t know if I can sit through dinner when I know what I’m getting for dessert.”

  I smile and let that wash over me then I grab his hand and reply, “If you want dessert you have to be a good boy and let me have dinner first.” I chuckle as he groans and I lead him to his car.

  When we arrive at the restaurant the hostess’s eyes glitter as she takes in all that is Con. I can’t blame her. He’s wearing a pair of nicely fitted dark grey-blue jeans, with black shoes and a black v neck top that’s sculpted to his body, and a dark grey suit jacket which has just one button done up. He’s the epitome of male perfection and as I glance around the restaurant I realise that the hostess is not the only female in the vicinity appreciating all that is Con. I giggle and Con looks over and raises an eyebrow.

  “What?” he asks pulling me to him.

  “You have a fair few admirers in this place,” I say with a smirk.

  He pulls me closer and kisses my temple. “You better protect me then.” I look up at him and he winks, moves away from me, but not before catching my hand and leading me to the table following behind the hostess.

  “Your table,” she purrs and he grins, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. It’s one of his polite grins.

  “Thank you,” he says before pulling my chair out.

  “Your waiter will be over shortly to take your order. Here are your menus…” she pauses and I wonder why until she continues, “Unless you know what you want then I could take your order now?” She barely glances at me while talking to Con. He takes the menus and nods at her waiting for her to leave. After a few seconds she hasn’t said anything and even though I know the hostess doesn’t normally take the orders, she obviously wants Con to notice her. I figure it’s going to be easier to get rid of her if we order.

  “I’ll have the duck in orange sauce with potatoes and green beans and he will have the sirloin steak, medium, with the same and I’ll have a glass of the house white and he’ll have a beer,” I say and glare, she soon gets the message and shuffles off. I pin my lips together determined not to laugh.

  “Don’t,” he says without looking up from the menu that he doesn’t need to read anymore and I bite into my lip even harder.

  He looks up and I know he can see my mirth. “You know most women would get the hump with that, they would be pissed, but not you. No. You think it’s funny.” He shakes his head and a peep escapes me. “You could pretend to be a bit jealous you know,” he says, but I know he’s teasing me.

  “Why? She’s not your type,” I answer looking over to her all willowy, blonde and gorgeous, but definitely not Con’s type and then continue, “When someone more your type starts flirting, I’ll be worried, okay?” He chuckles.

  We spend another fifteen minutes talking about nothing and everything. Our food arrives and I start telling him all about Dane and how he’s permanently inserted himself into my life and how happy that makes me. I tell him about one of the patients at the hospital today, Mr. Mallory. “He’s a crazy old coot. He has to be eighty
-five at least, yet he has the energy of a toddler… and the hands of a teenager. I told him if he kept grabbing my arse I would swap his tablets for hormones and watch him become a woman,” I giggle.

  He shakes his head at me. “You’re a crazy person,” he says flat out smiling.

  “So I’ve been told, but just so we’re clear, why am I crazy this time?”

  “Doesn’t matter,” he says still smiling. I stare at his face, so open and full of love and my brain seizes.

  “I’m sorry,” the words are out of my mouth before I can think to stop them and his smile disappears. I inwardly curse myself.

  “What are you sorry about?” he asks obviously concerned.

  I look down at my lap and then across the restaurant.

  “Pea, don’t think on it, just say whatever it is. We can’t sort it until it’s out in the open.”

  I nod and look back to his dark green eyes. “I’m sorry I wasted ten years.”

  He sucks in a breath and stills. “I wanted to fix things for so long,” he croaks out. He clears his throat and continues, “I always wanted you. Every day Pea, you have to know that?”

  I don’t know what to do and the conversation seems to have taken a wrong turn somewhere, so I panic and say, “I’m not wearing any underwear,” then I widen my eyes realising what I’ve just said and the fact that it was at a normal volume, which means I’m now getting looks from the nearby table. My face reddens and I look at Con to see his face a mixture, he has a smirk on his lips but his eyes light with fire and my tummy dips while heat rushes to my sex.

  He puts his hand in the air. “Waiter.” I see a waiter catch his eyes. “Bill please.” The waiter nods and walks over to the register obviously sorting out our account, he comes back and hands the bill to Con, who promptly pulls out his wallet and chucks some cash down on the table then grabs my hand hauling me up and out of the seat. I look at the two tables nearest and see the women’s assessing eyes, while the men have knowing grins, almost like they want to high five Con and I know he has a smirk. My face flames red again.

  Con pulls me through the restaurant and past an obviously disappointed hostess who he doesn’t even glance at. We get into his car and it jumps to attention throwing me back into the seat. We arrive back at Con’s in record time and he still hasn’t said anything to me. Not that I’m worried.

  He parks in his garage and gets out the car stalking to my side. Swinging the door open, he grabs my hand again and pulls me from the vehicle. Luckily I’ve taken my seatbelt off because I don’t think he’s stopping for anything.

  He drags me straight upstairs without a word and throws me on the bed. I let out a little squeak and watch him prowl to me with his eyes hooded, he takes his jacket and shoes off at the same time then pulls his top over his head. As he pulls his belt through their loops, his jeans drop down slightly to hang on his hips and I can see his v running down below the waistband. I lick my lips and his eyes move to stare at them.

  He puts a knee on the bed and arches his body over me with one hand above my head, then his other knee hits the bed and I’m under him and surrounded by him. He sits back on his haunches and stares at my body.

  “Let me see what’s for dessert… under the wrapper.” He grins like the cat that got the cream and brings both his hands to my thighs, slipping them underneath my dress while hooking his thumbs on the edge shimmying both sides up. I feel the cool air hit my sex as the bottom of my dress passes it. He pauses and looks down. “Mmm,” he says and licks his lips. I feel myself spasm and my stomach twirl. He starts moving my dress up again and I lift my bum slightly so it can continue. When he gets to my breasts he moves his hands away from the edge of the dress, and pushes them up across my stomach until he has one hand under each breast then he stops and looks down at me again. His eyes roaming my face, he licks his lips and slips his hands over my breasts. I drag in a ragged breath and my eyes flutter closed.

  “Open,” he demands and my eyes pop open to see him staring at me. “Lift your head and keep your arms by your side,” he orders. I do as I’m told. He brings my dress over my head and down my back slightly, but just when I think he’s going to slip it off my arms he stops just above my elbow.

  I draw in my eyebrows and murmur, “Urm.”

  Which is enough for him to say, “You won’t need your arms, not for what I have in mind,” and just the way he says it, all controlling and sexy, makes me wetter than I already am.

  He prowls over me again and leans down to my ear, he whispers, “Keep your eyes on me.” Then he softly bites my earlobe and then kisses under my ear and down my neck. I keep my eyes open, although it’s hard. He knows I love my neck being kissed. He moves down to my throat and nibbles his path to my breast. Licking around my breast nearly sends me into overdrive and I have to stop myself from physically trying to force his mouth onto my nipple, not that I could because my arms are pinned, which is a turn on in itself.

  Finally, his mouth moves over my nipple. His tongue circling a few times before he takes it into his mouth and sucks. He keeps it in his mouth sucking while running his tongue over the peak. I try not to squirm too much, but I’m also trying to follow his orders of watching him and it’s as hot as fuck!

  He moves away from my nipple slightly releasing it from his mouth and blows gently making it pebble, he then moves over to the other one and starts sucking on that while tweaking my now wet and pebbled nipple with his fingers.

  I don’t know what to watch, I feel like I’m having a sensory overload. He moves away from me down the bed, trailing his lips and tongue down my stomach, over my hips then to my inner thighs. He runs his palm down my sex and then brings two fingers back up to spread my folds apart.

  “So pretty,” he murmurs, “and so wet,” he adds looking back up at my eyes. He leans down and nuzzles his face in between my folds and sucks at my centre. I catch my breath and close my eyes and I feel him move away from me, I open my eyes and look down at him staring at me. “Eyes open,” he repeats and I nod and watch him return to my centre. He licks and sucks and eats me, moving his hands under my bum cheeks and massaging them at the same time. He groans as his eyes come up and stare at mine liking that I’m still watching.

  I desperately want to close my eyes and it’s going against all my natural instincts to observe him, but it’s making me so hot watching him enjoy me. Suddenly he stops and I want to moan, but my body is still overloaded with feelings, too many to make sense of anything. He stands up and pushes his jeans down and I realise that I wasn’t the only one going commando tonight as his thick cock springs to attention. He moves on the bed straddling me until he’s at my shoulders. Then he takes himself in hand and slowly rubs back and forth.

  I lick my lips and watch the movements, bringing his cock head to my mouth he growls, “Open.” And I do. He moves the head across my lips and I hum with excitement which makes his hooded eyes flare and he says, “Wider.” So I open my mouth ready for him and he slides into me, I immediately suction my lips around him and swirl my tongue over his tip. His head falls backward with a groan and I stop what I’m doing.

  He looks back down at me and I say, “Eyes,” around his cock, which sounds more like, “Esss.” He smirks and watches me as I once again suction him and start licking. I can’t move my body to get a hold of him properly, but he understands this because the next moment he’s fucking my face. Moving his cock in and out of my mouth at a slow pace, letting me enjoy him, and giving me as much freedom to do what I want with what I can have considering my body is half pinned down. After a few minutes, I can see his muscles start tensing and he gently eases out of me. Even though I try to keep a hold of him, he moves back while leaning over and kissing me. He slips his tongue in and I can taste myself on him. He holds my face and kisses me with a passion that’s all him.

  He moves back and takes his cock once again and rubs it through my folds as I mewl with hunger for him. He pushes into me, just a bit at first and then back out and I jerk trying t
o get him back where he belongs. He looks down at me and smiles. He lines himself back up with my sex again and this time pushes in all the way, slowly. I convulse around him and he lets out a rumble of pleasure. He rocks back and then circles his hips and I feel myself starting to ignite. He does it again and watches my breasts bounce up and down before his eyes move back to meet mine.

  “Enjoying the view?” I ask teasingly.

  “Fuck yeah,” he replies and it just makes me even wetter. I can hear him slapping against me now as he moves faster and I feel the tingles rise and start spreading. Suddenly they reach my core and I cry out in ecstasy, “Conner!” While my body thrashes about knowing I have no control and he can drag this out as long as he wants. I finally close my eyes and enjoy the throbbing between my legs then I feel him shudder within me and he collapses, his top half next to me while his legs are across mine and he’s still in me. I smile and close my eyes. I feel him tugging my dress off my arms and removing the boots, which I still have on, but I’m too spent to even open my eyes.

  I can feel myself drifting and I hear Con whisper, “I love you,” before I fall to sleep.

  I’m running towards the car, no matter how hard my legs pump or how loud I scream nobody can hear me.

  “Con!” I shout, but he just looks at me blankly with a coldness in his eyes that I’ve never seen from him. I look around at all the people and scream. “Someone help him!” But they just carry on about their business not taking any notice, chatting to each other about menial things.

  “Someone help him… please,” my voice breaks into a sob on the last word and I close my eyes, screwing them tightly shut, trying to work out what to do. Suddenly someone is shining a torch in my face but I can’t open my eyes, I try to put my hands in front of me to bat the light away, but I can’t get it out of my eyes.

  I jerk and prise my eyes open and see the moon. It’s full and low in the sky. It feels like it’s shining all of its light on me, through the darkened window. I realise quite quickly that I’m still in Con’s bed and the tear tracks, sweat and rapid heartbeat confirm that I was having another nightmare. Yesterday filters through my head, there’s a lot to process. I shiver.