Chapter 19
Cooper had prepared the Tuscan chicken pasta while Kendall was in the bath, and he pulled the fancy casserole dish he’d bought this morning out of the oven.
“Whatever that is, it smells amazing,” she said.
He set the dish in front of her. “Tuscan chicken pasta, made especially for the lady.”
“Really? You made me one of my favorite meals?”
“Yes, really. Enjoy.” He’d taste-tested it earlier and thought it was pretty good. Because he wanted to watch her face when she ate his meal, he took a seat across from her.
She took a bite, then her eyes slid closed. “This is so good.”
“As good as the one you had at the restaurant?”
“Might be even better. Are you trying to win me over with your cooking skills?”
“Is it working?” Whatever worked, he’d do. He’d never clicked with a woman the way he did her, and he’d never wanted a woman the way he did her.
Mischief danced in those incredible blue eyes of hers. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe I should hold out for a few more amazing meals before answering that.”
“Ah, the lady is going to make me work for her admiration.” He leaned toward her and whispered, “Just so you know, I never give up when I want something.”
“I’m counting on it.”
He almost got up to go kiss her then, and he was sure she wanted him to, but not yet. “Finish your dinner. The chef worked damn hard cheffing your dinner.”
“Maybe I’ll personally thank the chef.”
“The chef thinks that’s a great idea.”
“I’m sure he does.”
“Ready for dessert?” he said after they finished the meal.
She patted her stomach. “I’m not sure there’s room in here for another bite.”
“Not even for pistachio ice cream and chocolate shortbread cookies?”
“You remembered everything I said.”
He tapped his head. “My brain is a sponge. If you’re full, maybe we can save dessert for a little later.”
“And what shall we do in the meantime?”
“I have some ideas about that.” He shifted his chair away from the table. “Come here.”
She moved to stand between his legs. “Now what?”
“Now, you put your arms around my neck, and I wrap mine around your waist.” He smiled when she did as instructed. “Do you want me to kiss you?”
“Thought you’d never ask.”
“Sit on my leg.” After she did, he slowly lowered his mouth to hers.
As he kissed her, her hands drifted up to tangle in his hair, and she leaned into him until her breasts were pressed against his chest. Her dress was open in the back, almost down to her waist, and as he trailed his fingers down her spine, he realized she wasn’t wearing a bra. He liked this dress. Very much.
He broke the kiss and put his mouth next to her ear. “I want you, Kendall.” She had to feel his erection pressed against her thigh, had to feel just how much he wanted her.
“I want you, too.”
That was all he needed to know. “Bed. Now.” He stood with her in his arms, grinning when she giggled.
“I’ve never been carried before.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “It’s very sexy.”
He’d show her sexy. When he reached his bed, he let her legs drop, and as she slid down his body, he captured her mouth again.
She responded to the kiss with a hunger to match his own, and in a frenzy, they tore at each other’s clothes.
The air around them filled with the sounds of their heavy breaths and the scent of their arousal.
When his shirt was tossed aside, her gaze roamed over his chest. “Oh, my,” she whispered. She danced her fingers over his abs, pushed her fingers into his skin, testing the firmness of his muscles, then over and up as if she was mapping his body. “I’ve never touched a body as magnificent as this.”
“It’s yours to touch whenever and however you wish.” He and his brothers worked hard at keeping in shape, and at this moment, he was never gladder for that.
“So, it’s okay if I do this?” She flicked his nipple with her fingernail.
He groaned. “Oh, yeah. Do it again.” She did, and pure pleasure shot down to his groin.
Her dress was pooled at her feet, and he leaned back, wanting to see her.
His gaze slid down to the white bikini panties, the only thing she wore now.
“You’re beautiful.” Her breasts were a little larger and her hips a bit wider than they’d been the first time they’d been together.
Before, she’d had the body of a girl, but now, she was all woman, and sexy as hell.
“I’ve had a baby, so I’m not—”
“Do not finish that sentence. You’re ten times sexier than you were back then.”
“I have stretch marks.”
She did, and he traced one of the barely visible white lines.
“Because you had our baby, and each mark is a testament to your courage to go it alone and the love you had for that baby growing inside you.” He traced another line.
“Your beauty is stunning, Kendall. Thank you for being the mother of my child…our child.”
“There was never any question that I wouldn’t have her.”
“And for that you have my eternal gratitude.” He wanted to tell her that he was falling for her, but he was afraid that would scare her away. He’d just have to show her that his feelings for her already ran deep. “If you knew how badly I want you, you’d probably run away.”
A small smile played on her lips. “The last time a man wanted me that badly was five years ago. I was sure that kind of intense intimacy would never happen again, so I fiercely guarded my memories of that night.” She fumbled with the button of his jeans. “I want these off.”
“Don’t know if I’m up to the pressure of living up to those memories if they were that good,” he teased.
She lifted her eyes to his. “One hopes you’re up to the challenge.”
“Trust me, baby, I’m up.” He glanced down at the tent in his pants. “Way up.”
“So I see.” She got his jeans unsnapped, then went to work on his zipper.
She grinned triumphantly as she finally undid his jeans, pulling them down along with his boxer briefs.
He stepped out of them, his erection standing at full attention, and she reached out and touched him.
Her fingers wrapped around him, stroking gently as she looked up at him with eyes darkened with desire.
He was so turned on that it wasn’t going to take much to send him over the edge.
He took her hand away. “I’m about to embarrass myself.
You can play with me all you want later.
” He lifted her up and gently laid her down on his bed, then stretched out next to her on his side. “I get to play with you first.”
His hands traced the curves of her body, exploring every inch of her skin that he could reach.
He found her nipples hard and erect, and he gently caressed them with his fingertips before taking one into his mouth.
She moaned softly, her fingers running through his hair as he kissed and licked at her sensitive flesh.
He’d thought he remembered everything about their night together, but he’d forgotten how responsive she was.
He moved farther down her body, his hands sliding over her hips and thighs as he kissed his way down to her stomach, then to the top of her panties. “These are pretty,” he said as he slid his finger just inside the waistband. “But they need to go.”
She lifted onto her elbows and looked down at herself. “Take them off.”
“Happy to.” His gaze never left hers as he slowly slid them down her legs. When they were finally gone, he ran his hands up and down the length of her thighs, tracing the soft skin with his fingertips.
“Cooper.”
“Yeah?”
“Do something. Anything.”
He chuckled. “Impatient little thing.” He could feel her tremble slightly under his touch, and he rubbed his nose over her skin below her belly button. The scent of her arousal filled the air, driving him toward the edge of his control.
With his tongue, he began to explore, licking and tasting every inch of her sex.
Her taste sent waves of pleasure through him, and she made sexy little noises with each flick of his tongue.
Her breaths grew shallower, each one a small gasp that spurred him on.
He wanted…needed to hear his name on her lips.
Her hands gripped his hair. “I need…”
“What, Kendall? What do you need?”
“To come. Please.”
He lifted his face a few inches. “Say my name, and I’ll make it happen.”
“Cooper. Cooper. Cooper.” She pushed on his head in an effort to get his mouth back on her.
He blew on her clit, then as he sucked on it, he slid a finger inside her, and then a second one. She was drenched, and her core muscles clenched around his fingers. Her breaths were coming faster now, her moans growing louder and more desperate.
“Please, Cooper.”
“Come for me, baby.” He curled a finger, teasing that most sensitive spot inside her, and his efforts were rewarded when her hips bucked, and she gasped.
He grunted in pure male satisfaction when her body tensed, and she cried out his name again.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his face against her stomach, holding her as her body shuddered through her climax.
A fierce sense of possessiveness and protectiveness swelled inside him. He never wanted to let her go.
Once her breaths had calmed, he crawled up her body. Staring into her eyes, he cupped his hand over her sex, and said, “Just so you know. I licked it, so it’s mine.”
She stared back at him for a moment before a big grin appeared on her face. “I want to play that game, too.”
He sure as hell wasn’t going to say no to that.