Cora didn’t leave her computer all day, the sky fading from the morning kiss of the sun to the dark of night. She’d only gotten up for the occasional bathroom break and grabbing a sweatshirt at sunset. I only interrupted her for meals, bringing her food and stealing a kiss to the cheek or forehead while I did it.
It wasn’t easy focusing on my own manuscript when she was in view from the sliding door that lead to the porch. She had turned it into a portable office, plopping down on the love seat and typing away so diligently on her laptop. She acknowledged me and was thankful for the meals I’d brought to her, but her eyes always wandered back to the screen. As badly as I wanted to touch her and drag her to my bedroom, I restrained myself. It was her original intention to come out here and get her writing flow back, and she’d gotten it. I couldn’t wait to hear how many words she had spilled from her brain and into the document.
She glanced at me ever so often over her shoulder, giving me a sweet smile when I was caught ogling her. I couldn’t help it, she was so damn adorable in her yoga pants and tank top. She’d fuss with her hair as she reread her work, tossing it high on her head in a bun, then ripping the ponytail out and letting it fan across her shoulders. The almond color was lighter in person than in her photos. I rubbed my fingers together, recalling how soft it was to the touch.
My cock wasn’t letting me focus on my manuscript either. He was pointing in her direction like a compass, ready to pounce and attack. I had barely written a thousand words all day. Who could blame me when an angel was sitting on my deck?
Shepley hopped up on my desk, meowing in my ear and pawing at my hand on the keyboard.
“Yeah, I know, it’s treat time,” I mumbled to the cat, running my hand along his ears. He let out one of those low and annoyed meows without opening his mouth. Taking another glance at Cora, she was crunched into a ball, brows furrowed and biting her bottom lip, hugging her knees while she stared at the screen. I grinned to myself. She was so fucking cute when she was focused.
“Come on, Shepley,” I left the room and headed for the kitchen, the cat hot on my heels. I’m sure he was pissed because I’d missed last night’s treat time.
Opening the fridge and grabbing the already opened can, I slapped some on a plate and threw it in the microwave. Shepley was rubbing against my legs like crazy. “Calm down, you won’t touch it unless it’s warm,” I scolded.
My phone rang while the microwave spun. It was Ben. I glanced out the window, noticing Cora was still enthralled on her laptop before answering.
“Hey, what do you got for me?”
“Why hello to you too, Casanova.”
I rolled my eyes. I hated when he called me that. “G’day, now, tell me what you saw.”
“Damn. I can see your patience hasn’t improved. But you’ll be happy to know, Martin Kartman is still in town. Although, his books did say he was leaving for business next week.”
I smirked, knowing he most likely flirted with Martin’s secretary to get that information. “Any idea where?”
“No, but I might find out later tonight.” I could sense the smirk in his voice. And he thought I was the Casanova. Ben was always on the pull for sheilas.
“I’m glad you’re doing whatever you can for me,” I deadpanned.
“Hey, when my best friend needs something, I go balls to the wall.”
I smirked, pulling out Shepley’s food from the microwave and setting it on the ground. “More like going balls deep.”
“Whatever works.” We both laughed.
“On a serious note though, he was agitated. Asked me if my calendar was open. Said he might need my services.”
My brows narrowed. “Did he say anything else?”
“No, not yet. Told him to call me, though. I’ll keep you posted.”
I clenched my jaw. At least I knew he was still in Chicago. “Sounds good, mate. Later.”
Hanging up the phone, I looked out the window, noticing Cora had switched positions. She must have been lying on the couch, because I could only see the tip of her laptop and her ponytail on the armrest. Leaving Shepley to his food, I grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch and went out the slider door.
The stars were shining bright tonight, not a cloud in the sky. I tugged on her bun gently, then felt bad when I saw her face. Her eyes were closed, hands still on the keyboard. She was mid- sentence and fell asleep.
My grin spread wide at her peaceful state. Carefully taking the laptop from her stomach, I set it on the table underneath the awning, then began covering her with the blanket. It wasn’t terribly chilly, but by how she hugged herself and curled to her side made me think otherwise. I wished like hell there was room for both of us on the couch so I could snuggle in beside her, but instead, I went to my knees and tugged the blanket to her shoulders. She sighed, a content smile on her face.
“Are you feeling neglected?” She whispered, her eyes remaining closed.
My hand ran along her hip overtop the blanket. “Maybe a touch.”
Her eyelids fluttered open. They were soft and at ease, nothing like the wavering stare of uncertainty they held when I picked her up from the airport. “I’ll pay attention to you more tomorrow.”
I smirked. “I’ve been a lonely bloke for a while, a few more days won’t kill me.”
She untangled her arms from under the blanket and wrapped them around my neck. “It might kill me.” Her voice was sultry, pulling me under her spell.
My lips found hers, granting them a chaste kiss. My hat tipped up as she deepened it, running a hand underneath it until it fell to the floor. “Why are you always wearing a hat?” She asked between kisses.
“I’m too lazy to do my hair.”
She laughed against my lips, rotating to her back and pulling me on top of her, kicking the blanket down so only our clothing would be between us.
“How many words did you get in?” I asked, wedging myself between her legs and finding a place for my forearms on either side of her shoulders.
She trailed her hands up and down my spine. It felt absolutely amazing. I had craved her touch like a starved man all day.
“I broke my record for words written in a day,” she smiled.
I raised a brow. “Wow. That many?”
She nodded and bit her lip. “Seems I just need the right distraction to get my brain going again.”
My heart hammered. Was that all I was? A distraction? Pushing aside the blow, I threw on a smile. “Happy to help.”
She took in a deep breath, searching my face. “What did you do all day?”
“Oh, you know, shot the shit with Shepley, slaved in the kitchen, did some marketing, wrote some words.”
“Just a typical day in the life of Jake Cooper?” She grinned.
I forced my smile again, ignoring the pit forming in my stomach. I needed to start opening up to her and stop hiding behind my sarcasm, otherwise she’d catch on to who I really was, and the fantasy I’d been living in with her would come to an ugly head.
“Missing a few aspects. Didn’t get a chance to hit the trails.”
“I’ve got a trail for you.” Her hands tugged on the back of my shirt, finding the warmth of my skin. I sucked in a breath from how cold they were.
“Sorry.” She pulled my shirt back down.
I laughed. “No, please, warm them on me, and I’d love to take a ride on your trail.”
Letting some of my weight relax on her hips, my quickly hardening cock pressed against her pelvis. She let out a soft moan, her eyes fluttering closed.
I kissed her neck. “How about I explore your trail, and you tell me about all those sexy words you’ve written.”
She hummed as my tongue traveled down her neck, my hand finding the zipper of her hoodie and undoing it.
“I don’t like to write and tell until I’ve had it critiqued.”
I nipped where her neck met her shoulder. “Who the hell do you think I am?”
She giggled, massaging my scalp while I gently kissed the tender spot I’d just bitten.
“It’s about an Aussie with a big ego,” she grinned.
Her sweater was opened now, my hand cupping her breast. A low growl emerged from my throat when I realized she wasn’t wearing a bra.
I tweaked her nipple over top the fabric. “No such thing.”
She bit her lip and closed her eyes from my touch. “There is in my book. He’s cocky and arrogant, thinks he’s the shit.”
My mouth wrapped around the perky bud, wetting it overtop the cotton. She arched her back, shoving her breast into my face. “But, he saves the main character.”
I released her nipple, moving to the other side. “How’s that? With his charm and good looks?”
She grabbed a hold of my hair, forcing my eyes to meet hers. They were moist, a tear threatening to fall from them. My heart damn near pounded out of my chest. She was so vulnerable and beautiful when she looked at me with such innocence and sincerity. “He heals her with his patience and his big heart.”
I came up on my elbows, running a hand along the side of her temple.
She swallowed. “He’s protective and understanding. He knows she’s a hot mess and has all kinds of baggage, but he doesn’t care, and creates this perfect bubble for the two of them to have sanctuary in. Even though they’ve only spent a small amount of physical time together, she…” her voice trailed, her eyes roaming to my lips.
I planted a delicate kiss on her mouth, then finished her sentence for her. “She falls in love with him?”
She sucked in a breath and nodded, then attacked me, taking turns sucking on each lip and swiping her tongue with mine. Our bodies were doing the talking now. Her leg hiked around my hip, allowing my pelvis to mesh with hers. My shaft throbbed as it settled against the heat of her core, cursing our clothing. She began to grind her hips into me. It wasn’t an urgent motion, but a slow and enjoyable push. We had all of the time in the world, at least according to my agenda. Simply molding our bodies together and making out was satisfying. I didn’t tug for her clothing to come off, only meshed with her, loving the little hums that escaped her lips when I trailed kisses along her neck and jaw, then back to her mouth. It was like we were two teenagers who knew their parents were inside and could possibly walk out on the deck to tell us our time together was over.
Cora held my head in place. “Jake?”
I opened my eyes to meet hers.
She licked her lips and coyly slipped her hand down the front of my pants. “Can we find a bed?”
I sprung to my feet, holding my hand out to her. “Certainly. Your back is probably numb from my heavy ass humping you for the past hour.”
She giggled and took my hand, then wrapped her arms around my waist. “I like your ass humping me. It’s the cat who likes to watch that’s a bit odd.”
She nodded toward Shepley, who was sitting on the railing. I gave him a nod. “Only show you’re getting tonight is from the stars. Sorry, buddy.”
Unwrapping her arms from my waist, I guided her across the porch and up a half flight of steps to where the slider to my bedroom was. “We’re staying in my room tonight.”
Cora squeezed my hand. “I feel so honored.”
Opening the door, I lead her inside, then shut it and locked it, double checking it couldn’t be opened. Shepley would spend the evening on the porch, at least until Cora fell asleep. When I looked up from the door, Cora was taking in her surroundings.
There wasn’t anything magnificent about my room. Only a king size bed and a few dressers. I did have a tele that was probably bigger than I needed for my bedroom, but why not?
“I’m writing in here tomorrow,” Cora said, running her hand along the edge of the comforter. “If I ever decide to get out of bed.”
I crossed my arms and smiled. It was an inviting set of linens. “Wait until you cozy up in the sheets. You’ll kick me to the guest room.”
She came to me, her head tilted downward. “I was only kidding, you can have your room.”
Was she upset? Taking her chin in my hand, I forced her to meet my gaze. “I want you in my bed. I’ve fantasized about it for a long time.”
She swallowed while my thumb stroked her cheek. “Why are you telling me this now?”
“Because I didn’t think you were interested until recently.”
Her brows furrowed. “I guess that’s fair.”
I grabbed both of her shoulders. “You were married. I didn’t want to be an outsider trying to pull you and your husband apart, even though I thought he was a gigantic scumbag and that he didn’t deserve you.”
Cora smiled, her eyes becoming wet. I frowned. I didn’t mean to make her upset. “What’s wrong?”
She shrugged off my hands and sat on the edge of the bed. I followed her, taking a seat as well. “Cora?”
Her hands found her lap. “I just wonder, if I would have taken off my blinders, that maybe we would have found each other sooner? That I could have avoided some… things… with Martin if I wouldn’t have ignored what my heart was telling me.”
I held my breath, eager to find out where she was going with this. Did she secretly feel the same as me for all of these years? “What was your heart telling you?”
Finally taking her gaze from her fidgeting hands, she met my anxious eyes. A tear fell down her cheek. “That I had happiness already, but because I’m an idiot, I thought the happiness was from Martin, but it wasn’t, it was from you.”
I sucked in a breath, then dove for her face, kissing her fiercely, holding her head with both hands. She had wanted me as more than a friend, and I should have pushed and opened up to her sooner. She could have been in my arms for many of my lonely nights, curing the darkness that lived inside, and I could have saved her from years of pain and abuse by her ex-husband.
I yanked on her clothes, tossing them to the floor. She clawed at mine, nearly ripping my shirt in half until I helped pull it over my head. Shoving my shorts down my legs and to the floor, Cora tugged on my underwear until I kicked them off. We were both bare now, and I snuck my arm around her waist, lifting her up the bed and underneath me. We were flesh on flesh, the heat of our skin burning sensations inside of me, I didn’t even know were there.
She cupped the back of my neck with both hands. “Jake, make love to me. Kiss me like you do in your fantasies, hold me how you did in your dreams when we were half a world apart. Consume me,” she breathed against my lips. “Make me yours, even if it’s just for now.”
I inhaled sharply, slipping my other arm underneath her shoulder blades, latching our bodies together. The tip of my shaft was pinned against her opening, and the slightest movement of my hips would have us completely joined. “You’re mine,” I murmured against her lips, thrusting inside of her.
She took a sharp breath. I was inside her to the max, no more boundaries or walls between us. I was doing as she asked, and what I’d done in my head for so long. I’d consumed her, and began kissing her with all of the desire I had built up inside for her. I wasn’t holding back now, and by the tears that wetted her cheeks, I knew she was letting me into her heart, and all of my hopes and dreams were conquering my fears, over powering the darkness and chipping into the light.
“I’m yours,” she whispered through her tears, holding me tightly while I slowly stroked inside of her. “I’ll always be yours.”
I kissed away her tears, pressing my cheek against hers while I made slow and steady love to her. Her cries weren’t ones of sadness, but of relief and happiness. She knew I’d always take care of her and that she would always be safe in my arms.