Chapter Ten #2
Her lips curved against mine in response, pleased by my reaction.
I felt her smile more than saw it. Then I was lost. From the night Sarah died to the moment Cora walked into my life, I’d merely existed, not really wanting to continue on but not knowing what else to do.
Now, I had purpose, someone to protect and cherish for the rest of my days.
God help me, I couldn’t let her go even if I wanted to.
“Marcus,” she breathed against my mouth, the sound of my name on her lips.
Telling her from the beginning to call me Marcus instead of by my road name had been impulsive on my part.
Now, I thought maybe I’d known all along Cora was the woman for me.
Hearing her say my name separated her from every other woman in my life other than Sarah.
After Sarah passed, no other woman had ever called me anything other than Rancor.
I slipped my hands under her shirt, finding the warm skin of her back. She shivered at the contact, goose bumps rising beneath my fingertips. I traced the ridge of her spine, the subtle curve of her waist. The softness of her skin against my calloused palms felt like a kind of absolution.
She pulled back slightly, eyes half-lidded, pupils dilated so wide the blue was just a thin ring around black. Her lips were swollen from our kiss, cheeks flushed with color that had nothing to do with tears now. I’d never seen anything more beautiful.
“I want…” she started, then faltered.
“What?” I urged, my voice rougher than I intended. “Tell me what you want.”
“You,” she whispered, the single word carrying such weight I felt it settle in my chest like a stone.
“Just you.” She swallowed and I saw the vulnerability hovering just beneath her expression.
“Please make love to me, Marcus.” With deliberate movements, she reached for the hem of her shirt, drawing it upward. I caught her wrists, stopping her.
“Me,” I murmured. I sounded like a fucking caveman, but I honestly couldn’t get the words out. I wanted to unwrap her, to claim my present like a greedy toddler on Christmas morning.
She nodded, seeming to understand my primitive mindset.
She raised her arms above her head as I grasped the fabric, lifting it slowly to reveal inches of pale skin.
I took my time with her, every new inch a slow reveal.
The gentle sweep of her belly under my hand, the hard edge of her ribcage, the black lace of her bra stretched across pale skin…
all of it combined to create something hard and combustible inside me.
Each layer sparked something hot and sharp, and I let myself savor the feelings surrounding me both inside and out.
I drank her in, all of her, every single detail, not wanting to rush, not willing to miss a thing.
When I finally pulled the shirt over her head, her hair fell in tousled waves around her shoulders, static making strands cling to her cheeks.
I brushed them back, tucking the silky strands behind her ear with careful fingers. Even this small gesture felt intimate in ways I hadn’t experienced in years. She watched me with wonder in her eyes, like she couldn’t quite believe I was touching her this way.
“Your turn,” she said softly, reaching for the hem of my shirt.
When she tugged the fabric over my head and tossed it aside, her breath caught.
I knew women appreciated the heavy muscles of my torso.
I’d never really cared before now. The way she looked at me made me want to puff out my chest in pride. She didn’t find me lacking physically.
She explored my chest and shoulders, the featherlight touches driving me crazy with the sweetest torture. She paused over one ragged scar that ran from my left shoulder halfway down my chest.
“Shiv,” I explained before she could ask. “Third year in.”
Something flashed in her eyes. Not pity, but a fierce protectiveness that caught me off guard. She leaned forward, pressed her lips to the scar in a gesture so tender it made my throat tighten. “I hope you gave as good as you got.”
I smirked. “Better than.”
“Good. No one gets to hurt you again, Marcus. Not me, not Detective Reeves, no one.”
I framed her face in my hands, forcing her to look into my eyes while I did the same with her.
“You could never hurt me unless you leave me, Cora. And I’ll deal with Reeves.
I knew this whole situation with him would come to a head one day.
His attack on you is making me force the situation, but the conflict was inevitable the moment I got out of prison. ”
“Please don’t do anything on my behalf, Marcus. I won’t be the cause of you getting into trouble.”
“Don’t worry about me, baby. Now that I’ve got you in my life, I’m not going to do anything to jeopardize my good luck.”
Before she could say anything else, I stood with her in my arms, forcing her to wrap her legs around my waist and hold on tightly as I strode down the short hall to my bedroom. I was most definitely making love to Cora, but I was doing it in my bed.
We finished undressing, our motions faster the more clothing we shed. “Need you,” I croaked out. “Come here.”
She came to me without hesitation, her bare skin gleaming under the soft light of my bedside lamp.
I lifted her into my arms again, feeling the glorious press of her bare skin against mine.
I laid her down on my king-size bed carefully, the sight of her pale body against my dark sheets stirring something possessive in my chest.
“You’re sure?” I asked, needing to hear it even as my body ached for hers.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my entire life,” she answered, reaching for me.
I lowered myself over her, bracing my weight on my forearms to keep from crushing her smaller frame. Her legs parted, welcoming me between them, the heat of her against my hardness drawing another groan from me. I captured her mouth again before moving down her body with my lips, teeth, and tongue.
I trailed light kisses over her shoulder, down the edge of her collarbone and across her flat stomach. Her skin was like silk under my mouth, and the feeling made me shudder with desire.
Moving back up her body, I buried my face in the hollow of her neck, breathing in her sweet scent as she turned her head to the side to give me all the access I wanted, even as she arched against me. “God, Cora,” I groaned against her soft skin. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”
She wiggled under me, pressing herself closer still until the hard length of my erection ground against the soft lips of her pussy.
I had to bite back the urge to sink into her wet heat.
The only reason I managed was because I was dying to taste more of her before I fucked her.
I wanted to worship her body in a way no one ever had, for her to scream my name so much she’d never forget who she belonged to.
“Marcus,” she moaned. “Touch me.” Her breathy demand was all I needed to hear.
I slowly licked a line from the pulse point of her neck down to one achingly hard nipple, teasing it with my tongue before taking it between my teeth and sucking gently.
She arched off the bed with a cry that vibrated through me.
“More.” I found her breathy demand sexy as fuck. So I gave her what she wanted, kissing and licking and suckling until both nipples were puckered, red, and swollen. Each moan of hers added fuel to the fire in my blood.
“Fuck,” I muttered against her skin. “Too much.”
“Not enough!” Her sharp cry made me groan against her skin. She tilted her hips up in invitation.
“You drive me insane, woman.” Though my tone of voice was harsh, the kisses I trailed down her stomach were reverent and gentle.
I wanted nothing more than to eat her up, but I needed to pace myself.
Otherwise, I wouldn’t last. And in no reasonable world that is sane and just would I ever come before seeing to her pleasure.
I trailed kisses down her stomach toward the treasure between her legs. Her scent surrounded me now, intoxicating me more than any other drug on earth ever could. She tasted so fucking good beneath my lips that every nerve ending in my body sizzled like lightning just waiting for the final strike.
The first touch of my tongue on her bare pussy had Cora screaming and arching up to meet me. I wrapped my arms around her thighs so to keep her open to me and just held on for the ride.
Right before my eyes, my sweet, gentle Cora turned into some kind of wild thing. Sweat erupted across her body as she thrashed and screamed when I found her clit with my tongue. I sucked and flicked the little bundle of nerves over and over, wanting her mindless and on the verge of coming.
“Marcus! Oh, fuck!” Nails dug into my scalp as she urged me closer, trembling thighs tightening around my head.
I doubled down, sliding two fingers inside while I worked that sensitive nub with my tongue.
Slick walls clenched around my fingers, everything about her body confirming those breathless pleas.
“Please, Marcus. I need you to fuck me! Now!”
I gave one last, lingering lick before crawling up the length of her. Sweat-glistened skin, a heaving chest, the flushed, desperate look beneath me made a groan tear out of my throat. How the hell was I supposed to survive this?
I reached for the nightstand drawer and grabbed a condom.
Hastily tearing open the package, I rolled the thin barrier over my cock before covering her with my body.
Our mouths met in a hard, hungry kiss as I thrust my tongue between her lips.
I positioned myself at her entrance, the head of my cock nudging against slick heat.
“Look at me,” I commanded, my voice so strained I barely recognized myself. Her eyes fluttered open, pupils blown wide with desire. “I need you to watch me so I can watch you. Need to see your eyes while I shove my cock inside your sweet pussy.”
She whimpered but complied. I could tell the dirty talk turned her on and made a note to revisit the revelation later. Right now, though, I needed to concentrate on the matter at hand. Which was to, A) not hurt her, and B) not come the second I slid inside her.
When I finally pushed inside her, the tight heat of her body nearly undid me.
I had to grit my teeth and breathe through my nose to keep from filling the condom with my cum the second I moved.
She was so fucking tight, her body gripping mine like she was made for me.
I stilled once I was fully seated, giving her time to adjust.
I watched her face as her eyes widened in shock first, then her eyelids dropped lower, heavy with desire.
Her pussy squeezed my cock in time with her heartbeat.
I began to move then, setting a slow rhythm that soon had her arching beneath me, matching me move for move.
She dug her nails into my shoulders again as I increased the pace.
I knew I would wear her mark and wanted to smile.
I welcomed the sting, relished the evidence that she needed me.
My usually quiet nature fell away as we moved together, my voice roughening with groans and whispered praise and more than my fair share of dirty talk against her ear.
She responded with her soft cries growing louder, less inhibited as pleasure built inside her.
I shifted my angle, driving deeper, watching with fascination as her composure shattered completely.
With one long, loud wail of pleasure, Cora came in a hard, wet rush.
I had no hope of doing anything other than following her.
She clung to me, lifting herself up to meet every one of my thrusts with one of her own.
She moved faster and harder with each pass until she controlled the pace of our lovemaking.
I panted, sweat coating my skin as I fucked Cora harder and harder. Each time I thrust into her, a grunt erupted from my throat. Cora answered every single one with her own cries.
Finally, I shoved myself as deep as I could, my back bowing as I bellowed to the rafters. I had no idea how the poor condom managed to hold my load because it felt like I came in a flood. Never in my life had I experienced the pleasure I found in this woman’s arms.
I collapsed on top of her, gasping for breath even as I pinned her to the mattress.
For long moments, all I could do was take one breath after another.
Somewhere inside my fucked-up head I knew I needed to roll off so I didn’t crush her.
I was so much bigger than she was I doubted she could comfortably take my weight for long.
But I couldn’t seem to do anything more than breathe.
It took me a few seconds to find the strength to push off the mattress to roll off Cora. When I did, she whimpered and clung to me, holding me to her with arms and legs wrapped around me.
“I don’t want to hurt you, baby,” I murmured. “Ain’t goin’ nowhere. Just rollin’ over so you can breathe.”
“I can breathe just fine.” Her voice was hoarse from her screams, and I had a surge of pride. I’d done that to her. I’d made her shout my name.
I gave her what she wanted for a few minutes.
When she finally relaxed her hold, I rolled us slowly.
My cock had softened and slipped out of her, but I still needed to deal with the condom.
Reaching to the nightstand, I snagged a few tissues and cleaned myself up as best as I could before tossing the mess in the trashcan beside the bed.
I snagged another couple and gently wiped between Cora’s legs.
She murmured sleepily but didn’t protest further.
Once I’d discarded the tissues, I wrapped both arms around her and sighed.
Had I ever felt this contented? I couldn’t say for sure about Sarah, but I knew one thing with absolute certainty—I loved Cora.
The feeling wasn’t the same as what I’d experienced with my wife, but I knew love when I felt it.
I reached down, pulled the rumpled blanket over us both. She made a small, contented sound, burrowing closer to my chest. I tightened my arms, keeping her secure against me.
Outside, the rain had stopped. Through the tall windows, I could see stars emerging from behind breaking clouds.
The world beyond these walls still held threats, but for now, in this moment, with her soft weight against me and her breath warming my skin, the outside world and its dangers seemed distant, maybe even manageable.
I pressed my lips to the top of her head, breathed in the scent of her hair. She murmured something indistinct, already mostly asleep. I let my own eyes drift shut.
I didn’t know what would happen tomorrow, but I knew whatever came at me, I wanted Cora to be at my side. And I’d beg, borrow, cheat, steal, or kill to make that dream the sweetest reality.