I Only Have Eyes for You (The Sullivans #4)(42)

One day he vowed to worship her like she deserved to be worshipped. Long and slow, stoking the flames of her desire until she was begging for release. But the self-control Jake McCann was so famous for had completely disappeared the first time he’d pulled Sophie against him and kissed her soft mouth. Tonight was no different and the only choice he had was to unzip his jeans with one hand before pulling her hips to the edge of the bed and driving into her like a man possessed.

There were no words between them tonight, no room for anything but heavy breaths and groans of pleasure. He filled his hands with her br**sts again before moving them to her stomach.

He stilled at the realization of the lives she carried inside, and her eyes fluttered open. She covered his hands with hers and then looked up at him with a smile so full of love, his chest clenched so tight he actually thought his heart might shatter as he looked down at the beauty beneath him, wrapped so tightly all around him.

Whatever control he might have been able to find to take her slower, to put her pleasure first, slipped from his grasp. He had to slide his hands to her hips, taking hers with him, had to grip her hard before thrusting in as far as she could take him. Her inner muscles tightened down around his shaft and as the now familiar rush of her inner muscles rippling in climax took hold, Jake threw his head back and came with a roar.

Minutes later, when he’d stripped off the rest of his clothes and wrapped himself around her with Sophie already asleep against his chest, Jake had to softly say the words that had been burning a hole inside his heart for so many years.

“I love you.”

Chapter Sixteen

Sophie woke up, all alone in the middle of Jake’s big bed. As she yawned and stretched, something played in the back of her mind, a dream she’d had of Jake saying something important to her. She’d strained to try to make her recollection clearer, but she’d been too tired last night—and too sated from his incredibly passionate lovemaking—to remember the details of a fleeting dream.

In any case, the previous evening had been lovely. She’d had fun playing waitress for a few hours, but when she’d asked him to stay in the bed with her and he’d loved her so beautifully...well, it made her skin tingle all over just thinking of his mouth on her, his hands stroking her skin, and his—

She blushed and pushed the thick duvet off. Her clothes hadn’t made it here yet, so after a quick shower and a little time with the toothbrush Jake still had out for her, she put on another one of his dress shirts.

She walked down the hall and into the living room, surprised to see Jake sitting at the dining table with spreadsheets spread out all across it.

“Good morning.” She felt shy, all of a sudden, even though she was very happy to see him. Just like always.

He pushed out of his chair. “Sleep well?”

“I always sleep well with you.” She blushed again at what she’d just admitted.

Fortunately, all he said was, “Good. I’m glad. I made you a few things for breakfast.” He brushed a kiss on her forehead before moving past her to the kitchen.

The first time he’d cooked for her, she hadn’t wanted to admit how sweet he was. Now she wondered why she had ever tried to deny it. Especially when no man had ever wanted to take care of her like he did. Even the way he kissed her on the forehead was sweet. Almost as if he wasn’t just with her for her body—or for the children growing inside of it—but because he actually cared about her.

She knew she needed to be smart and remember to keep her guard up against Jake for the next few days, until she’d fulfilled her side of the agreement and they both went their separate ways. But it grew more and more difficult to do that by the second.

Last night in his bed had been incredible. Passionate. Intense. Amazing. Especially when he’d stopped and put his hand over her stomach and looked into her eyes with wonder.

That should have proved what she knew was true, right? That he only wanted her here with him because of their children? But it had seemed just the opposite—that at least part of the reason he was happy with her being pregnant was because of her.

And then there was the way he’d seemed so glad to see her when she’d shown up at his pub last night. Or what about how he’d held her close after they had sex, even though he’d already had his pleasure and could have just as easily rolled over and left her lying there alone?

He broke into her jumbled thoughts, saying, “It’ll just take me a minute to heat everything up.”

Seeing the veritable feast he’d put together for her, she shook her head. “I can’t eat all this.” There were enough eggs and pancakes and fruit and sausage and toast to feed her entire family.

“You couldn’t have eaten enough last night. I wanted to make sure you didn’t go hungry this morning.”

“You were there when I got on the scale at the doctor’s office yesterday,” she joked. “I’m not exactly wasting away.”

He didn’t smile. “You’re perfect, Sophie.”

She sank down on a chair at his kitchen’s breakfast bar. Perfect. Had he just said that? And more to the point, did he actually mean it? Did he actually think that dull, nice Sophie Sullivan was perfect? Beyond the fact that she could have his children?

She swallowed hard, then looked over her shoulder toward the dining table. “What are you working on?”