willpower to place a hand on his chest.
“Connor”—I met his eyes—“what are you doing?”
“Kissing you.” A sexy, lusty smile was sported on his face.
But kissing would eventually lead to other things … and he was leaving. And this shouldn’t be happening. He was the boss man.
“Where is this going?”
My question seemed to sober him up. Quick.
“I’m attracted to you, Charlie. And based on a minute ago, I think you’re attracted to me too.”
I hopped off his lap and sighed. Connor was all man, thinking like a man and acting impulsively on his feelings.
“You’re basically my boss.”
“I know,” he sighed. His eyes flew shut, and he rubbed at his brow. “I’ve never felt an attraction this strong. I knew I shouldn’t have kissed you, but I couldn’t control myself.”
His revelation had me cheesing, big and corny style. It was a good thing he had his eyes shut.
“I know. I’m pretty much hot stuff,” I scoffed sarcastically.
His eyes flew open then. “You have no idea just how much.”
“Yeah, whatever.” I waved it off like I did every time someone complimented me.
His hand went to my waist and squeezed. “Seriously, Charlie. When I’m around you, I’m like a teenage boy with his first girlfriend. Literally, I walk around with a hard-on all the time around you.”
My gaze flickered toward the ground. My heartbeat was pounding so hard that it sounded off, like a gun going off in my ears.
“You absolutely have the right to know that I want you. But I’m also leaving. Chicago is not my home. Never was. Never will be.”
And as high as my insides had soared like a blown-up balloon, his words popped and inflated that balloon.
“Okay.” I appreciated his honesty. It hurt, but I appreciated it. But I also knew then … that nothing could happen between Connor and me.
He was leaving.
Here.
Me.
Which meant he wanted a casual relationship, which I did not do.
Chapter 16
Connor
My words in the limo had created distance between Charlie and me. I could sense it. It was in the way she walked a whole foot away from me, or when I tried to reach for her, she’d jerk away or flinch.
And it killed me. Just getting a taste wasn’t enough. And though every sane part of me needed to stay away, all I wanted to do was touch her, kiss her, and do other things that I shouldn’t be thinking about.
I had lent her my suit jacket to cover herself up, and just knowing that she was almost bare beneath it had me salivating.
We entered Macy’s and went straight to the eighth floor to meet Susan. I’d only met Susan a few times when I happened to be shopping with my mother for a tailored suit.
Susan wore a fitted black pantsuit, and her hair was slicked back into a low ponytail.
“Susan, this is Charlie. There was a mishap to her shirt .Can you help her get another one before we get started?”
Charlie’s cheeks brightened, and she smiled awkwardly with all teeth. “Mishap in the limo … I mean, my shirt, it got stuck …” Her stare dropped to the floor. Rattled, she tried to think of a lie, an excuse as to why her shirt had suddenly lost its buttons.
Yes, my head had gotten stuck in her shirt, but I didn’t want to add that.
Susan smiled and straightened, beckoning a flustered Charlie forward. “Not a problem. I have a few silk shirts down this aisle.”
Susan didn’t ask about Charlie’s shirt mishap even though she noticed that Charlie sported my suit jacket. Susan wasn’t dumb, but I was thankful for her professionalism.
Ten minutes later, we were seated on a plush couch at the wedding area. Mannequins wearing these elaborate white bridal gowns surrounded us.
Odd how we were here, but given that there weren’t any desks anywhere in the shopping area, this was the only place we could discuss ideas on what we needed.
Charlie took out the sketchbook and portfolio. When she flipped open the page, my eyes widened.
“You drew everything out.”
I mean, she’d redone the loose sketches from our meeting in the boardroom to a more detailed portrayal of what needed to be taped. Right next to each scene, she had drawn out the props needed and the dress that each character would wear.
“I have some samples of the material I want to use,” Charlie added, getting swatches of cloth out.
I blinked at her. I didn’t know why I was surprised. She was an artist through and through, and her attention to detail was unprecedented.
“For