Torn (The McKerricks Book 1) (4 page)

I dress quickly, pulling on some dark jeans and a sweater, before walking into the elevator at the front door of my condo. For the top three levels the foyer opens directly to the elevator, but you need a key card to even get the elevator to go up here. I take my security and my privacy seriously. You may think I
’m weird for all this never take women home thing, but I’ve been on the receiving end of a female stalker before. I don’t need any repeats.

Taking the elevator down from the top floor is like an exercise in patience, as people get on or get off, women getting on eye me up with appreciation. I try not to notice. I need to take a walk, get a cup of coffee, and find something to fuck before I lose my mind. And it needs to be in that order or I
’ll be such shit company even the easiest woman is going to want to pass.

As I step out of the elevator, I stride straight through the marble lobby of the building and out into the wet Seattle morning. The chaotic city noises drone in the back of my mind, calming me, as I walk the mile between my condo, and the coffee shop at the corner of the waterfront park.

When I slip inside the small coffee shop, the pickings are slim. Normally the women I would fuck are still in bed from a night of partying, but I have to get this out of my system… now. To heavy, to short, not enough tits, to much tits. And yes, there is a thing like to much tits. If its more than a handful it is really unnecessary.

Ah
… target acquired, I think to myself as I catch sight of the blond in line in front of me. She isn’t what I would normally pick, but there aren’t a lot of options. And in this case, college student, or college graduate looks like the pick of the day.

She orders some fluffy triple shot low fat drink, with probably only a marginal amount of coffee even in it, before she turns down to her purse to grab her money. So I make my move.

“Add my usual to that please,” I tell the girl behind the counter, she’s flustered as usual while I place my order and hand her my card for both my black coffee and the… non coffee drink. From a coffee shop… I’m just saying.

Her head turns slowly like she is scared to see exactly who is reaching past her, the moment her eyes connect with mine, she drops them to the ground and mumbles something, probably thanks. She
’s a mouse. I was hoping for something with a little more fire, but a mouse will have to do. I just keep smiling, women love a man that is smiling. Especially when the smile is as nice as mine.

“
Hello,” I offer when her eyes start to wander back up toward mine. I’m holding both our coffees, and offering hers out to her. She takes it with a nod but keeps her eyes on me, and just like that I know I’m in. It’s game, set, and match. Women like this would sell their soul for a drop of affection. “My names Connor, take a walk with me.”

I don
’t look back to see if she is following me, like I said I don’t need to, this is already a win. Mice don’t resist. I hold the door open for her as she walks out of the coffee shop and into the damp Seattle morning.

“
I’m Emma… and um… thanks for the coffee.”

“
I wouldn’t call it that,” I respond with a smile, because I wouldn’t call that cup of crap coffee. Her brows twist in confusion, but I don’t elaborate. “Do you live  around here Emma?”  Because I’m going to go back to your place and fuck this little brunette out of my system.

“
Yeah um, just a few blocks away. Do you live around here Connor?” I stay a step behind her, so she walks to where she knows, which is her place and not mine. Cause I don’t take them home.

“
I do, in fact live close by.” I don’t offer any specifics I just keep watching her and smiling. She’s going to invite me back to her place, I can already see her thinking the idea over. I’ll bet I’m the first guy she’s invited over like this too. I’d bet a lot on that.

We round a corner, as she inevitably leads me closer to her home, when I
’m drawn up short by a piercing pair of too green eyes. Green eyes framed by long brunette curls. It takes me a minute to get
any
cognitive thought back, before I take a closer look at the poster.

Whats her name is saying something, something that I should probably be listening to, but all I can see are the white words on the bottom of the poster. Henley is going to be here
… today… right now. My little author is inside this book store signing books… right now. And suddenly fucking some random blond isn’t so very important. I have a chance for revenge, and I’m sure as shit going to give this bitch a piece of my mind.

“
Listen, uh… I uh gotta go, nice talking to you though,” I stumble through the farewell, and work my way across the street leaving whats her name standing on the sidewalk. Henley is in here… I’m going to give her a piece of my mind too.

Focus Connor, focus. I can
’t just run in there half cocked and I know it. I have to study and observe. I can’t go in weak willed. I have to have a plan, but the moment I see her there, surrounded by books, smiling up and laughing with some douche, I know I’m done for, because I’m pissed. Her guardedness doesn’t even register with me, the fact that she isn’t looking at him the way she looked at me doesn’t register either. All I see is those too green eyes. Then I’m stomping over there all my anger wrapped around me like a shield and I know it  is showing on my face, by the way people scramble out of my way.

Before I know it I
’m standing in front of her glaring down at her small curvy form, and I’m struck again at how soft she is. How she is made for grabbing, holding.

The almost startled look that passes into her face passes just as quickly out of it replaced by a tilted half smile.
“Hello… you look mighty frustrated is everything alright?”

“
I look frustrated?
I look frustrated
?” The moment she opened that perfect mouth and let her snarky
shit
fall out of it, I was done for. For better or worse this woman can peak my anger like nobodies business. Not to mention the sexual frustration she has put me through, and I don’t handle getting the short end of the stick well… ever. “Listen up-”

“
No. You listen. If you aren’t going to buy a book get out of the way,” she responds gesturing behind me to the line that is forming. “I do have a modicum of professionalism that I would like to keep?”

As I business man I can respect that. I can respect her needing to keep her professionalism. I can. So I grab one of her books and slam it on the table in front of her.
“I’ve got all fucking day.”

She grins up at me, literally a huge grin. A naughty grin. A grin that says I
’m so fucked, and I don’t even know it, before she runs her wet tongue over those perfect lips that were made for sucking my dick. Her eyes turn down as she opens the book, and begins signing the inside cover. When she’s done, she gently closes the book and hands it back to me still smiling. Always smiling.

I snatch the book out of her hand and stomp toward the counter to purchase it. Fuck. How the hell did she just send me away. People fear me. I
’m richer than sin and I just got dismissed by some… woman… who writes trashy romance? Like hell she is going to get away with it. It’s not like I was going to fuck her again, I never ride the same ride twice… but somehow she got me to walk away without giving her a piece of my mind even.

I blame it on her
‘modicum of professionalism’ as she called it. I get it. I’ve worked my ass off to get where I’m at, and I don’t want to ruin anyone else. Even Henley. So I double check her professionalism, I double check that she even signed this book… honestly I wouldn’t put it past her not to, so I flip open the cover and glance inside.

My body freezes on the spot, but my blood? It
’s
boiling
. Boiling in all the wrong ways, the ways I don’t want it to. The ways I try to avoid, as I stare at the scrawled print inside the cover.

‘
Sometimes the best panties are none at all - H’

Fuck.

Me.

I
’m about to ride this ride twice.

My body is already moving, as my eyes scan the table where she was just moments before. Her seat is empty. My eyes almost desperately begin scanning the rest of the book store. Almost, but not quite desperately, because Connor McKerrick is never desperate. There is a flash of movement to my left, I turn just in time to see her brunette curls disappear behind a door, leading to the back rooms. I follow
… naturally.

I open the door quietly trying not to draw any attention to the fact that I
’m following her in. Shes braced against the counter, staring in the mirror, mumbling something to herself too quiet for me to hear. I close the door softly, the click of the lock making her start and turn toward me.

“
Shit… just… go away,” she snaps irritably backing up until she is backed against the wall.

“
No.”

The sound that comes out of her mouth then is somewhere between a curse and a growl, and it is all kinds of angry as she continues to back away.

“Henley,” I whisper softly, shes circling around like a caged beast now. “Why would you taunt me if you don’t want it.”

“
You push my buttons,” She murmurs back, her brow pulled in consternation. “I don’t even like you… I don’t even know you… I just couldn’t help myself.” Somehow I know these words are the truth, a truth she doesn’t want to admit.

“
Well if that’s all, I’ll get to know you. And you can get to know me right now, so I can put your panic to rest, because I’m going to fuck you so hard you’ll not be able to stand before I let you leave this room.”

I can see her start, as she tries to back further away. I can
’t help but wonder why she puts up such a front. I can see that she wants me. In her eyes, her posture, even the way she keeps nibbling on her damnable lip. She wants what I can give her but she is so hesitant.

“
I’ll start, since you’re the only one with reservations,” I offer magnanimously. I’ll even be honest. “Yearly I make more money than the average human will make in their lifetime.”

“
Is that supposed to make my panties drop?” she barks back with a laugh, letting me get just that much closer. If I can touch her she’ll be as lost to this as I am.

“
While there are more prestigious cars, the car I drive a Maserati Granturismo MC convertible… matte black,” I offer with a smile.

“
Black? Like your soul?” she offers back just as congenially.

I can
’t hold back the laugh, and she seems startled by it’s sudden appearance. “Probably, but that is beside the point here. What’s your favorite color?” I ask getting closer.

Her whole body stiffens at my approach but she doesn
’t run. “That’s irrelevant, I’m getting to know you here.”

With a nod I acquiesce bringing my hand up, I skim my fingers against her jaw, her whole body shudders into the contact. With just a slight pressure, I turn her face up to me, until she is looking directly into my eyes.
“I think I’m beginning to have a thing for green myself,” I offer staring into her too green eyes.

She shivers, her gaze traveling down the length of my body and back up, and when her green eyes stare directly into my blue ones I know I
’ve won. Her tongue slides out slowly licking against the pad of my thumb. My cock jumps at the slight contact, and I smile, I’m going to get to find out after all, if what she wrote in the book is true. My free hand reaches down to her thigh, just below her skirt, and slowly I massage my way up along her soft smooth skin. My hand slides all the way up to her exposed and definitely panty free hip, before I go further back and grab a handful of her soft round ass and press her roughly against me.

I should be so angry, at the way she left me yesterday, at the way she teased me today. I was so angry all night, but in the face of her passion the anger, the hatred has evaporated like smoke. I should be pissed. But I
’m not, rather I wonder, what has made this succulent siren of a creature fear sex when she should be embracing it.

“
Henley… I don’t know if I can be gentle.” I admit, hating how weak the words sound. Hating how out of control they make me sound, but I am. Out of control.

“
I never asked you to be gentle.”

I want to kiss her then, but I don
’t. That’s against the rules. Against everything I try to hold on to when it comes to women. Don’t let them close. Henley is already closer than any others have gotten, and I haven’t even kissed her. I can’t imagine what it would be like if I had. I know without a doubt if I break that rule, the rest will shortly follow. My life is fine like it is. I don’t need a woman in it, especially not one that is as much trouble as this one is, but my lips demand to be a part of this, they demand a taste. I press them firmly against her jaw, skim them across the soft skin of her throat, feel her heartbeat going at an erratic pace under her skin before I bring them to rest at the base of her throat.

I want to plunder, pillage, but I know no matter what she said about being gentle she needs it. Just a little. She is so skittish if I took her how I want too I know she would run. And I can
’t let her run. If I get left like I was the day before I might die from it. It might literally kill me.