Page 51

Her fingers laced into his hair, and she smiled from the inside out. Her legs wrapped around his waist. He moaned into the curve of her neck, biting and kissing. His blond stubble scratched and marked her. A tornado of nerve endings twisted alive from her flesh to her core, starting the unmistakable build she craved.
Nicola mouthed his name. She thrashed for more, needing his strength and power to push her to climatic heaven. She felt the rhythm of their perfect dance. Sapphire blue eyes locked onto hers, Cash took her hands in his, threading their fingers together.
They drove in sync and on fire, deeper and farther than Nicola remembered possible. Her building ripple of muscles tightened around his erection. She cried out, he pulled away from her, and she fought it, needing him.I won’t ever leave again.And she held on tightly, pushing into him. Her orgasm exploded. Her body vibrated, every muscle taking its turn, clenching and releasing around him.
He came with her, in her, reviving her climax.
One breath, and then a longer one. Her eyes opened in lazy satisfaction.
Panic.
She saw wide-eyed, mouth-open panic. He’d turned to stone, unmoving, breath held. The color shattered from his beautiful face.
“Cash?”
“Oh God.”
“Wh—”
“I wasn’t thinking. Then I couldn’t—”
What?
Oh.She hadn’t been thinking either.
Nicola framed her hands around his cheeks, still catching her breath. “We’re fine.” She’d never heard him like that before. He was terror-stricken. “You’re okay. Birth control. We’re okay, Cash.”
He didn’t move, frozen, cemented, stuck in time.
Oh no.
Her stomach dropped. “Are you okay-okay?”
“Yeah. Yes. Of course.” Well, that snapped him to attention. He sucked down a gasp, then a calmer breath. “So we’re okay.”
She smiled, nodding, and he moved. A sensitive flash of nerves reminded her that she was more than okay. Cash’s forehead dipped down, touching hers. He relaxed and, finally, a deep breath fell from his lips.
Cash rolled to her side. Strong arms gathered her up, her back to his chest, and held her close to him. A powerful leg locked over her thigh. He tugged the blankets around them and smoothed her hair.
“I’m sorry, Nic.” His voice was heavy and low. He twisted a strand of her hair around his finger.
“Why?”
“You deserve romance and flowers and stuff, and all you got was Jared hitting the fast forward button and me freaking out.”
She stared at the mocha-colored wall, feeling Cash stroke her hair. “That was both of our faults. But it isn’t a problem. Right? So we move on.”
“I should’ve—”
“Stop.” She turned to him. “We’re not that couple on a first date. We’re not playing by the normal rule book.”
He smiled. “Very logical, Nic.”
She gave him an I’m-super-clever grin and laughed. “Nope. Just observant. I observe. I conclude. I react. You might say it’s my specialty.”
They laughed together, and she turned back to the wall, snuggling into his hold once again. He kissed the back of her shoulder. “Smartass.”
“I thought it was sweet girl.” She looked over her shoulder with a smile and wrinkle of her nose.