Page 25 of Where We Bloom (The Blackwells of Montana #3)

Chapter Thirteen

BILLIE

“ I like this bathroom,” I inform Connor as we slip into the steamy air. There is not one, not two, but three showerheads all doing their jobs, and it’s great because that means that no one gets the cold side of the space.

He’s already lathering up a washcloth with body wash, and then his hands are on me, soaping me up. Connor has strong, grade A hands, but add in the slickness of the soap, and all I can do is let my head fall back and sigh.

“You like that,” he murmurs as he turns me so my back is to him and proceeds to wash my back and the globes of my ass.

“Of course, I like this. I like to be touched.” I shrug and then his hands stall, and I glance at him over my shoulder. “Why’d you stop?”

He frowns and turns me back to him, skims the back of his hand down my torso, ghosting over my breasts, and I press my hands to his chest.

Holy crap, the muscles on this guy.

“What’s wrong?” I ask him.

“You like to be touched.”

I blink up at him, wondering what I’m missing here. “Yeah. I think it’s my love language, but I’ve never taken the stupid test. I don’t get touched often, honestly, but it’s okay. I make Birdie snuggle me whenever I need it.”

His jaw firms at that, and I’m completely lost as to why he’s gone cold all of a sudden.

“What did I say wrong?”

“Nothing.” He shakes his head and pulls me in for a hug. “You didn’t say anything wrong.”

“I’m fine, you know. It’s not a big deal. I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad, not that that should make you feel bad. Geez, Connor, I’m sorry?—”

He kisses me, stopping the mindless flow of words that I was spewing simply because I didn’t know what else to say, and leads me under the spray, rinsing away the suds.

When we’re all clean and rinsed, he shocks me by lifting me under my thighs and bracing me against the tile.

The cold makes me gasp, but then he’s sliding inside me, and I wrap my arms around his neck and hold on as my body quakes around him.

“Jesus, how are you still hard? Hell, that’s good,” I moan as he kisses my shoulder and across my collarbone. He’s moving in hard, jarring thrusts as if he can’t get deep enough, close enough.

“You’re the sweetest bloody woman,” he growls next to my ear, sending goose bumps down my whole body. “Christ Jesus, angel.”

He speeds up, and his pelvis hits my clit, over and over again. I let my head fall back against the tile.

“Connor, I’m gonna … I’m right … ah, shit.”

“Come.” It’s a hard command. “Look at me.”

I open my eyes and stare into his bright, lust-filled gaze, and it tips me over into wonderland, falling apart in his arms.

“Yes, baby.” With his gaze still on mine, he groans and follows me over. Watching him come undone is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life.

We’re breathing hard. My heart is in overdrive, and he keeps me here, up against the tile. His mouth rests against my shoulder as we try to catch our breath.

“You’re so delicious, bumble.” His accent is thicker during these moments, and it makes me clench around him.

“Still hate that nickname,” I breathe, but push my fingers in his wet hair, enjoying the way the thick strands feel in my fingers.

“Do you want to know why I call you that?” He kisses my shoulder, then drags his tongue over my skin to my neck.

“Yes.”

God, he touches me so well.

“Because you’re strong.”

He kisses my pulse point.

“A hard worker.”

Kisses my throat .

“Always moving.”

Kisses my chin.

“So bloody dedicated.”

His lips touch mine, and we’re breathing the same air.

“My bumble bee.”

He’s kissing me, and I’m melting into him, clinging to him. I feel him pull out of me, my feet find the tile floor, and he frames my face, kissing me so softly, so lovingly , it makes my heart catch.

He pulls back but doesn’t release me, and I take him in. His biceps are bunched, showing off his ridiculously gorgeous arms. His chest and abs could be those of a Greek god. He’s phenomenal in every way.

And he’s here with me.

I’m a lucky fucking girl.

“It’s funny,” I whisper as I run my fingertip down the bridge of his nose. “When I think of bumble bees, I picture them covered in pollen, blissed out, and sleeping in a flower.”

“That fits you, too,” he says and lets his hands fall from me, and I already miss his touch. “Blissed out and covered in my cum, sleeping in my bed.”

My jaw drops, then I wrinkle my nose and smack his arm. “That’s … dirty .”

“There’s absolutely nothing dirty about that picture.” He kisses my nose and smiles down at me in one of those heart-stopping, full-on smiles that are so rare from him, and it makes me feel like I’m glowing. “Now come here and let me get us clean again. You distracted me. ”

Once we’re clean and dry, he leads me back to the bedroom.

“Do you want a shirt?” he asks.

“Nah, I’ll sleep naked. It’ll just be easier next time.”

I know I’m a plus-sized girl, but I’m perfectly comfortable in my skin. Connor doesn’t seem to have any complaints, so sleeping in the nude doesn’t bother me.

“I have to work for a while,” he informs me as I climb into the bed, and I turn to frown at him. “I’m taking tomorrow off, so I have to get a few things done, but I’m going to work from the bed.”

“Connor, I can go home, and you can?—”

“Absolutely not. ” He’s suddenly wrapped around me, holding me against him and pressing kisses all over my face, making me grin. “You’re staying here, in this bed, with me. And I’ll be right here with you. I just need an hour to tie up some loose ends.”

I yawn and nuzzle my nose against his naked chest, enjoying the light smattering of hair there. I’m also relieved that he’s not asking me to leave because I have a feeling I’m about to have the best night's sleep I’ve had in months. “Okay. Go ahead, just don’t move a muscle.”

He chuckles and kisses me again. I love that he always has his lips on me.

“I’m right here. Go to sleep.”

I’m drifting off as I feel him move away, but he doesn’t leave the bed. True to his word, he sits up and grabs his laptop. I curl up beside him, listening to the light click-clack of the keys as he types. Once in a while, he’ll reach down and brush his fingers through my hair, making me sigh.

Yeah, this works.

And before long, I feel myself being pulled down into sleep.

He’s passed out next to me, sleeping so soundly, I don’t have the heart to wake him. There’s light coming through the window, telling me that it’s morning, but we’re both taking the day off, so there’s no hurry to get up.

Aside from the fact that my bladder is screaming at me.

I ease out of the bed, scoop up his shirt, and quietly pad into the bathroom, where I do my business, brush my teeth with his toothbrush—he’s had his mouth all over me so if he has an issue with me using his toothbrush, I don’t know what to tell him—and wash my face.

When I open the bathroom door, I see that he’s still asleep, so I decide to go find coffee.

Snagging my handbag from the bathroom, I walk downstairs and pull my phone out and text Millie. The owner of the coffee shop will know how my guy takes his morning brew.

She knows everyone’s orders by heart.

Hey girl! How does Connor Gallagher take his coffee?

When I get to the kitchen, I startle and stare at a gorgeous woman standing at the island.

“Oh, hi there,” she says with a bright smile. She looks like she should be on the cover of magazines. “I’m Cassie, Mr. Gallagher’s cook. I’m just taking some cinnamon rolls out of the oven.”

I’m standing here in just a thigh-length T-shirt because I don’t have any clean underwear, my hair is a mess, and Cassie is fucking beautiful.

Her auburn hair is tied up in a slick bun, she’s fit and trim in her skintight tank and yoga pants, and her biceps flex as she takes the pan from the oven, showing that she clearly works out. Often.

And it occurs to me that the house smells amazing. How did I miss that?

“I didn’t—” I have to clear my throat. “Do you make that every morning?”

“No, he requested that I make them today. Now I know why.” She winks at me, seemingly unfazed by my appearance. “I just have to frost them.”

“Is the frosting ready?”

“Sure, it’s right here in the bowl.”

“Do you mind if I finish up here? I’m going to make an executive decision and give you the rest of the day off.”

Her eyebrows fly into her hairline, but I stand my ground. I’m sure she’s a nice person, and she hasn’t done anything wrong, but I don’t love the idea of another woman in this house while Connor and I are having Sunday Fuckday.

I made that one up. I like it.

“Just let these cool for about fifteen minutes,” she says, pointing at the pan. “Then spread the frosting over them and enjoy. You can also leave it on the side, if you prefer. They’re pretty sweet.”

“Thank you. And coffee?”

“It’s a simple pod-style machine,” she replies, pointing at the built-in machine in the walk-in butler’s pantry, which makes my eyes bug out of my head. This pantry is bigger than my entire kitchen. “I know, right? Killer pantry. Makes my life so easy.”

“Do you work here every day?” I ask.

“A few days a week. I do a lot of meal prep so he can eat whenever it suits him.”

She doesn’t have an accent, which I find intriguing.

“Do you travel with him?”

I’ve known Connor for months, and I’ve never even heard of Cassie.

“God, no. I should be so lucky. I live in Silver Springs, about thirty minutes from here. I’m a private chef for quite a few people, not just Mr. Gallagher. I usually have Sundays off, but he requested the cinnamon rolls, so I came in to make them.” She grins at me. “You’re a lucky lady.”

“I know.” I offer her a smile. “Thanks for these. They smell great.”

“Oh, you’re welcome. Tell him to let me know if you guys need anything. ”

And with that, she gives me a wave, and then she’s off.

I have to take a deep breath.

I’m not typically the jealous type, but that … yeah, I didn’t like that.

I check my phone and see that Millie has responded.