“But I still have thirty minutes!” I protest.
“Thirty minutes that I can handle all by myself.” His firm tone doesn’t leave room for argument.
“Thank you. Thank you so much.” I grab my coat from underneath the register and shrug it on, looping my purse over my shoulder. “See you tomorrow morning.”
“You’re very welcome, dear. Have a good night.”
“You, too.” With a final wave, I shove down my giddiness at seeing Connor again. It’s been three days of him bringing me to work, picking me up, and staying the night. He’s downright spoiling me. Not to mention the dinners and breakfasts he makes for me while making sure I take my vitamins.
I don’t know why I’m letting him gently bulldoze his way into my life, but I love it. It just feels so amazing to let someone else worry about everything for a while.
As soon as Connor catches sight of me, he steps down from the truck to open my door for me. “Hey, little mama. Not so fast, woman.” He drags me back against him when I try to climb in.
I’m ashamed to admit it, but a stupid girlish giggle leaves me at his manhandling. “Connor.”
“Rosanna,” he mimics back in a high pitch. “I need a kiss, woman.”
Acting put out, even though I am the furthest thing away from the feeling, I reach for him. A yelp leaves me as my feet suddenly lose contact with the ground. “Connor Shay!”
A grin is all I see before his lips smother my protest. This is nice. More than, actually. Amazing. When he pulls away, I purse my freshly-kissed lips. “Where’s your beanie? Your naked head looks cold.” And his eyes look tired.
“Naked? It’s on the console.” Connor chuckles deeply before depositing me into my seat. “Are you done for the day? I was gonna keep you company for the last little bit.”
“Yep. He let me go early.”
Connor steals another kiss that I would have freely given him. “In you go. You know the drill.”
I do, indeed. Dutifully, I scoot over to the middle as he closes my door, belatedly noticing that he doesn’t smell like he usually does. Whatever he was wearing that kickstarted my vomiting is gone now. I watch him walk around the front of the truck, giving a polite wave to Mr. Wright on his way. God, he’s so hot. No, that doesn’t do him justice. Gorgeous? Manly? Masculine?
All of the above, I decide.
“How was your day?” he asks when his door closes and protects us from the cold.
Oh—my day! “It was really good! Mr. Wright said he’s going to give me a raise.”
A cloudy look covers his face before disappearing as he squeezes my knee. “That’s great news, kitten.”
It didn’t seem like such great news to him. Maybe he had a bad day. “What about yours? Did you get to spend more time with Toto and...Blackie? I’ll bet they’re really missing you.” At some point, I need to ask him just how long he’s planning on sticking around like this, but not right now. I selfishly want to keep him all to myself as long as he’ll let me.
“Bagheera. Or Baggy, as my brother calls him. They’re good, though, and Toto misses you,” he manages out through a yawn.
“I miss him, too. He’s such a cutie-pie. Are you tired?” He probably is. Probably hasn’t slept well since he’s stayed with me. And judging by the way he’s been rolling his shoulders and twisting at the waist lately, my couch has done a number on his back, too. Poor Connor. He’s been taking care of me at the expense of himself.
There’s plenty of room in your bed now that Silas is out,my inner voice whispers.
Shut up, wench.
“Just a bit.” He plays with my fingers all the way back to my apartment, and every touch sends serotonin exploding from my brain. When we get inside, he lumbers straight to the couch and collapses onto it, rubbing the back of his neck.
Placing my jacket on a kitchen chair, I move to join him, stopping for a moment to run a finger over the patched-up ultrasound pictures.Hello, babies.
He peers at me through half-shut eyes as I approach. “C’mere,” he growls.
And hello to you, too, tummy flutters.
Connor pulls me around the couch. “Sit.” When he drags me down, he smirks, throwing his long legs over the arm at the end and wriggling back to rest his head on my lap. He sighs in satisfaction and closes his eyes. “Much better.”
Ohmigod. My heart’s about to burst. It’s a strange thing we have going on here. He hasn’t flat-out told me we’re in a relationship, but he’s certainly acting like it. I mean, other than kissing me senseless every chance he gets, we haven’t done anything. I know he doesn’t have a wife or girlfriend, but he treats me like one.
