Connor studied his cell phone before hitting Kira’s number. His knee was throbbing again. It had felt better when he got up and, stupidly, he’d gone for a run. He should have known better. He rubbed it absently as he sat in the kitchen chair.
He’d been a real dick last night and he’d spent most of today feeling guilty for how he’d treated Kira. But when he walked out of the pub last night and saw Kira alone with Daniel, that weird jealousy had immediately reappeared. He hadn’t thought about his actions. He’d been driven by a primal need to show Daniel that Kira belonged to him. His stance against PDAs had disappeared into thin air, which both perplexed him and worried him a little if he was being honest.
He’d always been a bit standoffish with his parents, with Lisa… hell, with everyone in his life. He didn’t think he was cold or distant like Lisa would sometimes point out, he just liked his personal space. Only, that seemed to go out the window whenever he was near Kira. The urge to touch her, the need to feel her soft skin was almost impossible to resist.
He gulped down the rest of his water as the phone rang in his ear. He was being affectionate and touchy-feely with Kira because he was playing a part, that was all. He was getting all tied up in knots about nothing. He would apologize again and ask her if she wanted to hang out. He really should learn more about her if he wanted to be an effective fake boyfriend.
Oh yeah? So, you’re telling me you’re not planning on asking her if she wants to practice kissing again?
No, he wasn’t. If she brought it up again while they were hanging out, then yeah, maybe he’d be up for some practice sessions, but he wasn’t calling her specifically for that. He was calling because –
“Hello?” Kira’s voice spoke into his ear.
“Hey, uh, it’s me.”
“Oh, hi.”
There was a moment of awkward silence and he cleared his throat. “How are you?”
“I’m good. You?”
“Fine.”
“That’s good,” she said.
He rubbed his knee and said, “Listen, I wanted to apologize for -”
“Hey, Kira? You got any chips in the cupboard? We’re all out.”
The voice was muffled but he knew exactly who it was, and anger flared through him, making his knee pulse and his face hot. “What is Daniel doing at your house?”
“Top left, above the sink,” Kira said.
He waited impatiently as he listened to the muffled sounds of Daniel grabbing the chips. After a few seconds, Kira said, “We’re watching the game.”
“You’re watching the game alone with Daniel at your house?” More heat crept up the back of his neck.
“Not alone,” she said quickly. “Jesse and Brad are here too.”
“That doesn’t make it better,” he snapped.
She was silent for a moment before saying, “Nothing’s happening. We’re just watching the game.”
“I’m on my way over.” He hung up before she could reply.
Ignoring the way his knee throbbed and burned, he grabbed his jacket and his keys and limped out of the house.
* * *
The look on Connor’s face when she opened the door, suggested he was this close to putting her over his knee and spanking her. Kira ignored the weird surge of excitement that thought brought on, and said, “Nothing’s happening, Connor. We’re just watching the game. We’ve done this tons of times before.”
He stepped inside, hanging his jacket on the hook before following her into the kitchen. “You should have called me.”
“Why? It’s not like it’s just Daniel and me alone in the house.”
He stepped close and cupped her face. Her stomach dipped and dived, her mouth parting in anticipation of his kiss.
Instead, he said in a low voice, “Anytime Daniel or his friends are here, I’m here. Is that clear?”
She nodded, feeling like maybe she should be put out by his actions, but oddly turned on instead. He studied her mouth and she made a soft sound of encouragement in the back of her throat.
His thumb stroked along her bottom lip and she moaned quietly. “Connor, please.” God, just the heat of his body made her horny.
“Please, what, little Kira?”
“Kiss me,” she whispered.
Before he could kiss her, Daniel stepped into the kitchen. “Kira, can I steal some of that beer you have… oh, hey, doc. What are you doing here?”
Connor stepped back and she controlled the urge to give Daniel an angry look. He was always friggin’ interrupting her chance to be kissed.
“I’m her boyfriend,” Connor said.
“Yeah, so you keep saying.” Daniel lifted his shirt and scratched at his washboard abs. “Doll, you mind if we take some of your beer too?”
“No, it’s fine.” Her gaze drifted back to Connor. Normally, the firefighter lifting his shirt would guarantee to have her gaze glued to his stomach. But today? Today she couldn’t seem to stop staring at Connor’s mouth.
“Thanks.” Daniel grabbed the beer from the fridge. “You stickin’ around to watch the game, doc?”
“Yes. Is that a problem?”
“Nope. The more the merrier.” Daniel tossed a beer at him.
Connor caught it and set it on the counter. “Thanks.”
“Seventh inning stretch is almost over,” Daniel said with a wink at Kira. “You guys comin’ or what?”
Kira took Connor’s hand when he held it out to her. They followed Daniel into the living room. The room was big with an old, but large and comfortable sectional, two recliners, and a wooden coffee table. The coffee table was covered in snacks and empty beer cans. Jesse was sitting at one end of the sectional and Brad was lounging in a recliner. Daniel sat down in the empty recliner next to him before cracking open a beer. “Brad, meet the doc. Doc, meet Brad.”
The redhead didn’t look away from the TV. “Nice to meetcha’.”
“You as well.”
“Hey, Connor.” Jesse grinned at him before holding out a bag of chips. “Want some?”
“I’m good, thanks.” Limping slightly, Connor led her to the empty end of the sectional. He sat down at the end and she sat beside him, making sure to keep some space between them. Connor frowned and put his arm around her shoulders, tugging on her until she slid over, and her thigh pressed up against his.
She leaned against him and he stroked her hair before running his fingers over the top of her shoulder. She was wearing a tank top and the warmth of his fingers as he brushed them along her bare shoulder seared into her skin. She shifted a little and he pressed a kiss against her temple before staring at the screen. Little shivers running up and down her spine, Kira tried to concentrate on the game as well.
* * *
It was the top of the ninth and she was tense and squirmy, and her nerves were on the brink of being completely shot.
Not from the game. She didn’t give a shit about the game at this point. Not when she’d spent the last hour or so being touched continuously by Connor. As if he was reading her mind, his fingers traced across her shoulder again before – oh dear God in heaven – swooping across to trail along her collarbone.
He hadn’t stopped touching her since they sat down. Just light grazes of his fingertips across her exposed skin. She held her breath as his index finger dipped into the hollow of her throat before he traced her collarbone again. When his fingers slipped a little further down, running along the neckline of her tank top, she arched her back.
She couldn’t help it.
Her hands clenched into tight fists and her breathing turned shallow when one finger slipped under the neckline.
Oh, please, she silently begged. Please, oh please, oh please.
Kira! You are not going to let him touch your tits in front of Daniel and the others.
If he did, she wouldn’t object. The others were glued to the screen, they wouldn’t even notice if Connor put his hand on her breast. What was the big deal? Her breasts felt heavy and achy and her nipples were throbbing. She wanted to know what it would feel like to have those warm fingers rubbing against her nipples, wanted to know if…
Her breathing stopped when Connor’s finger traced the edge of her bra cup. She arched her back again and bit back her moan when Connor retreated. He pressed his mouth to her ear, his warm breath sending goosebumps popping up on her arms. “Behave, little Kira.”
“I am,” she whispered indignantly.
“No,” he pressed a kiss against her earlobe, “you’re not. Arching your back to show off your hard nipples is not behaving.”
She glanced down at herself, her face going red with mortification. Her nipples were rock hard and pressing against the thin fabric of her bra and top. They were extremely noticeable, and she snatched her cardigan off the back of the sofa and quickly put it on.
Connor tugged her back against him, his fingers rubbing the exposed skin of her chest as he put his mouth close to her ear again. “I’ve never had a woman’s nipples go so hard without me even touching them, sweet Kira.”
His fingers touched the neckline of her tank top again. “I’m curious to see what will happen when I touch them,” his fingers pulled on her shirt, “or pull on them.”
Oh my God. Connor was talking dirty to her. For the first time in her life, she had a man talking dirty to her and it was… was turning her on like a damn faucet.
She squirmed on the couch, trying to ease the ache between her thighs as Connor stroked his fingers back and forth over her upper chest. His voice was barely above a whisper in her ear. “Have you had your nipples sucked on before, Kira?”
Her moan was drowned out by the roar of the crowd on the TV screen and the groans of dismay from Daniel and the others.
“Have you?” Connor nipped her earlobe.
“You know I haven’t,” she whispered.
“Would you like me to suck on them?”
“Yes.” There wasn’t even a hint of shame in her voice. “Yes, I want that.”
“Are they aching?” he asked.
“So much,” she whispered. “I can’t stand it, Connor.”
“It’s too bad we’re not alone,” he said. “If we were, you could take off your shirt and your bra and show me your sweet nipples. Maybe I could do something about that ache for you.”
He nipped her earlobe again. “If we were alone.”
“You guys have to go now.” Her voice was low and shaky, and she cleared her throat before trying again. “Hey, it’s time for you to leave.”
Daniel glanced at her. “What? The game’s almost over, Kira.”
“You need to go,” she said.
Connor squeezed her shoulder before giving her a teasing grin. “They gotta finish watching the game, honey.”
“Yeah,” Brad said. “Seriously, Kira. You can’t kick us out now.”
She glared at Connor who kissed the tip of her nose. “It’s the bottom of the ninth.”
Feeling achy and unsettled and horny as hell, she settled back against Connor, trying to ignore the touch of his warm fingers against her skin.
She gave the back of Daniel’s head a grouchy look. Dammit, she was never letting Daniel, or his friends come over to watch the damn game again.
* * *
“Thanks, doll. I really appreciate you letting us watch the game over here.” Daniel grinned at her.
“Yeah, of course, no problem. I had fun.” She could hear the impatience in her voice. Jesse and Brad had already left but Daniel was lingering in the hallway and she wanted to screech with frustration. She glanced behind her. Connor was in the living room. He was in the living room and waiting for her to come back so he could do what he said he would do.
Her nipples throbbed anew, and she crossed her arms over her chest, pretty certain that at this point they were so hard, not even her cardigan would help disguise it. “Okay, Daniel, bye.”
He gave her a teasing look. “Trying to get rid of me, doll?”
“Connor and I have plans,” she said.
Hell, yes, we do. Plans that involve his mouth and your nipples. Get this guy out of here before Connor changes his mind.
“Right.” Daniel opened the door. “I’ll see you soon, all right?”
“Yeah, sure, okay. See you soon.” She glanced behind her again before giving Daniel a distracted smile. “Bye, Daniel.”
He leaned in to press a kiss against her cheek. Without thinking about it, she stepped back, pressing her hands up against his chest to stop him. If Connor didn’t like that she was alone with Daniel, he sure as hell wouldn’t like Daniel kissing her.
Daniel cocked his head at her, and she gave him a faint smile. “Uh, sorry. Just having a big personal space bubble day, today.”
He stepped out onto the porch. “Bye, Kira.”
“Bye, Daniel.” She shut the door in his face and tried not to run back to the living room. She stopped just inside the living room, giving Connor a look of apprehension. He was sitting on the couch and staring at his phone. What if he had changed his mind? What if he’d decided to leave and she would be alone with an aching pussy and nipples?
“Connor? They’re gone.”
He glanced up at her and her legs went a little shaky at the hunger in his eyes. He studied her mouth and then her tits before saying, “Come here, little Kira.”
She stumbled across the living room, sinking onto the couch beside him. He leaned down and kissed her, a coaxing, teasing kiss that made her moan and press her body up against his.
He stroked her back with his big hands as he teased her lips with small nips and licks that set her on fire. She loved Connor’s kisses, but she wanted – needed – more.
“Connor, please, you promised,” she moaned.
“Are you sure this is what you want, Kira?”
She muttered a curse and, worried that he would change his mind, she shrugged out of her cardigan and ripped her tank top over her head before he could stop her. “Yes. I’m positive.”
She was wearing a pale green bra and her nipples pushed against the thin fabric. He cupped her waist and pressed a kiss against her collarbone before sliding his hands up her ribs. She was arching her back before he even cupped her breasts and he made a low chuckle before licking her throat. “So needy, sweet Kira.”
He licked and nipped her throat, his hands still resting against her ribs. She grabbed them and tried to tug them upward, making a noise of frustration when she couldn’t move them. “Connor!”
He laughed again and she cried out when one big hand cupped her right breast. His thumb rubbed over her nipple and she arched, her hands clutching at his upper arms through his t-shirt.
“Such hard nipples,” he said before plucking at one through her bra.
She mashed her mouth down onto his, kissing him with frantic need. He let her suck on his tongue, let her explore every part of his mouth as he continued to knead and cup her breasts through her bra.
“I want more,” she demanded.
He smiled at her, unclasped her bra and tugged the straps down her arms. He tossed her bra aside. Any feeling of self-consciousness disappeared at the look of pure hunger on Connor’s face when he stared at her naked breasts.
He reached out, she was surprised to see his hand trembling, and gently cupped her naked breast. His hand covered her breast completely and she felt a moment of embarrassment that washed away when he rubbed his thumb over her nipple.
“Oh my God!” She grabbed at his arms again as he cupped both her breasts and teased her nipples with his thumbs.
Holy crap, she knew her nipples were sensitive, but the touch of Connor’s fingers was sending butterflies careening and crashing about her belly like they were drunk. She could only watch helplessly as, for long moments, Connor teased and tormented her aching nipples with tugs of his fingers and caresses of his thumbs. He pulled on her right one and then gave it a little pinch, leaning forward and kissing her collarbone when she gasped.
“Sorry, honey.”
“No,” she gasped again, “I, uh, I liked it.”
He kissed her neck, his hands kneading her breasts and she made a low moan. “Connor, you promised you’d suck on my nipples.”
He kissed just below her earlobe before sucking on the lobe. “Did I?”
“Yes.” She grabbed his shirt and yanked on it. “Take this off.”
He pulled it over his head, and she touched the coarse hair on his chest before kissing his collarbone. He groaned, and she gave him a delighted look before licking his throat. He muttered a curse and pressed one hand between her tits.
“Lie back, Kira.”
She fell onto her back on the couch, wiggling over to give him room as he laid on his side next to her. Pain crossed his face and she paused. “You okay?”
“Fine,” he said.
“Are you sure? You look a little… oh God!”
Connor had bent and kissed her nipple and she forgot about her worry at the touch of his firm lips. He licked the tip of her nipple and she clutched at his head, her body arching up and her mouth dropping open as she sucked in a gasp of air.
He kissed and licked around her nipples for long moments, never quite giving her what she wanted, as she moaned and squirmed on the couch. He cupped her right breast and pulled at her nipple before licking her left nipple.
“Connor!” She couldn’t stand the torment a moment longer.
“Yes, little Kira?”
“Please!”
He smiled up at her before licking her nipple and then blowing lightly on it. “I don’t want you alone with Daniel anymore.”
“I – what?” She could barely think past the need.
“You’re my girlfriend and I don’t think it’s appropriate that you’re alone with Daniel. Do you agree?” He licked her nipple again before nipping the soft underside of her breast.
“Okay, yeah, sure, I agree.”
He kissed her nipple, his mouth hovering over it as he stared up at her. “No more spending time with Daniel alone.”
“Connor, please.” She tried to push his mouth onto her nipple but couldn’t budge his damn head an inch.
“Promise me, little Kira. You won’t be alone with Daniel.”
“I won’t be alone with Daniel,” she said. “I promise. I promise I’ll never be alone with him. Just please, Connor… your mouth, please.
His hot, wet mouth closed around her nipple and sucked. She cried out, her hands fisting in his dark hair as he sucked hard. Each pull of his mouth sent an arrow of pleasure straight to her pussy. When he shifted and his thigh pushed between her legs, she hooked her legs around it and humped his thigh shamelessly as he moved back and forth between her nipples, sucking and licking on the sensitive tips.
He shifted again and she could feel his erection poking against her hip. She grabbed his arms and pulled on them, widening her legs and trying to get him to slip between her thighs. Now that they’d had the attention of his mouth, her breasts were no longer aching as bad, but the ache had moved lower and deeper, directly between her legs.
If she’d thought the ache and throb of her tits were bad, it was nothing compared to the throbbing of her pussy. She needed relief and knew exactly how she could get it.
When Connor didn’t move, she groaned with frustration and reached down, grabbing his thigh just above his knee and giving it a hard yank to try and move him over. He made a harsh cry of pain and she let go of him immediately, giving him a horrified look.
He struggled to sit up, his face pale and his body trembling. She scrambled back, staring at him as he rubbed his right knee, his lips drawn down with pain and little drops of sweat breaking out on his forehead.
“Connor?” She touched his naked back. “Connor, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“It’s fine,” he gritted out.
He was lying and she gave him a helpless look. “What should I do?”
“Nothing. Just give me a minute.”
Feeling sick to her stomach, she yanked her tank top over her head before sitting quietly next to him. After a few minutes, he relaxed a little and took in a deep breath.
“I’m so sorry,” she said.
“It isn’t your fault.”
“It is,” she said. “I’m very sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
She chewed on her bottom lip. “What happened to your knee?”
“Tweaked it during the game last night,” he said.
She frowned. Why was he lying to her?
“Grace said she’s seen you limping at the office. Did you injure it when you were a kid?”
He tensed and grabbed his shirt from the floor, shoving it over his head. “It’s fine, Kira.”
“That isn’t what I asked,” she said.
He sighed. “Yes, I hurt it when I was younger and sometimes it acts up.”
“Oh. I’ve got an ice pack in the fridge. I’ll grab it.”
He shook his head. “Don’t bother. I’m fine.”
“You’re obviously not fine,” she said. “What did you do to it when you were a kid?”
“None of your business,” he said.
She gave him a hurt look. “We’re dating, Connor. This seems like something I should know.”
“We’re fake dating,” he said. “And I’m not talking about my knee injury with you.”
He stood up and limped his way to the door. “This was a mistake. I gotta go.”
She jumped up and followed him down the hallway. “Are you kidding me? Why do you get to be the one to decide when it’s a mistake or not? You were the one who started this with your damn touching and your-your nipple talk during the game!”
He glared at her. “I wouldn’t have even been over here if you hadn’t invited Daniel to come over.”
“I didn’t invite him over, he asked, and I said yes because it’s something we do all the time.”
“Yeah, well, you have a boyfriend now, remember? Letting him hang out here when I’m not around is a slap in my face.”
“It’s not real,” she said. “We aren’t actually dating!”
He glared at her. “He doesn’t know that and no one else does either. If you want Daniel to buy this relationship, then you need to think about your actions and act like you and I are dating for real. It’s that simple, Kira.”
“Fine,” she snapped. “I fucked up. I get it. I’ll try to be a better fake girlfriend in the future.”
“Good.”
There was tense silence between them and then Connor took a deep breath before running his hand through his hair. “Fuck. Okay, I’m being a dickhead and I apologize. I know you want to be with Daniel, and I’ll do my best to help you achieve that goal, but you have to use your head about this. He’s not going to be jealous if he thinks this isn’t real.”
“I said I get it,” Kira replied. “No need to elaborate. I’ll do better in the future.”
He looked like he was going to say something else, and she crossed her arms over her chest, giving him a cool look. “Good night, Connor.”
“Good night.” He yanked open the door and stepped out onto the porch. He slammed the door behind him, and she gave his retreating back the bird before making a screech of frustration and stomping back to the kitchen.