Stay With Me (Hope Valley Book 5)

by Jessica Prince

  The corner of his mouth trembled as he fought back a grin and rolled his eyes. “Whatever, weirdo,” he mumbled before tucking back into his food.

  Cord’s deep, rough chuckle sounded as he finished the last of his breakfast and came around the counter to rinse his plate.

  That’s right. My man rinsed his own plate! Then, as if I wasn’t already turned on enough, he bent at the waist, giving me a perfect view of his stellar ass in those pressed slacks from the night before, and loaded it into the dishwasher.

  I could have sworn I had a mini-orgasm.

  He moved to me and hooked me around the waist with one arm, pressing my front into his side as he rested his other palm on the island and looked over at Zach. “You’re ridin’ with me this morning, bud. Shake a leg or we’re gonna be late, yeah?”

  My boy nodded and shoved the last bite into his mouth. Then he proceeded to do something I’d never seen him do before.

  He hopped off the barstool and came around to rinse his plate and load it up next to Cord’s without me having to say anything about it, just like Cord had done, before disappearing down the hall.

  “Wow,” I breathed as I stared after him. “That’s the first time I haven’t had to get on him to put his dirty dishes away.” I extended the arm holding my coffee mug so I could press even deeper into Cord as I gazed up at him, that warm, dreamy feeling expanding in my chest. “I think you may be a good influence after all, stud.”

  He hit me with a sexy smirk that drove me crazy. “Guess that means you’ll have to keep me around, dollface.”

  “Mmm. I guess so.”

  His head came down and his lips pressed against mine in a slow, gentle kiss that we were forced to break off when Zach called out, “Ugh, gross! Not in front of the impressionable child!”

  My head fell back on a loud belly laugh as Cord’s arm clutched me tighter and his body shook with quiet laughter.

  He pulled his keys from his pocket and tossed them Zach’s way. “Start the truck up. I’ll be out in a sec. That way I can kiss on Rory without your poor abused eyes having to witness.”

  He caught Cord’s keys easily and headed for the front door as I called out, “Have a good day, sweetie!”

  Instead of the simple flick of his fingers he usually shot me while not looking back, he actually glanced over his shoulder this time and graced me with a tiny smile as he mumbled “You too.”

  Progress. It wouldn’t have been a lot in most people’s eyes, but to me, that casual comment was everything, and with it, my glow grew brighter and warmer.

  “All right, baby. Kiss me so I can get him to school and come back to you.”

  Instead of kissing him, my eyes went wide and I asked, “You’re coming back?”

  His eyes heated and his voice took on a growly tone that made me shiver. “Oh yeah.” Those two words dripped with promise that made my panties damp. “And you better be ready for me.”

  Then he kissed me. And with that delicious warning ringing in my ears, he disappeared through the front door to take my boy to school.

  When we got back last night, Zach had already been in bed. I was drowsy from incredible food and, I’ll admit, slightly tipsy from the three martinis I’d had throughout the course of the evening. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t more than ready to feel Cord inside me again.

  I rushed around my bedroom, donning a sexy yet sweet nightie, and climbed into bed to wait for him as he shut off all the lights, made sure we were locked in tight, and checked on Zach before coming back to me. However, at some point during that short wait, the food, alcohol, and all-around emotional upheaval from earlier that day hit me like a sledgehammer, and I was passed out dead to the world by the time he entered the room.

  I’d been ready for him last night, and when I woke up this morning, wrapped in his arms and tucked safe and secure to his strong body, I’d been even more ready.

  Now he just had to get back and fill the promise he’d made a minute ago.

  And I couldn’t wait.

  The low rumble from deep within Cord’s chest spurred me on, making me even hotter.

  I hummed around his cock, taking him all the way to the back of my throat as I looked up from beneath my lashes. His head was lowered, those nearly black eyes pinned on me, the cords in his neck straining as his fingers white-knuckled the edge of the counter. “Fuckin’ shit,” he grunted, his hips pushing forward as my hand squeezed the base of his erection. “Christ, that’s it, baby. Take all of me. Show me how much you love suckin’ me off.”

  I hummed again as my head started bobbing even faster, my hand meeting my lips as I jacked and sucked with abandon.

  Blow jobs had never really been my thing in the past. I gave them to previous boyfriends because I knew men liked them, and I didn’t mind putting in the work if I was getting something in return. But there was just something about Cord. I wanted him in my mouth. I wanted to taste and lick him. His dick was absolutely perfect, and I found my mouth watering at just the thought of going down on him.

  So when he’d walked through the door a few minutes earlier, I’d pounced, shoving him against the island and falling to my knees, greedily pulling at his fly to get him free.

  And I’d been so into it that I couldn’t tell which one of us was enjoying it more.

  I pulled my head back, swirling my tongue around his swollen crown before taking him back into my mouth. Moving my hand out of the way, I slid down until my nose bumped his groin. Then I swallowed, causing him to let out a harsh curse.

  “Christ. Rory, you keep doin’ that, I’m gonna come in your mouth.”

  I really liked the thought of it, so I did it again.

  And again.

  On the third swallow, Cord’s hands shot down and grabbed me beneath my arms, yanking me back up to my feet.

  “I wasn’t finished!” I cried, instantly missing his musky taste.

  “You are now,” he gritted in return. Then he spun me around so fast my hair went flying. I barely had time to brace my hands on the counter before he tore my panties down my legs, flipped the hem of my nightie over my ass, and drove in deep.

  “Yes!” I cried out, throwing my head back at his exquisite invasion.

  He took me hard and fast. It was savage and hot and absolutely perfect, the way he rode me. That pressure in my core built fast, shooting out and invading every inch of me as I tipped my ass to take him even deeper.

  “Goddamn,” Cord grunted, wrapping one of his arms around my chest. His hand dipped beneath the neckline of my nightgown and began tugging at my nipple as his other hand trailed down between my legs. I felt his fingers spread and slide around my entrance where he was driving in and out, feeling our connection, before he pulled back and began tracing my clit in tight circles. “The way you fit me, Rory. Jesus. So goddamn perfect.”

  “Cord,” I said on a sharp, keening cry as my release grew closer, stronger, invading all of me. “Oh god, baby. I’m gonna come.”

  “Give it to me,” he growled in my ear. “Let me feel it.”

  And with that order, I exploded. My chest fell forward as he moved his hands to grab hold of my hips. I clutched the counter, using it as leverage to drive myself back on his cock as my orgasm washed over me. I was still in the midst of the second-best climax I’d ever had—the first being my first time with Cord—when I felt him surge in deep and plant himself there. Fortunately I had just enough wherewithal to turn and look at him over my shoulder as his head fell back, the muscles in his neck tightened, and his jaw clenched as he groaned out his own release, filling me up as his hips continued to snap.

  God, seeing him like that, completely out of control… there was no other way to describe it. It was simply beautiful.

  He bent over me, resting his forehead on my shoulder blade as we both came down from the high of fantastic sex.

  “Fuck me, baby. I knew you’d live up to the promise of all that beauty, but I had no clue the real thing would be a million times better.” His hands star
ted sliding over my body, almost reverent as he touched every inch of me he could reach. “You’re so fuckin’ perfect.”

  “I’m just me,” I replied on a breathless whisper.

  He stepped back, slipping from between my legs as he spun me around so we were face-to-face. “Yeah, sweetheart.” His eyes scanned over my face like he was trying to memorize every inch of it. “You’re just you.” His arms came around me and gave me a squeeze. “And what you are is perfect.”

  God, I was so totally gone for this man. “Don’t make me cry after you just made me come,” I said on a watery sniffle.

  But he didn’t stop, and I was dangerously close to turning into a blubbering mess. “Most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, and she’s finally mine.”

  Okay, so if he wouldn’t stop, I had no choice but to make him. Standing on my tiptoes, I twined my arms around his neck and pulled him the rest of the way down so I could reach his lips. Then I kissed him. It wasn’t soft and gentle but rather hard and full of every emotion raging through me at that very moment.

  I love you, I thought, but I didn’t dare say the words out loud. It wasn’t that I worried his feelings for me weren’t strong. But we’d only just started out. Last night was our first date. We’d only had sex twice. Yes, we’d known each other for years, but I didn’t want to scare him off by putting the cart about a mile before the horse. We had time, and this was going even better than I could imagine.

  I was happy. Truly and genuinely happy. There was no need to rush it.

  On that thought, Cord took over the kiss, tangling his fingers in my hair and tilting my head for better access. By the time it was finished, all thoughts of crying were gone, and I was breathless once again.

  Cord’s forehead came down on mine, and he pushed out a sigh that sounded surprisingly frustrated.

  “What wrong?”

  “What’s wrong is that the world didn’t stop turnin’ so I could take you back to bed, strip you naked, and keep you there all day. Which is exactly what I want to do, not go into the office to fill out a bunch of paperwork for a case I just closed so Linc can invoice the client and we can all get paid.”

  A giggle bubbled up my throat and my arms tightened around him. “Not a fan of paperwork?”

  “Hell no,” he grunted. “But even if I didn’t have a pile of that shit waiting for me, I still wouldn’t want to go in.”

  I slid my fingers up the back of his neck to brush along the hair at the nape. “Why, Cord Paulson, I think you may like me,” I said with a teasing grin.

  His face remained serious as he replied, “‘Like’ doesn’t even come close to how I feel about you.”

  Before I could respond to that—not that I could adequately put into words just how much it meant to me in that moment—Cord stepped back and started straightening his slacks.

  “What do you have going on today, sweetheart?”

  “I, um….” It took a second, but I managed to shake myself out of my stupor and answer. “I’m heading into the bar for a bit, and then I start my classes to get certified.”

  “You need me to be here when Zach gets home from school?”

  All the air expelled from my lungs at his question. It was just as simple as that. He didn’t even blink before asking it. I knew we were in this together, Cord had said so often over the past several days, but in that moment it hit me, really and truly hit me. We were in this together. Completely.

  When I didn’t answer right away, his head came up and tilted to the side. “Sweetheart? You hear me?”

  I gave my head a shake. “Sorry. Dazed for a second. I’ll be finished with the class before he gets home, but if you want to come over for dinner, you won’t hear me complain.”

  His face went tender as he came close and responded, “Wouldn’t miss it.” Goody. “Now kiss me so I can get this day over with and come back to you and Zach.”

  Once again, bossy. And once again, I didn’t hesitate to give in because, truth be told, I loved him bossy.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Rory

  The past week and a half since our first date had been the best week and a half I’d had in a long, long time. Some days, depending on Cord’s work schedule, he showed up at my place before Zach got home from school, and some days he couldn’t get to us until later in the evening. But he never failed to spend his evenings with us. He didn’t spend the night every night, but on the ones he did, I slept like a log and woke up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day.

  I’d never been much of a cuddler in the past. I liked my space. I moved around a lot in my sleep, so I needed that freedom. But with Cord, that changed. I went to bed in his arms, and I woke up the same way. Sure, I still moved, but whenever I did, he’d simply move with me and hold onto me in a new position.

  The only shadow that cast over the brilliant glow I’d been living in was the fact that, while Zach was becoming more and more comfortable in his new home with me each and every day, he was still despondent and moody when he arrived home from school, closing himself in his room and not saying but a handful of words to me. He’d eventually pull himself out of it and return to normal, but no matter how many times I asked, he refused to talk about whatever was so clearly bothering him, insisting that there was nothing wrong.

  I’d put in a call to his teachers to see if they were aware of anything going on, but they all said he was a quiet, bright boy who came to class, did his work, and then moved on to the next.

  As blissfully happy as I was with him and Cord, that disquiet still lingered in the back of my mind, nagging at me that something bad was going on with my boy.

  Cord had stepped in a couple of times, going back to his room to speak with him in private in the hopes he’d open up to him, but he hadn’t gotten any further than I had. Even my dad, who Zach had grown extremely close with, hadn’t made any headway.

  Whatever was bothering him was something he seemed determined to keep to himself, and as helpless as it made me feel, I had no other choice but to sit back and hope he’d come to me if he needed me.

  And that was exactly what I’d just shared with Tempie as she sat on one of my countrified barstools, sipping from the glass of iced tea I poured her when she showed up for a visit thirty minutes ago.

  “I can see how this would bother you, sweetie, but I think you’re right. All you can do is keep doing what you’re doing. Either he’ll eventually feel like he can open up to you, or he’ll get it figured out on his own.”

  “But that’s the thing. I don’t want him to have to figure it out on his own. He’s already spent too much of his young life having to do that. I’m supposed to be taking care of him, and that includes fixing all of his problems.”

  My friend gave me a sympathetic look before stating, “Honey, you know as well as I do that you can’t fix every problem for every person. You were his age once, and I’m sure you kept things from your parents.” She was right, but that didn’t mean I had to like that Zach was keeping things from me. “And I know he’s young and it’s your job to protect him, but he’s had to learn things no child his age should ever have to learn. He can’t unlearn them, Ror. His self-reliance was instilled in him before he got to you, and trying to make him stop would be like trying to make him learn to live without breathing.”

  “So what are you saying?” I snapped, agitation forming into a rock in the pit of my stomach. “That I should just stand back and let him do everything on his own?”

  “Of course not. But instead of trying to make him give up that part of himself so you can take care of him to make yourself feel better, you nurture that independence. Teach him to use it properly so that he’ll grow into a kind, honorable man who’s not afraid of working hard and making an honest living to take care of himself and the family he’ll one day have.”

  “Oh god,” I groaned, throwing my head back dramatically. “Now I’m thinking about him as a grown-up with a family of his own.” I lifted my head and pinned her in place with a murder
ous look. “Are you trying to kill me? I only just got him. Let me at least enjoy a little of the time I have with him before I have to start worrying about him turning into an adult.”

  An odd expression flitted across Temperance’s face before she broke out into a beaming smile. “You’re already totally and completely in love with this boy.”

  “Of course I am. He’s my kid,” I stated without missing a beat. “I know it’s only been a little while, but I feel it. He’s mine, Tempie. It’s like I was meant to have him. Like my purpose in life was to find him and take care of him.” I paused, stopping to really think about all those feelings for the very first time. “Does that sound weird?”

  “Not at all,” she whispered with a shake of her head. “You’re a parent now, babe. I think this is how all parents are supposed to feel. And I bet if you asked Gypsy, she’d tell you she feels the exact same way about her brood.”

  Gypsy didn’t have any kids of her own, but she’d been raising her five brothers and sisters since she was a little girl. She didn’t look at them as her siblings; they were just hers. I had an incredible amount of respect for her, knowing she’d given up so much to take care of them, and I always wondered what I would have done if I’d been in her shoes. Now I was beginning to have a better understanding of why she didn’t even blink at the responsibility.

  Zach wasn’t a kid I was responsible for taking care of until he could move out and do it by himself. He was a part of my family. And I wasn’t the only one who thought of him that way. My mother and father absolutely adored him and treated him as if he was a flesh-and-blood grandchild. In other words, they spoiled him rotten, which they claimed was their right. And there had been several times over the past couple weeks where I’d caught Cord looking at him with a soft, tender expression on his face that melted my insides like butter, so I knew he felt the exact same way.