“Good God, woman, you’re going to be the death of me.”
Her finger lightly traced the outline of a button on his shirt. “I’m really not in a movie mood tonight.”
His heart pounded at the implications in her words.
“…Did you…have something else in mind?” Even to him his voice sounded rough.
“Uh-huh.”
When she met his desire-clogged gaze with one of her own, the world tilted on its axis, causing his head to spin.
“Jason is back at school. Eva has bridge tonight.”
She glanced at him through lowered lashes, the image so seductive, his mouth went dry as the West Texas desert in July.
“I could cook for us—or something.”
Only a fool would go with option one.
Cooper Delaney was a lot things; a fool wasn’t one of them.
A myriad of thoughts congested Sam’s mind as she drove home. Never one to deceive herself, she reasoned the thing between them may be nothing more than physical need, which could prove disastrous.
But her heart believed otherwise. The last few days spent getting to know each other reinforced her belief that it went way beyond the physical.
She pulled into the drive and stopped, thankful Eva had already left for her bridge game.
They walked in silence into the kitchen, Jack on their heels, seemingly ignorant of the violent tangle of emotions ripping through his mistress.
They stood by the counter where a note from Eva caught Sam’s eye. She picked it up for something to do. “Um, she left food on the stove, so I guess I don’t have to cook.”
She didn’t look at Coop, who cleared his throat but didn’t comment.
The silence became uncomfortable, and she groped for words. I practically gave him an engraved invitation, so the next move is his. Right?
Since playing the saucy seductress wasn’t her strong suit, she opted for the straight-forward approach. Sam drew in a deep lungful of air and turned to face him. The smoldering look in those storm-cloud eyes derailed her train of thought.
His hungry gaze drank in her face, her lips and lowered to her breasts, causing the tips to become painfully tight. His nostrils flared when he inhaled deeply, his stare bold and relentless as it traveled down, then back up her body.
In a flash, the path became clear. She wanted him more than the air she breathed. Her love grew with each rapid beat of her heart. Tomorrow wasn’t promised to anyone. There was only today. Now. This moment in time.
Without regret, she yielded to the firestorm of need building from their first glance. One step closed the distance between them. His heart pounded out a staccato beneath her palm on his chest.
“Are you sure about this?” His words, ground out through slightly parted lips, were gruff and thick with emotion.
He stood rigidly in place as she kissed the base of his neck, his chin. Standing on tiptoes, she nibbled his lower lip. “I’m sure.”
He moaned deep in his throat. “Sam.” The touch of his hands was unbearably tender as he cupped her face. His lips pressed against hers, urgent and exploratory.
She raised up to meet his kiss with a hunger that belied her outer calm.
His mouth scorched a path down her neck, her shoulder, before recapturing her lips, more demanding this time, setting her body ablaze.
Suddenly, he pulled back and swept her into his arms.
Jack snuffled and Sam twisted to look at him.
“Stay,” she said sharply and the dog went to his spot under the table.
She looked into the eyes of the man who owned her heart. “You’re going to carry me upstairs?”
“You don’t think I can?”
She slid her arms around his neck. “I think you can do anything you put your mind to.”
“Your place or mine?”
“Your bed is bigger.”
By the time he kicked the door shut behind them, Sam was on fire.
He set her feet on the floor beside the bed and proceeded to do carnal things to her mouth. His tongue caressed and coaxed as his hands gripped her hips, anchoring her snugly against the evidence of his excitement.
She gripped the edge of his shirt and yanked it from his jeans, fingers fumbling with the western snaps.