by April Wilson
A slender shaft of light coming from the bathroom illuminates the dark bedroom, and I can feel the warm, humid air wafting into the room. Even with my face pressed into the pillow, I can hear him getting prepared. Part of the excitement for me is the anticipation… waiting for that moment when he first lays his hands on me, wondering what he’s going to do. Will it be slow and sweet? Or will it be fast and rough?
Tonight’s different, though. It’s been months since we were together, so he’ll have to take his time preparing me. He’s a big man to take to begin with. Tonight, it’ll be like starting all over again, and that sends shivers down my spine.
My heart rate picks up when he tosses a brand-new bottle of lube on the bed. Then the mattress dips as he kneels beside me. His big hands are still warm from his shower, and they feel good as they skim over my back and hips. He strokes my skin lightly, teasing my nerve endings and reducing me to a puddle of need.
“God, I’ve missed you,” he murmurs, his voice low. “You have no idea, Sam.”
My throat tightens painfully, and I feel a surge of remorse for leaving him high and dry at the wedding reception. But I did what I had to do at the time, no matter how painful it was. We’re here now, aren’t we, in Sweetwater, dealing with his past? Dealing with the demons that have kept him so closed up.
I turn my head so I’m facing him, my head propped on a pillow. “I missed you, too.” The words themselves are woefully inadequate, but the pain in my voice speaks volumes, and I think he realizes that.
He bends down and kisses my temple tenderly. “I’m sorry.” Then his lips settle over mine. “It was my fault—I drove you away. I might have been angry at you for leaving, but I never blamed you.”
He skims his lips down my neck. “I’m going to take you like it’s the first time all over again. We start fresh tonight, okay?”
I shiver when his lips slide down to a spot at the base of my neck, where he sucks on my skin. I know he’ll leave his mark there, below the collar of my T-shirt—where no one can see it. But he knows it’s there, and I know it’s there. We’ll both know he marked me, and that’s sexy as hell.
He trails kisses down my spine, making my nerves tingle. His hands slide down my sides to my hips, then to my ass. He grasps each one of my butt cheeks, giving them a little squeeze, and then a sharp little bite, which makes me gasp.
Then he comes back up the bed to press a kiss behind my ear. “You’re going to be so tight, aren’t you, baby?”
I’m wound so tightly I can barely speak. “Yes.”
“I’m going to get you ready to take me again, and then I’m going to remind you who you belong to. When I fuck you tonight, you’ll be screaming my name. You got me?”
“Yes!” Jesus! These walls are paper thin. Jake’s going to get an earful, I’m sure. “What about Jake?”
Cooper chuckles, seemingly unconcerned. “I’m sure he’s heard worse.” Then he kisses his way down the small of my back, and I can feel the five-o’clock stubble on his chin. He kisses each of my butt cheeks reverently before gently squeezing them. “Turn over.”
He rolls me to my back, exposing my body to his hungry gaze. Crawling forward, crouching like a tiger on the prowl, he lowers his mouth to mine. He grips my jaw, coaxing my lips apart with his own, and slips his tongue inside. He eats at me, drawing out every breath and moan. He grabs my hands, linking our fingers together, and pins my hands firmly to the mattress.
His kiss finally softens, and he makes love to my mouth, sipping at me, stroking my tongue, drinking in every sound I make. My cock is straining, flushed and thick, and my balls are already so tight I wonder how long I’ll last. I swear he could make me come just from kissing me.
“You are so fucking beautiful,” he says, his voice low and rough. He trails kisses down my throat. “Every sound you make, every cry. Every time you tremble in my arms, you slay me.”
His lips trek down to my pecs, and when he flicks his tongue against one of my nipples, I cry out, arching my back. But he’s still holding my hands pinned to the bed, restraining me, which drives my desire even higher. He tongues and nibbles on my nipples, licking me and teasing my piercings. I strain against his hold, raising my hips, pressing my cock against his abs. He grinds himself against me, gritting his teeth in pleasure.
With a growl, he releases my hands and scoots down the bed to rub his face in the hair at the base of my cock, breathing in my scent with a low groan. Then he runs the flat of his tongue along my erection, making me gasp. With one hand, he cups my balls, gently massaging them, while his other hand grips the base of my cock.
“Who do you belong to?” he says, his voice rough and low.
I can barely breathe, he’s got me wound so tightly already. “You.”
His grip slides to the tip of my cock and his thumb collects the wetness there, spreading it over the head. Then he leans down and licks the slit, which he knows drives me crazy. My back bows off the mattress. “Fuck!”
He makes a pleased sound, a low rumble deep in his chest, as he licks the head of my cock again, drawing out the sensations, wracking my body with searing pleasure. When he finally stops teasing me and takes my dick into his mouth, all the way to the back of his throat, I start making incomprehensible noises and throw my head back into the pillow.
Cooper goes down on me like nobody’s business, sucking and licking, stroking me with his tight fist as he draws me to the back of his throat. I fist the sheets, panting and squirming as he works my cock, driving me toward climax. But when I get close—when fire rips down my spine and into my balls, drawing them up even tighter—when my throbbing dick pulses in his mouth, he backs off, letting me come back down to Earth. He tortures me like this, over and over, until finally he lifts up. He won’t let me come, at least not yet. We’ll come together. After he’s shot his load inside me, he’ll jerk me off.
Cooper rolls me back onto my belly, which is difficult given how hard I am. My cock is trapped between my body and the mattress, and then by his, as he settles over me. He covers my back with his body, and I shiver when I feel his lips behind my ear, murmuring hot, needy words. I give a low, drawn-out moan, and he chuckles.
I’m barely aware of what he’s doing when he reaches for the lube and sits back on his haunches. I close my eyes, focusing on the exquisite pleasure still coursing through me. He pulls one of my butt cheeks to the side and dribbles that cool slipperiness down my crack and right over my hole. Then his finger is there, spreading the lube and testing my readiness. When he presses the tip of his finger inside me, I tense automatically, my muscles drawing tight.
“God, you’re tight,” he says. His lubed finger is a little more insistent now as it slides in, then out, over and over, sinking a little deeper each time as he spreads the lubricant. “Relax, baby. Just breathe.”
I exhale a long, shaky breath, and his slick finger sinks easily inside. I groan loudly when he curls his finger and grazes my prostate. Oh, my God, it’s been so long. How did I survive three months without this? Without his touch? He knows exactly how to make me shiver and squirm. I start moving my hips, lifting to meet his thrusting finger, all the while craving a thicker penetration.
He kisses me as he finger-fucks me, rubbing and stroking me inside where my nerve endings are rioting with pleasure. Then he withdraws his finger to apply more lube, and this time he works two fingers into me, stretching me slowly.
His long fingers stroke me deep inside, brushing against my prostate with each pass, tormenting me with what’s still to come. When he finally thinks I’m ready, he withdraws his fingers and moves to kneel between my spread thighs, leaning down to cover me with his big body. He’s heavy, but I like the way he pins me down. His thighs nudge mine farther apart, and he moves in closer. He taps his erection between my ass cheeks, letting me feel how hard he is, how heavy. As he lubes his dick, my belly and ass clench in anticipation.
We both groan as he teases my opening with the blunt head of his cock, rubbing against me
, pressing lightly against my tight opening. Gradually, he increases the pressure as he presses forward, becoming more insistent that I let him in. Our bodies play this exquisite dance, where he seeks entrance, but mine tightens until gradually the promise of pleasure overrules me, and I open for him, softening. He presses steadily inside, filling me inch by inch, advancing slowly as he waits for me to adjust, until finally we’re both gasping with pleasure. I feel the inevitable little bite of pain and breathe out, a long, slow exhalation to help me relax.
“That’s it, baby,” he murmurs, clutching my hip with his free hand. I can picture his other hand wrapped around his thick cock as he guides himself into me. “Just relax and breathe.”
Cooper’s a big man, with an equally big cock. It’s thick and long, and it takes some time for me to take all that gloriousness inside me.
He rocks forward, sinking a little further into me each time. And once he’s fully seated, he pauses, giving me time to adjust. He’s hot and throbbing inside me, and we both groan loudly. When he finally starts to move, slowly at first, I clutch my pillow, gritting my teeth to keep from crying out in pleasure. Every time he strokes inside me, the heat and pressure of him tease my sensitive nerves, lighting me up inside. The pleasure swells until I’m groaning shamelessly into my pillow, pushing back against his hips to drive him even deeper inside me.
He takes his time, working over me, until he gradually picks up speed. I press my hot face into the soft material to muffle my cries. I’m a loud fuck—I always have been. And Jake’s right on the other side of that thin wall. I guess I’m enough of an exhibitionist to get off knowing he might be listening to us.
Cooper groans each time he sinks inside me. And once my body is open to him, he gradually speeds up his movements, thrusting long and deep, driving us both insane. His voice and his breath are harsh as he grunts with increasing exertion, moving faster and faster. My body lights up inside when he hits my prostate, sending jolts of pleasure along my spine to my balls.
When we’re both close, he hauls me up onto my knees so that I’m kneeling in front of him, my back is pressed against his scorching hot front. At this angle, he’s destroying me, hitting my pleasure spot with each stroke, making me gasp. One arm crosses over my chest, holding me to him, and with his free hand, he reaches down to grip my cock with a lubed palm, stroking me firmly, just as I like it. My chest is heaving. My belly is clenched, and my balls are drawn up tightly. I can barely catch my breath as he jerks me off, spreading my pre-come over my length.
I grit my teeth, holding out as long as I can, until his rough shout fills the quiet room. With a hoarse cry, he bucks into me, over and over, filling me with scalding heat, pressing in deeply as he growls into my neck. Gradually, his movements slow as his climax wanes. He’s so slick inside me now. His grip on my cock tightens, and he gets serious about bringing me to climax, murmuring hot words of encouragement into the back of my neck. With a loud cry, I come so hard I see stars, spurting my load on the sheet.
When it’s clear I’m ready to collapse, he releases me gradually, slipping out of me as I fall forward to lie in my own jizz. I’m far too exhausted and boneless to move a muscle. Cooper disappears into the bathroom for a moment, where I can hear the water running as he cleans himself up.
He returns a few moments later with a warm washcloth and a clean towel. “Roll over.”
I roll onto my side, groaning at the exertion.
He lays a towel over my spunk, then cleans me up with the washcloth. “Okay, lie back down.”
After another quick trip to the bathroom, Cooper turns off the light and sets his Glock on the floor beside the bed, where he can easily reach it, then climbs into bed beside me.
I’m absolutely wiped, both body and mind sated for the first time in months. My ass is sore and throbbing from being stretched, but it feels so good. And I can still feel the blinding pleasure of my climax echoing through me.
Cooper pulls me to him and kisses my forehead. “Get some sleep, baby. Tomorrow’s going to be a real bitch.”
I groan in response, too wiped out to reply.
As I lay my arm over his muscular torso, running my fingers through his chest hair, I melt into his embrace, soothed by the scent of his warm skin and the steady beat of his heart.
God, I don’t ever want to be separated from him again.
Chapter 9
Sam
When I awake the next morning, I am blissfully content. Cooper’s warm body is pressed up against my back, and his arm is around my waist, tucking me in close to him. His hand is splayed possessively over my belly. I’m surprised—but happy—that he’s still in bed with me. He’s usually such an early riser.
I stretch and groan.
“Rise and shine, sleepyhead,” he murmurs against the back of my head as he strokes my hair, latching onto my topknot and giving it a firm tug, which makes me groan. “We’ve got work to do. Jake’s already up.”
I crack my eyes open and reach for my phone to check the time. It’s eight o’clock. I’m surprised he let me sleep this long. “Is the paper out yet?”
“Yeah. It comes out at six-thirty am. Let’s get a move on.”
I shudder to think of what the reaction’s going to be to Cooper’s story now that it’s out—assuming Jenny Murphy kept her word and printed the story. I suppose a lot of people in this town simply won’t believe him. He’s essentially an outsider now, and he’s pointing the finger at three very prominent men in this small community—accusing them of murder.
Cooper slides his hand down to caress my right butt cheek. Then he gives it a light squeeze. “How do you feel?”
“Fantastic.”
“Are you sore? Was I too rough last night?”
“I’m a little sore, yes. And no, you weren’t too rough. I needed that, badly.”
He chuckles as he kisses my shoulder. “I did too.”
He smacks my thigh lightly as he sits up. “I’ve got to take a piss, clean up, and then speak to Jake for a minute. You get ready. We’ll be heading out soon.”
“Where to, exactly?”
“Probably back to the diner for breakfast, and to gauge the town’s reaction. Trust me, that diner is the main pulse point of this town. If there’s trouble, we’ll hear about it there.”
Cooper hops out of bed and heads to the bathroom. I lie in bed for a few indulgent moments and listen to the sounds of him getting ready. The flushing of the toilet is followed by the sound of water running. When I finally haul my ass out of bed, I stand in the open bathroom doorway and watch him brush his teeth. I like this little bit of domesticity. He’s usually long gone from my apartment by the time I wake up, so watching him do something as simple as getting ready in the morning is a rare treat.
He meets me in the bathroom doorway, dressed in jeans and a plain navy blue T-shirt that emphasizes his muscular chest. The fabric strains over his biceps and pecs, sending a wave of longing through me. The man is built like a fucking boss, and I’m ready for round two.
“You didn’t shave,” I say, reaching up to stroke his two-day stubble. “I like it.” Some days he’s clean-shaven, some days he lets his beard grow. I like how it feels on my skin when he kisses me.
“I think I’ll let it grow a while.” He pauses just long enough to give me a minty kiss. “Get dressed while I check in with Jake. I won’t be gone long.”
I watch him head for the adjoining door, admiring the way he moves, with just a hint of swagger. He looks like a man on a mission. Once he’s through the door and out of sight, I grab clean clothes from my duffle bag and my toiletries kit and head into the bathroom.
He walks into the bathroom just as I’m running a brush through my hair. Without saying a word, he reads the slogan on my T-shirt, My Boyfriend Is More Badass Than Yours, shakes his head, then takes the brush from me and brushes my hair, drawing it up into a high ponytail. Then he takes the hair band from me and expertly twists my hair into a topknot. “Ready to go?”
�
�Almost. What did you talk to Jake about?”
He shrugs. “Oh, just a logistical consideration. Nothing you need to worry about.”
I frown at his reflection in the cracked bathroom mirror. “Let me guess…I’m your logistical consideration.”
His expression hardens, and he reaches out to comb his fingers through my undercut. “I’ll trim this for you in a couple days. It’ll be ready then.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
His gaze meets mine in the mirror. “I already told you. You’re my weakness. They’ll go after you, not me.”
“What did you tell Jake?”
“I told him your safety comes first. If things go south, he’s to get you out of here and back to Chicago. I can take care of myself.”
I turn to face him, livid. “Bullshit! We’re not leaving you here alone!”
He smiles, gently cupping my face in his hands. “Sweetheart, it won’t be your call. It’ll be Jake’s. And trust me…Jake will hogtie you if necessary and physically remove you from danger.” He drops a sweet kiss on my lips, then turns and walks out of the bathroom, leaving me fuming.
My stomach drops like a stone as I stare at his retreating back. He’s dead serious. He would expect me to leave him here if the shit hit the fan. There’s no fucking way.
I finish up quickly and grab my chest holster, check my weapon, and suit up as well before joining Cooper standing by the motel door. He’s got his jacket on, which means he’s armed too. “I suppose I don’t need to ask,” I say, “but you’ve checked on the concealed carry laws here? We have reciprocity?”
He nods. “We do.”
I follow him outside, and he locks the door behind us. Outside on the sidewalk, I glance up at the wooden soffit above our door and spot a tiny surveillance camera. You’d never notice it if you weren’t looking for it. Jake’s got cameras on all our doors and windows, front and back of the building, all feeding into the standalone WIFI network he set up in his room.