by Jenny Penn
“Goddamn it, Konor! I told you not start with that crap.”
“Yes, you did,” Konor conceded before adding on to his confession. “And yes, I did it.”
“I know what you…w–what?” Alex’s frown deepened as he stuttered over his words, his accusation turning into a look of confusion. “Yes?”
“Yes. I did it,” Konor repeated, going into greater detail this time. “I made sure Heather ended up nominated for the Summer Challenge…and that she won.”
“I…you…how could you?”
“Very easily,” Konor assured him, offering no mercy despite the fact that Alex looked ready to have a stroke. He was red-faced and panting, his fingers already clenched into fists as he stared at Konor in horror. “I just had to point out to a few, appropriate guys that Heather didn’t date anybody. That after thirteen years GD was the only one that ever tapped that…and that sort of started the ball rolling. So, who hit you?”
“Slade Davis,” Alex shot back before returning to the subject he was clearly not going to let go. “I thought we had a deal.”
“What deal?” Konor scowled, though he knew exactly what Alex was talking about. “And why did Slade hit you?”
“You promised.” Alex just couldn’t seem to move beyond that fact, and for a moment Konor felt guilty. He knew the coming weeks would be difficult for his friend. They might honestly prove to be too much. If that happened, then the consequences would be Konor’s fault.
“You swore to me that you would never go after Heather.”
“I know, but…this is for your own good.” Konor knew just how lame that sounded, but it didn’t make it any less of the truth.
“My own good?” Alex gaped at him. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“You’re in love with Heather.”
“No,” Alex rejected that thought immediately, but Konor wasn’t buying his act.
“You’ve been in love with her since she was six and you were seven.”
“No.”
“You obsess over her,” Konor pressed, knowing he was pushing Alex hard enough to worry about getting hit, but his friend didn’t look pissed. He looked scared and sounded panicked.
“I do not.”
“You only do women that look like her.”
“That’s…” Alex floundered as if only now realizing that obvious trend, not that he was about to give in to the truth. “She’s a beautiful woman. Women that look like her, therefore, are beautiful, too, and I like doing beautiful women. That doesn’t mean I’m in love with Heather.”
It did, because Heather wasn’t actually beautiful. She was short, round, and sexy in a wholesome way that made most men think of home and hearth. Those were two things Alex actively avoided. Konor suspected that was because Alex only wanted to make a home and share a hearth with one woman in particular.
“I’ve got a plan,” Konor offered. “If that makes you feel better.”
“No. It doesn’t. What would make me feel better is waking up from this nightmare.” Sounding both defeated and disgusted, Alex shook his head at Konor before turning to sulk away.
“I made you breakfast,” Konor called after him, but Alex didn’t stop or even bother to respond.
Instead he headed for the door and within a minute, the sound of his car was fading into the distance, leaving Konor to consider that things hadn’t gone as bad as they could. He hadn’t gotten hit. Then again, they hadn’t gone well either.
It would take time, Konor reminded himself. Alex was stubborn and tended toward self-destructive impulses. It would be up to him to help his friend overcome those two flaws if he ever wanted to see the bastard happy, which he did, and which was just why Konor had a plan.
* * * *
Heather circled around her father’s house, parking her car in the back drive as she had since she’d first gotten her driver’s license. Unfortunately, she was also still driving the same car she’d gotten on her sixteenth birthday.
That wasn’t all that hadn’t changed over the years. She still lived in her parent’s house, still slept in the same room she had as a baby. The only difference now was that Taylor had taken over her sister’s old bedroom and her mom lived with her sister in Florida.
Neither of them was ever coming back. Sometimes Heather thought she’d never have a chance to leave. Then she would remember she didn’t want to. Why would she?
It may suck having to share a bathroom with her son, but hands down her father was a lot more fun to be around and he didn’t charge her rent. More importantly, he was there for Taylor. Running a business took a lot of things, but most of all it took time. Thankfully, that was a commodity her dad lent as freely as he did almost everything else.
Heather owed her father more than she could ever repay him, but as she sat there staring up at the backdoor, she couldn’t help but wish for a moment that she had left. It wasn’t so much that she wanted a different life as it was that she just wanted a little excitement. She had Konor, no doubt, to blame for that longing.
Looking over at the floral arrangement taking up her passenger seat, Heather couldn’t figure out if she should be mad, alarmed, outraged, or, perhaps, pleased by Konor’s overly thoughtful token. While she wasn’t sure why he had sent the damn flowers, Heather did know why everybody else had. They were all trying to show each other up.
Somehow, she’d gotten trapped in the middle of a bidding war where the currency was flowers. By the end of the day she’d been smothered in them. Heather had set most of the displays out in the alley, not to be cruel, but simply because she had nowhere else to put them.
The attention was overdone and she knew she should be suspicious of it, but Heather couldn’t help but also be a little flattered. It wasn’t all that common for men to notice her. In fact most tended to treat her like some kind of sexless machine that smiled on cue as she delivered their food, which was exactly why she couldn’t help but be a little suspicious of her sudden popularity.
Somehow, Heather suspected she had Konor to thank for her busy day. He was up to something, and the possibilities sent a thrill racing through her. That was undoubtedly a deplorable character flaw, and one she should try to work on, but the truth was Heather couldn’t wait to see what Konor did next. Given the size of the floral arrangement she had to lug up the back steps, Heather was betting it would be big.
Banging through the kitchen’s back door, Heather lugged the heavy arrangement over to the wooden table tucked into the corner and dropped it on to the well-polished surface before glancing around at the empty room.
There had been a time when Taylor would greet her with warm enthusiasm whenever she came in through the door. While those days had long ago faded into ones where he was too busy watching TV, playing some game, or doing homework to do more than holler out a hello, Heather didn’t even garner that much that evening.
“Hello?” Heather called out, hanging her purse on the back of the kitchen chair as she moved toward the arched entryway that led into the living room. “Anybody home?”
Peering into the darkened family room, Heather scowled at the silent TV. There was no way Taylor was home and the TV was off, but she’d definitely seen her father’s truck through the open garage doors. That could only mean one thing.
“Dad!” Heather shouted out, turning to cross the kitchen and glance down the hall that led to the bedrooms.
“I’ll be right there,” he hollered back from the master suite at the very end. Seconds later, her father appeared in a pair of freshly-ironed slacks and a tucked-in button-down shirt. He was fiddling with his expensive watch, the one that had a fancy clasp that always gave him trouble. “Hey, honey.”
Her father dropped a kiss on her cheek before stepping around her and moving for the kitchen table where his jacket hung off the back of a chair. He came up short as his eyes widened on her flowers. “Well, what is this? It looks like somebody has a pretty big admirer. Anybody I know?”
“No.” Heather didn’t bother to
expand on that answer, too interested right then in just what her father was up to. “You’re looking nice tonight, dad. Any reason why?”
“I got a date.” Her dad shot her a sour look as he pulled on his jacket. “With Mia Townsend.”
“Mia Townsend?” Heather’s jaw went slack in shock. Mia was the biggest flirt in church. Everybody knew she’d set her eye on Heather’s father, which explained why he went running in the opposite direction anytime Mia came to close.
“What can I say? She wore me down.” Her dad shrugged, sounding more resigned than excited about his coming evening out. “Aren’t you going to ask about your son?”
“Let me take a guess…he’s with Dylan eating pizza and playing video games.” Which happened to be her son’s favorite pastime.
“Nope.” Her dad paused to smile at her. “Try again.”
“Then he’s at Seth’s house, eating pizza and playing video games.”
“Strike two.”
“Okay, Norman—”
“Nooo!” Her dad shook his head, playing up his denial. “Didn’t you know? We’re currently mad at Norman because he reset all of Taylor’s high scores on Motorsport.”
“That punk,” Heather muttered, echoing what she was sure had been Taylor’s summation of Norman.
Nowadays everybody seemed to be a punk. She had to figure that was better than what it could have been. Then again, she clearly wasn’t right about too many of her assumptions.
“Just tell me, is he eating pizza and playing video games?” Heather demanded to know.
Her dad considered it for a moment before slowly nodding. “Probably, and he’s at Brian’s.”
“Brian’s?” Heather repeated, not certain she knew a Brian.
“He’s one of the kids in his afterschool program,” her father explained, either reading her mind or the doubt on her face. “Brian Straw. He’s a good kid.”
“I’m sure.” Otherwise there was no way her father would have let Taylor hang out with the boy. “That’s fine. Just tell me where I need to go and what time I need to pick him up at.”
“Don’t worry about it, honey.” Her dad waved her questions away. “I’ll pick him up on the way home. It’ll give me an excuse to end my date early.”
“If you don’t want to go out with Mia, then why are you?” Heather frowned up at her father as he stepped up to drop another kiss on her cheek.
“I got to get going.” That’s all the answer he offered her as he headed out the door that led into the garage. Heather followed behind him.
“Well, I still hope you manage to have a good time.”
“I’ll try. Oh, and I forgot to tell you a package came for you earlier.” Her dad hesitated with his hand on the knob to cast a quick look back at her. “I put it on your bed.”
“I didn’t order anything.” Or, at least, nothing she remembered.
“Then I guess it must be a surprise.” Her dad shrugged. “Now go on and enjoy the bubble bath we both know you’re anxious to get to. I’ll lock up behind myself.”
“A surprise?” It wasn’t her birthday. Neither was it any kind of gift-giving holiday, but the sparkle in her dad’s eyes reminded her of Christmas morning.
He was tickled about something but said nothing as he disappeared out the door, leaving Heather to rush off down the hall to find the meticulously wrapped, oversized gift sitting on her bed. The paper sparkled and the box was big enough to hold almost anything, but there was little doubt in her mind who had sent it.
Konor.
It had to be.
Which could only mean her father was working with him. That was not good news. Her father tended to be protective and if he wasn’t, that meant he liked Konor, not that she needed a fatherly warning. Heather already knew she was in trouble when it came to Konor. Whatever he had planned, she wasn’t sure she had the strength to resist him.
In fact she knew she didn’t. Memories from the night before had haunted her all day. Konor might have been totally outrageous with his his commands, but he had also made her feel wanted, almost irresistibly so. Then he’d introduced her to an entirely new definition of pleasure, and she wanted more.
Maybe it was time to put his boast to the test and see if she really did need him for anything. Last night, Heather hadn’t bothered to try. Instead she’d savored the thrill Konor had ignited in her, allowing it to sweep her off into wonderland of dark and dirty dreams. The fragments of those fantasies had taunted her all day, fraying her control. Now she was ready to find out if Konor’s threat had any real teeth and discover if she really was doomed.
Heather fingered the red velvet ribbon twisted into a joyously large bow, deciding to let it wait. It would be a nice treat after she gave herself an even sweeter one.
A half hour later encased in a tub full of steaming bubbles, Heather closed her eyes and let the dreams take hold. The memory of Konor’s touch…and the fantasy of Alex’s, for that was her darkest secret. She lusted after the man who only ever sought to humiliate her.
He hated her. Still she couldn’t stop wanting him, couldn’t stop dreaming of his hands and of how they’d feel as she smoothed her own down over her body, dipping them beneath the bubbles to discover the curves hidden beneath. Heather went slow, taking her time to stroke the want twisting through her into a tight knot that had her crying out as she finally slid a hand through the plump folds of her pussy.
She was wet and swollen, aching with a need that was only inflamed by her imagination as she envisioned Alex and Konor watching her, their gazes trained on every intimate stroke of her fingers as they held themselves tense, like predators ready to strike. As her finger brushed teasingly over her clit, she imagined that’s just what they did.
Heather gasped, her whole body prickling with goose bumps despite the heat coming off the water as she let the memory of Konor’s soft, velvety tongue replace the feel of her own finger as she began to stroke her clit with the same maddening circles he’d used. In seconds, she was panting for breath and straining for the release she could feel just out of reach. It lingered there, taunting her with sparkling whorls of delight that never condensed into the rapturous whirlwind her body craved.
Instead, the aching pain of emptiness left her cunt spasming with a desperate need Heather couldn’t fulfill with just a few of her own fingers. Unfortunately, her favorite dildo was far away in her bedroom locked in her nightstand drawer. Worse, the key was in her purse on the kitchen table. She had no choice, then, but to wrap herself in her robe and make a dash for it.
The cool air nipped around her ankles as she slipped on her slippers and padded quickly down the hall. Not bothering to search for the key, Heather snatched up her purse and spun to rush back toward her bedroom when the cheery jingle of the doorbell had her freezing in her tracks.
Her gaze darted down short entry hall that led to the front door as a sudden unease hit her. It was dark out, and she wasn’t expecting any visitors. The safest thing would probably be to ignore the summons, but surely it wouldn’t be wise to return to the tub if there was a rapist, or worse, a murder ringing her bell.
That wayward thought had Heather’s heart kicking up a beat as she became suddenly, completely convinced that pure evil lingered on the other side. Of course she couldn’t call the police yet either. Not only would she look like a complete fool, but Alex might actually respond.
“Heather?” Konor pounded on the door, giving Heather a start. “Heather? I know you’re in there, and you should know that your dad told me where you keep the spare key hidden.”
Chapter 6
Heather let out a deep breath, releasing all the panic and fear that had gripped her moments before. The volatile emotions had nowhere to go but anger. There was nobody around to vent that sour attitude on but, of course, the man who had about damn near scared her to death.
Bunching the lapels of her robe in one hand, she stormed down the entry hall to turn three different locks before wrenching the door open to confront the man
grinning down at her from the other side.
“No, he didn’t,” Heather retorted, starting right with the argument instead of offering Konor any kind of greeting. “My father would never tell you where the key is hidden.”
“Yes, well, now I know there is one.” Konor pointed out as he stretched an arm up over the doorway and leaned in to give Heather a slow once over that had her heating under his perusal.
She stood there in a ratty robe, her hair wet and undone, her face, no doubt, red and splotchy from the heat of her bath and yet, he gazed down at her with a hunger that couldn’t be denied.
“And might I say that you are looking fine tonight, Miss Lawson.”
“I was taking a bath,” Heather retorted without thought, more than a little flustered and flushed by the grin curling at Konor’s lips.
It didn’t help that he had never looked so tempting. Wearing a pair of faded jeans that hugged his powerful thighs and a soft T-shirt that clung to the powerful wall of his chest, he was a sexual fantasy come to life, one she’d been having just a few minutes ago.
“Is that an invitation?” Konor asked hopefully, leaning even closer to surround Heather in his mesmerizing heat and intoxicating scent.
God, but he smelled almost good as he looked, all untamed passion cloaked in a sweetness that that left her drooling for a taste. She shouldn’t though. It didn’t matter how captivating the devilish sparkle in his eyes was, or what sinful promises waited in the curl of his lips. That wicked twist of a smile promised pleasures so decadent Heather’s breath caught as she completely forgot what objections she’d been about to make.
“Well, I’m not hearing ‘no’.”
“Konor—” Heather whispered helplessly, taking an instinctive step back as he took one forward.
“Oh…well, now I am.” Konor sighed, a sound heavy with regret. “That’s probably for the best, though. I can’t have you ruining all my plans, now can I?”
“Plans?” Heather repeated in confusion as she stumbled back several more steps, conceding space to Konor as he straightened up and stepped fully into the hall. “What plans?”
