No Coincidence

by Tiffany Patterson

  “Ooh, I like that one,” Missy exclaimed as she looked over my shoulder while I scrolled through the images.

  “I think so, too. I’ll post this one. Hey, come on in here with me so I can post you on my IG stories.”

  Missy, never one to turn down an opportunity to get the word out about her shop, was eager to join me in my Instagram stories.

  “Hey, y’all, how’s everyone’s Sunday going so far?” I cheerily questioned into my phone screen. “I just got finished getting my hair styled by my girl, Missy.” I wrapped my arm around her shoulder to bring her in closer. “Tell them about your shop, Missy.”

  “Hey, IG! I’m Missy, owner of Hair by Missy down on Kensington Street. If you’re in the Williamsport area, come and check me out.”

  “Missy is the one who keeps my hair looking right at all times,” I gushed, and spun my head around so the viewers could see my hair. “She also keeps my natural hair under this weave strong and healthy as well. I’ve posted all of her contact information in my bio. Check her out. Bye!” I waved to the camera before letting go of the button and posting the video to my stories. When I peered up from my phone, my breath caught as my gaze locked with Connor’s angry hazel eyes.

  I frowned, wondering what had him looking so upset.

  Missy must’ve picked up on the tension as well because even she, queen of running her mouth, piped down.

  “Thanks, Missy,” I stated to break up the silence. “I’ll call you later this week to make another appointment in a few weeks or so.” I waved and headed out, leaving Missy’s tip on the receptionist desk.

  “Bye, girl.” She waved.

  Connor looked from me to Missy, nodding at her before pushing the glass door open for me to pass through. He didn’t say anything as he walked me to the passenger side door of his car and held it open, his hand taking my arm to assist me into his vehicle.

  “You want to explain what the hell that was in there?” he demanded as soon as he got into the vehicle himself.

  “What?” I questioned, wrinkling my nose with a frown.

  “That. Inside of the shop with posting your location and who you’re with.”

  My head jerked backwards at the same time he pulled off from the parking spot that was directly in front of Missy’s shop and started off in the direction of his place.

  “I always do that. Missy gives me a huge discount for posting her on my IG because it gets her a lot of customers.”

  “And how often do you do that?”

  “What? Post at Missy’s?”

  “Post your exact location.”

  “I know where you’re going with this. Not often, okay?” I started to get pissed off. “Why the hell do I have to change my life and what I do for this jackass that I didn’t invite into my world? What? Am I not supposed to go out anymore? Post about what I’m doing? That’s like fifty percent of my job description.”

  Sighing, Connor looked over at me as we came to a red light. His hand moved to my shoulder, massaging it, and the strain that had threatened to consume my body began to recede just from his touch. “Look, we’re going to get this son of a bitch, but in the meantime you’re going to have to change some of your lifestyle.”

  I sucked my teeth and started to turn my head to look out the window, but Connor’s hand caught me by the chin, pulling my attention back to him.

  “We’ll figure this out, and I swear on my life, this motherfucker won’t ever touch you. I’ll die before I let that happen. Unfortunately, you need to be a little more guarded for the time being, okay?”

  My eyelids grew heavy as I peered into his gaze. His unflinching stare held my own eyes captive and I couldn’t look away even if I’d wanted to … which I didn’t. Simply staring at him made me feel safer, cared for, and most of all, wanted. Within a heartbeat, Connor’s face was mere centimeters from my own and his lips were covering mine. He solidified his promise with a kiss, and I opened up to receive it.

  My body flamed with need, my nipples hardened with desire, and I suddenly wanted nothing more than to feel him inside of me. Stalker be damned.

  Connor, however, pulled back before we could get too carried away in the middle of traffic.

  “A stór, I have zero qualms fucking you right here in the middle of this street, but the way your stomach is growling tells me I better get some food for us before you pass out.”

  I shrunk back, lowering my head and giggling at the sounds my stomach was making. I was hungry, seeing as how I hadn’t had anything besides a cup of coffee that morning.

  “There’s a Jamaican place not too far from here.”

  “The Jerk Shack. Oh my God, they have the best jerk chicken and oxtails,” I damn near moaned, my hunger growing by the second at the mere mention of the restaurant.

  “Guess I know where we’re ordering lunch,” Connor quipped, making a sudden right turn onto the street where the Jerk Shack was.

  “And we definitely need to go grocery shopping later on today,” I commented.

  I laughed at the confused look Connor gave me. “Why grocery shop when you can eat out?”

  I shook my head. “Such a guy thing. We need to go shopping because I’m in the mood to cook. Eating out gets expensive anyway.”

  “Whatever, I’ll order groceries once we get back home.”

  I shook my head. “No, this weekend is the last weekend of the farmer’s market before it closes up for the winter. They have the best produce, and I wanted to get some of their canned fruit spreads to last me for the next few months.”

  Connor sighed but a small smile played at his lips and I knew I didn’t need to do anymore asking.

  “Thank you,” I stated happily as we pulled into the parking lot of the Jamaican restaurant.

  ****

  “How am I going to work tomorrow?” I suddenly paused from scraping the crumbs from Connor’s plate into the disposal, and stared across the spacious kitchen to the circular dining table where he still sat.

  “Can’t you take a few days off?”

  I shook my head adamantly. “Absolutely not. I have my usual weekly call with my virtual assistant, Shauna, every Monday morning. And then I have like three posts from brand endorsements I need to put up this week, and a photoshoot with a new sustainable apparel brand I’m working with. Plus, the podcast is supposed to resume this week so Destiny and I will have to meet up at the studio.”

  My shoulders slumped thinking about all that I had to do this week and the fact that the main computer I used to get my work done still laid in fragments on my office floor. I got angry all over again picturing the damage done to my apartment, mainly my office that was in disarray and the things I’d worked so hard for just broken and thrown about because some asshole thought … I don’t know what the hell he thought.

  “Hey, hey, hey!” Connor exclaimed, coming over to me and wrapping his arms around my body, his hands taking the fork and porcelain dish out of my hands. “We’re gonna put this in the dishwasher because I don’t want you breaking all of my shit,” he grunted.

  I watched as he placed the dishes in the washer and closed it. Then he came to stand over me as I leaned back against the sink. His hands moved to either side of my body.

  “Tell me what you need to make it happen.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Just like that?”

  He nodded. “Exactly like that. Tell me.”

  “I need a laptop at least. All of my files are saved on the cloud, and I can access them through my phone or my tablet but it’s easier for me to see everything on a bigger screen.”

  “That’s it?”

  I blinked. “What do you mean that’s it? That’s important.”

  “I get that. What else do you need?”

  “Oh …” I mumbled, feeling silly for my outburst. “Um, space to work, obviously.”

  “Obviously. We’ve got plenty of space in my office. Only myself and my receptionist are there full-time. My other employees come and go as needed. You can use one of the o
ffices we have available.”

  “Really?”

  He pressed a kiss to my lips, and I tasted the red wine I paired with the meatloaf, parmesan and chive mashed potatoes, and roasted Brussel sprouts I’d made for dinner. Connor only had a sip of the wine from my glass.

  “Yes, really,” he responded, his voice heavy with emotion as his arms moved to my waist and he pressed forward, firming our bodies together.

  My body responded without hesitation.

  “Anything you need,” he added before kissing me again.

  My arms raised and my fingers intertwined in his hair, and suddenly all of the worries I seemed to have only a few moments ago were erased. The feeling of his kiss, and his hands slipping underneath the T-shirt I wore, replaced the worry.

  A yelp escaped my lips when Connor’s sudden move had me with my legs hoisted up around his waist. I gripped his shoulders tightly, concerned he’d drop me, as he moved from the kitchen, through the living room, and up the stairs to his bedroom. The ease of his movement astounded me. I wasn’t a small girl, and while, for the most part, I’d come to terms with my size, intimate moments like this still had me on edge a little.

  “Relax, a stór. I’d cut my own hair off before even thinking of dropping you,” he growled and nipped my bottom lip with his teeth, causing me to giggle.

  “Why do I feel so safe with you?” I questioned and then bit my tongue, not having meant to blurt that question out loud.

  Connor’s eyes darkened as he lowered our bodies to his bed. For a long while he just hovered over me. Then he leaned in and kissed my forehead, and I swear it was one of the most intimate things I’d ever experienced. The moment his lips touched my skin it was as if an electric current shot down from the top of my head to the tips of my toes, causing them to curl.

  “Because you are,” he finally declared.

  I stared up at him and so many questions swirled around in my head. Like, how the hell was this even happening? How did I happen to walk into a random bar in a city halfway across the country after not wanting to go back to my hotel room solo, and end up in this man’s arms and feeling so cherished all these months later?

  I didn’t have answers to those questions, nor did I truly want to hash out those answers while laying underneath Connor’s body. So instead of contemplating anymore, I reached up, cupping his face and raising my head to meet his lips. He controlled the kiss, but he did it with such enthusiasm and fervor that I didn’t mind letting him have control.

  I let my fingers dance in the softness of his hair, pulling the strands free of the band he always kept them tied up in. His hair fell around us, as if cocooning us in our own little world. I allowed my hands to travel down his chest and abdomen, and then up and underneath his shirt to feel the ripples of muscles that laid there beneath smooth skin.

  A moan pushed through my lips when his hands did the same, only his hands were full of intent as they quickly undid the front clasp of my bra, allowing my breasts to spill out of their confinement. A gush of air made its way out of my lungs at the feeling of freedom that came with the undoing of the bra. Connor pushed the shirt I was wearing up and over my head, tossing it to the floor. The shirt was soon followed by the bra. And he lowered his mouth, covering one nipple with his hot mouth.

  “Don’t stop!” I pleaded, arching my back to receive more of what he was giving. My mouth grew dry due to the gasps and moans that continually escaped my lips from the pleasure he was feeding my body. He pinched and twisted my other nipple with his calloused hands to the point of pain. Somehow the pain merged with the pleasure of his mouth and I’d be damned if I didn’t find my legs trembling and an orgasm ripping through my body.

  Calling out the only name who’d ever given me an orgasm from playing with my breasts, my voice went hoarse. Yet, we were just getting started.

  I barely had time to come down from my first orgasm when Connor’s insistent hands were pulling at the skinny jeans I’d worn that day, removing them from my body. My lace panties were soon to follow.

  I gasped at the tearing sound. “Connor!” I yelped. “Those are one of the only pair I have left,” I reminded him seeing as how a certain stalker had left me with only a few of my own underwear.”

  “Too bad.”

  I would’ve called him on it not sounding apologetic in the least. I would have if he wasn’t so damned fast in flipping our bodies over so that I straddled his. Not only that, but he hoisted me up, pushing himself down farther on the bed, somehow making it so that his face was directly beneath my aching core as I sat up on my knees.

  Stunned by our new position, I leaned forward, placing my hands against the wooden headboard as I stared down, opened mouth at Connor. The mischievous sparkle in his eyes had my pussy dripping wet and he hadn’t even touched my womanly folds as of yet.

  But oh my God! Once he did, my head fell back and the yell that emanated from my throat was enough to disturb his neighbors. I was sure of it, and yet, I didn’t care either. Connor ate me out like a man on a mission, and no one was about to get in his way.

  “Fuuuuck!” I croaked out when his tongue whirled around my clitoris for what felt like the hundredth time. His hands held firmly to either side of my asscheeks, keeping me in place. If I had any fears about potentially crushing his airway in this position, they were laid to rest when Connor pushed my hips down, pressing my knees further into the bed and trapping me in place.

  He was so good at what he was doing that my vision began to blur with tears. The man was actually bringing me to tears. I felt them streaming down my face as I repeatedly yelled out his name, begging him to stop, and yet, pleading with him to keep going. My hips began pumping wildly as the shaking in my thighs kicked up. My body needed its release like a plant needs water and sunlight to grow. I was on the verge of dying. I was sure of it. And when I opened my mouth to tell Connor this, a silent scream escaped my lips instead.

  I rocked against Connor’s incessant mouth as he tried to suck my very soul through my clitoris. It was all his for the taking when that second orgasm hit me like wildfire. My entire body shook and convulsed almost to the point of pain. My fingers ached from gripping the headboard so harshly and my feet strained against the curling of my toes.

  “Holyyy fuck!” I cursed, beating my fist into the wall behind the headboard. I swear if I had the energy to beat Connor black and blue when his ass had the nerve, the gall to laugh at my reaction, I would have. But I was just about done.

  Oh, but he wasn’t.

  Of course, he wasn’t.

  “Connor, what—” My question was cut short when I soon found myself positioned on all fours, Connor behind me. “Ooh,” I hummed out, my back arching as he slid inside of me from behind.

  “That’s it, raise that ass in the air for me to see, baby,” he groaned, and the walls of my vagina contracted at the rumbling in his voice.

  On instinct, I began throwing it back on Connor, to which he responded by tightening his hands around my hips, and sliding in even deeper. My stomach muscles clenched and I tightened my fingers around the bedsheets, trying hard not to rip them completely from the bed. But the way Connor was moving behind me, and more importantly, inside of me, I wasn’t going to be able to control myself.

  “Oh God, that feels so gooood!” I groaned out, barely able to get the words out of my mouth.

  “You like that, baby?”

  My mouth opened to respond with a resounding, “Yes!” but all that came out was moan after moan. Especially when he adjusted his hips, angling them so that the tip of his cock ring bumped up against my G-spot. That damn bar, adding to an already incredibly pleasurable moment, I erupted again.

  All I saw were stars in front of my eyes as the orgasm rocketed through every cell in my body. Behind me I could make out the faint sounds of Connor groaning, his arm flexing around my waist as he also succumbed to an orgasm. The intimacy of the moment was increased when he balled his free hand in my hair, pulling my head back enough to allow hi
s lips to come crashing down on top of mine. Right then, I tried to discern whether I was the giver or receiver of all of this pleasure, but my thoughts were too scrambled.

  It wouldn’t be until later, as I laid down against Connor’s sweaty chest, our bodies fighting to regulate our breathing, that I would realize I was both—I was both the giver of pleasure and the receiver of all the bliss Connor had to give.

  Chapter Twelve

  Resha

  “You’re not in your office. Did you go to a coffee shop?” Shauna questioned, only half paying attention to me as she adjusted the setting on her chair. “I know that little girl was in my office when I told her to stay out,” she fussed, as she heightened her chair.

  “Marley?”

  Shauna’s gaze returned to the screen as she rolled her hazel eyes. I couldn’t help but notice they were a darker hazel than Connor’s. “Who else?” Shauna responded. “I know my momma lets her come in here when she’s babysitting her and I’m not around. I had three chocolate bars missing from my desk the other week.”

  I giggled at the fact that Shauna counted all of the chocolate bars she kept in her desk.

  “Leave her alone. She’s too cute to get mad at,” I retorted about her almost four-year-old daughter. Shauna kept a picture of her on her desk—which I saw from time to time—and the little girl had interrupted our call on more than one occasion, barging into Shauna’s office while we were on the line. And while my virtual assistant became embarrassed, apologizing for the intrusions, I was delighted seeing her mini-me in her element.

  I lowered my gaze as that familiar pang of want raced through my chest. At thirty-seven I was questioning whether or not I would ever get to have the one thing I’d always wanted: a family of my own.

  “So which coffee shop are you at? I thought you didn’t like the last one you tried to work at.”

  I startled, being pulled from my self-pity induced stupor. “Oh, I’m not at a coffee shop. I, uh, a friend of mine let me borrow some office space.”