Page 15 of The Sweetest Mistake

“Isn’t it the woman who usually says that?” she asked with a thin smile.

“You could have called me anytime.”

“I could say the same to you.”

Connor ran a hand through his spiky hair, which was getting a bit longer than he was used to. He’d been so busy since he’d returned from Denver that he hadn’t had time to get it trimmed. Denver—the trip that had changed his life forever—some for the good, some for the not so good. Case in point, his relationship with Julia, who stood there staring at him as if she were waiting for something. But what it was, he had no idea.

Finally, as if she’d grown tired of standing on the porch, she said, “You can come in, but we’re not having sex.”

Biting back a chuckle, he said solemnly, “Understood.”

“I mean it, Connor. Don’t think you can flash your panty-melting grin at me and expect me to hop into bed with you. I’m still mad at you.”

Obviously, he almost said. “Understood,” he repeated, but this time, he didn’t bother hiding his smile (or his panty-melting grin, as she’d referred to it).

He stood behind her as she inserted her key in the lock, and quietly inhaled her scent—strawberry shampoo and some soft, floral perfume she used. He realized he didn’t know the name of it and vowed to find out. He’d been on a mission to find out everything he could about this woman until he’d found out that he was a father. It still astounded him whenever he thought of it, which was constantly these past few days.

“Are you coming in or what?” Julia said as she held the door open for him.

He’d been so lost in thought that he hadn’t realized he was still standing on the porch. “Yes,” he said, stepping inside. “Thank you.”

He wasn’t sure what he was thanking her for. Maybe it was for not turning him away, which she very well could have. He hadn’t been completely upfront with her, and he regretted that now. Seeing the tight set of her shoulders, and the way she held herself away from him made him angry. Not at her but at himself.

He sucked at relationships. That’s all there was to it. He must have done something wrong with Cam to make her turn to another man, and now he’d screwed up with Julia too. But after walking away from Cam, he had no intention of inviting her back into his life. He didn’t want to walk away from Julia, and he didn’t want her to either.

“Do you want a beer?” she asked as he sat down on the couch. The one they’d made love on more than once.

“Sure, if you do.”

Punching her hands on her hips, she cocked her head and said, “And no trying to get me drunk either.” This time, she allowed herself to smile fully, and it lit up the room. He watched her walk away, admiring the curve of her backside, thinking about how it felt to cup it in his hands.

Settle down, man. You’re lucky she even let you in to talk.

Julia returned with two beers and handed him one before taking a seat on the loveseat opposite him. He was seriously tempted to join her there, but he figured she’d chosen the seat for a reason—to maintain her distance from him. He hated it, but he had to respect her decision, and he promised himself he wouldn’t rush things.

Taking a long slug of his beer, he racked his brain for where to begin while she eyed him and waited patiently. The woman was a picture of cool right then, sipping her beer calmly, the other hand resting in her lap, looking like she had all the time in the world.

If he only knew what was really going through her mind…

Chapter Four

God, he looks good. Too good, as usual. His hair was getting longer, and it was standing up in places where he’d run his hands through it. When he’d put the beer bottle to his lips, she’d wished it was a part of her anatomy instead. Any part would do. Damn! She should not be having this kind of reaction to him right now. You’re supposed to be mad at him, remember?

But she shouldn’t have been surprised. She’d always had this kind of response to Connor, even at the beginning, when she was determined not to like him. Looking back, she realized that their relationship had been explosive from the start. Like she’d explained to Harper, they hadn’t started out as friends and slowly progressed from there. Rather, she’d avoided him like the plague for weeks until she’d decided she didn’t want to anymore. After that, they’d gone from zero to one hundred in no time flat.

The whole thing was mystifying and unlike any relationship she’d had before. Especially with her ex, Alec, where everything had moved along slowly and steadily until it had petered out. She couldn’t imagine this thing she had with Connor dying out like that. Going up in flames, maybe, just like they’d begun. Peering at him over her beer bottle, she remembered what had happened the first time they’d drunk beer together…

The bar/restaurant was already getting crowded, but they managed to find a table that afforded them a view of the stage. While the band members tuned up their instruments, Connor and Julia ordered drinks, but this time, she opted for a beer instead of whiskey, and Connor did the same.

“What do you want to eat?” Connor asked as he perused the menu.

“I’m really not that hungry. I had a late lunch.”

He narrowed his eyes at her over the top of the menu. “You got something against dinner?”

Skimming her hands along the sides of her body, she said, “Does it look like I turn down food to you?”

Connor tipped his head back and laughed.