The Renegade (The Moorehouse Legacy #3)(41)

She wasn’t. His lapse made her feel erotic and powerful. Especially because discipline was so much a part of him. The idea that she’d burrowed beneath that strength was…well, it changed a little bit of how she saw herself.

“It’s okay, these things happen—” She stopped as he winced.

Yeah, that probably wasn’t what he wanted to hear right now.

As the silence stretched out, she thought she probably should go. She kissed him on the chest and sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. The floor was chilly on the soles of her feet.

“Well…” she murmured. “I guess I’ll see you—”

It happened so fast that her head spun. Literally.

One minute she was on the verge of standing up. The next, she was flat on her back with Alex on top of her.

He smoothed her hair from her face as he parted her legs with his knee. His hips moved against her and…wow, okay. Recovery time was over.

“You understand that I can’t have you leaving just yet.”

“Male pride?” she said with a smile.

“The need to be with you.” He nuzzled her neck. “And, yeah, okay, a little male pride.”

She arched as he found the tip of her breast with his fingers and he pulled away, looking down at her as he lightly brushed her nipple. She moaned at the sensation, throwing her head back.

His voice was low. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?”

Well, when he looked at her like that, she had a pretty clear idea.

His hands were slow and thorough as they explored her body, leaving a path of heat in their wake. She was shaking with need when he reached between her legs.

“Oh, Cassandra,” he said as he touched her heat.

She cried out and bit into his shoulder.

The mattress wiggled as he kissed a path down her body. But then he stopped and cursed.

“This bed is too damn small. I feel like I’m making love to you in a shoe box.” He tried to reposition himself, shifting this way and that, but his arms and legs and torso wouldn’t fit no matter how much he tried.

With a growl of frustration, he came back up and covered her with his weight. “Now. Cassandra, I want you now.”

“Yes…”

His tongue shot into her mouth as his hand came between them. She felt blunt warmth brushing against her and then his thick arousal slid into her body. He shuddered as they were joined, and she felt the shaking inside of her.

“Is this okay?” he asked tightly.

“Please…more…”

With his first powerful thrust, she knew there would be no stopping. His rhythm was strong, dominating, his heavy, muscular body churning above her. The surging took her right to heaven, her release shooting through her in waves, stiffening her, stealing the air from her lungs, the sight from her eyes, the sound from her ears.

Alex paused, as if savoring the way her body grabbed on to his, and then as soon as she stilled, he took over again. He held nothing back, spared her no ounce of his weight and strength and need as he drove his hips over and over again. She held on to him at the waist, her arms sliding up and down the small of his back as he pumped, his skin blooming with sweat.

Tension built within his body as his driving hips went faster and faster, the stroke of his retreats getting shorter and shorter.

And then in a mighty yell, he called out her name and pushed inside one last time. The force of his release took her over the edge with him.

As they held on to each other, tears blinded her eyes.

So very good. So very…perfect.

*

As dawn arrived, Alex stared at Cassandra while she slept.

He’d watched her since the moment he’d rolled off her after they’d made love. Which had been hours ago.

The idea of closing his eyes and missing even a moment of having her beside him in his bed was unthinkable.

She was curled up against his body, seeking his warmth to fend off the chill of the shop. The potbellied stove had burned through its supply of wood, but there was no way he was getting up and re-stoking it. He was hoping if he didn’t disturb her, she would sleep until noontime. Tomorrow.

He wondered what her mood was going to be when she woke up. Would she regret what they’d done in the night? Even if she didn’t, she was probably going to be sore. He’d never been like that with anyone, never unleashed his body with such total abandon.

Then again, he’d never wanted someone so desperately.

Cassandra stirred and nestled deeper into his shoulder. Her brows met as if she were confused. Her eyes opened.

Alex braced himself for her reaction.

She looked up at him. And smiled.

I love you, he thought, his body heating up.

“Hi,” he said. Like an idiot.

“Hi.” Her voice was husky. She glanced at the potbellied stove. “It’s a little cold.”

Leaving her was the last thing he wanted to do, but he rolled off the bed and went naked to the woodpile. When he had the fire going, he pulled on a pair of jeans, tucking himself in so his need wasn’t so obvious.

He hated that morning had come and their time together was over.

“Are you all right?” he asked, turning toward her.

“Yes.”

“I don’t regret last night,” he blurted.

Her gaze dropped to the floor and she pulled the blankets up.