She sagged against him. He turned the shower on, letting the cold water hit his back until it heated. Droplets of water sprayed her face and scented steam filled her nostrils.
Cord washed her off as he kissed her; his rough hands seemed bigger when they were wet. He said, “I want you like this. Turn around.”
He braced her hands on the wall, bending her forward until she was nearly at a right angle. He kicked her feet apart, tilted her hips and slid into her to the hilt. And stopped.
“Cord?”
His chest pressed into her spine. “I want to f**k you like an animal—”
“Then do it. Take what you want. You have the reins.”
He groaned and sank his teeth into the back of her neck, sending a fresh batch of tremors through her body before he stood up and slammed home.
Over and over. Harder than he’d ever done before.
Cord didn’t speak beyond grunts. He just systematically f**ked her into oblivion.
Good thing she’d braced herself. It was almost like he was trying to f**k her through the wall. When he came, snarling, pounding his flesh into hers, she swore even his se**n burned hotter.
She sensed a shift in him. His breathing leveled, resembling a wave of shame as he retreated from her body with exquisite care. AJ walked her hands up the wall. She spun around blindly, reaching for him.
God, she loved this man. She loved his gruff, sweet, thoughtful sides. And his edgy side. She wasn’t in love with the perfect Cord McKay she’d been fantasizing over forever, but the real flesh and blood man. The real man. Flaws and all.
And she knew without a doubt he’d break her heart. His stubborn pride would stand in the way of them being together. She had too much pride to do all the work of making him see how good they could be together for the long haul if he’d just be patient. She’d been doing all the work in all aspects of her life and she deserved a man who would meet her halfway. She deserved a man she didn’t have to beg to love her.
AJ coiled her arms around his waist and kissed his chest, above his heart, making a wish. Please love me. Please see what we could have together. Please figure it out on your own.
“You okay?”
“Tired. Your water games wore me out.”
“Hang tight.” He removed the blindfold, returned with a fluffy towel, dried her off thoroughly and guided her back into the bedroom to tuck her between his sheets. “Rest, baby doll.”
“What time is it?”
“Not even noon.”
“So we still have all day?”
“Yep. And all night if you want it.”
AJ smiled and sank into the pillows. “Good. I’ll just take a little catnap.”
“You do that.” He kissed her forehead.
She expected him to leave. But Cord swept her hair from her face and dragged his rough-skinned knuckles up and down her cheek.
As AJ drifted away, she heard him murmur, “What the hell am I supposed to do now?”
She tried to fight her way back to consciousness to give him a couple of realistic options, but a veil of darkness covered her and she was out.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Rather than pace while AJ napped, Cord made lunch. Rather than dwell on the fact that in two short weeks he wouldn’t be able to drive to her place and kidnap her for a full day of wicked sex games, he thought about how they’d spend the rest of the afternoon.
Naked, obviously. But what else?
What else do you need? Wasn’t this deal supposed to be a way to prove that sex was separate from love and companionship?
Not love. Logically his need for companionship made the most sense on why he was so insanely crazy about her. He was missing his son and spending time with AJ was a substitute. The minute Ky arrived, things would be back to the way they’d been.
Wouldn’t they? Wouldn’t he be happy then?
Cord knew he shouldn’t be such a damn ostrich about this stuff, but he wondered if the “out of sight; out of mind” adage would hold true once AJ was gone.
He piled food on a tray and carried it upstairs. AJ was lying on her side, breathing evenly. “AJ? I made lunch.”
“What?” She scrambled upright. “Where am I?”
“You fell asleep in my bed.”
“Oh. Wow. How long ago?”
“Little more than an hour. You hungry?”
AJ stretched. “Always. What’s on the menu?”
“Cold cuts. Cheese. Fruit. Nothin’ fancy.”
“Sounds good. Do you have a robe I can borrow?”
“A robe? What the devil do you need a robe for?”
“I don’t want to sit in the kitchen naked.”
He grinned. “Who said anything about eatin’ in the kitchen? I brought you lunch in bed.”
“Aren’t you worried about crumbs?”
“No. We’ll do a number on the sheets anyway.” Cord scooted closer and plucked up a grape from the tray. “Open.”
Her gaze narrowed thoughtfully on the piece of fruit. “Are you gonna smear condiments all over me again?”
“Would that be so bad?”
“No. I just wish I could’ve taken a turn.” She scrutinized the tray. “Where are the cookies?”
“What cookies?”
“Exactly. Lunch isn’t lunch without cookies.”
“You sound just like Ky,” he said dryly.
“Ky is a boy after my own heart.”
A tiny stupid flare of jealousy appeared: Cord wanted to be the man after her heart.
You could be. Just take the chance. Admit this is long past a simple roll in the hay.
“Your son and I even have the same favorite cookie.”
“Peanut butter kisses?”
“Yep.”
Cord leaned closer. “I don’t have any peanut butter kisses. How about a real one instead?” He granted her a quick peck and dangled a fat green grape above her lips.
“Open up.”
AJ sucked the grape from his fingers with deliberate sensuality, which made his dick stir. “This makes me feel like a lady of leisure. Laying in this soft bed. Having a hot guy hand feed me. You have palm fronds hidden somewhere too?”
“Hot guy. Right. You mean old guy.”
“So you have a few years on me. Hasn’t kept you from keeping up with me.” She purposely looked at his groin.
“True.”
“It’s never mattered to me.” Her serious gray eyes searched his. “Do you remember the time I fell off my horse? When I was five? And you picked me up, wiped my tears and calmed me down?”