by Lori Foster
“Thanks, hon.” Cade drew his sister in for a one-armed hug, then took the stack from her.
“Yeah,” Sterling said, a little overwhelmed with the generosity. “Appreciate it.”
“We’ll talk more at breakfast, okay? Bernard usually has everything ready by eight, but since we’re up so late, I asked him to make it nine. Will that work for you?”
Sterling looked at Cade. His house, his schedule.
He nodded. “That’s fine. We’ll see you then.” He followed Madison to the door.
Sterling saw them whispering but couldn’t hear what was said. Probably something she wouldn’t like anyway. This time when Cade closed the door, he locked it, then came past her in the bedroom to ensure the French doors leading to a patio were also locked. With that done, he set his sister’s offerings in the bathroom.
“No more interruptions.” Opening a dresser drawer, he pulled out a snowy white T-shirt and handed it to her. “Want some boxers, too? Or how about you go without?” He gathered her close, one large hand caressing her behind. “I won’t mind.”
Concerned for his injury, Sterling gently rested a hand to his shoulder. “Let me shower first, okay? You don’t want to hug this mess.”
He treated her to that crooked smile and, leaning in, kissed her without drawing her close. “Use whatever you need in the bathroom. Toothbrush, lotion, shampoo and conditioner. Make yourself at home, okay? I’ll fold down the bed.”
Standing there, Sterling looked past him at the king-size bed, then stupidly whispered, “We’re sleeping together? In your dad’s house, I mean?”
He actually laughed. “No one will know.”
“Bull.”
“Okay, so they’ll all assume. We’re adults, babe.” His grin faded into a tender smile. “And I want to hold you.”
She wanted that, too. “But you were shot. What if I bump you?”
“I’ll keep you too close for that.” He kissed her again, this time lingering until her toes curled in her boots.
It took her a second to regain her wits. Then she breathed, “All right.” It had been an exhausting and disappointing day, and she was still worried about Cade. Snuggling close, reassuring herself that he was fine, sounded too nice to resist. “Be forewarned, though, if Reyes says anything tomorrow, I can’t be held responsible for what I do.”
“Whatever you do, I’ll help.” He steered her into the bathroom, leaving after a smack on her behind. “Let me know if you can’t find something you need.” He closed the door before she could come up with more objections.
Of course she knew her reservations were absurd. As he’d said, they were adults.
But she’d never before stayed over with a guy in his father’s house. Cade had probably sneaked in a lot of girls, but their formative years were vastly different. Overall, there’d been no fathers for her to deal with, not even her own. A grandfatherly figure, yes, but that was different, since she’d lived in the garage and never, not once, had she considered inviting a guy to share that precious space with her.
She pampered herself for a bit, but not as much as she’d have liked with only Cade’s masculine products at hand. At least the lotion Madison had brought smelled more feminine. She slathered it on, occasionally lifting her wrist to sniff it again. Lavender, maybe. Or something more exotic. Whatever the scent, she liked it.
Her hair was thick, and by the time she’d dried it, nearly an hour had passed.
Sterling glanced at herself in the mirror. If she weren’t so tall, Cade’s T-shirt would have covered more of her. Instead, it barely reached below her backside. Of course, that made her think of the affectionate smack he’d left there, and his comment...
He’s injured, she reminded herself. No sex, not tonight. Maybe not for a while. Still, as she opened the door and stepped out, her nipples pulled tight.
Already stretched out in the bed, his big, gorgeous body bare except for snug boxers, his shoulders propped against the headboard, he looked relaxed, maybe even asleep.
Until his eyes opened.
“Sorry I took so long.” She stood there, framed in the light from the bathroom.
His slumberous gaze traveled over her. “Feel better?”
“I didn’t feel bad.” Not really. Tired, frazzled, achy...but not bad. Feeling like a feast he wanted to devour, she tugged at the hem of the shirt.
A morbid thought occurred to her—how awful it would be if...when...they went their separate ways. No other man would be like Cade. And no other man could make her feel the way he did.
Standing here now, in this moment, seeing the naked desire on his face, it was easy to think they could carve out a real relationship, yet all she had to do was look around to be reminded that they came from very different worlds.
Because of the circumstances, his father and brother were tolerating her, and Madison was kind. If he hadn’t gotten shot, he would never have brought her here. This was a one-off, because Cade’s family loved him.
“What are you thinking?” He left the bed to stalk toward her. “I think you just wrote a book in your head, didn’t you? Will you tell me about it?”
Not being a dummy, Sterling determined to enjoy it all while it lasted. She wouldn’t waste a single second by moping about an uncertain future. Heck, there was a chance Mattox would kill her, so what did the future matter?
When Cade got close, she touched the bruising she could see around his bandage. “I was thinking that, even wounded, you are seriously sexy.” Tilting into him, she lightly brushed her lips over the heated skin of his chest. His chest hair tickled, and he smelled indescribably good. “I hate that you got hurt because of me.” He frowned, and she quickly corrected, “I mean, I hate that you got hurt, period. It’s just extra sucky that it happened while you were helping me.”
Taking her hand, he lifted it to cover the bandage. “I know better than to get distracted. That’s not on you, okay? I was where I wanted to be.”
“Because I was there. If I hadn’t involved you—”
“Then I wouldn’t have you here now.” He stroked an open hand down her spine and over her rump to cup a bare cheek. Grinning, he bent to nuzzle her neck and whispered, “With your sweet ass available.”
Sterling laughed. It was that sort of thing, the playful compliments and sexual teasing, that she enjoyed so much. “I’m putting my sweet ass in the bed. The bathroom is all yours.”
“Give me five minutes. And don’t you dare fall asleep.”
The second the door closed behind him, Sterling hurried to the bed and got under the covers.
In only three minutes, Cade emerged. He’d showered earlier but hadn’t shaved. She liked him like this, his hair a little messy, not as precisely groomed, the beard shadow adding a rugged edge to his appeal.
It wasn’t until he reached his side of the bed that she noticed the condoms on the nightstand. Her eyes flared, but he didn’t notice as he clicked off the light and slid in beside her. In one smooth move he drew her against him and his mouth covered hers, stalling any protests she might have made over her concern for his injury.
Those large, rough hands slowly roamed everywhere, along her back, her shoulders, her thighs, yet they returned again and again to her behind. If she could have caught her breath, she might have laughed. He really did like her backside, when she’d never thought much about it.
He wasn’t taking any chances on her using his wound as a reason to turn him down. How could he want her so much? It had to be magic, because no one else ever had.
Finally getting her mouth free, she whispered, “Slow down.”
“Say yes, and then I will.” He kissed a searing path along her throat to her ear.
He teased with his tongue, making her squirm. “Yes,” she agreed. “With one condition.”
“No conditions in bed, babe.”
“I insist.”
Gently pushing him to his back, she crawled over him and sat on his abdomen. Her leg protested, but not enough to change her mind.
Staring up at her in the darkness, he held her waist and bent his knees so his thighs supported her back. “Lose the T-shirt.”
It seemed second nature for Cade to give orders, but here in bed, she liked it. After whisking off her top, she said, “Now.”
“Now,” he agreed, shifting his hands to her breasts, lightly tugging at her nipples and obliterating her thoughts in the process. “Did I tell you how much I love these?”
She was starting to think he loved everything about her body. Dropping her head back, she let him have his way.
“So damn sweet.”
He toyed with her nipples so long that she knew she was wet and beyond ready. “Cade...”
Leaning up while urging her down, he strongly sucked one nipple into the wet heat of his mouth.
Holy smokes. His tongue rasped over her, and she felt it in other places, especially between her legs. “That’s enough.” If he didn’t ease up, she’d come before he ever got inside her.
He closed his teeth gently around her—and tugged insistently. Her breath shuddered in and released as a broken groan. She didn’t mean to, but she rocked against his hard abs.
Humming his approval, he switched to the other breast.
“Whoa,” she gasped, struggling for air.
“No.”
Oh, what he did with mouth, lips, tongue and teeth... But he’d been shot, and she couldn’t let this get out of control. “Yes.”
With a last leisurely lick, he rested back on the bed. Her harsh breathing filled the air. His hands continued to stroke all over her.
Trying to regain control—as if she’d ever had it—Sterling braced her hands over his pecs, but that was a mistake. His skin burned, his muscles all knotted tight. He was closer to the ragged edge than he wanted to admit, and that turned her on even more.
“You’re rushing it,” she accused softly.
“You liked it.”
“Yeah, course.” She wasn’t dead yet! One more cleansing breath helped to calm her racing heartbeat. “But seriously, Cade, you’re hurt, regardless of how you want to minimize it.” Getting words out wasn’t easy, not with her nipples wet and aching. “To make this work—”
His fingers contracted on her hips. “It was working just fine.”
“You need to let me take care of you.”
He was silent a moment, just thinking. “Take care of me how?”
“You’ll be still, and I’ll do all the moving.”
He snorted, and yeah, she got that. During sex, it was pretty damn hard to not move. “I mean it, Cade.”
Lowering his arms to his sides, he said, “Go for it.”
“I need you to relax.”
“I’m relaxed.”
She tsked. He felt like steel under her thighs. “Will you promise to tell me if I hurt you?”
“Hell no.”
Such a guy. “Then I’ll just have to be extra careful.” Stretching out over him, she lightly teased her lips over his, dodging him when he tried to deepen the kiss. “Behave.”
He choked on a laugh.
She trailed her tongue along his bristly jaw...to his ear. Closing her lips around his earlobe, she waited to see if he’d react the same as she had.
He did. Arms closing around her, he gave a vibrating groan and even turned his head a little for her.
Sterling ran her fingertips over the shorter hair at his temples, around to the back of his head to hold him still as she opened her mouth on his throat, grazed him with her teeth and sucked to give him a love bite.
His long fingers tangled in her hair, fisting gently.
Careful to keep pressure off his bandaged area, she rocked against him, deliberately teasing the hard cock straining beneath the material of his boxers.
A little roughly, he steered her mouth to his and took over the kiss. She didn’t mind that...but then, she couldn’t think straight. In fact, she wanted him too much to think.
Right now.
Maybe it was the chaos of the day, the resulting fear from him being hurt, but she felt totally out of control—a novel thing for her. She’d never had a craving like this, but she craved Cade.
The kiss went on and on while she touched him everywhere, moved against him, drove them both to the brink.
Pulling her mouth away, she sat up and away from him, then began wrestling off his boxers. He lifted his hips to help...and there he was. Long, hard, throbbing.
Sterling didn’t think about it, didn’t plan it; she just gave in to her desires.
Taking him in her fist, she kissed his erection, tentatively at first, just brushing her lips over his velvety length. The heated, musky scent of him encouraged her. His choppy breathing did, too.
Wanting more of him, she licked—from the base up to the head—and felt him go rigid. She liked that enough that she growled low and drew him in for a soft, wet suck.
CHAPTER TWELVE
CADE HAD TO grip the sheets to keep from taking over. He couldn’t stop his hips from lifting. Or quiet the groan that rumbled from his chest. Her tongue...damn, her tongue kept lapping over the sensitive head of his cock, and he thought he might explode.
Star wasn’t skilled, but she was damn sure enthusiastic, and that seemed to be all that mattered.
Her hot little mouth slid down his length, back up again, over and over while her hand squeezed and her wet tongue tasted him—no, he wouldn’t last.
“Condom,” he nearly gasped, reaching to the nightstand as he said it. “Babe, put the condom on me.”
With a small, hungry sound, she took him deep again.
“Star... God.” He squeezed his eyes shut and thought of everything under the sun except what she made him feel. That lasted five minutes, maybe, and then he knew he had to end the torture.
Tangling a hand in her hair, he gently tugged. “Let up, babe, or it’s over for me.”
Slowly, as if she hated to stop, she released him. Breathing deeply, eyelids heavy, she licked her lips. “I liked that.”
His eyes had adjusted and he could see her well enough to know she was every bit as stoked as he was. “I more than liked it.” He decided to do the condom himself. Keeping his gaze locked with hers, he used his teeth to open the packet, then rolled it on. Even touching himself pushed his control.
“Stay on your back,” she whispered, already climbing over him. “I like being able to see so much of you.”
So her eyes had adjusted, as well? “No complaints from me.” He held her waist as she positioned herself, rubbing her wet heat against him—before sliding down, taking all of him, in one steady move.
Christ, she was wet. And so hot. They both groaned.
Everything became fast and furious at that point.
Star had strong legs and she rode him hard, moving how she wanted, needed. With her hands braced on his biceps, he couldn’t touch her as much as he’d like, but her breasts were right there, bouncing with each hard thrust, each roll of her hips. Her fingertips dug into him, and she tipped her head back on a low, throaty cry.
Lifting into her, Cade kept up the rhythm until she slumped forward, replete enough that she forgot about his wound and collapsed against him. Hell, he barely felt it with so much sensation pulsing in his erection.
Holding her hips tight to his, he easily rolled her to her back and hammered out his own mind-blowing release. Damn, she pleased him. Wrung him out, too.
In no hurry to move, he relaxed over her.
Long minutes passed like that, him resting on her warm, giving body, her sprawled legs around him.
Her choppy breathing had evened out, her thundering heartbeat slowed, and she lazily toyed with the hair at the back of his neck.
Soft and w
arm, she complained, “You ruined my plans.”
Smiling, Cade lifted up to see her. And yeah, he felt it in his chest, around the bruised wound. But hell, it had totally been worth it. “How’s that?”
“I didn’t want you to exert yourself.” She kissed his shoulder. “How are you? Okay?”
“Actually, I feel terrific.” Tired, but also oddly satisfied. He turned to his back to take the pressure off his collarbone but gathered her close to his side.
To his surprise, she got out of the bed. “Hey.” Catching her hand, he asked, “Where are you going?”
“I want to take care of you. Don’t budge.” She pulled free, warning, “I mean it,” before disappearing into the bathroom.
The sounds of running water reached him. Then she stepped from the bathroom, beautifully naked, not in the least shy. Because she left on the bathroom light, he saw that she held a tissue box and a damp cloth.
As she reached the bed, she said, “I’m getting rid of the condom and washing you.”
What? Cade started to sit up, but she already had hold of his now flaccid dick. Leave it to Star to do something totally different. With every other woman, he’d had the honor of cleanup. Choking on an odd mix of embarrassment and tenderness, he said, “You don’t need to—”
“Shush.” She dropped the spent rubber into a tissue and then smoothed the damp rag over him. He twitched.
So maybe he wasn’t so spent after all. How could he be when she concentrated on him like that?
Grinning, she glanced up at his face. “This is all so interesting.”
“This, meaning my junk?”
“Yeah.” Leaning forward, she pressed another kiss to him, then said, “Be right back,” and strode off again, all sassy and without a care.
Of course, Cade watched her. She had such a fine ass.
He didn’t know how he’d gotten so lucky, but he knew she was worth fighting for, whether that meant fighting his family, fighting traffickers or fighting the lady herself.
* * *
EVERYONE LOOKED UP the second they stepped into the breakfast room. Surprised, Cade realized they’d kept them waiting. From the stove, where Bernard had been keeping the dishes warm, he began serving.
