Again (Time for Love Book 3) (17 page)

He frowned. “Amanda gave you that impression?”

“Yes. When I was with her at that café, I said I’d be asking you out on a date. I thought she’d know if you weren’t single because the two of you are friends, but obviously she doesn’t. She didn’t mention that you already have a girlfriend.”

Connor stared at Celine as she stood up and got ready to leave. What? Amanda had indicated to Celine they were only friends? Worse, Celine had told Amanda she was interested in asking him out and Amanda didn’t say anything?

“It’s a shame, Connor,” Celine said lightly. “When you’re free, you have my number.”

“Thanks.”

*

C
onnor stared at a blank wall in his office, trying to get his head around one thing: Amanda didn’t care if some other woman wanted to steal him from her.

Wow. That fucking hurt.

She even got friendly with Celine and had breakfast with her. If it were him, and he knew someone was trying to pick her up, he’d stake his claim with no uncertain terms.

Did he read it all wrong? Yes, perhaps he did. When she’d said she wanted them to hold off sleeping together, he took that to mean that she wasn’t sure of
his
feelings for her. He could totally understand that, even if being doubted by her hurt.

But it appeared now that what she meant was that she wasn’t sure of how
she
felt.

He rubbed his face. Sure, he could live with the fact that Amanda wasn’t in love with him yet. The important thing was he had the chance to make her fall for him.

Still, he felt depressed. In the last couple of weeks, when Amanda wouldn’t speak to him, he’d made himself believe that she was hurting a lot because she cared. It wounded him that the opposite seemed to be true.

*****

“H
i, come on in,” Amanda said, stepping aside to make room for Connor.

Connor gave Amanda a peck on the lips before walking into her apartment. He immediately looked around for the bunch of roses he’d had delivered to her office that morning. He didn’t see them.

“You didn’t take home your flowers?” he asked, hiding the disappointment in his voice.

“No. I left them at work because I had a few files to take home today. Thanks again, by the way. They were beautiful.”

“You’re welcome,” he said, getting more morose by the minute, and he’d only just got there.

He knew they’d agreed not to have sex, but he wasn’t expecting this...
friendly
treatment. Where was the sweet Amanda who used to put her arms around his neck and kiss him passionately whenever they met? They didn't agree to just be friends, did they? He wouldn't have accepted that.

“Dinner will be ready in a few minutes,” she said, heading to her kitchen.

He followed her and put his arms around her waist, kissing her on the neck. Stuff it. Surely, making out wasn’t making love. He missed her so damned much!

“Connor,” she said in breathless warning.

“I missed you,” he whispered in her ear.

“We have an agreement,” she said, turning to face him.

“We said no sex. This isn’t sex, is it? It’s just kissing.”

“That’s courting temptation.”

He grinned. “Hmm. Maybe I can tempt you to change your mind about this no-sex thing then?” he joked.

Amanda pushed away from him, ignoring his words. “How was your meeting with Celine yesterday?” she asked.

He stared at her, heart squeezing, as she checked something in the oven. “It went okay.”

She gave him a quick glance. “She’s interested in you, you know.”

“So?”

Amanda shrugged. “Do you find her attractive?” she asked casually, taking out plates from a cupboard.

“No.”

“Even though she’s very sexy?”

“No.”

“You don’t want to go out with her?” Amanda asked, her tone nonchalant as if it didn’t matter if he did or didn’t.

“Do you want me to go out with her?” he asked coldly.

“That’s not up to me, Connor.”

His chest compressed even more. Was Amanda giving him a hint that it was over between them?

“Why are we talking about Celine, Amanda?”

Amanda continued to bustle around the kitchen, not looking at him. Finally, she turned, her eyes troubled. “I want to know if you’re interested in her at all, Connor.”

“I already told you. I’m not. Why are we having this conversation when we should be talking about us?”

“This
is
about us,” Amanda cried.

“I don’t follow.”

“I don’t want to wake up tomorrow and hear you say it’s over because you want to go out with Celine instead. Or some other woman.”

“I don’t want anyone but you, Amanda! Why don’t you believe me?”

“She’s an
it
woman.”

An incredulous laugh escaped him. “She’s a what?”

“She’s glamorous and sexy. And you—you have all these glamorous and sexy women throwing themselves at you,” she said, waving a hand in the air to emphasise her point.

“And here I am throwing myself at you,” he said quietly.

Amanda sniffed, and he saw it—that vulnerability she’d been trying to cover up with indifference. He went to her and cupped her face. “I love you, Amanda,” he whispered, almost choking with emotion. “You. Not Celine. Not anyone else. You.”

Amanda swallowed, her eyes pooling. “Even though I’m plain and boring?”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“You have to admit someone like Celine stands out in the crowd. If someone like her wants you—”

“Why do you think
you
stood out for me at my farewell party?” he asked, forehead creasing in disbelief. “Where is all this coming from? I don’t understand it. You’re beautiful, hot, caring, intelligent...”

“I always seem to fall for bad boys. Worse, I was always the one who got dumped by my exes. And each time, I was replaced by some glamorous, supermodel type—which I'm clearly not,” she said softly.

Connor’s eyes softened as understanding dawned. He put his arms around her. “Well, thank God your exes were blind idiots. You wouldn’t be with me now, otherwise.”

Amanda stared into his eyes, probing them for the depths of his sincerity. “All I’m asking right now, Connor, is for you to be honest with me. I don’t want to play games.”

“I love you,” he said insistently, squeezing her tighter, willing her to trust him fully.

H
ealing warmth flowed through Amanda. She’d given Connor the chance to leave, the permission to be interested in someone else. And yet, here he was, saying exactly what she needed to hear in the way she needed him to say it. She could see no other reason for him to be so persistent, apart from the fact that his feelings for her must be real.

She’d been too scared for her heart in the past, keeping him at an emotional distance. Suddenly, it was different. With his patience and attention, Connor had been able to weaken her protective barriers. And tonight, with his sweet words and obvious sincerity, a big chunk of those walls had toppled.

She wrapped her arms around Connor’s neck and rested her head in the crook of his neck, finally allowing herself to let her guard down. “I love you, too, Connor.”

His arms tightened around her as his chest heaved. He kissed her hair, then lifted her face to his. Connor gave her a dazzling smile before bending down to capture her lips.

They kissed sweetly, tenderly. But Amanda sensed Connor was holding back.

She smiled against his lips. “I missed you,” she murmured, pressing her body against his and running a hand down his butt. After they'd just declared their love for each other, she couldn't see why she should keep on creating a distance between them.

Connor groaned, obviously encouraged. “Not as much as I missed you, baby,” he said, before devouring her mouth. Before long, his hot lips travelled to her neck and his wandering hand found its way to her breast.

“Wait,” she said, pulling away.

“Oh. Not yet?” Connor asked in clear disappointment. “Sorry. I got carried away.”

She chuckled at his misapprehension. “My lasagne’s almost done, honey. We don’t want it to burn.”

“Oh.” Connor followed her and wrapped his arms around her waist as she tossed some salad. “Can we burn together after dinner?” he asked in her ear, pressing his hips against her behind. He was hard.

She shivered deliciously. It had been too long since they’d had sex. She loved him, and she wanted him. Sooo badly.

“No,” she said, pushing away again.

Connor tried to suppress a sigh. He shoved his hands in pockets and gave her a patient smile.

Swallowing her grin, she took her dish out of the oven and put it on the bench top, before returning to him.

She sneaked her hands underneath his shirt and rubbed his naked back. “Not later. Now,” she breathed, lifting her face for a kiss.

“You tease,” he growled softly. “You’re gonna pay for that.”

“Really? How?”

“I have my ways,” he said, then lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

Connor sat her on the bed, then started taking off his shirt. Slowly.

Oh Lord. How she missed that body. She bit her lip and squeezed her legs together. She was already moist. But she’d try to be good and just sit there and enjoy the show.

Connor’s hands moved to his belt, and so did her gaze. Slowly, he unbuckled, taking a step closer to her as he did so.

She gulped. The bulge in his pants was now only a few inches in front of her face. She reached for his button, intent on helping him.

“Baby,” Connor whispered, dropping his hands to his sides and letting her do the honours.

She unzipped him and pushed his jeans and boxers down. His cock sprung free, thick and heavy, pointing at her. Licking her lips, she eagerly leaned forward to kiss it. But Connor stopped her, stepping back and putting a hand on her shoulder.

“Uh-uh. Not yet, sweetheart.”

He knelt in front of her and lifted her skirt. “Me first,” he said wickedly, running his hands up her thighs.

Obediently, she parted her legs as he stroked them. Connor kissed her lips and she responded ardently, their tongues mating. When his fingers touched her moist panties, she moaned, wanting more. Much more.

“Shall we take this off?” Connor murmured, hooking her underwear with his fingers.

“Mmm, yes,” she answered, lifting her pelvis off the bed to help him.

Her undies off, Connor started kissing her thighs as she took off her top and bra. Then she watched impatiently as Connor’s lips inched their way to the apex between her legs.

She ran her fingers through his hair, panting in anticipation. Just as she was preparing to stifle a moan that she knew he would soon elicit, Connor stopped abruptly and smiled at her seductively, his gaze burning. She moaned anyway, just from that look. He was simply too hot.

Connor leaned and kissed her neck. He started out languorously, but after a few soft pecks, he became more passionate, more fervent.

“Honey,” she cried softly. He was making her burn, and he hadn’t even touched her where it mattered most.  She lay on the bed and ran her hands on his back and hair, impatient for him get to her nipples.

Connor kissed the valley between her breasts, his hands cupping them, then he made his way down her belly. For the next few minutes he paid attention to every single part of her body—setting each on fire. Except that he avoided her most desirous parts. Ah, she was squirming with need.

“Connor,” she cried, in flames from his zeal, but frustrated at the same time. She couldn’t wait any longer, so she took his hand and tried to place it between her legs.

He resisted. The tease resisted. And he was chuckling.

“Touch me, Connor,” she ordered gaspingly.

“Say the magic words,” he said, nipping on her neck.

“Please, honey.”

Connor shook his head. “Wrong.”

“Um, I want you?”

“Try again.”

She put on a mock pout. “You’re being unfair. I haven’t teased you this badly.”

He gazed at her with a heady blend of heat and tenderness. “I need to hear you say it again,” he murmured.

She smiled, getting it, and caressed his face with both hands. “I love you, Connor.”

“Hurray,” he said with a happy grin. “I love you, too, baby.” Then he kissed his way to her breast, while his hand moved down her body.

She gasped as she felt his tongue lave her hardened nipple. When his finger found her swollen clit, she moaned loudly. Ahh, at last.

She groped for her favourite part of his body—apart from his beloved face—and found it. It was hard and velvety and wet at the tip. She stroked him, gently at first then a little faster, the way she knew he liked.

“Baby,” he moaned. “So good, sweetheart. I missed that.” He inserted two fingers in her and continued to lick her nipples.

“Connor, I want you inside me,” she gasped, tugging him faster.

Connor froze, rearing to look at her in dismay.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t have a condom with me. I didn’t think I’d get lucky tonight,” he said, chagrined. “Do you have any?”

She shook her head, giggling.

“It’s not funny,” he said with a scowl.

“I’m on the pill.”

Connor’s face registered surprise before splitting into an excited grin. “Why didn’t you tell me that before?”

“Because we fought straight after I started taking it,” she said, her bottom lip jutting out.

“Oh, baby. I’m sorry. Let me make it up to you.” Connor crawled down her body, leaving hot kisses along the way, then made himself comfortable between her legs. His expert tongue got busy, doing what it did so well.

She mewled as her body bucked up the bed. “Oh God... Connor... please...” She didn’t even know what she was pleading for. She wanted his cock, but his mouth was just so good.

Connor made the decision. Breathing heavily, he positioned himself above her and drove his erect hardness in her pussy.

She wrapped her legs around him, surrendering herself to his rhythm.

Connor was relentless, thrusting over and over, his hardness stroking that spot inside her that made her moan in pleasure. Sheer pleasure.