“I have a surprise for you.”
That did it.
Those six words were all I needed to tamp out the burning flame of hope. I swallowed, shaking my head.
“I don’t like surprises,” I whispered.
Connor didn’t say anything as I continued to stare down into my lap, my hands fidgeting with one another. Not until I felt the car stop as we pulled up to a red light, did one of his much larger hands fold around both of mine, causing them to still.
“What just happened?”
“My mom,” I pushed out. “That phrase was one of the last things she ever said to me.” I blinked and shook my head, attempting to clear my blurred vision.
You’re not a twelve-year-old girl anymore. My logical mind worked to convince me of the truth.
“Look at me, Resha.”
My head lifted an inch or two, turning to face Connor. I felt his hand tighten around my own.
“There is nothing … absolutely nothing I would do to bring you pain. I’m not your mother or any other motherfucker you’ve dealt with before. Are we clear?”
I swallowed and nodded once, wanting with every fiber of my being to believe him. To trust that look in his eyes that was saying he was telling me the truth.
I exhaled. “Okay,” I stated, as the light changed and he pressed his foot to the gas, to accelerate the car. His hand remained firmly over mine, however. He didn’t let his hand move even as we turned into the parking garage of his building, pulling into the spot next to my car.
****
“I don’t know why you insisted on cooking tonight,” Connor grumbled as I placed the plate of roasted turkey and homemade stuffing, covered in gravy, with sautéed garlicky string beans in front of him at the coffee table in the living room. This was the location where we ate most of our dinners together, each night. And while the bedroom always seemed to get me excited in other ways, sitting on the floor, in front of the couch, with one of Connor’s arms wrapped around my waist as we ate and talked, was my favorite time of the day … with our clothes on.
“Cooking relaxes me. And I needed some relaxing,” I finally responded while sinking to the floor, next to him. “And don’t even act like you want to complain right now, either. Taste this,” I rushed, sticking a forkful of turkey and stuffing covered in gravy into his parted lips.
However, when I tried to move my hand back, Connor gripped mine along with the fork as he caught my gaze. Slowly, he pulled the fork from his lips, never blinking nor letting his gaze drop.
I watched as his jaw worked slowly, methodically, once he released the fork free from his lips. A look of pure bliss passed over his face.
“You know I’m never letting you leave, right?”
My brows raised and I giggled but Connor’s face held firm. “I’m not joking.”
I rolled my eyes, waving him off. “Whatever. Eat. Your food’s getting cold.”
“There’s no danger of anything getting cold around here, baby.”
I laughed, taking my first bite of my own meal. It was delicious, I must admit, but I took more pleasure in observing Connor enjoy it as he ate. That was what I really loved about cooking. Being able to provide the people you loved with joy, pleasure, and nourishment on top of it all.
Did I just say love?
I paused, the fork halfway to my lips at the question. I reviewed my own internal dialogue, and sure enough, I had mentioned the word love in conjunction with Connor O’Brien.
You’re doing it again, that same voice warned. I was falling too deeply too soon. A habit of mine in past relationships.
Stuffing my mouth full of string beans, I focused on my plate, but trying to forget what I’d just figured out was pointless. Especially with Connor’s free hand caressing up and down the side of my body. Peeking over at him, I realized he wasn’t even aware of what he was doing. It seemed to come naturally to him, comforting me, holding me, even as he fed himself.
I sighed, longing for something I shouldn’t have been.
“What was that?”
I blinked, turning back to his questioning stare. “Nothing.”
His lips folded downward and he gave me that look that says you’re full of shit, Resha.
“How’re the green beans?” A meager attempt to change the subject.
“They’re gone.”
I lowered my gaze and a smirk crossed my lips to see his now-empty plate.
“Do you want more? I made enough for—”
His hand stopped me from getting up. “What I want is to show you something.”
He stood, bringing me with him.
“Is this the surprise?”
“Yes. Are you done eating?” he questioned, frowning at the food on my plate.
“I am now.”
“If you still need to—”
“Connor,” I growled, taking a lesson from him.
He chuckled. “You can finish eating after the surprise. You’re going to need your strength for later.”
My nipples hardened at the implication and the tone in his voice.
“C’mere,” he ordered, pulling me to him as he stepped backwards toward the closed balcony door. He separated the blinds, which he nearly always kept closed, and I gasped at what was behind them.
I watched with anticipation as he unlocked the lock and slid the glass door open, allowing both of us to step out onto the balcony that had once had just a couple of chairs and a small table.
“You re-created my balcony,” I gushed, glancing around at the balcony Connor had transformed to look just like the one I had at my condo. Squinting, I moved closer, my eyes taking in the furniture and the low-sitting coffee table. “This looks exactly like the furniture from my apartment.”
“It should. It’s the same one.”
“How did you—”
“Police said you could go back in weeks ago. They’d collected all the forensic evidence they could.”
I nodded, knowing this, but I still hadn’t been back to my place. Most of it was because I couldn’t even think of going back without being gripped by fear. A small piece of the reason was because I didn’t want to leave Connor’s home, even if he had been okay with me going back to my place. Which he’d made abundantly clear that he wasn’t.
“So I had some movers go in and get your balcony furniture and plants while you were working yesterday. They came back this morning while you were recording the podcast to set it up just the way you had it. I’d taken pictures. The fucker that broke into your home hadn’t touched anything on your balcony.”
I remembered that from that day. I’d been too rattled to recognize the oddness of it. He’d destroyed my living room and my office, cleaned my bedroom but ejaculated on my bed. However, the balcony had remained untouched. None of it made sense but I’d chalked it up to him just not having enough time or not wanting to get caught seeing as how my balcony could be seen from the street below.
Walking around, I admired the set up, running my hand over the loveseat and the wicker table, even noting the lights that’d been strung up around the furniture, illuminating the reading nook I’d created.
I turned to Connor, questioning, “How’d you get them to design it exactly like I had it?”
He gave a one shoulder shrug. “I took photos.” He removed his phone from his pocket, pulling up the images of my balcony. He’d taken at least two photos from every angle, ensuring that nothing was missed.
I took one final look around, something warm in my chest settling, and turned to Connor. “Why?”
His face wrinkled.
“Why did you go out of your way to do this?”
He moved to me, pulling me into his arms by my waist. “You said the balcony was your favorite part of your home, right?”
I nodded.
“I couldn’t recreate your entire home since that fucker destroyed most of your other belongings.”
A smile touched my lips. Connor always referred to the stalker as that fucker with so much venom in
his voice.
“But I could do this for you. Here. Because I want you to be comfortable. To feel at home as much as possible.”
Letting all the air out of my lungs, I leaned against his chest, wrapping my arms around him, and in spite of the cold night air, I’d never felt warmer in my life.
“I need to tell you something and it’s probably going to freak you out. You’ll probably regret doing this for me and I’ll regret saying it but I have to say it because it just doesn’t seem like I can hold the words in any longer. And I know it’s way too soon, and in light of the way all of my past relationships have gone, I’d be wise not to say these words, but—”
Connor leaned back, taking my chin into his hand. “Resha, just fucking tell me you love me so I can say it back already.”
Grinning, I retorted, “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
I held my breath, pulling out of his arms, and looked around, out into the night air.
“What are you doing?”
“Waiting for the lightning to strike.”
“Get your ass over here,” he growled, pulling me to him and covering my lips with his own.
An instant moan sounded from my mouth.
I yanked my head back. “Now, I want to give you something,” I stated, panting. My hands went to his belt buckle, undoing it along with the button of his jeans. Connor barely had time to figure out what was going on, before I sank to the ground, grabbing one of the couch pillows to place under my knees.
“Resha, what the fu—” His question broke off on a groan when I covered the tip of his cock with my mouth, using my tongue to spread the precum that had already begun to emerge from the tip.
“Shit!” he growled, his hand making its way into my hair.
I’d long since given up the battle of telling him not to pull my damn weave during sex. I simply conceded to the fact that I had to up my appointments with Missy from every six weeks to every four weeks. And since Connor paid for my more frequent appointments, in spite of me insisting that wasn’t necessary, my concerns about my hair fell by the wayside as I slid my lips down his cock, and his hand’s grip tightened in my hair.
I took him all the way to the back of my throat, before moving almost to the tip again. Fellating Connor was easy. He’d attentively cared for me so easily and effortlessly over the past weeks, that it made me want to take care of him. Bobbing my head on his shaft and hearing the groans escape his lips as his fingers massaged my scalp, spurring me on, I let myself go. Pleasuring him was the only thing that mattered.
When his hips began jerking rapidly, and I felt his balls tighten in my hand, I knew his coming was inevitable. But I didn’t release him from my mouth to finish him off with my hand, as I had with past lovers. I wanted to taste him, to feel him inside of my mouth as his come ran down the back of my throat.
“Fuuck!” he moaned and grunted as he shot his load off just where I wanted him to.
I swallowed everything he offered and continued to suck him for even more. It was Connor who eventually pushed himself free of my hold. I felt almost lost at the releasing of his shaft from my mouth but not for long. Soon enough, I was being pulled up from my knees. Connor moved so fast, I didn’t have time to inhale my next breath before my legs were wrapped around his waist as he hoisted me up his body, taking us back inside and slamming the balcony door shut.
I saw him close the blinds out of the corner of my eye only a moment before my back was pressed against the wall next to the door, as Connor slid inside of my wet channel. My body tensed up as my hips pressed forward, seeking to access every inch of his. I’d never been so grateful for my decision to remove the stockings I’d worn earlier in the day in all my life. That decision, made to increase my comfort while cooking, allowed for the easy access that my man was taking full advantage of.
“Oh shit!” I yelled as my fingers dug into his upper back, trying to hold myself upright as he pounded into me.
“Fuck, baby, you feel so good!” he growled in my ear, burying his face into my neck, kissing me there.
My entire body shivered and convulsed with all the sensations coursing through it. My eyes rolled to the back of my head at the same time my head pressed against the wall. My mouth went dry from my panting as I gasped, reaching for my next full breath.
Connor moved his hand under my head, lifting it to allow his lips to crash down on mine.
Who needs oxygen? my mind questioned. I’d sustain myself on this feeling alone. My eyes squeezed shut and the muscles of my canal tightened and flexed around Connor’s drilling cock. I wanted to yell that I couldn’t take anymore, but as usually happened, just when I thought it couldn’t get any better and I couldn’t handle any more pleasure, my orgasm crashed through my body.
The climax was like a starburst behind my eyes, lighting every cell in my body with its intensity and sharpness. My toes curled and I crossed my feet around Connor’s waist, my thighs locking around his body.
“I l-love y-you,” I panted, my teeth clattering as I struggled to speak coherently.
“And I, you,” he returned, cupping my face with his hands and flexing his hips slightly as he stared into my eyes.
And for a little while I believed I caught a glimpse of forever in his eyes.
Chapter Sixteen
Resha
I’d been in bliss for the past two weeks, ever since I’d told Connor I loved him and he said it back. And he meant it. That was the best part of it. It wasn’t just a, “Yeah, okay, same,” response that I’d gotten from past lovers. Connor didn’t say words he didn’t mean. And so, while we still didn’t know who my stalker was, as the DNA results hadn’t revealed anything about this guy, I felt as if I’d been walking on cloud nine.
There was something to be said for going to bed and waking up next to the man I loved, and being able to say those words so freely. I still went to work with Connor nearly every day. He’d actually cleared out the office next to his, making it officially mine whenever I needed it. On days that I had appointments or meetings at other locations, or needed to run errands, Connor made it a point to take me or make sure I had some sort of an escort. I’d told him hiring extra security wasn’t necessary and I would just be careful but he wouldn’t hear of it.
Everything felt perfect, but all of a sudden, I started to feel as if everything I was fearing as too good to be true, was just that.
I startled when I heard the buzzer to the door ring. Frowning, I listened Connor’s feet padding across the living room floor. Quickly standing from the toilet, I crumpled up the paper I’d been holding and disposed of it in the trash before bunching up some toilet paper and putting it on top of the discarded trash. The other item I had in my hand, I quickly shoved into the pocket of my jeans before rebuttoning them, and heading to the sink to wash my hands.
“I know she’s here.”
My eyes bulged in the mirror when I heard my cousin’s voice. Exiting the bathroom, I headed through the bedroom and down the stairs.
“Were you up there hiding?” Destiny demanded with her hands on her hips, tapping her foot against the hardwood floor.
“Hiding? I was in the bathroom. And what are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here?” Destiny retorted angrily, pressing a hand to her chest as if she couldn’t believe the question. “The question is what are you doing here? Living here, to be exact,” she finished, glaring between myself and Connor, who moved to stand beside me.
I looked up at him only to be received with an I told you so expression.
Clearing my throat, I began, “Um, well, yes, I’ve been staying here with Connor … wait, how did you know?”
“No thanks to you. But thanks to our hairstylist who loves to gossip, I found out that my cousin, who is supposed to be my best friend, was actually living with a man. When I told her that that wasn’t the case at all because I would know it, she informed me how said man dropped her off and picked her up in his car on three separate occa
sions. Still, I told Missy she had to be mistaken, and while, yes, Resha is currently seeing someone new …” Destiny eyed Connor, “she’s barely even spoken to me about, so she certainly wasn’t living with him.”
“I—”
Destiny held up her hand. “And then Missy briefed me, in so many words, that I must not be in the know what’s happening with my own family, because every time this guy came to pick up my cousin, he made mention of going home together.” She finally smacked her lips, arms folded as she glared at me, silently demanding an explanation.
I guessed the jig was up.
“Why don’t we take this to the living room?” Connor suggested, still giving me that look. I bet his ass was reveling in this.
Sighing, I moved toward the living room, followed by my cousin. I could feel the heat of the glare on my back.
And as if finally remembering her manners, Destiny turned to Connor, saying, “I’m sorry for barging in here like this. It’s not you I’m pissed at.”
“Oh, I know.” He glared at me, cocking his head to the side.
I rolled my eyes. See if a certain someone gets any head tonight.
“D, look, I’m sorry for not telling you. This was kind of a sudden thing …” I paused as I looked into Connor’s eyes. “I have a stalker,” I blurted out, turning to my cousin.
Destiny’s eyes ballooned. “What?!”
Inhaling deeply, I launched into the specifics of what’d been happening over the past few months. My cousin’s face grew more and more angered as I spoke. When I finally finished telling Destiny the whole truth, I exhaled deeply, feeling relieved.
“So a random man has been leaving you threatening and harassing messages, following you, and eventually broke into your home, and you didn’t tell me?” she screeched.
I winced at my cousin’s words, hearing the betrayal in her voice. “I know it sounds bad, but—”
“But? How could there be a but, Resha? It doesn’t sound bad. It is bad!” She stomped her foot angrily.
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