by Shauna Hart
“Sip it,” he instructed as she lifted the glass to her lips.
After taking a couple of sips, she wrinkled her nose before placing the glass on the coffee table.
Her eyes met his. “Do you think they were trying to hit me?”
It was the question that he had been asking himself all night. As much as he wanted to believe that there was a logical, nonviolent explanation for what happened tonight, he had to accept the fact that it didn’t look good.
“I don’t know,” he hedged. “Do you have any enemies? Anyone who might want to hurt you?”
She shook her head. “Not that I know of. The only person who’s been upset with me lately is Jill. But I don’t think she would…” She trailed off, not wanting to voice the suspicion.
One eyebrow lifted as he tilted his head to the side. “No old boyfriends who are still pining for you?” he queried.
She let out a harsh laugh. “No. For the last few years, I haven’t really dated much. I was trying so hard to get ahead and finish school that I barely had time to do anything,” she admitted.
He couldn’t deny that the information pleased him. It wasn’t that he didn’t expect her to have a life or to have dated. It was just that he hoped that her past boyfriends were all horribly disfigured, and possibly impotent.
“I just can’t believe that someone would actually want to…”
She didn’t finish the sentence, but she didn’t have to.
When she shivered, he slid his arm around her, pulling her close.
His hand caressed her cheek before lifting her chin with his forefinger. Her eyes met his. “It’s going to be okay, Melanie. It’s over,” he said.
The look in her eyes made it clear that she didn’t believe him, but her next words confirmed it.
“Is it?”
It was the question he had been asking himself all night.
Was it really over?
Or was it just beginning?
* * * *
Melanie looked into his eyes. Despite the harrowing events of the night, when he held her this close, she felt safe.
“I should probably go,” he said.
His words made panic race up her spine.
“Connor?”
“Yeah,” he replied.
“Stay with me tonight,” she said. “I don’t want to be alone.”
His arms tightened around her as if he could protect her from whatever unseen force was out there. And when she was with him like this, she actually thought that he could.
“I could sleep on the couch,” he remarked, giving her the opportunity to back down.
Her eyes met his.
“I don’t want you to sleep on the couch.”
He looked down at her, his expression intent. “Are you sure?”
She offered him a shy smile. “I’m sure,” she confirmed.
It was all the encouragement he needed.
He leaned down to press his lips against hers, and she opened willingly. When his tongue met hers, she moaned. His hand slid up her ribcage to cover her breast, stroking the taut bud that begged for attention.
Still, she needed more.
Needed to feel more of him.
She climbed on top of him to straddle him, reveling in the feel of his hands as they cupped her buttocks. The hard ridge of his erection pressed against her pussy, causing a delicious ache. Unable to keep herself from tasting the temptation, she brazenly rubbed herself against him. The low groan that escaped his mouth vibrated through every part of her body.
Deftly, he slid the zipper on the back of her dress down, pulling the straps forward to reveal her. A cool rush of air teased her skin as he eased the strap of her bra down to expose her breast. When his lips covered the straining bud, she cried out at the exquisite sensation. Her fingers snaked through his hair, holding him against her, unable to let him go. His tongue teased before she felt his teeth graze the sensitive skin.
“Connor…” His name escaped on a breathless whisper.
She couldn’t stop.
All she wanted was more of the sexy man she clung to.
Moving against his hard cock only made the ache worsen. She couldn’t help but wonder if he could feel how wet she was through the fabric of his slacks. She didn’t have to wonder long, because he stood up, his hands pulling her legs around his waist. He carried her up the two steps to the bedroom effortlessly.
When he reached the bed, he let her slide down the length of his body. The feel of his body against hers was more seductive than any erotic poetry. He placed her on the edge of the bed, leaning in to release the catch on her bra with a flick of his wrist. Kneeling down, he slid the dress down her legs. He positioned her leg on his shoulder as he began to peel her stockings and panties off before placing an intimate kiss on the inside of her thigh.
She rose up on her elbows to look at him. The look in his eyes left little doubt of his intent.
He wanted everything.
And he wanted her to give it to him.
He placed her other leg on his shoulder, his purpose clear. Parting her with two fingers, he slid his tongue into the wet, hot center of her. Her head fell back on a rush of pleasure. One finger pushed into her, pumping gently in time with the ministrations of his mouth. He sucked the hard nub that drove her wild into his mouth. Her fingers twisted in the sheets, pulling, reaching for the pinnacle his mouth promised.
When she reached it, she cried out as waves of ecstasy swept through her. He stayed with her until the last ripple stilled. Then, he gently removed her legs from his shoulders to stand. His gaze held hers captive as he removed his clothes. He fished out a condom before his pants slid past his hips. She let out a sigh of approval as his cock sprung free. It pointed itself at the place in her that cried out to be filled.
Sliding the condom down his shaft, he grabbed her legs. He pulled her to the edge of the bed. She felt him prod at her entrance only seconds before he drove himself home. Her breath rushed out at the feeling of being filled so completely. Her legs settled around his hips as he began to move inside of her. When his hands covered her breasts to tweak her nipples, she felt her pussy tighten around him as her orgasm took over. He threw back his head as he began to hammer into her. A low groan rumbled through his chest as he came. His head fell forward as the torrent eased.
She went willingly into the circle of his arms when he joined her on the bed. As his hand stroked her back, she realized something that she had known from the beginning but tried to deny.
She was in love with Connor Mason.
And there was no turning back.
Chapter 12
Melanie curled instinctively toward him, her eyes fluttering open. She breathed in the musky, male scent of him, reveling in the comforting weight of his arm drawing her near even in sleep.
Crack!
The sound outside jolted her. Her head rose. Light filled the lower level. Her eyebrows drew together. The floodlights that she had installed were motion sensitive. But still, at this time of night, it was probably just an animal looking for a trashcan to rummage through. She snuggled into Connor’s chest.
Crack!
Alarm sizzled up her spine. A quick glance revealed that Connor was still sleeping soundly. Easing out of the bed, she reached for her robe. Slipping her arms into it, she tiptoed downstairs. Her heartbeat quickened as she edged closer to the door. She had almost reached it when the light went out suddenly.
That was odd.
Maybe whatever animal had wandered up had finally decided to go home. She was just about to turn around and return to the warm comfort of the bed when she heard it again.
Crack!
It was nothing.
It had to be nothing.
Snap!
Leaning forward, she peaked out the small hole on the door. Dim illumination from the pool barely lit her walkway. Suddenly, she saw a flash of movement in the shrubbery. She swallowed, trying her best to slow her racing pulse.
The shape was too big t
o be an animal.
It moved again.
Pressing her face against the door, she tried to get a better look.
It almost looked…human.
The bushes lining the walkway swayed and dipped as it moved closer. All of the air in her lungs rushed out as she realized that they were almost at her door.
A hand closed around her arm, making her scream. She spun around to find Connor standing behind her. His chest was bare and his pants hung low on his hips.
“Whoa! It’s just me,” he said, raising his hands in mock surrender.
Turning back around, she looked out the peephole.
Everything was still.
Too still.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Someone’s out there,” she replied.
Before she could say anything else, he moved her aside to open the door.
“What are you doing?” she demanded.
“I’m going out there,” he explained.
“But…”
He pulled the door open, walking out onto the porch. When he found nothing on the other side, he looked over his shoulder at her. “What did you see?”
Peaking around the door, she answered. “There was something in the bushes. Over there,” she instructed, pointing to the area.
The silence seemed to settle around them as he edged closer. She leaned against the door, her heart beating so fast she thought she might faint.
“Ouch!”
She jumped. “What is it?”
Connor lifted one foot to reveal a red stain forming. Blood darkened his skin as he pulled out a piece of glass. He held it up, his eyes narrowing before letting it fall to the ground.
“There’s broken glass all over the porch,” he observed.
When he continued over to the side, her eyes widened. “Be careful,” she warned.
Worrying her lower lip beneath her teeth, she watched him inspect the area intently.
“What is it? What do you see?”
After a moment, he spoke. “It looks like the floodlights are busted.”
Her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. “But it was just on. It’s what woke me up,” she explained.
When he turned back to face her, she couldn’t miss his grim expression. A sense of foreboding swept through her.
“What?”
At her worried look, he offered her a boyish grin. “Don’t worry. I’ll have someone come by tomorrow to take care of it.”
She drew in a deep breath before she asked the question that plagued her. “Do you think someone broke it intentionally?”
He crossed the distance to rub her arms with his hands. “It was probably just an animal.”
She knew it was a lie.
They both knew it.
And when she looked up into his eyes, she realized that the episode in the parking lot was far from over.
It was just beginning.
* * * *
Melanie awoke the next morning to the smell of fresh-brewing coffee. She stretched languidly, the sheets sliding over her naked body. Slipping out of bed, she pulled her robe on before walking into the kitchen. Connor stood in front of the stove, the muscles on his bare back flexing as he leaned over. The dress slacks he wore revealed the outline of firm buttocks.
As if he sensed her presence, he looked over his shoulder. A lock of hair fell over his forehead. The sheepish grin he offered her made her heart beat faster.
“Coffee?”
At her nod, he filled a mug before handing it to her. She took a sip, savoring the flavor as he continued.
“I’d hoped to give you breakfast in bed,” he confessed.
She tilted her head to the side. “You make a pretty good cup of coffee,” she observed.
He turned his attention back to the stove, letting out a low chuckle. “I do have my good points, you know,” he quipped.
Her eyebrows arched, the corners of her mouth tilting up. “So you’ve said,” she teased.
He glanced over his shoulder, one eyebrow arced. “You doubt it?” he prodded.
She shrugged. “I’m still waiting to see more evidence before I make my final judgment.”
Pulling the pan from the burner, he flipped the dial. Setting it to the side, he began to advance toward her, a hungry predator stalking its prey.
“I’d be happy to prove it to you,” he offered.
Her nipples peaked under the thin robe, begging to be touched. He backed her up against the wall, his body brushing against hers as his mouth hovered over her lips. Just as he was about to kiss her, her stomach let out a low rumble.
Color crept into her cheeks as his eyebrows lifted.
“Maybe we should satisfy that appetite first before we start on the other,” he suggested playfully. “Besides, I worked too hard on breakfast to let it get cold, and I have a feeling that proving myself is going to take quite a bit of time.”
The words were spoken lightly, but she knew that the meaning was much more intense. Rather than pursue it, she let him lead her to the table. He carried the food out before taking a place next to her at the table.
“So, are you coming into the office today?” he queried.
The slight clenching of his jaw was the only thing that showed how much her answer meant. She set her mug down on the table, her eyes meeting his.
“I have to,” she chided. “I still owe you two weeks.”
He pinned her with an intent stare. “And after that?”
She let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t know,” she admitted.
He leaned back in his chair before looking away. The silence seemed to cover them like an unwelcome, sweltering blanket. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore.
“Connor, you don’t understand.”
Shaking his head, he let out an exasperated sigh. “No Mel, I really don’t. You love that place. You’ve spent years helping build it. Why are you running now?”
She lifted her chin at the implication. “I’m not running. It’s just…” She trailed off, unsure of how to explain the repercussions of her actions.
“Is this because Jill saw us together?”
When she didn’t answer, he continued.
“Mel, it will blow over,” he affirmed.
She rolled her eyes. “Assuming the entire office isn’t in on the joke by now,” she replied.
His eyebrows furrowed together on a frown. “What joke?”
Drawing in a deep breath, she plunged forward. “That I’m sleeping with you to keep my job.”
His eyes narrowed. “No one thinks that.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh, no? According to Jill, there have already been whispers, which makes what she saw all the more damning.”
He scrubbed a hand over his face before returning her gaze. “Look, if that’s what you’re worried about, you should know that I haven’t made any final decisions on the staff yet. No position is set in stone. If Jill is…”
Before he could finish, she cut him off. “Jill deserves to be there. She’s always gone above and beyond for the firm.”
He smiled at her ready defense. “She’s a good friend, I take it?”
She looked away. “She was. Before this,” she said.
He reached across the table to cover her hand with his own, and his eyes met hers. “If she was a good friend before, then she’ll be a good friend now. Don’t make any rash decisions on what might happen. Just take some time to think about it before you decide to leave. Don’t let what people say run you away from a career that’s just beginning to flourish.”
When she hesitated, he continued. “I know how hard you’ve worked, Melanie. I don’t want to see you give that up because of what’s happening between us.”
Staring down at their intertwined fingers, she had to admit that he had a point. No matter how uncomfortable things got at the office, she didn’t want to walk away.
“Okay, I’ll think about it,” she conceded.
He let out a breath of relief. “Thank God, because I do
n’t know what I’d do without you,” he confessed.
The look in his eyes let her know that he meant the words in more ways than one. Her heart swelled with emotion as she felt the warmth of his hand caressing hers.
Cocking his head to the side, he released her hand. “Now, get dressed, because I still need to run by my place before we go to the office.”
Later, when she stood under the warm rays of the shower, she thought of how drastically her life had changed in the past few weeks. Connor Mason was a force of nature. He had swept into her life and changed everything. Despite the fact that she was worried about seeing everyone at the office, she had to concede that it was worth it. He was worth it.
Still, she couldn’t help but wonder if the storm had already begun to brew.
Had Jill already told everyone what she saw?
Or was she waiting for the confrontation that would inevitably come before she released the floodgates?
Chapter 13
Melanie hesitantly walked through the office toward her desk. A quick glance around proved that no one was looking at her, especially Jill, who sat at her desk working fervently.
Her eyes narrowed.
It wasn’t like Jill to be working so hard this early in the morning. After all, it wasn’t even eight o’ clock.
She sat down at her desk, leaning over to boot up her computer. All morning, she waited for the ugly confrontation that she was sure would soon come. When it didn’t happen, she began to ponder why.
Had all her worrying been for nothing?
She slipped into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. Jus as she started to fill her mug, Jill came in. After a cursory glance at her, the other woman pursed her lips.
Before she could say anything, Melanie began.
“Jill, we should talk.”
One eyebrow arched. “Oh, I think I already know more than I want to know,” Jill observed.
She let out a heavy sigh. “It’s not what you think.”
