Destination Connelly (14 page)

I’m a little incensed, but try to hold my voice steady. Not once did my Uncle Carl have to accompany me to a client meeting. “Why give this to me if you don’t trust me?”

“It’s not a matter of trust, Nora. I would have accompanied whomever I assigned to this case.”

“Oh.” My indignation quickly deflates. “Okay. Does Jeanine know?” Jeanine and I have mutually avoided each other since I arrived, but I have to believe she knows about this assignment and is pissed as hell.

His face hardens when he responds tersely, “I don’t report to Jeanine. She reports to me.”

Alrighty then.

“Do I need to make dinner reservations somewhere?”

“No. Lydia, my admin, will take care of that.”

“All right. Anything else?”

The grin is back. And a sudden bad feeling starts in the pit of my stomach. “We need to prep before the meeting. I have a full afternoon so it will have to be over dinner this evening.”

Dinner? Alone?

Oh, hell no. Dinner will lead to personal conversations, maybe even another orgasm, and while my body’s already preparing itself for the latter, I’m not mentally prepared at all for the former. Besides, I would have to find something to do with Zel last minute. I look at the clock and note it’s already after two. “Dinner? No. I can’t. I have other responsibilities, Connelly.”

Disbelief raises his brows and twitches his lips. Settling his hands on the arms of the chair, he pushes his long, lean frame up and starts walking toward the door as if he didn’t even hear my protest. “It wasn’t a request, Nora. This is an important meeting and there are some things I need to get you up to speed about prior.”

I open my mouth, still trying to formulate a believable reason I can’t stay when he turns and holds up a palm. “I already know your argument, Nora, but this is business. I’ll have dinner catered in instead if it will make you feel better. Be in my office at six sharp. Please,” he tacks on at the end.

And with that small concession he quietly exits, leaving me to stare at the blank space he just occupied, wondering two things.

One: how am I going to dodge the inevitable personal questions and, two: how in the hell am I going to get my riotous hormones under control so I’m able to get through two hours alone with him without ending up naked on his desk? Or his chair? Or against the damn wall?

I have no answer to either of those, but I have exactly three hours and forty-five minutes to figure it out.

Then I pick up the phone to call Landyn and beg for what will probably be the first of many favors.

C
onn

A
nother glance
at my watch shows it’s 5:45. Fifteen minutes until I see Nora again. Fifteen fucking long lonely minutes. It feels like a month has passed since I’ve last seen her and it hasn’t even been four hours.

I go back to staring out of my corner office window, lost in thought. It’s an unfortunate, common occurrence for me as of late and a development I’m none too happy about. I’m not as much of an asshole at work as I have been to my brothers, but I am short-tempered and moody. I’m distracted.

Having Nora here, right under my nose, but not being able to touch her like I need to, or take her the way I want to is sheer fucking torture. I am desperate for her, which is one of the reasons I have stayed far away from her these past two weeks.

I wanted her to get comfortable here, let her guard down a little before I pounced on her, but that plan was just chucked out of my thirty-two story window the second I set foot into her office and heard Brad I’m-about-to-fuck-up-his-college-football-face Harding talk about how much he wanted her and how I would do nothing but hurt her.

What gutted me the most, though, was to hear that she’s in the exact same place I am. Stuck in memories. Floundering in the past. She hasn’t been able to emotionally move on any more than I have and that makes me wonder again why she left me in the first place.

She loves me.

She knows it.

I know it.

Apparently the former Chief of SER Operations knows it, too.

Does she know about Meredith? Maybe I just blurt it out over dinner tonight so we can put our past to bed once and for all. Then I can bend her down and fuck her over my desk until she tells me I’m forgiven and admits she’s mine.

The thought makes my cock throb and jerk in sweet, aching anticipation.

I shouldn’t chase after one of my new employees so blatantly. It’s highly unprofessional. I’m probably violating a dozen human resources policies right now, but I. Do. Not. Fucking. Care. I’m so far from caring what anyone else thinks, it borders on irresponsible.

I’m too far gone on Nora. I cannot think straight and I will mow down any fucker who gets in my way as I claim what’s rightfully mine. And, employment contract or not, Brad Harding is walking a very fucking thin tightrope right now. Nora may not want him, but he wants her, and I can already tell he’s one tenacious bastard. He’s fighting for what he wants, just like I am. Under any other circumstance, I’d commend him for going toe-to-toe with the man who signs his paycheck. Cheer him on even. Except in this case, all I’m ready to do is cut off his balls and feed them to him one by one until he admits defeat.

“Sir,” Lydia says, interrupting the mental visual of taking apart my competition piece by piece. Probably a good thing—it was becoming more realistic by the minute. “Your
dinner
is here.” She almost asks it like a question. I’m sure she’s confused as to why I have my sister-in-law delivering a meal. “Should I have her bring it in and set it up now?”

“Yes, thank you.” She turns to leave when I add, “And you can go home for the evening, Lydia.”

Typically, I would have her stay for a late business meeting in case I needed anything, but I don’t want anyone within hearing distance of my office. She nods slightly, no doubt knowing why I’m cutting her loose early.

“Have a good night then.”

I plan on it
.

I grab my sister-in-law in a bear hug when she walks through my door. “Thanks, Livia. You’re a lifesaver. I owe you one.”

“No problem.” She laughs. “It’s a strange request, but hey, whatever help you need to land your girl, count me in,” she quips. “You’re just lucky I had Brit for the afternoon already. She cooked all this for you.”

Brit is Gray and Livia’s part-time nanny to their three-month-old twin boys. Good kid.

“God bless Brit. Maybe that means things will go my way tonight.”

“I hope so, Conn. You need a good woman.”

“I just need the
right
one,” I mumble, finally believing it’s true.

My pocket vibrates. Checking my phone quick, I see it’s Ella.

Ella and I occasionally have dinner and drinks to unwind at the end of a particularly tough day, but I’m not free tonight. In fact, hopefully, I won’t be free for the next eighteen thousand nights. Heck, maybe I’ll introduce the two. I think with their strong personalities and cutting wit, they’d get along well. And Nora could probably use a friend in her new city.

“Competition?” Livia asks, spying my phone, clearly seeing Ella’s name.

Women. They stick together, no matter what. And it seems Livia’s siding with Nora even before she’s met her for no other reason than because she’s captured my heart. I don’t even have to tell her; she already knows I’d never do this for just anyone.

“No. Just a friend.”

Her hand goes to her hip and she cocks a brow.

“Really. She’s just a friend. I’m allowed to have a female friend, aren’t I?”

She scrutinizes me. It makes me uncomfortable, like the jackass I know I am when it comes to women. “You are. You just…don’t.”

True. Ella’s the exception. I turn my attention back to the bags and start unloading. “There’s more to me than meets the eye, Liv.”

“I’m starting to see that.” She surprises me by reaching up and placing a kiss on my cheek.

“What’s that for?” I ask, rubbing the damp spot.

“You’re a good guy, Connelly. Underneath your playful, laissez-faire attitude you have a squishy, soft romantic side. I knew it was there, you just needed someone to peel back the layers so it could be found.”

“Shhh. Don’t tell anyone. You’ll ruin my rep.” I wink.

She twists her fingers over her mouth, locking my secret inside. We quickly unload in silence. Once everything is set, we say our good-byes not a second too soon.

I’m just sitting down at my desk when Nora knocks lightly, standing at the entrance of my office, waiting. She’s trying hard not to, but she looks nervous. I have to admit I thought she may be a no-show, finding some lame excuse that she couldn’t come, so it’s a relief to see her here.

Standing, I don’t say a word. I just walk slowly across my speckled carpet until I’m right in front of her. I unashamedly drink her in from head to toe. She looks so damn beautiful in her classy form-fitting navy dress and nude pumps, but all I want to do right now is see the sheath in a puddle on my floor and feel her heels burn into the muscles of my ass.

I’ve thought of nothing else for the last few weeks but how she felt shuddering in my arms as I dry humped her to climax. My mouth waters when I remember how sweet her lips and skin tasted under my tongue. I’ve masturbated almost daily remembering the hitch in her voice and how sweet my name sounded on a breathless exhale as she fell headfirst over the sharp ledge into ecstasy before she bolted faster than a jackrabbit.

She left me with the worst case of blue balls I can ever remember having, but given the choice of living that night over again and having it end the same way or not living it at all…bring on the sweet agony of denied release, because I’d do it repeatedly. I’d do anything for her.

When my gaze trails lazily back to her face, it’s flushed. “You came.” Now it turns a deeper shade of red and I know we’re both remembering the exact same thing. I don’t even bother trying to suppress my grin.

“I thought I was summoned,” she sasses. Her face is defiant, but her voice is delightfully breathy.

“You don’t seem to take orders well.” Her eyes widen and her cute little mouth falls open. Bending my head, my lips brush her lobe before I nip it, whispering huskily, “But I intend to change that.”

“Connelly—” She starts to protest, but I’m done listening. I don’t want to hear that she’s changed or that we can’t do this or that I’m in her damn personal space. I don’t want to hear any more excuses.

I only want to hear her say
yes
.

Yes to me. Yes to us. Yes to everything I want from her.

“Hush, princess. The evasion stops now,” I growl lowly before kissing her cheek.

Her breath hitches and it takes everything in me not to shove her up against the wall, rip off her panties, and pound into her like a madman. Instead, placing my hand at the small of her back, I usher her inside before closing and locking the door for good measure. My office is in the corner of the thirty-second floor. It’s rather secluded, but there are likely still people milling about somewhere. Since I’m known for working late, I wouldn’t want anyone barging in with an urgent issue that can’t wait until morning.

“Have a seat.” I nod toward the round oak table in the corner that contains the spread I’ve put together for my “meeting” with Nora. And once she gets a good look, I hope I score some points. God knows I’ll work my balls off to earn every one of them.

She almost reaches the table when she stops short. I’m trailing far enough behind, mostly because I wanted to ogle her ass, or otherwise I would have run smack into her.

“What is all this?” she asks with genuine surprise, before turning to me with wide eyes.

“It’s dinner.” I shrug like it’s no big deal; yet I’m dying inside to know what she’s thinking. I don’t usually eat this stuff, but Nora does. Or at least she did once upon a time.

“But this is…this is freezer crap,” she says on a small laugh, turning back toward our fried feast of mozzarella sticks, chicken nuggets, pizza rolls, mini corn dogs, crab Rangoon, and skinny fries, which used to be her favorite. There’s even something I don’t recognize. Raviolis maybe? Fuck all if I know. None of it looks appetizing. I did ask Livia to add a salad, but other than that, the entire table is full of fat- and calorie-laden fried breading.

Yum.

“It is,” I reply quietly against the column of her neck, letting my breath dance over her. Taking a chance, I place my hands lightly on her hips. She surprises me by sinking into my hold. My semi is now at full attention and I swallow a groan. “I don’t know if you still eat this stuff, but I remember how much you used to love freezer crap night back in the day.”

Nora and her mother used to have “freezer crap” night about once every other month or so. They’d make an entire unhealthy meal out of nothing but frozen shit you accumulated to eat on lazy nights. It was “their thing,” she would tell me. She invited me a couple of times, but I always declined. Even back then, I ate healthy. But I’ll eat it tonight. For her.

She’s quiet for so long I’m convinced I’ve missed the mark. Then she turns in my arms. I know I’ve hit a home run when I see tears. “I can’t believe you remember that.”

I frame her face. Look deeply into her watery eyes. “Nora, there isn’t a single thing about you I’ve forgotten. I remember everything. Every like. Every dislike. Every laugh. Every smile. Every freckle. Every conversation. Every minute I spent with you is forever burned into my memory.”

She smiles and I can’t tell if it’s a happy or sad one. I think both. “Thank you, Connelly. You have no idea what this means to me.”

Her eyes dart to my mouth and when they return to mine, I can read her emotions perfectly. She’s full of longing and want. When her tongue peeks out to moisten her lips, the thin thread of control I’ve been grasping snaps in two.

“I’m going to kiss you,” I announce, low and gruff.

“Conn—”

“Be quiet, Nora. It’s just a kiss.”

“O…Okay,” she says on an exhale.

Her eyes flutter shut before my mouth reaches hers. Suddenly I wish I hadn’t promised it was only a kiss, because the moment our lips touch, she willingly opens to me. This isn’t a kiss of control or power. This isn’t a kiss of dominance or jealousy or claiming.

It’s the heady kiss of mutual desire. It’s the one I’ve longed for her to gift me with for nearly a month.

Christ, she feels so good.

Groaning, I deepen my strokes but keep it soft. Languid. Tongue twisting with mine, she follows my every lead. Her body melts into me. Her hands grip my waist like she needs something to hold her up. Kissing her long and thoroughly, I worship her mouth the way I want to do to the rest of her body, savoring her taste, her warmth. I soak in each ragged breath, every tiny moan. I make them mine.

Her acquiescence makes me want to ravage her, but more than that right now, I need her to know how fucking much I love her, so after another few seconds, I do the right thing before I can’t anymore.

I stop.

Her rosy chest heaves and her eyes are still closed when I pull back. As slowly as they fluttered shut, they open. They’re dilated, dark and hazy with desire as they bounce back and forth, silently questioning why I’ve stopped.

Fuck. I’m asking myself the same damn question.

“Dinner’s going to get cold,” I tell her. My voice is heavy and thick, just like my cock. She thought going out with me to a restaurant was too intimate, but I assure you, her virtue would have been far safer in a public space rather than alone with me in
any
private space.

“Oh. Yeah, okay.”

Placing a chaste kiss to her now puffy lips, I guide her toward a seat, pulling it out for her. She mumbles her thanks while I proceed to grab a couple of everything and set a plate down in front of her.

“Salad?” I ask, immensely enjoying the way she’s watching my every move like she’s trying to figure out my motives. They are entirely dishonorable, I promise.

“Uh, sure.”

After I get her all settled, I grab my own plate and fill it just as I did hers, with a bigger portion of salad. With all this fried food, I’ll have the heartburn from the gates of hell later, but I don’t care. Then I pour us each a glass of the Cabernet I asked Livia to bring and take a seat across from Nora.

“Bon appetite,” I say, holding up my drink.

“Bon appetite,” she mimics quietly before taking a small sip. She holds my stare for a few more moments before leaving me bereft by breaking away. I hate that I feel so damn needy I want all of her attention focused on me. I’m not that guy. I’m not possessive or covetous or attention seeking, but I almost feel like I’ve had a damn personality transplant around her because I’m feeling every single one of those in spades right now.