Chapter 15 #2
Cooper was drunk. He’d only had a sip of wine, but there was no other explanation. Not for the way his head spun to hold her, and his heart pounded in his chest with every touch.
One taste of her, and he was gone. She was the sweetest thing he’d ever known.
Poppy let out a breathy sigh against his lips, and Cooper felt a shock of lust barrel through his system. Her body was soft in his arms, pressing closer, and when he surfaced, he’d never seen her look so beautiful: her eyes had drifted shut, her lips parted as if begging for more.
Happy to oblige.
He kissed her again, fighting to take it slow, but damn, his control was fraying with every touch.
He parted her lips and sank his tongue deeper into her mouth, stroking against hers in a sensual dance that set the world on fire.
She felt too good in his arms, her curves molding against him eagerly as she pressed closer and moaned against his mouth.
That sound was his undoing.
With a groan, Cooper grabbed her by the waist and lifted her up on the table, setting her down with a jolt.
Poppy gasped in surprise, then wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him into the warmth of her body.
Damn. Cooper dipped his head to kiss along the pale line of her collarbone, and Poppy shivered against his lips.
She was intoxicating. Everything was a blur besides her sweet mouth.
To hell with the papers—he pushed them all aside as she looped her arms around his neck and pulled his mouth back up to hers.
He wanted to lay her out on the table and take her right there.
Lose himself in her sweetness and never come up for air. He wanted—
SMASH.
A crashing sound pierced the haze of lust. Cooper looked up, bleary, and found their wine glasses in pieces on the floor.
“Whoops.” Poppy sat up. She was flushed and breathless, and so beautiful it hurt to look at her. So he kissed her again instead, teasing along her jawline and nibbling on her earlobe.
“But . . . the glass . . .” she murmured weakly. Your feet . . .”
“So I’ll keep them off the floor.” He scooted her further back on the table and tipped her horizontal, spread beneath him on the wood.
Poppy smiled up at him, hair spilled like a halo around her face. “So we’re trapped up here?”
“Looks like it.” He grinned back as she reached to hook her finger over the neck of his T-shirt. She slowly tugged him down to cover her.
This time, he didn’t hold back. He kissed her deeply, probing her hot mouth as her body arched up against him, her tongue sliding to match his own wet strokes.
It was incredible, the heat igniting, deep inside.
He ran one hand down her curves and felt her tremble at his touch, and lord, he loved how responsive she was, how he could see the effect he had on her, just as wild as the fire burning in his own veins.
He dipped to kiss her neck, and she moaned again, sliding her hands over his back.
She was his, totally wanton in his arms, and damn, he felt invincible, like a king; her touch and sweet whimpers urging him on.
He nipped her shoulder lightly and slid one hand to cup her breast, teasing the tender swell through her sweater until he couldn’t hold back any longer.
He peeled her shirt up her body and slid his hands beneath the cotton to feel every inch of her smooth, hot skin.
Poppy wriggled beneath him, helping push her clothes over her head until she was bare beneath him in jeans and a lacy bra.
Goddamn she was gorgeous.
Cooper dipped to kiss her but Poppy pushed him back. “Play fair,” she said, breathlessly. Her eyes gleamed, and it took a moment for Cooper’s brain to function, but when he realized what she wanted, he laughed.
“Yes ma’am,” he said, and stripped his T-shirt off. “Better?”
“Much.” Poppy bit her lip, her eyes roving over him with desire written all over her face.
What was that he said about feeling like a king? Make that a god.
Cooper leaned in and kissed her lips again, her neck.
He trailed his tongue down to the hollow of her collarbone and swirled it over her silky skin.
He was ravenous for her, he wanted to feast on every inch, but he forced himself to go slow and savor every taste.
He kissed lower, over the swell of her chest, whispering at the lacy edge of her bra.
Poppy trembled again, unconsciously pressing against his mouth, and he couldn’t hold back another moment.
He stroked her, teasing at the nub of her nipples as he closed his mouth over one stiff peak and sucked through the silk.
Poppy gasped, rising up against him. He toyed with her, nipping lightly through the fabric, and then turned his attention to her other perfect breast.
God, she was beautiful.
Poppy tangled her fingers in his hair, whimpering softly now. He skimmed lower, dusting her stomach with kisses, but couldn’t stop himself returning to those gorgeous breasts. He needed to see her.
He wanted to see everything.
Cooper peeled off her bra, and then lavished her with kisses as he unbuttoned her jeans. Poppy helpfully pushed them off, and then she was spread on the table beneath him, naked save a tiny scrap of silk between her thighs.
Cooper stared down at her, dizzy with lust. He wanted to freeze this image so he’d always remember it.
But he wanted to taste her more.
He leaned in, gripping her hips and lifting her to meet his mouth. He nudged the silk of her underwear as Poppy’s whole body went rigid with anticipation.
That’s right, darling. You know what I want.
And how good it’s going to feel.
Because Cooper wasn’t a competitive man, but the memory of her ex was still too fresh for his liking. He wanted her screaming his name, and only his, and he wasn’t going to stop until she was begging in his arms.
Starting now.
Poppy gripped hold of the edge of the table and tried to keep it together. But if Cooper kissing her was enough to make her body ignite, and him touching her sent her brain spinning, then Cooper nestled between her thighs peeling her underwear aside . . . ?
She had no words.
And Poppy always had words. It was her job, for crying out loud—to put these feelings into sentences and chapters for her readers to enjoy, describe the way her characters felt even as their blood ran hot and pure desire sent their thoughts scattering to the far reaches of the universe.
She was a writer. She was supposed to use her words. She was—
“Ooh.”
Cooper licked up against her and Poppy moaned out loud. God. What was he doing to her? With his lips, and his hot mouth, and—
His fingers?
Poppy gasped, pressing against him for more.
He lapped at her in a maddening rhythm, swirling and sucking at her sensitive nub as one hand pinned her down in place and the other stroked lazily over her stomach and bare breasts.
He toyed with one nipple, lightly pinching as his tongue dipped inside her, and god.
Poppy gave up trying to process the sensations crashing through her, she just lay back and reveled in the waves of incredible pleasure Cooper was giving, driving her higher with every stroke until she was teetering on the edge of something, holding on for dear life.
“That’s right, darlin’,” he murmured against her, the vibration of his words whispering against her most sensitive spot. “Come for me.”
Poppy couldn’t help it. He licked at her again, and sent her flying.
She let go.
Oh my god.
The pleasure slammed through her, waves of delicious heat that somehow didn’t sate her, they just left her dizzy and gasping for more.
She wanted all of him. Now.
Before she could even try to pull herself together, Cooper was lifting her in his arms. He scooped her off the table like she weighed nothing and carried her up the stairs. “I always wanted to be swept off my feet,” she joked, and Cooper chuckled.
“Baby, I haven’t even started yet.”
He gave her a look that was so smoldering, she practically melted right there in the hallway.
Oh boy. Poppy held on tight as he took her into the bedroom and placed her carefully on the bed.
It was a rustic, clean room just like the rest of the house, with soft bedding she would have happily snuggled into and slept—if it wasn’t for the gorgeous man stripping off his clothing right in front of her, or the wild heat of desire still burning in her veins.
He glanced up and caught her watching him as he took off his pants. Poppy flushed, but she didn’t look away. She held his gaze, her pulse racing.
Cooper leaned over her on the bed and captured her lips in a blazing kiss.
If she’d thought their chemistry could burn the house down before, now, she knew Cooper was right: it was only the beginning.
Body to body, skin to skin, this kiss did things to her she didn’t know were possible.
Cooper slid his tongue deep into her mouth, and she moaned, reaching up to pull him closer.
She ran her hands over his broad shoulders and taut muscles, greedy to touch as he returned the favor, stroking her body back to the brink with his roving fingers and strong, sure touch.
Her hands moved lower, and Cooper groaned against her, making her bolder to tease and stroke at his hard length.
God, he felt so good.
Cooper pulled away, and Poppy let out a whimper of protest, but he was only reaching for the nightstand. He rolled on a condom, and then he was back, settling between her thighs—where he belonged.
He braced himself above her, teasing her mouth open as she felt him nudge at her entrance. Then slowly, he sank inside her.
Poppy gasped to feel him, filling her inch by glorious inch. She flexed around him, adjusting to the feel, and Cooper groaned against her.
Then he began to move.
God, she thought she’d felt pleasure before from his mouth and hands, but this was something else.
He was surging inside her, stroking her so deep, she lost her mind.
Poppy clung onto him, rising to meet every thrust, until they were moving as one, each new hot stroke driving her higher, setting her blood on fire.
There were no words left, just the feel of him: hard, and deep, and so damn right she never wanted it to end.
But her body couldn’t hold back. Soon, she was cresting, right there on the edge again, his body bearing down on her and his mouth claiming hers.
“Cooper . . .” she moaned, lost to the sensation. “Oh god, I’m close.”
He lifted his head, and the look in his eyes—that raw, animal need—stole what was left of her breath away.
Over and over again, he surged into her, his gaze still fixed on hers so she was drowning in the sight of him, the overwhelming pleasure that rose, and crested, and—god—shattered through her with a cry as he thrust deep one last time and sent them both over the edge, until she was spent and breathless in his arms.
And never wanted to let go.