And she had a damn good aim.
For hours tonight she’d mixed drink after drink, mistress of her domain. She’d needed to reclaim her space after last night and she’d refused to let the jerks unnerve her.
Only now she couldn’t face fighting more tonight—not him. Not herself.
She needed to go home and pull herself together and plan.
Less than ten minutes after the confrontation, she snuck into the kitchen while Connor was busy with yet another group of gorgeous snow queens.
“Luca.”
He glanced up and immediately walked over. “What is it?”
“I need to go home now.”
“You need me to call Austin?” he looked concerned.
“No. I just... I’m tired.” So damn tired.
“Delayed reaction,” Krista materialised. “I’ll take her, Luca you stay here and manage.”
“You’ll come back?” Luca checked with his lover.
Krista nodded. “Come on Savannah,” she said with a wink. “Let’s get out of here before Connor notices you’ve gone.”
Savannah chuckled and pulled on her coat. A moment of female solidarity was rare. And nice.
Luca pulled Krista close and quickly kissed her.
Savannah headed towards the door. “I’ll wait by your car.”
A minute later Krista came out and unlocked the car. She drove for a minute, cranking up the heating. “So, what it is it between you Connor?”
“Nothing.” Savannah winced. Luca must have told her about the kitchen kiss.
“Oh yeah. Nothing…” Krista laughed girlishly. “But okay, you don’t want to talk about it. I understand you’re private.”
She was protective.
But for once Savannah regretted her instant defensive shut down. But she’d never had the kind of friend she could open up to about a guy. There’d been no friends. No guys. And this was one person who might be able to give her some info. She tried to relax. “Why’s he called the icicle?”
Krista didn’t take her eyes from the road. “Because he’s so cold.”
Savannah tried not to gasp aloud. Connor was anything but cold.
“Maybe not with you.” Krista suddenly smiled slyly. “But the rest of us see only a workaholic. He never leaves the mountain. Never has fun. All he does is work. All he’s ever done is work.”
“He never leaves the mountain?” Never has fun? Workaholic?
“Well, hardly ever. And never for long.” Krista pulled up outside the unit. “Look, I’ve known Connor all my life and he has never, ever kissed a woman in front of anyone else before.”
“Really?”
“If he has relationships no one knows about them. But I don’t know any woman who’s ever bragged about being with him.”
Yeah, but he’d not been a virgin the other night. At least, she sure as hell hoped he hadn’t been.
Duh. Of course he hadn’t been—he’d been holding back. Heat flushed through her at the sudden, vivid recollection. He probably only slept with women who weren’t staying long in town. High-class tourists to whom he gifted brief flings.
Savannah got out of the car, drawing in a deep breath. “Okay, well, thanks for the lift.”
“No problem.” Krista cut the engine and got out of the car too.
“What are you doing?” Savannah shook her head as Krista followed her to her door, and then walked right on in.
“Just checking your apartment.”
Standing in the center of the room, Savannah crossed her arms over her chest. “Connor told you to, didn’t he?”
“I’m to text him as soon as I’ve left here.” Krista nodded.
And she’d agreed to that? So much for female solidarity. “That’s ridiculous.”
“No it’s not. He’s right to be wary of your security at the moment. You probably shouldn’t be here alone. You want me to stay with you?” Krista pulled out her phone.
“Thanks anyway, but it’s bad enough you had to do that last night.” Savannah sighed. “Mind if I use that?”
Krista shrugged and handed it to her. Savannah swiped the screen, initiating the call.
“Krista? Is Savannah okay?” Connor answered immediately.
“I’m fine. You didn’t need to make her come in and search my apartment.”
“I didn’t make her. She offered. She’s concerned about you. All I asked was for her to let me know you’d made it home safely.”
“Well, she’s checked my apartment for bugs and is leaving now.” Savannah snapped, rattled by his hot’n’cold behavior. Mr Sensitive one second, Mr Suspicious the next. Mr Sexy all the damn time.
“Is it so awful to have people care about you?”
Krista was watching, a huge smile on her face like this was the best entertainment ever.
Savannah closed her eyes. Krista didn’t care about her. Connor most definitely didn’t. “Is it so awful to value independence?”
“There’s such a thing as taking it too far,” he answered. “What’s wrong with having a few friends?”
She turned away from Krista, swallowing back the anger.
Connor Hughes would never be her friend.
To rely, to depend, to need someone, lead to weakness. And weakness ultimately lead to loss. Her father had lost everything. Her mother had given up everything—and for what?
Savannah wasn’t making their mistakes.
People let you down, that’s what they did. So she was sticking with independent.
“Savannah?”
She didn’t answer.
“I know you’re still there,” he said softly, “Text me if you need me.”
“I won’t.”
“Sleep well, Sugarlips.”
She wouldn’t do that either.
Chapter Nine
Connor slept even less than he had the night before. He worked on stupid spreadsheets to stop himself doing a drive by of her apartment, like some stalker. Except he ached to protect her from the real stalker assholes. He ached to do a whole lot else as well.
Not. Happening.
Last night’s game—the kiss? The ice? All to prove how easily she melted?
Had totally backfired on him.
But want would never be his master. He wouldn’t be his father, a slave to sexual desire. He wasn’t succumbing to the stereotypical weakness of a wealthy man—the inability to keep his penis in his pants. But despite that intention, just after eight in the morning, a totally respectable time, he sent her another text.
Sleeping Sugar, you awake?
Still no reply.
There was a knock on the door, a familiar double tap, pause, single tap.
“You’re not staying?” He took one look at Hunter and knew his friend was on the first flight he could grab.
“You’re checking up on her.” Hunter’s eyes were on the phone Connor still held.
“If she answered her texts, I would be.” Connor frowned. “Keep the enemy close, right?”
I think you need to talk to her.” Hunter replied.
Connor put his phone on his desk and tried not to stare at the screen like an obsessed gameboy. “You’re going home?”
“Detouring a couple places first.” The tall man sat down in the chair opposite Connor’s desk. “I saw Dani when I was in Manhattan.”
Connor grimaced at the mention of his wayward younger sister. “She having a nice vacation?”
She’d left the morning after Rex’s big retirement celebration the previous week. Left Connor fuming.
“She’s getting a job,” Hunter said.
Of course she was. Because she was quitting the course she’d been working so hard for so long on. “Logan’s letting her?”
“She’s staying with Rocco.”
Connor heard the slight edge in Hunter’s words but was back watching his phone, wishing it would light up with a message. “With Roc? Because Logan’s busy with Min?” He glanced up when Hunter remained silent. “In Roc’s hotel, right?”
As impossible as it seemed, Hunter’s eyes seemed even more watchful.
“In his room.” Hunter finally answered.
In his bed?
A stunned feeling washed through Connor… and then? A weird sense of recognition. He sat back in his chair and rubbed his hand over his face.
Dani and Rocco?
Memories flashed—his sister all grown-up and glamorous at the Summerhill celebration a little over a week ago. His sister who’d tried to tell him so many times she hated what she was studying, that she wanted to make her own choices, not follow their father’s. And Connor had been too distracted to listen.
And then Rocco, who’d been abandoned by his family and embraced by Connor and Logan. Rocco who’d always stayed silent when Connor complained about his sister because she’d run away again. Rocco who’d never so much as looked at Dani. Or perhaps, not when anyone else was looking.
Rocco who’d been so alone for so long. And Dani, the sister who’d spent all her energy in recent years running away.
“Great.” Connor inhaled deeply, picked up his phone and checked to see no reply had landed from Savannah.
“Great?” Hunter echoed.
“Yep. Great.” Connor said. “They better know what they’re doing, that’s all.”
Hunter cracked a rare smile. “I think she does. She knows what she wants and now she has it she’s not going to give it up.”