The One Nighter (9 page)

Still, she needed more.

Needed to feel more of him.

She climbed on top of him to straddle him, reveling in the feel of his hands as they cupped her buttocks. The hard ridge of his erection pressed against her pussy, causing a d
e
licious ache. Unable to keep herself from tasting the tem
p
tation, she brazenly rubbed herself against him. The low groan that escaped his mouth vibrated through every part of her body.

Deftly, he slid the zipper on the back of her dress down, pulling the straps forward to reveal her. A cool rush of air teased her skin as he eased the strap of her bra down to expose her breast. When his lips covered the straining
bud, she cried out at the exquisite sensation. Her fingers snaked through his hair, holding him against her, unable to let him go. His tongue teased before she felt his teeth graze the sensitive skin.

“Connor…” His name escaped on a breathless whisper.

She couldn’t stop.

All she wanted was more of the sexy man she clung to.

Moving against his hard cock only made the ache wo
r
sen. She couldn’t help but wonder if he could feel how wet she was through the fabric of his slacks. She didn’t have to wonder long, because he stood up, his hands pulling her legs around his waist. He carried her up the two steps to the bedroom effortlessly.

When he reached the bed, he let her slide down the length of his body. The feel of his body against hers was more seductive than any erotic poetry. He placed her on the edge of the bed, leaning in to release the catch on her bra with a flick of his wrist. Kneeling down, he slid the dress down her legs. He positioned her leg on his shoulder as he began to peel her stockings and panties off before pla
c
ing an intimate kiss on the inside of her thigh.

She rose up on her elbows to look at him. The look in his eyes left little doubt of his intent.

He wanted everything.

And he wanted her to give it to him.

He placed her other leg on his shoulder, his purpose clear. Parting her with two fingers, he slid his tongue into the wet, hot center of her. Her head fell back on a rush of pleasure. One finger pushed into her, pumping gently in time with the ministrations of his mouth. He sucked the hard nub that drove her wild into his mouth. Her fingers
twisted in the sheets, pulling, reaching for the pinnacle his mouth promised.

When she reached it, she cried out as waves of ecstasy swept through her. He stayed with her until the last ripple stilled. Then, he gently removed her legs from his shoulders to stand. His gaze held hers captive as he removed his clothes. He fished out a condom before his pants slid past his hips. She let out a sigh of approval as his cock sprung free. It pointed itself at the place in her that cried out to be filled.

Sliding the condom down his shaft, he grabbed her legs. He pulled her to the edge of the bed. She felt him prod at her entrance only seconds before he drove himself home. Her breath rushed out at the feeling of being filled so co
m
pletely. Her legs settled around his hips as he began to move inside of her. When his hands covered her breasts to tweak her nipples, she felt her pussy tighten around him as her orgasm took over. He threw back his head as he began to hammer into her. A low groan rumbled through his chest as he came. His head fell forward as the torrent eased.

She went willingly into the circle of his arms when he joined her on the bed. As his hand stroked her back, she realized something that she had known from the beginning but tried to deny.

She was in love with Connor Mason.

And there was no turning back.

Chapter 12

Melanie curled instinctively toward him, her eyes flu
t
tering open. She breathed in the musky, male scent of him, reveling in the comforting weight of his arm drawing her near even in sleep.

Crack!

The sound outside jolted her. Her head rose. Light filled the lower level. Her eyebrows drew together. The floodlights that she had installed were motion sensitive. But still, at this time of night, it was probably just an animal looking for a trashcan to rummage through. She snuggled into Connor’s chest.

Crack!

Alarm sizzled up her spine. A quick glance revealed that Connor was still sleeping soundly. Easing out of the bed, she reached for her robe. Slipping her arms into it, she tiptoed downstairs. Her heartbeat quickened as she edged closer to the door. She had almost reached it when the light went out suddenly.

That was odd.

Maybe whatever animal had wandered up had finally decided to go home. She was just about to turn around and return to the warm comfort of the bed when she heard it again.

Crack!

It was nothing.

It had to be nothing.

Snap!

Leaning forward, she peaked out the small hole on the door. Dim illumination from the pool barely lit her wal
k
way. Suddenly, she saw a flash of movement in the shru
b
bery. She swallowed, trying her best to slow her racing pulse.

The shape was too big to be an animal.

It moved again.

Pressing her face against the door, she tried to get a better look.

It almost looked…human.

The bushes lining the walkway swayed and dipped as it moved closer. All of the air in her lungs rushed out as she realized that they were almost at her door.

A hand closed around her arm, making her scream. She spun around to find Connor standing behind her. His chest was bare and his pants hung low on his hips.

“Whoa! It’s just me,” he said, raising his hands in mock surrender.

Turning back around, she looked out the peephole.

Everything was still.

Too still.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Someone’s out there,” she replied.

Before she could say anything else, he moved her aside to open the door.

“What are you doing?” she demanded.

“I’m going out there,” he explained.

“But…”

He pulled the door open, walking out onto the porch. When he found nothing on the other side, he looked over his shoulder at her. “What did you see?”

Peaking around the door, she answered. “There was something in the bushes. Over there,” she instructed, poin
t
ing to the area.

The silence seemed to settle around them as he edged closer. She leaned against the door, her heart beating so fast she thought she might faint.

“Ouch!”

She jumped. “What is it?”

Connor lifted one foot to reveal a red stain forming. Blood darkened his skin as he pulled out a piece of glass. He held it
up,
his eyes narrowing before letting it fall to the ground.

“There’s broken glass all over the porch,” he observed.

When he continued over to the side, her eyes widened. “Be careful,” she warned.

Worrying her lower lip beneath her teeth, she watched him inspect the area intently.

“What is it? What do you see?”

After a moment, he spoke. “It looks like the floodlights are busted.”

Her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. “But it was just on. It’s what woke me up,” she explained.

When he turned back to face her, she couldn’t miss his grim expression. A sense of foreboding swept through her.

“What?”

At her worried look, he offered her a boyish grin. “Don’t worry. I’ll have someone come by tomorrow to take care of it.”

She drew in a deep breath before she asked the que
s
tion that plagued her. “Do you think someone broke it i
n
tentionally?”

He crossed the distance to rub her arms with his hands. “It was probably just an animal.”

She knew it was a lie.

They both knew it.

And when she looked up into his eyes, she realized that the episode in the parking lot was far from over.

It was just beginning.

* * * *

Melanie awoke the next morning to the smell of fresh-brewing coffee. She stretched languidly, the sheets sliding over her naked body. Slipping out of bed, she pulled her robe on before walking into the kitchen. Connor stood in front of the stove, the muscles on his bare back flexing as he leaned over. The dress slacks he wore revealed the outline of firm buttocks.

As if he sensed her presence, he looked over his shou
l
der. A lock of hair fell over his forehead. The sheepish grin he offered her made her heart beat faster.

“Coffee?”

At her nod, he filled a mug before handing it to her. She took a sip, savoring the flavor as he continued.

“I’d hoped to give you breakfast in bed,” he confessed.

She tilted her head to the side. “You make a pretty good cup of coffee,” she observed.

He turned his attention back to the stove, letting out a low chuckle. “I do have my good points, you know,” he quipped.

Her eyebrows arched, the corners of her mouth tilting up. “So you’ve said,” she teased.

He glanced over his shoulder, one eyebrow arced. “You doubt it?” he prodded.

She shrugged. “I’m still waiting to see more evidence before I make my final judgment.”

Pulling the pan from the burner, he flipped the dial. Setting it to the side, he began to advance toward her, a hungry predator stalking its prey.

“I’d be happy to prove it to you,” he offered.

Her nipples peaked under the thin robe, begging to be touched. He backed her up against the wall, his body brus
h
ing against hers as his mouth hovered over her lips. Just as he was about to kiss her, her stomach let out a low rumble.

Color crept into her cheeks as his eyebrows lifted.

“Maybe we should satisfy that appetite first before we start on the other,” he suggested playfully. “Besides, I worked too hard on breakfast to let it get cold, and I have a feeling that proving myself is going to take quite a bit of time.”

The words were spoken lightly, but she knew that the meaning was much more intense. Rather than pursue it, she let him lead her to the table. He carried the food out before taking a place next to her at the table.

“So, are you coming into the office today?” he queried.

The slight clenching of his jaw was the only thing that showed how much her answer meant. She set her mug down on the table, her eyes meeting his.

“I have to,” she chided. “I still owe you two weeks.”

He pinned her with an intent stare.
“And after that?”

She let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t know,” she admitted.

He leaned back in his chair before looking away. The silence seemed to cover them like an unwelcome, swelte
r
ing blanket. Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore.

“Connor, you don’t understand.”

Shaking his head, he let out an exasperated sigh. “No Mel, I really don’t. You love that place. You’ve spent years helping build it. Why are you running now?”

She lifted her chin at the implication. “I’m not running. It’s just…” She trailed off, unsure of how to explain the r
e
percussions of her actions.

“Is this because Jill saw us together?”

When she didn’t answer, he continued.

“Mel, it will blow over,” he affirmed.

She rolled her eyes. “Assuming the entire office isn’t in on the joke by now,” she replied.

His eyebrows furrowed together on a frown. “What joke?”

Drawing in a deep breath, she plunged forward. “That I’m sleeping with you to keep my job.”

His eyes narrowed. “No one thinks that.”

Her eyes widened.
“Oh, no?
According to Jill, there have already been
whispers, which makes
what she saw all the more damning.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face before returning her gaze. “Look, if that’s what you’re worried about, you should know that I haven’t made any final decisions on the staff yet. No position is set in stone. If Jill is…”

Before he could finish, she cut him off. “Jill deserves to be there. She’s always gone above and beyond for the firm.”

He smiled at her ready defense. “She’s a good friend, I take it?”

She looked away. “She was. Before this,” she said.

He reached across the table to cover her hand with his own, and his eyes met hers. “If she was a good friend b
e
fore, then she’ll be a good friend now. Don’t make any rash decisions on what might happen. Just take some time to think about it before you decide to leave. Don’t let what people say run you away from a career that’s just beginning to flourish.”