Happily Ever After Collection

by Melanie Moreland

He pulled me toward him slowly, his eyes never leaving my face. He wrapped his hands around the back of my neck, burying them in my hair as his lips descended on mine. I had thought kissing Connor while drunk was good; nothing prepared me for the burst of heat that hit me while kissing him sober. Every sense in my body ignited. I whimpered as he pushed his tongue in, licking and exploring, his flavor filling my senses and my head. I couldn’t get enough of him—his taste, his scent, his strength—as he held me against his hard body. I gripped his shoulders with my hands, as he tilted my head, controlling the kiss completely. I lost myself to him and the passion he brought out in me. It was only when he pulled back, I realized I was straddling his lap and we were both panting and flushed.

  “God, you’re amazing,” Connor whispered. He traced his thumb over my bottom lip, his gaze hooded with desire.

  Teasingly, I drew his thumb into my mouth, swirling my tongue around the tough skin, with my teeth nipping at the thick end. A strangled groan escaped Connor’s lips as he stared at me, his eyes burning. I lowered my gaze, my eyes widening when I took in his growing bulge, his pants straining at the zipper. He pulled his thumb out of my mouth, crashing his lips to mine as he grabbed my hips, pulling me down on top of his erection, thrusting upward. We both groaned at the intense sensation as we rocked together, our lips fused, and our bodies locked in a rhythmic dance. My body was on overload, and I shuddered as long rolls of pleasure ran through me. I had never felt anything like it. My head fell back as I gasped for air, and Connor’s lips nipped and licked at my neck.

  “Tell me to stop, Wren,” he murmured in my ear. “Tell me to stop, or I won’t be able to… God…Jenny.”

  I didn’t want him to stop. I wanted him to come apart, and I wanted to see it happen. I sped up my movements, undulating over him and moaning his name. He pressed me down, pushing right where I needed him the most.

  He spoke in a gruff voice. “Baby…I can’t… You need to…” He then stilled, throwing his head back as he shuddered and cursed. I fell with him, my orgasm tearing through me. I watched him, my body locking down as I gasped his name. I was unable to tear my eyes away from his face as he climaxed.

  Fuck, he was pretty when he came. I smiled. I did that to him. I made him pretty.

  I fell forward, nestled against his torso, spent and exhausted. He pulled me to cuddle against his body, his chin resting on my shoulder as we slowly recovered.

  “You’re staying the night.”

  I smiled against his chest. It wasn’t a request. I wanted to stay, but I still couldn’t resist teasing him.

  “I am? You’re still holding my keys?”

  “And your clothes and shoes.” He growled into my neck.

  “I guess I have no choice, then.”

  He groaned and stood, taking me with him. He strode down the hall, laying me on his bed. He hovered over me, his face close to mine. “I’m going to have a shower. You’re staying here. Unless, of course, you want to join me.”

  I shook my head. I wasn’t quite ready for that yet.

  “Then you’ll be here when I get back.”

  I nodded, my eyes drifting down to the front of his pants. I bit my lip as I looked back up. Connor smirked at me.

  “Proud of yourself, Jenny? You made me come in my pants. I haven’t done that since I was a teenager.”

  I tried to suppress my smile but failed.

  Grinning, he leaned down and kissed me hard. “Smile away. You did it.” He stood and walked to the dresser, grabbing a pair of sleep shorts before he paused and turned around. “But, Jenny?”

  “Yes?”

  “I am not pretty. Guys are never pretty when they come. We’re sexy, hot, devastatingly handsome, but not pretty.” Winking, he strode into the bathroom.

  I grumbled as I rolled over. Inner monologue. I needed to find my inner monologue. I had to stop my mouth spilling out all my thoughts when I was around him.

  But I strongly disagreed. He was hot and sexy, yet still very pretty.

  Chapter 3

  Jenny

  “Whatever you’re thinking about that is making you look like that needs to stop right now.”

  I looked up in surprise at the sight of Connor, leaning against the doorway, running a towel through his damp hair. His chest was bare, gleaming in the soft light cast by the bedside lamp. He strode forward, his long, muscled legs visible since he only wore low-slung shorts. His abs, arms, and pecs were well defined and taut. There was a tattoo on his shoulder of the police insignia, the ink strikingly black against his skin. He tossed the towel into the hamper before he lifted the covers, lying beside me. He cupped my cheek and frowned. “What is going on in that beautiful head of yours?”

  I started shaking my head, and his hand tightened. “Don’t say nothing. You look positively shattered right now.” He leaned forward, pressing his lips against mine. “Tell me.”

  “What must you think of me right now, Connor?”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I broke up with my boyfriend this afternoon, and I’m in your bed tonight. In between, I got drunk, confessed my hidden feelings for you, and then…” I couldn’t even finish, and I looked at him in horror. “I don’t act like this. I’ve never done anything like this before,” I whispered, my voice pleading. I wanted him to believe me. I wanted him to know the kind of person I was. From the second he had left to go shower, my thoughts had been raging. I had been struggling with everything that had happened, the enormity of the day crashing over me.

  “I know that, Jenny. I know you.”

  “How? How can you be so sure?”

  “Because I see you. I’ve heard you on the phone with your friends and family when I was at your place. I’ve seen the pictures in your apartment. You’ve shared stories about yourself and your life with me. I could hear you talking in the hall with neighbors and friends. I know how caring you are with everyone. You help all the people in this building. I know about the meals you make for Mrs. Franklin and Mr. Smithers. I know you got them playing cards together so they aren’t alone all the time. You look after everyone around you. Your friends adore you. I even heard how great you were with that jerk.”

  “You did?”

  “I didn’t mean to listen, but the walls are quite thin, and when I’d hear your voice, I just sort of became more alert.” He shrugged. “It’s the cop in me, I think. I always had to make sure you were okay. He was leaving one day, and you were telling him to calm down, that you felt he worked too hard and you never saw him anymore.” He frowned. “I didn’t like his tone when he talked to you, but I stayed out of it. Although, if he had done anything, I would have been out of the door and on him in a flash. But he brushed you off fairly quickly and left.”

  “I remember that day. You came over a little while after he left and told me your coffeemaker broke. You asked me if I could make you a thermos to take to work.”

  He smiled sheepishly. “I had to check on you.”

  “We’ve had a lot of coffee together.”

  “It was a great way to spend time with you. I could see you, and you were comfortable with it. It gave me a chance to get to know you better.” He cocked his head to the side. “I don’t think you realize how generous you were with me. You always sent me off with a snack or lunch. Are you even aware of how often you knocked on my door with dinner or some of your treats?”

  I shook my head.

  “I figured that. It is so natural with you. I loved hearing those knocks. I always felt so cared for.”

  “I liked how you reacted when I gave you something. You were so enthusiastic and grateful. And you made me feel less alone.” I shrugged. “John was around less and less.”

  Connor smirked. “Working so hard.”

  I smiled ruefully. “I guess he wasn’t working as hard as I thought he was—at least, not at his job.”

  Connor sighed and moved closer. He pulled me to him and held me silently for a minute. When he spoke, his voice was low but firm. “Listen to me,
Jenny. I think, today, you ended something that wasn’t right for you. You haven’t been happy for a long time. You told me that. What happened today was simply you moving on from a relationship that has been dead longer than you realized.” He paused, his hand ghosting up and down my arm. “I know this is fast and completely out of character for you. What happened earlier, on the couch? We didn’t plan it, but it wasn’t wrong. I’m sorry you’re regretting it.”

  “I’m not regretting it, Connor.”

  “No?”

  “I just need you to know it’s not my usual style.”

  He chuckled. “I already knew that, but duly noted.”

  “John and I… We haven’t been, um…”

  He held up his hand. “That is none of my business, Jenny.”

  I grabbed his hand and held it tight. “Please, let me.”

  “Okay, Wren. Whatever you need.”

  “Things have never been very passionate between us. I always questioned that because it didn’t seem right. My friends all talked about this connection they had with their partner, and I never felt it with John.” I looked at Connor intently. “I’ve never felt anything like I felt with you on the couch. Ever.”

  A slow smile spread across his face, but he didn’t say anything.

  “The past few months, it got worse. I didn’t like his touch anymore. It just felt wrong. He only stayed over twice since you moved in, and both times he was drunk and nothing happened. He thought it did, and I let him, so I didn’t feel so guilty. But there was no spark.” I sighed. “I should have broken it off months ago.”

  “So, you liked the couch?”

  “Yeah. I did.” I chewed the inside of my cheek. “I’m not sure I’m ready for more just yet, though.”

  “I can handle that. Just being here with you, like this, is more than I hoped for.” He tapped my cheek, shaking his head. “Stop beating yourself up about not breaking it off with him sooner. Hindsight is a powerful thing. Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “And for the record? I liked the couch, too. That spark your friends talked about? We have a fucking inferno. When you’re ready, I’m more than happy to show you just how hot we are together.”

  We both grinned at each other, his arms still wrapped around me.

  He turned serious. “Jenny, have you ever had a feeling? Just a sense that told you something, someone was the exact right thing for you?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  He smiled down at me. “I have. Three times. My parents died when I was young, and a great couple named Kelly and Jason adopted me. They had come to the group home to see a little girl, but I took one look at them and informed Kelly she was supposed to be my new mommy. I remember looking at her and just feeling like she was what I had been waiting for. That once she loved me, I would be okay again.”

  “Connor—” My voice caught at the emotion in his voice.

  His arms tightened, his hands splayed across my back, his fingers moving. “They took both of us—since I also refused to leave without Carly. As soon as I met her at the orphanage, I became her big brother, and I told Kelly and Jason we were a package deal. They came to see her and adopted us both.”

  I felt the tears gathering in my eyes as he shared his past with me. I wanted to know everything about this man. He was quiet for a moment, seemingly lost in his thoughts.

  “You said three times?” I prompted quietly.

  He stared at me thoughtfully, his fingers still moving on my skin. When he spoke, his voice was full of warmth. “First Carly, then Kelly and Jason. I knew I was supposed to have them in my life, and I was right. They’re my family.” His hand stopped its caresses and moved to cup my face. “I can’t wait for them to meet you. They are gonna love you.” He drew in a deep breath. “The third time was when I met you, Jenny. You offered me your hand, and when I took it, it was as if I had come home. I knew, one day, you’d be mine.”

  I could no longer contain my tears. They poured down my face as I looked at him. No one had ever said something as beautiful as that to me in my life.

  He wiped away the tears and leaned in, his lips nuzzling my cheek, his voice tender as he spoke. “So, however it happened, how quickly we got here, doesn’t matter. How I feel about you hasn’t changed except to think this is exactly how it was supposed to be, Jenny. I’m yours, if you want me. I have been for months. I will be for as long as you let me. Please let me.”

  I could only get one word out as I gazed at him, awed by the passion in his warm eyes.

  “Yes.”

  We were snuggled on the bed, our bodies entwined. We had been talking for hours, asking questions, sharing soft, loving kisses and caresses, and basking in the closeness of being together. I told him about growing up with divorced parents, being passed back and forth, never feeling secure. He told me about being adopted. I shared more with him in a few hours than I ever had in the months I’d been with John.

  I hesitated before I leaned up on my elbow and looked at Connor.

  “What?” he asked tenderly. “Just ask me, Jenny.”

  “Your job…”

  He sat up, leaning against the headboard. “Yeah, we should discuss that subject.”

  “Is it very dangerous?”

  “Well, it certainly is more dangerous than working at the local bingo hall.” He grinned. “Although, I hear those old biddies get awfully handsy with their canes if you don’t call the numbers loud enough.”

  I frowned at his attempt to make me smile. “I’m serious.”

  He picked up my hand, his long fingers tracing the veins on the back of it as he thought it over.

  “It can be dangerous, Jenny. But I’m careful. I have a good partner.” He smiled encouragingly. “Honestly, there are more days I don’t draw my gun than I do. We don’t live in a high crime city—Grimsby isn’t like Toronto. It’s not like anything you see on TV. I’m not knocking down doors every day and breaking up major drug rings. A lot of my job is helping people. I like that part.”

  “But there is crime.”

  “There is.”

  “Do you wear a bulletproof vest?”

  “Yes. We all do.” He paused and cleared his throat. “Is that something you can live with, Jenny?”

  I sighed. “I’ll worry about you.”

  “I’m careful. I promise. And you might not have to worry for too long.”

  “Why?”

  He looked almost bashful as he grinned at me. “I spent some time in the forensic lab. I really enjoy that aspect. Putting the pieces together. Working with the police investigators. Solving cases with the collected evidence. It’s usually long and tedious—again, nothing like you would see on TV, but I love it. I’ve applied to take the courses to become a CSI. If I’m accepted, I’ll take a leave of absence from the force and see where it goes. I have some good contacts at the lab, which would help once I pass the courses.”

  “Connor, that is amazing!”

  He nodded. “As much as I’d miss some of what I do now, I can see myself in the lab ten, twenty years down the road. I’ll miss the force, but…”

  “You love being a cop, don’t you?”

  His lips quirked. “Some days more than others.”

  “What was that smile for?”

  “Um, nothing.”

  “Something, I think. Your partner called earlier, and you smiled like the cat that swallowed the canary when you were talking to him. You said you’d tell me later.”

  Pouting, he leaned forward, pulling my face to his and kissing me deeply until I was breathless. “Okay.”

  “Okay?”

  “I’ll tell you. I just had to kiss you in case you decided not to find this funny.”

  Crossing my arms, I glared. “Connor. Tell me.”

  “After you passed out, I was picking up your purse, and your cell phone fell out. Your contact list was open.”

  “And?”

  “I looked up the jerk’s information.”

  “Why?” I asked, conf
used.

  “He hurt you, Jenny. He put his hands on you. That is unacceptable.” He shrugged. “I wanted to check him out.”

  “Oh my God, did you have him arrested?”

  “No. But I did find out he had three unpaid parking tickets.”

  I shook my head. “He always has some. He parks that stupid car in all sorts of places he shouldn’t.” I pursed my lips. There was more—I knew it. “Connor, what did you do?”

  “I, um, arranged to have his car impounded. It was towed away this afternoon while you were passed out.”

  “He must have freaked out!” I gasped.

  Connor nodded and grinned. “Oh yeah, he did. The idiot made it easy, though. He had it parked illegally when the tow truck arrived as well. I was told he acted like a complete ass at the impound. The only way he could get it back was to pay his tickets and the fines before they released it back to him. It cost him huge.”

  I narrowed my eyes at Connor. “There is more to this story.” I thought about the call I had only half listened to. “You did something…” My eyes widened. “You did something to his car!”

  “Not me. I did nothing.”

  “Connor.”

  He held up his hands. “I may have had some help. That person may or may not have hidden a small dead fish or two somewhere deep inside the car.”

  I gaped at him. “But they’ll go bad, and it’s summer…”

  His grin was evil. “They’ll stink, really badly. The car will become undrivable and unsellable.”

  I stared at him, wordless.

  He stared back, not at all apologetic. “You never place more value on a car than the woman in your life, Jenny.” He narrowed his eyes. “You never touch someone I care about.”

  I continued to stare, my thoughts rampant.

  He shifted uncomfortably. “Um, Jenny? You’re not gonna like, kick me in the nuts now, are you?”

  I gave in. I started to laugh and didn’t bother stopping the snorts that were liberally scattered among the guffaws. I fell back on the bed, holding my stomach, as my mirth spilled over.

  Connor leaned over me, his face wreathed in smiles. “Johnny is not having a good day. He gets kicked in the balls, his cell phone takes a swim” —he waggled his eyebrows— “his car is towed, and in the matter of a few days, will start smelling like ass. Really, really bad ass.”