Burning For Claire (The O'Connell Family Book 2) (3 page)

It was Saturday morning, and I’d waited long enough to make a move, I saw her for the first time on Wednesday after all. I spent all my available time at the apartment, pacing and thinking about her. I wanted her and no matter how much I tried to count all the reasons I should stay away, I couldn’t. The more I was away from Claire the more I wanted her. The salon would be opening up soon, and I’d get to see her again. I was practically clawing at my skin like an addict looking for a fix. I felt like I was on a major sting operation. I was sitting in my truck down the street just waiting for the clock to strike nine. I’d already reviewed the file I pulled on her like six times.

Claire O’Connell was beautiful and talented. She just turned twenty and was successful; something that was astonishing, especially when she came from a family where the women didn’t have to work a day in their lives. It seemed all of the siblings were overachievers. It was one of the pluses to starting a relationship with her.

While I waited, I thought about her beauty. She was only about five three and had the loveliest face I’d ever seen. It was round, but not chubby. She had light brown eyes that shined brightly and lips that were lush and plump. Her black hair was rich in color with a red streak going through it and went down to her shoulders. My jeans were getting tighter just thinking about her.

I spent the last few days dealing with the emotions racing through me. The thought that she might have a boyfriend who touched her had me ready to start whooping some major ass. It was something I was going to take care of right away.

Claire was in my thoughts far too much, and none of those thoughts had been pure. I wanted to do everything I could to her. Since I met her, I stroked myself off a lot. I had my hand on my dick every time I was alone. I was kind of glad Sam went off with Rick, so I had the apartment to myself.

I needed to possess Claire soon, or I was going to lose my mind. Finally the clock on the truck struck nine. I jumped out in a hurry, almost forgetting to lock my doors. That would have been a big fuck up because that’s where I kept my service weapon.

I walked up to the entrance, and the receptionist was there unlocking the door. He gave me a giant grin as he let me in.

“Good morning and welcome back, you sexy cowboy. Are you here for a cut or are you here for one of us? If it’s one of us, I’m more than available and ready to be your bucking bronco.”

“I’m definitely not here for you and never would be. I’m looking for Claire,” I stated angrily.

“She’s in her office. It’s right in the back. I’m Tad by the way.”

“Does she have a boyfriend?” I needed to know.

He shook his head and theatrically responded, “Nope.”

“Then it was Rick that was here that day,” I mumbled aloud.

“Yes, two hot men in one day. What a treat for me!” he said gleefully.

“Thanks, Tad,” I grumbled as I walked away.

“Damn, that is a nice ass.” I heard him whisper under his breath. That boy is lucky that I’m civilized. Some of the men in my town would put a foot up his ass for suggesting that shit to them.

I walked to the back of the salon, and there was a door that said
Claire’s office
in a gothic black and hot pink design with flowers added into the mix. I knocked briefly before walking right in, and I was staring at a thing of pure beauty—a pissed off little pixie as Sam calls her.

“Get the hell out of here!” she shouted as she stood up and rounded the desk. She didn’t stop until she was all up in my face, well, more like up to my shoulders. At six three, I was a foot taller than her.

“What a greeting, sweetheart.” I lowered my head and made it look like I was going to kiss her, and she stepped back with an evil look. Pity, I really wanted to taste those lips.

“Don’t sweetheart me. Just beat it,” she snarled.

“I already did,” I whispered to myself. They say little people were mean, but she looks like she’s going to bite me for nothing. Unless…she knows the truth. “What’s your problem with me? You don’t even know me.”

“I know that you’re a liar, and you’re not who you say you are. Does Sam know that you’re a Fed, Travis?”

I turned to shut and lock the door. Then, I rushed up to her, and she stepped back only stopping when her ass hit her desk. My face showed I was pissed. I couldn’t have her blowing my cover, no matter how much I wanted to do her. There were more important things at stake than fucking her. Wait, I couldn’t believe I’d thought such a thing

With my hands on opposite sides of her body, I growled, “Watch your mouth. I’m undercover for a damn reason. I’m protecting Sam. I’ve spent almost the last two years on the case. I can’t have it blown not matter how hot you are.”

She paused and with a stutter added, “I won’t tell anyone, but don’t you think it’s wrong to keep this from her?”

“Yes and no. I want to tell her because I love her.” I saw a sign that she was interested: hurt. I needed to correct my statement fast. “I love her like a sister, but since I care about her I have to do all I can to protect her. Now she’s being protected by your brother, so that leaves me all available to spend time getting to know you.”

“Getting to know me or my family? Are you trying to find something illegal on them? Do you think you can charm it out of me?”

“No. The reason I’m here has nothing to with your family. I came to take you on a date and maybe a little more,” I replied suggestively.

“I’m supposed to believe you when you tried to take my family down? You’re here to try and get more information against my uncle.”

“I told you already. I’m here for you, no one else. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since I walked out that damn door on Wednesday. So here’s what it is, I want to take you out to dinner tonight. The sign says you close at six tonight. I’ll be here then. Don’t make any excuses because I’m not having it.”

“Are you done giving orders? What if I have a date already? Do you think I can’t have a date or a boyfriend already?”

She was bluffing, and I could see it in her eyes. She didn’t want to want me, but she already gave me the signs when she blushed deeply.

“I don’t care if you have plans with anyone else. You better cancel them. You’re busy tonight with me.”

“I’m not sleeping with you. You’re the enemy.”

“The enemy? Why because I was investigating your family so many damn years ago?” I hated that she thought of me that way. Hell, Rick didn’t anymore.

“Yes. My family got you in trouble. Or is this because of Samantha and Rick getting together? Are you jealous?”

“This has nothing to do with Rick and Sam. I actually like your brother. Everything I found out about your father and brothers were on the up and up. They proved to be honest and hardworking.”

“So this is about me? Do you think I’m guilty of being crooked?” She was spitting venom.

I didn’t think anything of the sort, but I wanted to get her riled up, so I asked, “Do you have anything to hide? Are you as crooked as your uncle?”

I must have hit a point of contention because she rose up from the desk, and I received a hard smack to my cheek. “How dare you?”

I growled, “Little girl, that was a very bad move.” I grabbed her wrist, and she tried to smack me with the other so I captured that one too.

“Tsk, tsk, Miss O’Connell. You never hit a grown man like that unless you have somewhere to run. I wouldn’t hurt you, but someone else might not tolerate that shit,” I whispered in her ear. My body was pressed against hers as her ass hit her desk again. I could feel the soft curves hidden under her smock. Oh, Lord, I was in trouble. Her breasts were larger than I expected with a tiny frame like hers. She heaved as she fought to get out of my grasp. I wasn’t holding her tight or roughly. I was just using enough strength to restrain the fiery pixie before she got tough again. I pressed my lower body on hers to prevent her from kneeing me in my nuts. That shit would hurt, and then I would have to take it out on her ass later—when I got her naked.

“Let me go,” Claire pleaded.

“Are you going to hit me again?” I asked tersely.

“No,” she said in resignation.

“Fine, but if you try that shit again. I take you over my knee and spank that little ass. Remember if you hit me in my nuts you’ll pay.” I wasn’t an asshole. I was rather a gentleman, but she brought out the perverse, feral man in me.

“I’m not. I just want you to get off me…are you hard?” she asked as if it was an absurd thing. I had my body pressed against her sexy body. How in the world could I not be hard as a rock? I didn’t say shit, I just gave her a smirk and a wink.

“Sick! Get off me.”

“Sick? You’re beautiful, and I want you. What’s so sick about that?”

“We don’t know each other, and you’re ready to do me.”

“I know enough about you. Anyways, people screw the first time they see each other. I’ve given you three days.”

“This is the second time we’re speaking. Three days means diddlysquat. The fact that you have a report on my life doesn’t mean you know me and don’t deny that you don’t have one.”

“I know things about you that aren’t in the damn report.”

“Like what,” she panted. I wanted her mouth on mine.

“You prefer Dunkin over Starbucks. You like hazelnuts and you’re into classic rock.”

“Have you been stalking me? Do I have to add security cameras and an alarm system to my apartment?”

“No, babe. Your desk alone tells me a lot about you.” She turned back to look and sure enough, she had a Dunkin coffee, a jar Nutella and a Led Zeppelin CD on her desk.

“Just because you’re observant doesn’t mean you get to be all up on me.”

“I’m observant all right. You’re body wants me on it. I can feel your heart pounding, your breath is harsh, and the look in your eyes as you look up at me speaks hunger.”

“That’s not true,” she protested.

“Let’s test that,” I whispered as I slid my hands into her hair and bent my head. I captured her lips in a slow and tender kiss. Her hands had moved to my chest in an attempt to stop the inevitable, but had stayed there as she shared some of her passion with me.

It was everything I expected it to be and then some. I pulled back and looked at her closed eyes, realizing this was more than just lust. I suddenly wanted to know more about her like and dislikes.

She opened her eyes and in a hushed tone, she whispered, “Your heart’s pounding too.”

“Yes…it is,” I murmured. It was a short kiss, but it changed everything for me or maybe it adjusted my mind to what my heart already knew.

“I’ll see you tonight,” I reiterated.

“What if I don’t want to?” she challenged.

“You want to see me. I know you do, so you should stop lying to yourself.” I stepped back then walked to the door. I needed to think straight. I had a meeting with my team after I went to work at the mall.

“Where you going?” she asked softly.

“Miss me already?” I couldn’t stop myself from rushing back to her. I wrapped her in my arms and lifted her so we were face to face.

“You’re playing with my head, baby,” I groaned.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured.

“Don’t be sorry. You just got yourself more than you bargained for, Claire,” I declared.

“Because our kiss was nice?” she queried.

“Nice? Sweetheart, that was more than nice. It just sealed the deal.”

“Sealed the deal?” she asked. It was clear that it wasn’t that soul consuming for her as it was for me. I needed to work on that. I grabbed her thighs and lifted them up to wrap around my waist as I pushed her ass onto the desk. My hands ran up and down her thighs as I looked in her eyes.

“You’re mine,” I growled before my mouth made contact with hers. She moved her hands into my hair, pulling, then caressing it. Lost in her touch, I groaned and pressed my cock against her belly, producing a shiver and moan from my woman.

I moved one hand up into her hair and pulled her head back to get a piece of her neck. I kissed behind her ear before taking her pretty little pierced lobe into my mouth. Sucking on it, I wondered if she had any other piercings. That messed with my head big time. If she had piercing on any of her lady bits means she did it for someone else.

My blood pumped in heated jealousy, and I let the possessive beast that had been hidden in me stake his claim. My other hand wrapped its way from her thigh to her sweet pussy. She was wearing some tight ass jeans, so I only could play with her pussy from the outside. She moaned and pushed her hips up into my touch as I attacked her lovely neck and tasted her skin. I kissed and sucked on her pulse, leaving my mark for all to see.

I lifted my head just enough to admire my handiwork and then took her lips again. I could feel her tensing on me. I wanted to make her come hard on me and was pleased when I heard her whimper and moan as she came.

I pulled back and rested my forehead on hers, willing myself not to come. Her hushed cries alone had my cock spewing pre-come. My woman was temptation in the flesh.

When I stepped away from her after setting her on her feet, I noticed her nipples were hard. My mind and its thoughts went straight to all the men she had to deal with. I needed to keep her from her male clients.