by Lea Hart
She answered by wrapping her long legs around his waist and pulling him further into her heat. Using his upper body as leverage, he took a long glide out before plunging back in, hard and fast. Her slick walls gripped him, her heels dug into his back, and he felt her everywhere.
Sweat broke out on his forehead as the primal need to own her washed over him. He took her hard and felt her body move against his. “Kelly, fuck me back.”
Her nails dug into him as they climbed toward a climax together. It was fast and furious, and he felt more than mind-blowing pleasure race down his spine; he felt an emotional connection.
It was too soon and too fast, but damn if he could shut the thing down.
Her climax hit, and his name fell from her lips as she shuddered around him, her body clasping him again and again in its warmth and heat. Allowing himself to join her, he came hard and emptied himself as his heart beat out of his chest.
Collapsing, he broke his landing with his arms and rolled over. He took her hand and looked over and saw her smile. “Next time, I’m coming inside you. No more condoms.”
Nothing, no words or movement. “Did I take all your words?” She rolled over, rested her head on his chest, and nodded. Pulling the covers over their sweat-soaked bodies, he hit the button for the light, plunging the room into darkness.
Hearing her breathing even out, he kissed her head and promised himself he was going to do everything in his power not to screw this up.
She was more than he deserved, and now that he had her in his bed and life, he didn’t want to think about ever letting her go.
One way or another, he was going to succeed and go for the happy ever after he never thought he’d have.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Kelly enjoyed Cole’s tub and felt her sore muscles relax in the warm water. Feeling her face heat, she thought about the things they’d done with one another and how raw the experience had been.
Words she had never considered using flew from her mouth and feelings she never expected to experience occurred. He wasn’t a polite, paint by the numbers lover, and there were moments when she thought they were one.
It had been both brutal and achingly tender.
And she was a smitten kitten.
Hearing the door open, she looked up and saw the man of the hour enter with two cups of coffee and her gym bag slung over his shoulder. “Good morning.”
He dropped the bag on the floor and then sat down on the edge of the tub and grinned. “Babe, we said that with our bodies when we woke up.”
Sitting up, she twisted her wet hair into a knot. “Guess we did.” She took the coffee and sipped it carefully. “As soon as I drink this, I’ll get out of your hair, so you can enjoy your Sunday.”
“No way, we’re spending the day together on account of the fact we’re in a relationship.” He moved his hand through the bubbles that clung to her chest and slowly grazed his finger over her nipple.
Shuddering, she felt an immediate response between her legs. How that was possible after all that they’d done, she didn’t know. “And what would you like to do?”
He licked his lips and grinned. “I’d like to take you back to bed and sixty-nine you again, but I figure feeding you first might be necessary.” He shrugged and continued to move his fingers slowly over her breasts. “Or maybe have you ride me reverse cowgirl because I want to see your ass bounce as you cover my cock in your cream.” He checked his watch and groaned. “Unfortunately, the cleaning service is going to be here soon, so it’ll have to wait until this afternoon.”
“That’s some dirty mouth you have.”
“You like it, so don’t pretend otherwise.”
“I’ll act whatever way I want in the cold light of day.”
“As long as it’s just an act, then I guess it’s fine.”
She drank her coffee and let her mind blank out. “Are you really serious about starting something together?”
Frowning, he leaned forward and pressed his mouth against hers. “God damn right I am.” He kissed her hard and then straightened up. “We’re going to grab brunch and then relax. Did you think I wanted to fuck and run?”
“Well, no, not exactly, but what you’re suggesting is very coupley.”
“No shit, Kelly, considering that’s what we are.” He set his empty coffee cup down and took her hand. “How the hell do you expect to get to the kids and minivan if we don’t start figuring out how we’re going to work together?”
She finished her coffee and handed him the cup. “You know I just said that so you’d run.”
“Babe, I’m not a runner and know there’s a whole lot of truth in what you said.”
“I do not want a minivan!”
“Yeah, but you want the marriage, rugrats, and happy ever after.”
Sinking down into the water, she moved the bubbles around. Maybe she did, but it wasn’t anything she was ready to talk about with Cole. The doorbell rang, and she silently thanked whoever it was for interrupting the conversation. “Better get that.”
“It’s better if you just admit what you want; that way we can see if it’s something we can have together.”
“You’re not the marrying kind, so why would I do that?”
“You don’t know what kind I am, so don’t assume.” He picked up the coffee cups and walked out of the bathroom.
Letting out a groan, she slid under the water and wondered how they got on the subject anyway. It wasn’t anything they needed to discuss, and she was smart enough to know their liaison wouldn’t last the month. No matter what Cole said.
The bedroom door opened, and she pulled on her leggings. “I’m almost ready.” When Cole didn’t respond, she turned and saw his frown. “What?”
“You can’t wear that to breakfast.”
“Why not? We’re not going someplace fancy.”
“Because Las Vegas does not need to see your perfect ass.” He grabbed a handful and smirked. “We don’t need our meal interrupted when I slug some poor bastard for staring.”
“I wear this to the gym all the time.”
Holding up his hand, he closed his eyes. “I don’t need that picture in my head.”
“That’s a double standard.” Pulling out a loose sweatshirt, she slid it over her head. “Put a regular T-shirt on then because I don’t want women salivating over your muscles and tats.”
Grinning, he pulled her flush against his body. “You want to keep me all for yourself?”
“Yes, Cole. While we are sleeping together, we’re monogamous.”
“That goes without saying.”
She pushed at his chest and, instead of releasing his hold, he tightened it. “This isn’t going to be easy, is it?”
Brushing her braids over her shoulder, he shrugged. “It might be.”
He ran his mouth over her shoulder and up her neck, causing a cascade of shivers to rack her body. “But we’re so different.”
He pressed a kiss to the fluttering pulse in her neck and then nipped lightly. “Babe, that’s what is going to keep things interesting.”
Her body flooded with desire along with a feeling she couldn’t name. Pressing her face into his neck, she inhaled his warm, woodsy scent and wondered if he could be the one she called home.
***
Cole slid into the booth next to Kelly and looked around the bright restaurant. He’d never been to honey SALT and decided he’d been missing out. The place was filled with locals and their families and smelled freaking fantastic.
He was starved and not just for the stack of pancakes the guy at the next table was eating. Glancing over, he watched Kelly pull her glasses out of her purse and decided he liked his sexy as fuck girlfriend with her bare face and braids. He took her hand and laced their fingers together, noticing she smiled when he rested their joined hands on his leg. “What are you going to have?”
She studied the menu and shrugged. “Everything.”
“Work up an appetite, did you?” Her eyes slid over, and
she smirked.
“Seems so.” Turning, she let her eyes rake over his face slowly. “This dirty man kept up all night and gave me more pleasure than I thought existed, and I’m starved.”
Feeling happier than he could ever remember, he leaned forward and kissed her gently. “Just getting started, babe.” Her cheeks flushed pink, and he felt like he was getting to see a part of Kelly she had never revealed.
She was a smart, fearless ball-buster in the office and he loved that part of her, but the soft, blushing woman holding his hand was pretty damn spectacular too.
His favorite, though, was the one who’d been in his bed last night. That woman was open, giving, and a little clumsy. Everything he could’ve hoped for.
The night was a little dirty, a whole lot of real, and the mind-blowing connection they created was something he still couldn’t wrap his mind around. Seeing the waitress approach, he decided to look at the menu and leave his sappy thoughts for later.
After the waitress walked away, he heard Kelly’s phone ring. When she didn’t pull it out of her purse, he wondered why she didn’t take the call. “You can answer your phone.”
“I know; it would be rude, though, since we’re in a restaurant.”
“What if it’s an emergency?”
“I’ve programmed rings for my family, and it wasn’t them, so whoever it is can wait.” She folded her hands and gave him a prim smile. “I don’t like when people sit in a restaurant and gab; it’s rude and, unless it’s an emergency, completely unnecessary.”
Mimicking her, he looked over. “You want to give me your list of rules now or wait until after we eat?”
“Why would I bother since all you’d do is ignore them?”
“Babe, if you’ve got some important ones, then I’d like to know about them. Just because I crossed most of the lines in our working relationship doesn’t mean I won’t behave in our personal relationship.”
“So, all that poking and joking you did at work was because you liked me and didn’t know what to do about it?”
“I knew what to do; I was just trying like hell not to. I don’t mess around with people I work with, and you made that damn near impossible with all your sass and fire.”
She played with the end of her braid and then looked up. “I never thought you were attracted to me and just assumed I irritated the crap out of you.”
“Make no mistake, I was irritated as hell, but it was because I thought you’d never be interested in a guy like me.”
“Why wouldn’t I be interested in a war veteran who owns a successful business and loves his family?”
“Babe, I’m not a college graduate, avoided jail by joining the Marines, and grew up in a trailer park with a drunk abusive father who could barely hold onto a job.”
“Those are circumstances; it’s not who you are. The man in front of me has put his life on the line in defense of this country and works hard every day building something his family will be proud of for generations to come.”
Their juice was delivered, and he thought about her words and wondered how in the hell she managed to come up with that version. “Kelly…”
“I’m right on this one, and I think it’s about time you got rid of the outdated picture you have of yourself. Who you were at eighteen is not who you are now, and I bet if you really looked in a mirror, you could see that.”
He pulled out his wallet and slid out an old crumpled picture. Placing it on the table, he frowned. “That’s me a month before I got popped for stealing a car. I was a senior in high-school, doing hood-rat shit with my buddies, heading down a road that was leading nowhere. I carry this picture around, so I never forget where I came from and what I want to avoid.”
Kelly opened her purse and pulled out a leather planner. Flipping through it, she plucked out a picture and set it next to Cole’s. “That’s me, sophomore year in high school. The short hair, braces, and glasses made me about as popular with boys as you’d imagine. Thankfully, I went to an all-girls Catholic school, so my looks never mattered. I graduated high school without ever kissing a boy or having a date. I keep this picture to remind myself that even though I grew into my face and body, I’m still that shy girl, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”
He pushed their pictures together and knew there had probably never been a more unlikely couple. And maybe that’s what was going to give them a chance at something pretty fucking great.
Taking out his phone, he lifted it up and slung his arm around her shoulder. “Let’s take a picture together and add it to these two.” He tilted his head against hers and smiled as he took a few. Before he could look at them, she grabbed it out of his hand and studied the screen.
“Babe, let me see.”
“We should take another one when I’ve got makeup on and my hair is done.”
Snorting, he took it out of her hand and slid through the pictures. She was fucking gorgeous with a smile that lit up her face and didn’t need any makeup. He chose one and made it his screen saver. “This one is perfect.” Setting the phone down next to their pictures, he nodded. “Now that tells the whole story.”
Kelly picked up his picture and ran her thumb over his face. “I would’ve had a major crush on you.” She kissed the picture and set it down, closing her planner.
“Not so fast, lady.” He grabbed the planner and started looking through it. “Let me see your senior picture.”
“Uhh, I don’t have one.”
“Liar.” He flipped through the planner and felt her hand cover his. “Show me.”
“Fine,” she huffed. She pulled a picture out of a back pocket and slid it over. “Happy?”
He lifted it and whistled. “Damn, two years made a big difference. You were hot.”
Snorting, she tried to grab the picture back. “Don’t make fun.”
He kept it out of her reach. “Babe, if I had met you, I would’ve made it my mission to get into those pink panties of yours and make you mine.”
“You would not have.”
He put the picture in his wallet along with the one of him and snapped it closed. “Now, we’re together forever.” He handed back the sophomore picture and grinned. “You can keep this one, so you don’t forget what a swan you turned into.”
Their food was delivered, and he watched Kelly slip the picture into her planner and shove it into her purse. When the waitress left, he gave her a kiss and rested his head against hers. “I think the rogue and the good girl have a whole lot of happiness ahead of them.”
“I hope so, Cole.”
He kissed her head and then sat back. “No hoping, babe, only knowing.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Cole sat at his desk and reviewed the applications they’d received and hoped they’d have at least a dozen men who’d make it through the initial screening. He and his brothers had put the word out to their former brothers from the corps, and they were thankfully starting to get some interest.
“Hey, good looking, what are you doing?” Kelly called out as she entered his office.
Looking up, he grinned. “Waiting for you.”
She swung a bag in her hand and closed the door behind her, hitting the lock. “Trust me; it was worth it.”
Standing, he walked around his desk and saw her flushed cheeks. A locked door could mean a lot of things, and he prayed Kelly’s ideas were similar to his. They’d been together a month, and he was ready for some office sex. “Really?”
“My client was really appreciative of all that I’ve done this week to get her books in order and gave me a gift.”
“Is it a gift I’m going to enjoy?” he asked as he leaned against the front of his desk.
“Possibly.” She opened the pink bag and peered in, “There might be something…” pulling out a scrap of lace, she held it up, “maybe this.”
Licking his lips, he took the tiny peach silk thong and held it up. “I’d like the privilege of tearing it off your body with my teeth.”
She let out a
laugh and took it out of his hands. “This stuff is too nice for that.”
Taking her hips in his hands, he pulled her forward and shrugged. “I like the cotton stuff you wear.”
“But silk is so much sexier.”
“Babe, the wrapping is never the best part of the present. What’s inside is all that matters and I sure as hell like what’s inside those cotton panties you wear.”
The bag dropped out of her hands, and she wrapped his arms around his neck. “Are you trying to make me fall for you?”
“Might be,” he responded as she moved her head until her lips touched his. Nothing more than a soft press of her mouth had him almost lost. Skimming his tongue back and forth over the seam of her lips, he coaxed her mouth open and slid inside. When she welcomed him eagerly, he responded by tangling their tongues together.
Her taste had become his addiction, and as much as his cock wanted to get in the game, he wasn’t ready to relinquish her mouth. Sliding his hands under her sweater, he skated his fingers up her sides and cupped her lace-covered breasts. “So soft,” he muttered.
She tilted her hips and grinned. “So hard.”
“All for you, babe.”
She wriggled closer in response, so he pulled her skirt up and set her astride him with her knees on either side of his thighs. His cock jumped against his wool slacks, and her eyes flared with desire as she shifted her sex over his bulging erection. “That’s it, take what you need. He rocked her against him as her fingers held his neck and she moaned.
Bracing his hands on her hips, he moved her back and forth. He could feel the heat and dampness from her panties and groaned as he took her mouth. So fucking hot, he thought as he moved her closer to her release.
“Feels so good, Cole.”
“Wait until I bury my big cock inside you and give you what you need.” His dirty words did the trick, and she tipped her head back as she thrust her pelvis forward and let out a shuddering cry. Slamming his mouth down on hers, he silenced the last of it and knew there wasn’t going to be any confusion in the office about what they were doing.