Not Just Friends (Brookfield) (10 page)

She
climbed out the car and up the steps to the older home. She knocked lightly on
the door and heard Cody call for her to come in. As she entered his place, she
saw the two men sitting on the couch. Matt looked rough. His blond hair was a
mess.

“Come
on in and have a seat.” Cody motioned toward the couch.

She
took a seat on the opposite end from Matt.

“I’m
sorry,” Matt began, “I’ve been sleeping in my car. I knew you weren’t open on Mondays,
so I thought I could get some rest in your store.”

“How
did you get in?” she asked.

“I
still have my key to your place.”

“Did
you go through my home?” He must have. The key to the front of the store was
different. She needed to get her locks changed ASAP.

“I’m
really sorry.”

“I
can’t believe this.” Anger boiled within her.

“Calm
down, Alyssa,” Cody chimed in.

She
shot her brother a glare of death. “Your place wasn’t violated.”

“If
you’d be quiet for all of five minutes, maybe we could get to the bottom of
this.”

“Fine,
whatever.” Alyssa crossed her arms and slumped back on the couch.

“I
left Diane, as you have probably already figured out,” Matt said.

“And
she’s knocked up,” Alyssa retorted.

“Alyssa,”
Cody snapped.

“I’m
quiet.”

“I
know she’s pregnant. It isn’t mine.”

Had
she heard him right? Was he accusing Diane of screwing around on him?

“I
was trying to find somewhere to stay. A hotel or whatever. I was stupidly
sharing a bank account with Diane and she reported my card stolen when I left.”

Sounded
like something her sister would do.

“I’ve
been sleeping in my car. My back hurts. I needed to stretch out and really
sleep. I still had the key to your place, so I went through your home and down
to the shop. It was wrong, I know. I should’ve told you. But you wouldn’t have let
me if I had.”

“You’ve
got that right. You’ve been a pretty big jerk to me since you came into town.”
Something in Alyssa’s gut had a red flag going up again.

“You’re
special to me and I never meant to hurt you,” Matt started.

“You’re
not confessing your love to my sister in front of me,” Cody interjected.

“I
don’t want to hear it anyway. Something seems off. I need to talk to Diane.”

“You
never believe me,” Matt snapped.

“You’ve
not given me a reason to.”

“Cut
it out,” Cody interrupted. “Geesh. I get it, Alyssa, the wounds aren’t fully
closed. But is arguing going to solve anything?”

She
shook her head, knowing her brother was right. This wasn’t going to solve
anything. “I’m sorry you’ve fallen on hard times, Matt. Maybe if you’d asked, I
would’ve let you take a nap. Doubtful, but you never know. Can’t your family
help you out?”

“They
don’t know I’m back in town.”

Something
told Alyssa that Matt didn’t want anyone knowing where he was. Besides Connor,
she was the only one who had really seen him so far. He was obviously hiding
out and didn’t want to be found. It didn’t make any sense though. If Diane was
pregnant with another man’s child, why would Matt not want to be found? Diane
couldn’t make him marry her.

There
was another side of this story, which meant she was going to have to talk to
her sister—again. Couldn’t life be a little uncomplicated right now? She was
starting something with Connor and she’d really like to enjoy whatever it was
without a care in the world. Just her luck.

“I
assume you want us to come up with some plan for him?” she asked Cody.

“He’s
going to stay here for now.”

Alyssa
glanced at Matt, who seemed content with this. “I’m going to get out of your
hair then and go home. It’s been quite the day off.” She stood, rubbing her
arms. “Call if you need me, okay, Cody?”

“Yup.”

Alyssa
took one last peek at Matt, who was lounged back on the couch, a hand behind
his head. Something in his eyes told her she needed to call Diane soon and find
out what was really going on.

Then
again, she could hear Connor’s voice in the back of her head.
How is this
your problem?

Chapter Twelve

That
evening, Connor sat on the couch in Alyssa’s apartment, eating a once-frozen
meal of sorts. She’d explained the day’s events to him and like her, he thought
there was more to the story. While he couldn’t tell her to let it go, since it
dealt with her sister, he wished in some way he could take away everything that
might cause her pain ahead.

With
his fork, he stirred the noodles in the brown mixture and took a bite. He
couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a microwavable meal. He wasn’t sure
how Alyssa survived on these. While it wasn’t the worst thing he’d tasted, it
certainly wasn’t the best.

“Read
anything good lately?” he asked, hoping to get her mind off things.

“I’d
planned to read most of today after my errands. My favorite author just
released a new novella. I had it downloaded and ready on my eReader. Maybe
tonight.”

“I’ve
got different plans for tonight.” He winked.

“Oh,
really? What?”

He
set his and her containers onto the coffee table and pulled her to him. “I want
to eat you for my meal instead.”

Her
cheeks flushed as what he was requesting registered in her mind. She didn’t speak,
leaving him the opportunity to take her lips for his pleasure. At first the
kiss was light, but then he felt her body begin to relax and she opened herself
up to him.

Connor
pushed Alyssa back so she lay on the couch. He nudged her legs apart and
settled between them, never breaking the kiss. Her hands wrapped around his
neck and deepened the kiss.

Desire
shot through him and the need to take her took over. Connor pulled away from
the kiss to try and compose himself. Looking down at Alyssa’s swollen red lips,
he groaned.

“I
don’t know how you do this to me, but I feel like a fifteen-year-old boy.”

“Is
that a good thing?”

“Hell,
no!”

Alyssa
giggled. “I think that might be some sort of compliment.”

Connor
reached down and began to unbutton her jeans. He then slid them, along with her
panties, down. “Now to get back on track.”

She
looked away as he pushed her thighs apart. He reached up and laid a hand
lightly on her cheek, titling her head back toward him. “Look at me. Nothing to
be embarrassed about.”

“I
don’t usually do these things in the light.”

“Ah,
a lights-off kinda girl.” He leaned forward and placed a kiss on her lips
before speaking, “It’s a whole new experience when you watch.”

* * * *

Connor’s
lips trailed back down Alyssa’s body. He hadn’t even touched her sensitive spot
yet, and she had this urge to grind her hips in an upward motion to meet him.

And
then it happened. His tongue touched her moist center and she could no longer
think. All she could do was feel.

“Look
at me,” he commanded.

With
her eyes closed, she shook her head. She wasn’t ready to watch. This was too
naughty and seeing him doing
that
, she wasn’t sure she could ever look
him in the face again.

He
stopped with the pleasant tongue torture. “Do you want me to stop?”

“No,”
she said breathlessly.

“Then
do as I asked.”

Taking
a deep breath, she did as he wanted and saw him between her legs. Her knees
were propped up and Connor stared back at her with a boyish grin. His face then
disappeared and all she saw was the top of his head.

The
force to move her hips took over and very lightly she pushed them to meet his
mouth. Watching brought a whole new level to this, especially when he’d peek a
glance at her.

But
then he started to do something with his mouth and finger and Alyssa couldn’t
watch any longer. Her nails dug into the couch and she screamed at the top of
her lungs. Pleasure tore through her at so rapid a pace she felt as though she
were having an out-of-body experience.

Once
it stopped, she relaxed and tried to catch her breath. At some point as she
rode out the orgasm, she’d quit breathing.

As
she sat up, she pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and placed it over
her lap. Connor grinned at her and took a sip of his drink. She was about to
lean forward and see what she could do to please him, but he stopped her.

“I
wish I had time to do more, but I’ve got an early meeting tomorrow and need to
head home.”

“You
should’ve brought your clothes with you.”

“Yeah,
you’re right.” His tone gave her a feeling of unease. “I’ve never done what you
and I are doing before.”

“And
what are we doing?”

“A
relationship.”

Butterflies
started to flutter around in her belly. Maybe she was more than just one of his
latest conquests, and everything he’d been saying wasn’t only lines to get her
in the sack.

“I
really like you, Alyssa. I’ve never had the feelings I have for you with anyone
else.” He raked his hands though his hair. “Just be patient with me as I learn
how to be a boyfriend.”

Boyfriend!
Excitement built in her and it was almost impossible not to let the giddy
feeling take over. “Luckily for you, I have something else distracting me at
this moment. But I think slow is good.”

Connor
cupped her face and planted a kiss on her lips. “You’re special.”

She
wasn’t sure what was so special about her, but somehow, to Connor she was.

“I’ll
call you tomorrow around lunch. That sound okay?” he asked as he cleaned up his
dinner and took it into the kitchen.

“Yeah,
I’ll be at the shop most of tomorrow alone. Tina’s in classes all day.”

“Perfect.”
He kissed her cheek. “I’ll pop in sometime. A book’s releasing I want to get my
hands on.”

Alyssa
smiled. “I know. It’s already put aside for you. I could go down and get it, if
you wanted.”

“I
don’t think so, then you take away my excuse for coming to see you.”

They
kissed once more before Connor left. Alyssa settled onto the couch, cuddling up
with the blanket. She should clean up her own dinner and then call Diane, but
at the moment she simply didn’t care one bit about her sister and her problems.
Her life was going great and she wanted to bask in it.

* * * *

The
day of the author signing was only a few days away now. The Reading Corner was
having nonstop business. In fact, Alyssa had to have Julie overnight her more
books. She couldn’t keep the darn things on the shelf. The author Tracey Peters
was certainly getting the attention she deserved. She expected this place to be
a mad house come the weekend.

The
door to the shop opened and Cody strolled in.

“What’s
up?” Alyssa greeted.

“I
brought you a coffee. Saw how crazy it’s been over here.”

“Aw,
thanks.” She took the paper cup from him. “And no, I haven’t called Diane yet.
I just haven’t had the time with everything going on. Soon, I promise.”

“Can
I watch the place while you do? She’s blowing up my phone. I’m surprised she
hasn’t called you.”

“Once.
But of course it was during a rush here.” She took a sip of her coffee. “You
know, it’s nice being busy for a change. Diane created this problem, and she’s
wallowing in it.”

“Yes,
but now I’m involved. I have Matt sleeping on my couch each night. And he’s a
slob. I don’t know what either of you were thinking.”

Alyssa
giggled. “Still can’t get him to go see his family?”

“No
and it makes no sense.”

“I
promise I’ll call Diane today. And then we can send Matt packing.”

“I’m
holding you to that promise.”

The
door opened and a group of women walked in.

“I’ll
get out of your hair. Talk to you later.” Cody gave a slight wave and left.

Just
as Alyssa suspected, the women were there for the book that was the talk of the
town. Two of them bought another book with it. The check-out went smooth and
they were back on their way.

Alyssa
went to straighten up the display and add a few new books to it. Since the
store was slow at the moment, she went around to check the shelves and put
misplaced books back where they needed to be.

Tina
was due any moment and Alyssa couldn’t wait. Her stomach was growling and she
needed to just sit down and relax. Tina had a friend coming in with her to work
temporarily as they got through this. Alyssa couldn’t believe her small
bookstore was actually at the point where she had to consider hiring someone
else. This was likely to blow over once the hype ended, but she’d take it.