“I told you I wouldn’t be far.”
“Oh I’m sorry I didn’t realise that was code for ‘I’ll break into your apartment’.”
“At first I thought it was the wrong one, I had to double-check with that ever-so-responsive-to-flirting secretary of Miller. This place isn’t you, Jaxx. There’s not a hint of colour anywhere. Everything’s white or mauve. There’s not a single thing out of place. You are no Mary Poppins.”
“If you had a point, I missed it.”
Connor leant forward and clasped his hands together, exploring her with his eyes. That feral glare of hers stole his breath. He was itching to touch her, hold her, kiss her, drive himself into her. His cock was fully supportive of that idea. “You’re afraid to let yourself get comfortable somewhere.”
“Something tells me that you didn’t break in here to give me your opinion on the interior of the place.”
He rose and stalked over to where she stood at the edge of the living area. “Tell me why you ignored my message.”
Jaxxon crossed her arms over her chest, mimicking his confrontational stance. “It’s not obvious that I just didn’t have any interest in meeting up with you?”
“It’s more than that. Last night you treated me like a virtual stranger.”
“Aren’t you? It’s been a long time. Things change. People change.”
“I haven’t.”
“I have.”
He shook his head. “You’ve clammed up a bit, I can see that. But you’re still you. You’re still my Jaxx,” he added softly.
Overcome with fury, she abruptly and forcefully swung one of her balled up fists into his gut – a move that he himself had taught her, a move that he was poorest at blocking. “Bastard,” she said through gritted teeth.
At the impact of her well-delivered punch his breath escaped him in a whoosh and his hands flew to his stomach. “Bloody hell, Jaxx.”
“I’m not your Jaxx. Never was. Now piss off out of here!” She stormed over to the kitchen area. The tap, kettle and mug bore the brunt of her anger as she made herself a coffee – she needed to be doing something while infuriation was riding her. Still my Jaxx? Cheeky sod. He honestly thought that a few years of looking out for her gave him any rights over her? Now that was some messed up logic.
A moment later her sideways version alerted her to the fact that Connor was leaning against the refrigerator watching her. It wasn’t until she took the first sip of her coffee that he spoke.
“I’m sorry I never went back to see you.”
He did sound genuinely contrite but Jaxxon ignored that.
“I had my reasons. None of them was that I didn’t care.”
She continued sipping her drink as she leant back against the kitchen counter, refusing to look at him. Because to look at him and that gorgeous face and those sleek muscles was to crave him. But she was kidding herself if she thought she could block out the animalistic magnetism that seeped from him, or how seductive and alluring his voice was, or how his raw masculinity was beating at her defenses. All that together with the sexual tension and her own anger swirling around her and she was about ready to boil. God make him go!
“You might as well talk to me, Jaxx, because I’m not leaving.”
Clearly she should have prayed louder.
He took a few steps but didn’t get too close. “Come on, don’t freeze me out.”
She snorted. “How can you be frozen out if you weren’t in?”
“We were always close.”
“Does your fiancée know you’re here?”
He arched a brow. “I have a fiancée?”
“Don’t muck about, Connor. I don’t read the papers but even I heard about the engagement.”
“You of all people should have known that was a rumour. I always said I’d never get married. So did you.”
“Fine. Your girlfriend then.”
“I don’t have one of those either.”
Exasperated, she gritted out her words. “Well then the woman you were with last night. Your bed buddy, I’m assuming.”
Connor exhaled a small laugh. “Miranda was nothing more than my guest for the evening. I took her straight home after the event and then I came here. You didn’t though, did you,” he added curtly. “Lucky for him you didn’t bring him back here.”
Jaxxon shot him a scowl as she plonked her half-empty mug on the counter. “What I do is my business. I don’t need a big brother anymore -”
“Big brother?”
“- and if you find the idea of your once-upon-a-time foster sister shagging someone a bit too much for your stomach then maybe you should keep your nose out.”
He spoke in a voice heavy with disbelief. “Is that what you think? Jesus, Jaxx, where the hell did you get the idea that I think of you as a sister?” His eyes glittered dangerously as he continued, “Oh and if you don’t want me to snap your ponce in half, don’t ever again mention you shagging him because I’m close to losing it.”
“You dare touch Bruno -”
“Bruno? He sounds like a St. Bernard or something.”
“- and I’ll kick the out of you. I don’t need you to protect me anymore, I’m twenty-two years old.”
“It was never about just protecting you.”
“Yes it was, Connor. You missed your sister and you used me as a replacement.” As Jaxxon watched every muscle in his body tighten she wondered if maybe she had gone too far by bringing up his deceased younger sister. The words had just popped out before she could stop them. But even as he advanced on her looking like a bulldog chewing a gasp she remained where she was; unflinching, back straight, chin up.
Connor placed a hand either side of her on the counter, imprisoning her. Then he pressed himself hard against her body, snuggling his painful erection between her thighs. She gasped, and he whispered against her neck, “Still think I think of you as a sister?”
Jaxxon, her eyes wide with shock, instinctively tensed and cringed at the contact in spite of how delicious it was. Connor noticed and pressed himself even closer then ground against her. She hated herself for the moan that escaped her but God the feel of him was so good; as good as his sensuality promised. The daring, unguarded part of her wanted to strip them both of their clothes and feel his skin against hers, feel him filling her – finally. God knew she’d envisioned it enough times. He ground himself against her again. “Stop.” No more words came to her disordered brain.
His lips trailed kisses up her throat over her jawline and up to the corner of her mouth. “Can’t,” he breathed. And he meant it. He breezed the pad of his thumb over her plump lower lip. He had always loved her mouth; so soft and plush and sensual. He thought it was strange just how much he wanted to kiss her. His breathing was becoming heavy just thinking about it. He had never been big on kissing, it was just a means to an end. Other than with Jaxx, never had he had this overwhelming urge to take someone’s lips. Once he kissed her, he would know for sure if she wanted him as he suspected she did, if she wanted him as much as he wanted her. He had to know.
Certain he was going to kiss her – at which point she’d lose what composure she had left – Jaxxon shoved at his chest. Unfazed and totally determined, Connor grabbed her wrists and pinned them behind her back as his lips ravished hers. She tried to resist but he was relentless, refusing to be denied what he wanted. He tugged her bottom lip with his teeth and then thrust his tongue inside her mouth, stroking her own. That was it for her; game over, willpower gone. In that moment, his lips and tongue absolutely owned her. Branded her. He kissed her with a terrible insistence and urgency as though he had been starved for her. All she could do was kiss him back.