Tequila Mockingbird (Sinners #3)

The taste of him—of Forest—filled him. Connor needed more. Wanted more. He wanted to find someplace soft and dark so he could explore every inch of the man’s body, if only to feel the texture of Forest’s skin on his lips. He’d known pleasure, but in that moment, Connor wondered if he’d even begun to understand it. Temptation teased him, flirting with the seductive pull of Forest’s length, and then a small, husky laugh escaped the man’s mouth, and that resonance—a puff of air carrying a dollop of sound—poured into Connor’s body, and he was finally complete.

Connor couldn’t find his English. Instead, a guttural crawl of Gaelic flowed from his mouth and spread over Forest where Connor’s lips touched his skin. The man’s hands dug into his sides, and Connor loved the sheer strength of them, a tumble roughness he’d never had before. There was a solidity to their touch, a whispering pledge from Forest’s muscular body that he was able—and more than willing—to take anything Connor could dish out. And perhaps even give Connor back more than he could ever imagine.

They’d kissed for only a hiccup of an eternity when Forest drew back and moved his hands out from under Connor’s jacket. He took a breath, then clutched at Con’s biceps, wrapping his fingers around Connor’s thickly muscled arms. As Forest rested his forehead on Connor’s chest, Connor cradled the man to him, thankful for the table Forest found to hide under, grateful for his father’s love and assurance he could love anyone he wanted and still be the man Donal would be proud of, but most of all, astonished at the reality of Forest in his arms.

“By all that is holy, I am in love with you,” Connor whispered into Forest’s tangled blond hair. His mouth stung from their kisses, but his fingers itched to explore. There was so much to discover between them, and Connor wondered if he could bring more than a wisp of a smile to Forest’s mouth.

“Whoa. Did you just kiss me?”

“Aye, I did.”

“Did you mean you’d catch me?” Forest whispered, weaving slightly in Connor’s embrace. “If I fell?”

“Yes.” He frowned at the man. Forest’s brown eyes were blown out to black, and he blinked under Connor’s intense stare.

“Good, good. ’Cause I think I’ve got a concussion.” Forest nodded. Then a green cast spread under the blush of his cheeks. “So I’m going to pass out right now, and I might really need that catch you promised me.”





Chapter 8





Working in deep

End of the line

Black river at my feet

Red fire down my spine

Getting harder every day

To hold onto what is mine

—Working In Deep



“KIERA JOYCE Morgan, if you don’t get out of my face, I’m going to—”

“Going to what, Con? Punch my face?” Kiki inspected her brother’s scowl, then gave him one just as fierce. “See? I can do Big Bad Connor Morgan face too. Except the difference is I know you’re not going to do anything other than spit and growl at me.”

“I’d risk the suspension,” he snapped, pacing another length of the waiting room to distance himself from his younger sister.

“You might,” Kiki agreed with a nod. “But you won’t risk Da being pissed off about it.”

He couldn’t shake Kiki. Not without causing a scene or earning himself a black mark on someone’s ledger. Rubbing at his face, Connor mumbled through his fingers, “What do you want, Kiki? I told you everything I know.”

“Really? Because I don’t seem to get it.” She rounded on him, poking her finger into his chest. “I want to know why you left a family thing to go down to an old crime scene. And—”

“And it’s none of your business, Kiera,” Connor said flatly.

She must have finally realized he meant business, because his little sister took a step back, dropping her hand down to her side.

“I told you I was standing outside when I saw something moving out of the corner of my eye. I didn’t have time to think about what that was, and no, I don’t know what the fuck is going on. I didn’t see who started the van. I didn’t see who locked its steering wheel in place, and I sure as fuck don’t know why someone would do this to Forest. What I do know is that it’s none of your fecking business about why I was there or why I’m here now. So step back a bit, colleen, because there’s nothing more I can give you.”

The smell of the hospital was making him sick. The not knowing what was going on ate away at Connor’s patience, and he’d locked horns with the doctor in charge more times than he could count. If he pushed the man one more time, Connor was fairly certain he’d be marched off the floor and out the hospital’s sliding glass doors before he could blink.

“How about if you let me decide if you’ve got nothing more to give me?” Kiki stood next to him, her hands on her hips. It was hard to reconcile the gun-toting, badge-wielding inspector with the frizzy-haired little girl he’d once carried on his shoulders so she could see the dragons at a Chinese New Year parade over the thick crowd. “I’m going to do my job, Con. It’ll be nice if you help me with that.”