Cocksure (The Cochrans of Cocker County)

by Walker, Shiloh

  Without my mind being fully aware of what I was doing, I slid a hand down the sheets, searching for Sabrina.

  It was when I encountered the warmth that she’d left behind that I realized I was actually searching for her. My eyes flew open. As I dragged in a deep breath, the scent of her wrapped around me and immediately, blood drained down to my groin.

  That erotic, unique scent. I could have been blindfolded and picked her out of a line of people, simply by that scent alone.

  Rolling onto my back, I stretched out tired muscles and drew in a deep breath.

  A split second later, I jackknifed upright and took a second breath.

  Coffee.

  Fuck, I really adored that woman.

  I had no idea how she’d managed to get coffee. We hadn’t taken care of any sort of shopping the night before. Getting up, I grabbed my jeans from the floor and pulled them on, zipping them as I headed out into the hall.

  The scent of coffee grew stronger, along with the yeasty, sweet scent of something else.

  “Donuts,” I mumbled, almost convinced I was imagining things.

  Sabrina looked up from where she sat at the kitchen island, already at work. Papers spread out around her, a neat little pair of glasses perched on the tip of her nose. Her cheeks colored as her gaze met mine.

  From the corner of my eye, I saw a box of donuts, and a big cardboard carafe-like container that I’d seen often enough to recognize—coffee. She’d found some place to deliver the coffee and donuts. If I hadn’t already adored her, the sight of the caffeine and sugar would have secured it.

  But despite the way my blood was singing out for the rush of caffeine, a bigger part of me had another focus just then.

  Sabrina jerked her gaze away, staring determinedly at the computer in front of her. “Good morning,” she said, her voice neutral and polite. Distant.

  Aw, hell, no.

  Crossing the tiled floor, I went to stand behind her. She’d pulled the dark, thick weight of her hair into a neat bun at the nape of her neck. I was tempted to find the pins and dislodge that heavy mass, but I decided that might be pushing it. Instead, I took advantage of the way it left the elegant curve of her neck vulnerable. Dipping my head, I pressed my mouth to her soft skin. “Good morning.”

  She went still under the touch of my lips and I heard the erratic skip of her breathing.

  She didn’t pull away, but I was keenly aware of the way she held herself, as if she wanted to keep distance between us. I wasn’t going to push her, but I also wasn’t about to pretend like last night hadn’t happened. “Regrets?”

  “Luke...” Her breath came out in an erratic, broken gasp. For a moment, she sagged backward, all but melting into me.

  I took advantage of that slight sign of weakness. Gripping her hip, I moved in closer and nuzzled her neck. A shaking breath escaped her and she tilted her head to the side, giving me better access. Kissing a line up her neck to her ear, I caught her lobe between my teeth and tugged. “I’m going to be honest, Sabrina...maybe I should have some regrets. This is a complicated mess and I know that. But the only thing I regret is the fact that I woke up and you weren’t in bed next to me so I could spread your legs and fill that hot, sweet pussy with my dick.”

  A hard shudder racked her body.

  I stroked a hand up her side and cupped her breast, seeking out her nipple. She wore a bra. Through her dress, I could feel the lace and padding, but even those layers of material weren’t enough to hide the fact that her nipple was already tight and hard.

  I worked my free hand around and started to loosen the buttons on her dress.

  Her breath caught.

  “Do you want me to stop?” I whispered against her ear.

  She didn’t answer for so long, I almost wondered if she’d heard me. But then she gave a small shake of her head.

  The tension inside me slowly released and I finished unbuttoning the dress, then slowly smoothed it off her shoulders. She sat in front of me wearing just a bra and panties that rode high over her full, lush hips. She didn’t argue or resist when I spun her around, then nudged her back until she was leaning against the breakfast bar, her full tits straining her bra, the soft curve of her belly quivering, the panties cut high on her thighs and leaving the plump curves of her legs bare for me.

  My mouth watered.

  Grabbing the waistband of her panties, I dragged them down, working them free until I could drop them to the floor.

  She resisted me at first when I tried to nudge her thighs apart, but after a few seconds, she yielded to me.

  Holding her eyes, I went to my knees in front of her.

  Her pupils flared and her mouth parted.

  “I didn’t get enough time on this,” I said, pressing a kiss to the delicate skin just above her knee. I moved higher and kissed her again, then higher...and higher...

  She was trembling by the time I reached the juncture of her thighs. Cupping her hips in my hands, I slid my tongue through her folds, groaning as the slick, wet honey hit my tongue. She shivered and shifted her legs. Her inner thighs rubbed against my cheeks, her skin like silk against me.

  Seeking out the bud of her clit, I sucked on her.

  She gasped and thrust closer.

  The stool wobbled.

  Rising, I caught her up against me, kicking the stool aside. Her computer was open on the counter—she’d kill me if I shoved her computer aside, so I shifted and laid her down a couple of feet to the right. Catching her behind the knees, I shoved her legs up and bent back over her, diving for her pussy.

  A strangled cry broke from her lips and she lifted to me.

  Her entire body went tight.

  The feel and taste of her was like a drug, something I could come to crave, if I wasn’t already addicted. Stabbing at her soft folds with my tongue, I smoothed one hand down the inside of her thigh, stroked my thumb across the delicate patch of skin between her anus and her cunt. She stiffened.

  Pushing two fingers into her pussy, I twisted and curled them.

  She keened out my name, a high, sharp, thin sound and her entire body went taut as a bowstring.

  I licked her again and pumped my wrist, fucking my fingers deep inside her.

  She came, breaking into pieces under my mouth, under my touch. Her fingers twisted in my hair as she rocked and moaned.

  As she started to come down, I petted and stroked her, pressing kisses to her skin as I moved up her body.

  My cock pressed into the soft curve of her belly just as her lashes fluttered upward.

  Bracing my weight on my elbows, I stared down at her.

  The soft darkness of her eyes looked drugged and dazed. I kissed her tenderly, then straightened, taking her hand and easing her upright. “We need to eat and get ready to go.”

  She frowned, looking confused. Her eyes dropped low, landing on my still-aching cock, confined inside my jeans.

  “Don’t look at me like that,” I grumbled, pressing my hand against my erection. “We need to take care of something, then get to the hospital. The surgery is still scheduled for nine, right?”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Sabrina

  MY ENTIRE BODY STILL felt heavy with the dazed, luxurious pleasure Luke had given me as I lay sprawled on the kitchen island.

  I sipped at my coffee as I sat in the passenger seat next to him, pretending to work on my phone. In reality, I was just staring dumbly at Twitter, occasionally, retweeting something and liking a post here or there. I didn’t have the mental power to actually work right then.

  I needed to be working. We were now officially behind schedule, and even though Kelly had reached out and started reorganizing things, along with the PR crew from the production company, that didn’t mean I got off scot-free.

  There were still interviews to shuffle in and we were now going to be double and triple booked in many cases.

  But was I going through my email or trying to figure out what would work?

  No.

 
I was reliving those moments, thinking about how my lips were still buzzing, how alive I felt, how my skin all but vibrated.

  Some part of me was still convinced I was dreaming. Or hallucinating. I could have tripped and hit my head—a coma thing would make perfect sense.

  Did people in comas dream?

  Since that was an almost rational thought, I left the Twitter app and went to my browser, googling to see if I could find an answer.

  After checking a few random links, I decided the answer was inclusive, although there was a good argument to be made for the dreams of people who were in a catatonic state.

  Maybe that’s what was going on.

  “We’re here.”

  I looked over at Luke, then glanced around, frowning.

  “Where’s here?” I asked. From what I could tell, we were in an alley, surrounded on both sides by buildings that jutted up into the sky. Luke came around and opened the door while I was still trying to figure out what he was up to.

  I slid out to stand in front of him and peered around again. A quick glance up told me the buildings weren’t really all that tall—five, maybe six stories. Louisville, Kentucky was slowly growing, but there were only a few buildings that could be even be close to what a big-city girl like me would consider skyscrapers.

  Luke didn’t have a chance to answer, though, because a booming, jovial voice interrupted us.

  “Mr. Cochran!”

  I turned around, startled at the intrusion.

  A big, rotund man with ruddy cheeks stood in the doorway on the other side of the SUV. He came rushing around the vehicle, a hand outstretched. Two men, clearly security-types, remained in the doorway. They gave me a polite smile but didn’t make any other attempt at greeting.

  Luke shook the hand of the other man, then gestured to me. “Mr. Wyland, my fiancée.”

  “Of course, of course.” He took my hand and pumped enthusiastically. “Ms. Maxwell! Please, call me Ricky. I’m the owner of Wyland Jewelers.” He turned and, ushering both me and Luke along, started toward the door where the two security guards waited. “I cannot tell you how delighted I am that you chose my establishment.”

  “I appreciate you taking the time to come in for us, Ricky,” Luke said while my brain continued to whirl. “But I do want to make it clear, I’m just along for the ride. Whether Sabrina finds anything that appeals...that’s up to her.”

  Ricky turned a beaming smile my way. “Of course, I understand. And while I absolutely hope you find the engagement ring of your dreams here, it’s just an honor to have you both here.”

  Engagement ring...?

  Ten minutes later, I was sitting in a plush leather seat with a gourmet latte and a croissant drizzled with fine dark chocolate in front of me.

  There were also three trays of rings, all of them sans stone.

  I was the focus of attention and I was one hundred percent certain I’d never been more uncomfortable in my life.

  Ricky beamed at me. “So...tell me. What is your style?”

  I blinked. “My style?”

  He waved a hand. “Let me guess...” He stood up and studied me from head to toe, his eyes slightly narrowed. After a few seconds, he gestured to one of the women who’d been waiting inside the still-quiet jewelry store for us. The place was closed, and he’d assured us it would remain so for as long as we needed. We were his top priority.

  That didn’t make me feel as comfortable as he probably hoped.

  Luke had been living this life for longer than I’d known him and he still wasn’t comfortable with it. There was no way I could hope to be.

  I could feel them both watching me and had the feeling they were dissecting me.

  While Ricky talked to the tall, slim woman, I looked back at the rings on the tray. Desperate for a distraction, I stared at the rings in front of me and tried to focus.

  Most of them looked too gaudy, or the style was wrong for me—bands too wide or designed with a color that wouldn’t work well with the soft golden tone of my skin, with its faint yellow undertone. One in the top right corner caught my eye and I grabbed it.

  “Oh, that one would be perfect for you.”

  I glanced up to see the other woman approach. She had a warm, genuine smile on her face. She was also the one who’d gotten me the latte. She gestured to the ring. “Why don’t you try it on?”

  Because I had nothing better to do, I did just that.

  “Oh, yes...Lisa, that one is perfect,” Ricky said. He looked at the tall, thin black woman he’d been conferring with. “Yanelle, why don’t you get some images of how the Sophia looks with a setting?”

  She gave a nod and a moment later, she settled an iPad in front of me.

  The Sophia, I realized, was the name of the ring I’d tried on. The description of it—unique, rose-gold filigree vintage-style engagement ring—was described as being elegant and imminently personalizable. Was that even a word?

  “We can personalize it to your satisfaction,” Ricky said, as if he was reading my mind. “Whether you prefer a diamond or a colored stone such as a sapphire, a ruby...”

  Luke had approached without me even realizing.

  Now, as I stared at the band, he stroked a hand down my back, left it lying between my shoulder blades. “Do you like that one?”

  Shivers broke out across my flesh under his touch. Needing a distraction, I looked back at the screen. There was a discreet note under the image—for pricing and availability, please contact...

  A knot settled in my throat.

  That meant only one thing.

  Pricy.

  I started to tug it off.

  Luke bent down and pressed his lips to my temple. “Do you like it?”

  I turned my eyes to his and now our mouths were only an inch apart. “I...uh...”

  He cradled my cheek in one hand, taking my left hand in his. My skin heated as he lowered his gaze and studied the ring. “It suits you.” Slowly, he looked back up at me. “Do you like it?”

  I felt lost in the hypnotic blue of his eyes and realized the walls I’d built to protect myself against just this were all but gone now. Even as I acknowledged that, though, I heard myself speaking. “Yes.”

  “Good.” He slowly tugged the ring off and turned away, moving to speak to Ricky.

  I didn’t hear anything else they said. Heart pounding, I grabbed my latte and took a drink—a big one. I ended up scalding the roof of my mouth.

  Serves you right, I told myself. Maybe you’ll get your head out of your ass.

  “YOU REALIZE THE RING wasn’t necessary,” I told Luke once we were on the way to the hospital.

  “We want people to believe we’re engaged, right?”

  He held my hand in his.

  He’d taken it after starting the car, and me, stupid, foolish me, couldn’t manage to pull away.

  What was wrong with me?

  But I knew the answer to that.

  My heart, the heart that had belonged to him almost from the beginning, just couldn’t seem to get the message—my heart didn’t understand that none of this was real.

  At that moment, Luke stroked his thumb across the back of my hand.

  And my hopeful heart quivered.

  Maybe this wasn’t real.

  But it sure as hell felt real.

  “And what am I supposed to do with a customized engagement ring when this is all over?” I asked. “Or rather...I guess the better question would be, what are you going to do with it?”

  Luke slanted me a look. “It’s your ring. I won’t be able to wear it.”

  I wanted to rip my hair out. It might be more cathartic to rip out his.

  “Are you deliberately being obtuse?”

  A faint grin crooked up the corner of his mouth. While temper simmered inside, he lifted my hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. “Ina. I think that comes naturally.”

  I yanked my hand back and fisted it, shaking it at him in warning. “I’m tempted to hit you. Don’t you get it? T
his isn’t some one-night stand that’s going to disappear in the annals of Hollywood gossip like everything else does, Luke. People are going to talk. In a month or two, I’m going to be fielding questions about venues and dates. People are going to start yammering about wedding dresses. And if I show my face out in public without that ring?” I waved my hand as if I was already wearing it. “They’ll go nuts!”

  He didn’t look concerned.

  I shoved his arm. It was like trying to shove an oak tree. “Aren’t you listening?”

  “I’m listening.” He frowned and glanced at me. “I’m also thinking about other things. Look, if this is...hell. I’ll tell you what. I’ll go onto my blog and tell everybody that I was just bullshitting people. I’ll talk to my brothers and sisters—they can keep their traps shut for a while. None of the nurses will say anything—”

  I groaned. “Like hell they won’t.” Covering my face with my hands, I tried to block out reality for just a few seconds, but it remained hovering around me, breathing dragon’s breath down my neck. “We can’t risk getting your mom getting upset right now. She needs to get through the next few days and recover from the procedure.”

  He was quiet a minute. “Okay. But I don’t want you stressing about this, either.”

  “Harrumph.” Crossing my arms over my chest, I slumped down in the seat. “It’s a little late for that. You’re not the one with the flooded inbox, dealing with questions from Today’s Modern Bride and the National Enquirer—the subjects range from the ideal wedding theme to whether or not I used a professional hypnotist to lure you into marriage.”

  He laughed, the sound big and full and happy.

  I refused to smile along with him.

  He settled his hand on the back of my neck. “It will all work out, Ina. You know I wouldn’t do a damn thing to cause you, of all people, any problems.”