Page 61 of Undeniable

I smiled, both surprised and impressed that he’d remembered. “Yes. That’s perfect.”

Just like you.Hot. Attentive. Considerate.

“Do you want anything to eat? A muffin or a cake pop?”

I shook my head. I was worried enough about keeping my cool around him. I didn’t want to add another thing to the mix.

He nodded. “I’ll be right back.”

He turned for the counter, and I took the chance to watch him shamelessly. His dark hair, those broad shoulders, that perfect butt.

I glanced down at myself, wondering what he saw when he looked at me. Was I what he’d expected? Taller, perhaps? When he’d first spotted me, he’d seemed pleased. But maybe that was just wishful thinking.

“So how wasUnbreakable?” I asked when he returned to the table with our drinks. I needed something safe to talk about. I needed some familiarity.

“You haven’t read it yet?” He tsked.

“I’ve been a little busy organizing stuff for the panel.” Plus, picking the perfect outfit for tonight and shopping for some sexy new lingerie at Alyssa’s insistence. But I didn’t tell him that, instead taking a sip of my coffee. “Thank you for this, by the way.”

“Excuses. Excuses.” Connor smiled. Gah, he was so freaking handsome. I couldn’t stop staring. Ineededto stop staring. This was going to get embarrassing. “You need to read it. It’s her best book yet.”

I cupped my drink, the warmth seeping through the mug and into my hands, filling me with a deep sense of contentment. If I’d had to suffer through all those awful dates just to get to this point, I was okay with that. “And you’re an expert on her books, huh?”

“Well, I have read two-thirds of them now. So, yeah.”

My jaw hung open. “Seriously?”

I’d had no idea.

He chuckled. “Yep. I’m kind of addicted.”

And a whole lot sexy.

“Well, that’s…a twist I didn’t see coming.” I sipped my coffee.

I’d spent countless hours emailing with Connor and texting with him and talking to him on the phone. But nothing could’ve prepared me for the reality of seeing him in person. And my brain was still trying to reconcile the version of Connor in my head with reality.

It was—hewas—a lot to take in. And I wasn’t sure my heart was prepared for it.

CHAPTERFOURTEEN

“So, what are you hoping to do while you’re here?” Olivia asked in that sweet voice of hers.

You.

I shook my head to clear it, though I couldn’t deny the idea was appealing. That wasn’t why I’d come to LA. Why I’d wanted to meet her. But she was… God, she was gorgeous. Those full hips and luscious breasts. And her long legs.

I wanted to explore her, to get lost in her curves. Especially after what we’d done on the phone the other night.Fuck.It had been one of the hottest nights of my life.

“I’m open to ideas. Other than the panel, I was mostly planning to bum around the beach. I haven’t ever really taken a vacation.”

“Ever?” Her eyes went wide. “You’veneverbeen on a vacation?”

I shook my head, not wanting to dwell on the reasons for it. She knew my family history, and that was more than I could say for any other woman I’d dated. My aunt Lucy hadn’t had much extra money when I was growing up, and she’d worked two jobs just to take care of me.

Once I’d joined the SEALs, I’d rarely taken leave. What was the point? Apart from my aunt, there was no one I’d really wanted to spend my vacation with.

And then I’d joined Hudson Security—a fast-paced working environment with long hours. I’d taken a few weekend trips to a beach house with some of the guys from the office, but otherwise, I’d focused solely on work.

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