Checkmate (Neighbor from Hell 3)

Well, that was kind of insulting. As far as everyone here knew they were on a date. Granted, it wasn't a real date, but they didn't know that. She'd bet a huge cup of cocoa that Amber was going to find a way to slip her number into Connor's hand before the night was over.

"I'm not interested," Connor said, dragging her attention back to him.

He leaned back in the bench across from her and nodded towards Amber's retreating back as if she'd asked or cared. She really didn't. He could kiss every woman in town and she wouldn't bat an eye. Nope, it wouldn't bother her at all, she thought absently as she considered kicking Connor beneath the table and wiping that knowing look off his face.

"So, you want to tell me why you're really doing this?" she asked, deciding that she'd had enough of his games over the past week. She knew that he really wasn't worried about how they were treated enough to force her to go through with this farce. She believed that it probably aggravated him as much as it did her and he'd probably be happy if it stopped, but she knew him well enough to know that wasn't his real intention. So, the question remained, what exactly was he up to?

"I told you why," he said, reaching out and taking her good hand into both of his and for the moment she allowed it.

For whatever reason, it was important to him that people believed that they were together and she really had no choice but to go along with it. Maybe if she figured out what he wanted, she could turn the tables on him and get her project free and clear.

"Fine. Don't tell me the real reason," she said with a bit more attitude than she'd meant to, but she couldn't help it. She was tired, her ribs and arm were still a little sore. She’d missed her nightly hot chocolate fix when she got home, and to make matters worse, the way Connor was looking at her, kissing her and couldn't seem to stop touching her was seriously screwing with her head.

Connor laced their fingers together as he gestured for Susan, a pleasant woman in her late forties, who used to teach the fourth grade until an unfortunate incident involving the two of them and a fire hose during a school assembly years ago ended her career. Rory had to admit that it was nice to see the woman smile again and the limp was barely noticeable these days. Not that she took the blame for the woman's injury. She didn't. To this day she still didn't know why the woman took off screaming when she spotted them.

At least the woman was able to put her past behind her and move on, Rory thought seconds before Susan noticed Connor gesturing her over. Her smile quickly disappeared as an expression of pure terror took its place. She shook her head in disbelief as she stumbled back, mumbling to herself before she blindly reached out for Amber as the other woman moved to walk past her. Rory watched as Susan whispered something to Amber as she gestured wildly in their direction. When Amber nodded, Susan tore off her apron and took off running through the crowded restaurant.

Rory really hated when that happened.

"Do you want to dance?" Connor asked, drawing her attention as she watched Susan shove a couple out of her way in her desperate attempt to get away from them.

"Dance?" she asked, shifting her eyes to the right to find everyone still watching them, but at least now they were trying to pretend that they weren't.

It really shouldn't bother her, but it did. She didn't like being on display and although she would have normally jumped at the chance to dance since she didn't get to do it often, probably because no one ever asked her, she didn't want to tonight. She wasn't a very good dancer, probably from lack of practice and she really didn't feel like giving half the town something else to talk about.

She was just about to tell him no when Phil walked up to their table and sighed heavily with obvious annoyance. "You have to leave."

"And why's that?" Connor asked casually as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Two of my waitresses just quit and the other six are refusing to come out of the kitchen until I swear on my balls that I won't make them serve you," he said with a shrug.

"See what I'm talking about?" Connor asked as he nodded and moved to stand, never releasing her hand as he did. It didn't surprise her that he didn't argue with Phil since it was pointless. They were being kicked out and nothing they said or did would change that.

"It's only because we're in here together. If I had come alone, I would already be on my second cup of cocoa and making fun of you with the waitresses," Rory felt obligated to point out.

Instead of glaring at her or getting pissed like he normally would have, Connor simply shot her a grin and a wink as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. They followed after Phil, who was making damn sure that they left. He seemed relaxed and carefree and heaven help her, but she actually liked him this way, which of course only made her want to kick his ass even more.

He was up to something, something big and she wished he would just get it over with and stop screwing with her head. She didn't want to like him and with every touch and smile he was making that impossible to resist.

* * * *

"Please tell me that you're not actually following me," Rory said, abruptly stopping and almost causing him to crash into her since his eyes had been locked on her ass and not on the stone walkway.

He caught himself just in time and even managed to look up before Rory had the chance to turn around and catch him staring at her ass, again. It didn't help that the effort caused his eyes to roam over her chest and since they were there, they may have taken a moment to appreciate what Rory had to offer. What he wouldn't give to see Rory na**d and have five minutes just to appreciate the woman. She was so beautiful and he had absolutely no doubts that her body was just as perfect. As his mind registered Rory cupping his face, he couldn't help but wonder if his fantasies over the years came close to the real thing.

"Care to explain why you're following me?" Rory asked once his eyes moved the rest of the way up her body and met her gorgeous eyes.

"To say goodnight," he said, frowning and wondering why she even had to ask.

"Uh huh," she said, returning his frown. "Didn't we say goodnight in the truck?"

"You mean when you climbed out of the truck, slammed the door shut, and walked off without a word?"

"Yes," she said, nodding.

"How exactly is that a proper goodbye for a date?" he had to ask.

"Because this isn't a real date," she said in an exasperated tone that he simply chose to ignore since he was too busy trying to hold back an annoyed sigh.

Why did she have to be so difficult?

"Of course it is," he said, taking her good hand into his and gave it a gentle tug as he headed for her front door where he planned on giving her a proper goodbye, for appearance sake of course. He was not looking forward to taking her into his arms.