by Emma Tharp
Adeline chuckles. “Let’s just say my daughter doesn’t bring men around for me to meet. For a while I thought she made the decision to live a life of celibacy.”
I take a seat on the couch next to Cora and bite my lip to stifle a laugh.
“Okay, should we start the movie now?” Cora quickly says and clicks the buttons on the remote to play the movie.
It’s a chick flick, not normally my type of film. I’m more of an action adventure kind of guy, but I’d watch anything to sit this close to Cora. She got up and brought two plates of cheese and crackers, handing one to her mother and setting the other on the ottoman in front of us. I pop a piece of cheese in my mouth and move in closer to her.
At first our thighs graze each other, the heat from her leg instantly transferring to mine, shooting adrenaline straight through me. It’s not enough contact. I want more but I’m going to stay on my best behavior. I told her that I wasn’t like the other guys who want to use her for sex. And I’m not that guy. But what if I hold her hand? That wouldn’t be too much, would it? Fuck it. Twining her fingers through mine, I grasp her small hand, encasing it in mine. My god it feels good.
Cora looks down at our hands joined together and then up at me. She bites her bottom lip and looks back at the television.
Neither of us moves for the rest of the movie. Still as stone, with the exception of my thumb running over her knuckles or her nails gliding over my palm. It’s a simple act, but it’s erotic and intimate and unsafe.
By the end of the movie, Adeline is asleep in her chair. Cora wakes her and helps her to bed after I give her a goodbye hug.
Waiting in the living room for Cora gives me a chance to reflect on the evening. My heart swells seeing the love and commitment between Cora and her mother. I want to help them. I wish I knew how.
And then there’s the lust. The real, undeniable pull toward Cora. My body craves contact with hers. While holding hands was great, I want more.
She comes back in the living room as if she’s apprehensive. She takes her spot on the couch, but puts too much space between us.
We both start to speak at the same time and both uncomfortably giggle at the same time. “You go first,” Cora says.
“About your mother.” Planning to talk about Adeline and possibly helping out with her medical care or how I can help might take my mind off how much I want to touch her.
“No. I mean, let’s not talk about her now,” she says, shifting her body toward me.
“What do you want to talk about?” I rest my arm along the back of the couch, my fingers close enough to touch her shoulder, but I don’t.
“Us. I need to get some things off my chest. I’ve been thinking about this all night. Maybe longer.” She straightens her shoulders and there’s a tight set to her jaw.
Now I really want to rub her shoulders. Whatever she has to say is causing her a great deal of tension. “Okay, I’m all ears.”
“I want to kiss you and so much more than that. And I don’t know what that means. For me or for you. It’s stressing me out because I haven’t felt this way in a long time and I don’t know what I can offer you, Derek. I won’t be an easy girlfriend to have because I don’t have free time and my mother is my number one priority.” Her chest rises and falls on a deep breath and she inches herself closer to me. “If that means we’re just casual, I’m going to have to be okay with that. I mean, if you are.” Her words come out in a tumble and she looks so damn beautiful and vulnerable.
Leaning in closer to her, I rest my forehead against hers and cup her cool cheeks in my hands. Her breath is shaky, like mine, but she told me she wants to kiss me and I’m not going to let her down.
It’s gentle at first, only her soft full lips against mine. She smells like roses in full bloom on a hot summer day and she tastes sweet, exactly like I dreamed she’d be. My tongue is greedy and presses against hers in a perfect rhythm. A moan escapes her lips and my cock hardens. I put one of my hands through her silky blonde hair, moving to the back of her head and pushing her mouth closer to me, deepening the kiss. It’s escalating fast, the pressure, the speed, the intensity. All of it.
I want to devour her. Every inch. But not if she’s not ready.
Pulling back, we both catch our breaths, staring into each other’s eyes. “Is this too much too soon?” I ask.
“I’m scared.” Her voice is low and throaty.
“I don’t want to hurt you, Cora. We go at your pace.” From deep inside me, I mean this. All I want is to make her happy.
She nods with half-lidded eyes. “My pace.”
“Yes. What do you want tonight? Don’t overthink it.”
“I want you.” She stands and gives me the come here gesture with her index finger. Taking me toward the back of the house, she leads me to her bedroom. If I thought I was horny before, it’s cranked up one hundredfold now. Take it easy. You will not rush this.
When I close the door behind us, I can’t wait another second to get my hands on her. I walk up to her and guide her backward to her bed until it hits the back of her knees and she falls back onto it. Her blonde hair glows all around her like she’s an angel.
“Tell me if I go too fast. I’ll stop if you want me to,” I say.
She nods. “Okay.”
I tug my shirt off and toss it to the floor. Her eyes scan my chest and abs, a look of complete admiration on her face. Glad she likes my six pack. I’ve always prided myself on my work ethic in all aspects of my life and that includes the gym.
I lean over her and lift the blue sweater over her head and reach around and unhook her black silk bra, sending it to land with the other clothes.
Sitting back, I’m in awe of this woman. This smart, loyal, hotter than hell woman is lying in front of me. I almost pinch myself, but instead, I admire her full, round breasts. I play with her nipple until it stiffens to a hard point under my fingers. “You’re absolutely fucking gorgeous.”
“So are you.” Her voice is throaty and sexy as hell.
Enough of these damn clothes. I take off my jeans and boxer briefs and get to work on her leggings, stripping them off one leg at a time. All that’s left is a tiny black lace thong that I nearly rip off. Patience, Derek.
Raking my eyes over her naked body, she shivers like she’s self-conscious. No way. There’s no reason this stunningly beautiful woman should ever feel insecure. I’m going to make it my job to show her now just how much I think of her.
I kiss my way up her flat stomach and take her nipple in my mouth, licking and sucking. So sweet, I savor it like candy. The noises coming out of her mouth, desperate throaty moans, make me nearly go before we even get started. Not this time. I have to be inside her with her naked body pressed against mine.
Easing my way up her, I press my lips to my favorite spot next to her ear and lick the tender flesh, sucking it in, but not hard enough to leave a mark. She tastes so damn good and addictive.
Drawing in a deep breath, Cora says, “My god, Derek. I don’t think I can wait. Reach in my nightstand drawer. I’ve got condoms.”
Damn, she’s as impatient as I am. She doesn’t have to ask twice. I put my weight on one arm and open the drawer with the other and find a condom. Ripping it open with my teeth and rolling it on, I ease back over her.
The head of my dick rests right at her entrance and I rub it over her clit again and again teasing her, and myself.
Cora’s eyes are squeezed shut and she tilts her hips up, needing me inside her. I know how she feels. I need it, too.
“You’re so wet,” I hiss out and ease myself in slowly.
Our eyes lock as I sink in, inch by inch. “You feel so good, Derek.”
“So fucking good.”
Our mouths crash together, all of our lust and desire finally coming to fruition. Digging my fingers into her soft round hips, I plunge in as far as I can go. Her nails scrape down my back and my head starts spinning. My pace picks up so she wraps her legs around my waist.
P
lease let me keep it together.
Her smell surrounds me, her smooth flesh glides against mine, and our breathing is in sync. We are in sync. This connection is deeper than sex; I can see it in her eyes and hear it in the soft murmurs escaping her lips.
She is everything.
This is everything.
“Oh, Derek. Please don’t stop,” Cora moans into my ear as her legs and arms tense around me.
No way in hell. Pushing up, I take both her legs in my hands and angle them back, giving me more leverage. Cora grabs for her ankles and I thrust in and out. My breathing gets erratic and I know I’m close.
Reaching down with one hand, I massage her clit, soft and even with the drive of my hips.
Cora’s blue eyes roll back in her head, her breathing gets hard, and her chest heaves. “Yes.”
Seconds later, her entire body jerks and shudders.
It’s nothing short of earth-shattering when I join her and go with a long satisfying groan.
Lying down next to her, I pull her onto me, chest to chest. I stroke her hair and love the feel of her warm breath on me. This is heaven. Heat swells up in me and I don’t know what to make of all of this. The air is thick with the unknown, but right now I’m going to enjoy this.
“Think we woke up your mother?” I ask.
Her half-lidded blue eyes look up into mine. “No, she’s at the other end of the house.”
“Good, because that time was fast and primal. In a few minutes I want to do slow and romantic.”
This perks her up and she puts her hand under her chin. “Oh, really?”
“Really. I had plans. We would take our time and draw it out, but instead, you drove me crazy. I almost went simply by touching you.”
She giggles. “Sorry I ruined your plans.”
Pulling her up to face me, I plant a kiss on her mouth. “Oh, no. Nothing was ruined. It was fucking perfect.”
Her brows knit together and her lips form a tight line. “Do you want to talk about us now? Because I think we should.”
“If there’s something on your mind, let’s talk,” I say and sweep circles on her back with my fingertip. A small attempt to relax her.
“You scare me, Derek. I’m afraid you’re going to hurt me. I have to know where you stand so I can protect myself. Because if this is only about sex for you, that’s fine. I just need to know.” Her tone is clipped and she isn’t making eye contact.
I lift her chin so she’ll look at me. “What do you want?” She’s all over the place, and I’m no good at guessing games.
A tear forms in the corner of her eye, but she blinks and wipes at it. “I don’t know, and I’m sorry if I’m confusing you, but I do know I like being around you. We always have fun when we’re together.”
“Agreed. Would it be okay if we started with spending time together? No labels or preconceived notions? Would that scare you?” I ask. Because the reality is that I’m not sure what kind of boyfriend I’d be. Giving my everything to Carrie and having her rip it all away took a major toll on me. Am I ready to move on and start over? I know one thing: I want Cora in my life in some capacity.
“No. I don’t think so. I mean, I don’t know.” She lets out a heavy sigh and lays her head back on my chest, her long, blonde, just had sex hair tickling my skin.
“How about this? Let’s stop pretending that we don’t want to be together. In a perfect world, all of this would be easy, but nothing good ever is easy, right?” I say.
Shifting her position, she lies on her side, body perpendicular to mine. Her eyes sparkle and gleam. “I guess not. Let’s not talk anymore.” Her lips come to mine and that’s all the talking we do for the rest of the night.
TEN
Cora
“CHEERS TO TONIGHT,” Bri says and we both take a sip of the dark liquid at the bar.
“Thanks for meeting me. I needed a little liquid courage before we meet up with everyone else,” I say. A slew of butterflies erupt in my belly. I still can’t believe that Bri and I are meeting Derek, Teddy, Rick and his fiancée, Rose, and Wes and his girlfriend, the country music star, Lydia Crow, for dinner here tonight.
“Why are you nervous?” Bri adjusts the top of her dress. It’s a strapless floral number that highlights her small but toned shoulders. Her long brown hair is swept back in a low ponytail, giving her an elegant, sophisticated look.
“It’s not every day that we get a chance to eat dinner here with part of the Nashville Wolverines hockey team.”
Bri looks around the restaurant. I know she’s admiring the contemporary exposed ceilings and décor. It’s all farmhouse-style solid wood tables and metal chairs. It has a long bar spanning one wall with a huge collection of wine, liquor, and beer. The kitchen is open with a massive brick oven in the center. It’s known for having all homemade, fresh, organic ingredients, with everything made to order. And it costs a pretty penny. It has a five fork review in the Times when it first opened last year and the waiting list to get a reservation is months long, unless you know someone, like an NHL player or a popular country music singer.
“Don’t worry. It’s going to be a great time,” Bri says as she fiddles with her beaded necklace. “I’m sorry, I can’t hold it in anymore, I have to tell you.”
“What is it?”
She takes a long swallow of her wine and sets it in front of her. “Okay. I took my exam to get my real estate license and I just found out I passed. I’m going to start applying for jobs. I’m giving Steve my notice as soon as I get hired.”
Throwing my arms around her, I say, “Congratulations. I’m so happy for you. I know how long you’ve wanted to do this.”
“You aren’t mad at me?” Even though Bri is excited, she has a frown on her face.
There’s a tiny slice of me that’s envious of her for getting out of Lolita’s and moving on to do what she’s always wanted to do with her life, but I’m thrilled for her. “I’m going to miss you when you leave, but you deserve this.”
A huge grin spreads across her face. “Thank you. Tommy was never supportive of my dreams. As soon as the divorce was finalized, I got the information to work toward getting my license.”
“Good for you,” I say and give her shoulder a squeeze.
“What about you and Derek? How are you two doing?”
Heat creeps up my cheeks thinking about last night. Derek kept me up most of the night making love. He has skills in the bedroom that I’ve never experienced before, not to mention the intimacy we shared. It was a night I won’t soon forget. “Things have been good.”
Bri caught my look. “No way. You aren’t getting out of it that easy. Did you two have sex?”
“Things did heat up between us last night.” I’m being coy. It’s too much fun to tease Bri.
“And?”
“We did it and it was ah-freaking-mazing,” I squeal.
Bri shrieks and bounces up and down on her toes, grabbing me by the arm. “Holy shit. You’re actually glowing. It must’ve been dreamy.”
“It was. Every minute. He’s powerful and strong, and at the same time gentle and sweet. He took care of me in every way.” I suck in a breath. My heart beat speeds up at the memory of Derek’s hands sliding down my body, his dark eyes searing through me with such passion and intensity.
“Why do you look like that?” Bri asks.
“What do you mean?”
She narrows her eyes at me. “You’re telling me that you had great sex, but your face turned pale. Are you scared or something?”
“Of course I am. I feel like I’m falling so hard for him that I’m going to land face first on the concrete,” I huff out a laugh.
“Get out of your damn head,” Bri pronounces with a point to her head. “Can you try to have fun for once?”
Easier said than done. “I want to. When I’m with Derek, I’m happy and I do want to relax and enjoy the ride. I’m going to try. Ok.”
“Good,” Bri says.
“What about you and Teddy?”<
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She gets her lip gloss out of her purse and applies a thin coat. “He’s sweet and we have fun when we hang out, but he’s not the settle down type. At all. He’s a great friend though, and when we’re together there’s no pressure.”
“No sex?” The last couple times I’ve seen them together, they seem to have chemistry.
“He’s a ladies’ man and I have no interest in being another one of his conquests,” Bri says and tries her cabernet.
Crossing my legs, I smooth down my navy dress. “I can relate. Here’s some of your own advice. Why don’t you take it day by day?”
Teddy sneaks up behind Bri and puts his finger over his lips, signaling me to not give him away. He snakes his arm around Bri and kisses her cheek. Bri’s face breaks out in a blush.
Sure they’re just friends.
Derek follows after Teddy and comes up to me and gives me a kiss square on the lips. No tongue, but it doesn’t matter; it still gets me excited. “You look stunning tonight, Cora.”
My eyes drink in Derek in his charcoal gray pants, white button up shirt, and navy silk tie. “You’re not so shabby yourself. We match.” I grab hold of his tie and pull him closer for another kiss.
“We must be on the same wavelength.” He winks and grabs my hand. “Come on, our table is ready.”
I follow him to the back of the restaurant, where our table is tucked into a secluded corner. Teddy and Bri follow behind.
Wes, Derek’s best friend, who is dating the ultra-famous Lydia Crow are already seated and there’s a tall, bulky man I can only assume is a bodyguard standing stock straight against the wall closest to Lydia. Seeing her sitting there, I’m a bit star struck . She’s even more beautiful in person, with long straight blonde hair and almost shocking gray-blue eyes.
At the table, Wes and Lydia stand to greet us. “Hey, buddy.” Wes shakes Derek’s hand and takes mine. “Nice to see you again. This is my girlfriend, Lydia.” Derek hugs her and she gives me a hug, too.