Why Did It Have to Be You?

by Allyson Charles

  He bit back a groan. Letting his head drop back, he stared at the ceiling. Christ, he was trying to be responsible, and she came strutting in looking good enough to eat. Why would life do this to him? He was never good at resisting temptation.

  He forced his legs to move toward her, but not too close. She’d dropped onto his leather sofa, so he planted his feet across the coffee table from her, his toes disappearing into the thick pile rug.

  “Why are you here?” he asked. “Is something wrong with your goat pen?”

  She shook her head. Her fingers toyed with the zipper of her jacket, running the metal slider up and down the teeth.

  “Something with the case then? Because I thought you’d decided to speak only to Evers from now on.” Having a middle-man, even an attorney, speak for him irritated David, but in this case, it was best.

  The sound of the zipper scratching up and down its chain was her only response. He took in her hand’s jerky movement, the tension around her mouth, and realization sank in. Connie was nervous.

  “What’s wrong?” He circled the table and sat next to her. “What happened?”

  “Nothing’s happened. Not really.” She didn’t look at him, and David frowned. Her eyes were so expressive, it was hard to read her without seeing them.

  He stilled her hand on the zipper, pulling it away and trapping it between both of his. “Look at me.” She finally turned her soft gaze toward him, her cognac eyes misty and uncertain. “Why are you here?”

  Taking a deep breath, she held it until David grew alarmed. She let it out with a hiss and nodded, leaving her chin raised high, her long column of a neck exposed. “I wanted to see you. Well, honestly, I wanted to do more than talk”—her cheeks turned the most adorable shade of pink—“but first I want to know why you haven’t called. Did you get what you wanted and now we’re through?”

  He dragged his gaze from the lickable skin of her neck, and blinked. It took a moment for her accusation to sink in. “What? No! God no. I’ve wanted you since we were kids. Do you think one afternoon is going to be enough for me?”

  “Since we were…. Are you telling me that when you were hassling me in high school, it was your version of a schoolboy yanking on a girl’s pigtail?” She curled her fingers. “Unbelievable,” she muttered.

  Heat bloomed on his face. “I didn’t hassle you—” Her glare stopped him short. He cleared his throat. “Whatever. I don’t want you to think I used you to get my rocks off. I want more.” He traced patterns on the back of her hand with his thumb, her skin as soft as cashmere.

  Her pinched expression relaxed. A smile licked at the edges of her lips. “Good. But why haven’t you called since then? You were annoying me every day—”

  “Annoying?” His thumb paused, mid-circle.

  “And now it’s radio silence. You can understand why I might get the wrong impression.” She lifted one eyebrow in a perfect arch.

  He muttered a curse under his breath. He could have kicked himself. He’d thought he was being noble by not contacting Connie; she’d thought she was being ignored. Well, he couldn’t let her have any doubts that she was wanted. Grabbing her shoulders, he hauled her onto his lap and kissed her.

  Her lips softened beneath his instantly, eagerly opening for him. Sliding one hand to the nape of her neck, he deepened the kiss, slowed it down, tasting every corner of her mouth. Forgetting this was just a message, a lesson to teach her that she was an idiot if she thought he didn’t want her, David wrapped his other arm around her waist and twisted, following her down so he lay on top of her on the sofa.

  He grimaced at the pressure against his zipper. Zippers. Pains in the ass every damn one of them. He fumbled with the one on her linen jacket, the one that blocked his access to Connie’s body. Finally getting hold of the slider, he dragged it down, the sound of metal rasping against metal raising the hair at the back of his neck. Or maybe that was Connie. She clutched him tight to her body, holding him like she never wanted to let go. Her mouth was hot and welcoming beneath his. For a moment, David forgot. His reputation. His family. His troubled business. She made him forget about everything except how good she felt beneath him. How good she made him feel.

  It wasn’t until she nipped his tongue that he remembered why he’d been avoiding her. Blinking, he raised his head, his breath coming in rough pants. “I want you.”

  She ran her hands up under the back of his shirt, her palms skimming his spine. His back arched into her touch. “Yeah, I got that,” she said, her voice husky.

  He dug his fingers into the couch cushion. He needed to move away, get control of himself. But even with layers of clothes between them, his lower body knew it had found its perfect home nestled between her thighs, and wasn’t moving.

  “You’re the lawyer who’s suing me.” Noble. He could be noble, damn it. “I didn’t appreciate how much trouble you could get into because of this. I think we should…” Screw like rabbits, his body screamed. He told his body to shut the hell up. “We should wait until the case ends before doing anything else.”

  Shoulders slumping, he pushed up onto his elbows so their chests no longer touched. If there was a Nobel Prize for sacrifice, he deserved it. Not taking what Connie offered was the hardest thing he’d ever done.

  She nodded, her ponytail scraping against the couch cushion and shifting off-center. But the wicked little smile she wore said she didn’t agree. “You’re right. I’m being incredibly stupid.” She attacked the buttons on his shirt. Every inch of skin she exposed she traced with her fingertips before working on the next button. He had plenty of time to stop her, to move away, but his body was frozen.

  “I’ve spent my life working hard, following the rules.” Pushing his shirt over his shoulders, she arched her neck and placed an open-mouthed kiss on his right pec. The muscle twitched beneath her touch. “Except for when I drank, which was my own stupid way of trying to take the pressure off. If I couldn’t stay sober, I couldn’t expect myself to get good grades at night school, pay the bills on time, and be the good daughter. It was my rebellion.”

  She worked her hand lower, and the sound of another zipper edging its way down met David’s ears. He was starting to love that sound. He opened his mouth, and she cupped him. All thought of what he’d been about to say disappeared.

  Her gaze tangled with his. “I don’t want to rebel anymore, David. But I do want to stop living by everyone else’s rules. I want to be happy. And right now, being with you will make me very happy.”

  There were a million reasons why this was a bad idea, and his mind couldn’t focus on even one.

  Clenching his fists, he tried one last time. “But, your career…”

  “Is important. But so are you.” Squeezing, she ran her hand up and down his length, and that was it. No more fight left in him. Her eyes caught the last of the evening sun through the window and glittered. “We’ll be careful. No one else has to know about us right now. I’m not violating any ethics rule except avoiding the appearance of impropriety.”

  She stilled her hand, her chest brushing against his with her deep breath. “But I know I’m not going to do anything against my clients’ interests. I’m still going to fight like hell to beat you in court. And as long as I know that, I don’t much care about appearances.”

  Something indescribable fluttered in his stomach. He searched her features, memorizing how she looked in that second. The dark hair spilling out of the loosened elastic. The shadow that crossed her forehead. And her mouth, that sexy, sassy mouth, slightly parted and waiting for his kiss. He needed to remember this moment in time. The moment when Connie chose him.

  He couldn’t remember anyone ever picking him before. Not over something important. Not when being with him was a risk. But Connie took that risk. For him.

  A kick of adrenaline jolted his system, chasing away the last traces of fatigue. He covered her mouth with his own, pressing her head deep into the cushion. He tore at her clothes, h
is fingers tripping over themselves to get the job done. Until finally, finally, he had her naked. His eyes greedily ate up the sight. Her skin was creamy against the dark leather, her nipples standing up in little rosy peaks. They were an invitation he couldn’t refuse.

  Starting at the plump base of her breast, he licked and nibbled his way inward. When he reached the tight bud, he sucked it into his mouth. Connie moaned, and the sound sent heat racing through his body.

  She wiggled under him, the leather crackling with the movement. Balancing on one elbow, he shoved his pants and underwear down his legs, trying to kick them off without lifting his head. He freed one leg, and decided to ignore the other. Connie arched into his mouth, and flopped back with a disgruntled sigh.

  He raised his head and blinked. “What?” What could possibly be wrong right now? She couldn’t be changing her mind, not after the speech she’d given him. Was he not using his mouth right? He’d never had any complaints. His stomach rolled. Oh, shit, hadn’t he been good before? He’d thought she’d enjoyed it as much as he had. And sex with Connie had been freaking phenomenal for him. But what if—

  “It’s your couch.” She shifted again. “Leather is nice and all, but my skin is sticking.”

  He almost rolled off the sofa in his relief. “Is that all? Christ, woman.” He shook his head. “I don’t want you moving anywhere anyway. I like the idea of you stuck.” He nipped at her lips, and trailed kisses along her jaw to her ear. He could pin her in place even better if he shifted up and slid inside…

  She huffed. “And I’m starting to sweat and that’s not making it any better.” Connie rolled one shoulder up, and the leather peeled from her skin. “This couch really—”

  “Fine!” He stood, pulling her up along with him. In one swift move, he bent and hefted her to his shoulder. Her shrieks turned to laughter as he shook his leg, trying to kick his pants and underwear off the one ankle they clung to. Finally free, he strode for the stairs, a smile refusing to leave his face. “Don’t think I won’t remember you laughing at me. Revenge is sweet.”

  “Ooh, I’m shaking in my boots.”

  Her butt was right there next to his face and he couldn’t resist. He smacked it. “You’re not wearing any boots, or anything else for that matter. But I will have you shaking.”

  “Promises, promises,” she muttered. Her hair brushed across his own ass, a soft tickle, and he picked up his pace, practically jogging for his bedroom. He tossed her on the bed and watched parts of her bounce. His smile widened. This was better than the couch anyway. More room to mess around. Yanking on his nightstand drawer, he pulled out a row of gold foils, tore one off the end. And there hadn’t been any condoms by the couch.

  She glanced around the bedroom, from the sliding glass door that led to a balcony overlooking the lake, to the five foot by five foot Vermeer reproduction that hung from the wall. Her gaze traveled up the thick wooden posts that rose from the corners of his king-sized four poster bed. “Wow.” She looked back at him, eyes wide. “You don’t do anything in half-measures, do you?”

  “Never saw the point to that.” Sheathing himself, he crawled over her, liking the way she sucked in a breath when his length dragged up her thigh. He kissed her navel, and rimmed the little button with his tongue. She combed her fingers through his hair, the movement gentle and soothing. Resting his cheek against her stomach, he took a moment, amazed at how soft her skin was. Grateful that he finally got to touch her.

  He closed his eyes, each breath she took gently raising and lowering his head. “Thank you,” he said. It came out little more than a whisper.

  “For what?” She trailed her fingers behind his ear.

  “For taking a chance on me.”

  She was quiet a moment. When she spoke, her tone was light-hearted. “Well, with big risk comes the opportunity for a big reward. Are you going to get started on that reward any time soon?”

  He chuckled and shifted his body lower.

  She tightened her hand in his hair. “I didn’t mean…ohh.”

  He rewarded her, again and again, until she finally begged him to stop. He crawled up her body, his chest expanding when he saw her dazed eyes, the dewy flush of her skin. He licked his lower lip.

  She rested one hand at her throat, her pulse fluttering beneath her fingers. “That was okay, I guess.”

  “Brat,” he growled, and sank his way into heaven. He wouldn’t rush this. He knew better than most how quickly life could go to hell. It wasn’t often something amazing happened, and he was going to draw enjoyment out of every second.

  Fully sheathed in her, he held himself still. Sliding his hands under Connie’s shoulders, he cradled her head in his palms and kissed her softly. His mouth whispered across hers, her breath tickling his lips. And as slowly as he could bear, he began to move.

  He forgot about his nephew’s anger, the town’s disapproval. Worries over construction delays evaporated. All that mattered was here in his bed, and the pleasure he and Connie created. Sweat trickled down his spine, and his body sped up, succumbing to its primal urges.

  Connie placed her feet on his calves, her toes digging into his muscles with each thrust. She wrapped her arms around his back, and moaned. “David.” Her voice was full of wonder, and the look in her eyes made him feel like he could conquer the world. In that moment, he knew he’d do whatever it took to keep that look on her face.

  His lungs squeezed, and another dose of adrenaline flooded his body, like he was on the back fifty of a two hundred meter IM. But this was a race he wanted to lose. Connie had to get there first, and she was close. God, he could feel she was close. Her body clutched around him, her nails dug into his skin. She arched her neck, her head pressing into the mattress, and let go.

  Sensation rocketed down his spine, and he followed her over. He bit into her flesh where her long neck met her shoulder, careful not to hurt her but needing to mark her in some small way. She whimpered, and her entire body turned to liquid beneath him.

  He rolled to the side, keeping her close. Breathing hard, he stared out his balcony door at the lake. The setting sun blazed orange and red, almost making the surrounding forest look like it was on fire. He pulled Connie closer. He wanted this, and not just in secret. And not when the court case might eventually be resolved. He wanted all of Connie, her public life and her private life. And David was damned good at getting what he wanted.

  As their bodies cooled and their pulses leveled, he plotted his moves. They needed a quick resolution to the case. And there was only one way he saw to get it.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “Don’t snap at me. I’m doing this for your own good.” Connie tried to wipe her face on her shoulder with no discernable result. Every inch of her hands was covered in toothpaste and slobber, making them useless for the task of cleaning Milo’s drool from her cheek.

  Her goat tugged at the leash that looped over one of the posts of his pen, but it held firm. He tried biting the nylon cord in half instead.

  “Stop.” Connie dropped her voice to make it deep and commanding, but he ignored her and chewed on. Grabbing his hairy jaw, she angled the animal’s head and went in for another try. Milo curled his lip in disdain, and she was able to scrub the patch of teeth he exposed. White foam bubbled from his lips, making Milo look like a rabid goat.

  Her dad came out onto the back porch and sank onto the swing. The sound of a can’s pop-top opening sliced through the still evening air.

  “Hi, Dad.” Connie lost her grip on Milo. The goat bucked twice and ran in a circle, coiling his leash tight around himself. She wrapped her left arm around his neck, and attacked him with the toothbrush again. “I could use some help holding him still.”

  Breathing heavy, a mixture of toothpaste, snot, and drool bubbled from Milo’s right nostril.

  Her father watched in horrified fascination until it popped. He shook his head. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen.”

  Of course not. W
hen had her dad ever helped her out? She thought of David, busting his butt to take care of his family, and realized just how rare that quality was. It was no wonder she had become attached to Caleb in high school, a guy who seemed to love taking care of her. And maybe it explained her unwanted attraction to David. For all his faults, he protected those he cared about with a fierceness Connie craved.

  Milo braced his legs and pushed backwards. Connie tightened her grip, and jammed the brush in and out of his mouth, not knowing if she scrubbed teeth, tongue, or gums. “We can’t have people saying you have garbage breath,” she told him. “Now open up and behave.”

  His head popped through the opening in her arm, and Connie staggered under the sudden loss of support. Milo lowered his head, looking like he meant to stab her with his little horns.

  “Fine!” She chucked the toothbrush in the direction of her garbage bin, giving up. “Have bad breath. Just don’t expect any of the lady goats to come calling.” She slammed out of the pen, letting the gate snick closed behind her, and trudged up the porch steps.

  Her father followed her into the kitchen. “No hot date tonight?”

  Connie rinsed up to her elbows in the sink, but it was no use. A full-body shower was required. Why did goat drool have to be so sticky? “I’m working tonight. I’m almost finished with the interrogatories for my case.” She’d even impressed herself with some of her questions for the defendants. She didn’t know what she’d learn during the discovery process that would be useful, but she’d leave no stone unturned. There was no way anyone could accuse her of going easy because of her relationship with David.

  She cast a narrow-eyed glance over her shoulder. “Why do you ask? Have you heard anything?”

  “No one’s gossiping about you and Carelli, if that’s what you’re asking.” He took a sip of beer, a smirk dancing around his upper lip.