Up in Smoke - Tessa Bailey Page 0,49

smoothed a hand over the growing bulge in his jeans. “I can take care of this for you.” Her voice sounded smoky and full in the silent stairwell. “Please, let me.”

“No,” he panted. “I meant what I said. No relief for me today.”

She squeezed him in a devastating rhythm, going up on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear. “How tight do you think my pussy is, Connor?” Her hand gripped him lightly. “This tight?”

“Tighter,” he ground out. “I know it’s tighter, goddammit.”

He gritted his teeth as her grip closed around him hard. “Like this, baby?”

“Yes.”

Her breath heated his neck. “You just say the word. I’ll get on my knees and suck you until you can’t stand.”

“Fuck.” It would be so easy. Push her onto her knees, brace his hands against the wall and fuck her sweet, pouty mouth. He already knew she could take it into her throat. It would round off the sharpest edges of his need, allowing him to concentrate. No, dammit. He wouldn’t do it. He gave in too much where Erin was concerned. Gave up too much of the control he craved. It was important to him that she realize that when he made a promise, he kept it. If in this case, that promise was to torture her with his own suffering, so be it. Stranger things had happened. “Not today, Erin. No matter how bad I want your mouth on me. I won’t do it. Learn to take my words seriously.”

Some of her bravado slipped. “I don’t like it when you hurt because of me.”

“I can take it.” He took a deep breath and smiled through the agony. “Besides, I know you’re just trying to stall on meeting my mother. Nice try.”

“Caught me,” she mumbled, pushing off the wall.

Connor forced himself to watch his feet as they continued to the twelfth floor. They exited into the hallway and came to a stop in front of his mother’s door. Erin’s cheeks were red, but he didn’t think it was exertion. More like nerves. Hell, he didn’t blame her. It was early in the game to be introducing her to his mother, but then again, they hadn’t exactly been following the new couple guidelines, had they? They already lived together, for Chrissake.

“The first time I was in Dade, the television got stuck on one channel for an entire day. Some girl had swallowed the batteries for the remote, so she could get transported to the hospital.” She shifted on her feet. “We watched a marathon of Boy Meets World. Have you seen that show?”

Connor nodded. “Once or twice.”

“I’m just going to pretend I’m Topanga. Cory’s parents loved her.”

He started to say to hell with Topanga, but his mother threw open the door. “My son, I thought that was your voice.” She patted the sunflower-patterned scarf on her head and gave Erin a friendly once-over. “You bring home a girl and I get no warning. Were you raised by wolves? I could have baked.”

Connor ignored her tongue clucking. “Can we come in, Mom?”

“You’ve never been one for warm greetings, but I am not even trying to hear that noise. Give your mother a hug.”

Unable to keep his smile hidden, Connor enveloped his mother with his arms, wishing Erin could experience the same thing without feeling debilitating anxiety. Cheeks flushed with pleasure, Joanna stepped back to let them in. Connor took the opportunity to step between his mother and Erin. Joanna might be perceptive, but he hadn’t had a chance to tell her about Erin’s aversion to touch yet. A simple handshake could spell disaster.

He guided Erin to the opposite side of the room without touching her. She followed, but her gaze was darting around the apartment, looking for exits. When she finally noticed the fire escape attached to the living room window, her shoulders sagged.

“Mom, this is Erin. Erin—”

“Call me Joanna, please.” She clicked across the floor in her heels, pausing on the threshold to the kitchen. “I have lemonade and tap water. Yes, I’m a shitty host.”

Erin fidgeted. “Nothing for me, thanks.”

“You’ll have lemonade,” Joanna decided. “You need something to do with your hands.”

When his mother disappeared into the kitchen, Connor turned to Erin, surprised to find her studying him. “This is what they offered you, isn’t it? A place for your mother.”

He nodded once and glanced away, taking in the renovated apartment, so unlike the shabby house in which he’d spent his youth. “Cancer treatment.”

Her eyes softened. Before he could ready himself, she curled