Torn (The McKerricks Book 1)

by Harris, A. K.

  “Call me dad, or Alan, or Mr. McKerrick. Now your name sounds familiar…”

  “Ah, I told you remember dad, she’s the one that left Connor hanging.”

  Gwen, Aiden and my dad start snickering, and Henley has absolutely turned to stone. Maybe I should have mentioned that.

  “It wasn’t that funny,” I reply irritably.

  Aiden’s snicker turns into a full laugh, which startles his date. “It was funny. It was so funny. Someone finally got the upper hand against the Connor McKerrick. And it was a little slip of thing to boot.” He flashes a mostly mortified Henley the signature McKerrick grin, “If you ever need anything you let me know.”

  “If she needs anything she’ll be telling me,’ I snap back at him, my hand tightening on Henley’s wrist.

  “Stop the pissing contest where it is, both of you,” my mother walks in the room with that commanding air, stopping both of us before we get out of hand. It’s her specialty. She sets the main course down on the table, some kind of fancy roasted lamb. Ever since our cooking classes, she’s been adventurous with cooking, but this is extravagant even for her. Probably because I brought Henley, nothing like the chance to impress the new date. It’s almost comical. Henley and my mother both trying to impress each other.

  Mom takes her seat, and we start serving up food. Dinner, and the evening go well. Henley and my mother get along unexpectedly well, and it helps that Henley honestly really seems to enjoy Gwen’s company, but it isn’t until we are loading ourselves into the Maserati to head home that she finally lets her shoulders relax.

  “It wasn’t that bad was it?” My voice is teasing as the car pulls onto the street, and I head toward my condo.

  “I don’t know I had this feeling… like I really wanted them to like me. It makes me anxious. I don’t usually care what people think, at least I try not to, but I really want them to like me.” She is clutching her arms, more like she is clutching her scars, and her eyes are gazing out into the darkness on the other side of the window.

  “You had them wrapped around your finger, especially my mother. Every smile lover, every laugh. They loved you, and even if they didn’t they would love you because I do.”

  It isn’t until the words are past my lips that they actually register in my brain. Henley’s too green eyes snap around and stare at me. Yeah, I let that slip by accident. But I feel it. Christ do I feel it, but I don’t know if she was ready to hear that, or if it’s too soon after everything. Her eyes don’t turn away from me, she’s watching me cautiously like I’ve grown a second head. Connor McKerrick, love, and a woman don’t necessarily go in the same sentence.

  “You know it don’t you lover? You have to know by now… that I love you.” I cast my blue eyes sideways to meet her green ones, but they are completely reflective, whatever Henley is thinking or feeling she is keeping it close. “I don’t expect and answer, or even a return of the sentiment. I just think you should probably know… I’ve been feeling it for a while.”

  She doesn’t say anything, she just laces her fingers with my own on the stick shift and goes back to looking out the window.

  “Tomorrow I’ve… got to head home.” Shit. Fucking hell. I confess my deepest feeling to her, and she tells me she’s got to go home. For fuck’s sake. “I’ll have Micky pick you up in the morning.”

  “That’d be good thanks.” The car falls back into silence, and I can’t help but worry I’ve fucked up my chances. Henley is a flight risk if I ever saw one, and I just thrust my feelings right at her.

  I pull the car into the basement garage, and we take the elevator up to the top. The ride up is stifling in its silence, and when the doors open to my foyer, I head straight for the kitchen. I need a drink. I drop my wallet and phone on the coffee table, before heading into the kitchen.

  I’m in the middle of pouring my drink, when Henley walks into the kitchen, my phone in her hand. The screen is flashing up as she hands it to me, but her eyes are extremely guarded. I take the phone with a frown, and keep my eyes on Henley.

  “I’m gonna get ready for bed. Long day,” she said with an easy smile before turning and leaving the room.

  I glance down at the phone, and I can easily realize why Henley was guarded. It’s a woman’s number. Adalin’s name is flashing on the screen. Son of a bitch, she is the last person I want to talk to, but I have to get her out of the way, so I answer the call.

  “What?” My voice is terse even to me. I don’t need Henley running when she is finally so close to being mine.

  “Connor, I’m so glad I caught you, I’m sorry to call so late I hope I’m not interrupting anything?” Just the rest of my life. When I don’t say anything she continues. “I’ve been worried sick. You missed our last benefit with no word, and then I get a call from your assistant to meet up with you during lunch tomorrow.”

  “Yeah, we need to talk. I’m sure my assistant has already set up a reservation, I’ll see you then.”

  With a sigh I end the call, and run my hands through my hair. This whole time I haven’t mentioned Adalin to Henley, and while I’m not doing anything wrong, I’ve always written the nights that I’ve had to escort Adalin as business… I don’t know if Henley will see it that way. Or feel that okay with it. If Henley was out with another man… even for business… I would not be okay with it. At all.

  Shaking my head I make my way back to the bedroom. Henley is in the middle of the large expanse of bed, curled against my pillows, wearing nothing but a sweet smirk. I love her. I fucking love this girl.

  “It appears I’m over clothed.”

  She laughs easily as I pull my sweater off, all my muscles tighten in anticipation. Thank God that the worry I saw in her eyes when she handed me the phone is gone. I shed my pants just as easily, and climb up the length of the bed. My lips start at her ankles, as I slowly kiss and lick my way up past her calves and toward her warm, soft thighs. When I get further up, her thighs fall apart on a soft moan, and I chuckle against her skin. I bypass the part of her body she so obviously wants to me touch, and continue my trek up her body. She lets out a frustrated whimper and presses her thighs together to try and relieve some of the frustration.

  My lips trace up toward her breasts, and I slowly tease the skin around her nipple, keeping my tongue just far enough away that it doesn’t quite give her what she’s looking for.

  With a growl she bucks her hips, dislodging me from on top of her, and rolls until her slick pussy is pressed against me, and begins sliding it the length of my dick. Up and down without ever entering, slowly torturing the both of us.

  She lets out a sad sigh, and takes both my hands in hers. She wraps my fingers around the headboard and holds them there, her green eyes looking into my blue ones so very carefully.

  “Am I going to need to hold on for this next part,” I joke watching her serious eyes.

  A half smile tugs at her lips. “Yeah. You might have to.” Her lips skim against my jaw, down my throat, toward my chest. Every muscle in my body is pulled taught as her lips rove over my skin. Her teeth begin nibbling against me, as she takes one nipple into her mouth playing with it, letting her tongue lave against the sensitive skin, before she moves onto the other one.

  When she seems satisfied by her mouths inspection, her lips begin gliding lower across my taught abs. Tracing the outline of each muscle with her mouth.

  “Henley,” I try to warn her, but my voice comes out more as a croaked whisper. “Stop lover. Stop.” Really please don’t stop. Maybe its selfish, but I really want her to keep going. Even though the last time her face got close to my dick, I almost lost her, I want it. I’ve dreamt of her perfect lips wrapping around me.

  “You want it don’t you? I want to be the one to give it to you. I won’t run.”

  There is a smile tugging at her sweet lips as she kisses lower, her tongue tracing the muscles straight down. When she puts her lips next to my dick, she traces the full length of it with her nose inhaling deeply. Her sweet lips p
art, and that devious pink tongue of hers darts out tasting the bead of liquid dripping from my tip. Just the sensation of her tongue rubbing along the tip drives me wild, and I can’t hold back my groan.

  “I really should have known it’s not the same at all,” she says softly her green eyes meeting my blue ones for a brief second before they turn back down. “The taste is… so much sweeter.”

  Her tongue darts back out again, rolling easily over the head, swirling around the ridge. It takes everything I have to keep my hands on the headboard instead of burying them in her hair. After a few more swirls of her tongue, her lips close around the head of my dick, and she slowly works it deeper into her mouth.

  Just when I think she can’t possibly go any further, she adjusts her position and lets the rest of my dick slide further into her mouth. Fucking shit. She begins working my dick with her mouth. With a groan, my hips buck against her mouth before I can stop them, and she pulls back and quirks her lips at me.

  “Lover. Either you’re going to spread those sweet legs of yours and let me fuck you senseless, or I’m going to fist my hands in your hair and fuck your mouth. I can’t help myself. It feels too fucking good with you going down on me like that.” My eyes are dead serious, and I know she gets it.

  She nods thoughtfully, before slipping her lips around the head of my dick, and with a groan I let go of the headboard and fist my hands in her hair. I give it a sharp tug, and slowly begin working my hips, letting her get used to the feeling. Her lips keep a tight seal on my dick, her tongue flicking as best she can as my speed picks up, I’m careful not to thrust in too deep, and make her panic. As much as I want it I don’t want to hurt her for it.

  My body begins to tremble, and I know I’m getting close. I feel like my dick is going to explode, so I pull out. And glance into her green eyes. They are light with amusement. I cant help but smile in response.

  “Lover if I’m going to come its going to be while I’m claiming you.” Just the thought of coming inside Henley’s body has chills running through my skin.

  “Is that so?” Her smile is sweet as she climbs up straddling my hips, with those soft lush thighs. When she sinks down onto my dick, I close my eyes and think about anything but how good it feels. I am not going to come the moment I slide in.

  She moans as she sinks herself down, taking me all the way to the hilt. My name is a whisper on her lips as her eyebrows furrow. My hands grasp tightly against her hips, as I begin rocking slowly out, before thrusting hard all the way in. Each thrust draws a soft cry from her lips, before long her soft cries turn into full moans. Rolling so that she is beneath me, I angle her hips up letting my cock ram home. Driving her closer and closer to the edge of her orgasm.

  “Connor, please. Please.” Her sweet begging has me driving into her with a wild abandon, pushing us both closer to the edge. When her orgasm claims her, the feel of her pussy clenching down on my dick sends me over the edge with her.

  Chapter 21

  I send her away with a smile and a kiss, but as the elevator doors close on Henley and Micky, I feel sick to my stomach. Henley said she needed to go home and I’m okay with that. I am. Mostly. Kind of. Somehow I feel like something bad is going to happen. Like I’m standing on the edge of gaining or losing everything. And this feeling is something I don’t like at all.

  There is nothing I can do for it, so I get ready for another day at work and hope that Henley will be here when I get home. I gave her a keycard, she can ride the elevator and get into the penthouse on her own. Henley holds all the cards.

  When I arrive at the office building my assistant follows me up to my personal office updating me on all my meetings, it’s going to be a long busy day. Most of my work from the week before has been rerouted and reorganized to fit into this week with everything else I have to do. It’s no wonder that my father retired early to spend time with my mother, you take a week off, and you wont see a free minute for the next year.

  I sit in the conference room with a sigh, I’ve got approximately three minutes before before my rush of meetings starts, a one hour lunch break to deal with Adalin, and then several more hours of investment meetings before I can get home. Probably later than eight. As the first group files in, I do the best I can to put myself into work mode, the sooner I can get this properly taken care of the sooner I can get back to Henley.

  The early morning goes by in a blur, I get several calls from my mother asking me when I’m marrying Henley. I just keep telling her I haven’t asked her yet. Which drives my mother crazy. But my mind replays the words. Yet. Which means I do plan on asking her. I can see keeping Henley for a lifetime. Loving her. I can see cute little curly haired Henleys. Maybe with blue eyes. I want that.

  So with a smile, and maybe a little extra pep in my step, I head out to lunch to end things with Adalin. Not that there ever was anything per se. But I don’t want to risk losing Henley over it. As I’m walking down the street, I get sidetracked by a store I’ve never noticed before. I take a quick look around the street like I’m doing something taboo, curiosity gets the better of me and I step inside. My eyes flick over all the small bits and pieces of jewelry in the store, I try not to let them focus on one thing over the other. My look is so lost apparently, a little old lady who works at the store makes her way over.

  “Looking for something in particular?” her voice is kind, almost matronly.

  “Uh, no… I just sort of… wandered in?”

  She chuckles with that selfsame smile, “Is there an important lady in your life?”

  My mind races back to Henley. Back to little green eyed Henley babies. “Yeah there is.”

  “Perhaps you wandered in search of an engagement ring?”

  I cock my head to the side and think about it. Obviously I want to marry Henley. And right now might not be the best time to ask… but it doesn’t hurt to start looking early does it?

  “Yeah that’d be good. Real good.” Engaged to Henley.

  She smiles and leads me over to some exorbitantly decorated rings. The glimmer could nearly blind a man. And I scan through them but none of them say Henley. They all scream for some high class debutante. Not the kind of woman you marry. Not the kind of woman who spends her mornings making chocolate pancakes for her kids.

  We get to the end of the row before I see it. And I mean it. The gently interlocking platinum vines, delicately holding clear cut sparkling diamonds. Not large ostentatious ones. Diamonds that glitter beyond some well cut large bauble.

  “Ah, that is a nice piece, and expensive piece. Made by hand.”

  She starts upselling it. Telling me how nice the diamonds are. How pure the platinum. The master craftsman that made it. I really don’t care. That ring is Henley’s ring. From the moment it was made.

  When she starts talking about payment plans, I pull out my card and slide it across the counter towards her. She gives me that deer in the headlights look. And for once I’m grateful to have a shitload of cash to buy anything. Because I am not leaving this store without that ring in my hand.

  “Just charge it.”

  She does as she’s told, her eyes going wide when the transaction goes through, and I’ve finally realized the whole point of me having so much money is definitely to spend it on Henley. With a smile I take the ring in its ornate little box, sitting inside the handsomely decorated bag, and stroll out of the jewelry store. I toss the bag not long after I get outside, and tuck the small box in my pocket. My next adventure is figuring out the best way to propose. I’ll have to ask my mom.

  When I make it to the restaurant, I take a seat outside on the patio. I don’t have to wait long before Adalin steps out of the Mercedes. Her fathers most likely. Adalin is definitely the type of woman that the hardest work she has ever done, was hold still for her hairdressers.

  She flashes me her perfectly manicured smile, before taking a seat across from me. She looks expectant, and not expecting bad news. Too bad for that.

  “Listen about the benefits�
� I’m done. It’s been a good run. Our names showed up together several times. I can’t do it anymore.” Every word that passes through my lips makes her smile falter little by little, until she looks absolutely horrified.

  “What in the world are you talking about?”

  “There is someone in my life… that is really important to me. So from now on I’ll be taking her to anything that I have to attend.”

  I try to hold my boardroom stare, but it’s hard in the face of seething hatred. Oh yes. She thought this was going somewhere. Somewhere besides getting left.

  “I’m sorry if this is inconvenient for you. I truly am. But this is just the way it is going to be.”

  “Inconvenient doesn’t even begin to cover it Connor. Not at all.”

  She stands up in a huff, and I stand to escort her out. I do still remember my manners after all. The waiter that is on his way to take our drink orders looks profoundly confused as we make our way out of the building. Looks like I’ll miss on lunch today.

  She stops a few feet from the door, and turns on me. Her eyes are literally blazing. It’s honestly kind of scary. Her hands come up, and latch onto the sides of my face, and before I can stop her she has her lips locked against mine and her tongue halfway in my mouth.

  I put my hands on her shoulders, and shover her away. Wiping the taste of her off my mouth with the back of my hand. “What the fuck is your problem?”

  “You may think this is okay, but you will regret your choices Connor. We could have been great.” She storms off, climbing back into her daddy’s Mercedes, and I’m left dumbstruck on the street. What the fuck was that.

  With an aggravated sigh, I turn back toward the office and walk the few blocks trying my best to forget that Adalin Hirsch exists. By the time the day is over, the only thing I can think about is the best way to make Henley mine. The best way to propose. So when I stroll into my condo, way past a decent hour, I’m a little taken aback to find it completely dark.