“Congratulations, Kira. I’m really proud of you.” He kissed her cheek before setting her back on her feet.
“Thank you, Gideon.” She smiled up at him. “I wish Mom and Dad could have been here.”
A flicker of sorrow crossed his face. “Me too, kid. Me too.”
She squeezed his hand and blinked back the tears before following Connor to the empty seats beside Grace. Gracie stood and hugged her hard. “Good job, honey.”
“Thanks, Gracie. And thank you for helping Connor arrange this.” Kira kissed Grace’s cheek.
She and Connor sat down, and Preacher leaned forward to give her a rare grin. “Congrats, kid.”
“Thanks, Preacher. And thanks for coming tonight.”
“Wouldn’t miss it.” He leaned back in his chair and studied Connor. Connor held out his hand and Preacher shook it.
“I’m Connor MacMillan.”
“Preacher.”
“Nice to meet you,” Connor said.
“You too.” For a moment Preacher looked like he was going to say something else and Kira held her breath. There was no telling what the tattoo artist would say. In some ways, he seemed even more protective of her than her actual brother.
He studied Connor for a few seconds more. “Be good to her.”
“I will,” Connor said.
“You better.” Preacher took a drink of beer before turning away.
Connor leaned down and put his mouth to her ear. “Would you think less of me if I said I was just a tiny bit afraid of the giant tattooed guy?”
She giggled and shook her head and Connor pressed a kiss against her temple. Addison reached across the table and took her hand. “Congratulations, Kira. Harrison and I are so proud of you. Aren’t we, Harrison?”
“Sure are, babe.” Harrison, he was tall and on the thin side with blond hair and dark blue eyes, smiled at Kira. “If your client needs a corporate lawyer, you’ll give him my name, right?”
“Yeah, of course,” Kira said. “But I thought you were already pretty busy at work.”
Harrison gave her an easy grin. “A lawyer can never have too many clients, Kira.”
The server appeared and poured some wine into her glass and into Connor’s. “I’ll be back to take your order in a few minutes.”
Addison’s phone was ringing, and she pulled it from her purse. She answered it and said, “Hold on a minute.”
She turned the screen toward Kira and Kira made a soft sound of happiness. “Harper!”
Harper’s smiling face filled Addison’s phone screen. “Congratulations, honey! I’m so proud of you.”
“Thanks, Harper.” Kira took the phone from Addison. “How are you?”
“I’m good,” Harper replied. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there in person tonight to celebrate with you.”
“That’s all right,” Kira said. “This is mostly acceptable.”
Harper laughed and blew a kiss at her. “I really am very proud of you, honey.”
“Thank you! Oh, I, um, want you to meet my boyfriend, Connor,” Kira said.
No doubt Addie had told Harper all about the fake relationship, but it would look rude if Kira didn’t introduce them. She tilted the phone so Harper could see Connor. “Harper, this is Connor. Connor, this is my other bestie, Harper.”
“Nice to meet you,” Connor said.
“You as well.” Harper smiled at him. “I hear you’re an excellent dentist and an even better ball player.”
Connor gave her a modest grin. “I do my best.”
Harper laughed and Kira turned the phone back to face just her. “How’s New York?”
“It’s good. Listen, I’ll call you next week and we’ll get completely caught up, but right now I’m going to let you go so you can enjoy your special night. Love you, Kira!”
“Love you too, Harper.” Kira made a kissy face at Harper before handing Addie back her phone.
Addie smiled at Harper. “I’ll call you later.”
She tucked her phone away and Ray tapped his glass with his knife. “I’d like to make a toast.”
As Ray began to speak, Kira smiled up at Connor. He returned her smile before putting his arm around the back of her chair. She leaned against him, warmth and happiness infusing her entire body.
* * *
Connor made his way through the crowded bar section toward the bathrooms. It had been almost three hours and – he grinned a little – Kira was starting to show the effects of the wine she drank with dinner. She wasn’t exactly drunk, but she was definitely tipsy, and he’d quickly realized that he found a tipsy Kira incredibly adorable.
She and Addison had left to use the bathroom just shortly before he did, and his entire body stiffened when he realized that not only were Daniel and his friend Brad here at the restaurant, Kira and Addison were with them.
Trying to keep his cool, he quickly joined them at the bar just as Daniel made a loud shout and picked up Kira. He hugged her hard, and Connor’s hot jealousy abated a little when Kira immediately pushed on his shoulders and wiggled out of Daniel’s grip. She backed up a few steps, weaving just the littlest bit, as Daniel grinned down at her.
“Congratulations, doll. I’m so proud of you.”
“Thanks, Daniel,” Kira said.
Connor put his arm around her waist and tugged her back against him. “Hey, honey.”
“Hi.” She gave him a sweet smile and he knew he had a smug grin on his face when she leaned against him instead of trying to escape his grip.
“Hey, doc.” Daniel picked up a shot and held it out to Kira. “Just in time to help us do celebratory shots.”
“Oh, no, thank you,” Kira said. “I’ve already had enough to drink.”
“C’mon, you gotta do one. This is your big moment.” Daniel held out another shot to Addison. “Addie, you do one too.”
“Uh, no way,” Addison said. “The last time I did shots with you, I ended up puking all night.”
Daniel laughed and held the shot to Connor. “Doc?”
“No, thanks.”
Daniel shrugged and handed one shot to Brad before drinking the other. He winced and clapped Brad on the back. “Damn, man, what was in that?”
“You don’t want to know,” the redhead mumbled. He was obviously drunk, and he leaned against the bar before squinting at Addison. “Hey, sexy.”
“Shut up, idiot.” Daniel punched him in the shoulder. “That’s my sister, remember?”
Addison rolled her eyes before taking Kira’s hand. “C’mon, let’s go back to the table.”
“Are you coming, Connor?” Kira asked when he let her go.
“In a minute,” he said. “I just need to use the bathroom.”
“Okay.” She and Addie left, and Connor stared at Daniel.
The firefighter grinned at him. “What’s up, doc?”
Before Connor could reply, Daniel said, “I know you and Kira are dating now, but I’ve known her for a long time. We have a special relationship that a Willington boy like you, just wouldn’t understand.”
“You’re drunk, Daniel. Go home and sleep it off.”
Daniel shrugged again. “All I’m saying is that you don’t know Kira the way you think you do. She might be a bit infatuated with you, but when the novelty wears off… she’ll come back to what she really wants. What she will always want.”
Connor bit back his urge to punch Daniel in the face. The firefighter was drunk off his ass, and probably wouldn’t even remember the conversation tomorrow.
He gave him a tight grin and started toward the bathroom. “Have a good night, Daniel.”
“You too, doc.”
* * *
Connor helped Kira up the porch stairs. She was only weaving a little, and he probably didn’t need to keep his arm around her waist, but she wasn’t objecting to his touch and he liked the feel of her slender body against his.
She giggled and dug her keys out of her purse when they stopped in front of the door. “Oh man, my head is
a little foggy.”
He laughed and took the keys from her before opening the door. “You need to drink some water and go straight to bed.”
She giggled again and draped her arms around his shoulders before – fuck – pressing her soft lips against his throat. “Why don’t you come in with me?”
“Not a good idea.” His hands cupped her hips when she pressed her pelvis against him.
“I think it’s a fine idea,” she whispered before nipping at his throat. “Come inside, Connor.”
“You don’t want to have sex with me,” he said. “You’re saving yourself for…”
He couldn’t bring himself to even say Daniel’s name.
She traced one finger over his chest. “Here’s the thing… I was thinking that it would be a good idea for me to practice some other stuff too. I mean, I sucked really bad at kissing, right? Which means I probably suck at other sex-related things. You could give me all sorts of lessons that don’t actually end in sex, right?”
“Yeah,” he said hoarsely.
“So,” she kissed his throat again, “why don’t you come in and teach me some… stuff.”
“I can’t,” he said. “You’re drunk, Kira.”
“I’m not drunk,” she said. “I’m a little tipsy.”
He grabbed her hands when she tried to slide them under his shirt. “Too tipsy for me to come in.”
“You don’t want me,” she sighed.
“Trust me, I want you. Enough that I’m thinking this crazy idea of lessons is actually a good one.”
Her face lit up and she gave him a sweet little smile. “It’s the best idea ever.”
He made a low laugh before catching her wandering hands again. “Tomorrow night, if you still think this is a good idea, I’ll come by and give you a lesson. Deal?”
Shit. What was he doing? This was so fucking wrong. But he’d spent the last week masturbating every single night to thoughts of Kira. The idea that she might let him have a taste of her sweet pussy or teach her how to blow him, was impossible to resist.
They both knew what was happening wasn’t real, but did that mean they couldn’t have a little fun together? They were attracted to each other, they had chemistry, and really, Kira was asking him to help her. It was the gentlemanly thing to do, right?
She was giving him a cute little pout. “You could spend the night with me. It’s late and you’re probably too tired to drive home. I have a queen-sized bed. There’s plenty of space for both of us and I promise I’ll be a good girl.”
His cock pressed against his jeans. He had plenty of ideas of how Kira could be a good girl, and all of them involved her naked.
“No, honey, we can’t. Not tonight.” He lifted her hands to his mouth and pressed a kiss against the knuckles. “We’ll talk tomorrow night, okay.”
“Okay,” she sighed. “I’ll be at your ball game tomorrow.”
Happiness flickered through him. “You will?”
“Of course,” she said. “Girls go to their fake boyfriend’s baseball games. I’m pretty sure that’s a rule in the fake relationship handbook. Besides, I saw on the online schedule that you’re playing the Harmony Falls Flames again and I wanna watch you kick Daniel’s ass for a second time.”
She giggled until she snorted, and he laughed and kissed her forehead. “Go drink some water and go to bed.”
“Yes, sir,” she said. “See you at the game tomorrow and then after that’s over, you’re gonna come back here and I’m gonna suck on your penis.”
He laughed and she put one hand on her hip and cocked her head at him. “I’m really good at the sexy talk, right?”
“So good.” He gave her a gentle push toward the door. “Good night, Kira.”
“Night, Connor.”
Chapter Twelve
“What are your plans for tonight, ladies?” Grace took a drink from her water bottle before shifting on the bleachers.
“Harrison is working,” Addison said. “It’s the third Saturday in a row. We were supposed to be finalizing the seating chart for the reception, but Harrison texted me earlier and said he won’t be finished until at least eleven.”
She picked off some lint from her dark blue pencil skirt. “He said we could do it tomorrow, but I was really hoping to have it finished tonight.”
“Sorry, sweetie,” Grace said. “I wish I could help you with it.”
“Oh, you and Kira have both been super helpful and I really appreciate it,” Addie said.
Grace nudged Kira. “What about you?”
Kira forced herself to stop staring at the way Connor’s back muscles moved as he swung the bat in a gentle arc. “Connor’s coming by.”
“Really?” Grace said.
“Yes. We’re dating. It would be weird if we didn’t spend Saturday night together.”
“Fake dating,” Grace said in a low voice.
“Yes, but there’s still a lot we need to know about each other if I’m going to be an effective girlfriend at his cousin’s wedding,” Kira said.
“Does Kira sound like she’s being entirely truthful to you, Addie?” Grace asked.
“Nope,” Addie said.
“Shh,” Kira said. “Connor’s about to bat.”
She watched as Connor stepped into the batter box, her mouth watering a little at the way his track pants clung to his ass and thighs. Maybe, if she was really lucky tonight, she’d be seeing that ass naked and in her bed.
She watched as Connor held the bat over his shoulder, digging his cleats into the dirt and eyeing Daniel closely. Daniel threw the ball and Kira gasped and jumped to her feet when Connor had to drop to the ground to avoid being hit in the head by the baseball.
She wanted to shout in outrage at Daniel but squashed the impulse as Connor climbed to his feet. He dusted off his track pants as the catcher chased down the ball and threw it back to Daniel.
The firefighter gave Connor an easy grin and called, “Sorry about that, doc. Went a little high on that one.”
Connor just nodded and raised his bat again. Kira returned to her seat, sudden tension eating at her belly. Daniel wasn’t deliberately trying to hit Connor, was he? Was he angry or jealous that Connor was dating her?
Don’t be stupid, Kira. You want Daniel to be jealous, but he isn’t. It’s time to face the facts. He doesn’t give a crap that you’re dating Connor. He’s just pissed that Connor is a better ball player than he is.
She jumped to her feet when Daniel threw another wild ball. This time Connor wasn’t quick enough to avoid it. It slammed into his right knee and she made a harsh gasp of fear when Connor simply collapsed to the ground. He held his knee, his face the proverbial white as a sheet, as he rolled back and forth on the ground.
She ran down the bleachers, Grace and Addie right behind her, but one of Connor’s team members stopped her before she could run past the chain link fence.
“He’s my boyfriend!” she snapped at him.
“I know,” the man said, “but just give Jack a minute to look at him.”
She waited impatiently as Jack crouched next to Connor and spoke quietly to him. She couldn’t hear what he said but Connor nodded and sat up. Jack reached for his knee and Connor grimaced and shook his head.
A crowd of players from both the Healers team and the Flames team were gathering around home plate and Kira made a noise of frustration when they blocked Connor from her view.
“Just give him a minute,” the man holding her back repeated.
He glanced at Grace and Addie and attempted to explain. “Some guys don’t like their woman to see them in that much pain, you know?”
Grace put her arm around Kira’s shoulders. “He’ll be okay, Kira.”
She nodded distractedly. Her gaze fell on Daniel. He and Brad were standing a little apart from the others and she tore free from Gracie, darted around the Healers player, and marched across the diamond to him.
He gave her a smile. “Hey, doll.”
“Don’t call me that,” she sa
id. “I am not a doll.”
He blinked at her and she moved closer until she was standing directly in front of him. “Did you do that on purpose?”
“What?” Daniel said.
“Did you hit Connor with the ball on purpose,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Of course not, doll – Kira.”
He spoke sincerely but she had known Daniel a long time and the way his gaze shifted to the left and back, made her see red.
“You asshole! You did do it on purpose. Why? Are you upset that Connor is more of a man than you?”
Confusion crossed Daniel’s face. “Kira, what is going on with you? I didn’t mean to hit your man, all right? It was an accident. It happens sometimes. My arm is a little tired, and -”
“Bullshit,” Kira spat. She wanted to slam her palm into Daniel’s chest but resisted. “You did it on purpose, Daniel Moore, because Connor is a better ball player than you and you know it.”
“You gonna let her talk to you that way, dude?” Brad said.
“Shut up, Brad,” Daniel said. He tried to take Kira’s hand and she yanked it out of his grasp. “Kira, I didn’t do it on purpose, okay? It was an accident.”
“You’re lying,” she said.
“No, you’re upset, and you only think I’m lying,” Daniel said. “I promise you I didn’t.”
“Stop it,” she said. “Just stop -”
“Kira.”
Connor’s low voice made her whirl around. He was standing up, being supported on one side by Jack, and she ran over to him, touching his chest and then his face gently.
“Connor, honey, are you okay?”
He nodded even though his face was twisted with pain. “I’m all right. Just need to walk it off. Isn’t that right, Jack?”
“No, you need to get off of it and put some ice on that knee,” Jack said. “Immediately.”
Kira made a low sound of dismay when Connor, pain lines etched around his mouth, limped his way to the bench.
“Connor, maybe you should go to the hospital,” she said.
Sweet Harmony (Harmony Falls, Book One) Page 14
