Freedom to Love [Freedom, Colorado 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Melody Snow Monroe

  Damn. He was afraid she’d want to give him comfort. “No.” Conner moved over to her, wrapped a firm hand around her waist, and escorted her out, then locked his door. “Are you parked in back or front?” Holly didn’t need to learn about Harper’s dark place.

  “The back.”

  “Me, too.” They went out the employee exit. “Where’s your car?” He hoped she’d let the subject of Harper’s comment drop.

  Even though the parking lot was well lit, the rain made it hard to see. She pointed to the east side of the lot. “It’s the white Prius.”

  She would buy a fuel-efficient car. Hugging her tight, he held the umbrella over their heads and dashed to her car. She had her keys ready, but she seemed to have trouble getting the key in the lock.

  “Let me.”

  She lifted her head, but it was too dark to see her expression. All he knew was that if he didn’t kiss her soon, he’d be in a world of hurt. If only she’d allowed him in tonight, he could erase her worries.

  “Conner?”

  Oh, fuck. She’d distracted him. “Sorry.” A second later, he’d opened her car door and she slipped in. “I’ll be in a gray SUV.” He had to shout as the wind had suddenly picked up.

  He closed the door and ran to his car, which was parked close to the entrance. By the time he settled in, his back was soaked as were his pants legs.

  * * * *

  Holly was so confused, as joy and heartbreak collided. Conner was more amazing than she’d imagined. He listened to her and really seemed to want to know who she was on the inside instead of judging her by her appearance.

  She watched him run to his car, and as soon as he piled in, she pulled out of the lot and tried to ignore the rain pounding on her car roof. While she considered herself a good driver, traversing dark, winding roads at night in a storm would test her ability to concentrate. Knowing that Conner was right behind her though really calmed her nerves.

  Driving north to Freedom was a lot different at night than going south to Black Hawk. To make sure she didn’t run off the road and down an embankment, she cut her speed in half, and thankfully Conner didn’t crowd behind her. It was as if he was merely there to make sure she got home safely. The question that kept swirling in her mind was what would happen when she pulled into her drive? If he escorted her to the door, should she ask him in?

  You want him.

  Her desires weren’t as important as what Conner wanted. Dani had said he and Harper shared, but did that mean they shared only when both were attracted to the same woman? She was drawn to both very much, but Conner was behind her, not Harper. He had issues, and she respected that, but would she be able to forget him if she dated only Conner? Maybe the important question was whether Conner wanted to be with someone without his cousin.

  Whoa. Don’t get ahead of yourself. That only causes disappointment.

  Besides, for the next half hour, she needed to concentrate on staying on the road, not dreaming about fairytales. Had she not been paying attention, she might have missed the turnoff to her road. Conner followed her down her street and drove in right behind her. He could have honked and gone on his way, but he didn’t. Maybe he did want more.

  But just how much?

  Chapter Five

  No sooner had Holly shut off the engine than Conner was at her car with the umbrella. He was so sweet. She gathered her purse, tugged the keys from the ignition, and gently pushed open the door. As soon as she stood, Conner held the umbrella over her head to keep her dry, but that meant his back was exposed. She wanted to tell him she didn’t mind getting wet, but he seemed determined to care for her.

  She wracked her brain, searching through all of men in her life, and there wasn’t a one who’d been more considerate. She had to take that back. If her twin had been here, Tatum would have insisted he provide shelter against the elements, too.

  A strong arm wrapped around her waist, and suddenly their lips were inches from each other. She pushed back the desire to taste him right now and rushed toward the house. She didn’t need to be kissing him in the rain.

  He stayed by her side right up to the front door. The overhead light allowed her to easily open up. “Do you want to come in?” Please say yes.

  “I could use a little dry time.”

  Not sure how to interpret his comment, she showed him into her small house. While she hadn’t expected him to follow her home, her place was still neat—as always.

  He whistled. “I want to hire your maid.”

  She laughed. Conner seemed to possess the talent to lighten any situation. “You might as well find out now, but I’m kind of a neat freak.” And have OCD and have a few other crazy disorders.

  “I figured.”

  Did he now? “I’d show you around, but this is basically it. There are two small bedrooms and a bath down the hall.”

  He walked over to the pass-through between the galley-style kitchen and the small dining room table. “Someone renovated this as most older homes aren’t open concept.”

  She shrugged. “It came this way.” She’d only bought it a few months ago.

  “I like the eclectic look.”

  That made her laugh. “You mean garage-sale chic?”

  “Yeah. It fits you. There’s no pretense about you at all or about your house.” He stepped close. “I find that intriguing and refreshing.”

  All these compliments threw her off balance. She’d been tempted to say he had her all wrong, but deep inside she suspected he did understand her all too well. Before the words “thank you” came out, his lips descended. As soon as they touched, her body melted into his. He wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her close. All she had to do was lift her arms around his neck and allow herself the freedom to emotionally let go. For once, she didn’t want to think—just feel—so she pressed her chest against his.

  He teased open her lips, and when she welcomed him in, the first taste sent the strongest erotic signals to her pussy she’d ever felt. Their tongues entwined and explored as if this was new territory. His hips pressed against hers, and when his hard cock nudged her pussy, another rush of hormones unleashed in her body.

  Overwhelmed, she pulled back. Her breaths came out too fast, but she wasn’t ready to let him go. For those few seconds, it was like he’d taken over her body, and because the sensation was so different from what she was used to, she needed a moment to come to grips with her emotions.

  The corner of his eyes twinkled. “I think you’d be more comfortable without your jacket.”

  She hadn’t even realized they were both in their coats. “Whoops.”

  He helped take hers off and then draped it over the back of the dining room chair. When he did the same with his, she noticed his shirt was soaked.

  “You’re all wet.”

  “That happens when it rains.”

  Without thinking, she reached up to unbutton his shirt. “A few minutes in the dryer and you’ll be good as new.”

  He merely smiled and let her fumble her way down the lapel, unthreading the buttons. When she reached the bottom, she tugged on the shirt like she used to do with Bethany when she was a little kid.

  Conner grinned and held out his arms, basically asking her to continue stripping him. His action wasn’t lost of her. Without saying a word, he was indicating she could keep going if she wished. His offering her some control over the situation meant a lot to her, but right now she was tired and confused, so maybe it would be nice to let him take over.

  You want to make love with him.

  Yes, I do.

  She slipped the wet sleeves down his arms and had to tug slightly to unstick the material from his back. “You’re really drenched.” At least her coat had kept her back dry.

  “A knight must suffer to save his Lady Marian.”

  She’d go with the flow. “So do you rob from the rich and give to the poor, too?” She refused to think of herself as poor anymore, as she had a good job.

  “Only in drastic times.”


  She laughed. As soon as she removed his shirt, she walked back in front of him and would have giggled or gasped at his amazing body had she not stopped herself. He was too perfect. As if a needle had pricked her balloon she lowered her arms.

  In a flash, his hands cupped her shoulders. “What’s wrong, baby?”

  The sincerity in his words shook her. “Nothing.” She twisted out of his grasp and walked down the hall to the closet that housed the stackable washer-dryer. He followed her.

  “Holly, listen to me.” He turned her to face him. “It’s not nothing. Hell. One minute you’re soft, pliable, and dare I say willing, and the second you see my body you shrink back into some deep place. A guy could get a complex.”

  Her breath caught. “Oh, my God, no. You’re perfect. Don’t you see? That’s the problem.”

  She turned her back and tossed the shirt in the dryer, but he stopped her from closing the door. “No, I don’t see, but let’s get your shirt dry, too, as long as you’re doing a load.”

  Her sleeves were wet where they’d stuck out of the jacket. “I don’t want you to see what I look like.” She lowered her gaze for a second.

  His mouth opened. “Why? You’re gorgeous.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’m too skinny, while you have muscles on top of muscles.”

  “Oh, yeah?” He grinned as if he’d forgotten about the recent slight she hadn’t meant to deliver. “You want to feel them?” He had the nerve to flex one pec then the other.

  What harm could come from a little touch? She reached up and as soon as her fingers pressed on his chest, he captured her hand and slid it lower, locking his gaze on her face. Conner gave her time to pull her hand back, but it was as if someone else had inhabited her body and that person wanted to see how far he’d go. When he slid her hand over his hard cock, he grinned.

  Without thinking, she closed her fingers around his thick width. “Jeez.”

  A small moan escaped. “He’d love for you to really play with him.”

  “But if I do, he’ll want more and more and more.”

  Conner moved closer and dipped his head an inch. “Would that be so bad? Wouldn’t you like for me to explore every inch of your body, making you so hot that you have to scream your release?”

  He made it sound so wonderful. “Yes.” She shook her head. “I mean no.”

  His lips hovered close to hers and her heart raced. “Which is it? Yes, you want me to adore you and give you want you want, or no, you want me to walk out the door now?”

  No way she could turn him down. “Stay.” Her damn voice shook. She’d had sex plenty of times, so why did he scare her? Was it because he was super self-confident?

  You trust him to be kind.

  His grin reached his eyes. “I’ll go real slow, and you can stop me whenever you want.” He glanced to the ceiling. “But if you get cold feet, please try to stop me sooner rather than later. Okay?”

  “’Kay.” He had this mesmerizing way about him.

  He slipped his hands under her shirt and lifted it over her head. He tossed it in the dryer then faced her. “Another shirt?”

  “I like to layer.”

  “Mmm. You’re like one of those Russian dolls. That’s fine by me. It’ll heighten the experience when I strip you one piece at a time.”

  Since her tank wasn’t wet, she closed the door and turned on the dryer. Now came the awkward part. How did one ask if he’d be more comfortable in the bedroom or the living room?

  Conner took the decision out of her hands by picking her up. “Whoa.” She hugged his neck though he held her rather tightly.

  He grinned. “Me Gillespie. You my woman.”

  “Okay, Gillespie. It’s the second door on the right. Light switch on the wall.”

  Both of the rooms were open, and he slipped in, flipped on the light with his elbow, and then set her down. The queen-sized bed took up three-fourths of the room. Other than the bed, she had one dresser and a nightstand, which was all that would fit in the ten by twelve-foot room. She’d made her bed, so the room looked neat.

  “It’s cozy.”

  That was a polite way of saying it was small. “It suits my needs.”

  Conner set her down then held up his hands. “I wasn’t criticizing.”

  She had a bad habit of shooting back a retort to keep from getting hurt. She needed to change. “I’m sorry.”

  Conner grabbed her to his chest and kissed her forehead. “No. I’m the one who’s sorry. I know what presses your buttons, and I need to watch what I say.”

  He really thought he understood her? No one did. Probably she didn’t even understand why she did the things she did.

  Conner leaned back and slipped his fingers under her tank. Slowly, he inched the material upward, and his hot fingers jumbled her thoughts. His bottom lip was tucked under as if he was unwrapping a present. Boy, was he going to be disappointed.

  With ease, he discarded the top and tossed it on the bed. So here she stood in her push-up bra, waiting to see the dismay on his face. Instead, he smiled.

  “So pretty.” Her heart beat faster as he ran a finger across the top of her bra.

  “Shouldn’t you get out of your pants? The cuffs are all wet.” Her nerves made her babble.

  He didn’t stop his seduction. “In a minute. I want to enjoy you first.”

  Don’t say anything. She closed her eyes. Maybe she didn’t want to see his face when he saw her tits or maybe she just wanted to feel. And boy was she feeling a lot. His light touch had pulses rushing through her body and her pussy had awoken as if from a long sleep. Tiny spasms were going off everywhere.

  When she didn’t feel his heat, she looked and found Conner on one knee. “Lift up your leg and hold onto my shoulder while I take off your boots.”

  She was perfectly capable of undressing herself, but she told herself to let him do his thing. Being independent her whole life made it was hard for her to let others help.

  He tugged off the first boot. “Now the other one.” He repeated on the other side. Conner leaned over and set them by her nightstand then looked up. “Was that hard for you?” He stood and placed his hands on her waist.

  “Hard?”

  “Difficult to let me do something for you.”

  She shut her eyes, fearing he could see right down to her soul. “Yes.”

  “Then thank you for trusting me enough to help.”

  Who was this man? And when had he crawled inside her body and learned about her. She wasn’t sure if she was comfortable with someone understanding her. Say something. “You’re welcome.”

  He toed off his boots and set them next to hers. “Would you feel better if my pants came off first?”

  “Yes.” Seeing him naked had little to do with her comfort level. She just wanted the enjoyment of the eye candy.

  “You want to do the honors?” Once more he held out his arms.

  Dear Lord. She’d never undressed a guy before. The man always did it. He’d crawl on top of her and give her a few kisses before sinking his cock into her pussy. It was always wham, bam, and then it was over. Conner was creating a whole new experience for her, and for that, she’d be eternally grateful.

  With trembling fingers, she reached out and undid his belt. “I like the casino chips on the buckle.”

  “That was a present from my mom. She said I needed to look the part of a casino owner.”

  “And you do.” There was something rough and tough about him that said “take a chance at my tables.”

  Next she tackled the buttons on his jeans. Tatum wore the same brand—the ones with only buttons and no zipper. She tugged, and when they all popped open at once, she squealed in delight. Since he’d discarded his boots, removing his pants should be easy. She dropped to her knees and tugged down his jeans, which now pooled at his ankles. She held the material. “Can you lift your foot?”

  He didn’t need to place a hand on her head like she had to do. With agility and balance he stood on o
ne foot while he tugged out of one pants leg. After she repeated on the other side, she kept her gaze off his cock and neatly folded his pants.

  “You can just toss them on the floor, baby. You don’t have to be neat on my account.” His breath hitched a little. “Or fold them if you need the order.”

  She did need the order. Without making eye contact, she folded them and placed them on top of his boots. Now came the moment of truth. Should she pull down his briefs and give him a blow job? She wanted to, but at the same time, Conner seemed to want to direct the action, as if he knew what would turn her on.

  She stood, lowered her head, and as soon as she wrapped her arms in front of her, he gently clasped her wrists.

  “Are you afraid I’ll be put off by what’s under the bra?”

  His words were like spears to her heart—spears that he’d picked out of her brain. How did he know these things? “Maybe.”

  “Oh, baby. You have no idea how much I want you for who you are. Big or small, it doesn’t matter. A person character isn’t defined by her shape.”

  Those words sounded wonderful, but she wasn’t sure she believed him. “Uh-huh.”

  “Jesus. Look at me, Holly.”

  She raised her chin. He released her wrists and stabbed a hand through the top of his hair. In a quick movement, he undid the tie at the back of his hair and let it cascade down his shoulders. She’d never seen anything more beautiful. She reached up to touch it then stopped, not sure if he’d be self-conscious if she did.

  His chuckle came out warm and gentle. “You can run your hands through my hair. I don’t mind.”

  She looked up and smiled. She moved close, cupped the back of his head, and let the strands fall through her fingers. “It’s so straight and silky.”

  “The silky part is due to the shampoo, but the straight part comes from my heritage.”

  “Heritage?”

  He turned to the side and pointed to his nose. “Don’t I look like the Indian on the nickel?”

  That made her laugh. “No. You are way more handsome.”

  He turned back around and smiled. “My grandmother on my father’s side was half Blackfoot.”