Page 57 of Where We Bloom

“No, you look …” I lift a shoulder. “You know what? Never mind. I’ve boosted your ego enough today.”

He laughs and cages me in, bracing his hands on the counter on either side of my hips, his face just inches from mine.

“You look amazing,” he murmurs. “You’ve been tempting me in this dress all bloody day, showing me justa hint of the curves that make me so damn hard, I can hardly stand it.”

He leans in closer and drags his lips up my throat, sending heat spearing through me. My nipples pucker, and my core tightens with need.

“Listening to you take control of your business has my own control hanging on by a thread, angel.”

“You like it when I’m bossy?”

“I like it when you’re the boss,” he says. “Your work ethic turns me on. The whole time you were on that call, I wanted to strip you bare and bury my face in your gorgeous wet cunt and feast on you.”

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

He’s nibbling my shoulder, and his hand moves up my side and cups my breast. His thumb brushes over the tight nipple through my clothes, and it makes me arch my back against him.

“Connor.”

“Say it again.” He bites my chin, then covers my lips but doesn’t kiss me. “Say it, angel.”

“Connor.” It’s hardly a whisper now, and he groans against me.

“My name tastes so bloody delicious on your lips.”

Then he’s kissing me, pressing the hard length of his dick against my stomach, nibbling and devouring my mouth, and I don’t want him to stop.

With a whimper, I cling to him, needing so much more from him.

But he breaks the kiss and rests his forehead against mine, and I growl.

Growl.

“Connor.”

“No.” There’s that firm voice again, but his hands are gentle as they frame my face. “You asked formore, and I’m giving it to you today.”

“I lied.” I swallow hard and lean in to rest my forehead on his chest. “Just use me for sex. It’s fine.”

He laughs and kisses the top of my head as he takes my shoulders and pulls away from me.

“I’m hungry.” He lifts an eyebrow. “Would you like me to put the steaks on the barbecue? It should be warm enough by now.”

“Yeah, you should probably leave the room so I can call you names and flip you off behind your back.”

He laughs again and swats my butt as he takes the plate of steaks off the counter and walks toward the door.

“Go ahead, then. Curse me out.”

With a wink, he walks outside, and I blow out a breath.

“I only have myself to blame,” I mutter as I get to work, checking on the rice. “I’m the needy one who wantedmore.Stupid bitch.”

“Call yourself a bitch again”—I jump because I didn’t even know he’d walked back inside, and Connor presses his mouth to my ear—“and we’ll have a problem.”

He kisses my cheek and pulls out his ringing phone, but he doesn’t answer it. He checks the screen, then slips it back into his pocket.

“You can answer that. It doesn’t bother me.”

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