He let out a strangled-sounding noise, like he was barely keeping things together. “Fuck knows... fudge knows,” he corrected himself, and Ellie giggled.
“It’s not like you haven’t said that word before, Dad.”
“Yeah, but I shouldn’t. Especially not in front of you, but...” He waved his hand toward them both. “My mind is scrambled. You’ve got to give me a swear pass today.” His eyes flew to hers, searching, and his body was like a giant coiled spring, as if he were bracing for the moment his life imploded again. “What happened to my parents?”
“They went home but said we could drop Ellie off later if we wanted.”
Ellie pulled a face. “I want to stay here.”
Connor exhaled a heavy-sounding breath. “Livvy and I need to talk, Turnip.”
“That’s okay. You can do it here. I’ll be quiet as a mouse.”
Again her eyes met Connor’s, and the emotions she watched swirl in the blue depths sent her heart cartwheeling. Frustration, yes, exasperation, but also love, amusement. “We need to talk in private, Ellie.”
“Oh.” Her eyes went wide. “You want to kiss? ’Cause I don’t mind if you do that in front of me, you know. I’m not a child.”
Olivia bit into her lip. It wasn’t fair to laugh. They had things they needed to say, and Connor still wasn’t sure why she was here, but, God, she didn’t think she could contain this laughter bubbling inside her.
Her gaze clashed with Connor’s again, and the laughter burst out of her like water from a busted dam.
Connor looked at her helplessly, like he wanted to join in but was too on edge.
“Ellie.” She put her arms around the girl. “Would you do us a big favor and watch TV here for a bit while I go and tell your dad why I didn’t get on the plane?”
“Okay.” She grinned. “I’ll be quieter if I can watchFriends.”
Connor let out a low groan. “That’s blackmail.”
Olivia glanced between the two of them. “Is she not allowed to watchFriends?”
He had the expression of a man who was going to lose his shit if he didn’t get her alone in the next few seconds. “I used to let her, but the mums at school said it wasn’t suitable, so we compromised.” With a heavy exhale he marched over to the coffee table, picked up the remote, and selected a recording. “You can watch this one. No getting off the sofa. I see you move or hear a squeak out of you, it’s no moreFriendsuntil you’re twelve.” With that, he grabbed Olivia’s hand and pulled her to her feet. “You’re with me. In the hallway. Now.”
He stalked ahead of her, a solid wall of pure, barely restrained testosterone.
God help her, she felt a flood of arousal between her legs.
The feeling intensified when he maneuvered her against the wall in the hallway, then stepped in front of her, trapping her in place with his towering hulk of masculinity.
“I’m sorry,” she breathed.
His vivid blue gaze snapped to hers. “Why on earth?”
“I should have taken your parents up on their offer to look after Ellie, but she was so happy to see me. And she was bursting to tell me all about the part she got in the play.”
“Judge Grumpy,” he said gruffly.
“Yes.” She found herself staring at his mouth, anticipation humming through her.Kiss me, please kiss me. “I didn’t want to let her go.”
His gaze dipped to her lips, which she was now blatantly, provocatively, licking. Letting out a guttural groan, he slapped his hand against the wall above her and pinned her in place with his hips. “The only reason you need to be sorry is if you’re about to break my heart and tell me this is only a temporary stay of execution.”
She lifted her eyes to his, and the vulnerability she saw in his expression melted her heart. He had no clue, she reminded herself.
Gently she placed a hand on his cheek. “I told them I wouldn’t relocate. If they wanted me, they needed to let me work out of the London office. Otherwise, I’d walk.”
“Hardball, huh?” His hips thrust against her, letting her feel how much he liked that.
“It was Meera’s suggestion. She said they clearly thought highly enough of me to promote me to CIO, so why not just ask for what I want? And if they aren’t prepared to give it me, then, in her words,fuck them. I won’t know until Monday whether I’ve still got a job.” She pressed a gentle kiss on his lips and felt his big body tremble. It was both terrifying and empowering to realize she held so much power over him. “Are you willing to move in with a woman who’s unemployed?”
