“I’m having fun.”

“You look like a total slut on this dance floor and thank god I was here or who knows what that a**hole would have done to you.”

I jerked my arm out of his grip and headed towards the bar. I held 2 fingers up to the bartender as he put two shots of tequila in front of me. Connor weaved in and out of the crowd coming after me. I downed one shot and picked up the next glass as Connor grabbed it from my hand, “You’re drunk and we’re leaving, let’s go.” He threw some money on the bar and grabbed my hand pulling me out of the bar with Mason following behind.

“Let go of me Connor Black,” I screamed as I tried to get out from his grip. I was resisting so much that he picked me up and carried me to the cab, kicking and screaming all the way.

“Ellery, knock it off or so help me.”

“So help you what Connor,” I yelled as he put me in the cab as he climbed next to me. I looked at him as he stared straight ahead.

“You have no right,” I said.

His angry eyes turned to me, “I have no right? What the f**k do you think you were doing in there, trying to get yourself raped? Look at you and the way you’re dressed, you’re just asking for it.”

I started hitting his chest, “Fuck you Connor.”

Mason grabbed my arms as Connor grabbed ahold of my wrists trying to calm me down. The cab pulled up to the apartment building. Connor and Mason got out as I sat there with my arms folded.

“Get out of the cab now!” he yelled. I glared at him and then flipped him off.

“Real mature Ellery,” he said as he leaned in the cab and dragged me out of it. He threw me over his shoulder and carried me straight to the bedroom and threw me on the bed. I watched him pace back and forth across the room running his hands through his perfectly tousled hair.

“I can’t believe you. I came here tonight to surprise you and I find you dry humping some guy in a club, drunk off your ass. What the f**k were you thinking?”

I sat up on the bed, “I was having fun instead of being cooped up in this apartment crying over you every f**king day.”

He stopped and looked at me, “Do you think this has been easy for me?”

I put my hand over my mouth and ran to the bathroom. I leaned over the toilet as the alcohol made its way up my throat. Connor walked up behind me and held my hair back with one hand while he rubbed my back with the other. He got me a warm cloth and wiped my mouth as he helped me up off the floor.

“Let’s get you in your pajamas and into bed, you have your injections tomorrow.” He took my nightshirt out of my drawer and I grabbed it out of his hands.

“Let me help you,” he calmly said.

“I don’t need your help, I can do it myself.” I undressed as he watched me. I slipped on my nightshirt and climbed into bed. He left the room and I heard the TV turn on. He slept on the couch.

The next morning, I stumbled out of bed and walked towards the kitchen. Connor was standing there, leaning up against the counter waiting for the coffee to brew looking as sexy as ever.

“Good morning, you look like shit.”

I frowned as my head was pounding. “Yeah well we all can’t look as perfect as you.”

He grinned as he handed me a cup of coffee. “Do I get a hug,” he asked as he held his arms out.

I walked past him, “Sluts don’t give hugs.”

He rolled his eyes and sat at the table while I went into the bedroom to get dressed.

We arrived at the hospital in silence. I walked a few feet ahead of him and heard him say, “I don’t understand why you’re so mad.”

“You called me a slut Connor.”

“I said you looked like a slut Elle.”

I shook my head, “Same thing you idiot.”

We reached the office and the nurse took us promptly to the room. I changed into the thin gown and sat on the bed waiting for Dr. Murphy.

“Are you even going to look at me?” he asked.

“I am so mad at you Connor Black I could scream.”

He walked over to me and tried to take my hand, I pulled away. “If you think I’m going to apologize, I’m not. What you did last night was unacceptable and immature.”

I looked straight into his eyes, “At least I didn’t take him home and f**k him like you do.”

He turned away, “Why did I even bother coming here.”

“I don’t know Connor, why the f**k did you?”

Dr. Murphy walked in and looked at us. She could feel the tension in the room. “Hello Ellery, Mr. Black,” she smiled.

We said hello as she flipped through my chart. She walked over and put her hand on my knee, “Are you ready for this?”

I looked at her with sadness in my eyes, “Let’s just get it over with.”

I laid down on my side and Connor sat on the edge of the bed facing me. I pointed to the chair, “You, over there.” He sighed and shook his head as he sat in the chair.

“Ok Ellery, here’s the first injection.”

The prick of my skin was the easy part. My body started to burn from the inside. I clenched the sheet of the bed with my fists as my knuckles turned white. I wouldn’t look at Connor even though I wanted him to hold me. I was stubborn and I wanted to do this on my own. As soon as the second injection pierced my skin, I let out a cry of pain as my body felt like a raging fire that couldn’t be extinguished. Fuck it, I needed him. I held out my hand and looked at him as he was by my side in an instant. I clutched his shirt as hard as I could as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead.

“You are the most stubborn person I’ve ever met.”

I cried into his chest as Dr. Murphy injected me with the last injection. She patted my arm and walked out the door.

I walked into the apartment and laid on the couch.

“Are you going to be comfortable there?”

I didn’t say anything; I was still mad at him, but I wasn’t sure at this point why. He knelt down in front of me, his piercing green eyes looking into mine.

“Would it be ok if I gave you a kiss? I’ve really missed those lips.”

In all honesty, who could resist him, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t try. I clamped my mouth shut and he laughed. He ran his finger softly over my mouth and up my cheek. He leaned into me and softly brushed his lips against my mouth. It didn’t take long before I gave in and my lips joined his. I parted my lips so his tongue had access to my whole mouth. The kiss was light and soft. He broke our kiss and looked at me. He didn’t say anything at first, he just stared at me.

“I’ve never loved anyone like I love you and no matter what we’ve been through or are going to go through, that will never change.”

Tears started to swell in my eyes as I cupped his face in my hands, “I love you to and I’m sorry again.”

“I think we are going to spend our lives apologizing to each other,” he laughed.

I sat up letting him sit next to me. He pulled me onto him so my head was resting in his lap. He gently stroked my hair as I fell asleep.

Chapter 42

We spent the next couple of days in bed catching up on sex. “Christmas is next week and I’m taking you to get a tree.”

I looked at him and pouted, “You mean we have to leave this bed?”

Connor smiled, “We do, but I promise we won’t leave it for too long.” He took my hand and led me into the shower.

We spent the day picking out the perfect Christmas tree. Connor made arrangements to have it delivered while we bought the lights and ornaments. We decorated the tree as we sipped wine and ate Chinese food. We made love by the tree with the lights brightly cascaded down around us and laid on the floor wrapped in a blanket.

“My mom wants you to come for Christmas,” he said as he ran his finger up and down my arm.

“I would love that; I miss your family.”

“I talked to Peyton and if it’s ok with you, we’re going to spend Christmas Eve with her and Henry and then Christmas day at my mom and dads, unless you have other plans?”

“That sounds perfect to me and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

It was the day before Christmas Eve and we were heading back to New York first thing the next morning. I got out of bed and started a pot of coffee. Connor emerged from the bedroom with his hand behind his back.

“What are you hiding Mr. Black?”

He smiled and kissed me on the lips, “A present for you.” He handed me the beautiful white box with a pink satin bow. I opened it and pulled out a beautiful white, spaghetti strap sundress.

“Oh Connor, it’s beautiful,” I smiled as I held it up to me.

“You’re going to wear that tonight for dinner.”

I cocked my head to the side, “You’re taking me to dinner?”

“Don’t I always? But tonight will be our last dinner in California for a while so I wanted to make it special.”

I put the dress down and wrapped my arms around his neck, “Thank you, I love it.” It didn’t take long before he picked me up and carried back to the bedroom for our routine morning lovemaking.

We walked out the door and there was a Limo waiting for us.

“A Limo? How classy Mr. Black.”

He smiled and opened the door. I slid in and gasped when I looked at the driver, “Denny what are you doing here?”

He turned and looked at me with a smile. “It’s good to see you Ellery.”

Connor slid in next to me and shut the door. “Why is Denny driving us in California?” Connor just smiled.

“I need to blindfold you.”

I looked at him and smiled, “Don’t you think that’s a little kinky with Denny here?”

He lightly laughed and shook his head, “Trust me, we will be using this in the bedroom, but for now, where I’m taking you is a surprise and I don’t want you to know till we get there.” He took out a black cloth and put it over my eyes.

“Are you ok?”

“Except for being incredibly turned on, yes.”

The limo stopped and Connor took my hand and helped me out. He stopped and told me to take off my shoes. My heart was racing a mile a minute with excitement. As soon as my feet touched the sand, I stopped and listened as the waves crashed to the shore. Connor reached over and took off the blindfold.

“I’m guessing you know where we are.”

I stood there; my feet softened by the sand as I look out and see a white canopy sitting in the middle of the beach.

“Is it just us here tonight?” I asked.

Connor smiled as he kissed me softly on the cheek, “Yes baby, I rented out the entire beach for us.”

He took my hand and led me down the beach to the white canopy. Inside the canopy sat a round table draped in white linen, white roses and two chairs covered in white fabric. I was speechless at the beauty of it all. The best part was that the sun was going to set soon and we’d be here to watch it.

“Connor, how and when did you do all this?”

“Do you like it?”

“I love it, you are so amazing.”

“Dinner will be here soon, so I thought we could take a walk along the water.”