by Banks, R. R.
Connor herds us into a cozy, intimate tasting room. The lighting is dim, the floorboards creak beneath our feet, and beautiful photos of a much older Napa Valley adorn the walls. We all take a seat at the table where Henri pours us all a small glass of red wine from an unlabeled bottle.
“We're still working up the artwork for the labels,” Connor says. “Henri rejected putting his face on the label. I was kind of thinking of doing his profile in a relief, like on those old Roman coins.”
Henri grins and shakes his head. “I would kill you and stuff you in a vat.”
Connor looks at me and shrugs. “We're obviously at an impasse for the moment.”
He raises his glass, and the rest of us follow suit. “You two are the first to ever try this,” he says. “Aside from us, of course.”
“I can't wait,” Jenna says.
“Then, to a good life, good health, and good love,” Connor says, his eyes glued to mine once more.
I feel a shudder pass through me as we all clink glasses together. As much as I try to deny it or say that I'm simply reading too much into his words, I know I can't. Not anymore. Those words were directed right at me. They sink down into my very soul. I feel my heart swell, knowing I too, feel strong and powerful emotions for Connor, but try to push them back, absolutely terrified of it. Terrified of him.
Or more precisely, terrified for him. He shouldn't have to endure being with someone like me.
As the wine flows, the mood in the room lightens, the conversation filled with laughter. Jenna and Henri hit it off and are completely engrossed in discussing an obscure book I've never heard of. Connor's eyes find mine and he smiles. He drains the rest of his glass and sets it back down on the table. He picks up the empty bottle and looks at it.
“Well, this won't do,” he says. “Henri, when you and Jenna finish your wine, will you escort her out to the gazebo for lunch and another bottle?”
“Of course,” Henri replies before turning back to his conversation with Jenna.
“Ms. Nichols,” Connor says, his eyes boring into mine. “I'd like to give you a private tour of the facilities.”
My mind is screaming at me to decline. To avoid going anywhere with him alone. It will only lead to trouble.
But, my heart and my body betray me, and I get to my feet with a smile on my face. And when I speak, my brain is howling at the words that fall out of my mouth.
“I'd love to,” I say.
We spend about twenty minutes touring the winery. He takes me through the process of winemaking, shows me the relevant instruments and procedures. I listen to him speak, but all I can think about is being with him. How reassuring and comforting his presence is to me. He makes me laugh and smile. And when he takes my hand and looks into my eyes, my heart swells to the point of bursting.
“I've come to realize that I care about you, Zoe,” he says. “I care about you a great deal, in fact.”
“I – this is crazy, Connor,” I reply, my brain starting to assert a little more control. “We can't do this.”
“Why not?” he asks.
“Well, for one thing, my father is representing the main suing you,” I say. “It's a clear conflict of interest.”
He laughs and waves it away. “Bollocks,” he says. “That suit is nothing but a cash grab. An extortion plot. They're using a sad, pathetic little sack like Jay Hill to try and squeeze me out of some money. The case has zero merit and would never make it to court – which is why they're pushing so hard for a settlement. And I think you know that. I also know there’s no way you were a willing part of it.”
“How do you know that?”
He stops and turns to me, taking my other hand and looking at me. His eyes burn through my soul. I can feel him reaching deep within me and it makes my heart stutter. I so badly want to kiss him right now but know that I can't. That I shouldn't.
“Because you're a good person, Zoe,” he says. “You have a good heart. And you would never knowingly do something like that to an innocent person. I know that about you at the very least.”
I feel the sting of the tears welling in my eyes, and I look away. I'm ashamed to have my name attached to this farce of a lawsuit. He's right that it's nothing more than a cash grab. It's extortion. And it's wrong. So very wrong. I'm glad that Connor can see through it.
“What are you going to do about it?” I ask. “About my father and this suit.”
He shrugs. “I'm going to give them enough rope to hang themselves with,” he says. “I'll call their bluff and see how serious they are about going to court. I'll bet a million dollars that they end up kicking Jay to the curb.”
Our gazes are still locked, and the urge becomes too overpowering for me to deny. I reach up and put my hands on either side of his face, pulling him down into a kiss. At first, he's motionless – surprised. But, a beat later, he kisses me back with the same heat and passion I feel for him.
Slowly, our kiss ends, and he pulls back, looking at me with a devious little smile on his lips.
“What?” I ask.
He doesn't say a word but keeps hold of my hand as he leads me to a hallway. There is a chain with a sign announcing that the hallway is under construction and off-limits, but Connor unhooks the chain and pulls me through before putting it back in place behind us. I let him lead me down the hallway, half-afraid that the ceiling or walls are going to come collapsing down on us.
“Is it safe down here?” I ask.
He smiles. “Construction isn’t set to begin for another few weeks,” he says. “It's just a remodel. New paint, walls, flooring. Nothing to be worried about structurally.”
“What are we doing down here?”
Near the end of the hall, he opens a door and ushers me into a room that looks much like the tasting room we'd been in before. The air is redolent with the aroma of wine and oak – the only real difference between the two rooms I can see is that this room has a clean, modern paint scheme to it. It doesn't have that old farmhouse motif.
Connor closes the door behind us and grabs me roughly around the waist, pushing me up against the door. A second later, his mouth is pressed to mine, and our kiss becomes more heated and passionate than the one we shared minutes ago. Our tongues swirl and probe each other's mouth, the taste of wine still thick. Connor’s hands roam my body, cupping my breasts through my blouse.
I pull back a moment, biting my bottom lip. My body is crying out for him, but my brain is trying to pump the brakes.
“W – we probably shouldn't,” I say, my voice trembling.
Connor's gaze travels up and down my body. When his eyes finally settle on mine, I see a raw and desperate hunger – a need and desire – in them that matches my own. He looks at me like I'm the most beautiful woman he's ever seen, and it makes my heart flutter.
“You can leave if you want,” he says. “I won’t stop you.”
He steps back, but I can see a tinge of regret in his eyes as he does so. He sits down on one of the chairs in the room, watching me with desire plain on his face.
“That painting,” I say. “Is that how you really see me?”
He shakes his head. “I could never really capture how I see you, Zoe,” he says. “I can never do justice to what's in my heart. That's probably as close as I can get though.”
His words have a profound impact on me and make me smile for reasons I don't understand yet. All I know is that the man who painted the woman on that canvas saw her as a goddess – as an object to be admired. Cherished.
I reach up and unbutton my blouse, slipping it off my shoulders, and throwing it on the table next to me. Connor watches me, that primal lust in his eyes deepening. Next, I reach back and unhook my bra, letting my breasts spill out, tossing it on top of my top. Connor licks his lips and I can see the bulge growing in his jeans. Then my pencil skirt. I toss it casually onto the table with the rest of my clothes and stand there before him in nothing but panties and heels – a look he seems to really appreciate.
St
anding before him practically naked should send shivers of fear through me. I'm not used to being naked in front of men. But, with Connor, I feel like I can be comfortable in my own skin. He looks at me like I'm an exquisite piece of art rather than just some chick he wants to bang. The way he drinks me in with his eyes makes me unbelievably wet.
“Come here,” he says.
I walk over to him, my heels tapping against the hardwood floor beneath my feet. I stand before him as he puts his hands on me, running his fingertips up and down my sides as he stares into my eyes. His gaze is so direct that it lays me bare, making me feel so vulnerable. So sexy.
He leans forward and starts planting soft kisses on my belly. I shudder as he runs the tip of his tongue around my stiff nipples. He sucks on them, nipping them gently as he cups my ass in his hands. I'm dripping wet, and the fires between my thighs are burning even hotter the more he touches me. I need him inside of me. As if reading my mind, Connor slides my panties down my legs, casually tossing them onto the pile of clothing on the table across the room – leaving me in nothing but my heels.
He stands and picks me up like I weigh nothing, setting me down on the table, taking his seat once again. With a roguish grin, he pushes me down onto my back and parts my thighs with his hands. I look down at him just as he buries his face into the warm, wet center of me, the tip of his tongue on my clit sending electric shockwaves through my body.
I clutch his hair as he runs his tongue along my wet, swollen lips. And when he plunges his tongue deep inside of me, I cry out, pulling on his hair. My body trembles as he fucks me with his tongue, licking and sucking on me like his life depends on it. He attacks my pussy with his mouth with such passion and zeal, my entire body is spasming. It feels like I’m being consumed by the flames of desire.
I can see the smile in his eyes as he laps at my burning hot core with wild abandon. It's like a drug he just can't get enough of. I've never had a man go down on me with the enthusiasm and relish that Connor is. With each passing moment and thrust of his tongue, he's bringing me closer and closer to the brink.
He drives a finger deep inside of me as he takes my clit into his mouth, nipping and sucking on it. My body erupts at the combined sensation and my orgasm crashes down on me, threatening to sweep me away like a rogue wave.
I cry out, nearly crushing his head with my thighs as my body shudders and trembles. I draw in a long, stuttering breath and call out his name. The waves of pleasure tearing through me are so intense, my vision becomes suddenly blurred by tears. I feel them rolling down my face.
I can't speak or move. As my body is inundated by a pleasure I’ve never known before, it’s all I can do to breathe. My breathing slowly returns to normal and my paralysis eases. I look down at Connor as he stands up, his chin and lips soaked with my juices. His eyes are riveted to mine, a burning lust filling them completely.
Wiping his chin and mouth, he leans down and rubs the tears from my cheeks, a curious expression on his face.
“You okay?” he asks.
Still not quite able to form coherent words, all I can manage is a grunt and a nod. He smiles and kisses me with a tenderness and care I hadn't expected. I'm still laying on the table, my heart still thundering inside of me, as Connor looms over me. His smile sets my soul on fire and makes my body cry out for more.
He reaches into his pocket and slips something out of his wallet. A condom.
“Always prepared, huh?” I ask.
“Like a Boy Scout.”
“We should be quick. Henri and Jenna will be wondering where we are,” I say, though I don't know if I really mean it – or care.
“Don't worry about a thing, love,” he says, his voice low and rumbling.
I start to sit up, but he pushes me back down onto the table. He unzips his pants and tears open the condom wrapper, his eyes never leaving mine as he unrolls it over his cock. He drinks me in with his eyes, looking at me like a delicious dessert he can never get his fill of, sending electric shocks of longing and desire through me.
Stepping forward, he lifts my legs up and wraps his arms around my thighs. There's a devilish smile on his face as he thrusts his hips forward, driving that thick, hard cock between the soft, velvety folds of my pussy. He fills me up and stretches me open so completely and so suddenly, I grimace and let out a small yip of pain. But, the pain is soon overwhelmed by a flood of pleasure as Connor moves inside of me, the two sensations blending into one intense feeling that makes my entire body tingle.
After letting my body acclimate to having him inside of me, Connor begins to pump his hips, driving his stiff member into me harder and faster. I press my head back into the table as a tide of pleasure surges through my body.
With Connor, all my inhibitions are gone. I feel like a completely different person – one who is able to do and say what I want without limits, without judgment. He makes me feel like a powerful sexual being. Like a living goddess. It’s opened me up to new ways of being and made me learn how to enjoy my body – and Connor’s body – in ways I never knew were possible.
“Connor, yes. Fuck me,” I say, knowing what he likes. “Fuck me harder, baby. Oh my God!”
He lets out a throaty growl, the lust in his eyes soaring to new heights. He grits his teeth, driving his cock into me harder and faster. The sound of our flesh slapping together as he fucks me echoes around the small room. His fingers press hard into the flesh of my thighs as he drives himself into me, his stiff cock setting off explosions of pleasure deep within my sensitive pussy.
“Fuck, Zoe,” he growls.
His face is a mask of ecstasy as he pounds me with his glorious cock. Sweat is dotting his brow and his jaw is clenched hard. All I want to do is make him feel as good as he makes me feels. I want to bring him every ounce of pleasure possible.
I feel his body tighten as his movements grow more frantic. I'm sure that because of how tight I am, he's having a hard time staving off the inevitable. He relentlessly thrusts inside of me, making my eyes roll back in my head, and I call out his name.
He gasps and steps back, pulling his cock out of me suddenly. With a wicked smile on my lips, I slip down from the table and start to fall to my knees. But, Connor surprises me and stops me. A roguish grin on his face, he shakes his head.
“I'm not done fucking you yet,” he says. “Just needed a second to cool down, love.”
He turns me around roughly and pushes me down over the table. I turn my face to the side, trying to watch him as he runs his hands across the flesh of my ass, letting out a yelp when he gives it a good, hard smack. The sudden jolt of pain makes me smile as a rush of pleasure follows quickly on its heels. He presses his fingers into the flesh of my ass again, admiring it.
“Fuck me, Connor,” I moan. “I need your dick inside of me.”
He slaps my ass again, harder this time. I stifle a yelp and bite my bottom lip, reveling in the flood of sensations coursing through my body. He steps forward and I feel him running the head of his cock against my lips, making my already dripping wet and burning hot pussy buzz with anticipation.
Connor slowly slips the head of his cock inside of me. I moan and try to raise myself up, only to have him force me back down to the table again. His hand is on my back, holding me in place as he thrusts his cock into me, making me cry out.
As he starts to pump his hips, slamming his thick erection into me over and over again, my body becomes drunk with pleasure.
“Fuck, Connor,” I gasp.
He slaps my ass again, the sting of it making me grit my teeth. I push myself back against him, a smile on my face as I take his cock even deeper into me. He grunts and pounds me with the same sort of zeal he'd eaten my pussy with – and it's driving me crazy.
My heart is pounding in my chest so violently, I'm sure it's going to crack the table beneath us. Connor is still holding me down as he fucks me. He slaps my ass again, making me call out his name.
“You're so goddamn tight,” he gasps. “You feel so fuck
ing good, Zoe.”
I'm dizzy with the sensations coursing through me and I feel that pressure building up low within me again. I know I'm not going to last much longer.
“You're going to make me cum again,” I say, my voice low and breathy.
“Cum for me, Zoe,” he growls. “Cum all over my fucking cock. I want to feel it.”
As if his words were the final key, I explode. I scream his name as my body shakes and trembles, liquid fire running through my veins. I feel my pussy tighten around his cock, pulsing hard as I cum. Less than a minute later, Connor throws his head back and lets out a growl that doesn't even sound human, overwhelmed by his own orgasm.
I feel his prick throbbing inside of me as he fills the condom with his wet, sticky seed. Together, we silently ride out the waves of pleasure rolling through us, both of us reveling in the afterglow.
Slowly, our breathing returns to normal and Connor releases me from the table. He pulls me to him in a tight embrace and kisses me softly. Tenderly.
“We should probably get out there, huh?” he asks, a mischievous little twinkle in his eye.
“Probably.”
“I want to see you, Zoe,” he says, his expression earnest. “I want to be with you. I think we're good together. I think –”
I press my lips to his, cutting him off. My heart skips a beat and I feel a familiar current of fear running through me.
“I don't think I'm good for you, Connor,” I say. “I'm pretty messed up. I don't think I deserve a man like you.”
“Shouldn't that be for me to decide?” he asks. “You can't say we don't have a connection. This isn't all only about the sex. Though I have to admit, it is really damn good.”
He gives me that roguish grin again and I can't help but laugh. This is all so complicated. I know my father will never approve of it – the whole legal case aside. Bryant is who he has decided I should be with, and nothing will ever change his mind on that. If I say no to Bryant and immediately introduce Connor, I know my life will become a living hell.