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“Fuck off, Connor. I don’t need your shit today.”
“Where were you when I came over this morning?” he pressed instead, as if I didn’t need him to leave so I could start emotionally recovering from another humiliating encounter with him.
“Not in my apartment?”
An irritated rumble sounded in his throat as he leaned over me again. “You knew I was coming over. I thought you were sleeping, so I let you until I was done cleaning that shit up because you should’ve been getting ready to leave for work by then. But...no Maci. So, where were you?”
“Oh, I’m back to being Maci again?” When Connor’s expression shifted to bemusement, I rolled my eyes and mocked, “Thought I was Mini last night.”
“Stop acting like a child,” he said on an impatient sigh. “You knew I was coming over and weren’t there. No note...nothing. I called, and you didn’t answer. I was worried about you.”
A short, humorless laugh bubbled past my lips. “Yeah, I can see you were really worried. It took you almost five hours to check where I work from when you last call—” I pressed my lips tightly together and internally berated myself.
Connor’s eyes narrowed. “Drove here at eight and saw your car in the lot, so I knew you were okay,” he informed me crossly. “Now, tell me why you weren’t there this morning, and why you weren’t answering my calls, since you apparently knew I was calling.”
“That’s really none of your business, and I don’t know why it’s such a big deal. You needed to clean the polish.” I lifted my hands before letting them fall to my stomach. “That doesn’t require me to be there.”
“It does because I wanted to talk to you.”
Part of me was dying to know what he wanted to talk about. The other was remembering him calling me Mini and balking at the idea of me thinking he liked my mouth.
Being raised with four older brothers, my bitter, uncaring side often won out.
“Well, I don’t want to talk to you,” I muttered with an unconcerned shrug. “So, if you could leave, I’d appreciate it.”
Those blue eyes widened in surprise for a moment before he finally shifted back and stood.
As soon as he was far enough away, I awkwardly scrambled to my feet and fell into my chair. Trying not to show how much he affected me or how badly my head was throbbing, I turned for my computer. Pretending to notice what was on my screen when I was locked on his every step.
“Why were you outside my door when Sadie came over last night?” Connor asked once he reached the door, then turned to face me as he waited for my answer.
“I already told you last night.”
“I’m not buying that.”
“I don’t care if you are or aren’t,” I said with a soft, uneasy laugh. “I told you why I was there. You’re the one trying to make it out to be something other than it was.”
He took large steps until he was on the other side of my desk and bent to rest his hands on the wood. “I saw the way you looked. You can’t keep telling—”
“Did you remember to pay Sweetheart before she left?” I asked over him and forced a mocking smile to cross my face. “Oh, wait...I forgot. You actually remembered this one’s name.” Listing my head, I amended, “Did you remember to pay Sadie?”
Connor’s head had jerked back as I spoke. By the time I was finished, his eyebrows were drawn low over his eyes in a fascinating display of anger. When he spoke, his voice was a dark warning that sent a warm shiver through my body. “Come again?”
He and I both knew there was no need to repeat the question, so I just gave his detective getup a pointed once over. Deliberately trying not to let it show how good he looked in his slacks, button-down, and tie combo.
“Sorry you felt the need to come check on me, but you should probably get back to work, Detective Green.” Forcing my stare away from him, I focused on my computer and pretended to start a new game.
“Watch yourself, Maci,” he said in warning. “You’re starting to look jealous.”
I didn’t look at him as he walked out of the office. But as soon as the door shut behind him, I let out the breath I’d been holding and dropped my head onto my desk.
“Don’t act like you’re asleep, Mini, I just heard you talking,” Dylan said as if feigning sleep was something I regularly did. “Who was here?”
I glared at my brother and rubbed at the back of my tender head. “Connor.”
Dylan walked over and opened the door, looking into the parking lot when he asked, “Why’d he leave before talking to us? Did he get a call?”
“He didn’t come to see you two,” I replied without thinking, not realizing what I’d said until Dylan’s expression turned murderous. Trying to prevent another confrontation, I rolled my eyes and quickly added, “Oh God, not like that. Our walls are really thin—he was apologizing for the sounds his skank was making last night.”
