Between Love and Loyalty Read online

  “If you want to sell that story, you might want to make sure you at least know who’s playing.”

  Sarah gave a careless shrug and squinted at the screen. “The guys in blue played the guys in green. Looks like blue won. Simple.”

  Fiona turned back and looked at Connor. He reached out and pushed her hair off her shoulder, allowing his fingers to linger a moment before resting his hand on the back of her chair. Slow heat spread through her body. “Sarah dragged me out to save me from myself. She was afraid I’d drown in self-pity. It’s been a crappy week. She hoped my problems might be solved if I picked up a new man.”

  Connor’s eyes dilated as he listened. “Are you always so forward?”

  “Sometimes.” At least when it had nothing to do with her family. She pushed the thought out of her head. She would not think of them tonight. “What’s the point of playing games when we both know why we’re here.”

  He leaned closer and she waited for a hint of aftershave to tickle her nose. Only the scent of soap and a hint of sawdust met her.

  “I am here for the game.”

  “Well, then I’m sorry I interrupted. I’ll take my drink elsewhere.” She turned away and caught a glimpse of a smirk on Sarah’s face before he spun her back.

  “I’ve been interrupted for worse. And Dermott was right; I’ve had a crappy week too. Let’s try this again.” He extended his hand. “Hi, Fiona, I’m Connor and I’d like very much to forget the crappy week we’ve both had.”

  She took his hand. In truth, she probably would’ve given up on this mission had he been serious about getting rid of her. Instead, she stared into the dark blue of his serious eyes. “Hi.”

  Sarah tapped her shoulder again. “It looks like my work here is done. Do you need me to stay?”

  Fiona winked. “I think I can find my way home. Are you okay to drive?”

  Sarah nodded and then looked at Connor. “Would you mind showing me your driver’s license?”

  He stiffened a bit at Sarah’s request. “Why?”

  “If something happens to my friend, I’ll be able to hunt you down and kill you.”

  How Sarah managed to say it with a straight face and look a little frightening, Fiona couldn’t explain. Sarah was the most mild-mannered person she knew. But Connor pulled out his wallet and showed Sarah his license.

  “Connor Duffy, be nice to my friend.” She hopped off her stool.

  When Sarah handed his wallet back, he looked at Fiona and answered, “I plan to be.”

  “I’ll walk you out,” Fiona offered. Turning to Connor, she said, “You’ll be here when I get back?”

  He nodded.

  Fiona slid her arm through Sarah’s and pushed through the crowd to get to the door. The cool air felt good compared to the stuffy heat of the bar.

  “Having second thoughts?” Sarah asked.

  “About what?”

  “Sexy Connor.”

  “No. I want to make sure you got to your car safely. And to thank you for tonight. I would never have picked Connor out of the crowd, but he looks like he might make the evening fun. As an added benefit, he doesn’t appear to know me, so…”

  “Remember, don’t use your last name. If he looks for you online, he’ll find out about your family. Keep it simple and fun. Don’t fall in love tonight.” She gave Fiona a quick squeeze.

  “Even I don’t fall in love in a single night.”

  She waited until Sarah got into her car before turning back to the bar. Connor met her inside the door.

  “I thought we could sit somewhere a little quieter.” He led the way to a booth on the other side of the bar, away from the TV. The room had quieted considerably since the game ended.

  She sat in the booth and scooted to the inside. Surprisingly, he sat beside her instead of across from her.

  “This okay?”

  More than. She nodded. His broad shoulders nearly touched her. He waved a waitress over and ordered fresh drinks.

  “So what do you do for a living?” he asked.

  “I make jewelry to pay the bills, but I work part-time at a youth outreach center teaching art because I enjoy it. Tell me about being a carpenter.” She sipped her beer and tried not to think about how close he sat, but his hard thigh brushed against her. She began to envision him naked.

  “I build custom furniture and sometimes take on the odd job.” He took a drink from his beer and then turned the glass slowly in circles.

  “What made your week so crappy?”

  He stiffened a little and she knew she shouldn’t have asked. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

  “A job I hoped to get fell through. You?”

  “Family stuff I’d rather not think about.”

  What the hell were they supposed to talk about?

  Connor licked his lips and faced her. “I suck at small talk. I like you, Fiona. I’d like to get to know you better. Are you interested in coming to my place?”

  “Are you always this forward?” she asked with a smile.

  “Sometimes. Especially if I think I’m in danger of losing the chance to be with a beautiful woman.” He leaned closer and paused, his lips hovering in front of hers, as if asking permission.

  She closed the distance and their lips touched. Warm and smooth, unlike his hand at her neck, which scraped a little at the sensitive skin. His tongue swooped into her mouth as he changed the angle of the kiss. A zing of pleasure shot through her and she knew she’d go home with Connor tonight.

  She put a hand on his shoulder and pulled back. “Do you live close?”

  “Right down the block.”

  “Let’s go.”

  His eyes widened a bit, but he stepped out of the booth and tugged on a navy pea coat. When she moved toward the door, his hand fell to the small of her back guiding her through the crowd. He whispered in her ear, “Are you okay with walking? I didn’t bring my car.”

  “That’s fine.”

  “Don’t you have a jacket?”

  “You said it’s close.”

  Outside the cool night air brushed over her. She hadn’t brought a coat because it would have been one more thing for her to carry.

  They hadn’t gotten far before the breeze went from refreshing to cold and she shivered. She hadn’t dressed for walking around.

  “Shit. I’m sorry. Have my jacket.”

  Before she could refuse, he’d already slipped out of the coat and slid it on her shoulders. The coat held the heat from his body and his clean scent. Her shivering immediately stopped. “Aren’t you going to get cold?”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  She pushed her arms into the sleeves and he put his arm around her shoulders. Since he’d admitted to being no good at conversation, she had to keep it going. “What do you do for fun? Besides pick women up at the bar.”

  His arm tensed momentarily. “I don’t often pick women up at bars. I’m usually only there to watch the games and few women are around then.”

  “Are you trying to tell me you lead a lonely and celibate life?”

  A quiet chuckle slipped past his lips. “No. I date. But I’ve been busy with jobs lately and relationships didn’t pan out. But to answer your question, I read. It’s a habit I picked up a long time ago and held onto.”

  “What do you like to read?”

  “A little of everything. I usually read a couple of books at a time. I like thrillers, something with a twist. For nonfiction, I prefer stuff written by journalists as opposed to the celebrity crap.” He pointed to a house. “That’s me.”

  He lived really close. No wonder he didn’t bother driving.

  He jingled his keys in his hand before unlocking the door. “Before we go in, I should warn you it’s still under construction. I bought it as fixer-upper, so it’s pretty bare.”

  “Does your bedroom consist of a sleeping bag on the floor and a milk crate for a chair?” God, she hoped not. She wasn’t feeling that adventurous.

  “Not quite.” He swu
ng the door open and flicked on a light. Barking echoed throughout the first floor. “That’s just Max. He’s harmless.”

  Oh, man. She was a total sucker for a guy with a dog. A big beast came running into what should’ve been the living room. Connor greeted his dog and Fiona assessed the situation. There was nothing. No furniture, no TV, not even a rug. Everything was bare.

  Connor mumbled something and said he’d be right back. She took a few more steps into the house. The room was huge, big enough to be both a living room and a dining room, but she began to question if he really even lived here.

  He returned, his footsteps echoing in the empty space. “Sorry, Max had to go out. I warned you it was empty. I’ve already finished the upstairs, though. That’s where I spend my time.”

  He took his coat from her and hung it on a hook near the door. “Come on, I’ll give you the grand tour.”

  Beyond the living room/dining room combo was the kitchen where Max scratched at the back door. When Connor let him back in he greeted Fiona by trying to jump on her.

  “Down, Max. Sorry, he gets excited,” Connor said while tugging at Max’s collar.

  “Too bad every man I meet doesn’t get excited like that.”

  Max settled next to Connor’s legs and Connor slid his gaze back up to meet hers. “I imagine men get plenty excited around you.”

  He stepped over his dog and backed Fiona against the wall. His lips were cold from the walk, but his skin was warm as his hand grazed her cheek on its way to cradle her neck. He might not be much of a talker, but Connor was a damn good kisser. His fingers tangled in her hair and brought her head back. He licked her neck and bit the sensitive flesh causing sparks to zoom through every nerve. Her blood raced and she pressed her body into his.

  “Tour can wait,” he said against her heated skin. He pulled away, leaving her much colder than she expected. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her from the room and toward the stairs.

  Max’s nails clicked on the hardwood floor as he followed. “Max,” Connor called out over his shoulder, “stay.”

  Based on the roughness in his voice, he was as turned on as she was. He took the stairs two at a time; luckily, her legs were long enough to keep up with him. He maneuvered her through the dark and she couldn’t see anything. At least he wasn’t a messy guy, or they’d be tripping over stuff.

  Connor released her hand, leaving her standing in the dark, and switched on a small bedside lamp. The glow illuminated the room enough to show that he spent time here. It looked like he combined two rooms to make this one big suite. The light wasn’t bright enough to fill the room, but the king size bed stood only a couple of feet in front of her and that was all she needed to see.

  She kicked off her shoes and pulled her shirt over her head. Connor just stared.

  “Something wrong?”

  His face looked a little strained, and for a minute she thought maybe he didn’t like an assertive woman, in which case, she should leave now.

  “Uh-uh,” was his only response. He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her to him, his rough hands on her waist. He planted a kiss just above her bra between her breasts while his hands, warm and calloused, rubbed across her skin above her jeans. She reached for the button on her pants, but he pulled her hands away.

  He trailed kisses down her torso and his fingers skimmed beneath her waistband. Her knees weakened at his touch, so she used his shoulders for balance. His broad, hard-muscled shoulders proved to be excellent anchors as he slid her jeans and panties down her legs. When the pants were gone, she reached around and unclasped her bra, discarding it along with everything else. She stood naked in front of Connor while he was still fully clothed.

  He inhaled deeply and stood. By the time she blinked, his shirt had joined hers and he’d turned her toward the bed. She barely had a chance to ogle his chest before he pushed her down on the bed and covered her body with his. Connor continued his assault of her senses by kissing and stroking her.

  The rough denim of his jeans matched the rasp of his hands on her body. “You’re so soft,” he whispered.

  He wasn’t soft—not at all, and she loved every delicious hard plane and muscle that pressed into her. His fingers stroked her and she moaned. He clamped his teeth gently on her nipple. If she didn’t know better, she’d think the man had eight arms because of the diversity of sensual pleasure erupting all over her body as he explored. Her blood raced and she writhed beneath his hands.

  “Close, aren’t you, Fiona?”

  She couldn’t speak, couldn’t even open her eyes, so she nodded and bucked her hips up. He held her close, trying to keep her still. The pressure built and her muscles clenched.

  Then suddenly, he was gone.

  She wanted to whimper. She eased her eyelids up and saw an evil grin on Connor’s face.

  “I’m coming back.” He pushed his jeans down his hips and donned a condom. Leaning back over her, he whispered in her ear, his voice low and husky, “I want to be inside you when you come.”

  She shuddered knowing release was so close. She spread her thighs wide to accommodate his body. He slid inside her, filling and stretching her. Her muscles relaxed a fraction, but then Connor started to move. Tension skyrocketed in her body, coiling in her center, waiting to explode.

  Connor propped himself on his forearms beside her head. Their breath mingled as their bodies collided. He felt so good. She wasn’t ready to let go; she wanted to ride the wave a little longer. Connor’s pace picked up and he shifted, pulling back.

  Cool air breezed in the space between them. Connor hooked an arm under her knee, opening her further. Then he touched her with his thumb and she was gone. Every muscle tightened and stars burst behind her closed lids. She might’ve screamed out his name.

  As her shudders and spasms slowed, Connor stopped and held her. His body was rigid, so she knew he hadn’t finished, but he didn’t move. She tried to shift, to thrust, but he held her down. His heavy breaths heaved from his chest and she knew he was trying to prolong this every bit as much as she’d tried.

  He’d toyed with her, so it was only fair that she return the favor.

  Chapter 2

  “Let’s change positions,” Fiona whispered.

  Connor held her tight, knowing if she bucked against him, he’d come. Pulling out left him cold and wanting, but at this moment, he’d give Fiona anything she asked. And she wanted a new position. He swallowed hard and moved to lie on his back, figuring she’d want to ride him and have some control.

  “You’re not done working yet.” She turned over on her hands and knees and shoved her ass up at him.

  He stared at her, not sure if he could move. She was pink and glistening from her come and he wanted to be back inside her. A burst of energy shot him out of bed and he knelt behind her. He grabbed her hips and brought her onto him. He almost came, especially when she tried to wiggle away. He gripped tight, possibly leaving bruises.

  Connor inched out and slammed back into her causing her to yelp. He froze. “You okay?”

  “God, yes. Don’t stop.” She grabbed his hand from her hip and forced it back to her clit.

  Even from this position where he should be in total control, Fiona owned him. He stroked her until she came again. This time, he couldn’t hold back. Her walls tightened around him and milked him. He pounded into her one last time hard enough to cause them both to fall forward.

  He eased off her, hoping his arms could support his weight; he had no strength left. Luckily he didn’t have to hold it for long. Fiona rolled out from beneath him.

  She was still panting, but her smile lit up the room. “Holy crap, that was great. I think it worked.” She paused. “Yep. Bad week totally forgotten.”

  They laid together in silence, recovering. After a few minutes, Fiona sat up, her hair wild around her head. “Can you point me to the bathroom?”

  He sat and pointed in the general direction of the hall. She’d figure it out. Before lying back on the bed, he disposed
of the condom.

  A shadow crossed him and he bolted up. Fiona stared wide-eyed and startled.

  “Sorry. I must’ve dozed off.” Then he realized she’d gotten dressed. He hadn’t even heard her return from the bathroom, and she planned to leave. He hadn’t gotten anything other than a great fuck. “You can stay.”

  “Thanks for the offer, but it’s probably not a good idea.” She shoved her feet into her shoes. “Do you have a sweatshirt or something I can borrow? I’m going to freeze outside.”

  He pushed off the bed and grabbed one from his dresser. Then he remembered her friend asked if she’d be able to get home. “How are you getting home?”

  “I’m going to call a cab.”

  “Forget that. I’ll give you a ride. Give me a couple of minutes.” He’d already started toward the bathroom.

  “Are you sure? I live kind of far.”

  “You don’t live all the way up in Wisconsin, do you?”

  “No.”

  “Then I’ll take you home.” It was the least he’d do for any woman who could make him come so hard he thought his eyes would explode. The car ride would offer him the chance to talk and pry some information from her pretty lips. He cleaned up and redressed while Fiona sat watching from the bed. His sweatshirt swallowed her; he couldn’t even tell she had breasts under it.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  “Whenever you are.”

  He led the way out the back of the house to his truck. Max danced around and Fiona squatted to pet him good-bye. Once in the truck, she gave him directions to her house. She hadn’t been joking; she lived far. It made him wonder what she’d been doing in his neighborhood.

  They rode in silence and he knew he’d screw this up. The awkward after-fucking conversation always sucked. He had no idea how to maneuver her into talking about her family. Before he knew it, he pulled up in front of a big condo building.

  “This is me.”

  “Can I have your number?” he blurted.

  She smiled a soft, sleepy smile. “Let’s not do this.”

  “Do what?”

  “I know it’s the polite thing to ask for my number, but don’t ask if you don’t have any intention of using it.”