Page 46 of Sweet Sinners

Chapter thirty-nine

Cali

R ight after my shower, I gather the staff in the entryway and announce that they can leave early for the night, they'll be getting paid full regardless. I keep my voice casual, neutral—as if my pulse isn’t racing beneath my skin, counting down every second until Connor and I are completely alone.

They nod gratefully, whispering their goodbyes as they file past me out the front door, leaving quiet, confused murmurs in their wake.

But as they disappear down the driveway, I repeat to myself—over and over—that this isn't just about me wanting Connor whenever I can get him. It's about safety, privacy, the investigation we're drowning in. Until we know who's trustworthy, I need to be able to talk openly without listening ears.

But my heart knows the real reason. I'm not fooling anyone—least of all myself.

Maya hesitates by the front door, purse clutched tight in her hand, uncertainty pulling at her features. Her eyes meet mine, wary and cautious, holding something back.

I sigh softly. "What's wrong?"

She clears her throat, shifting uncomfortably, fingers flexing nervously around the strap of her purse. "Are you sure you’re okay with this, Miss Cali? With...him?"

I force a calm breath, tilting my head gently.

"Connor needs to learn to handle things around the house on his own.

I won't always be here to supervise him.

" My voice lowers slightly, gentler. "And there have been developments in my dad's case.

If there's danger... I don’t want you or anyone else caught in the crossfire. "

Her brows pinch together anxiously. "If something happens when you're at work—"

My chest tightens at the worry etched clearly across her face.

Stepping closer, I reach for her hands, squeezing them softly.

"I know you're worried, but Connor wants this sorted out just as much as I do. I know you don’t trust him completely, but trust me—he wouldn't let anything happen to you or anyone else here. "

She looks down at our joined hands, her expression tense but softening slowly. "If you say so."

"I do." I squeeze her fingers again, holding her gaze until she nods reluctantly. "Everything will be fine."

With a small sigh, Maya finally nods, slipping quietly out the front door. I watch her retreat down the driveway, waiting until her car disappears from view before shutting the door softly behind her .

The silence that follows is deafening, filled only by my racing heart and scattered thoughts.

Turning toward the empty kitchen, I bite my lip, considering dinner—but my mind quickly flashes back to Connor instead.

I need something, anything, to distract us from the overwhelming mess we've found ourselves in.

I busy myself in the kitchen, pulling open the refrigerator and staring blankly inside.

There's a restless buzz beneath my skin, a need to distract myself—but cooking won't quiet the storm brewing in my head. I should be focused on solving this, on uncovering the truth about my father’s killer, not fantasizing about Connor’s hands sliding over my—

"Already sent everyone away?" His deep voice cuts through my thoughts, low and teasing. His fingers skim lightly over my hips from behind, pulling me gently against him until I feel every hard, tempting inch pressed to my back.

Heat floods my cheeks, but I force my tone steady. "I wanted privacy." My voice trembles despite my efforts to control it. "Connor, if the staff are around, I can’t talk openly. What if there’s more than one person involved? What if someone here is connected to the photos—or worse, the murder?"

He gently grabs my wrist before I can reach for the oven dial, pulling me back around to face him. My breath catches at the intensity of his gaze, at how fiercely he stares down at me, as if he sees straight through every excuse I try to hide behind.

"There’s probably only one or two people involved," he murmurs, lifting my hand slowly, brushing his lips softly against my palm. My breathing stutters at the warm drag of his mouth over my skin, each kiss lighting sparks that scatter my worries. "But I’m sure no more than that. "

My voice shakes slightly as I whisper, "Did you find anything on Anna?"

His eyes flick up to mine, a dark emerald that is almost unreadable. "Nothing concrete yet," he admits quietly, brushing his thumb across my pulse. "But I'm still digging."

Something in my chest tightens again—fear, dread—but Connor notices instantly. His hands slide gently over my waist, pulling me closer. "Relax," he murmurs, voice low and reassuring. "We’ll figure it out."

His touch is slow, possessive, easing up my sides until his thumbs brush along the curves of my breasts through my thin shirt.

Heat pools low in my belly, and when he dips his head, his teeth sink gently into my neck.

I gasp, arching into him instinctively, the tension in my body melting under his touch.

“Connor,” I whisper breathlessly, hips rocking forward without permission, grinding softly against him. “I—”

He palms my breast fully, rolling my nipple between his thumb and finger until it tightens, aching for more. His other hand slips beneath my waistband, and I tremble, pressing into him, needing his touch to drown out every other thought.

"Do you want me?" I whisper, my voice barely audible as I grip his shirt, feeling his heat radiating through the fabric. "Really want this?"

"Yes," he growls, low and fierce in my ear. His body presses me back against the kitchen island, trapping me between the cold marble and his scorching warmth. "Why? Were you satisfied with just one night?"

"No," I admit softly, shivering as he drags his teeth lightly over my jaw. "But…I wasn't sure where you stood."

Connor pulls back slightly, his gaze locking on mine as he cups my cheek, thumb brushing tenderly along my bottom lip. The intensity in his eyes steals my breath, making me feel fragile yet utterly safe all at once.

"I'm exactly where I want to be," he whispers darkly, his lips grazing the corner of my mouth. "You astound me, Cali. You make me feel things I’ve never felt, and if I walked away from you now, I’d have to be fucking insane."

He slides his hand under the waistband of my shorts, fingers teasing, tracing slowly until he finds exactly what he’s looking for. I gasp sharply, nails digging into his shoulders as my hips roll instinctively toward his touch.

"Why can't we ever make it to the bedroom..." I whimper, losing myself as his finger circles my clit, featherlight, teasing.

He chuckles roughly, biting gently at my neck. "It took everything in me to stop you earlier," he murmurs against my skin, voice vibrating straight through my bones. "I want you, Angel, and not just as the best secret I’ve ever kept."

I melt into him, knees trembling as his finger brushes my clit, teasing expertly. My head falls back against his shoulder, eyes closing, surrendering to the feel of him surrounding me completely. "Connor," I breathe shakily, voice desperate, needy, barely recognizable as my own.

"We're alone now," he growls softly, his fingers slipping deeper, stroking the place inside me that sends sparks bursting across my vision. "I'm here, Cali. I'm yours , and you're mine ."

Pleasure coils tighter, spreading low in my belly, and suddenly I can't think clearly—I don’t want to. Not when he's touching me like this, overwhelming every sense, every nerve.

His breath grazes my ear again, a whisper thick with sin.

"Tonight, I’m going to bend you over this counter and fuck you until your legs shake, until you're begging me for mercy.

" He thrusts harder, deeper, pushing me to the edge.

"Then you'll get on your knees and taste exactly how good we are together. "

"Connor," I gasp, eyes rolling back, the world spinning as I tighten around his fingers. "Yes, fuck—"

"That's right," he growls possessively. "Let go. Give yourself to me."

I shatter instantly, pleasure ripping through me, stealing my breath and leaving me weak and trembling against him. His strong arms keep me upright, holding me together, pulling me close as the aftershocks leave my body shaking uncontrollably.

Slowly, as my breathing steadies, his lips brush tenderly against my temple. "Do you believe me now?"

I nod weakly, head dropping onto his chest as he holds me up. For the first time, I’m not afraid of tomorrow—not when tonight is this perfect, this intense, this consuming.

Not when he’s making me feel safe, wanted, and completely owned.