Take Back My Heart (Come Back To Me) Read online

  “Maybe I like being miserable,” Lauren argued, ignoring Amy’s comment about still having feelings for one another.

  Amy dropped the subject and started loading the dishes in the dishwasher. She knew her best friend well enough to know that the more she pushed her, the higher Lauren would build her defenses. Lauren needed to figure this one out on her own.

  By the time guys made their way back inside the house, everything was pretty much cleaned up and Lauren was ready to head home.

  Instead, they all convinced her to stay longer, to watch some horror flick after Bryce had made it abundantly clear that everyone would be staying put for the night—unless they wanted to call a cab. No one was sober enough to drive.

  Lauren caught Bryce’s apologetic expression when she groaned in frustration. This had not been part of the plan when she agreed to hang out. She had fully planned on going home and sleeping in her own bed. Instead, she felt like she was being forced to spend even more time with Connor.

  Piling into the family room with everyone else, Lauren noticed that this space had been updated as well. The walls were a soft gray now. Two black sofas faced each other on opposite sides of the room, separated by a glass coffee table, and a black leather recliner faced the large flat screen television hanging from the wall above the fireplace. The old fireplace had gotten a facelift too, adding to the room’s modern feel.

  Bryce claimed the recliner, while Amy and Riley claimed one couch, leaving Lauren and Connor to the other. She didn’t miss the snicker from Amy as she took her spot on the opposite side of the sofa away from Connor. Nor did she miss how Bryce’s eyebrows raised in warning when Connor eventually pulled her closer. Lauren wondered if Bryce’s silent warning had anything to do with what she had shared with him in the car earlier.

  Halfway through the movie, Lauren shivered. The combination of the air conditioner running and the ceiling fan spinning overhead, had her wishing she was warmer. As if he could read her mind, Connor tugged her into his lap before pulling a blanket off the back of the couch and wrapping it around them.

  She should have protested, moved away from him back to her side of the couch, but she found comfort in his arms. A sense of belonging. Something she’d been missing for a long time. She could deny it all she wanted, but Connor always held some strange power over her.

  When the movie ended, Connor turned off the DVD player and switched back over to the cable feed. Suddenly, ESPN filled the screen. Glancing around, he noticed only he and Lauren were still awake.

  "How the hell could they all fall asleep with all that noise?" Lauren whispered, leaning away from Connor.

  "Beats me, Princess." He reached out and pulled her close again. “This seems a little too familiar.”

  "I'm not sure I like how familiar this feels.” She settled into his embrace. His eyes dilated, nostrils flared as he took a deep breath. Lauren could feel his heartbeat pick up as his head slowly moved toward hers. She felt warm and comfortable wrapped up with him, even if she wanted to run far away.

  "We shouldn't,” he mumbled, tightening his grip on her to prevent her escape.

  Was he warning her or warning himself? As much as she wanted to hate Connor, she wanted him to kiss her more.

  Before she could reply, Connor’s lips met hers, completely knocking her world upside down. She had been waiting for this moment ever since the last time they kissed. Lauren spent too many nights dreaming of what it would feel like to have his lips on hers again. The magic she felt every time he kissed her set her on fire, filling her with need. It seemed that time had made no difference. Her body still craved him.

  Connor lingered for a moment more recalling the feel of her lips on his. He expected Lauren to resist, but when she didn’t push away from his kiss, pure lust ran through him, hardening his cock almost instantly. It took every ounce of his resolve to pull away. “I think we should talk first.”

  Sitting there with his arms wrapped around her, still breathless with the lingering feel of his lips on hers, Lauren tried to make sense of his words. She knew he was right, but she couldn’t bring herself to focus. He had that kind of impact on her. With Connor, she wanted to be impulsive and free.

  Before she could change her mind, she stood and grabbed his hand. “We can talk later. Right now, I need you,” she urged, tugging him toward the stairs. “Lead the way.”

  He pulled her into his arms and in one swoop, he lifted her up, cupping her ass in his hands. Lauren wrapped her legs around his waist, causing Connor to growl against her neck. "God damn, Princess. I want you so fucking bad,” he groaned, carrying her up the steps.

  The minute he made it into his old bedroom, he slammed the door behind them. Pinning Lauren to the back of the door, he held her hands above her head and began kissing her again. This time with more passion. His tongue danced with hers, promising so much more than just a kiss.

  She wanted this. Needed it.

  She wanted Connor with all that she was.

  She needed him to make her feel again, to somehow repair the tiny slivers of her broken heart that he had shattered so many years ago. He was the only person who had the power to fix everything she felt was wrong with her.

  With one hand still holding her hands above her head, he used his other hand to work the button on her jeans. The sound of her zipper coming undone penetrated through the haze, pulling Lauren out of her thoughts of Connor and everything he made her feel. This was happening. She was here. She was letting him back in and praying he wouldn’t destroy her again. She could pretend that it would only be one night, that she’d leave satisfied and sated, but one night with Connor would never be enough.

  Right before his fingers found her clit, she prayed he wouldn’t destroy her again.

  “Fuck, you’re soaked.” Connor rubbed her sensitive flesh, grinning as a moan escaped her mouth. He’d forgotten how hot she was when she was caught up in the moment. The way her body responded to him made his cock strain against his zipper, begging to be set free. Thoughts of taking it slow vanished. He needed to be buried inside her while her pussy came around his cock.

  He slid his hand from her pants and released his grip on her wrists. Her arms wrapped around his neck as he lifted her so she could wrap her legs around him again. She ground her pussy against him, purring from the feel of him pressing into her. When his knees touched the end of the bed, he set her down gently. Slipping his hands beneath her shirt, he lifted it off and hissed at the sight of her tits barely contained by her lacy bra.

  Lauren reached forward, grabbing the front of his pants. She wasted no time setting his cock free. As Connor stepped back from her, she took in the view as his cock bobbed and his abs flexed when he pulled his shirt over his head.

  He watched her like a lion stalking his prey as she stood up to shimmy out of her jeans, pulling her panties off with them.

  As he moved closer to her again, she anticipated his cock finding its way inside her pussy. He leaned against her and used his hands to gently urge her back onto the bed. She waited anxiously—expecting Connor climb onto the bed with her and bury himself to the hilt. Instead, he fell to his knees, spread her legs wide, and buried his tongue inside her pussy, catching her off guard. His thumb rubbed against her clit as her eyes snapped shut, and a sweet gasp echoed from her lips. One hand moved up, finding its way under her bra to tweak her nipple. She was about to come when Connor stopped suddenly.

  Opening her eyes, she started to protest until she noticed Connor stroking his length. She swallowed hard, imagining taking him in her mouth.

  “Scoot back,” he ordered. She followed his command, and he rewarded her by joining her on the bed. “I need to fuck you, Lauren.”

  She responded by wrapping her legs around his waist, pulling him toward her.

  He gripped his cock, coating it in her wetness before finally sliding home. Seated deep inside her, he stilled and took deep breath before slowly moving his cock in and out of her, over and over again. He took his time tort
uring her with pleasure, pushing her right to the brink before pausing long enough for her impending orgasm to back away, only to work her body into a frenzy all over again.

  When he could no longer hold off his own orgasm, he slid a hand between them, teasing her clit. Her back arched off the bed as her body exploded, her pussy clamping down on his cock. His name rang out from her lips as his own release found him. Growling, he emptied himself deep inside of her.

  “Shit,” Connor mumbled, leaning his head against her forehead. The minute he let go, he knew he had fucked up again. Reality slapped him in the face almost immediately. “I can’t think when I’m around you. Damn it. I should have…Fuck, Lauren, I’m sorry. I’m clean, I swear. I had a checkup not long before coming home. I haven’t been with anyone since. Just…” He blew out a breath. “Tell me you’re on the pill.”

  He never went without a condom, except with Lauren. Somehow, she always had a way of making him forget himself.

  Lauren’s eyes widened, realizing he hadn’t worn a condom. “No.” She tossed her head side to side before releasing a nervous laugh. “No need for it when you aren’t having sex.” She whimpered as Connor pulled out. Biting her lip, she fought back the tears. Had they really made the same mistake again?

  Connor sighed, rolling onto his side and tucking Lauren into him. “If it’s meant to be, we’ll work it out. I won’t run this time. Just promise me that you’ll talk to me.” He lifted her hand to his lips and gave it a gentle kiss.

  Unable to speak, Lauren nodded against his chest as her tears escaped. Her delicate fingers traced over the tattoo on his chest. Regret over sleeping with him again was already beginning to take over. There was too much unresolved between them. They did not belong in bed together, regardless of how much Lauren wanted him.

  She wished she could blame everything that happened between them tonight on alcohol, but she knew her buzz had worn off before they ventured upstairs. Their lust for one another was her only excuse.

  “Don’t move. I’ll be right back,” Connor whispered.

  He disappeared into the ensuite, leaving Lauren alone for a minute to take in her surroundings. Scooting back further onto the bed, she sat up and covered herself with the sheet.

  She had been so distracted by Connor that she never noticed his bedroom hadn’t changed much—if at all. The walls were still a deep blue with his sports trophies adorning the shelves his grandfather had hung for him. His desk still sat in the corner with faded pictures of their childhood memories hung on the pin board. Even the bed she was currently laying on was the same bed he had when they had been younger.

  It was as if time stood still in this room. Maybe in some ways it had. After all, they found themselves right back where they started.

  More tears began to fall. “I can’t stay. This shouldn’t have happened,” she whimpered as panic seized her. She scrambled from the bed as Connor reappeared with a washcloth in his hand. If she stayed, it would only serve as a reminder of how wrong this situation truly was.

  “Lauren,” Connor started to protest.

  “Please, just…don’t. I can’t, Connor.” She dressed quickly before turning and rushing out the door.

  She wanted to go home, but it didn’t take long for her to remember that everyone else was passed out drunk. The guest room that she spent many nights in when they were kids would have to do for tonight, because calling a cab at this hour would keep her waiting forever—it usually did in this town.

  Right now, she needed sleep.

  Slowly opening the door, she let out a sigh. The room looked untouched. It was clear that the remodeling hadn’t gotten this far yet. The same flowered blankets adorned the bed, and the same pale pink curtains hung in the windows. Stepping into the room again took her back in time.

  Her parents traveled for work. Sometimes she stayed at Amy’s house, but there were a few times when they would all crash at Connor’s grandparent’s house, just like they had tonight. The Matheson’s home had enough rooms that everyone had their own space, and their parents were naïve enough to trust four wild teens with little supervision.

  Lauren giggled as Connor tiptoed into the guest bedroom. He held a finger to his lips to try and silence her. “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” he whispered as he shut the door quietly behind him, shaking his head.

  He’d never been able to deny Lauren anything; this was no exception. When she announced she wanted him to take her virginity, he’d nearly lost his mind. Things had slowly been changing between them. Lauren was transforming from his tomboy best friend into a beautiful woman. Over the last year, he’d spent plenty of nights in his own room jacking off to the image of her. Then the summer hit and she started sporting a bikini, and damn if he didn’t nearly explode every time he laid eyes on her.

  They’d been denying themselves until Lauren finally took the reins and demanded she wanted to be more than just friends.

  “You sure this is what you want, Princess?”

  Lauren bit her lip and nodded. She looked so innocent as she motioned for him to come closer. There was no way she was going to let him leave for college in New York without giving him all of her.

  She was giving him a piece of her that no one else would ever have.

  He took his time with her, did everything he could to make sure he didn’t hurt her, but when he pushed inside, tears started to roll down her face. He instantly stopped, not moving again until she took a deep breath and urged him to push in further. They found a rhythm that worked for both of them, and it was over quickly.

  Lauren still remembered how Connor held her in his arms that night. He waited for her to fall asleep before he tiptoed back to his own room. His grandparents were none the wiser. The next time, she was the one tiptoeing into Connor’s room the night before he left for college. That morning, he was gone and had taken her heart with him.

  Memories of that night kept her awake. She longed to go to him again, to fall asleep wrapped in his arms. Her heart, still aching from the past she couldn’t let go of, wouldn’t let her though.

  The next morning, Connor was met with a dozen questions from Bryce when Lauren hadn’t appeared in the kitchen behind Connor. “What the fuck did you do to her that would cause her to just run off in the middle of the night? Did you at least call a cab or drive her home?”

  “Let it go, Bryce,” Connor growled.

  “No, I’m not going to let it go. You managed to fuck things up with her the last time by being an immature ass. I wasn’t here to kick the shit out of you then, but damn it, if I have to now, I will.”

  Bryce and Connor may have been related by blood, but Bryce had always thought of Lauren as family too. If there was ever a time when Connor couldn’t be there to protect her, Bryce damn sure would be…at least until the Army called him away. But he was back for now, and he had no problem standing up for her again.

  Connor slammed down his coffee mug and stood toe to toe with his cousin. “You don’t get to play hero here, Bryce. For fuck’s sake, I know I screwed up, but it would be nice if my own family had my back. I’m not trying to fuck things up with her again. Okay? I don’t know what went wrong.”

  “Yeah. Well maybe you should try keeping your dick in your pants for once. How the hell could you get her knocked up, and then treat her like shit, man? She’s a fucking fool if she takes you back.” Bryce pushed on Connor’s chest with his fists.

  Before Connor had a chance to swing at Bryce, a soft body stepped between them and screamed out a warning. When they both glanced down, Lauren stood planted between them, tears streaming down her face.

  “Princess,” Connor whispered.

  “We thought you left,” Bryce finished.

  “I would have, but…” She poked Connor’s chest. “I knew everyone else here was too drunk to drive me home, so it didn’t happen. I’m still here. And I heard the whole damn thing. You both need to get over yourselves.” She stomped off toward the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.


  “This isn’t going to get any easier. Fuck man,” Connor groaned.

  “Fix it. And if you fuck her over again, I’m kicking your ass. I guarantee it.” Bryce stormed off.

  Connor stood grounded to his spot, his jaw locked tight, and his fists clenched at his sides as he tried to calm down.

  Lauren stepped back out of the bathroom with her hair pulled up into a messy bun, and her face wiped clean of both makeup and tears. She looked at Connor and drew a deep breath. “I’ll make everyone breakfast. Then could you please take me home?”

  Connor’s head snapped in her direction. “You don’t have to do that. Amy and Riley already left. They said something about church.”

  “Shit! I knew this was a bad idea.” Lauren glanced at the clock. “Kyle is not going to be happy. Uh, can you take me home right now? I need to get my car so that I can pick up Eliot. I’m already going to be late.”

  Without a word, he reached for her hand, but Lauren pulled away from his grasp. “I could just take you to church, if you want. And then drop you both back off at your house,” he offered, leading her to the garage.

  “I’d rather not do the walk of shame if it’s all the same to you,” she answered him as he slid into the driver’s seat and reversed out of the garage.

  Connor gave her a sideways glance before he cracked a smile. “You don’t really look like you’ve been out all night. You look just as good as you did yesterday.”

  Lauren huffed, “But I smell like sex.”

  “Not to get in your business, but if your nine-year-old can tell that you smell like sex, then I’d say that’s the least of your worries.”

  She shot him a warning glance, and then finally conceded his offer once she realized she’d be even later if she went all the way home first.

  Her stomach was in knots when they finally pulled into the parking lot of the church. People were already filing out of the sanctuary toward their cars. She’d missed the whole service, but she did not miss Kyle’s scowl as he made his way toward Connor’s car. Stepping out, she could already predict the riot act he wanted to give her. Her only hope was that Connor had enough sense not to get involved.