The Cowgirl's Little Secret(21)

He wasn't drunk this time-unlike that long-ago St. Patrick's Day-and he released her breast to gaze up at her. "Birth control?" He had a condom in his wallet, but hell if he knew where his wallet had ended up.

"Pill. We're good."

"Sunshine, we're much better than good." He settled between her thighs and it felt as if he'd come home. He kissed her fluttering eyelids as he sank deep into her moist center. Stroking in and out of her, he forgot about his injuries. He forgot about anger and hurt and everything but how good it was to have Jolie surrounding him.

He tucked a hand under her hips and urged her to wrap her legs around his waist. She hesitated until the new angle guided him over the one spot guaranteed to roll her eyes back in her head. She gasped and met him stroke for stroke, urging him to push into her faster and deeper.

Cord braced himself on one arm and watched Jolie's face. Her emotions played across it like a movie, and he was positive she felt their connection as acutely as he did. His hips pumped and she rose to meet him, her breath hitching whenever he withdrew.

She whispered something, a one-syllable word that he realized was his name. "Cord." This time she said it louder. "Oh, Cord. Yes...please. Cord..."

And then he was breathing as hard as she was. Lights sparkled in his peripheral vision as his whole body tightened. Jolie's body clenched him, and then he couldn't see anything at all as they exploded together.

Later-much, much later-he managed to get them under the covers, the light turned off and Jolie gathered to his side. He kissed her temple and tangled his hand in her hair as she nestled her head on his shoulder. As she drowsed, memories swamped him. Sex had always been amazing. It was the emotional stuff that twisted them up. Had he ever loved her or was it just sex, just a way to get back at his father?

She murmured something in her sleep and he kissed her forehead. He'd never considered himself to be a tender man, but damn if this woman and the little boy upstairs made him wonder if he could be.





Thirteen

"Mommy? Mommy? Mom!"

Someone groaned in Jolie's ear. Cord. CJ! She bolted up in bed, scrambling to keep the sheet pulled up over her naked chest. The little boy bounced at the foot of the bed with barely contained excitement. She glanced at Cord. He'd pulled a pillow over his head, but continued to groan.

"Stop, CJ."

"Mommy, Daddy's here. Right here." He bounced again and would have fallen on Cord if she hadn't let go of the sheet long enough to grab her son before he landed on his father.

"CJ. Enough. Yes. But be careful. Your dad got hurt."

The boy quieted immediately, eyes wide as he stared at Cord. "You gots a boo-boo?"

"I got a couple of boo-boos, bubba." Cord emerged from beneath the pillow.

"No, Daddy. You didn't gets boo-boos. You gots big owies." CJ crept forward on his hands and knees and very gently poked Cord's face.

"Yeah, you should see the other guys," Cord muttered under his breath.

Jolie bit her lips to keep from giggling. "CJ, you need to go watch TV or something until we get up."

"I'm hungry, Mommy. Can I have pancakes?"

"CJ, go watch TV until your mom and I are ready. Then I'll take you both out for breakfast, and yes, you can have pancakes. But-" Cord held up his index finger "-no pancakes if you come back in here. We'll come out when we're ready."                       
       
           



       

Her little boy's brow furrowed, and his mouth scrunched up as he considered the implications. Jolie recognized the look and the tactic. She settled back to see how Cord would deal with the subtle blackmail. "Chocolate-chip pancakes?"

"Blueberry."

"With whipped cream?"

"No syrup, then."

"Hmm." CJ crossed his arms and tapped his chin with a finger.

Jolie pulled the sheet up to her nose and coughed away a laugh.

"Can I have little piggies?"

Cord glanced at her for translation. "Link sausage."

"Ah." He appeared to consider the question. "Yes. Blueberry pancakes, whipped cream and little piggies."

"Okay." CJ bounced off the bed. "But hurry, okay? I'm really, really hungry."

Before either of them could respond, the boy raced from the room.

"Shut the door, CJ," Cord called after him. "And no slamming." Seconds later the door slowly swung shut and latched. "Remind me to lock the door next time."

That did it. She lost it, laughing so hard she could barely breathe. When she could talk without giggling, she admitted his performance had impressed her.

"Hey, I was a kid once. I know how boys think. Plus, I'm a better negotiator. I have more practice." He waggled his brows and reached for her. Snagging her wrist, he pulled her back to his side and tucked her in close. "Now, where were we?"

"We were sleeping."

"True, but now that we're awake..." He nudged her chin up so he could capture her mouth with his. He didn't just kiss her. His lips latched on to hers, moving across them, sucking and nibbling. Heat pooled between her legs, making her squirm against him.

Cord brushed his hand down her side, cupping her hip while he deepened the kiss, and then continued down until he'd reached her knee. He hooked his fingers and pulled so that her leg was half sprawled across his groin. She smiled into his kiss. He was very happy to see her this morning.

She broke the kiss. "I need to brush my teeth."

"Too late for that. I've already kissed you, dragon breath. I'm immune now."

She laughed again, but clapped her hand over her mouth. What in the world had gotten into her? Oh, yeah, Cord. That elicited a snorting giggle. Despite the fact they'd been caught in flagrante delicto, Jolie felt freer than she had in... She couldn't remember that far back. Cord was in bed with her, the morning after, hard and wanting her. He hadn't batted an eye when CJ stormed in and woke them. And he wasn't too worried about getting caught making love to her again. She should get up, go lock the door, but she was so...comfortable.

He brushed her hair back over her shoulder and cocked his head. "What?"

Smiling, she stretched to kiss him. "I'm happy. That's all."

"No, sunshine. That's everything. At least to me."

He pulled her over on top of him so she was straddling him. He barely winced as she pushed against his shoulders and straightened. "Raise up, baby," he murmured.

She rocked up on her knees. He fitted his erection at her entrance and she slowly sank down. Breath hissed from his lungs, followed by a quick inhale as she rocked up again. Setting a slow, easy rhythm, Jolie decided she liked being in charge.

"I see what you're thinking up there, pretty girl. Don't get cocky."

She laughed, arching her back and rolling her hips forward. Cord groaned, and she increased the tempo. His large, slightly calloused hands rested on her thighs, and he squeezed gently before moving to grip her hips. The beginnings of her orgasm stirred in her center, and she lost the rhythm for a moment. Cord took over, thrusting up into her, his hands holding her right where he-and she-wanted her.

"Do you know how gorgeous you are?"

Her skin heated and she tucked her chin, once again faltering in her rhythm. Cord cupped her cheek, and then curled his fingers behind her neck to tug her gently down for a kiss. "Don't, sweetheart. You are beautiful. Even more now than when we were kids."

Her protest was swallowed by his kiss. Last night had been hot and heavy and needy. This morning was sweet, forming a connection between them that she'd missed more than she could believe. She didn't want to think about what might have been. She didn't want to remember what had been. She simply wanted here and now, the man she'd never stopped loving filling her.                       
       
           



       

"Ah, Jolie. What you do to my heart, sunshine."

She stilled, everything slowing-heart, lungs, brain. Noise faded to silence as though her ears had been stuffed with cotton balls. Her vision narrowed to focus on the man lying beneath her and what he'd said, what it might mean. He'd never been one for romantic words. Then he offered that quirky grin and his dimple peeked out. The world rushed back in with a whoosh and she inhaled like a drowning woman coming up for the third time.

* * *

"Oh, Cord." Her eyes misted as she lowered herself to kiss him again before tucking her face into his shoulder.

Jolie lay still on top of him. Cord didn't want to move, but he was throbbing inside her. Whatever he'd done, it had been something so right he needed to make notes. And bottle it. So he could do it again. Especially when he made her mad. Then he realized her breaths were coming in little hiccupping sobs. Crap. That couldn't be good. Could it?

He patted her back awkwardly. "Shh, baby. It's okay. I'll fix whatever it is. Don't cry."

"You're impossible," she sniffled.

Well, so much for the moment. He'd screwed up again, obviously. Before he could ask what he'd done wrong, she turned her head and nuzzled down his jawline, careful of his bruises. Her inner muscles squeezed him and he gasped. The reaction wasn't very manly, but the feel of her surrounding him made it hard to breathe.