always did, and sink her tentacles into Jessie. She would twist the facts, and somehow convince Jessie that Connor was a drug-addled womanizer. Or she would make Jessie out to be a bad person in the courts, and have yet another round of ammunition against his custody appeals. There was no limit to Brandy’s vitriol, she would do anything to hurt Connor. He could not, for the life of him, imagine why she wanted to hurt him so badly. He had done everything he could to make her happy.
And now, he wanted to make Jessie happy, but Brandy had ruined him.
He relived the afternoon, again. The feel of her body under his hands, her hair in his fingers, the taste of her on his lips, the noises she made, all conspired to bring him to his knees. He resigned himself to making her a fantasy. That was something for his spank bank, because he could never pursue it, ever.
Putting his energy into cooking for lunch, then cleaning up after the rush, he wasn’t aware he was being watched.
Jessie had said hi to Kathy before letting herself into the kitchen, knowing where Connor would be. He was intent on his chores, cleaning the grill, straightening the pots and pans, wiping down the countertops. When he turned to carry a stack of mixing bowls to the dishwasher, he saw her.
He did a double take, and stopped walking when she smiled at him tentatively.
“What do you need?” His voice was gruff, taking Jessie aback.
“Um…I brought you a smoothie. I wanted to apologize for this morning.” She started tentatively. She hadn’t expected his reaction.
“You have nothing to apologize for.” He said shortly, as he turned to go to the dishwasher.
She followed him. “I don’t want to mess up our business relationship. So I brought a peace offering.” She held out the Styrofoam cup to Connor, who dumped the dishes in the sink, and looked at her warily.
“Thanks.” He took it, and turned back to the dishes, turning on the water, effectively drowning out any further conversation.
“Well…” She started, but he didn’t turn, or even acknowledge her. “See you.” She slowly turned and left the kitchen.
Out in the dining room, she saw Kathy escorting the final customers out the door. She turned to Jessie and smiled sheepishly. “I should have warned you. He’s in a rotten mood. When he came back from wherever he went this morning, he got on the phone. When he got off, he started his snapping turtle impression, and hasn’t stopped.”
“Well, he was at my house. I’m afraid I probably had something to do with his mood.” Jessie said quietly.
Kathy raised an eyebrow in question. “Want to talk about it?”
“Not right now. I do need to call you later, though. I want to bounce something off of you.”
“Okay, talk to you later.” Her friend hugged her, and Jessie drove home.
Connor finished the dishes, and walked into the dining room, to find Kathy cleaning the floors. She stopped and looked up at him when he entered.
“What did you do to her, Connor?”
“What do you mean, what did I do to her?” Connor bristled.
“She doesn’t do contrite. She’s the most unapologetic person I know. What happened between you two?” Her hands were on her hips, and she stood there, expectantly.
He sighed, heavily. “I honestly don’t know, Kathy.” And he didn’t. He wanted her, and she wanted him, but it couldn’t ever happen.
Kathy wasn’t giving an inch. Connor could see the protectiveness welling up inside of her. “Well, she came here to make something right. Can you think of something that’s wrong, she might want to make right?” Connor was silent. “Because Jessie has never cared enough about anyone with testicles to try to make something right. She usually just writes them off. If you are fucking with her or her business, I will personally see to it you regret ever setting eyes on her.”
He wasn’t
And now, he wanted to make Jessie happy, but Brandy had ruined him.
He relived the afternoon, again. The feel of her body under his hands, her hair in his fingers, the taste of her on his lips, the noises she made, all conspired to bring him to his knees. He resigned himself to making her a fantasy. That was something for his spank bank, because he could never pursue it, ever.
Putting his energy into cooking for lunch, then cleaning up after the rush, he wasn’t aware he was being watched.
Jessie had said hi to Kathy before letting herself into the kitchen, knowing where Connor would be. He was intent on his chores, cleaning the grill, straightening the pots and pans, wiping down the countertops. When he turned to carry a stack of mixing bowls to the dishwasher, he saw her.
He did a double take, and stopped walking when she smiled at him tentatively.
“What do you need?” His voice was gruff, taking Jessie aback.
“Um…I brought you a smoothie. I wanted to apologize for this morning.” She started tentatively. She hadn’t expected his reaction.
“You have nothing to apologize for.” He said shortly, as he turned to go to the dishwasher.
She followed him. “I don’t want to mess up our business relationship. So I brought a peace offering.” She held out the Styrofoam cup to Connor, who dumped the dishes in the sink, and looked at her warily.
“Thanks.” He took it, and turned back to the dishes, turning on the water, effectively drowning out any further conversation.
“Well…” She started, but he didn’t turn, or even acknowledge her. “See you.” She slowly turned and left the kitchen.
Out in the dining room, she saw Kathy escorting the final customers out the door. She turned to Jessie and smiled sheepishly. “I should have warned you. He’s in a rotten mood. When he came back from wherever he went this morning, he got on the phone. When he got off, he started his snapping turtle impression, and hasn’t stopped.”
“Well, he was at my house. I’m afraid I probably had something to do with his mood.” Jessie said quietly.
Kathy raised an eyebrow in question. “Want to talk about it?”
“Not right now. I do need to call you later, though. I want to bounce something off of you.”
“Okay, talk to you later.” Her friend hugged her, and Jessie drove home.
Connor finished the dishes, and walked into the dining room, to find Kathy cleaning the floors. She stopped and looked up at him when he entered.
“What did you do to her, Connor?”
“What do you mean, what did I do to her?” Connor bristled.
“She doesn’t do contrite. She’s the most unapologetic person I know. What happened between you two?” Her hands were on her hips, and she stood there, expectantly.
He sighed, heavily. “I honestly don’t know, Kathy.” And he didn’t. He wanted her, and she wanted him, but it couldn’t ever happen.
Kathy wasn’t giving an inch. Connor could see the protectiveness welling up inside of her. “Well, she came here to make something right. Can you think of something that’s wrong, she might want to make right?” Connor was silent. “Because Jessie has never cared enough about anyone with testicles to try to make something right. She usually just writes them off. If you are fucking with her or her business, I will personally see to it you regret ever setting eyes on her.”
He wasn’t
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