The Sirens of SaSS Anthology

by Anthology

  “And for the record? I liked the couch, too. That spark your friends talked about? We have a fucking inferno. When you’re ready, I’m more than happy to show you just how hot we are together.”

  We both grinned at each other, his arms still wrapped around me.

  He turned serious. “Jenny, have you ever had a feeling? Just something that told you something, someone was the exact right thing for you?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  He smiled down at me. “I have. Three times. My parents died when I was young, and a great couple named Kelly and Jason adopted me. They had come to the group home to see a little girl, but I took one look at them and informed Kelly she was supposed to be my new mommy. I remember looking at her and just feeling like she was what I had been waiting for; that once she loved me, I would be okay again.”

  “Connor—” My voice caught at the emotion in his voice.

  His arms tightened, his hands splayed across my back, his fingers moving. “They took both of us, since I also refused to leave without Carly. As soon as I met her at the orphanage, I became her big brother, and I told Kelly and Jason we were a package deal. They came to see her and adopted us both.”

  I felt the tears gathering in my eyes as he shared his past with me. I wanted to know everything about this man. He was quiet for a moment, seemingly lost in his thoughts.

  “You said three times?” I prompted quietly.

  He stared at me thoughtfully, his fingers still moving on my skin. When he spoke, his voice was full of warmth. “First, Carly, then Kelly and Jason. I knew I was supposed to have them in my life, and I was right. They are my family.” His hand stopped its caresses and moved to cup my face. “I can’t wait for them to meet you. They are gonna love you.” He drew in a deep breath. “The third time was when I met you, Jenny. You offered me your hand, and when I took it, it was as if I had come home. I knew, one day, you’d be mine.”

  I could no longer contain my tears. They poured down my face as I looked at him. No one had ever said something as beautiful as that to me in my life.

  He wiped away the tears and leaned in, his lips nuzzling my cheek; his voice tender as he spoke. “So, however it happened, how quickly we got here, doesn’t matter. How I feel about you hasn’t changed except to think this is exactly how it was supposed to be, Jenny. I’m yours, if you want me. I have been for months. I will be for as long as you let me. Please let me.”

  I could only get one word out as I gazed at him, awed by the passion in his warm eyes.

  “Yes.”

  ***

  We were snuggled on the bed, our bodies entwined. We had been talking for hours, asking questions, sharing soft, loving kisses and caresses, and basking in the closeness of being together. I hesitated before I leaned up on my elbow and looked at Connor.

  “What?” he asked tenderly. “Just ask me, Jenny.”

  “Your job . . .”

  He sat up, leaning against the headboard. “We should discuss that subject.”

  “It’s very dangerous?”

  “Well, it certainly is more dangerous than working at the local Bingo hall.” He grinned. “Although, I hear those old bitties get awfully handsy with their canes if you don’t call the numbers loud enough.”

  I frowned at his attempt to make me smile. “I’m serious.”

  He picked up my hand, his long fingers tracing the veins on the back of it as he thought it over.

  “It can be dangerous, Jenny. But I’m careful. I have a good partner.” He smiled encouragingly. “Honestly, there are more days I don’t draw my gun than I do. We don’t live in a high crime city—Grimsby isn’t like Toronto. It’s not like anything you see on TV. I’m not knocking down doors every day and breaking up major drug rings. A lot of my job is helping people. I like that part.”

  “But there is crime.”

  “There is.”

  “Do you wear a bullet proof vest?”

  “Yes. We all do.” He paused and cleared his throat. “Is that something you can live with, Jenny?”

  I sighed. “I’ll worry about you.”

  “I’m careful. I promise. And you might not have to worry for too long.”

  “Why?”

  He looked almost bashful as he grinned at me. “I spent some time in the forensic lab. I really enjoy that aspect. Putting the pieces together. Working with the police investigators. Solving cases with the collected evidence. It’s usually long and tedious—again, nothing like you would see on TV, but I love it. I’ve applied to take the courses to become a CSI. If I’m accepted, I’ll take a leave of absence from the force and see where it goes. I have some good contacts at the lab, which would help once I pass the courses.”

  “Connor, that is amazing!”

  He nodded. “As much as I’d miss some of what I do now, I can see myself in the lab ten, twenty years down the road. I’ll miss the force, but . . .”

  “You love being a cop, don’t you?”

  His lips quirked. “Some days more than others.”

  “What was that smile for?”

  “Um, nothing.”

  “Something, I think. Your partner called earlier, and you smiled like the cat that swallowed the canary when you were talking to him. You said you’d tell me later.”

  Pouting, he leaned forward, pulling my face to his and kissing me deeply until I was breathless. “Okay.”

  “Okay?”

  “I’ll tell you. I just had to kiss you in case you decided not to find this funny.”

  Crossing my arms, I glared. “Connor. Tell me.”

  “After you passed out, I was picking up your purse and your cellphone fell out. Your contact list was open.”

  “And?”

  “I looked up the jerk’s information.”

  “Why?” I asked, confused.

  “He hurt you, Jenny. He put his hands on you. That is unacceptable.” He shrugged. “I wanted to check him out.”

  “Oh my God, did you have him arrested?”

  “No. But I did find out he had three unpaid parking tickets.”

  I shook my head. “He always has some. He parks that stupid car in all sorts of places he shouldn’t.” I pursed my lips. There was more; I knew it. “Connor, what did you do?”

  “I, um, arranged to have his car impounded. It was towed away this afternoon while you were passed out.”

  “He’d freak out!” I gasped.

  Connor nodded and grinned. “Oh, yeah, he did. The idiot made it easy, though. He had it parked illegally when the tow truck arrived, as well. I was told he acted like a complete ass at the impound. The only way he could get it back was to pay his tickets and the fines before they released it back to him. It cost him huge.”

  I narrowed my eyes at Connor. “There is more to this story.” I thought about the call I had only half- listened to. “You did something . . .” My eyes widened. “You did something to his car!”

  “Not me. I did nothing.”

  “Connor.”

  He held up his hands. “I may have had some help. That person may or may not have hidden a small dead fish or two somewhere deep inside the car.”

  I gaped at him. “But they’ll go bad, and it’s summer . . .”

  His grin was evil. “They’ll stink, really badly. The car will become un-drivable and un-sellable.”

  I stared at him, wordless.

  He stared back, not at all apologetic. “You never place more value on a car than the woman in your life, Jenny.” He narrowed his eyes. “You never touch someone I care about.”

  I continued to stare, my thoughts rampant.

  He shifted uncomfortably. “Um, Jenny? You’re not gonna like; kick me in the nuts now, are you?”

  I gave in. I started to laugh and didn’t bother stopping the snorts that were liberally scattered among the guffaws. I fell back on the bed, holding my stomach, as my mirth spilled over.

  Connor leaned over me, his face wreathed in smiles. “Johnny is not having a good day. He gets kicked
in the balls, his cellphone takes a swim”—he waggled his eyebrows— “his car is towed, and in the matter of a few days, will start smelling like ass. Really, really bad ass.”

  I kept laughing. I knew I shouldn’t. I knew I should tell him off, not only for looking in my cellphone, but also for pulling such a childish prank. Part of me knew I needed to tell him to get the fish out of the car the same way he got them in. But I couldn’t. He was gazing down at me with the most yearning expression on his face. It begged me not to be angry. So, I kept laughing until I was exhausted. The whole time Connor hovered over me, his face expressing his enjoyment at my reaction.

  I fixed a serious expression on my face as I cupped his cheek. “Don’t do that again. Or I’ll get mad.”

  “If he stays away from you, I won’t. You took care of his precious phone; I helped with the stupid car. I have no reason to bother him if he stays away. I don’t want you mad either.” He grinned. “If you got mad, would you punish me, Jenny?”

  “I might.”

  His grin grew wider and he lowered his lips to my ear, his voice husky. “I, um, have handcuffs, if you really need to punish me. I’d take it like a man.”

  I couldn’t help the shiver that went through me. “I think you’d enjoy that too much for it to be considered punishment, Connor.”

  He chuckled, his lips ghosting over my skin. “You may be right.”

  I sighed. “No more. Leave him alone, okay? He is out of my life. Gone.”

  “I will.” He pulled back and kissed my palm. “I actually feel bad for him right now.”

  “Because of his smelly car?”

  His face softened and he lowered his voice. “No. Because today, he lost the most amazing woman in the world and he has no idea how empty his life will be without her.” His voice grew nervous. “And he is never getting her back.”

  “No.”

  “You’re mine now, Jenny. You’re going to be my whole world. I know it.”

  We stared at each other, and before I could stop them, the words were out. They were right, and I meant them. I had felt it for months; I had fought it for months, but it was there.

  “And you, mine.” I hesitated. “I think I’m falling in love with you, Connor.”

  His eyes widened and he smiled. “The Stockholm syndrome has happened, has it?”

  “No. You happened. You walked into my life and changed it.”

  This time, when he smiled, it was different. It was a smile that promised a whole lifetime of laughter and caring. Of being cared for and protected. Of being together.

  “You go ahead and fall. I’ll be right there to catch you. I’m falling too, Jenny.” His lips covered mine, his passion evident, his touch overwhelming.

  For the first time in my life, I knew.

  I’d found my home, too.

  ***

  “Here.” Connor tossed a box into the cart. “Next?”

  I looked in the cart, already knowing what I would see. “I said Shreddies, Connor. Not Frosted Flakes.”

  “I like Frosted Flakes.”

  “They aren’t for you. They’re for me. For my apartment.” I avoided lifting my eyes. If I lifted my eyes and saw his sweet, pleading gaze, I was toast. I was always toast when it came to him.

  “But, Jenny, I like it when you have breakfast in my apartment, with me. In my bed. I like Frosted Flakes. I really like how they taste when I eat them off you.”

  Internally, I groaned, shutting my eyes. He shouldn’t be saying things like that in the grocery store. When he said things like that, I wanted to say fuck the groceries and leave.

  His arm went around me, his lips nuzzling my ear. “Instead of fucking the groceries, why don’t we go home, and you can fuck me, Wren? I’m good with that.”

  Shit, that wasn’t internal.

  His chuckle was low and deep. “Neither was the toast remark.”

  I sighed and leaned back into his caress. I should never have wine with dinner and try to accomplish something afterward. Ever. Especially with Connor around.

  “We can accomplish something, Jenny. We just need to get out of the store before I bend you over the cart and accomplish it here.” His hips flexed into me, showing me exactly what he wanted to accomplish. “It’s probably not a good idea for me to get arrested for public lewdness. I don’t think my pretty face would survive jail.”

  I straightened up and pushed him away. “You and your accomplishing things is what has me in the grocery store aisle at nine o’clock at night on a Wednesday, Connor. I have no food in the house.”

  He grinned at me. “I keep telling you, you don’t need it, I have food. I’m happy to share. You can just stay at my place.”

  I snorted. “You have about as much food as I do, Connor. We ordered out the last two nights. Now give me the Shreddies.”

  Pouting, he tossed the box in the cart. “They taste like ass. You need like six teaspoons of sugar on them just to make them palatable.”

  “You bite my ass all the time and moan about how it tastes. Are you saying my ass tastes like Shreddies now? Do you need to sprinkle me with sugar, too?”

  He stared at me, his eyes going dark as he licked his lips. That was not a good thing to say. I should never have said that. Connor did not need added incentive to be excited.

  “You and your ass have no need for added sweetness. But I’m happy to try it—once.”

  “Connor—”

  He grinned, a dark, mischievous grin before he chuckled. “Okay, Jenny. Let’s finish your list and go home. But the Frosted Flakes are staying.”

  I pushed the cart while rolling my eyes. “You’re not eating them off me again,” I muttered.

  “Oh, yes, I am.”

  “Not with milk.”

  He let out a bark of laughter as we rounded the corner. “I admit it was messy.” His arm wrapped around me, pulling me close. “But tasty.” He kissed my forehead. “You make everything taste better.” His breath sighed against my skin. “You make everything better, Wren.”

  Oh. My. God.

  How did he do that? One second, he was all hot and sexy, dirty talk, and the next second he made me feel as if I were the center of his universe.

  His voice was low. “You are.”

  I shivered. If he kept that up, he was seriously getting laid as soon as we got home. Forget the perishables.

  “That’s the plan, Jenny.”

  I was never drinking and shopping with Connor again.

  ** Connor**

  I bit back my smile at her indignation. She tried so hard to be stern and failed miserably. Nestled under my arm, she fit well next to me. She was about average height at 5’5”, but given the fact I was 6’4”, she barely reached my chest. Her creamy complexion and full lips were set off with wide, dark brown eyes and golden-brown hair that fell to her shoulders. She wasn’t conventionally pretty, but to me, she was the most beautiful girl in the world. Spunky, with a smart mouth, she was fucking adorable. I loved her. She was sweet, funny, intelligent, and so responsive. She was also a fast drunk. One glass of wine got her giggly and two destroyed any verbal filter she had without her knowing it. By glass three, she was sleepy and four was a total TKO. Tonight, at dinner, she’d had two glasses and out came my favorite Jenny: chatty with no filter. I loved hearing her inane and funny thoughts. I especially loved hearing her thoughts about me. About us. Her perceived inner dialogue was music to my ears.

  I looked down at her, tucked into my side, her hands wrapped around the handle of the cart. I had to smile as I watched her. Her cheeks were flushed, and I knew it wasn’t just from the wine. She wanted me as much as I wanted her. When I had told her on our first night together we’d be an inferno in the bedroom, I had no idea how accurate that statement would be for us. She was everything I could have asked for in a lover: passionate and fierce at times, teasing and sweet at others. As well, she was achingly beautiful in her desire. Together we fit perfectly, and I adored everything about her—even when she was bossy about cereal
.

  My mind strayed, thinking about our first time.

  We didn’t plan it; it simply happened. We spent all weekend together. I took her to return the watch, laughing when she picked out something pretty for herself instead. “Money well spent,” I informed her with a kiss. “Much better.”

  We talked about everything. From our childhoods, schooling, parents, friends, what we wanted from our relationship, even to birth control and being safe. We left nothing to chance. I was serious about this girl.

  She stayed the night again Saturday. She slept in my arms, and for the moment, I was good with that. Sunday after dinner, she smiled as we finished the dishes and waved her hand toward the door.

  “I should go. I have laundry to do, and a little work I meant to do this weekend. Until I got, ah, got . . .”

  I moved closer, slipping my fingers through her belt loops on her jeans, tugging her close.

  “Sidetracked?” I offered.

  “My boyfriend put me on house arrest.”

  I lowered my head to her neck, pressing kisses to the column of her throat. “I let you go back to your apartment yesterday, Jenny. You came back of your own free will.”

  She made a sound, a cross between a moan and a whimper. It was low and sexy. She tightened her hands on my shoulders.

  “Do you really have to go?” I murmured.

  With a sigh, she stepped back. “Yes. We both have things to do. Your shift starts at seven tomorrow morning. I have a meeting I need to be ready for.”

  She was right, and I knew it. The fact she knew my schedule made me grin, even as I tamped down my disappointment. I leaned over her shoulder, snagged a spare key off the hook, and pressed it in her hand. “Use this whenever you want, Wren.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  I pulled her in, hugged her close, and walked her to her door. “Sleep well, little bird. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

  She rose up on her toes, and I met her partway, kissing her hard. It took everything in me not to follow her inside her place.

  Hours later, I was lying in bed, an arm tucked beneath my head, staring at the ceiling. I couldn’t sleep. My once comfortable bed felt wrong without Jenny in it. Rolling over, I punched my pillow and tried to get comfortable. It was stupid. She had only slept there for two nights, yet my room seemed empty without her. I could smell her on my sheets, which only made me miss her more. Glancing at the clock, I groaned. It was 1:00 a.m., and I knew I wouldn’t be falling asleep anytime soon. I was keyed up and my mind wouldn’t shut off.