Darken (Siege #1) (10 page)

She rolled onto her back, desperate to think of anything other than Gavin and his sexy chest. Yet, lying on her back allowed the cool autumn air to gently brush along her puckered nipples. She took a sip of her water, but as she went to place it back on the nightstand, she misjudged the distance and the uncapped bottle fell onto the bed.

“Shit!” she cried out.

She scrambled away from the growing wet spot but found herself trapped by the quilt. The door flew open and the lights flicked on.

“What’s wrong?” Gavin asked.

“Help me! The water spilled, and” —she tugged at the blanket—“I can’t get” —another tug— “out.”

He laughed, and she tossed him a sour look. Before she could regret her reaction, he grasped the end of the quilt and yanked it, dragging her along with it a good foot down the bed. Unfortunately, her wet shirt was trapped beneath her back, and while she rolled down, it rolled up.

The blanket fell to the ground as they stared at each other. His eyes flicked down to her panties, making her aware of how exposed she was. He averted his eyes, and she pulled the shirt down as she scooted off the wet sheet. She yanked off the sheet, using it to absorb the dampness from the mattress.

“What happened?” he asked as he went to the closet and pulled out a fresh sheet.

“I missed the nightstand and dropped the water bottle on the bed.” She took the end of the sheet he handed to her and tucked the elastic corners around the mattress while he did the same on the other side.

The sheet in place, they both reached for the quilt, pulling back, and they realized the other was also doing the same thing. Cora gave a nervous laugh and picked up the blanket to toss it over the bed.

When she was done, she turned to find him staring at her. Everything inside her stilled, hanging on to the edge of passion she could see his expression.

“I should …” His voice trailed off as he gestured toward the living room.

“Stay,” she said, moving closer to him.

“Cora, you were in a major accident. You banged your head.” He shook his head.

“I know what I’m doing. I know what I want.”

And she did. For so long she’d wanted Gavin. Now, she had her chance. Maybe it wasn’t forever. Maybe it wasn’t love. But it was something, and she wanted it.

She pressed her hand to his chest and slid it up to curl around the back of his neck. Rising up on her tiptoes, she pressed her lips to his.

For a moment, only the presence of her hand kept him there then he took control. His hands grasped her hips and pulled her against him before skimming along her ribs and up into her hair, tangling in her wild curls. A soft moan escaped her and her back arched. His lips opened for her tongue, and she explored his mouth, loving the way his tongue danced with hers.

He stepped in closer, moving them until the back of her knees hit the bed and they sank onto the mattress. The pressure of him atop her caused her legs to part, and he settled between them. The rough material of his jeans scraped along her thighs as his hips rocked his hard cock along her folds and her thin panties grew damp with her excitement.

Cora’s teeth playfully caught his lower lip, nipping at him until he crushed his mouth along hers. She pushed against his chest and he lifted up on his knees, breaking the contact of their lips. She grabbed the bottom of his shirt, pushing it up, then he took over and pulled the shirt over his head. Her fingers traced the rippling muscles of his abs, but her fun was short-lived as he nudged her hands out of the way so he could pull off the oversized shirt she wore.

With the barrier between them removed, he gazed down at her with an intensity that threatened to overwhelm her. She wondered what he saw.
Did he see the slight stretch marks along the side of her breasts? The less than flat surface of her belly?

“Fuck, you’re beautiful,” he whispered, and any thought of insecurities vanished with the seductive timbre of his voice.

He cupped her breasts, gently squeezing them before capturing her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers. She felt the light pinch all the way to her core, and her body clenched in response.

Desperate to feel him drive into her, she reached out and let her fingers play with the spattering of hair that disappeared beneath his jeans before opening the snap of his jeans and carefully lowering the zipper over his hard flesh. She cupped the bulge she found and firmly stroked her hand along his length.

“I want you inside me.” Her voice was a wispy rasp.

“Fuck.”

He moved off the bed, and she lifted onto her elbows to watch him remove his pants and briefs. His penis stood up at an angle, and her mouth watered at the sight of the thick bulbous head. He placed a knee on the bed so he could lean over and hook his fingers into her panties. She waited for him to take them off, but he hesitated.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

In answer, she lifted her hips, and he slid the fabric down her legs.

Free of any barriers, she lifted her knees for him to kneel between. He leaned over her and placed his forearms on either side of her shoulders to support his weight. She placed her feet on the back of his legs. The position let his cock nestle within her folds and her hips pivoted, letting her clitoris rub against him. She wrapped her arms around him and lightly scraped her nails over the muscles of his back.

His head dipped and he captured a nipple with his lips. She drew in a sharp breath as he sucked on it then let it pop free. His ragged breath across the moist nub sent shivers through her. He moved to the other breast, sucking and nipping until she withered beneath him.

Gavin shifted his weight to one arm and reached down with the other until his fingers found the curls shielding her entrance. He parted her and slid two fingers into her hot pussy. Curling them upward, he slowly moved them in and out while his thumb skimmed across her sensitive clit.

Her fingernails dug into his back, and he lifted his head to look at her.

“Enough,” she panted. “I want you inside me.”

His slipped his fingers out of her and replaced them with the head of his penis. Her back arched, angling her hips to encourage him deeper inside. He pressed in until he was fully engulfed in her snug channel.

Her moan was met by his answering groan, and his hips surged back and forth then he suddenly pulled back, leaving her pussy aching with emptiness.

“Condom,” he said.

She thought of telling him it was okay. She didn’t want anything between them. She wanted to feel the hot spill of his seed fill her. Yet, she also knew he’d been sexually active during the last few months.

Gavin reached over to the nightstand and pulled a condom from the drawer. She took it from him and ripped it open then handed it back to him. As fun as it would be to play around with him, it would be much faster if he put it on himself.

It took only a moment for him to roll the condom on, and then he sank back in and passion consumed her. His hard thrust left her breathless as his pubic bone ground against her clitoris. She met each thrust eagerly, tension building in her and tightening her muscles.

He reared up and his hands gripped her legs behind her knees, pulling her legs apart farther to deepen his thrust and expose her clit. She reached down to press a finger to the sensitive nub, circling it until the tension inside her exploded.

“Come for me, baby,” he groaned. Her muscles quivering around him, he froze deep within her. She relaxed as the last tremors of her orgasm faded, and he started moving again until he tensed above her. He growled harshly as his back arched and his fingers bit into her legs.

Collapsing on top of her, he caught his breath then pulled out and rolled to the side. Cora lay there with her eyes closed, completely exhausted, and listened to the sound of him moving around. There was a click of the light switch being flicked to off, water running in the bathroom, then the shuffling of his feet as he returned.

The bed dipped under his weight and she curled into his side, exhaustion and satisfaction sending her into a deep dreamless sleep.

Chapter Ten

THE MORNING AFTER WAS Cora’s least favorite part of sex. With the temporary boyfriends she had in college, and the couple one-nighters since morning always meant the same thing to her.
Guilt
.

She felt no shame in relieving the cravings of her body, although she was certain that’s where her mother would hope the guilt came from. Instead, it was the knowledge that while they had sex, she was thinking of Gavin, and when she got out of bed in the morning, all she could think of was how she’d used them.

Maybe it was silly to worry about such things, but she did. How could she not? Especially that particular morning. Because while she didn’t feel guilt, she knew Gavin did.

When she first awoke, she lay on her side with him spooning her from behind. The heavy weight of sleep kept his arm resting on her hip. She faced the starkness of his room; it was no more a home than her own apartment was. The messiness made it appear lived in, but nothing about the room gave a sense of home.

A wave of dizziness swept over her, and she closed her blurring eyes, waiting until the vision that woke her took over.

He is watching again. He sits on the park bench, his gaze following Gavin as he makes his way from the coffee shop to his Jeep.

Cora trembles with the titillation pulsing through him, the thrill he experiences being so close to his unsuspecting prey. His fingers tighten around the cold handle of his pistol, yet he makes no move to draw the weapon.

He isn’t ready yet. But soon.

The image of Gavin climbing into his vehicle faded as Cora returned to the present. The morning sun peeked through the partially-open blinds, and a faint beep from outside the bedroom was followed by the sound of the coffee maker percolating.

The shift in Gavin’s body was subtle at first, just a slow tensing of muscles before he withdrew from the intimacy of their embrace.

Cora stayed curled up, pretending to sleep as he moved away from her. The bed shifted as he went, and something on the nightstand fell to the carpeted floor. Slowly, she rolled over to watch him pick it up. He faced away from her, but she could see what he held—the engagement photo of him and Lela.

She glanced away, her chest tightening. She must have made a sound because he twisted around and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead.

“I love you,” she said, staring into his eyes.

He didn’t want to hear it, but she couldn’t hold it in any longer. She was done hiding things from him.

“Cora …”

“I have for a long time.” She cupped his jaw in her hand, loving the rough stubble pricked her skin. “I never intended for you to be hurt. You need to heal and blaming me let you move forward.”

“I needed the truth,” he said gruffly.

“I know that now. That’s why I am telling you this. I love you.”

He covered her hand with his and pressed his mouth into her palm. His eyes closed and she felt his lips moving. Then his fingers linked through hers and raised her hand above her head.

He lowered his head until his lips hovered only a breath away from hers. The anticipation of the kiss sent shivers along her skin. His tongue peeked out, tracing her lower lip, but when she opened in invitation, he pulled back to look down at her.

“V
ocê não é nada para mim
,” he said with a sad smile.

You are nothing.

Everything within Cora froze as those simple words shattered her heart, its jagged pieces stabbing her. That he would say such a thing to her after she laid her soul bare to him, that he would smile while saying it, left her speechless.

Can a heart break and still beat?

She shouldn’t have been surprised. She had known this was how it was for him. She realized he didn’t love her. To Gavin, she was just another Hailey—a warm body to temporarily ease the needs body and then put aside.

Yet, she made this choice with her eyes wide open. She asked him to stay, told him she knew what she wanted. And she had; she thought she might never have another opportunity to be with him.

She accepted it then. In the harsh, guilt-ridden light of the morning, was she willing to take what he offered? Did she really want to be on the other side of that morning after guilt?

She wasn’t sure she could accept it, but with his hard body caressing hers, she didn’t have the willpower to refuse.

He brushed a strand of hair from her cheek, and she could almost pretend the words he’d spoken meant something completely different. The hot press of his mouth nearly convinced her that he loved her, too.

Gavin’s tongue swept along the seam of her lips until they opened under the pressure. The heat of his breath melded with hers as their tongues danced. She tangled her fingers into his hair, trying to hold him to her.

Wrapping an arm around her, he rolled them as they lay facing each other. His hands trailed down her spine to her lower back then around to grip the fullness of her ass. At the slight bite of his fingers, her pussy clenched, aching for him to fill her.

One of his hands slipped between them to palm her breast then slid down to the hardened nub of her clit. A hoarse cry erupted from her as his fingertip flicked the erect flesh before teasing it with a firm circling. Her hips lifted uncontrollably, desperate to find relief.

He shifted her onto her back and moved over her. She wrapped her legs around him and her pelvis tilted back and forth as she rubbed herself against him. She pressed her fingernails into the hard flesh of his ass, straining to pull him closer.

“Now. I want you now,” she moaned as she tore her lips from his.

She reached down to grip his penis, stroking him firmly. His hips jerked, and she relished the power she had.

“Oh God, baby. You’re killing me,” he said and surged forward again. He took her hand away and kissed her palm before reaching over for a condom.

He positioned himself against her opening then drove himself in. A gasp escaped her at the rasping of her tender flesh.

Gavin stared down at Cora. Her eyes were hooded, and between her gently parted lips, he saw the tip of her pink tongue. She was absolutely absorbed in the feel of him moving inside her.

He sensed the tension building in her by the way her heels dug into the back of his thighs and the subtle twitches of her warm passage around his cock. He paused the movement of his hips, and her eyelids fluttered.

The blue of her eyes seemed to sparkle, and in them, he saw the truth of the words she had spoken. She loved him. He didn’t deserve her love. He didn’t want it. He just wanted a body to take away the ache that had existed inside him every day since Lela died.

Love was not part of this. Sex. That’s what he wanted. It’s all he gave. He wanted to lose himself as she had in the physical, to close his eyes and pretend she was someone else.

Dipping his head, he buried his face in her hair, his hips instinctively taking up their thrusting motion. Yet, he couldn’t escape the fact she was not Lela. The lush hair against his cheek had a natural wave rather than a silky straightness, blond rather than black, and there was no comforting, gentle scent of strawberry shampoo. Instead, fresh mint filled his senses and he froze.

He couldn’t do it.

He needed to be able to pretend, and with Cora, he couldn’t.

Withdrawing from her, he rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. Cora didn’t say anything, and that made him feel worse. Performance anxiety wasn’t something he ever experienced, though he wasn’t even sure this qualified. His body was raring to go, his arousal nearing painful. It was his mind that rebelled, refusing to let him sink into his memories because Cora’s presence couldn’t be denied.

For the past few months, she’d been gradually sinking into him, and every time he touched her, tasted her, she only dug in deeper until the space Lela occupied in his thoughts began to erode.

He hadn’t asked for this. He hadn’t asked Cora to take up that space. That wasn’t what he wanted from her.

He squeezed his eyes shut as his vision blurred. Cora brushed her hand against his face, and when he would have looked at her, she laid a finger over his lips.

“Don’t say anything. Just close your eyes,” she said.

She leaned over and kissed his eyelids, his cheeks, the curve of his stubble-covered jaw. Arranging herself atop of him, she began a slow rocking rhythm. Heat built quickly, and he gripped her waist, taking control. He increased the pace and angled himself to deepen their joining.

A tingling crept down his spine, and he drove faster and harder into her until he pulled her hips down and ground into them as he exploded within her. When his release finished, he continued his rhythm, his hands reaching up to cup her full breasts, rolling the nipples between his thumb and forefinger.

Cora tossed her head back and gave a shaky cry, her entire body trembling with ecstasy. When the tremors subsided, she collapsed across his chest, relaxing into the arms he wrapped around her.

He swept her hair over to the side and let his teeth skim along the sensitive skin where her shoulder and neck met. His hold on her loosened, and she rolled off him.

His eyebrows drew down at her abrupt withdrawal and he watched as she went to the bathroom, firmly closing the door behind her. There was the faint sound of water running as she turned on the shower.

He tried to recall the guys she dated in the time he’d known her, and could only picture a couple—both safe and boring types from college. That was the kind of guy she should be with, one who wanted to settle down and give her babies.
So, what the hell was she doing with him?

Settling down and having babies didn’t figure into his life plan anymore. Loving her would never happen. He couldn’t even say he’d still be attracted to her in a month.

There was every chance that when she came out, she’d be expecting him to tell her he loved her. Then he’d have to deal with her tears and her broken heart. Maybe there’d be anger. He hoped it was anger because the thought of her crying twisted his gut. She knew when she invited him to stay what the game was. Cora, of all people, understood that his heart was buried with Lela.

“V
ocê não é nada para mim
. You are nothing,” he whispered.

He closed his eyes and pulled up the memory of when Lela and he had first made love. It had been the week after prom. Lela had wanted to do it after the dance, but he hated the idea of being cliché. Everyone was doing it then, and he didn’t want their first time together to be lumped in with all of the bullshit his buddies would be spewing the next day. He could still feel the brush of her hand along his, still taste the chocolate cheesecake she’d eaten for dessert on her lips.

At the click of the bathroom door, his eyes opened, and in the brief moment before he looked at Cora, he decided how he would handle her. But when he finally met her gaze, she seemed oddly composed. And dressed. He sat up, the sheet falling to his waist.

“I need to get home,” Cora said. “My brother probably told my parents about the accident, and knowing my mom, she’s already halfway to town.”

“Sinclair is out there. It’s not safe,” he protested. Even to his ears, it sounded weak, though he wasn’t sure why he even bothered to say anything other than
okay
.

That was the way he liked it. No messy clinging, no need for him to come up with excuses to get her to leave.

“As far as I can tell, your brothers have no plans for capturing him today or this week, or anytime in the near future. I can’t hide here indefinitely.” She gave him a terse smile. “Besides, my mom really will be in town soon, and I doubt you want her coming here and asking details about last night.”

“Yeah, maybe not the best idea.”

“Well, I’ll see you on Friday then.”

“Cora,” he said on a sigh.

“Don’t.” She sat on the end of the bed with her back to him and pulled on her socks. “Don’t make this into anything other than what it is.”

“And what’s that?” he asked. He could’ve kicked himself.
What the hell kind question was that?
He knew what it was. He definitely didn’t want to hear her tell him it was anything different.

She stood and gazed down at him. What he saw reflected in her eyes withered his stomach.

“Sex.”

It was the simple, straightforward answer he wanted to hear. So why didn’t he feel relieved? Even after she left, he was unable to shake the feeling that he should’ve asked her to stay.