Match (Coronado Series Book 5)

by Hart, Lea

  “Well, you’re big and have bulgy muscles.”

  Sliding in her direction, he slipped his arm around her shoulder. “I’m sorry that I said something stupid. You are the perfect size, shape, height, and weight. And I’m a lucky man.”

  “That’s very sweet. Completely untrue, but sweet.”

  His hand moved to her face as he held her gently. “Let’s make out before the pizza gets here. That way I won’t have a chance to say something stupid again.”

  “I guess that would be all right.” Pulling his face down, she rubbed her finger over his mouth before she kissed him. His lips were soft and warm when they landed on hers, and the brush of his facial hair had just enough rasp against her skin to make her shiver. As his tongue invaded her mouth, pleasure rolled over her nerves. Kissing was one of the most pleasurable things in the world. It also said a lot about a man and how skilled or terrible he might be at such a simple act.

  The kind of kiss that Derick was giving her was in a league of its own. He was consuming her, as well as claiming her. It felt like he was trying to make sure that she never wanted to kiss anyone else without comparing it to this moment. His lips were firm and unyielding as they pressed into hers. His tongue danced with hers as his teeth scraped delicately across her lower lip. It was a kiss that touched her everywhere, and all she could do was hold on and let him devour her.

  The doorbell rang and shattered the bubble that they were locked in. Pulling back, Derick breathed heavily as he leaned his head against hers. There were so many filthy, sexy thoughts running through his mind that involved his hands and mouth on her that he couldn’t get himself cooled down. The doorbell rang again, and she slipped out of his hold, saving them both. Slowly opening his eyes, he watched her adjust her top and pat down her hair as she made her way to the door. One day—actually, one afternoon—and his whole world had tilted upside down. All of his priorities had shifted in less than six hours. Seeing her return with a pizza box in her hands, tousled hair, and lips that were swollen from his kisses, he was surprised that it had actually taken that long.

  “Follow me. Let’s eat in the kitchen, and you can tell me all about the plans you have for me.”

  Standing slowly, he adjusted himself and then followed her. One thing he could say about Gracie was that the back was just as good as the front. His taste did not include lean, muscled women. He liked a lush woman who was soft and round. He’d spent too many years around hard, sweaty men just like himself, and he wanted to come home to someone soft every night.

  Gracie pulled out dishes and grabbed a beer from the fridge, along with a bottle of wine. Setting everything down, she plopped into one of the chairs and handed Derick his plate and napkin. “Dinner is served.”

  Yeah, this could definitely happen every night. He would be a happy man if hers was the face that he got to see most days. “Why do you like to bake and not cook? I always figured that, if you could bake, cooking would be easy.”

  “I think they’re mutually exclusive skill sets. My sister Chloe is an excellent cook, but she couldn’t make you a cake if her life depended on it. Being a good cook is about instincts and creativity and a willingness to try new things. Baking is a science. You measure carefully, follow directions exactly, and if your oven is working, then you can’t fail.” Grabbing a slice of pizza, she took a big bite and felt the cheese drip down her chin. Before she could grab a napkin, Derick slid his finger across her skin and scooped it off. He wiped her face with his napkin and then leaned over and stole a kiss. Okay, there was no stealing. She would have given it to him without any provocation. She’d probably give him just about anything. She was like a wanton ball of lust around this man. Who meets someone and four hours later tells him that you want to smooch his face? It was embarrassing. Hell in a handbasket. “Thanks.”

  “My pleasure.” He grabbed his own slice and ate it in less than two minutes. “I like to cook, so I think the division of labor is going to work out. I also like cake, cookies, and pie, so I look forward to sampling some of your goodies.”

  She almost choked on the wine she was drinking. Wiping her eyes, she took a breath and studied him. “Sorry about that. I thought when you said goodies you meant something else.”

  “Oh, I won’t be sampling those goodies. I will be consuming those, every day in every way for as long as you’ll let me. And I plan on being so good at it that you are never going to want to get rid of me.” Grabbing another slice of pizza, he placed it on her plate and gestured for her to eat. “Eat up, honey. You’re going to need to keep your strength up.” Sliding his own out of the box, he took a big bite and grinned her direction.

  “We don’t know each other at all, and yet we’ve negotiated house responsibilities, and our sex life. I know that I’m overworked and stressed out. So I’m going to use that as an excuse. What are you going to use?”

  “I don’t need an excuse. It’s been my experience that what you know in the first thirty minutes of meeting someone will be still be true in thirty years. I think the most information that you can gather happens right in the beginning, and everything after that is advertising. If there are no agendas prior to meeting, then what you see in the first hour is what you are going to get.”

  “Wow!”

  “I know. Seems too simple to be true. But you are going to think about what I’ve said and apply it to people that you know, and you are going to come up with a similar conclusion. The core of who someone is reveals itself right away…if they don’t want something from you.”

  “So when our eyes met in the courtroom is the truth of us?”

  “Pretty much. It would take a lot for me to change my mind about you.”

  “I’m a liberal, and I voted for a democrat in the last presidential election. Is that going to make you change your mind?”

  “Do you believe in gun control?”

  “No, that would be like closing the barn door after all of the cows are out. We did not found this country on the premise that bearing arms was abhorrent. I don’t think guns are the problem. I think there are a lot of things that are the problem. The inequality in educational opportunities is one, and the lack of mental health care facilities is another. I worked at the DA’s office for four years, and I’ve seen more tragedy in human form than I care to think about. And there are a million reasons for those stories, but gun control was never one of them.”

  “Do you believe in supporting this country’s armed services?”

  “Of course. And if I didn’t, then I should move to another country and see how I like living without all of the men and women who protect me.”

  “So, why are you a liberal?”

  “Because I do not believe that the government belongs in my bedroom or doctor’s office. I believe that those decisions are mine and mine alone.”

  “I think we are going to be okay, Gracie. In fact, I think we are going to be perfect.”

  “My turn…how much do you believe in the concept of free choice?”

  Sitting back, he had to consider what she was asking. Because giving her a flip answer wasn’t going to work. “I believe in free choice when it comes to your own body and what you do with it. I don’t care what god you pray to or who you choose to love or how you want to live your life. I will start caring if it encroaches on my choices and lifestyle. Free speech is a scary concept to me. I haven’t worked that one out yet. I don’t believe that you should burn the flag of this country for any reason. If you choose to do that, then I think you should move out of it.”

  “I like how we start with the easy stuff. I’ve known you six hours, and I’ve covered more ground with you than I did with my ex-boyfriend in two years. Maybe we could try a movie and dinner next.”

  “We could do that. Maybe we’re going to do everything in reverse.”

  “Maybe. I hope that means dinner and a movie before the end of the weekend.”

  “A thousand dinners and a thousand movies. I promise.” Handing her another piece of pizza, he
smiled and felt like the luckiest man in the world.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Gracie was in a head stand with her eyes closed. Taking deep yoga breaths, she tried to clear her mind. It was hard to understand how she met a man after lunch yesterday, and he ended up spending the night. Sure, they had stayed up late and talked and then stayed up later and fooled around, but he could’ve gone home at some point. He didn’t. They spent the night together in bed, spooning.

  Her thoughts were scattered all over the place, and she didn’t know how to get them back under control. She should be thinking of all of the ramifications of having a courtroom shot up in the middle of a trial, not about Derick’s amazing mouth and hands. Somehow she couldn’t get herself to focus on the case because she kept circling back to what it would be like when she and Derick became intimate. Maybe it could happen soon. That way, she would know what it was like, and then she could go back to worrying about her case. A thought bubbled up in her mind and she frowned. What if having relations with Derick was so amazingly blindingly fantastic that it stole all of her brain cells? Flying thoughts with no resolution was not helping her become one with the universe. Blanking her mind as much as she could, she tried breathing.

  Derick stepped out of the bathroom and Gracie felt his presence. She was still in a head stand and decided to remain still as a statue. Closing her eyes, she breathed lightly. His light footsteps moved in her direction, and she wondered how freaked out he was. She opened an eye, and stared at the beautiful man sitting on her bed with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Well, her concentration was officially shot to hell. There was no way to clear her mind and focus after seeing Derick in his mostly naked glory, and he had a lot of naked glory to behold. He was a freaking masterpiece. Dropping out of her head stand, she slowly sat and waited for her blood to redistribute itself. Once she was centered, she opened her eyes and smiled at Derick. “Hi.” Sex was definitely the only possible answer.

  “Hi. What are you doing, honey?”

  “I’m trying to get focused. I like to start my day with a little yoga.” Crossing her legs, she admired his wide shoulders and tapered waist. “I liked fooling around with you last night.”

  “Me, too.”

  Holding his hand out, he waited for her to put her hands in his. Once she did, he pulled her up and into his lap. She was half his size, and it was easy for him to scoop her up.

  Running her nose along his cheek, she felt a fissure of connection that left her breathless. It hadn’t been twenty-fours since she’d met him, and she couldn’t imagine a single hour without him. “Are you going to ravage me?” Gracie looked up hopefully and heard him laugh.

  Cupping her cheeks with his hands, he stared at her “I was going to wait until after breakfast, but if you can skip it, then so can I.”

  “My mind is consumed with you, and I can’t get it to refocus. I have to figure out what I’m doing with this case, and I won’t be able to until we are together. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. It’s never happened before. I always have polite, civilized relationships with men, and none of the thoughts in my head are either of those things.” Running her nose along his neck, she let out a heavy sigh. “I want to consume you.”

  Rolling her over on the bed so that she was encased in his arms, he smiled like a lion. A sound emanated from his throat, something feral and frustrated, and he broke. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Holding her tightly, he ravaged her mouth. “I hope you’re ready, Gracie. Because once we start, there will be no stopping.”

  Arching into his hold, she whispered, “Promise?” Sliding her hand down his body, she tugged open his towel and heard a rumble of laughter escape his chest.

  Whipping her long sleep shirt over her head, he grinned. “I’m not kidding.”

  Dragging his mouth along her neck, she glided her mouth to his ear. “Neither am I.”

  His gaze ran down her body. “You are perfect.” Passing a thumb over each nipple, her eyes closed as she hissed out a breath. Lowering his head, he licked a hardened peak, and then shifted to the other, as she raked her hands through his scalp and down his neck. An insane passion rocketed through her core as he scorched her skin with his lips. When his hands skated down her body and slipped off her pajama bottoms and panties in one quick motion, she sang a silent hallelujah. Finally, skin to skin, his warm, hard body pressed against hers as a lick of desire flamed down her spine.

  Settling in beside her, he took her lips and eased a hand down to her center, and let his fingers wander between her legs. Her breath quickened as the silk cords that he held her with tightened. Touching her center, he slowly explored, setting out to destroy her in the most pleasant way. As she thrust into his strokes, her muscles tightened as she gasped. “Derick, please.”

  “So close. Let go, Gracie.”

  “I want you inside of me.”

  A sudden surge of savagery consumed him as his fingers slowly slid out as he hovered over her and stared into eyes that mirrored her desire. She said nothing, merely let her legs fall open in invitation. “God, yes.” He thrust once, hard. It was a tight fit, and it made her eyes cross in mind-numbing pleasure. She gurgled in delight as she closed around him. Groaning, he pulled out and plunged in again.

  As he entered her, the idea of the first time being together being sweet and slow was lost. This was going to be hard, savage, and she wouldn’t want it any other way. And, quite frankly, she was past due for something like this. To be possessed and consumed by another person who had no choice but to own your body and pleasure. The abandonment of rational thought was welcome as he went wild and gave her the thing she wanted most in the world. Thrusting into her, he went deeper than any man before him, touching a place she didn’t know she had.

  Reveling in the slick embrace of her body, he loved the fact that she was as feral as he was. She met him and matched him every step of the way. Wanting her to join him, he slipped his hands between them and stroked her heavily and nipped her neck. Her breath caught as she stilled and grasped him tightly. “Gracie…now.”

  “Yes, Derick. Now!”

  Pulling back, he plunged forward with one ferocious thrust and exploded. It was amazing. And not in the way that orgasms generally were, but in a chemical, cellular way. Their bodies were fused together in release, and they were never going to be separated.

  Rolling off, he pulled her with him and held her tightly. “I knew it was you. I’ve been searching for you, and I can’t believe that I’ve found what I wanted most. It seems like a miracle.” Kissing her again, he closed his eyes as he felt an unfamiliar swell of emotion. If he didn’t know better, he might think it was…love.

  Magnificent, he was everything she thought he might be and more. He burned her clean and took everything in her and moved it around. He kissed her forehead gently, and that’s when the tears fell from her eyes. There had never been a more perfect man than him. He took her in a way that left nothing and yet managed a moment of perfect sweet intimacy. By kissing her gently in benediction. “Thank you.”

  Tucking her head into his shoulder, she kissed his neck and closed her eyes. There had never been a sweeter moment than this one. And she didn’t want to screw it up by over-analyzing it and picking it apart. The happiness filling her lungs was enough for now.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Derick leaned over and turned off the water as he held onto to Gracie. It was a good thing because her legs almost gave out.

  “You’ve done it, Derick.”

  “Done what, honey?”

  “Ruined me for all other men. The third time did it. It’s official.” She kissed his wet chest and rested her head against his heart.

  “That was the plan, and I’m glad it succeeded.” Opening the door of the shower, he grabbed two towels and handed her one. Watching her body disappear under a big towel, he felt a little bereft. He wanted to be able to stare some more and not have to leave the house for a couple of days. But, unfortunately, reality was calling, and they
had to go down to his office to meet the detective that was going to give them an update on the shooting yesterday. He also probably needed to feed Gracie. Hearing her stomach rumble told him he better do it right away.

  “I don’t have any groceries. I never made it to the market this week. We’re going to have to go out and eat.”

  “No problem. We can go on the way home this afternoon. I want to lay in some supplies, because I don’t want to go out again until Monday morning. I have some plans for the two of us that require us to be naked.”

  “A man with a plan. I couldn’t ask for more.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for ravaging me.”

  “Thank you for letting me. I have a lot more to do, though.”

  “Food first,” Gracie said. “Then we’ll go to your office.”

  “Of course.”

  ********

  Derick held Gracie’s hand as they waited in his office for the lead detective to show up. “Do you think that the drug was responsible for the deaths of those people?”

  “In my opinion, the evidence is not conclusive either way. I think a lot of drugs that are supposed to help you have just as good a chance of killing you. Have you ever noticed the commercials on TV that advertise drugs have extensive warnings about the possible side effects? That part is usually longer than the information about the benefits. That alone should tell you that drug therapies are a gamble and not one that is always in your favor.”

  “I don’t really watch TV, except for sports.”

  “Well, they have a lot of erectile dysfunction commercials during games. The next time one comes on, pay attention and see what I mean. Yeah, you can get it on with your lover, but you may die of a heart attack afterwards. Though…I think a lot of men might find that an acceptable way to go.” Studying his massive build and bulgy muscles, she wondered if he ever had problems like that. Then she remembered the three times they had sex today and dismissed the thought immediately. But just in case. “I want you to know that if you need to take any of those drugs when you’re sixty, I will not judge you. It will be important to maintain our intimacy later in our lives, and I don’t want you to feel embarrassed.” Smiling generously, she patted his leg.