Part 29 (2/2)
They clinked their gla.s.ses together.
”I'd like a moment of your time, young lady,” the Colonel said as he joined them.
”Granddaddy,” Erin warned.
”I won't bite her,” he said, thumping his cane on the floor.
”It's okay,” Lara said with a smile that encompa.s.sed both of them. ”If you do, I'll bite back.”
”s.p.u.n.k,” he said. ”I like that.”
”I'll be with Grandmother, but I'm telling Connor you've stolen Lara away.”
”There's a quiet place on the patio,” the Colonel said.
She took her mimosa with her and followed the older gentleman outside.
”Family means a lot to you,” he said without preamble as he lowered himself into a chair. ”Otherwise you wouldn't be doing this. I understand why you went to Connor.”
She glanced back inside the house. Connor was still sitting with his mother, but he was looking back at her.
”Connor told me you will be working out an ending date to the marriage. I don't necessarily support that. But as long as that's confidential, it can work. But I want you to hear my thoughts with no polite bulls.h.i.+t. Marriage should be forever.”
”I agree with you, in theory. As you know, this is more of a business arrangement.”
”Things have a way of becoming more complicated. Unexpected consequences.” He, too, looked through the window, back inside the house. His gaze fixed on Connor's mother, his own daughter-in-law.
She wondered if he was talking about his own regrets, the way he'd influenced past events. Suddenly she saw the Colonel as a more complex man. He'd lost a son, and because of his own health issues, Connor had been forced into a prominent role at Donovan Worldwide.
”Time can't go backward.”
”I think I understand what you're saying.” And more, she had greater respect for what Connor had said yesterday. Love could be a messy thing. The after-effects of Jeffrey's love for Stormy continued to ripple through the generations.
Before she could say anything else, the patio door opened, and she saw Connor walking toward them.
”Ready to go?” he asked, standing behind her and squeezing her shoulders. ”We still have to see your mother.”
Lara said her goodbyes to the Colonel then she and Connor went inside to give their farewells to the rest of the family.
”He's gruff, but well-meaning,” Connor's grandmother said. ”There's a softie under that bl.u.s.ter. A man who cares, someone as flawed as the rest of us.”
Lara hugged the older lady then allowed Connor to guide her outside.
Once they were alone, he pinned her against the side of the car and allowed his gaze to flow over her body. ”No nicks or bruises?” he asked.
”Everyone was very polite.”
”Good. Any nicks or bruises will come from me,” he replied.
Just that fast, he'd created simmering tension between them. She swallowed deeply.
”Open your mouth for me.”
When she didn't immediately comply, he added, ”Now, Lara.”
Instead of looking away, she did as he instructed.
He grabbed her hands and raised them high, pinning her wrists to the top of the car in a powerful grip.
She was lost.
His kiss consumed her. He demanded everything she had to offer, then he asked for more.
With only the slightest hesitation, she gave it, pressing herself against him, opening her mouth wider. He tasted of determination. He consumed her.
Connor inserted a thigh between her legs and she rode him, seeking, rubbing, grinding.
With his free hand, he brought her more fully against him. Right here, she was close to coming.
As quickly as he'd fanned the burn, he pulled back, ending the kiss and releasing her wrists.
”That's a hint of what's to come later,” he said.
She still couldn't think when he helped her inside the car. ”That was in public,” she said when they were on the road again.
”Yeah. And I made sure there were no kids outside and no one was watching. I'll always protect you.”
To busy herself, she dug a lipstick out of her purse and flipped down the visor for its mirror.
”Keep it up. Just makes me want to kiss you again.”
Her bigger concern was that she wanted it, too.
”Where are we meeting your mother?” he asked when they were exiting the neighborhood.
”I figured we'd go by her house.” She programmed the address into the GPS.
”She knows I'm with you?”
”Yes. And she's dying to know why.”
”Anything I need to know about your mother? Does she still go by Bertrand?”
”She does. Dad told her to change it back to her maiden name. Until then she was going to. But because Dad didn't want an ex-Mrs. Bertrand out there, she decided to keep it. That about sums up her personality. Other than that, she has a dog that thinks it's royalty. Fair warning, it bit Erin.”
”This is my lucky weekend.” He looked at her. ”What kind of dog?”
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