by Cindi Madsen
Connor set the oars down and leaned in to study it.
“I woke up to Ella telling me there was a spider on my neck, so of course I jumped up and started screaming, trying to get it off me.”
Connor laughed, a deep, rich sound that sent happy ripples through her chest. He kissed her unwanted spider tattoo and the mix of soft lips and stubble on his jaw made her heart skitter. “Sorry, the past few days at work were crazy. I told you I’d help and then I couldn’t get over there.”
She slowly let her hair drop, peering into his eyes now that he was so close. “It’s okay. I’m glad I haven’t had to call you freaking out. Hopefully that means I’m doing something right.”
“You’re doing a great job.” After days of being tired and worrying she was doing everything wrong, it was exactly what she needed to hear, and it made warmth spread through her chest. Connor trailed his fingers down her arm, making the heat spread to her skin, too, and gave her hand a quick squeeze. Then he cast his line, the boat gently rocking.
When they’d first met, she was working so hard to push him away, making assumptions about him, and she suddenly realized there was a lot about him she still didn’t know.
“Did you grow up here? In Cornelius, I mean?” He was older than she was, and there were plenty of people in the area she didn’t know, but with his killer good looks, she assumed she would’ve heard girls talking about him before.
“Spent my childhood on the other side of town, but I moved to Huntersville when I was in high school.”
Faith thought he might expand on that, but he didn’t.
“Is your family still in Huntersville, then?”
“My mom is. Everyone still lives close, though. Got a sister in Charlotte, one in Hickory, and my brother’s in Gastonia. We get together at my mom’s place about once a month.” He glanced at her. “This Friday they’re celebrating my graduation from the SWAT program, actually.”
Faith flinched. It was easy enough to forget about the SWAT thing when they were painting in the park, watching a two-year-old together, or flirting over the phone. Even the cop aspect she was trying to swallow, but the fact that he and Kaleb were who’d get called if anything bad in the area went down…? She didn’t like thinking about it at all.
“You should go with me.”
Faith was stuck on the SWAT part, so it took a moment to realize he meant he wanted her to meet his family. At least she thought that was what he meant. “Go with you where?” she asked, not wanting to make a fool of herself if she’d drawn the conclusion.
“To my mom’s for the party. I want you to meet her. It’s one of the few days I have free, and I want to spend it with you and my family.”
Yet another thing about Connor that was the opposite of Jeff. She’d finally met his mom once, but it was brief, and the woman didn’t even act like she’d heard of Faith before. Connor seemed to jump headfirst into everything, but he had to know that this was a semi-big step in most relationships, right?
“If I go with you, your family’s going to think we’re really serious.”
“How many times do I have to tell you? I’m serious about you.”
“But there’s serious, and then there’s serious.”
Connor smiled and tipped his head, amusement crinkling the corners of his eyes. “You think too much.”
“You don’t think enough.”
His grin only widened and then he tugged her to him, capturing her mouth with his, their fishing poles forgotten between them. She wanted to hold onto her argument, but her body reacted automatically, clinging to his. She parted her lips, letting his tongue slip in to meet hers. With every stroke, it was harder to remember what they’d been talking about. The boat swayed and Connor tightened his grip on her. He slid his hands to her butt and boosted her onto his lap so she was straddling him. Energy crackled between them and she ran her hands over the curves and indentions in his arm muscles. She rocked her hips and he groaned into her mouth. His hands slid up her back, under her shirt, pressing her closer. Dizziness set in, heat zipped through her veins. Delirium was seconds away, but she couldn’t help the pesky thoughts that were tugging her the other way.
She kept thinking about his job. The long hours, the risks he took every day. She wasn’t sure it was something she could just get over. Letting go completely was so tempting, but she remembered how much it hurt to lose someone she cared about in such a devastating way.
“You’re thinking again,” he said, and she realized she’d pulled back. Her breaths were still shallow and her body still burned every place they were connected.
“I have a brain. It doesn’t just shut off.”
He pressed his forehead against hers. “Just give me a shot, Faith. I won’t let you down, I swear.”
As she stared into his eyes, his fake charm stripped away, she saw a guy who was sincerely asking her for a chance. Her heart clenched, a riotous mix of fear and attraction pumped through her veins, and she thought that a relationship-minded Connor might be even more dangerous than the player one.
…
Connor didn’t know what had gotten into him, but he needed to hear that Faith would give him a chance. He’d never felt this way before, and he didn’t know how to do it except go all in.
“I…” Faith put her hand on the side of his face, her fingertips soft against his skin and her green eyes wide. “Not thinking things through has gotten me hurt before. And your job…” She swallowed and her voice wavered. “It scares the hell out of me. You scare the hell out of me.”
There were a lot of things he was willing to do to convince her he could be with her and only her, but his job was who he was. It was how he righted the past.
“But…”
His heart skipped a beat at that but.
Her fingertips dragged across his jaw and his breath lodged in his throat. “Well, let’s face it, I totally failed at staying away from you. And you know I already care about you. So…I’m in.”
Happiness uncurled in his chest and he leaned forward to kiss her. She leaned back just before his lips made contact. “But…”
He liked this but less than the last one.
“I might need some time before we move past kissing. I’m sure you’re used to going faster, but I don’t want to get hurt again, so I’m trying to be more careful this time. I’d like to get to know you better first. Actually date a bit, and that kind of thing.”
“Okay.” He smiled down at her, glad it wasn’t nearly as bad as he’d thought it’d be. “So that probably means I should get my hand off your fine ass and get back to fishing.”
One corner of her mouth twisted up. “Probably.”
He kept it there for a beat longer, giving it a gentle squeeze that made her jerk and shoot him a dirty look so cute it should be illegal. For this girl, he could be patient, even if it meant he’d also be frustrated every second he was around her. Between how she first reacted to him and cared about who he’d slept with, to what she’d just said and what Kaleb had told him, he was guessing the last guy cheated on her—idiot bastard. He figured the only way to prove he wouldn’t do the same was show her over time.
He untangled himself from her, gave her a quick peck on the lips, and moved back, taking up his fishing pole again.
“About the party with your family. If you still want me to go…I’d like to meet them.”
He did want. He knew it’d bring up questions. Faith would no doubt ask about his dad, and he’d need to tell her the whole story eventually. But that wasn’t enough to keep him from wanting to take her home with him. Plus, he couldn’t wait to see the priceless look on his mom’s and siblings’ faces. “I’d like that.”
He scooted sideways so he could be closer to her, and she turned so they were side by side, looking out over the glimmering water. She leaned her head on his shoulder and his heart expanded until it pushed against his rib cage.
This girl was already his.
Even if she didn’t know it yet.
Chapter Fourteen
On the drive to Huntersville, Faith chewed on her fingernail, contemplating the dangers of opening the door and rolling out. She wasn’t sure what it was about meeting Connor’s family that had her so tied in knots, but it was like her subconscious knew nothing would ever be the same again. Only she didn’t know if it’d be a bad thing or a good thing or—
Connor put his hand on her thigh and rubbed his thumb across her skin, calming her and causing her heart rate to skyrocket at the same time. “Relax, baby.” His fingers brushed across her skin again. “I approve of the dress, by the way. I told you how sexy you looked, right?”
“That’s what I took the opened-mouth ‘damn’ after you looked me up and down to mean.”
He squeezed her thigh tighter, and she was so turned on that at least the fear of meeting his family was more background noise now. “My family is going to like you. It’ll be fun, you’ll see. You can hold my hand the whole time, and if anything bad happens, I’ll be there to provide mouth-to-mouth. I’m certified and everything.” He shot her a butterfly-inducing grin.
Last night they’d taken Ella to McDonald’s so that Kaleb and Anna could have some quiet time at home. While she thought having a toddler around and being in public would keep herself from forgetting she and Connor were going slow and jumping him, she found that every game he played with Ella, every time he pulled her into his arms, she was only more attracted to him, and it wasn’t like he needed any help in that department. Honestly, whenever she was around him, she’d start thinking about the way he kissed her, how he looked shirtless, and how he would look with even less clothing on. Yes, she’d been attracted to guys before, but she’d never felt so one-track-minded.
I wonder if this is what it’s like for guys all the time.
Considering Connor’s fingers were straying higher and higher, she had a feeling it was the same for him anyway. She eyed the heavily wooded side of the road and seriously thought about telling him to pull over—screw going slow, she was over it. But then they’d be late to his family gathering, and she’d no doubt look like she’d had sex. This meeting was going to be hard enough without adding that.
“So…” She worked to steady her voice. “You’ve got two sisters, one brother, and did you say five nieces and nephews?”
“Right. Don’t worry if you can’t get all the names and faces matched—I still forget half the time.” He grinned at her and then his smile faded. “I also need to tell you…my parents are divorced. My dad won’t be there. He won’t ever be there.”
There was a dark edge to his voice and the muscles in his jaw went rigid. Obviously he had issues with his dad. The psychologist in her wanted to know what had happened, but she also knew that he needed to share it in his own time. Still, she couldn’t help asking, “You want to talk about it?”
“Not yet.” He glanced at her. “I want you to meet my family and get to know them first. Is that okay?”
Like that night on the phone, she got the sense that he needed her. Even if it was only moments here and there, she wanted to help him the way he’d helped her. She covered his hand with hers. “Of course.”
For the rest of the drive, she simply enjoyed being next to him.
Only then he pulled up to the house and she started regretting not rolling out of the truck a couple of miles ago. Her stomach crawled up to her throat as Connor led her to the front door. His fingers curled around her hand as he pushed through the entry.
The buzz of conversations filled the air, but as soon as she and Connor stepped inside, all talking stopped, and there were at least a dozen eyes on them. Connor walked toward the beautiful older woman standing in the middle of the room—the same woman from the picture he had on his side table—and kissed her cheek. “Hey, Mama.”
He nodded at the others—his brother and sisters from the photo, though they were a little older. There were also two guys who must be Connor’s brothers-in-law because they didn’t look anything like the rest of the family. “I’d like you all to meet Faith Fitzpatrick.”
Faith raised a shaky hand. “Hi.”
Connor wrapped his arm around her waist. “Faith is Kaleb’s little sister. And she’s also my girlfriend,” he said, and Faith’s stomach did a somersault. He pointed out everyone by name and she tried to keep them straight. Honestly, they all looked a little shell-shocked, to the point it was almost comical. Obviously he didn’t bring many girls home.
He really is serious about me. A lightness filled her chest, despite her nerves. He’d told her, sure, but actions spoke so much louder than words, and as much as she wished she didn’t need that reassurance, she did.
A dark-haired little boy ran in from the backyard and his eyes widened. “Uncle Connor’s here!” he yelled, and then four other kids came running. Connor tossed them all in the air, one by one, and within a few minutes, the room was buzzing with conversations again.
His sisters and brother came over to congratulate Connor on graduating from the SWAT program. They included Faith in the conversation, asking her about what she did and other get-to-know-you questions. His mom came over last. She took Faith’s hand and patted the top of it.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Faith.” Nicola glanced at Connor, adoration filling her large brown eyes. She stared at him like he was her baby and her hero, all at once. It sent an overwhelming burst of longing for her own mom through Faith. In a lot of ways, having Mom withdraw from life so much after Daddy died felt like losing both parents at once. Mom was a little better now, and they called back and forth, but Faith still worried about her.
Nicola turned to Connor and patted his cheek. “I’m so proud of you, mio bambino.” She switched to Italian, and the only other word Faith caught was bella.
Connor winked at Faith. “She certainly is bella.” His mother said something else, and he replied, “I will.”
“Now let’s eat,” Nicola said.
Faith tugged Connor back as the rest of the crowd headed into the dining room. “What did she say?”
“She said she was happy I finally found someone, and that you were beautiful. Then she told me to make sure I treated you right.”
Faith wrapped her arms around his waist, tipped onto her toes, and kissed him. “I like that plan.”
He lowered his mouth to hers, lingering for long enough to make the room spin. Then he laced his fingers with hers and led her into the kitchen. There was so much food covering the table, Faith didn’t even know where to begin. As soon as she took her first bite, though, the flavors bursting in her mouth, she decided she could never cook for Connor again. Not when he’d grown up eating food like this.
As loud as it was with so many people crammed in one tiny room, kids jumping up and down, the love and energy flowing through the room made her want to kick back and stay a while. Possibly forever. Even though Connor was younger than his sisters, he checked in on them, his sense of responsibility for them similar to the one Kaleb had for her.
Through it all, Connor would check on her with an eyebrow raise, hand squeeze, or smile. The out-of-control sensation she often got around him moved to the background, fading more every time he pressed his hand to her back or pulled her into conversation with one of his family members. With every passing minute, she fell a little harder.
On her way back from a bathroom break, she studied the pictures in the hallway. There was one of the kids and she moved closer, squinting at the smiling boy in the middle. He had Connor’s features, but—
“He used to be the cutest little chunk, no?”
Faith turned to Nicola. “I never imagined him as a little kid before.” He was a chunk, too. Not just round in the face, but chubby all over.
“He was always so sweet. So protective. Still is.”
Connor appeared in the entrance of the hallway. His face fell as he glanced from his mom to Faith to the picture. “Oh no.”
“I was just telling Faith what a sweet little kid you were.”
“I wa
s a not-so-little kid.”
“You were always my handsome boy,” Nicola said. “Still are.”
Red colored his face—he was actually embarrassed! Faith shouldn’t enjoy watching him squirm as much as she did. She thought she’d seen all of Connor Maguire’s shades of hotness, but this was a different level entirely. In that moment, she saw the little boy in the picture.
“Okay, Mama,” he said. “That’s enough embarrassing me.”
Nicola planted a big smacking kiss on his cheek and then walked back toward the kitchen. Faith stayed in front of the picture. “You were a cute kid.”
“I was chubby. My mom kept feeding me dishes of pasta meant for three people. She still tries to fatten me up every time I come over.”
“Well, last time I checked, you didn’t have an ounce of fat on you, so I think you’re good.”
“You wanna check again? Just to be sure? ” He tilted his head toward an open bedroom door, his signature cocky smile back on his face. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to his ridiculously ripped body. “Luckily I discovered basketball in high school and signed up for a weightlifting class—I was sick of feeling weak. I got into shape, and after years of rejection, girls took notice. I suppose I used that to my full advantage.”
“You suppose?” she asked, and he shrugged, a what-can-you-do shrug that shouldn’t have been as hot as it was. “Now that I know you speak Italian, I’m surprised you don’t use that. Don’t you know how sexy it is?”
“I do just fine without speaking it—you’re here, aren’t you?” He brushed his lips across hers, aptly proving his point. “Plus, it’s more…personal. I only really speak it around my mama, or my brother and sisters occasionally.”