Page 20 of Where We Bloom (The Blackwells of Montana #3)

I move back to continue cutting the cucumber, pinching the phone between my ear and shoulder, and Connor resumes cleaning vegetables next to me.

“I caught a shoplifter. ”

I narrow my eyes.

“Did you call the police?”

Connor’s head whips over to look down at me.

“Of course. They just left. The kid was arrested, and we filed a report, and everything is fine, but I didn’t want to wait to tell you until you got here tomorrow.”

“I appreciate that. Who was it?”

“A teenage girl. I actually felt really sorry for her because I could tell that she just really wanted to read the book she tried to steal and likely can’t afford it.”

“But we have a no toleration policy,” I finish for her.

“Yeah. She was upset. She’ll probably be released to her parents.”

I turn and lean against the counter, and Connor reaches over and tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear. I offer him a small smile.

“You did the right thing, Em. Thanks for letting me know. How’s Tiffany feeling?”

“Oh, she’s fine. She’s ringing up customers now.”

“Has it been busy today?”

“Steady all day. Have you considered hiring more help? I don’t see us getting slower in the offseason.”

“I have some interviews on Monday,” I reply. “We definitely need more help. I’m gonna go now, but let me know if you need anything.”

“Will do, boss. See you.”

I hang up and look up into worried, insightful eyes. “It’s all fine.”

“Sometimes people suck,” he says, echoing my words and making me laugh.

“That’s true. What wise words.”

“A brilliant and beautiful woman recently told me that.” He winks, and we resume our tasks. “You’re going to hire more help?”

“Yes, definitely. Two, maybe three more. The store is busy, and more often than not, I’m being called away from the floor for other things.

I’m in contact with indie authors about collaborations, which is so exciting and not something I ever thought I’d do.

I’m constantly buying new stock and starting to schedule book signings.

It’s a lot of admin work on my end, and I’d rather have employees on the floor with customers while I handle the back end. ”

“You’re growing,” he says, dragging his hand down my spine. “Good for you, bumble.”

“I might eventually buy the space next to me. Not the coffee shop side, obviously, but the other side, if it ever comes available. I could use more space, and it hasn’t even been a year. Anyway, I won’t bore you with that.”

“Do I look bored?” He raises an eyebrow and leans his hip against the counter. Folding his arms over his chest, he faces me as I finish the vegetables.

“No, you look …” I lift a shoulder. “You know what? Never mind. I’ve boosted your ego enough today.”

He laughs and cages me in, bracing his hands on the counter on either side of my hips, his face just inches from mine.

“You look amazing,” he murmurs. “You’ve been tempting me in this dress all bloody day, showing me just a hint of the curves that make me so damn hard, I can hardly stand it.”

He leans in closer and drags his lips up my throat, sending heat spearing through me. My nipples pucker, and my core tightens with need.

“Listening to you take control of your business has my own control hanging on by a thread, angel.”

“You like it when I’m bossy?”

“I like it when you’re the boss,” he says. “Your work ethic turns me on. The whole time you were on that call, I wanted to strip you bare and bury my face in your gorgeous wet cunt and feast on you.”

Holy. Fucking. Shit.

He’s nibbling my shoulder, and his hand moves up my side and cups my breast. His thumb brushes over the tight nipple through my clothes, and it makes me arch my back against him.

“Connor.”

“Say it again.” He bites my chin, then covers my lips but doesn’t kiss me. “Say it, angel.”

“Connor.” It’s hardly a whisper now, and he groans against me.

“My name tastes so bloody delicious on your lips.”

Then he’s kissing me, pressing the hard length of his dick against my stomach, nibbling and devouring my mouth, and I don’t want him to stop.

With a whimper, I cling to him, needing so much more from him.

But he breaks the kiss and rests his forehead against mine, and I growl .

Growl.

“Connor.”

“No.” There’s that firm voice again, but his hands are gentle as they frame my face. “You asked for more , and I’m giving it to you today.”

“I lied.” I swallow hard and lean in to rest my forehead on his chest. “Just use me for sex. It’s fine.”

He laughs and kisses the top of my head as he takes my shoulders and pulls away from me.

“I’m hungry.” He lifts an eyebrow. “Would you like me to put the steaks on the barbecue? It should be warm enough by now.”

“Yeah, you should probably leave the room so I can call you names and flip you off behind your back.”

He laughs again and swats my butt as he takes the plate of steaks off the counter and walks toward the door.

“Go ahead, then. Curse me out.”

With a wink, he walks outside, and I blow out a breath.

“I only have myself to blame,” I mutter as I get to work, checking on the rice. “I’m the needy one who wanted more. Stupid bitch.”

“Call yourself a bitch again”—I jump because I didn’t even know he’d walked back inside, and Connor presses his mouth to my ear—“and we’ll have a problem.”

He kisses my cheek and pulls out his ringing phone, but he doesn’t answer it. He checks the screen, then slips it back into his pocket.

“You can answer that. It doesn’t bother me. ”

“It’s not important,” he replies, shaking his head. He sips his water, watching me. “What made you decide to open a bookshop?”

“I mean, who wouldn’t love to own a bookstore?

” With a smirk, I pull salad dressings out of the fridge for the salad and set them on my small table in the breakfast nook beside the kitchen.

I converted my dining room into a library, so this is as fancy as I get.

“I’ve always been a bookworm. I went to college for business administration and knew that I’d own my own business. I hate working for someone else.”

I glance over and see him lift a brow, humor in his intense gaze. “Is that so?”

“Yep. I want to be the boss. I don’t take direction well.” I bite my lip, suddenly flustered because I took direction pretty damn well during our one night together.

By his quick intake of breath, I can tell he’s thinking the same thing.

“When it comes to work ,” I clarify, and he smirks.

“Anyway, I’ve known for a long time that I wanted to open a store.

I joined a local women-in-business group, and that’s been hugely helpful.

Once a month, we listen to guest speakers.

People like London Ambrose-Montgomery and Sophie Harrison.

Women who are killing it in business. It’s inspiring.

Anyway, I started networking with those girls long before I opened the shop. ”

“Hold that thought.” He kisses my forehead before walking back out to flip the steaks on the grill, so I simply follow him. We’ll keep an eye on them together .

“This is easier.” I shrug. “I waited a while to open my place because I knew I wanted that specific location, and the former owners didn’t want to sell.”

He tilts his head, listening, but I can see he’s growling on the inside. Protective man .

“I knew, I know , that being next door to the coffee shop was the way to go. Who can resist buying a coffee, then wandering through a bookstore? I didn’t want to be across the street or down the block. I needed to be there. ”

“How did you get them to sell to you?”

“I slept with the former owner for a year. Blow jobs twice a week, and even let him do anal once a month.” I tuck my hair behind my ear as his hands fist, and his eyes narrow menacingly. “Worked like a charm.”

He grinds his molars together, and I hold his gaze with my own for about ten seconds, then I can’t stand it anymore.

I double over in laughter.

“I can’t do it. Oh God, that was funny. Your face!” I wipe a tear from the corner of my eye as Connor reaches out, clasps his hand over the back of my neck, and closes the gap between us. He makes me look him in the face.

“You’re going to pay for that, mo rúnsearc. ”

“Oh, I hope so.” I pat his chest and grin, practically glowing.

“The owner was an old friend of my dad’s and decided to retire.

I offered him fair market value, and he took it.

No sexual favors required. But he was stubborn about it for a while.

I don’t know how I’m going to get the owners on the side of me to sell when I’m ready to do it.

They don’t live here and use it as an investment property. ”

“There’s always a way,” he says before turning and taking the finished steak off the grill. He passes me the plate, then turns off the propane, and we make our way inside, fill our plates, and sit at my small table.

As we eat, I keep watching him, looking for any signs that he’s uncomfortable in my simple house, but he looks at ease, which makes it easy to chat about everyday things.

When we’ve finished eating, Connor helps me put the leftovers away and load the dishes in the dishwasher, and then I show him to the door.

I want to ask him to stay.

I want to talk him into breaking the no-sex rule for today, make me go crazy with lust and need, and then hold me while I sleep like a baby, the way I do when I’m with him.

But I don’t have the guts.

He made it clear that nothing more is happening today, and I refuse to be that needy girl who begs him to hold her while she sleeps.

“You’re quiet,” he says when we reach the door.

“I was just thinking that I had a nice time today.” I smile up at him and let my hand rest at his waist as he cups my face and bends to press his lips to mine. This one is a sweet kiss, loaded with promises of more for later.

“Me, too. Thank you for dinner.”

“Thanks for everything else. ”

He pulls me to him for a hug, and then the door is open and he walks through it to the waiting Jeep.

“Lock your doors, bumble.”

“Yes, sir.”

His jaw ticks at that, and I send him a sassy grin. Once he’s backed out of my driveway and driven away, I close the door, lock it, and let out a long breath.

Holy shit, Connor Gallagher just swept me off my feet.