“Or not.” He took a few steps closer, wrapping her in his arms. “No one is out there, but I’m not going to lie, I hate that he was here.”
“I do, too,” she admitted.
He held her tighter, knowing he had to ask because she’d never lie. He wanted to know before…before they fell into that bed together. Because sex with her wasn’t going to be casual or meaningless or forgettable.
“Sadie, do you still have feelings for him?”
“Feelings like anger? Hatred? Resentment? Yeah, lots of feelings. But not what you’re worried about.”
“I’m not worried, but I’m treading very unfamiliar waters,” he admitted, turning as Frank jumped on the bed. “So’s Frank. He sleeps with me. Like, right next to me. Sometimes under the covers.”
“Lucky Frank.”
He laughed. “I’ll move him.”
“And Demi? Because she sleeps with me.”
“Wow, we have spoiled pets.”
Frank took a few steps across the mattress, making the little sofa bed squeak under his weight. Demi didn’t move, but kept her gaze locked on him. Then she let out a long, high-pitched, delicate meow, and Frank barked, the two of them absolutely unable to take their eyes off each other.
“He is completely in her territory,” Sadie whispered as they watched the silent exchange.
“Let me get him.”
Just before he reached for the dog, Frank took another step, and Demi moved off one of the pillows. She swished her tail, and in under a second, they’d curled into a perfect circle with Demi tucked into Frank’s big chest, his paw hanging possessively over her body.
“And…they win the bed,” Sadie said.
“No way. We’ll…share.” He sat on the edge and nudged Frank. “Come on, bud. Humans rule.”
The dog adjusted his position, gave a sigh, and planted his chin on Demi’s head the way he did on Connor’s shoe.
“So this is how you two thank us for saving you from lives of scavenging for the next meal?” Connor asked.
Sadie came closer, then sat on Connor’s lap, locking her hands around his neck. “Look, here’s a little corner. Right here. We can sleep very, very close together. Just like our spoiled pets.”
“I like the way you think, Sadie Hartman.”
She looked down at him, holding his gaze. “You know what I like about you, Connor? Everything.”
“Is that so?” He settled her more comfortably on his lap, the dog and cat forgotten. “Tell me more.”
She stroked his cheek and tunneled her fingers into his hair. “I like the way you see life and handle situations and make me laugh and love your dog and treat your family and protect your girl.”
“You’re my girl?”
“Is that all you heard?”
He nuzzled under her chin and planted a kiss on her throat. “Pretty much. Something about situations and dogs.” He lightly nibbled the same spot. “But that was the best part.”
“Mmm.” She let her head fall backward so he could have more access. “Yes,” she whispered.
“Wait. Did I hear that right?” He inched back and looked at her, coasting two hands up her waist and thumbing her breasts along the way. “Was that a yes, Sadie Hartman?”
She laughed and sighed and rocked her hips against him. “Why, yes, it was.”
“Yes to…” He slowly laid her down on their sliver of bed and pressed more kisses all the way down her breastbone, slipping his hand up her T-shirt to caress her bare skin and feel the nipple harden in his palm. “Everything?”
“Everything,” she murmured, already unbuttoning his shirt.
“Including this?” He dragged the T-shirt up to reveal her body, admiring the slopes of her curves in the dim light, then lowering his mouth to taste her.
“Oh yes, definitely that.”
He got the T-shirt over her head, and on the way it pulled the clip from her hair, which tumbled down like handfuls of heaven he could inhale and burrow his fingers into. She finished his buttons and pushed off his shirt, dragging it over his arms while she kissed every inch of skin on his shoulders and neck.
“How about yes to this?” Leaning up, he put his hands on the button of his khakis, flipping it open.
“Yes, indeed.” She helped him with quivering fingers he found hot and endearing. She unzipped while he slipped his hands into the elastic of her sleep pants and dipped over her skin to realize she had nothing at all on underneath.
“And even this?”
She moaned in response, biting her lip as his fingers explored. “Especially that.”
Her eyes shuttered as she drew in an uneven breath, and nothing could stop him from kissing her. She parted her lips and invited more, a little whimper in her throat as their tongues touched, her body arching into his.
Frank made a gruntlike sound, not quite a bark, making them freeze for a moment.
But before they could even laugh about the awkwardness of their four-legged audience, the dog rose and jumped off the bed, then Demi followed.
“Oh, we won the bed battle,” Sadie said.
Connor lifted his head to see what Frank would do, considering if he needed to go outside, but the dog ambled far away to the other side of the room, with Demi, both of them curling up in a dark corner, the back of the sofa blocking their view.
“He’s protecting Demi from something she’s never seen before.”
“Neither has Frank,” he said.
“Yeah, right.”
“Sadie, I’ve only had him, what, a month? Same as you and Demi.”
“And you’ve been alone all that time?”
He drew back, searching her face. “A month? Yeah, Sadie. Trust me, I don’t always live up to my reputation as Bitter Bark’s most-active bachelor.”
“I want to trust you,” she said softly, grazing his cheek with her fingers. “I want to forget that people I’ve loved have let me down over and over again.”
He nodded. Her mother. Her boss. Her boyfriend. “I’m not any of them,” he said, brushing hair off her face. “And if Frank trusts me, you can, too.”
She gave in to a smile that was so pretty he had to kiss her lips. And kiss them some more. And guide her into the center of the little bed.
“Frank’s a smart guy,” she agreed, lifting her hips so he could slide her sleep pants all the way off.
He dropped his gaze over her, taking in her whole body, every delicious curve and angle, every secret place and precious point.
“Connor,” she whispered, tipping his chin up to end his perusal and look into his eyes. “This is most definitely a yes. Yes, please.”
She didn’t have to say it again.
* * *
Sadie wasn’t sure what she’d expected from Connor as a lover, but it wasn’t this much tenderness. Finesse, of course. Capable hands, swoon-worthy kisses, and a physique that could bring a woman to tears—check, check, and holy hell, check.
But it was the delicate way he handled her body, with the featherlight kisses everywhere and a gentle cradling in his arms as he turned her over, that made her want to hold tight to this experience and savor every sizzling second.
He made her feel extraordinary and priceless…and then he made her feel weak and knotted and ready for more.
“We have to be quiet,” he whispered, pulling them deep into the sheets. “One noise, and Frank could pounce.”
She bit back a groan and pressed her mouth against his hot skin. “I won’t say a word…” She traveled over some very nice shoulder muscles as he dipped even lower to kiss her breasts. “Except, oh my God, that feels good.”
He kissed his way down her chest, suckling her and stroking her skin, while all she could do was grip his broad, strong shoulders and guide his mouth to new places while his hand found somewhere else to pleasure.
Then, as she dragged her fingertips over his abs and closed her hand around the length of him, all her pleasure was momentarily forgotten. She wanted to watch him respond to her touch, and listen to his str
angled breaths and sweet words, and drown in the sexy way he said her name over and over again, like she was all he ever wanted.
Heat built to a steamy crescendo, but he paused to find a condom in the pocket of his khakis, currently on the floor with the rest of his clothes. Once he had it, he gathered Sadie under him, straddling her to put it on.
Kneeling, he peeked over the sofa back, then gave her a look that said, All is well over there.
“Who’da thunk it?” he whispered as his expansive chest rose and fell with shallow breaths. She splayed her fingers over his stomach, caressing and exploring each spectacular muscle, watching his torso tighten and rock into her touch.
“Fremi?” she asked.
“Pretty unlikely pair.”
She snorted quietly.
“Almost as unlikely as…” He slid down to line up their bodies. “The loser in the back of civics class and the teacher’s pet up front.”
“You were not a loser.”
His expression grew serious as he looked into her eyes and used his knees to gently spread her legs. “I could lose this one,” he admitted in a gruff voice.
“Uh…pretty sure you’re about an inch from victory at the finish line,” she teased, rocking her hips to close that inch to nothing.
“Not…that.” He glanced down to their connected bodies. “That’s not the sure thing I’m worried about.”
She touched his face, aware of how hot and damp his skin was and how the rest of him throbbed against her whole body. “You don’t have to worry.”
“No? You might not…rebound?”
She huffed out a breath. “Trust me on this, Connor, you’re the only person in this bed thinking about that unwanted visitor tonight.” She arched under him. “So stop and think about me.”
“You’re all I think about.” He started to enter her. “You’re under my skin.”
“Good. Now get in mine.” She added some pressure to his back to get him deeper.
With every inch more, she could feel everything fade away as Sadie’s whole world focused on the place where they were joined, where pleasure coalesced and fire started to burn.
He filled her slowly, taking his crazy time, each second and inch making her want to scream for more of him. The whole time, he held her gaze or kissed her lips, then he closed his eyes and let go, adding pressure and speed and intensity.
She clung to his shoulders and took the ride, closing her eyes to concentrate on each flame of delight as it licked through her body and each curl of need as he took her to the edge and every single delicious sensation that twisted and turned and tortured her with an ache for release.
As he murmured her name and threw his head back with surrender, she gave in to what her body had wanted from the moment she’d turned around on the street and looked up into those unbelievably blue eyes.
This was what she wanted. This was all she wanted. Heady, insane, mind-blowing pleasure. Hers and his and theirs together.
When he finally fell softly against her and buried his face in her hair, Sadie listened to their ragged breaths and pounding hearts while the truth echoed softly in her head.
This wasn’t all she wanted. Not even close.
She wanted everything with Connor Mahoney. Everything.
Chapter Twenty
Connor marched through the bay, hung up his gear, and huffed out a breath.
“Right?” Ray Merritt practically growled next to him. “Four calls in one morning. I’m gonna die if I don’t eat.”
“And sleep,” Connor said, because he’d gotten precious little of that last night. Or the night before, or the night before…basically every night for the past ten he’d spent in Sadie’s bed. When he wasn’t there overnight, it was because he was here, at the station, and then she slept with Frank.
He was only a little jealous of his dog.
“Yeah, you seem a little out of it today.” Cal Norton slipped out of his jacket as he notched his square jaw in Connor’s direction. “Too much campaigning?”
Connor grinned and pointed at him as he walked by. “Hey, you have a string hanging off your T-shirt. Oh, wait. That’s your arm.” He cracked up and headed toward the back of the station, trying to decide which he wanted first, food or sleep.
Both. But first he wanted to call Sadie and wish her luck on the interview she had with the Bitter Bark Banner that afternoon. She was taking Frank with her, too, so he’d get equal time.
And he’d kissed her for a solid five minutes after she told him that.
“Hey, Connor, you got a minute?” Declan walked out of the front lobby, holding a cell phone and slanting his head toward his small captain’s office near the back bay.
“One,” Connor said, following him. “Unless you have food. Then you can have two minutes while I chew.”
“Well, I have something…” Declan gave him a meaningful look and closed the door as they walked into the glass-walled office that faced the inside of the station and the always-busy back bay, where a couple of firefighters were cleaning down a pumper.
“What’s up?” Connor dropped into the guest chair.
“I just got a call from a buddy of mine who’s the fire marshal in Dare County. We went to school together. He’s a good guy.”
“And?”
Declan sat behind his desk, leveling his gaze with a bit of a challenge in his Mahoney-blue eyes. “They’re looking for a captain in Kill Devil Hills. He asked if I had a good man who’s ready for the job.”
Connor’s gut tightened as he met his older brother’s gaze and knew exactly where this was going. “You think I’d leave Bitter Bark?”
“I think you’re ready for more of a professional challenge, and I think you’d make a damn fine captain.”
“I’m running for mayor.”
Declan lifted one dark brow. “First of all, Frank’s running for mayor.”
“That’s ceremonial, and you know it. It’s my winning strategy. What’s second of all?”
“You might not win, you know. This town is in love with Sadie Hartman.”
“Well, that makes”—two of us—“them very smart. And to be honest, I think the town is more enamored of the couple running against each other than any particular half of that couple. We’ll see who wins.” He frowned and leaned forward. “You think she’s going to beat me?”
“I think you should have a backup plan for your life.”
A minor kick of irritation threatened, but he just closed his eyes. Declan meant well. His older brother assumed the de facto leadership position in the family the day Dad died, and over the years, Connor had stopped fighting the hierarchy. “My plan is to be mayor. And maybe, if you, Stan, or Bowen get promoted to chief, I’ll be in this office for one-third of the shifts. In the meantime, I’m good.”
“It’s Kill Devil Hills, Connor. On the beach. You’d love it over there.”
“You want me to leave?” Connor choked softly.
“I want you to get what you deserve, and I know I’m standing in the way of that.” Declan folded his arms over a broad chest, one that Connor knew contained a very kind heart.
“You and two other captains, big brother.”
“Neither of them are going anywhere, Connor.”
He nodded. “I know that. And if I win the election, I’ll have my hands full and wouldn’t even want to be captain. If I don’t…” Then he’d have his hands full of Sadie Hartman.
“You don’t seem very concerned about losing,” Declan noted. “And that’s incredibly out of character for you.”
“So is…” He fought a smile. “Other stuff.”
“Other stuff…like a certain mayoral opponent?”
He laughed. “Well, yeah, but it isn’t Mitch Easterbrook stealing my precious sleep.”
“Really.” Declan shook his head as if the idea that Connor was serious about Sadie didn’t have a place in his brain. “But that’s only supposed to be until…” He didn’t finish, studying Connor’s face. “It got real?”
<
br /> “Look, it’s only been a couple of weeks, but…” He blew out a breath and decided to say it out loud. “I’m all in.”
Declan’s jaw loosened. “Damn. I mean, I can see why you’re attracted to her, but how is she so different from every other woman you’ve dated and ditched?”
He flinched at the expression. “I don’t ditch women, Dec. I bow out gracefully because I…” Don’t want to get kicked in the emotional nuts. “I just do.”
“But with Sadie, you won’t?” He couldn’t hide his skepticism.
“I…” He shifted in his seat, not sure how to explain why this was different. But it was. At least, every night and every morning and every other minute they were together, he was starting to believe it was different. “She gets me, and she gets to me,” he said, knowing it sounded a little lame. “She makes me laugh more and think harder and want to be…better.”
It was like she met that need that his father always filled, the motivator, the inspiration, the reason he wanted to, well, win. And she did it all without one pithy Lombardi quote.
His brother lifted his brows. “Sorry if I’m a little, uh, dubious, Connor. It’s just…tigers and stripes and leopards and spots.”
“Which is your completely pathetic way of saying you don’t think I can change my ways?” Connor shot him a look, a little ticked at that. “Well, time will tell, won’t it?”
Declan tapped his phone, staring at the screen, but suddenly seeming like his head went a million miles away.
“So, you gonna call your buddy and tell him I’m not interested?” Connor asked.
“I’m going to call him, but…” He gnawed on his lower lip, the way he did when he was thinking hard about the right thing to do. “Maybe I should take it.”
“You? Why the hell would you do that?” Connor leaned forward. “Just so I’d make captain? That would be just like you, Dec. Please don’t. Please. I’m old enough for my big brother to stop paving the way for me in life.”
He finally looked up. “I stopped that a long time ago, Connor. I was just thinking that the Outer Banks are nice. Great place to live. Might…be better for me. I have friends out there, and in…Raleigh, though that’s a haul.”
Chasing Tail Page 21
