“I don’t just want to fuck you.” His eyes roam over me. I know I still look a hot mess. I have looked this way since I landed myself in his driveway. Yet, every time Conn looks at me he makes me feel like some super sexy pinup girl or something. “I want to own you. For you to never want anyone else besides me.”
“I don’t know if that’s even legal.” I shrug. I’m not so sure I’d be against him owning me.
“Yeah, not sure I care about it being legal.”
“You wanna keep me? Like forever?” I try and clarify, needing to know that I’m understanding him right. This should send me running but it doesn’t. It should also make me madder than the fucking comments but it doesn’t. No, it has the opposite effect. It lights up something deeper inside of me, making me realize that I want that too. Which is crazy, because I don’t know this man. Well, I know a few things. One being that he’s handsome. Actually, he’s extra handsome, more so when he’s grumpy. He can cook a mean steak and has a mouth that could easily keep me in his bed forever.
“Why don’t you tell me why you’re embarrassed?”
“Changing the subject, I see.”
“You did it first.” Touché. The corner of his mouth turns up in a small smile. I really do love that mouth of his.
“I’m embarrassed because we had guests over and look at this place.” I motion to all of my stuff lying everywhere and then to the rest of his house, which is spotless. “None of the Christmas stuff is out. I bet they think we hate Christmas. Who hates Christmas?”
“Me.”
“Conn, you take that back right this instant,” I demand. He throws back his head and full on laughs. I can’t help but smile because he’s beyond handsome when he laughs.
“I do enjoy your light-up Christmas sweater.”
“There’s more where that came from.” I turn, going back to my bags. I’d planned to decorate the place that King was going to let me stay in but now I think I’ll do it here. Conn already brought all of my stuff in. I think that’s invitation enough.
“Are you going to help me?” I look over at him. His eyes are on my ass.
“Whatever gets you back in my bed faster.” He walks over to me. “If that means putting your stuff out, then fine.” His hand rubs along my bottom. I swat it away because there will be no funny business until we finish.
“We’ll never get done if you do stuff like that.”
“Not sure I can help myself.”
I stand, turning to face him. I lean into him, tilting my head back. He meets me halfway, giving me a kiss that leaves me breathless.
“I think I should handle this while you go and use your lumberjack skills to get us a Christmas tree,” I suggest. I’ll get nothing done with him looking at me the way he is and rubbing on me.
“You do know I’m not a lumberjack?”
“You do know I’m not giving you my virginity until I get my tree.” I tilt my chin up in defiance.
“Not only after your virginity.” He kisses me again. “But I’ll go get your tree.” He heads over to the door, pulling on his boots and then coat. “Watch my girls, Bear,” he tells the dog. Bear barks, letting him know he’s on the job. “I’m getting the tree because I know it will make you happy,” he says before he exits the front door. I smile, thinking I’m already there.
Chapter Eleven
Conn
It’s too damn cold to stay out long. It’s a good thing I live in a forest. I find the perfect tree about twenty feet in from the tree line. Pines have small trunks and in no time, the chopped end is gripped over my shoulder and I’m heading back to the house.
“I have the tree,” I announce. Bear yips a few times for emphasis.
Faith comes running down the hallway, strands of her hair sticking up. Flustered by my appearance, she pats her head and asks, “Already?”
I set the tree inside the door and toe off my boots. “Find any dead bodies?”
“Nooo, do you have any?” Her eyes dart to the corners of the large living room. I heft the tree back on to my shoulder.
“Nah. Got rid of the last one a couple days before you arrived. He was starting to stink up the place.”
Faith runs after me. “What’d you kill him for? Talking during dinner? Burning your pancakes? Touching your ax? The last one definitely seems like a murderable offense. I bet your ax fits you perfectly because you’ve handled it for so long.”
I drop the tree in the middle of the room so I can search her face. Does she not know how damn sexy that sounds? “Do you want to decorate a tree or do you want to fuck?”