As Brad stepped forward, Sara shook her head, wanting to make sure he understood what she was offering. “But I’m still—”

“I understand. You’re sick. I’m not some lech.”

“No? Dammit.”

But he didn’t grin. He was too busy taking in her curves as she shrugged off the nightgown and set it aside. She liked her body and thought she’d aged well. Most of the time when she checked herself out, she could bury the complaints she had in positives. She had nice breasts, a small waist. Decent legs. But she also didn’t normally compare herself to women like Brad’s ex, who probably thought twenty-eight was old.

She had to say something. Just had to. As much as she wanted to absorb the appreciation in his clear, bluish-gray eyes, nerves rose up again. “I’m not shy, and I’m not indecisive. Most of the time. But that doesn’t mean I’m incapable of noticing differences.”

He lifted her chin with a single fingertip. “I want you. And only you. If there’s anyone else in this bathroom, you’re inviting them here. Not me.”

She nodded and wet her lips. In other words, if she didn’t stop making him prove his desire, she might not have to worry. Nothing drove a man away faster than insecurity. And that wasn’t her. She wasn’t some shrinking violet without a clue as to her own worth. Any guy would be lucky to have her.

Even Brad.

This didn’t have to be some big huge issue if she didn’t make it into one. They could…explore, see how things went. If she laid down the ground rules, she’d have to trust he would abide by them. She’d have to trust him.

“I’m happy here,” she said quietly. “Living with you and Kim. I know it’s not a permanent arrangement, but for the time being, it works for me. It’s not that I don’t want you too. I just don’t want to jeopardize anything. I don’t want to hurt your sister. She’s been so wonderful to me, and I don’t want her to think I’m taking advantage of the situation. Of…you or her generosity in letting me stay here.” She frowned when he smirked.

“You’ve wanted to cougar me since the first time we met. Don’t try to be coy now.”

She would not smile. That was precisely what he wanted. “Brad, I’m serious.”

“Okay. Let’s be serious.” He laced his fingers with hers, his palm warm and ridged with calluses. She was used to men with soft hands, men who worked strictly with their minds. Imagining this man putting those hands on her body…

God. She nearly shuddered before she realized he was still speaking.

“How do you want to handle this?”

“For right now, we’ll keep this between us.” She waited for his objection, but he didn’t say a word. “Okay?”

“For how long?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe we’ll do it and that will be that.”

“Not likely, but whatever makes you feel better.”

She frowned at his knowing tone. “We’ll play it by ear. I’d prefer we not make a big thing out of this. Kim’s got her new guy anyway. She probably won’t even have time to care.”

She knew that wasn’t true, and she also knew the risk she was running by keeping her best friend out of the loop. But she didn’t want drama or questions. She just wanted to have a fling. And if no one knew, life wouldn’t become messy if—when—it ended. Right?

At least her logic made sense in her cold-addled head.

“If it turns out we’re better suited as friends, nothing will change. You have to believe me, Sara.” He gazed down at their linked hands, then up at her with a penetrating stare that made her knees weak. “This is about going after something I think we both know could be amazing. It’s not about ruining something that’s already pretty great.”

She angled her head, letting her hair shield her eyes. She felt way too exposed when he looked at her like that. “So how come I’m the only one who’s naked?”

His jaw flexed, and that little nervous tic helped her regain her footing. “You’re not feeling well.”

“No. And on the way to going after something amazing, I’d rather not risk a lackluster performance when I’m not at full strength. At least not ‘til I’m sure you’ll stick around for repeats.”

He stroked the backs of her fingers with his thumb. “You can be sure,” he murmured. “But I’ll defer to your judgment. Today.”

“Such a gentleman.”

“Yeah, and you’re also naked, so what’s not to like?”

She smiled, almost forgetting that she hurt all over. He was making this so easy. “Are you up for helping me with my shower? And speaking of up…” She licked her lips as she glanced at the definite rise beneath his jeans. “Maybe you could demonstrate what you told me about earlier, with a live visual in front of you.”

He reached over his head and gripped the back of his T-shirt. “You never say what I expect,” he muttered, tossing the shirt aside and immediately going for the button on his jeans.

“Is that a bad thing?” she asked as he stripped off his jeans and boxers in one fluid move.

“No. It’s a very good thing. I love that I never know where you’ll hit me next.”

His body wasn’t perfect. Thin white lines traced his ribs, a dark red scar bisected his thigh, and a patch of mottled skin marred one hip. The marks intrigued her much more than unblemished skin would have. She knew there were stories behind those wounds.

“Where’d you get this?” she wondered, running her fingertips over his hip.

“Pan of hot milk when I was making cocoa as a kid. Knocked it right off the stove. Then I didn’t tell my mom about it, figuring I’d get in trouble. Damn thing scarred right over.”

“And this?” She brushed his thigh, doing her best to avoid staring at his eye-popping erection. It was hard to avoid, but she would get there in due course.

“Jumping off the upstairs deck into the backyard in high school.”

“What?” Her gaze flew up to his. “From the second floor? Are you crazy?”

He gave her a cocky grin. “I’d always wanted to see how it felt to fly.”

“And?”

“Flying’s awesome. Crashing, not so much.”

She laughed and rubbed her thumbs over his ribs. “What about all these?”

“Assorted accidents over the years. Nothing too serious. There are more on my back.”

“You like living dangerously.”

“Correction. I like living.” He leaned in and sank his teeth into her lower lip, staring so deep into her eyes that her pussy went damp. “Try it. You’ll see how fun it is.”

“I do live, thank you very much. But—”

He placed a finger over her lips in that seductively annoying way he had. “Show me.”

She stepped into the shower and motioned for him to follow. Once she’d turned on the taps, she lifted her face to the warm spray and immediately started to cough. She sputtered out a laugh when Brad shut the shower door and hauled her back against him.

“Sick girls need warmer water than this.” He cranked up the heat until steam rose around them then drew her arms around his neck, offering her support and setting a blowtorch to her simmering libido.

His body was so muscled and hard. And his cock was the hardest of all, wedged tight against the curve of her back.

“Is that really for me?” she asked, a little awestruck, until his soft laughter shook her out of her stupor. “I mean—”

“I know what you mean. And yes. It’s really for you.” His hands wrapped around her waist, his broad fingers spreading to encompass her stomach. She didn’t consider herself small normally, but he made her feel tiny. “Every painful inch,” he added, making her smile as she craned her neck to look up at him.

“You’re welcome to take care of the problem. Actually, consider this open encouragement.”

“You weren’t kidding about that, huh?” He cupped her breasts and bent to nibble her ear, his lips curving at her gasp. “I love the sounds you make.” One of his hands dipped between her thighs. “How hot you get. How wet.”

“Spirit’s very willing. Flesh is pretty weak.” She ducked her head and sneezed, taking water up the nose.

Ow.

He laughed, and she elbowed him as he grabbed her bottle of shampoo. “Yeah, that’s a good idea,” she said. “Do some work in here while you’re making fun of me.”

“Never.” A minute later she was purring under his touch, tilting her head forward so his lathered hands could work their magic on her hair. He massaged her scalp and pulled the shampoo through the thick strands with patient thoroughness. Damn, he hadn’t been lying about having talented hands.

“You’re so good at that.”

“Not the only thing I’m good at.” His whispered tease sent shivers over her skin despite the hot water beating down over them. He scooped her hair high on her head and bent to give her a drugging kiss, his mouth effortlessly enticing her into forgetting everything but him.

At least until she had to sneeze again.

She turned away and covered her face, her shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. “Sorry,” she said, lifting her voice over the pounding water. “This has to be the lamest seduction ever.”

“I think I’m offended.” Gently, he shifted her into his arms and rinsed her hair. She leaned back and let the water pound her achy forehead, closing her eyes on the image of Brad’s sexy grin.

If the massive hard-on trapped between their bodies wasn’t evidence enough, the way he looked at her proved he was genuine in his interest. This wasn’t a way to pass the time to him. He was a decent guy who wanted to do very indecent things to her. And she was damn happy to oblige him, once she was a little less sickly.

In the meantime, they could still have a good time.

Lips curving, she reached for her body wash and squirted a huge dollop into her palm. She set aside the bottle and rubbed the soap over her torso, her smile turning impish.

“Uh-oh. That smile scares me.”

She laughed and trailed bubbles over his chest, leaning forward to nip the corded muscles in his shoulders. He tensed, his pecs flexing under her meandering fingers.

“I want to watch you touch yourself.” She looked up at him under her lashes. “That’s not scary, is it?”

“No.” His throat rippled as he swallowed. “And I do aim to please.”

He didn’t hesitate to load up his hands with the body wash she even now worked into his ropey upper arms. This was a man for whom life itself was a workout. She would bet he didn’t even have a gym membership. He just worked and played hard.

And she had a feeling he had sex the same way. God, she couldn’t wait to find out.

They soaped each other for a couple minutes, the only sounds the rushing water and their increasingly heavy breathing. Without a word, he reached down and gripped his cock. When he began to move up and down in short strokes, her breath caught. So hot. She’d seen men do that in porn but never in reality. Never right in front of her.

His arm muscles flexed as the first fat drop of precome seeped down his shaft before being washed away. He sped up, working himself hard. Noting his firm hold, she bit her lip. Maybe she’d been too careful when touching prior lovers. Not that she’d gotten any complaints, but the harsh pumps of his hand gave her pause. They also provoked a low moan.

The sexiest part of this? His low-lidded, burning blue eyes were focused on her. Right now she was the fuel for his fantasies. Knowing that brought a fresh rush of moisture between her thighs.

Riveted, she cupped her own breasts, hardly aware of what she was doing. But then she sneezed again, and he choked out a laugh. “I’m going to get an erection every time I hear you sneeze from now on. You know that, right?”

Instead of responding in kind, she stared at his hand, now moving slower than before, and unwittingly pinched her nipples. The sensation echoed in her lower belly, swift and sharp.

“Damn, baby, that’s beautiful.” Reverence filled his tone.

She splashed a little water on them to wash off the last of the body wash. After she turned off the tap, she stepped closer and gazed deep into his eyes. What she saw there made her heart flutter and her core clench. “Tell me what you imagine when you’re doing this alone.”

“I usually pretend you’re riding me. Your hair loose, your breasts bouncing. I knew they’d be like this.” He molded her flesh, his tanned fingertips against her pale skin an incredible turn-on. “Not too big. Not too small. And your nipples…they’re the same cinnamon brown I always pictured. Almost as pretty as those light brown eyes of yours.”

That his attention returned to her face as he spoke inflamed every dormant nerve inside her body. He captured her lips, tormenting her with light, teasing kisses that made her want to grab his arms and drag him against her. But she reached for his cock instead, desperate to learn how he would feel in her hand.

In her mouth. In her pussy. Everywhere.

She shuddered, and he palmed her cheek. “Let’s go in the bedroom.” Each subtle throb of his thick, velvety flesh told her how much his own monologue had affected him. “It’s too cold in here, and you’re all wet.”

“That won’t improve if we go in the bedroom.”

His rich, appreciative laughter wound around her while he nudged her out of the shower and bundled her into one of her thick, Egyptian cotton towels. He folded another around her hair and led her into her room, then tugged her onto the bed. When he started to pull her on top of him, she put up a fight, enjoying the fierce flare of arousal on his face as he finally pinned her beneath him.

“Like it rough, hmm?”

“Maybe.” She blew an escaped strand of damp hair out of her eyes. “But it was more that. I had an ulterior motive. I wanted you just like this.”

He arched a brow. “That so?”

“Oh yeah.” Watching his face, Sara stroked the delicious erection flush against her belly. Then she licked her palm and slickened his length, repeating the move until his cock glistened. “Because you’re not finished.”

“Fuck, no.” He took hold of his cock, pulling on it even harder than before. “But I need my inspiration.”

She undid the towel and smiled as she cupped her breasts, covering them so her nipples peeked out between her spread fingers. Her head was swimming a bit, warning her that she’d better amp up her seductive routine or soon she’d be snoozing into her pillow. As hot as this was, and as much as she was loving every second, her battered system wanted nothing more than a long, cold-medicine-fueled nap.

“Better?” she asked, momentarily grateful for her scratchy voice. It made her sound sexy.

“Play with them. Make your nipples nice and tight for me.”

Eagerly, she obeyed. She toyed with the erect tips, scraped her short nails over them. Each tingling slice of pleasure made her back arch.

Aroused from both the feel of her own fingers and the sight of him working his shaft, she lost herself in sheer pleasure. He watched her as she watched him, his businesslike approach to making himself come almost as arousing as his intent expression.

The gray in his irises was gone now, lost in pure, intense blue. His desire practically smoked from his eyes, warming her from head to toe.

His breathing grew choppy. Rough. She couldn’t stop from undulating beneath him, bucking her hips. Her clit was so sensitive she was reasonably sure one dirty command from him would get her off.

“Oh yeah. Rub those perfect tits for me. I want to suck them. I want to come all over them.”

And there it was. She squeezed around nothing, wanting him so badly to quench the ache. Whimpering, she turned her face into the mattress. Her fingers plucked and caressed and circled her nipples, now so distended with need she figured he must know exactly how wet she was for him.

Just as she wondered if she’d be able to come from touching her breasts alone, he murmured, “Don’t sneeze.”

She laughed, her hips flexing uselessly beneath him. That must’ve pushed him over the edge, because he let out a long groan, his hand a blur as he yanked on his dick. Warm liquid gushed onto her stomach, drizzling her breasts and the backs of her hands. She moaned, the feeling of his groin driving her into the bed incredibly erotic. Hungry for more, she dipped her fingers in his release and spread it over her nipples.

“Oh yeah,” he gritted out, his mouth twisting as she scooped up more and painted her lips. “Put me all over you.”

She did, closing her eyes as she reveled in his salty essence, his choppy breathing, even the smell of spent sex. Leaning forward, he blew lightly against her skin, sending a cascade of warm air over her hard nipples, heating the liquid coating them.

She shuddered. “God. That feels incredible.”

The combination of sensations made her back bow. He cleaned her up with the edge of the towel, then got her wet all over again by sliding his mouth over her breasts. This time he wasn’t gentle or careful. As she cried out, he slid his finger inside her pussy. “So fucking tight. You’re going to snap my knuckle when you come, aren’t you?”

Before she could answer, he added a second finger and began to fuck her with both, focused on a singular goal.

Making her come. Hard.

One careless flick of his thumb on her clit, and she fulfilled his wish. She orgasmed in powerful, drenching waves, her keening moans filling the room. She wrenched her head back and forth on the bed while he drew out her climax, his tongue lapping at her nipple in time with the fingers pumping in and out of her.

When he finally drew his hand away, he pulled her close and pressed his face into her neck. “I love making you come.”

She reached up and stroked his face, surprised by the sudden tenderness welling up inside her. She’d never considered herself overly emotional, but something about Brad softened her in unexpected ways. “Next time, you’ll be inside me.” Her eyes were already closing.

“Sleep,” he murmured. “I’ll finish cleaning you up, don’t worry.”

She wasn’t worried. Even with the renewed soreness in her back, the pressure in her sinuses, and her newly raw throat, she still smiled as she gave in to exhaustion.

Maybe being a so-called cougar wasn’t so bad.