When he tossed her into the middle of the bed, she gave another yelp of surprise, then quickly scooted up. Cora propped herself up on her elbows, as he crawled up the bed toward her.
Jamie quickly moved on to the bed, stretching out beside her. Quickly they adjusted positions so that they lay facing each other. He reached down, pulling her thigh up to rest on top of his. His erection throbbed against her pussy.
Cora pulled his mouth down to hers, nipping his lower lip between her teeth. When he let out a groan, she deepened the kiss. When their tongues tangled, she felt his hand slide into her hair. His fingers tangled in her blonde locks as he held her to him.
He reached down, his other hand now gripping her ass, and ground himself against her. Sparks shot up her spine in response. With each slide of his rigid cock against her, he managed to make direct contact with her clit.
He continued the steady thrusts, just rubbing against her, not quite penetrating. She tried to change the angle of her hips, to get more of the friction that she desperately wanted, but his hand held her in place. She whimpered against his mouth in protest, but in this position, he controlled everything. Cora used what little leverage she had, and flipped him onto his back. The look of surprise he gave her slowly morphed into a grin as she moved to straddle his hips.
He released her hair and then moved both of his hands to grip her hips as she began to roll her hips against his. “Mm,” he said, clearly enjoying the feel of her slick skin against him. “Looks like someone’s greedy.”
As the pleasure coursed through her veins, she moaned out, “I can’t help it.”
“How about you slide that greedy pussy of yours down over my dick, sweetheart? Take what you need,” Jamie said, his voice rough with desire.
Cora reached over to grab a condom off of the nightstand, then tore it open. She moved back slightly, rolled it over his straining erection and then agreed, “Why don’t I?”
Seconds later, she sank down over him, causing them both to groan at the sensation. Her palms flat on his chest, she began to work herself up and down the length of him.
“Lean forward, sweetheart,” he asked.
Cora complied, leaning forward until her breasts brushed against his chest with every movement.
Jamie wasted no time in capturing her mouth with his. This was no gentle exploration either. The kiss was raw, and savage. Tongues tangled, teeth clashed as they fought for dominance. It made her wonder what lay beneath the constant mask of control that he typically wore. She was determined to find out.
Deliberately, she broke her mouth away from his, changed the angle of her hips and moved her hands up to his shoulders. Her clit rubbed against his pelvis with every stroke. As the pleasure mounted, she dug her nails into his skin and said, “Fuck. I love the way you fill me up!”
As her nails continued to dig into his shoulders, he groaned and said, “Like that, baby. Just like that.”
One of the hands that gripped her hips moved down and slapped her ass. Cora gasped as her hips pressed forward and sensation rippled through her like lightning. “Oh god,” she cried as the friction drove her to the edge of release. She was shocked when the feeling receded just as quickly, leaving her more needy than ever.
Jamie continued to slap her ass, alternating spots, until she was panting with need. Cora was so on edge that she cried out with every roll of her hips. Instead of cresting, the pleasure just continued to mount.
Without warning, Jamie flipped them over so she now lay flush against the bed. He took control of the motion, rocking his hips into hers as he pressed one of her thighs forward. The slow, steady pace did nothing to ease the need inside her.
“I’ve felt you clenching and unclenching around me for the last ten minutes, baby. You’re right on the edge, aren’t you?” Jamie asked, as his hips continued to roll against hers at almost a leisurely pace.
“Yes,” Cora cried out. When she felt his fingers begin to rub against her clit, the slow, gentle brushes only added to the building pressure.
“Jamie,” she moaned. “Fuck me harder!”
Her words seemed to snap some invisible tether inside of him. Pressing her other thigh forward until they both almost touched the bed, his hips slapped against hers in a rhythm that had her crying out with each stroke.
Cora held on to the headboard, her back arching as the orgasm that had been sparking inside her caught fire. As the pleasure stretched on, her body pulsating with release, he used the fingers that massaged her clit to give it a pinch. She felt another spike of pleasure rush through her so acute that she almost blacked out. When it began to abate, she realized she was crying out so loudly that she was sure the neighbors probably heard her.
Jamie quickly followed her over the edge with a loud groan and a curse. Moving his arms, he allowed her legs that had been pinned to the mattress to slide limply down to their normal resting position. He slumped over, his breathing ragged as he rested against her.
She watched, vaguely coherent, as he eventually moved off of her and stumbled into the bathroom to get rid of the condom. Seconds later, he came back to the bed and collapsed on it, pulling her close.
“Wow,” he panted. “That was unexpected.”
“Yeah,” she agreed, pressing a sloppy kiss against his skin. “Different.”
“Mmhmm. It was always good before, but that was kind of otherworldly.”
“To say the least,” she agreed.
They lay there in comfortable silence for a few minutes until she craned her neck to check the time and then said, “Oh shit. I’ve got a patient in forty minutes. I need to get up and get ready for work.”
“I’ve got an appointment at eleven in Culver City. I need to get going too.”
As she sat up, she asked, “Am I going to see you tonight?”
Jamie winced and said, “Poker night. Unless you wanted to come over late?”
Cora wrinkled her nose and said, “I’ll pass. It’s gonna smell like cigars, isn’t it?”
“Probably. Donnie loves those things. As much as I bitch at him, he never takes it on the patio. Tomorrow night then?”
“Nope. Well maybe after dinner at Taryn’s?” she asked. “By the way. Are we telling people we’re—”
“Together? Not my family, if I can help it. I don’t wanna listen to them all gloat. I hadn’t exactly planned to keep you a secret though,” Jamie said as he ran a hand along the length of her spine. “Did you want to?”
“And have your mother interrogate me? No thanks,” Cora said with a snort.
Jamie stretched as he rolled out of bed and said, “I’ll call you if it’s not too late tonight when everyone leaves.”
Ten minutes later, Cora was dressed in a bathrobe and walking Jamie out. As he disengaged his car alarm, she grinned, nudged him, and said, “Ah. The walk of shame.”
He narrowed his eyes and said, “I’ll bring a change of clothes with me next time. Otherwise, what would your neighbors think?”
Jamie tugged on the lapels of her robe and pulled her into him for a soft, slow kiss. When they finally surfaced, he said, “See you later, sweetheart.”
* * * *
“So,” Taryn said two nights later, as they lounged on her couch. “When did you and Jamie get back together?”
Cora was jolted out of the television show that they were half-watching. “What?” she asked. “How did you even know?”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because it happened a few days ago and I’m still processing it all. How did you know?”
Taryn’s eyes widened and she said, “A good guess.”
“You’re a crappy liar. Try again.”
“Shit. I’m surprised Jamie didn’t tell you about all this.”
“Tell me about what?” Cora asked, frustrated.
“Evan told me. Apparently the whole family had a bet on when it would happen and he won. Evan asked him about it at poker and all of this stuff came to light,” Taryn said. A moment later she added,
“Whoa. Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t know! I tore him a new one when I found out.”
Cora redirected her ire now and asked, “Where is he hiding?”
“The office. Please don’t hurt him too badly. Who will rub my lower back?”
“I’ll hire someone,” Cora said, as she got up off of the sofa and moved toward the partially open office door. Knocking, she waited for a response.
“Come in,” she heard Evan call absently through the door.
“Oh,” he said. “Hey, Cora.”
“Oh,” she parroted. “Hey, Evan. What the hell? A bet? Are you kidding me?”
He winced and said, “I’m sorry. It was in poor taste. For the record, I wasn’t the one that started the bet. I just won.”
“How much?” she asked.
“Six hundred,” he admitted, wincing.
“You’re betting about people’s lives, you asshole,” she said, punching him in the arm.
“Jesus, Slugger,” he said, grabbing his arm. “You got me in the same spot she did last night. She’s making me give it to charity, anyway.”
“Good, jerk,” she said.
Evan looked contrite when he said, “I’m sorry, Cora. You’re right. It was in poor taste.”
“Yeah, yeah,” she said, leaving the office, and walking back out into the living room.
Taryn asked, “He’s alive?”
“Barely. He may need a doctor,” Cora joked as she settled back down on the couch. “I just hit him in the arm. Same spot you did, apparently.”
Taryn smirked and said, “Good. Justice has been served?”
Cora waved her off and said, “Probably as much as I’m going to get.”
Taryn nodded and then redirected her attention back to the television.
She tried to settle back in and pick up the threads of the television show she was watching, but eventually she just gave up and said, “I’m gonna get going, I think.”
Taryn made a pouty face and said, “If you must...”
“Alas,” Cora said. “I must.”
It took her a minute, but Taryn managed to get off the sofa and walk Cora to the door. She gave her a hug and said, “If you need to talk, I can offer you minimal judgments and complete secrecy.”
“I may need to take you up on that at some point,” Cora said, smiling. “Love you, babe.”
“Love you too. Drive careful.”
Before she even hit the bottom of the stairs, Cora called Jamie. They had some things to discuss. Primarily his inability to keep a secret for more than twenty-four hours.
When he picked up the line, it was clear that he’d been asleep. “Hey,” he said, his voice groggy. “You done at Taryn’s?”
“I am,” she said. “But you’re asleep. We’ll talk tomorrow.”
She could hear the smile in his voice when he said, “Uh-uh. Come over. It’s been almost two days since I’ve seen you.”
Cora felt herself weakening. She said, “I guess it’s hard to say no to that. See you in a few minutes. I’m just leaving now.”
“See you in a bit. Bye,” Jamie said, disconnecting the line.
“Bye.”
He was right. All necessary discussions aside, it had been two days. She had missed him.
Chapter Ten
It was after eleven when Cora knocked on the door of his apartment. Jamie had been asleep in front of the television when she’d called. He had been hoping to hear from her, though. They’d only had a couple of brief conversations over the last couple of days. He had really missed her.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said, as she stepped through the door. “Missed you.”
A soft smile played on her lips as she said, “I missed you too.”
Jamie leaned in and brushed his lips against hers before settling in for a long, slow kiss. He took her hands in his, linking their fingers and pulled her toward the couch.
When they eventually broke apart and Cora sat down on his couch, he could tell something was clearly on her mind. He had a sneaking suspicion as to what that something was, too, so he bit the bullet and asked, “Is everything okay? You seem a little distracted.”
“I’m a little annoyed,” she admitted. “Taryn told me about the bet.”
Jamie winced and said, “My family really sucks sometimes. For the record, I didn’t know about it and I’m kind of pissed off, too.”
“What happened to not telling anyone, Jamie? Less than twenty-four hours later, and your entire family knows.”
“Evan asked me point-blank, Cora. What was I supposed to do? I told him to leave it alone, but when has anyone in my family ever responded well to that? Besides, we both know I’m a crappy liar,” Jamie said.
She grumbled, but eventually relaxed against the back of the sofa. “I love ‘em but they really suck. I did punch Evan in the arm, though. That was nice.”
“I hope he squealed like a girl,” he said, grumpily.
Cora nodded and then shifted to face him on the couch. “How much crap did you get from your mom?” she asked curiously.
“None, surprisingly. I think she already knew it was going to happen. She’s got an eerie radar about this stuff.”
“Are you sure she doesn’t have your place bugged? I could call a guy,” Cora suggested with mock seriousness.
“I’m not entirely against the idea,” Jamie said, laughing. He cleared his throat and said, “So. This is probably a bad time to ask, but a couple weeks from now my mom is doing her big Memorial Day picnic. Would you want to go up with me? We could stay the night and come home the next day?”
To her credit, she didn’t laugh at him. “Let me think about it,” she said.
He knew the more she thought about it, the less likely she would actually go with him, so he broke out the big guns. “Donnie is doing his beer brats and brisket.”
“Thought about it. Sounds like fun,” she said, perking up.
Donnie was big into meat smoking and curing. He’d seen people cave for as little as some beef jerky. At least she’d held out for brats. Whatever it took, he decided.
“I would have come with you anyway,” she said as she curled up against him. “As much as they infuriate me sometimes, I really like your family. Oh, and I want to find out who instigated the bet.”
“Michael,” Jamie answered. “I already did the research, babe.”
Cora pulled her head back and gave him a confused blink. “Michael? Really!”
“According to him, the reason you avoided me at the birthday party is because you wanted me to chase you,” he said. “He guessed way too ambitiously, though. He was thinking within the week.”
Snorting, Cora said, “It was more nerves and trying to avoid a weird scene in front of your family than anything. I’m revoking his armchair psych license. And seriously, a week?”
“I know. He’s too much, sometimes,” he agreed as he stroked a hand through her blonde tresses. “I told him he was off base but, that’s what prompted the whole bet.”
“Taryn is making him give the money to charity,” Cora said, her eyes drifting closed.
“Home for the Terminally Nosy?”
“Well,” she said as she laughed softly. “It seemed the most appropriate under the circumstances.”
“I figured it would have been Patty,” Jamie said.
“Me too,” she said. A moment later her eyes fluttered open and she examined his face as she asked, “You’re sure you had no idea I worked in that building?”
“I didn’t even occur to me,” he said. “It probably should have though. She was acting funny all morning.”
“I’ll never tell her this, but I’m glad she meddled,” Cora said softly.
Unable to help himself, Jamie leaned down and brushed a kiss against the crown of her head. “Me too.”
Stifling a yawn, Cora asked, “How did your consult go? The crane people, right?”
“Pretty well. They’re actually a bigger operation than I thought, based on our first conversation. They’ve
got a few offices across the country and in Canada too. It could be a really good opportunity.”
“Awesome,” she said, as she nuzzled further into his chest.
Jamie could feel his own eyelids getting heavy again, and clearly Cora was down for the count.
“Baby,” he said, shifting her gently. “Let’s go to bed. You’re falling asleep.”
Sluggishly, Cora moved off of him and said, “Mm. Good idea.”
He watched her sleepily shuffle toward the bedroom for a moment before he scooped her up and carried her the rest of the way there.
She clutched on to him, buried her face against the side of his neck and said, “That wasn’t entirely necessary, but it’s appreciated.”
Once they were in the bedroom, he set her down on the edge of the king-size bed and asked, “You want something more comfortable to sleep in?”
“Is this another sad attempt to convert me into a Hawks fan, Jamie? We’ve talked about this,” she asked, grinning.
He grinned at the memory. The first time they slept together was right after a Hawks-Panthers game. They had gone with Evan and Taryn. He’d had to listen to her and Taryn both cracking jokes about the Hawks getting their asses kicked on the way back to his place.
When he’d tossed his wallet and keys down, she had accused him of pouting. He was forced to admit that he was indeed pouting, but she’d been quick to take his mind off of it. All thoughts of anything but her had disappeared from his head when she had crawled into his lap and straddled him.
Thing had been really tame between them up until that point. She had been relatively inexperienced, so he hadn’t wanted to push her. He could still feel her hot breath against his cheek, hear her timid little voice when she had asked, “Be my first?”
He’d already been half in love with her, but in that moment, he fell the rest of the way. It wasn’t the sex, but the trust that she’d placed in him. She had been so open and earnest. It had destroyed him.
Hell. It still did, he realized.
Afterward, when she lay curled up in his bed, he tried valiantly to make her wear a Hawks shirt, to no avail. She was nothing, if not stubborn. He’d made it a point to tease her with it any chance he got after that.
When You Were Mine [Second Chances 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 9
