Checkmate anfh-3

by R. L. Mathewson

  “There’s that smile again,” Trevor said, sounding amused.

  “Why are you here?” she demanded, deciding to ignore the fact that she couldn’t help smiling when she thought about Connor.

  “To help you, you ungrateful bastard,” Jason grumbled, snuggling his head near her knees and she was tempted, oh so tempted to shove him onto the floor and give him that wedgie that he was practically begging for.

  “How exactly is having you bitch and whine helping me?” she demanded, rubbing faster when she felt his hand move near her calf.

  “I wouldn’t be bitching and whining if that bastard’s Red Sox loving wife hadn’t tried to poison me!” Jason bit out harshly and she knew without asking that her cousin was more pissed off about the fact that Trevor’s wife, Zoe, had a soft spot for all things Red Sox than the actual poisoning.

  She still cringed when she thought about last Christmas’ family gathering. All she had to say was that Zoe had guts showing up at a Bradford gathering with her twin baby boys dressed in matching Red Sox jerseys. She could still remember the stunned silence that took over the house when Zoe pulled the baby blanket off the twin’s and revealed those damn jerseys that her brothers, cousins and she may have accidentally smeared pudding, chocolate and cold gravy on within minutes of the unveiling.

  It hadn’t mattered that they’d “accidentally” dropped the small jerseys in the fire place when they offered to clean them, the damage had already been done. She’d never seen Trevor look so angry before. Instead of yelling at Zoe like she expected, he just became deathly silent and walked away from Zoe. It was actually kind of frightening. For the rest of the night he sat silently in the corner of the room, never taking his glare away from his wife. It wasn’t until Zoe complimented Aunt Janice on her table arrangement that he reacted. He was up and out of his chair and across the room in seconds, shoving aside anyone that was foolish enough to get in his way. Without a word, he grabbed Zoe’s hand, yanked her out of the room and disappeared down the hall. She’d like to say that she hadn’t heard her cousin having sex and that those sounds didn’t still haunt her to this day, but she couldn’t. The rest of the family found it amusing, but they knew better than to say anything about it.

  Everyone pretended that the incident never happened, partly because they knew that Trevor would beat the hell out of them if any of them gave his wife any shit, but mostly because they were all deathly afraid of Zoe and her baked goods. So far the small, plain woman, who made her laugh her ass off, had managed to send a total of twenty-nine Bradfords to the emergency room to have their stomachs pumped. Speaking of Bradfords and emergency rooms…..

  “Should we bring him to the emergency room?” she asked, throwing Jason a nervous look and noting the slightly green color marring his normally healthy tanned skin.

  “No, he’ll be fine. He only took one bite of the brownie,” Trevor said, sounding unconcerned. She opened her mouth to argue, but then with a sigh and a shrug she reminded herself that Trevor would know the danger signs of eating Zoe’s baked goods better than anyone.

  “Fine, then tell me how the two of you breaking the ban is helping me out?”

  “Let us worry about the ban,” Trevor said with a shrug as he reached for the bowl of potpourri, but one look from her had him pulling his hand back and shooting her a sheepish smile.

  “Are you going to tell me why you’re here?” she asked, absently as she threw another glance towards the clock. She might have to skip the shower and take one later with Connor, she realized as she calculated the odds of throwing her cousins out, feeding Bunny and at the very least brushing her teeth before Connor showed up. She had to admit that the odds weren’t very good.

  “We’re here to help you with your project, Rory and we’re going to help you build your suites,” Trevor announced, grabbing her attention in a big way.

  “What?” she asked, dumbly, not sure that she heard him correctly.

  “He said that we came to help you with your project. Now, move your ass and get back to rubbing, woman!” Jason grumbled testily, wiggling around in an attempt to get her to recommence with the rubbing, but she couldn’t do anything more than sit there like an idiot as her mind quickly wrapped around that announcement.

  “You’re here to help?” she asked, making sure that she’d heard them correctly.

  “Yes,” Trevor said with a nod and a shrug as if he hadn’t just solved most of her problems.

  Where her brothers were good, really good, her cousins were the best. They were bigger, stronger and fast, very fast. Having one Bradford working for her would be like having five extra guys.

  “Some of the others will come out when they can to help, but for now it’s us,” Trevor explained

  “Oh my God,” she mumbled, feeling her lips pull up into a huge smile. “Really? This is great!”

  “If you want, we can go have a look at this project right now,” Trevor offered with a shrug.

  “That would be great!” she said, shoving Jason off of her lap and ignoring his whimpers and muttered, “Bastard” as she jumped to her feet and practically raced to the door. She was halfway there when one thought had her skidding to a stop.

  Connor.

  She didn’t want to break their plans, but she had to if she wanted to get her cousins caught up on what was going on. She could always sneak into his room later tonight, but she already knew that she’d be tired to do that. It didn’t help matters that she had to get up early in the morning. Skipping out on their plans also meant losing a night in his arms and she really wasn’t sure that she could do that.

  “Where are you going?” Trevor asked as she abruptly turned and raced up the stairs.

  “I’ll be back in ten minutes!” she yelled, hoping to be back here in five before her cousins did something to give themselves away and land her ass in jail for the night.

  Chapter 27

  "Connor?"

  Speak of the devil, he thought, grinning as he rubbed his hand down his face, wiping water out of his eyes. He’d just been thinking about her, but that wasn't really anything new. Granted, his thoughts used to run along the lines of screwing her over for his own entertainment or revenge, but now he found himself just thinking about her smile, the way she pouted when he stole the last slice of pizza, and the way that she felt in his arms first thing in the morning.

  Fucking amazing

  "How much longer are you going to be?" Rory asked, sounding impatient and arousing his curiosity.

  "I'm done," he said, stepping beneath the water and quickly rinsing off the body wash that coated his body before he shut the water off, ripped back the curtain and nearly tripped as he stepped out of the shower and his eyes landed on Rory.

  "I need you," she said, giving her bare ass a little wiggle as she looked over her shoulder at him. Blindly, he reached out and slapped a hand against the shower wall. It was either that or take the chance of his legs giving out on him as a surge of lust tore through him, leaving him panting and struggling with the need to step up behind her and take her, hard.

  The image of Rory bent over his bathroom counter and offering herself up to him was permanently etched into his brain, but it was her little declaration that had him panting and so damn turned on that he actually feared that his balls would explode. The fact that Rory wanted him so badly that she couldn't wait until the end of the night to have him had him struggling with his sanity. That she was as desperate for him as he was for her gave him hope and had him dropping his hand away from the wall and taking a step towards her.

  "Couldn't it wait until tonight?" he asked, absently reaching down and running his hand over his painfully erect shaft as he reached out and palmed one of her perfect cheeks and gave it a light squeeze that had them both licking their lips.

  "No," she admitted on a needy moan, surprising him and ramping up his hunger for her.

  Never in a million years would he have ever imagined that Rory would be so damn open and honest about how much she wanted
him. As he dropped to his knees and kissed one beautiful smooth cheek, he realized that Rory was all his. He didn't need this bullshit deal to keep her in his arms, not if she was this desperate to have him. She obviously wanted-

  "Hurry, Connor," Rory demanded with a little wiggle of her ass that had him grinning like a fool as he pressed a kiss to the other cheek.

  "What's the rush, baby?" he asked, loving how desperate she was for him.

  "Does it really matter?" she demanded with a groan, shaking her ass enticingly once again to get his attention right back where it should be.

  Did it really matter? he wondered as he tilted his head just enough so that he could lean forward and press a kiss against the small, moist, pouty lips that her position revealed to him. He tried to force himself to be content with that and give her what she obviously craved, a hard, fast fuck when she let out a throaty moan that had his cock jerking and his mouth watering for a real taste.

  "More," Rory said, sounding a little desperate as she spread her legs further and arched her hips to the perfect angle, baring more of herself to him.

  He moved to give her what they both wanted when a thought had him pulling back. As much as he'd love to take her like this, and he would damn well be taking her like this one day, today was not that day. Her arm and ribs were still sore and leaning against the counter that way while they made love probably wouldn't feel too good and he definitely wanted her to feel good.

  "Wait!" Rory rushed out, gesturing for him to put her back down mere seconds after he scooped her up into his arms and headed for the door. "What are you doing? I need really quick, hot sex!" she whined adorably.

  "And that's exactly what you'll get," he promised as he carried her into his room and headed for the bed.

  Like most men, he enjoyed sex, at least the act, but it had always been straight forward with him and always in a bed. Even when he was a kid trying to work Rory out of his system, he’d preferred a bed. He'd sneak into the girl's room or sneak her into his. His sex life had never been kinky or adventurous and he'd never really cared enough to change that.

  Plenty of the women over the years complained that he wasn't as in to sex as they were. They bitched, cried, and did everything imaginable to turn him inside out and make him wild between the sheets. Their attempts only made him realize that things weren't going to work out that much faster. For years, he'd wished that he'd been able to give a woman more, be there for her and want her so damn much that he'd thought he'd die if he didn't have her, but that never happened.

  Until now that is.

  Right now he wanted to drag Rory back into the bathroom, bend her back over the sink and fuck her until his legs gave out and when they collapsed on the floor he wanted to do it again. He wanted to take her in every room in the house, in a thousand different positions and a hundred times a day. He wanted her, needed her, and he'd be damned if he was ever going to walk away from her.

  He was done.

  Rory James was his perfect match in every way and he'd been foolish to chalk up his feelings for her as a simple infatuation all those years ago. There was nothing simple when it came to him and Rory. They drove each other crazy in every way imaginable and he wouldn't have it any other way. He wanted her, wanted to be with her, drive her crazy for the rest of their lives and he was damn well going to do it.

  As he gently laid her on the bed, he realized what he wanted from Rory, forever. He'd get it too. He was a ruthless bastard when it came to something that he wanted and he definitely wanted Rory James. It became crystal clear to him what he needed to do in order to get what he wanted as he moved between Rory's spread legs and pressed a kiss against her hip.

  He was going to marry her.

  Acknowledging the fact that he wanted to marry her didn't faze him in the slightest, because he realized that he was still in love with her and that fucking terrified him. For a long time he'd hoped, prayed really, that he'd find a woman that could make him happy, make him feel whole and now that he'd found her, he felt oddly terrified and hopeful.

  Terrified because this was Rory James he was talking about here and he would definitely have to sleep with one eye open for the rest of his life if he married her, but it would be worth it. She was worth it. They could have a good life together, not perfect, but good. He knew that he'd piss her off a lot along the way, but that was okay because he knew Rory wouldn't hesitate to reach for her pliers.

  The only problem as far as he could tell was this little deal of theirs. It had to go. Things hadn't gone exactly as planned, but he was pleased with the results nonetheless. Rory was in his bed, in his life and it was damn well going to stay that way. He still planned on taking over her company, but he'd do it as her husband now. He'd handle running the sites and she could manage the office or whatever the hell it is that she wanted to do.

  First though, he needed to get this deal of theirs out of the way so that he could make his next move, making this permanent. He didn't want to hide behind this deal, didn't need to, he realized. Rory wanted and needed him just as badly as he needed her. Once the deal was off the table, she'd realize that and probably be just as relieved as he was not to have to hide the way she felt any longer.

  "If you don't hurry up, I'm going to have to kill you," she warned him, panting hard and making him smile as his suspicions were confirmed.

  She definitely wanted him.

  "You'd miss me," he said, teasingly as he pressed one last kiss against her hip and moved to cover her with his body.

  "Not this time. My aim's getting better," she said, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pulled him closer.

  He chuckled as he settled himself between her legs, loving the way she loosely wrapped her legs around him, ready to keep him locked in place. "And what exactly would you do without me around to brighten up your day?" he asked, leaning down to kiss her as he shifted until he felt the tip of his cock slide over her clit and come to rest at her wet entrance.

  "Probably lead a fuller, more productive life and maybe get a hobby or something," she said, moaning softly as she tilted her hips only to bring them right down, taking the tip of his cock inside of her hot wet core that he planned on worshipping for the rest of the night.

  "You'd die of boredom if I wasn't around," he pointed out.

  She laughed softly as she moved her good hand to cup his jaw. "Probably."

  "You like being with me? " he found himself asking as he slowly slid inside of her, taking his time and watching as she arched her back, licking her lips as she moaned, "More."

  He wanted to do just that, needed to do it, but somehow he found the willpower to stop halfway inside of her and ask again, "Do you like being with me, Rory?"

  "Less talking, more sex," she groaned, cupping the back of his head and trying to pull him down for a kiss, but he refused to be distracted. He wanted to hear her say it.

  "Do you like being with me, Rory?" he demanded softly as he looked down into her beautiful blue eyes.

  "Do you want me to kill you, Connor?" she demanded, sighing in annoyance as she rolled her hips up to force more of his shaft to slide inside her.

  He allowed himself one slow thrust before he pulled back and forced himself to focus, further pissing her off.

  "Connor!"

  "Answer me," he gritted out, wondering why the woman was being so damn stubborn at a time like this.

  She glared up at him for a moment before she snapped, "I forgot what you asked, you psychotic bastard!"

  "Would you like me to refresh your memory?" he asked, smiling as he leaned down and kissed her.

  "If it gets you to move your ass!" she muttered against his lips with a pout.

  He pressed one last kiss against her lips before he pulled back just far enough so that he could look into her eyes as he softly asked, "Do you like being with me?"

  "Oh my God, that's why you're denying me sex?" she demanded, letting out a frustrated groan as she once again tried to roll her hips to entice him, but he was read
y for the move and pulled back just enough to keep her attention.

  "Yes and if you want sex then you're going to answer me," he explained, looking down into her beautiful eyes as they glared back up at him with murderous intent.

  For a moment she simply laid there, glaring up at him and he didn't need to ask to know that she was calculating the odds of him doing what she wanted without telling him the truth. He knew the second that she came to the conclusion that the odds weren't very good. The glare disappeared as she slowly exhaled, reaching up and cupping his jaw as she admitted, "Yes, I like spending time with you, but I still hate you. Does that make you happy?"

  "You hate me?" he demanded, narrowing his eyes on her as he pulled back until just the very tip of the head was inside her.

  She let out a frustrated groan before she snapped, "Fine! I don't hate you as much as I used to! Are you happy now?"

  "Extremely," he said, grinning as he leaned down to kiss her.

  "Are you going to tell me why it was so damn important that you had to interrupt sex time for that?" she mumbled against his lips as he slowly sank back inside her.

  If he hadn't been so damn distracted by the feel of her hot, wet sheath wrapping around him as he slid back inside of her and so damn happy that she'd admitted that she liked being around him, he probably wouldn't have fucked up and told her the truth.

  "Because I'm in love with you, Rory."

  Yeah, he was a fucking moron.

  Chapter 28

  "Get off of me."

  "Rory, I-"

  "Get the hell off of me, Connor!" she snapped, pushing at his shoulders, ignoring the sharp pain shooting through her broken arm as anger and desperation rushed through her, demanding that she put space between them.

  "Baby, relax," Connor said soothingly as he slowly pulled out of her. If she wasn't so close to a nervous breakdown, she'd probably be crying in frustration at the loss. She was going to lose it and she wanted to get away from him when it happened, afraid that she would truly kill the bastard this time.