Dangerous Lies(37)

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.