Free A_Little_Harmless_Fascination by Melissa Schroeder

the business and act as a nursemaid for a
family of lazy idiots who always expected her to fix things, she did nothing in
their eyes. She had a feeling that if she lived on the mainland, she would have
to take sedatives to deal with them. Especially if they found out where she
lived again.
    "I have to go."
    "Make sure you think about coming home for the annual
deb ball. You know they would love to have you there."
    Yeah, they loved their token. "Busy. I'll have Charles
call you."
    She hung up and rubbed her temples. She was getting a
headache and it wasn’t even noon.
    The worries of her family dissolved when she heard a
footstep on her ceiling. So, Conner was up. Damn man kept her up most of the
night. He had known when he told her not to touch herself that she wouldn’t. He
had known she would dream about it, too. How could she not? He was on her mind,
driving her insane, and without a problem her subconscious had brought to life
a totally delicious dream.
    Her aunt had ruined it, though. Hearing that bitchy voice
first thing in the morning was enough to make Jillian not want to think about
men. As soon as she thought it, the image of Conner flashed through her mind.
Okay, she could, and she could also melt at the idea. Just one little taste of
him hadn’t been enough. That much she knew. And the wonderful dream where he
had her strapped to the bed had been ruined all because of her damned aunt.
    With a sigh, she opened her eyes and hit Charles’s number,
knowing it was going to be all bad news. Better to get it over with because she
knew from prior experience with her family that they were like a venereal
disease. Ignoring them just made the problem worse.
     
    *   *   *   *
     
    "So, you liked Rough ‘n Ready?" his sister asked.
Conner sighed and regretted he had told her he had gone to see Dee.
    "Yes, it was nice."
    "I do like that club, and we are really lucky you are
such good friends with the owner."
    It wasn't that he was a good friend of Micah's, but he
didn't point that out. His sister would just argue with him about that. Hell,
he was pretty sure Micah would probably argue with him. He’d noticed that Micah
seemed to adopt people into what he considered his family. Conner had a feeling
that he and Maura were already considered family.
    "So, whatcha doing today?" she asked.
    He settled down in a chair and realized she wasn’t going to
let this go. With Maura, it was best to let her gnaw on whatever bone was
bothering her at the time. "Not sure. Taking it easy."
    There was a beat of silence. "Now you're scaring
me."
    He laughed. "No, it’s just that I haven't talked to
Jillian, who apparently thinks she is my personal tour guide. I also want to
head on over to Bellows today."
    Micah had told him it was a good place to boogie board, and
it was a cool, windy day.
    "Oh, well, if I know her, she's still in bed."
    If he had been downstairs, she would definitely be in
bed—beneath him.
    Damn, he had to stop thinking about that. Just that little
kiss had him wanting more, wanting her every way he could think of. Right now,
he could imagine her on her hands and knees, that luscious ass of hers up in
the air as he smacked it until it was red.
    Shit . He was doing
it again. And he was on the phone with his sister. Conner knew it was
inappropriate, but even his silent admonitions didn’t seem to quell his desire.
He wanted her. Hell, even that was an understatement. He needed her in a way
that was starting to worry him. He hadn’t even touched her past that simple
kiss, and he couldn’t get her out of his mind.
    “Conner?”
    “Oh, sorry. What did you say?”
    “I said that I bet she’s still in bed.”
    “I heard her moving around a few minutes ago.”
    “Oh, well, she might be stuck.”
    “What do you mean stuck?”
    “On writing. When she starts a new book, she tends to take
forever. Usually, she finds some kind of distraction. A guy. Hey, is that Mick
guy still there?”
    “Yeah. Why?”
    “I always