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But right now it was after midnight, and she’d been tossing and turning since she laid down.
She had hoped for this moment for years. Conner’s attention and complete focus on her was a huge turn-on. She had attended the fateful party the night after Parker and Conner graduated all those years ago. Conner, who always looked out for her at parties, had even walked her to her car and told her he was looking forward to seeing her over the summer. It had been a casual comment, but somehow it felt like a promise. That summer, they were both heading back to D.C. He was starting the academy, and she would be working to afford her next year of college.
Then, within one night, he was cut out of her life. She’d been devastated when she heard he’d slept with Mariah. Her brother had been furious and hurt and told her how he’d found them in bed together. She thought Conner would reach out to her at some point, but it’d been more than a year before she saw him again and only in passing. Now everything seemed to have changed, like they were picking up where they left off.
The next day on shift, work was nonstop, and she had a stream of calls from vendors for the fight night. As promised, Conner arrived at her place at 7:59 to pick her up, and it dawned on her that she should have told him she would meet him wherever he planned to take her. What if one of her brothers had decided to stop by?
Whipping open the door, her worries died on her lips. Standing at her door with his hair slicked back, freshly shaved, in a dark navy suit with a huge bouquet of white roses was Conner, smiling like a cat that just caught a mouse.
“Good evening,” his deep voice poured over her, drawing out goosebumps.
“Hi.” She pulled him inside before someone could see him on her doorstep.
“I didn’t expect such enthusiasm, but I like it,” he said, closing the space between them. His mouth was on hers, and his kiss left her dazed.
“Maybe we should just stay here and do whatever you have on your mind,” he said with a whisper, his lips on her ear.
“No way. My brothers drop by all the time, so we can’t stay here.” She pushed at his chest to escape the temptation to not care if they were caught. “Um, I feel like I’m underdressed.”
With a foot of distance between them, she gestured at his immaculate suit that was clearly not off the rack and not a match with her simple green summer maxi dress.
“You’re perfect. There isn’t a dress code where we’re going. I just wanted to try to impress you.” He held out the flowers to her.
His eyes were the color of jade, dark and mysterious, like he had a secret.
“Why do I feel like I should be worried about where we’re going?” She accepted the flowers and walked into the kitchen to retrieve a vase.
“You never need to be worried when you’re with me, I only have your very best interests in mind.”
She filled the vase and unwrapped the expertly arranged bouquet before placing it in the vase and setting the gift in the middle of her counter.
“Thank you for the flowers,” she said, reveling in the heady power of being the object of his attention. A simple romantic gesture that proved he thought of her when they were apart and he wanted her to know it.
“You’re welcome. Are you ready?” His tone was soft, sprinkled with a touch of worry. Did he think she’d changed her mind?
She stepped around the corner and right into his arms. His smile was like a million sparklers as his arms wrapped around her. He kissed her forehead, her eyes, her chin, and cheeks before his mouth settled on hers lightly.
“I have a few surprises for you, so stop trying to distract me.”
He squeezed her close, lifting her off the floor and nibbling her neck.
The feel of his clean shave along her neck tickled and tempted her. “Okay, let’s get out of here.” Stepping out of his now loose arms, she grabbed her clutch and keys.
He waited at the open door as she locked up, then with one arm around her back, led her to the passenger side of a small black sports car she didn’t recognize.
“Did you get a new car?”
“Nope.” He waited until she tucked her legs in and then lightly closed the door for her.
Once he was settled in the driver’s seat, she prompted him again. “So you own two cars?”
“Three, actually.”
“Three cars? Why?”
“Well, the Jeep is fun but not always practical. This is my ‘let’s drive fast’ or ‘I need to go to a nice event’ car.”
She nodded as if it made perfect sense as she looked around at the supple leather and fancy dashboard.
