Jill Shalvis - Get a Clue

"Cooper-"

"I don't want you to wake up in the morning and regret anything. Especially me."

Her eyes were as luminous as the fire's glow while she digested this. "And I thought you said you weren't a gentleman."

A sound of deep need escaped him-he couldn't help it.

She turned on her side away from him and pulled the covers back over her head.

Was she embarrassed now? He didn't want that, anything but that. "Breanne-"

"Forget it."

He didn't move, couldn't get himself to walk away.

"Every minute you stand there," she said, her voice muffled by the covers, "you risk being jumped by the pathetic chick. I'd run if I were you."

Shit. He stalked the length of the room, heading back to the fire, even though he didn't need the heat; he was damn hot enough.

Craning his neck, he glanced back at the bed. The lump that was Breanne hadn't budged. Good. She was going to be a good girl and go to sleep.

He only wished he could, but as he was currently hard enough to pound nails, he doubted sleep would come any time soon. James would have smacked him upside the head for turning down the sexiest, hottest woman he'd ever seen. He couldn't believe he'd done it. He was truly an idiot.

Suddenly exhausted, he dropped into the chair, sprawled out his legs, and tipped his head back. Closed his eyes.

His mind did not turn off. Nope, it kept whirring and cranking out disturbing thoughts.

Wake her up.

Tell her you changed your mind-

Better yet, show her you've changed your mind.

"Cooper?"

He opened his eyes to find her standing right in front of him, his living fantasy in the flesh. "Thought you'd gone to sleep," he said.

Slowly she shook her head.

"You should go to sleep." He was sounding a bit desperate, even to his own ears, but damn it, he could only take so much with her standing there two inches from him, looking as if maybe she wanted to gobble him up whole.

He could really get behind that. "Breanne."

"I know. You want me to go far, far away, but I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"Because."

Her eyes held his, shadowed by insecurity. There was no use in pretending he couldn't see because he might as well try to stop breathing. Every part of him was focused on her, locked in some hypersensitive state. "You can't go back to bed because…?"

"Because I want you in it with me."

"Breanne-"

"I need you, Cooper. Don't make me beg."

Ah, Christ. "Are you sure?" he whispered fiercely.

She straddled his legs and sat on his lap.

Okay, she was sure. "Breanne," he groaned. "We've taken this about as far as we can with our clothes on, and I don't want to stop again."

She shook her head. "No stopping this time."

"Good, because I've been hard since you got here. I'm going to damage myself if I keep it up." He shot her a lopsided grin. "Have some mercy."

She laughed, but her eyes shone with emotion as well, yanking at his heart, and his smile slowly faded.

"I need somebody tonight," she whispered, her hands going to his shoulders. "And I want it to be you. You, Cooper Scott, and no one else."

The promise was far more than he could have, or would have, asked for. He sat up a little straighter, running his hands up her body to cup her face, tugging her down for a kiss.

She obliged him in the sweetest, hottest connection he'd ever known, then pulled back, her lips leaving his with a little suction noise that tugged all the way through his body.

With a little smile, she got off of him and shimmied out of her skirt. God, he loved those black satin panties, the way the small patch of material barely covered her, how the stretchy fabric rode low on her hips, and though he couldn't see her ass at the moment, he knew the material was riding up, outlining her to perfection. "Breanne," he said hoarsely.

She crossed her arms in front of her, grabbed the hem of that red shirt, and pulled it over her head.

Leaving her in nothing but those panties, and suddenly he wished he'd let her keep the boots on, because holy shit, that would have made quite the picture.

Not that he needed the boots at the moment. Hell, no. She made his mouth water without the boots. She made his mouth water, period.

Then she climbed back into his lap, tucking a knee on either side of his thighs. His hands went to his favorite part, her sweet ass. He squeezed, then slid inside her panties, cupping her bare skin before gliding downward-

She gasped.

He groaned, his fingers delving deeper, finding her wet and creamy, making him groan again.

She said his name in a rather strangled voice, having gone utterly still in what he hoped was anticipation. "Good?" he asked.

The sound that came from her was rough, low, and the most erotic thing he'd ever heard, and he slowly pushed a finger inside her.

This elicited yet another breathy cry, and he added a second finger.

"More," she whispered, squirming. "Please, more."

He'd give her more, and it would take all night. Even knowing that wouldn't be enough, he slid his fingers free, nudging her closer, then closer still so that her satin-covered crotch slid to his denim-covered one… oh, yeah… and those full breasts were only an inch from his mouth. He kissed the pouting tip of one and pulled back to watch it pucker up and darken for him. "You're so sexy, Bree. You're the sexiest thing I've ever seen."

"You don't have to say that." Her voice sounded strained. "I'm here. I'm willing. You don't have to say anything you don't mean. Just… take us to the finish line. Please."

After all the teasing they'd done over the past two days, he wanted that more than anything, but not as badly as he wanted her to believe him, believe in this. He cupped her face, waiting until she lifted those whiskey eyes. "I never lie, Bree, remember? Never. This isn't just about the finish, spectacular as that's going to be. It's going to be about far more. Now do you still want to do this?"

She didn't take her eyes off him as she thought about that for so long he got worried.

"Yes, I still want to do this," she finally said. "But one of us is way overdressed." Saying so, she pulled back slightly, bending her head to the task of unfastening his jeans. Her hair fell forward, brushing against his bare shoulders and chest, and it was so much like his fantasy, he groaned. "There's no rush," he said huskily when she let out a frustrated cry, struggling. "We have all night."

"I like it fast."

Finally she slid her hands into his jeans, freeing him, humming with pleasure as she wrapped her fingers around the biggest erection he'd ever had. He tried to reach for her but she shook her head. "I'm doing all the work, remember?" She stroked him. Perfectly.

And then again.

At this rate, he'd last all of two seconds. Not wanting that to be the case, he captured her hands in one of his and held them at the small of her back.

Lifting her head, she looked at him from hot, hungry eyes. Flattering as hell, and he began to think maybe she didn't even have to touch him to get him off.

"Cooper." Frustrated, she rocked her hips, gliding that satin over his erection.

He saw stars.

"Mmm," she said, arms still trapped behind her, and rocked again.

And then again, her breasts jiggling so pretty and enticingly in his face, the little diamond in her belly button twinkling.

And again.

Her satin was wet now, causing the most delicious friction against him, and desperate, he squeezed her hip, trying to hold her still. "Don't," he said. Begged. "God, don't move."

"I can't help it." And she very purposely rocked again.

Abruptly he pushed her off him and stood up, shoving down his jeans.

She staggered back and stared at his body.

Staring right back, he kicked free of the denim.

And then she lost the last of the lingering doubt in her eyes and smiled at him, a real smile that he felt all the way to his heart.

Had she really believed he'd reject her? Was she really that unsure of her own appeal?

She was still looking at him. From head to toe, and back again, then zeroing in on the part of him the most happy to be having this special little sleepover.

"You're… big," she whispered.

Not that big, but hell, he wasn't going to argue the point. "Hold that thought," he said, and went to the little goodie basket, which amongst other things, had condoms. On the way back to the chair, he grabbed the vibrator she'd left on the bed, shooting her a grin that changed hers from anticipatory to… nervous.

He decided he liked that. He liked that a lot.

Breanne stared at the glowing vibrator in Cooper's hand, so innocuous-looking-until he twisted the end and it buzzed to life.

The sound of humming filled the air, making her body hum as well. "Um…"

"Come here, Breanne."

Her feet stood rooted to the spot. He wasn't touching her, nothing was, but her nipples were hard, and between her legs she throbbed.

Then she lifted her gaze to Cooper's, and at the long, slow, hot-eyed look he shot her, she swallowed hard.

He set the basket of condoms on the floor beside the chair and sat, crooking his finger at her.

She went, and when she got close, he pulled her down on his hips, his hands urging her thighs wide over his so that she straddled him.

"Mmm," rumbled from his chest at the skin-to-skin contact. Holding her legs sprawled open, he leaned forward, put his mouth on her throat, kissing his way over to her shoulder, from which he took a little bite. She jumped when he brought his other hand up, trailing the vibrator along first one inner thigh, then the other.

And then between.

She felt the jolt clear to her toes, and put her hand over his.

He lifted his gaze. "Too unromantic?"

Unromantic was exactly what she wanted here, to keep her heart out of the mix. "No. It's just that-" She felt herself blush.

"You've never used one of these before?" he guessed.

"Only for a flashlight," she admitted, sucking in a breath when the vibrator slid even higher, rumbling lightly, tingling her flesh, making her pulse leap with both excitement and trepidation.

"Ready?" he murmured.

"Um-" She broke off with a gasp when he sucked a nipple into his warm mouth at the exact moment he hit ground zero with the vibrator.

Her body tightened, strained, and the sound that tore from her throat was not a no, don't but a definite oh, please. An on-the-edge oh, please, to boot.

Slowly he circled the tip around, dipping into her own wetness, spreading it, and then back to her happy spot, just skimming lightly over her sensitive flesh.

She jerked again, let out another of those shockingly needy whimpers, and arched up for more. Suddenly her skin felt too tight, her pulse beat in her ears so loudly she could hear nothing but the rush of her own blood, heading south, pooling between her legs.

Another slow, purposeful circle of the vibrator, combined with a hot, wet glide of his tongue over her other nipple, and she was actually going to come without straining for it. In less than thirty seconds. "Cooper-"

"You taste amazing." Lifting his head a fraction, he stared down at her breast and lightly blew out a breath. "Do you know that?"

Luckily he didn't seem to require an answer, leaving her free to moan again.

And at the sound, he eased back, and she had to bite her lip rather than beg for more.

He was watching her. He knew exactly what she wanted, damn him. "Hurry," she managed, knowing she sounded too desperate, too impatient. She didn't care. She arched toward him.

His answer was another maddeningly slow circle of the vibrator, and just as she nearly tossed herself over the chasm into a glorious orgasm, he pulled back again, brought it to his mouth and licked the tip. "Amazing," he repeated huskily.

Staring at him, something within her snapped. Grabbing the vibrator, she tossed it aside, wrapped her fingers around his erection, sighing her pleasure at finding him both so silky and steely, and rubbed the very tip of him against her.