Uncle Frank suing her-no opinion on that one, but one word about Charlie being in danger and she'd be encouraging that whole ‘ban Charlie from work' threat Frank tried to use on her.
She leaned her hands against the sink and bowed her head. Steps echoed, dull thuds on the tiles behind her.
"Charlie?"
The voice caused a wave of dread to curdle her belly. Her head snapped up and she met pale eyes in the mirror. "Simon?"
His gaze ran over her rear. She turned, words emptying from her head. There were so many things she'd wanted to say to him-wanted to scream at him. But now all she could think was that he seemed shorter than she remembered. Even so she couldn't block out the gut-deep pain eating her insides at the sight of him.
"What are you doing here?"
Aunt Bess as Switzerland case-in-point. She never took sides when one niece's fiancé became her other niece's boyfriend.
He stepped closer, backing her into the sink. "Don't look at me like that, Charlie."
He reached for her face.
She jerked her head back. "Nope."
Nope, nope and a truckload more nope. He'd lost the right to touch her.
His gaze grew icy as she'd seen it do so many times. Except these days she didn't have to put up with the tantrum that followed. That was now completely Joyce's problem.
"I'd hoped we could keep things civil."
"Then why did you come?"
His mouth twitched. "Joyce wanted me to."
He paused and she recognized the nervous jerk of his chin. He had something more to say.
"Joyce and I are getting married."
The pain turned knife sharp, cutting deep enough to stop her from breathing. This was the betrayal she couldn't cope with, the one that lost her a cousin. Because Simon-screw him, she was so much better off without him.
But Joyce she couldn't pretend she didn't miss.
"Then pass my condolences on to her." She barged around him for the door.
A woman stood in the way, a hand pressed to her belly, brown eyes wide.
Joyce stepped in. "Charlie, I'm sorry if you're still upset about how everything happened, but Simon and I are engaged and you're going to have to get used to it."
Joyce moved to Simon's side, her blond locks shifting over her shoulders. He put his arm around her waist. "I thought you'd have moved on by now."
"I have moved on. I'm seeing someone." A lump rose in her throat. "That doesn't mean I have to accept what you did."
"You don't sound like someone who's moved on," Simon snarled.
Joyce looked from Simon to Charlie, mirroring his skepticism in the rise of her forehead. Charlie's shoulders hunched. They both thought she was lying. But one thing was for sure-only one man had any claim on her now.
Connor strode through the house, having been directed by Aunt Bess on where to find Charlie. Murmurs hummed down a hallway and he approached the sound.
"You don't sound like someone who's moved on."
He stiffened. A snide male tone was not what he'd expected to hear. He stepped into the doorway, his gaze taking in the couple facing Charlie.
Her back faced him, straight and bristling with so much tension it made his joints ache. She twitched for a moment before he tugged her against him.
"There you are, baby." His voice filled the washroom.
Charlie relaxed into him and her hand gripped the back of his shirt where it tucked into his waistband. He studied the man, the way his gaze flicked from him to Charlie, his neck coloring, lips thinning. Connor squeezed his fist, resisting the temptation to simply knock the fucker out for daring to look at his woman as if he had some claim on her. For daring to make her uncomfortable.
She didn't introduce him, just looked up at him and smiled. Smiled only for him. "Let's go find Aunt Bess."
They walked out of the washroom. Connor caught a look at the silent blonde, her lips pursed as if she wanted to say something, but she glanced at the man beside her and her lips smoothed.
TWELVE
Charlie opened her eyes. Unfamiliar warmth surrounded her, lulled her back into sleep. A weight rested over her hip, a hand cupped her breast. Connor's scent surrounded her. Crisp cologne, soap and a hint of sweat.
And boy had she made him sweat last night.
She sighed and placed her hand over his on her chest. Time to get up. They were already later for work than her schedule could handle.
His grip tightened, as if he had no intention of letting her go. To prove his intentions, he shifted his hips at her rear, his stiff morning cock showing her just how he'd like to spend the rest of their morning.
"We're late," she whispered.
He nudged the hair off her neck with his nose and brushed his lips against her skin. She shivered. The bastard had already figured out every sensitive place on her body and had no qualms exploiting every one of them.
"You're going to be later," he said then scraped his teeth against her flesh.
Her breath caught in the back of her throat.
"Really, we need to go … "
He squeezed her nipple with his thumb and finger then rubbed it deliciously. Pleasure tightened her core.
"Take the day off."
"I can't," she whispered then rolled over, unable to resist the slide of her skin against his. She hooked her knee over his waist but before she could breathe she was on her back, arms pinned over her head. He buried his cock in her-no preparation, no hesitation. Just one deep thrust that impaled her fully.
Fuck.
He'd known-known how wet she'd be, that her body couldn't resist him. He knew her reactions. Connor looked down at her. His eyes sparkled. Triumph and raw satisfaction made him the hottest thing she'd ever seen. Even if she could have resisted, even if her pussy wasn't throbbing-begging to be fucked-she wouldn't stop him.
His fingers wrapped around her wrists grounded her, made the world shrink to this space. They kept her in place when so much seemed out of control. He moved and her thoughts snapped. Focus narrowed to the searing pleasure building between her thighs. His expression changed, heated as he thrust into her slickness. The veins in his neck grew more pronounced, his control a visible thing. Connor might hold her down but she had just as powerful of an effect on him. His guard slipped around her and only she could make him lose control.
Her insides hummed and she bucked against him, pushed herself against his erection, rocked against it until his butting cock turned her inside out with pleasure. He released her hands and gripped her thighs, pushed them to her chest, exposing her to him further, angling her so he slid into her that much deeper.
She moaned, fisting the sheets. He took her hard. Took her as if he were imprinting himself on her. He stretched her with each pump, completed her, filled her and made her whole. His hips knocked hers, his skin batted against her skin, every stroke of his cock radiated pleasure into every fiber of her body. Her thighs tensed, and her stomach tightened. She held her breath as her nerves hitched closer and closer to shattering.
"Come for me, Charlie."
His hoarse command seized her. Her pussy contracted and she spasmed. Waves of bliss rolled over her. She shook but he continued to surge inside her. She twisted and he held her in place, stopped her from dissolving into the mattress. Her orgasm wracked her, on and on, smashing through every cell. Her ears rang, her throat hurt. She screamed but didn't hear the sound.
Connor's fingers dug into her thighs, his cock hardened. He rocked into her while she quivered. She panted, her lungs raw. He pulled out, gripped his cock and ran its thick head between her folds, over her sensitive clitoris.
She twitched, letting out a desperate sound. He dragged his cock higher then jerked and spurted onto her belly with a growl. The damp length of his shaft dug into her pubic bone and warmth seeped over her skin.
She couldn't have felt more claimed.
Connor fell forward, braced himself over her with his elbows and rested his damp forehead against hers. She breathed in his uneven breath, wrapped her arms around him and held on. The intimacy of the moment devastated her. More so than when he'd been inside her-more than sex. His forehead on hers, his cum on her belly, and most of all the way his breath shook. She'd seen and felt him come undone …
His breath evened and he kissed her, dragging his lips over hers. She rubbed his back and opened her mouth, drowning in the gentle touch. Sweet and heady, like a shot of coffee liqueur after a sinful meal.
They rolled to the side and she pressed her face into his neck, his morning beard just rough enough to scrape her cheeks. He held her, stroking her hair. She could live off this, forgo food-a dose of this could sustain her for days.
But the real world already intruded. She could almost hear the clock next to her bed tick, shouting that she'd be late for work if she didn't get ready immediately.
"We need to get up." Charlie placed a kiss on Connor's pulse.