in my chest. I had told her how much I loved her many times over the past weeks we’d been together, but she had never said the words back to me. Every caring gesture, every sweet smile, each time we made love, I felt it, but I knew she wasn’t ready to say it yet. I had been waiting for the moment since our first day together.
My breath caught in my throat.
“Don’t ever doubt what you mean to me. I knew you were going to change my life, I just didn’t know how much. You’re my everything.”
I pulled her to me and kissed her until we were breathless. “I adore you, Jenny Reynolds. I love how you ramble when you’re tipsy and make me want you all the time.” I teased her, but my voice was serious when I continued. “I love how you take care of me. I love you so much. And it just keeps getting stronger.” My fingers danced over her soft skin. “I want to wake up beside you in the morning and fall asleep beside you every night. Promise me I can.”
Her eyes glowed. “Every day, Connor.”
“Then, Jenny Wren, I have all I could ever want.”
Connor
“Does my hand feel good? Is it what you want?” Jenny’s voice hummed low in my ear.
I groaned. “No, baby, I want your mouth.”
“All you can have is my hand. Use it, Connor.”
I growled as the movement picked up. I pressed my head against the pillows, the soft plush rising around my face. My hips arched off the bed.
“Harder, Connor. More,” Jenny’s voice rasped.
My hand sped up. “Are you close, Wren? Come with me,” I begged.
“Now,” she whimpered. “Now.”
I shouted out her name, panting and heaving, coming and coming before I was satisfied. My hand slowed and finally stopped as my body became boneless.
Jenny’s voice was warm and distant in my ear. “Connor? You with me, baby?”
I sighed as I found the phone. “Fuck, Jenny. That was amazing.” I blew out a big breath. “One hell of a wake-up call.”
She laughed softly. “I aim to please.”
I chuckled. “Please you did. How much have you had to drink tonight?”
“One glass of wine.”
I laughed. “More than one, I think. You wouldn’t be making dirty-talking, let’s-have-phone-sex calls on one glass of wine, my girl. Not that I’m complaining.”
Her voice lowered as if she were telling me a secret. “Okay—maybe two or three. Got you going, though.”
I looked down at the mess I had made. “You certainly did, and like I said, I’m not complaining—although I would rather have you here.”
The tone of her voice suddenly turned serious. “I miss you, Connor.”
I sat up in bed. “I miss you. But it’s only another seven days, and you’re home.”
She sighed. “This trip came at a bad time.”
She and Jackey were at a convention, then Jenny was going to see another friend that lived in the area. As pharmaceutical reps, they’d had the trip planned long before Jenny and I got together. As much as I missed her, I wanted her to have a good time and enjoy herself. She worked hard and deserved it. I knew she was looking forward to spending a few days with her old friend.
“It’s fine. While I would’ve rather spent it with you, school is whipping my ass and I’m looking forward to the weekend, even though I’ll be hitting the books the whole time.”
“Is that what you’re gonna do all weekend? Study?”
“Well, I’ve got someone looking at my car tomorrow. And I have a bunch of errands to do, and then, yeah, I’ll be studying.”
“Connor—”
“Jenny, we discussed this. I have to sell it. I have to get rid of as much overhead as possible for the time being.”
“You love that car.”
“I’ll buy another when I’m done school and working again.” Wanting to make her smile, I tried teasing her. “You’ll have to be my chauffeur for a while. Be at my beck and call.”
Her voice lightened. “I’ll happily be your beck-and-call girl.”
“Excellent.”
I walked back into the apartment building, frowning. The offer the guy made on my car was low. Way lower than I had hoped. It would barely cover what I still owed on the loan. Maybe Jenny was right and I should keep it, except I would still have to insure it and pay for gas. I felt like banging my head against the wall.
While it was the right move for me, giving up a full-time job and going back to school was a scary and expensive proposition.