Sweet Harmony (Harmony Falls, Book One)

by Elizabeth Kelly

  “Am I – am I better at kissing?” she asked. It was stupid but she wanted to know. She was oddly humiliated by not being a good kisser.

  “Yes,” he said. “You’re a fast learner, little Kira.”

  “Please,” she repeated before rubbing her flat stomach against his erection. “I need more.”

  “What do you need?” he whispered. “This?”

  He boosted her up onto the counter, it pressed his cock directly against her aching core and moving on instinct, she wrapped her legs around his waist and dry humped him shamelessly.

  “Better?” he asked.

  “Yes! I mean, no… I don’t know,” she moaned.

  He laughed, another low sound that made her shiver, and brushed his long fingers against the underside of one small breast. She arched her back and made an inarticulate pleading noise. When he slid his hand inside her cardigan and cupped her breast, his hand squeezing her gently through her shirt and her bra, she mashed her mouth down onto his. She kissed him desperately and he returned her kiss before pinching her erect nipple.

  She gasped and he rubbed it with the ball of his thumb before groaning, “You have no idea what you do to me, Kira.”

  “You’re driving me crazy,” she whispered.

  He kissed her again and when she tentatively tugged at his shirt, he stripped it over his head and dropped it on the counter beside her. She stared at his chest. Unlike Daniel, who was as muscular and smooth as a body-builder, he had a lean build and his chest had a light layer of dark hair. She touched the hair, a little surprised at the coarseness of it, before studying his abdomen.

  “What?” he asked.

  “I didn’t expect a dentist to have a six pack,” she said.

  He grinned at her, and she traced the hard ridges of his stomach before smoothing her fingers over the v-line she could see just peeking out from his waistband. He inhaled sharply before sliding the cardigan down her arms. She twisted out of it, and he folded it and set it on the counter before reaching for the buttons on her shirt.

  “Your turn,” he said.

  He had her shirt unbuttoned before she quite knew what was happening.

  “Beautiful,” he muttered.

  She wasn’t sure what was so beautiful about her smaller-than-average breasts, but her push-up bra did do a fine job of making them look larger than they were. She hoped he wouldn’t take off her bra. Ignoring the fact that no guy had ever seen her half-naked, she rather enjoyed having him think they were beautiful.

  He bent his dark head and kissed the tops of her breasts, brushing his lips over them with barely-there caresses that inflamed her senses. She realized with a vague feeling of embarrassment that her nipples were hard and protruding against the silk fabric of her bra. She tried to place her hands over them, and he tugged her hands away immediately, studying the outline of her nipples.

  She gasped when he tugged on her right nipple through the fabric of her bra. It sent an aching pull of need straight to her pussy and she was helpless to stop from arching her back. He made a low mutter of approval and toyed with her nipple as she gasped and moaned. But when his fingers reached for the front clasp of her bra, she stiffened and pulled away.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “Nothing,” she said. “I’ve just never, you know…”

  He took a step back and gave her a cautious look. “Never what, Kira?”

  “I’ve never had a guy, uh, see my…”

  She stopped again, her embarrassment growing when his gaze narrowed.

  “What exactly have you done?” he asked.

  She cleared her throat. “Well, I’ve kissed guys – not very well, obviously – and done some other stuff.”

  “What other stuff?”

  “You know - stuff.”

  “Tell me.”

  “I’ve done a bit of, um, groping. Uh – under the shirt but over the bra, sort of thing.”

  His look of surprise made her feel about three feet tall. “What?”

  “You’re twenty-five years old, Kira.”

  “So?”

  “So, you’re telling me you’ve never even taken your shirt off in front of a guy before?”

  “You’re making me sound like a freak,” she said angrily. “Stop it.”

  He grasped her chin and forced her gaze to his. “You’re a virgin.”

  “Yes,” she said.

  “Why?”

  “What do you mean, why?”

  “Why are you still a virgin? You’re smart and gorgeous and I’m sure you’ve had plenty of opportunity. Why haven’t you had sex?”

  “Because I’m…”

  She was suddenly ashamed to tell him the truth, but he made a low curse under his breath and released her chin. “You’re saving yourself for Daniel.”

  She didn’t reply and he gave her a dark look of disapproval. “Daniel hasn’t done the same for you. You can’t possibly be that naïve to think he has.”

  “I know that,” she snapped. “I just – it’s special to me, okay? I want him to have it.”

  He shook his head in disgust. “He doesn’t deserve it, Kira.”

  She glared at him. “Yes, he does.”

  “No, he doesn’t.”

  “Let’s agree to disagree.” The exasperation was clear in her voice. “Can we just, uh, do some more kissing? We’ve still got some time.”

  He grabbed his t-shirt. “No. I need to go.”

  “Why are you angry with me?” she said. “This is fake, remember? We’re only doing this so that we look like we’re dating. What do you care if I’m a virgin or not?”

  He just shook his head again before walking away. “I have to go.”

  He left the kitchen and she stared blankly at her still-hard nipples. She was angry as hell at Connor for making her feel like an idiot, but she was also, stupidly, still incredibly horny. It was only quarter after eight and she’d apparently grown used to at least half an hour of kissing. What the hell had Connor done to her?

  Before she could button her shirt or hop down from the counter, Connor strode back into the kitchen. He was still shirtless, and her eyes widened when dropped his shirt to the counter and his big hands grasped her thighs through her dress pants. He pushed her legs apart and crowded up against her until his crotch was snug against hers.

  “Connor, what -”?

  He kissed her, devouring her mouth with hard licks and nips. She moaned and returned his kisses enthusiastically. He cupped her right breast with one large hand and kneaded it roughly.

  She had no idea why he’d returned, and she didn’t care. It felt so good to kiss him, even if she could feel his anger with her through his kisses. She dug her nails into his back, wrapping her legs around his waist again and rocking her pussy against him. If he tried to undo her bra, she would let him this time. Her nipples were aching and throbbing in a way she’d never felt before, and she knew instinctively that letting him suck on them would help ease the ache.

  “Kira? Hey, Kira?”

  The front door slammed, and she tried to pull away. Connor made a low growl of disapproval and tightened his grip on her. He kissed her deeply, stealing both her breath and her instinct to stop.

  “Kira? Can I borrow your phone charger? My phone died at the gym and I …”

  She heard Daniel make a loud grunt of surprise. Connor pulled his mouth from hers and stared over his shoulder. “Can I help you?”

  “What the hell is going on?” Daniel stared wide-eyed at them.

  For the first time in her life, Kira felt a thin thread of irritation toward Daniel. If he hadn’t interrupted, Connor would be sucking on her nipples right now and –

  “Kira? Are you okay?” Daniel was giving her a look of alarm.

  She made herself concentrate on Daniel. He was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, his phone in one hand.

  “I’m fine,” she said. “Connor and I are, uh….”

  Shit. What did she say? They weren’t supposed to be dating for another
couple of weeks.

  “You’re what?” Daniel’s face was a mask of confusion.

  “We’re dating,” Connor said.

  Daniel’s gaze flickered to Connor and then back to her. “You’re dating the doc?”

  “Yes,” Kira said.

  “Since when?”

  “A few weeks now. We’ve been keeping it quiet,” Connor said smoothly.

  He was blocking Daniel’s view of her upper body and he dropped his gaze to her breasts for a moment before raising one eyebrow at her. She blushed and scrambled to button her shirt. When she was fully covered, he lifted her down from the counter before pulling his shirt over his head.

  “The two of you are dating.” Daniel repeated as he drifted toward them.

  Kira nodded, searching his face for any signs of jealousy. If he was jealous, it was effectively hidden by surprise and confusion.

  “How did you two meet?” Daniel said.

  “I’m her dentist.”

  “Isn’t that like, illegal, to date your patients?” Daniel asked.

  Before Connor could reply, the front door opened again, and she heard the tell-tale tap of dog nails on the hardwood. She immediately braced herself against the counter, already wincing in anticipation.

  “What’s wrong?” Connor asked.

  “Kira, incoming!” Her brother hollered from the hallway just as the giant fawn-coloured dog scrambled into the kitchen.

  “Holy shit,” Connor breathed. “It’s a goddamn horse.”

  “Tank, no,” Kira said as Tank, his tongue hanging from his mouth and a giant doggie grin on his face, lumbered toward her. “Stop! Down! Sit!”

  It made her a terrible person, but she almost hoped that Daniel, who was standing in Tank’s path toward her, would be the one knocked over by the friendly but overly enthusiastic dog. After being slammed into, stepped on, and knocked over by Tank for the last three years, she was over it.

  Unfortunately, Daniel’s good qualities didn’t include taking one for the team in the form of being trampled by a one hundred-and seventy-five-pound Great Dane with a zest for life and no comprehension of personal space. He made a quick side-step just before Tank could close in on him. The big dog wasn’t graceful enough to turn so he settled for a quick and sloppy slurp across Daniel’s forearm as he skidded by him.

  “Tank, sit,” Kira repeated, then steeled herself for impact when Tank didn’t slow his enthusiastic race toward her.

  To her surprise, the bone-rattling impact never came. Just as Tank reached them, Connor stepped neatly in front of her. The dog slammed into him in a tangle of long limbs, a madly wagging tail and a slobbery tongue. Connor grunted but bore the impact well, his body only lightly pressing against hers as he fended off the giant dog.

  Her brother appeared in the doorway and barked out a command. “Tank, sit!”

  Tank sat obediently at Connor’s feet, his tail sweeping back and forth across the floor and his sides heaving with exertion.

  “You okay?” Connor asked over his shoulder.

  “Yes, uh, thank you. That was really nice of you to throw your body into harm’s way like that.”

  He gave her a grin that showed off his dimple before turning back and letting Tank sniff his hand. The dog’s tail thumped hard against the floor and when Connor petted him, he stood up and leaned his entire body against Connor’s.

  Connor rocked backward into Kira and she made a low ‘oof’.

  “Sorry,” Connor said.

  She squeezed out from behind him. “It’s okay. I should have warned you that Tank is a leaner.”

  The big dog made a chuff of happiness before leaning against Kira. Connor slipped his arm around her waist, holding her steady as she patted the dog’s head. Tank was so tall that when he lifted his head, his nose pressed against Kira’s chin.

  He licked her chin and she wiped the moisture away with a grimace. “Yuck, Tank. Bad dog.”

  “Dog or horse?” Connor petted Tank’s back and the big dog chuffed again.

  “He’s a Great Dane,” Kira said. “They get… big.”

  “How much does he weigh?” Connor asked.

  “About a buck seventy-five,” her brother said. “Who are you, exactly?”

  Kira groaned inwardly. Gideon was studying Connor like the dentist might be a mass murderer. Her brother was above and beyond protective of her, had been ever since her parents died, and she’d had this half-hearted idea that she could keep her fake relationship with Connor a secret from Gideon.

  It would be bad enough for a real boyfriend to be subjected to Gideon’s grilling, her fake one didn’t need to be put through it.

  Gideon had brushed past Daniel like he wasn’t even there, not surprising - there was no love loss between her brother and Daniel – and was now standing in front of them. Her brother was born with heterochromia, making his right eye a wintry shade of blue, and his left eye the pale green of a large jungle cat’s eye. The difference in colour was particularly noticeable this morning. Of course, it usually was when he was pissed off.

  Keeping his arm around her waist, Connor held out his other hand. “Connor MacMillan. I don’t think we’ve ever formally met, Sheriff Walker.”

  Gideon studied his hand for a second or two before shaking it. “You’re the dentist who opened the new practice on Hudson Road with Grant Henderson. That right?”

  “Yes. H&M Dental Clinic,” Connor said.

  “You’re from Willington,” Gideon said.

  “He’s lived here like two years now, Gideon,” Kira said hurriedly. Her brother wasn’t a fanatical Willington hater like most people in Harmony Falls, but the idea of her dating someone from Willington was bound to set him off.

  “Why are you in my sister’s kitchen this morning, Dr. MacMillan?” Gideon’s voice had an edge to it.

  “Gideon, knock it off,” Kira said.

  “We’re dating,” Connor replied.

  She was surprised by how relaxed Connor looked and sounded. Connor was tall, she guessed he was around six feet and muscular, but at 6’4”, her brother was one of the biggest men in Harmony Falls. It wasn’t just his height either. He had a physically intimidating build, his broad shoulders, wide chest and thick thighs made even the most belligerent of drunks think twice about crossing him. That Connor didn’t seem even a little intimidated by her brother was an unexpected surprise.

  The muscle ticking at Gideon’s temple was the only sign that he heard Connor.

  “Kira,” he said, “can I speak to you in private, please?”

  “I have to go to work,” she said. “I’ll text you later. Why are you here anyway?”

  Gideon lifted the travel coffee mug he held in one large hand. “I’m dropping Tank at Guardians for the day and I’m out of coffee. The house is on the way.”

  “You know where the coffee pods are,” she said.

  Gideon’s nostrils flared and she gave him a don’t-push-me-look that he completely ignored. “I would prefer to speak with you now,” he said.

  “Well, I’m busy with Connor and -”

  “It’s fine,” Connor said. “I need to get to work as well.”

  He pulled her close and pressed a kiss against her mouth. It was a brief kiss, but she still felt like her lips had been seared by flames.

  He stepped away from her and gave Tank a final pat. “Nice to meet you, Sheriff. Kira, I’ll call you later.”

  “Right, okay. Bye.” Kira gave him a stupid little wave before her eyes widened. Shit, she’d forgotten about Daniel.

  She sidestepped around her brother and Tank. “Daniel, I’m sorry, I…”

  The kitchen was empty. Daniel was gone. Feeling a little sick to her stomach, she barely noticed when Connor walked out of the kitchen. Was Daniel mad at her? Had he left because she’d basically ignored him from the moment he walked in, or had he left because of her brother?

  She didn’t know and worry gnawed at her stomach. She should text him. She was reaching for her phone when her brother cleare
d his throat. He was putting a coffee pod into the machine and giving her a pointed look.

  “What?” she said.

  “Since when did you start dating a dentist from Willington?”

  “He’s been in Harmony Falls for two years, Gideon.”

  “When did you start dating?” he repeated.

  “A few weeks ago. Why?” The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. Tank, who had stretched out on his side, thumped his tail against the floor when she stepped over him.

  “He doesn’t seem like your type,” Gideon said. “How did you meet him?”

  “He’s my dentist,” Kira replied. “Isn’t he yours?”

  “I see Grant.”

  “Oh. Well, you should try seeing Connor instead. He’s a great dentist. Listen, I have to go, or I’ll be late for -”

  “What about Daniel?”

  She opened the fridge and grabbed her lunch. “What about him?”

  “Don’t play dumb, Kira. You’ve been,” Gideon gestured vaguely in the air, “smitten with him since you were a kid.”

  “Yeah, well, maybe I finally grew up. Make sure you lock the door when you leave.” She picked up her purse from the table and walked out of the kitchen before Gideon could grill her further.

  * * *

  “Connor? There’s a man here to see you.” Keisha popped her head into the break room.

  “Who is it?” he asked.

  “He wouldn’t tell me his name.” The receptionist shrugged before studying her nails.

  He sighed and stuffed his lunch bag back into the fridge before following Keisha down the hall toward reception. His eyes widened and a smile broke out across his face.

  “Lucas!”

  He pushed past the reception desk and grabbed his best friend in a hard hug. Lucas hugged him in return, pounding him on the back before stepping backward and looking him over. “You’re looking good for an old man.”

  Connor laughed. “What are you doing here?’

  “I came down for the weekend. Ma is throwing a yard sale and threatened to sell all of my childhood stuff if I didn’t come down and sort through it. Figured I’d stop in and see you before I went home. You got time for lunch?”