Katie felt a wave of melancholy wash over her. Cutter would set aside his dislike of Dani’s situation to do right by her baby. When he discovered her own pregnancy, he’d do whatever he thought was needed, maybe even marry her, to protect his own child.
Not the way she’d wanted to slip back into his life for good. If he asked and she said yes, then Dani was a hundred percent correct. He’d provide for her and the child, but he’d never have to face the issues that still haunted them. She’d never have his whole heart, and she wasn’t going to settle for less.
But she didn’t have to face that hurdle now. Not just yet.
He pulled up beside the house, and she didn’t wait for him. She opened her door and slid from her seat, not looking back as she headed directly inside.
The house was empty and shadows inside were lengthening from the setting sun.
Cutter’s footsteps clipped across the oak floor as he followed her into the living room and straight up the stairs. She went to the room at the end of the hall, already unbuttoning her shirt.
Cutter closed the door behind them and strode toward the dresser, emptying his pockets and dropping his watch into a tray on top. He walked to the bed and sat on the edge to pull off his boots.
They undressed without exchanging words, like people who’d been married for years who were only going through the motions. Only she knew as soon as he lowered himself over her, the quiet restraint would end.
Skin to skin, they couldn’t pretend they didn’t burn for each other. She’d convinced herself over the weeks they’d been seeing each other that it meant something. Maybe she’d only been fooling herself.
She pulled back the covers and tossed them toward the end of the bed, then slid across the cool sheets and lay diagonally on the mattress.
Cutter’s gaze drifted over her body, his expression set. What the hell was he thinking? Was he only anticipating how good it would feel once he slid inside her? She was. But she was also thinking that maybe, this should be the last time she let him have her like this. Without commitment. Without discussing what lay between them.
Cutter climbed onto the mattress and right over her, settling down on top of her. At last, his cool demeanor slipped. Heat blazed in his brown eyes. His nostrils flared. His mouth curved slightly, and he dipped his head and nibbled on the lobe of one ear.
Katie shivered and wrapped her arms around him. She’d show him one last time how much she loved him even if she could never say it out loud. She spread her legs beneath him, lifting her knees to hug the sides of his hips.
Cutter started to scoot down, dragging his mouth over her shoulder, and she knew he’d tease her breasts, glide his tongue and lips down her belly and eat her out, but she wanted him inside her. Now. She dug her hands into his hair and pulled, and leaned up to suck his bottom lip between hers and bit.
His chuckle was warm, filling her mouth with his sweet breath.
She let him go and slanted her face to kiss him. She circled her head, rubbing his mouth and stroking her tongue inside.
His dueled with hers, then he growled. His cock prodded between her legs and she tilted her hips to receive him.
He lifted his head. “In a hurry?” he rasped.
“I’ve been thinking about this all day. Can’t wait.”
He rolled his buttocks, digging his cock into her, but only a couple of inches, just enough to sink the tip inside.
She squeezed around him, and then undulated underneath him, urging him to turn to his back by pulling his hair. When she had him there, she straightened and brought her knees on either side of him. She placed her hands on his chest as she began to rise and fall, taking him inside her in greedy thrusts that soon had her sliding down his full length until she ground against the base of his cock.
Her breaths deepened, shortened.
His hands cupped her breasts, and his fingers plucked at her nipples until they spiked.
She held his gaze and fucked him, rocking up and down, taking him deeper, faster, until his hands glided on the sweat slicking her breasts and belly.
He gripped her waist, lifting her, but she fought his hold, unwilling to let him take her beneath him again. She shook her head and glared, slamming onto him, fucking him hard then leaning down to brace her hands on either side of his shoulders so that she could rub her aching nipples against his chest.
His hands cupped her buttocks and squeezed, parted them and she flung back her head. Her hair stuck to her shoulders, her breaths were jagged, but she couldn’t stop, didn’t want to give up control.
A finger slid between her buttocks and rubbed over her small, tight hole and she bit her lip, pausing to savor the tip as it sank inside her. He’d taught her to crave that.
“Want more?” he said licking the sweat from her neck.
She knew what he was asking. Something she’d resisted until this day. The anal play with the plug had continued a time or two, but she’d hadn’t been ready, hadn’t thought she could want it. But suddenly, with his thick finger thrusting inside her, she wanted the pain, wanted the discomfort, wanted something stinging and burning to match the ache building inside her chest and lodging next to her heart.
She nodded quickly and the corners of his mouth kicked up. A wicked, dark glint entered his eyes.
He could think he’d triumphed all he wanted, she didn’t really care. She straightened and climbed off his hips. He jerked upright, and crawled behind her, pressing between her shoulders until she bent and braced her hands on the mattress.
He arranged her bottom at his preferred height, nudging her thighs apart to just the right width, then he spread her cheeks.
A thick drop of moisture landed in the crease and he rubbed it over her tiny, sensitive hole. This time she didn’t squirm with embarrassment. Her breaths hitched and she quivered. Her back sank and her bottom lifted to his touch.
Cutter’s low, dirty laugh sounded behind her and then his cock was sliding in her crease, rocking up and down. He was huge, swollen, the ridge around the tip scraping deliciously up and down, and then he pointed his cock right at her hole, and she drew a deep breath.
“Don’t tense up,” he said, his words guttural and tight.
Her head sagged between her shoulders and she concentrated, easing the instinctive grip of the muscles until he pushed and he was inside.
She moaned at the sudden, burning stretch.
He froze behind her, his fingers digging hard into her ass. “Fuck, baby,” he groaned. “S’goddamn tight.”
He didn’t move for long seconds, holding himself still, but she didn’t want him to go easy, to take her gently. She wanted to hurt, wanted to feel the pinch and heat. She gathered strength in her thighs and pulsed backward, trying to take him deeper.
“Easy, easy,” he hissed between his teeth.
She reached with one hand between her legs, curling her stomach until she caught his balls. She massaged them gently, tugging on them, caressing them, until a shudder passed through him and into her.
She squeezed her ass around his cock, then curled farther and rubbed his balls, pulling him toward her.
A gust of pained laughter preceded his gently thrust forward. “Let go, Katie.”
Katie shook her hair back. “Not until you give me what I want.”
“You’re not ready.”
She shot him a glare over her shoulder. “Says who?”
His dark brows lowered. His chin jutted stubbornly. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
But he already had. If this was the last time they’d be together, she wanted it to be memorable. “Just fuck me, Cutter. Make me like it.”
Chapter Six
Cutter’s cock was ready to explode. Still, she didn’t know what she asked of him. “Let go of my balls, Katie.”
Katie’s grip on his sac eased then her fingers slipped away.
Back in control again, he bent over her back, kissed her shoulder and then smoothed a hand over her hip and around her belly, diving between he
r legs where he thrust three fingers inside her pussy.
She was wet and her cunt spasmed around him. Satisfied she really was ready for more, he thrust his cock and his fingers inside her, working her, stroking gently into her ass and hoping like hell he’d come soon because he wanted to slam violently inside her, but he didn’t want to hurt her.
He thumbed her clit and found it distended and exposed. He rasped it with the callused pad again then squeezed it. She jerked, her back sank and her shoulders rose. She rubbed her head against his shoulder, bucked her hips and came unglued.
She came hard. He knew because rhythmic convulsions surrounded his shaft and digits, milking him. Fighting his own blinding excitement, he continued to play with her, waiting until the rippling shivers waned.
Freed at last from his responsibility to see to her pleasure first, he let go. His balls exploded and come jetted inside her.
Cutter’s rubbed his forehead on her shoulder and thrust, jerking inside her. Her body quivered and rocked…the motions slowing, slowing…until she stilled except for the trembling, and the only thing keeping her from tumbling to the bed was his hard cock and the fingers still stuffed inside her pussy.
Katie sucked in deep, ragged gulps of air. Her arms collapsed and her head fell to the bed.
Cutter pulled his hand from between her legs and slowly withdrew his cock.
With his own lust sated, Cutter turned his attention back to Katie. Her body still trembled, her breaths were jagged, noisy gasps.
He pushed her, rolling her to her back, then lifted her thighs over his shoulders and lay down, supporting his torso on his elbows.
Her hand slipped between her legs, covering her pussy. “No more. I need to bathe.”
Cutter licked the tops of her fingers, then slipped his tongue between them and stroked up and down the seams. “Katie, don’t deny me. I won’t believe you’re shy. Not with me.”
“Please, I need a moment.”
Her tone, aching and shattered, left him feeling powerful and oddly guilty. He kissed her knuckles, one by one. “Take away your hand, baby.”
Katie’s fingers pulled back, resting on her mons, as though she felt the need to keep them ready to protect herself again.
Cutter breathed in her scent—sweat, musk, a hint of a floral soap. He followed a sudden impulse and rolled his face in her moist center, coating his cheeks and tongue with her fluids. Then his lips made a more targeted foray, suckling her smooth outer labia, then nibbling at the pink inner lips. While he teased her sex with kisses, he snuck fingers into her entrance, thrusting them gently inside and swirling, twisting them in and out.
Both hands clutched his head and held him above her sex, and he chuckled, pleased she’d surrendered everything again. To show his approval, he latched onto her clitoris and pumped his fingers faster.
Katie’s belly quivered, her thighs jerked, her buttocks lifted off the bed to pulse her pussy against his mouth.
Cutter sucked on her clit, clasping it harder, and rubbed his tongue over the hardening tip. When her buttocks lifted higher, he bit down, gently.
Katie, always so reluctant to give him sound, arched off the bed and screamed.
He released her clit, licked it to soothe the ache and slowly pulled his fingers free. Then he came up on his knees beside her and rolled her to her belly again.
“Stay here,” he said, forcing his voice not to shake because he felt as wiped as she did.
He padded to the bathroom and soaked a washcloth in warm water and a squirt of soap, then cleansed himself. He tossed it in the hamper, wet another and headed back to the bed.
He halted beside it, and stared down. Katie’s head lay on her folded arms, her face turned away. The silent sobs that shook her back made him hesitate.
Had he hurt her after all? Or was this something else? She’d been acting strange, a little remote, since he’d escorted her from Dani’s kitchen.
Was she having second thoughts about their arrangement?
He shouldn’t have cared. He’d known this wasn’t going to last forever. Someday soon, he’d have to break it off anyway because she couldn’t have a permanent place in his life.
But please don’t let it be today.
He sat on the edge of the bed and washed her gently with the warm, wet cloth. The thing he ought to do was ask her what was wrong, but he didn’t think he could handle the answer. Not if she wanted to talk to him about Justin and their impossible future.
Instead, he headed back to the bathroom to get rid of the cloth, then washed his hands and splashed cool water over his face. Anything to stall.
Staring at himself in the mirror, he read the tension in his jaw, saw a shadow of a deeper, darker emotion lurking in his gaze. Katie got to him in so many ways, but he’d been ruthless—with her, with himself. He couldn’t let himself love her again if he couldn’t trust her. And how the hell could he ever forget the sight of Justin’s smirk as he’d padded up behind Katie, zipping up his goddamn jeans.
No, he’d never be able to forget. Forgiving didn’t seem as hard now as that.
He broke with his own gaze and pushed away from the counter.
Back inside the bedroom, he approached the bed. Katie lay on her side, her back to him, the sheet pulled up and tucked beneath her arm. He lifted the corner and crawled in behind her.
He’d intended to lie back, close his eyes and rest to get ready for the next round because he was greedy and wanted more and more. Somehow he’d fill his need for her, reach the end of the attraction that flared as bright as the Texas sun every time they touched.
However, once he lay beside her, he couldn’t resist the urge to scoot closer. He came up behind her and pressed his lips against her shoulder. Then he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer until her back warmed his belly.
He placed his hand over the one she had resting on her stomach. Katie’s breath caught.
Cutter closed his eyes. “What’s wrong?” he found himself asking even though he’d promised himself he wouldn’t.
“This arrangement we have,” she whispered, “It’s over.”
Cutter froze.
“I’m not sorry for it. I mean…about agreeing to it. But we weren’t smart. You see I was at Dani’s because she and I had things to talk about. A secret to share.”
Cutter realized his fingers were wrapped tightly around hers, and he eased his grip. His jaws were another matter. They ached from the tension that kept them grinding his teeth hard. “What secret?” he finally forced out.
“I’m pregnant.” She gave a short laugh that sounded more like a sob. “Funny, isn’t it?”
Cutter heard the words, but it took a moment for them to sink in. His reaction once he got his head wrapped around the fact wasn’t what he would have expected. There was no anger. No self-recrimination. All along, part of him had been hoping.
If she carried his child, he’d never have to let her go. “You’ll marry me.”
“No, I won’t,” she whispered. She moved away, and keeping her back to him, sat on the edge of the bed. “I need you take me home now.”
He sat up, staring at her rigid back, anger rising swiftly. “Katie, we’re not done here.”
“Yes. We are.” She stood and slowly walked around the room, gathering her clothing from the floor. Then she went into the bathroom, leaving him staring at the door as it closed.
What the hell had just happened?
She was pregnant with his child. He’d proposed. Why would she refuse?
Confused and irritable, Cutter dressed then waited impatiently for the door to open again so that he could continue the discussion.
However, when Katie did come out, her chin was tilted high. He knew better than to argue with a woman when her back was up. She’d come down off her high horse when she had a chance to think it through. His offer was the only thing that made sense.
Throughout the drive to her house, he watched her from the corner of his eye. But Katie’s rigid postu
re never relaxed and she didn’t look his way once. He chose a safe subject. “Have you been to a doctor?”
“Not yet. Dani and I used a pregnancy kit she bought to test.”
So that’s what this afternoon’s gossip session had been all about. She’d lied.
“I want to be there when you see him.”
“The doctor?”
He nodded and gripped the wheel tighter. “I’m gonna be part of his life. He’s a Standifer.”
“I would never keep a child from you. But you’re getting ahead of yourself. It might be a girl.”
He grunted. A girl. With red hair and wild streak a mile long, no doubt. Maybe she could be home-schooled and save him some gray hairs.
“Would you mind if it’s a girl?” Katie asked, her tone indicating she was worried.
“A boy’s easier.”
“You think?”
Now that they were talking, he breathed easier. “You don’t have to worry about boys coming home pregnant.”
Katie’s jaw dropped and her gaze narrowed. “You know, I did tell you I wasn’t on the pill.”
“Still, you didn’t ask me to wear a condom, did you?” he said, aiming a glare her way.
“It takes two to make a baby,” she grumbled. “You weren’t exactly the safety patrol.”
Cutter relaxed against the seat, enjoying her flare of temper. It sure as hell beat the cold shoulder she’d given him before, and with them, anger always lead to a meltdown of another sort. His heartbeats began a slow, purposeful thrum.
He pulled into her driveway and turned in his seat to talk, but she was already jerking on the door handle.
Katie slipped to the ground and stomped toward the door.
Cutter cursed under his breath, determined to follow her, but then hesitated. That’s exactly what she expected him to do. He slammed the truck into reverse and pulled sedately out of her driveway, leaving Katie staring after him from her porch.
He smiled as he pulled away. He’d let her stew a while. Maybe she’d have a good cry too. When he came back, she’d be ready to talk some sense.
———
A knock sounded on the front door. Katie pulled the stopper from the bottom of the sink and peeled off her plastic gloves. Cutter hadn’t held out long.
Unforgiven Page 7
