Cooper

“I think that’s every blanket in the place,” I said as I set the pile onto the cushioned outdoor sofa before pulling the sliding glass door shut.

“You really didn’t have to do that,” Corinne replied, but even as she spoke, I could see snuggling in closer against the cool air.

“Nope, you wanted to spend some time on the balcony. We’re going to do it right.” I flicked on the outdoor fireplace and waited as the flame sprang to life, then grabbed the nearest blanket and tucked Corinne into the flannel, wrapping her tight like a burrito.

She sat with a happy sigh and grinned up at me. “Why do you have so many blankets? I thought guys didn’t really, you know, get into throws and decorative stuff like that.” She snuggled deeper against the cushions before sticking a hand out to snatch a second blanket and layer it over herself.

Seeing her face lit with happiness warmed me, and I took one of the throws for myself and settled in beside her.

“Well, to me, they’re sort of sentimental. When my mom was home, she had one specific fake-fur blanket she always used, even in the summertime. It was like her comfort object. When she was stressed, she’d sit on the couch and burrow in. It always seemed to help. Sometimes, when we’d had a rough day, she would lift the corner up in an invitation to climb in next to her. Brings back some rare good memories.”

“That’s sweet,” Corinne murmured.

I nodded. “Hers wore out, got all patchy and full of holes before she finally got rid of it. I got her a new one for Christmas a few years later, and she cried.” I let out a little chuckle, remembering the way she’d hugged the blanket close to her before kissing my forehead.

Mom wasn’t perfect. Far from it, but who was? She was a good woman deep down, and in a very bad situation. It had taken me years to come to terms with that.

“Anyway,” I said, shaking myself of the memory, “I keep them around because I like to have little reminders of what life was like back then. It keeps me from taking the here and now for granted.”

“It must have been hard. Growing up like that.”

Corinne said the words simply enough, but I could feel the weight of her gaze as she surveyed me from beneath her thick lashes.

I nodded. “It was.” There was no point in sugarcoating it. I wanted to know her, and in turn, I wanted her to know me. “There are a lot of things I wish I could change. But in some ways, it’s helped me learn what’s important. What I want for my life.”

She turned to face me now, her face washed in the flickering orange firelight. “And what is it that you want?”

“You don’t already know the answer?” I raised my eyebrows as she shook her head.

“I want love,” I said, shrugging. “Balls to the wall, totally uninhibited love. I want all of it. I think you do too, even if you won’t admit it.”

She stared at me for a long moment as my heart thudded in my chest. This wasn’t part of our agreement; I knew that. Just like I knew she could get up and walk out the door at any moment.

But I was through being careful. I’d handed my heart over more than once because I wanted to believe I’d been in that kind of love. No fucking way was I going to hold back now that I’d actually found it. Not anymore.

The breath was suspended in my lungs as I waited to see if she would run. But she sat there regarding me, her expressive eyes filled with fear mixed with something else, and it made my heart thrum.

“I know that wasn’t our arrangement.” I pressed on, my heartbeat thundering in my ears. “But I want you to know where I stand. I want all of you, Corinne.”

Slowly, she wet her lips with the tip of her tongue, a sadness shadowing her face.

“I can’t give that to you, and someday I’ll explain why. But . . .” Her voice quavered and she started again. “But I want to. Does that count for anything, Cooper? I want to so badly.”

I hadn’t scaled her walls yet, but damn it, I’d knocked them down a few stories. For now, I’d take it.

The time for talking was done. I needed to claim her, to take her to my bed and show her what she meant to me. Taking her by the hand, I led her inside. Wordlessly, she followed me to my bedroom.

In the pale moonlight streaming through the windows, we fell onto the bed together, kissing and groping. My cock rutted uselessly against her belly until she finally drew it out, stroking me with her delicate hands.

“That feels so nice, sweetheart.” I peppered her lush mouth with kisses as she stroked me.

Pushing my fingers under the elastic of her panties, I brought her to orgasm while we kissed. By then, my cock was so hard and achy, I couldn’t wait any longer.

“Come here, baby.” I urged Corinne into my lap.

She smiled shyly and leaned down to kiss me, her mouth moving from my lips down to my neck. The thought of fucking her from behind had been on my mind since I first caught sight of all her luscious curves.

“Turn around.”

I wanted to push her, wanted to continue to watch her grow and blossom under my instruction. And so far, we’d only made love in the missionary position. It was time to change things up.

Corinne hesitated for a moment, but then she moved to straddle me.

I shook my head. “Facing my feet.”

The technical term was reverse cowgirl, but I had a feeling that might scare her off. I was sure that despite her growing confidence in the bedroom, those words might conjure images of a cowgirl riding a rodeo bull, and I wanted her to feel relaxed, not under the spotlight, like she was expected to perform for me. And truly, she wasn’t. She could have laid like a log under me during sex and it still would have been amazing, but this was about growth, about pushing her ever so subtly outside her comfort zone.

She paused, kneeling beside me on the bed. “I—I won’t know what I’m doing.”

I touched her shoulder. “That’s my job to worry about. I’ll show you what I like, what will feel good for both of us.”

“I don’t know.”

If it weren’t for the spark of curiosity in her eyes, I wouldn’t have pushed for this at all. I would have just let it drop and gone back to missionary, which we both enjoyed. Immensely.

“It’s a shame to be blessed with an ass like that and not let me see you work it.” My voice was gruff, raw, but it was the challenge in my words that must have undone her resolve.

Corinne smiled and climbed into my lap, facing away from me like I’d instructed. “Show me how to make you lose your mind, Cooper,” she whispered, her voice low and sultry.

My cock jumped as it made contact with the lush curves of her ass. “Gladly, dove.”