eyes. They were blue and as deep and fathomless as the ocean. He was rugged and strong, his neck thickly corded, his face intense. For me, however, there was always a smile and a softening of his expression, a kind word and a gentle hug. I liked that. I liked him.
The way his eyebrows shot up made me wonder if I uttered that out loud, but I wasn’t sure and he didn’t comment.
Instead, his voice was quiet and concerned. “Why are you drunk at three in the afternoon, Jenny?”
Traitorous tears filled my eyes. “I broke up with my boyfriend.”
“Ah. I’m sorry.”
I lifted my arm. “I bought him a watch.”
Connor grinned, that sexy dimple on the right side of his face deepening. “I don’t think you understand this whole breaking up thing. The last girl I broke up with slapped me so hard I had a bruise on my face for a week. She didn’t buy me a watch.”
I shook my head. He was so funny. Funny, handsome, and lovely. I frowned. Why would anyone ever break up with him? He was so wonderful. I thought he was pretty fucking perfect.
He was grinning at me again. I wasn’t sure why. Did I say something? What were we discussing again?
Oh right, the watch.
“No.” I tried to explain. “We hadn’t been getting along well lately. He always seemed to be mad at me, and I thought it was my fault. So, I bought him a watch to say I was sorry.”
“Okay?”
I sniffed. “He works from home a lot, so I took it over to surprise him. Only he surprised me. When I walked in…he was fucking his assistant against the wall.”
“Oh.”
“I don’t think it was my fault now. He wasn’t very happy to see me.”
He cupped my face tenderly, wiping away the tears from my cheeks that rolled down despite my efforts to stop them. “I’m sorry that happened to you, Jenny. You didn’t deserve that.”
“I kept the watch. I think I can return it.”
“Good decision.” He rose and went into the kitchen, coming back with a glass of water. “Here, drink this.”
I accepted the glass and sipped the cold liquid.
“What did you do? I hope you gave him a piece of your mind.”
“I might have yelled a lot. And I might have bitch-slapped her when she got in my face about what a lousy girlfriend I was to John.”
“And him?”
“I, um, I threw his cell phone off the balcony into the pool, then I kicked him in the crotch.” I groaned, remembering my impulsive reaction. “I kicked him hard.” I held out my foot. “These pointy shoes are lethal.”
His lips quirked, and he had to look away as he tried to hide his smile. I didn’t want him to hide his smile. I loved his smile. It was especially attractive with his sexy dimple. I wondered if it tasted as sexy as it looked.
This time when he grinned at me, I knew I’d said that out loud. Damn it.
“Well.” He smirked. “I think that concluded his wall-banging fun for the day—maybe even two.”
I giggled, clapping my hand over my mouth to cover the snort I knew would follow. I always snort-laughed when I was drunk. Jackey told me it was highly unattractive.
Connor leaned over and uncovered my mouth. “Laugh, Jenny. I much prefer you laugh than cry. And the bastard deserved it.” He chuckled. “Just remind me not to let you too close when you’re pissed at me.”
I giggled again.
Connor frowned at me. “I get the crotch attack, but why his cell phone?”
“He loved that thing. That and his precious car. More than anything.” I sighed. “Certainly more than me.”
“He didn’t deserve you. Anyone who would love their cell phone or their car more than you clearly isn’t right in the head.”
I giggle-sobbed, followed by a hiccup, while I rubbed the top of my arm, and winced a little. “Well, I guess he’s not my problem anymore.”
Connor’s eyes narrowed as he watched my hand, and he pulled my sweater from my shoulder. “Did he leave a mark on you?” he hissed.
I looked down at the bruise that was forming where John’s hand had gripped me. “Um, I guess so. He was really mad over the whore-cheating-girlfriend-slapping thing, and, I imagine, the crotch attack, but probably the angriest over the cell phone in the pool. He grabbed me hard when he threw me out of the apartment.”
“What’s his address?”
I looked at him, confused. “Why would you want that?”
“Your boyfriend needs a lesson in