Page 47 of All Autumn
~ Connor ~
It took a little persuasion, but I convinced Autumn to come back to my place and leave from here for the parade tomorrow. We’d stopped by her house so she could pack an overnight bag and pick up Beau. I’d spent a lot of time at her place, but she was rarely at mine.
I wanted her at my home, and that was worrisome—like I had this bizarre urge to nest. Autumn was seriously messing with my mind if I was having crazy thoughts like that. I shook my head to clear it. The only reason I wanted her here was so there wouldn’t be any interruptions.
As soon as we entered, Beau took off, exploring and sniffing everything. I set the tote with Beau’s supplies and Autumn’s overnight bag on the counter. She stood in the middle of the living room, her interior designer’s eye assessing my decor. I bit back excuses for the lack of any kind of style, instead letting my gaze roam over her.
The blue and white silk blouse—the top two buttons undone, showing a hint of cleavage—was tucked neatly into black pants, black heels peeking out from under the hem. She was one classy woman who didn’t try to be sexy on top of the classy, but she was both those things.
“I’ve told you before that I love your log home,” Autumn said, twirling in a circle, taking in the wood beams, ceiling-tall stone fireplace, and floor-to-ceiling windows that in the daytime framed a beautiful view of the river and the mountains surrounding us.
“Thanks. I hear a ‘but,’ though.”
She glanced over her shoulder and smiled. “You need a decorator.”
“Mmm, I might know of one.” She was right. Other than a brown leather couch and matching chair, a coffee table, and a large-screen TV, the living room was pretty bare. “Decorating isn’t one of my talents. Would you be interested?”
“Are you kidding me? I’d love it. If you’re serious, I’ll start putting together some ideas to show you.”
“Great. Do it. Want something to drink?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“You certainly are.” I held her eyes captive as I prowled toward her. Every time things started to heat up between us, something had happened. But not tonight. There weren’t going to be any disturbances tonight, no parents interfering or hikers needing saving. I didn’t care if the world crumbled around us; we weren’t going to pay attention to anything but us.
When I reached her, I cradled her face with my hands, then brushed my lips over hers, once, twice, before claiming her mouth. She leaned into me, and I slid my arm around her back and pulled her flush against me.
She gripped my upper arms, digging her fingers into my skin. Before I deepened the kiss, before we passed the point of no return, I had to ask one more time. “Still not weird?” I said after pulling away and staring down at her. Something flashed in her eyes that I couldn’t decipher, but it didn’t seem good. “Autumn?”
“Definitely not weird, but . . .” She glanced at my couch. “Can we sit? Talk about something a minute?”
This was where a caveman at the beginning of time would toss the object of his desire over his shoulder, carry her to his lair, and have his way with her, because talking was overrated. Since I liked to think I’d evolved, even if only a little, from my long-ago ancestors’ days, I refrained from using Neanderthal tactics, although my lower half thought that was an idea worth considering.
“Yeah, sure,” I said a little belatedly. It really was true that men’s attention spans alternated between when they were going to have sex and when they were going to get to eat. Somewhere in between those two things, we slept.
I followed her to the sofa. “What’s on your mind?”
She toed off her heels, sat, and faced me, curling her feet under her. “I’m not sure how to put this.”
“Saying it straight out usually works best.”
“Um, okay. We’re going to have sex, right?”
God, I hoped so. “I’m voting a resounding yes, but it’s up to you.”
She glanced at me, and then her eyes shifted away. “Are you going to see other women while we’re together? I mean, I’m not saying we’re a couple or anything like that. It’s just that I wouldn’t be comfortable if you did.”
It rubbed me wrong that she didn’t see the possibility of us being a couple. And when had I gone from wanting a little fun with Autumn to wanting to date her? It wasn’t so much that I was changing my mind about falling in love, but I didn’t want to hide the fact that I was seeing her as if she were some kind of dirty secret. She deserved better than that.
Before I could answer, she said, “Admit it, Connor. You’re a player. Maybe not lately, but...” She shrugged.
I hated that word. So what if I went out—had sex with, if we’re going to get technical—with my fair share of women? I was young, single, financially secure, and liked having a good time. What was wrong with that?
Yet I hadn’tplayedin too long a time, and the blame for that went straight to the woman staring at me with her gorgeous blue eyes. If I admitted that, she wouldn’t believe me. The couple thing was bugging me, so maybe we could make a trade.
“How about this? I promise on my word as your friend that while we’re together, you’ll be the only woman in my life, if you’ll agree to openly date me. Everyone’s already talking about us after that kiss, so we might as well give them something to gossip about.”
“Why? I mean, I thought this was just sex. You know, friends with benefits.”
