After meandering around Kori’s home studying pictures in frames on every surface available while he was waiting for her to pack an overnight bag, he now wondered how she saw his condo. He was a guy. Comfort and location to the pub had been all he’d cared about when he’d signed the lease. The furniture was sparse, except for the sectional and a large television. Everything else was a stark contrast to Kori’s home, which felt warm and inviting.
He placed her things just inside his bedroom door, with a glance around it, the coldness hit him. It could have been a hotel suite, no one would know who owned it. The dreary thoughts left him when he heard a kitchen chair being slid across the floor. With a few strides Slade was back near her. He motioned for her to sit, while he held the chair for her, ready to seat her like a gentleman. She stayed standing. “I have wine or beer…or water if you’d rather?” he offered.
She bit her lip again. Slade had quickly figured out her many facial expressions, her signs, the sweet moans and even what made worry lines cross her forehead from time to time. “Kori, sweetheart.” He urged her into his embrace, wrapping his arms around her. “I really just want a good night’s sleep. Something I haven’t had in weeks.”
“Weeks?”
“Yes. Since the night I met you, every dream has been of you—that’s when I can manage to fall asleep. I think of this, right here, you in my arms…all the time.”
“If you think I’m backing out of having hot, sweaty sex with you—” Her eyes went wide, then she rested her forehead on his chest.
He waited a few seconds. “Kori, talk to me.”
She shook her head.
“Kori Grace.”
He lowered his voice and she reacted as he’d hoped. Her head popped up. Kori blinked twice while staring at him, her breathing becoming choppy.
“When you forget to be on, when you let your guard down, is when I love every word that comes out of your mouth. You make me feel lighter, freer, you make me laugh—not at you, with you. Do you understand?”
With her eyes still locked on his, she she nodded.
“So, if you’re not having second thoughts—though I don’t ever want you to feel pressured—tell me what has you tied up in knots.”
Kori had no control over herself. This wasn’t the first time he’d pulled out her full name and made her feel as if he’d cast a spell over her. It was unnerving how her body responded to Slade without an ounce of thought. A shiver ran down her spine. He stroked her hip again, causing the action to repeat.
“Are you going to tell me what you were about to say?”
She groaned. Never before had any man made her brain become disconnected from her mouth. Both failed her countless times around Slade, embarrassing her over and over. He was studying her as if he could see through her. All her thoughts, cares and fears came screaming to the surface when he set his gaze on her. There was no hiding from him. She’d tried and failed on several occasions.
His knuckle held her chin up. Instead of making her feel vulnerable and weak, Slade held her in a way which made her really look at him. Completely focus on him, not glance around to avert her attention, and within seconds she found herself centered. He had a calming, simmering power lurking beneath his good humor and easy smiles.
For a brief second, she started to formulate a lie, unable to tell him exactly what she felt. Slade’s brow rose.
The truth tumbled out instead of the story she had been intending to sell.
“I’m not afraid of tonight. I’m afraid of tomorrow, and the next day. I’m afraid I’m in love with you, but that it’s too fast and you don’t feel the same, or at least as strongly as I do. I—”
She started to slap a hand over her mouth, again, before she could finish her thought with a three-word sentence. Slade’s forearm blocked her.
He shook his head. “Don’t hide from me. What else did you want to say?”
Slade’s voice was low, a gravely sound of power. Her stomach started to do flip-flops. It was her turn to shake her head.
One damn date.
That was all they’d been on, but he’d spent weeks working his way into her world. When she was around him, Kori felt as if she’d known Slade half a lifetime, not the short time her head kept reminding her of. She swallowed, the fear inside her beginning to make her feel like she was on fire. Or if she was really lucky, maybe she’d just faint and be able to avoid his penetrating brown eyes still locked on her. The color had darkened as he continued studying her. She inhaled deeply and her words got stuck, only a small croak escaped.
Not only did his brow rise again, he tipped his head.
“I love you,” she hurried out, and, despite his strength, she managed to cover her mouth and duck to avoid the look she feared the most.
She was floating suddenly.
Kori clenched her jaw shut and left her eyes closed as Slade carried her out of the kitchen. With the same care a newborn is shown, she was placed on top of a thick blanket before sinking into the softness of his mattress.
“Open your eyes, Kori Grace.”
That voice. She snapped to attention again, doing as he said.
“I want you to understand, I know you’re nervous. I know we haven’t dated very long, but I know you. Your heart has a way of controlling your mouth and your head can’t override it—and I adore it.”
He leaned over her, bracing his arms on the bed and bracketing her head. Lowering, he brushed her lips.
Kori’s eyes teared up. She couldn’t help it. She was too far gone, she’d thrown herself off the deep end for a man she’d only known two months. She’d become addicted to his laughter, his winks, the strength in which he held her close. Kori didn’t want to lose the safety she felt in his presence, or the way he made her feel like she was the only girl in the room when they were together.
“I love you, too—”
She cut him off, unable to hear much through the rushing noise in her head. “You…do?”
“Yes. And I’ll repeat it as many times as you need me to. I. Love. You. And, another thing, I don’t care what anyone thinks or says. They can talk all they want about how fast we fell. If they have opinions about fast love or rushing into things, they can keep it to themselves. I’m only listening to the people I trust most—you, and the Collinses. Patrick was the first to call me out on the mat, and since then, they’ve joined forces.” He wiped her cheek with his finger. “Sweetheart,” he unbuttoned two buttons on her shirt, “I think you need me to show you how much I love you now. Are you in this with me?”
Kori couldn’t stop the tears. He’d knocked her world off kilter weeks before. Everything had been building. The joy, nerves, excitement…but mostly fear that he didn’t feel the same way. His sincerity and gentleness were her undoing.
“I am,” she whispered.
Slade continued to undo each pearl button on Kori’s pale green blouse. It was mean of him to force her to finish her sentence, she’d clearly been uncomfortable. He couldn’t help it; with every fiber of his being, he needed those three words to be the ones she felt too. From the night they’d met, he’d felt as if he’d been the one rushing their relationship, hoping she was on the same page. He’d sensed, almost without a doubt, he only needed one thing to feel happy, complete.
This girl, the one beneath him, her blue eyes shining as he stripped her of her clothing, was it.
She fisted the comforter on his bed. Were they rushing into the love-and-commitment part too fast? Should they be waiting to proclaim such profound declarations to each other?
Hockey had gifted him one thing, despite the heartache. The knowledge of how fleeting time can be. There isn’t always next month, next season, next year. Slade had never told another woman he loved her, but with Kori, he knew. As he’d said the words aloud, everything in his world fell into place. He felt at peace for the first time in too long.
Slade crossed his arms over his head and yanked his shirt off. Her soft gasp inflated his ego a tiny bit. He still worked out but it was the remnants of his hockey life she was seeing for the first time. He stopped for a quick second, noticing how the thoughts of hockey didn’t loom over him like a dark cloud when Kori was around.
In a single breath, he let the anger at his past go. Had he been playing pro, he’d have never met the love of his life. He’d have spent the year dedicated to a sport, instead of the winter getting to know every inch of her soft body.
“What’s that smile for?”
He was nearly laughing. “You, sweetheart…you. I am the luckiest man on the planet.”
Her mouth tipped. “Maybe. Maybe not. What if I’m really bad in bed?”
Kori’s eyes gave away the shock at her words. Slade stood grinning and used both hands to motion her to continue. “All right, bring it. What else ya got?”
She moved her hands away from her mouth and snickered. “I could suck—and I don’t mean in a good way.”
He nodded. “Good one. And?” he encouraged. She started to fidget and cover herself. “Don’t even think about it.” Slade winked.
“Oh. My. God. Would you just hurry this up? Can you not just get to it and have sex with me alread…y?” Her last word was paused, her eyes going wide as he purposely gave her what she’d started calling “the look”.
“Honey, this won’t be a slam-bam-thank-you-ma’am session. You’ll be wrung out, begging for more—and...for rest. But,” he leaned over, kissing her lips, “you do get an A for enthusiasm. And second, damn if I don’t love how your mouth gets the best of you so, so often.”
“Slade?” she whispered.
“Hurting, aren’t you, Kori Grace?” He watched as her chest moved more rapidly, her breathing changing. Her legs, which had been pressed tightly together, slowly moved, opening for him. Consciously or not, Slade saw the effect taking hold. He could tell she had her jaw clenched tight, and her eyes finally closed.
Slade ran his fingertips over every inch of her, watching each inhale, each shiver, listening to the noises, memorizing all of her, especially what had her body arching towards his touch.
“Please,” she whispered. “No more. Not just touching, damn it.” She shook her head. “Please, I need you—here…with me…in me.”
The way she’d twisted under his hands, her soft contradictory pleas, it warmed his soul and stoked an ember in Slade that’d been burning since the night he’d met Kori. He also knew he’d kept her on the brink for longer than he’d meant to, but her sassy mouth had delayed him, and he lived for the banter she threw his direction. No, Kori Dalton would never be able to keep her thoughts from him, especially when she was horny.
Slade shucked his jeans, boxers, shoes and socks in exchange for a condom.
Her eyes didn’t open until after he’d kissed his way up her entire body and was hovering over her, ready. Kori slid her palms over his face, her blue eyes dramatically darkened.
“Thank you, Slade.”
“For what, honey?”
“Because for the first time, I can be me…with you.”
Again, she’d beat him to the punch, saying the words he’d been feeling as well. Pulling in a deep breath, Slade swallowed. “Kori, you have to know something. About me. More specifically, you and me.”
She inhaled a handful of times before she finally answered, “Yes?”
“You told me you loved me.”
“I did; I do.”
“And I love you, I mean it with all my heart, and I’ve never said that to another woman. I’ve never felt for anyone what I feel for you.” She bit her lip, tears starting to glisten in her eyes. “You respond to me in a way I…I don’t want to give up.” Slade edged closer and closer, and she pushed her head into his pillow as she lifted her hips to meet him. “We belong together, sweetheart. Once I enter you, you’re mine. I don’t want to scare you, but—”
“I don’t want anyone but you, Slade. I never thought I’d find you, I don’t want to ever,” he pushed inside her, “let. You. Go.”
“Kori Grace?” he said, gritting his teeth, trying to hold on, unable to finish his question.
“Yours, Slade. Yes…I know. I’m only yours. I only want to be yours, ever.”
He let out a huge sigh of relief. Slade soaked up her words, her admission, and the feeling of heat from her body as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down upon her.
Slade kissed her neck over and over, making his way to her lips. Her mouth opened slightly and he deepened the kiss. There were so many things running through his head about what he wanted to do with Kori, and each stroke of her fingers across his back made those images steamier.
Slowly though.
The last thing he wanted was to scare her. Tonight would be about proving how much he treasured her.
“Quit holding back, Slade. I understand,” she whispered through uneven breaths.
He pulled back enough to see her face. “Understand, sweetheart?”
Kori nodded. “My name. Layla caught it. She…she…”
This was too important for her to rush, he didn’t want her tripping over words that were so monumental to their relationship because she was embarrassed to talk to him. “It’s okay, take your time.”
“It’s just that, well…Layla noticed the way you say my name differently sometimes, and how your voice changes, especially when you add my middle name. She explained…the, um… Called it a power shift of sorts, she could see it happen and could see me relax when you did it.”
In his mind, the thoughts and questions started spinning. There was no way she could fully comprehend what she was saying in the heat of the moment, with him still deep inside her scorching hot body. “And? What else did Layla tell you?”
“I’m not fragile, Slade. You can’t hurt me.”
“But…in the kitchen?”
“I’m just scared of how much I care for you. That attraction, if you didn’t feel the same way…I’d never feel this way about anyone else ever again. We’ve—I’ve fallen so fast for you, but I can’t help it. I know for sure, I love you.”
Her face was lined, as if she was scared he’d roll away and ask her to leave. But he was proud of her strength, the fact that he’d asked for the truth and she was giving it to him, despite her fears. Yet, with every word she spoke, the truth rang clear for him as well. Everything she said was how he felt, too. Her knowledge of the depth of his feelings for her, the acceptance of him and how he dreamed to care for her, meant the world to him. He pushed deeper inside her and held her close to him.
Slade kissed her cheeks, tasting the salt from her tears. “Kori Grace,” he whispered. Before his eyes, the lines from her face faded, she blinked, heavy-lidded but staring up at him, and after a long minute, the corner of her mouth tipped, giving him a tiny smile, a sign of relief. “Sweetheart, I do love you.”
He pulled out slowly. She whimpered as he left only the tip of his dick inside her. “Open your eyes, sweetheart.” He waited her out, holding out on her until he had her concentration once again. “I want to protect you, to take care of you, to love you, but, I’m not looking for a submissive or anything you might have read in those books out on your bookshelf. However, I’ve overheard women talk about what’s in some of them, and it’s real. I’m not playing games here—I want that—with you. In the bedroom, during sex, I’m in control—”
“I know, Slade. I promise, I understand,” she said, thrusting her hips upward trying to take him deeper again.
“Ah, ah, ah. That’s what I’m trying to explain to you, Kori Grace. Exactly this.”
Her body fell back into his mattress, a petulant, twisted pout on her face was all it took. He could preach all he wanted, but Kori had him wrapped around her little finger. Slade slammed into her with more power than before. She arched upward, taking all of him as she made a high-pitched squeak. He bent to nip at her neck, her shoulder, and then kissed her deeper than ever before.
Slade continued to show her exactly what he meant, but kissed her lovingly after each pounding motion, drawing out what she needed from him. She’d said the words, but her body had continued to wrestle him, arching against him, her hands pulling him closer.
She started to contract around him, and in a split second she relaxed. In that moment, Slade knew, she understood completely. He began moving faster, nipping, pinching, driving her over the edge of what he’d promised.