Page 13

CHAPTER 12

He’d make it a third?

Nova had barely survived his foreplay, let alone having him actually make love to her. Though, if she was going to die…

Cooper didn’t seem to be worried about surviving. That she might give him a stroke or an aneurysm. That his heart might simply explode from falling too much in love. Because that’s how hers felt. Overly full. Strung so tight it was libel to burst as soon as he kissed her.

Having him ravage her mouth a moment later put that theory to the test. Had her wrapping her legs around his hips — sinking him an inch inside her. That set him off. Had him thrusting inside. Sending her over the edge again with a single stroke.

Had she screamed Cooper’s name or only thought it inside her head? The comforting weight of his body on top of hers the only anchor preventing her from floating away. Burning up with all the heat arcing off her skin.

Cooper nuzzled her neck, giving her a light love bite before kissing her lips — staring down at her when she finally managed to open her eyes. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are? Let’s do that, again.”

He moved, slowly at first. As if he was afraid he’d hurt her. Or maybe she was pushing him to his limits, too. That any firm thrust would break his control.

Good. She wanted him to break. To be so consumed with the heat searing between them that his only thought was how far he could push them. How tightly he could bind them together.

Cooper grunted next to her ear, his muscles flexing as he metered his thrusts. The sheer pressure of holding himself back making his body shake.

Nova nipped at his neck, smiling when he groaned. “Cooper. Stop worrying about hurting me and let go, already.”

He paused, nostrils flaring, chest heaving, then he was moving. Pounding into her. Shaking the bed until it was tapping out a rhythm against the wall. Or maybe it was the echoed beat of her heart sounding in her head.

Cooper must have heard it, too, because his pace increased until it was more of a steady tone than a pattern. One long beat keeping her poised on the edge, waiting to fall over. Nova clawed at his back, urging him closer. Anything to have more of him touching her. Either she’d voiced it or he read her mind because he crushed her into the bed a second later, mouthing her shoulder as she wrapped herself even tighter around him.

Shadows danced across the room, rain and surf sounding in the distance. She wasn’t sure how long they’d been intertwined before he grunted, claiming her mouth as he tilted her hips — sinking even deeper.

She broke.

Tumbled off that ledge as fire shot through her veins, burning along her skin until she was surprised the entire bed didn’t burst into flames. Cooper growled, a throaty version of her name sounding around them, then he emptied into her. Setting off another round of shivers.

This was definitely what home felt like. Safe. Loved. His breath mixing with hers as he rested his forehead against her. Every labored breath confirming he was just as affected — as invested — as she was.

Had she whispered his name? Kissed him? Because he lifted his head and smiled down at her as she slivered her eyes open. All the tension from the previous week gone. Or maybe he’d simply pushed it into the background. Locked it up until it was time to jump back into the fray.

Cooper smiled, then seemed to realize he was still crushing her into the bed. He muttered a few words under his breath, then shifted, ignoring the way she tried to hold him in place. “Damn, are your ribs okay? You should have pushed me off. Did I reopen anything?”

She laughed. “Right to the worst-case scenario. At least you’re consistent. I’m fine, Coop. In fact, I don’t remember the last time I ever felt this good. Probably never.”

He snorted. “Let’s see if you’re still smiling once the endorphins wear off and your ribs remind you they’re far from healed.”

“Even if that’s true, it was still more than worth it.” She lifted her head enough to nip at his jaw. “You’re worth it.”

He nuzzled her nose, seemingly content to simply lay there, when he tensed, then cursed. “And this is the part where you shoot me in the ass because I forgot the damn condom.”

She shrugged. “I have one of those implants but even if I didn’t, I’m finding it hard to care right about now.”

“And in a couple of weeks if it turns out you’re pregnant?”

Nova snagged her bottom lip to stop from blurting out the truth, but it slipped out. “Then, I guess we’re having a baby.”

Was his mouth hanging open or was he trying to breathe? Nova was just about to snap her fingers in front of him when he smiled, that neon glow illuminating the room.

“Be careful what you say, sweetheart. Because I might find a way to manifest it.”

“That sounds like round two in the making.”

“Challenge accept?—”

His burner chirped, ringing once before cutting off.

Nova glanced at the edge of the bed, then up at him. “I’m guessing that’s Bellamy warning us we’ve got, what? Five minutes?”

“More like fifteen, but yeah. He thinks he’s funny.”

“I suppose it beats him banging on the door. Or bringing us coffee.”

“Please don’t encourage him. The man’s like a dog with no concept of personal space.” He rolled off, sighing as if losing contact hurt. “We should have time for a quick shower, if you’re game.”

“Only if you promise to drop the soap so I can go to my knees when I pick it up.”

Cooper clenched his jaw, looking as if he was counting to ten before taking her hand and helping her scoot to the end of the bed. He grabbed their clothes then gathered her in his arms, holding her against his chest as he headed for the door. “Guess we’ll have to see who comes out ahead because I’ve got my heart set on plastering you against the shower wall and taking you from behind. And I might not be as easy to best this time.”

Nova bit her bottom lip, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I’m not sure how that’s me losing but…” She inhaled when he opened the door and walked out. “Jesus, Coop. What if your team had been standing out here?”

“Then, I guess they would have gotten a view of your amazing ass. And for the record, your boss didn’t even leave a mark, let alone chew it off.”

He angled toward the bathroom door, kicking it shut behind him as he eased her onto the floor. Then he turned on the taps and snagged a couple towels, tossing them on the small counter before tugging her in for a desperate kiss.

Nova ate at his mouth, shuffling into the shower with him a moment later. Water misted across her back before Cooper turned — pressed her against the wall. His massive body blocking most of the spray. Not that she cared because his mouth was on hers, the promise of round two digging into her hip.

Cooper eased back, shaking his head as he grabbed the soap. “You’re dangerous, sweetheart. One taste, and I can’t focus on anything other than watching your eyes roll back, again.”

“That’s a plan I can get behind?—”

“Except where we’re in the middle of an op. I only let my guard down this long because I knew my team had my back. Once everything starts shifting again…”

“Then, I’ll have you back, too.” She palmed his chest. “I realize you had to save my ass, but now that I know there are assholes after me, how did you put it? I won’t be so easy to best?”

“You held your own against a dozen mercenaries. Even after you’d been shot. Twice. No one bested you. I just wish we could spend the next week focused on each other.”

“Sounds like you’ve got my next assignment figured out. You know, once I’m not a federal fugitive.”

“I bet you’d look stunning in orange.”

“Let’s hope I don’t have to find out. Now, are you dropping that soap or going for your first win?”

“I already won when you told me to kiss you but… Let’s see how far I can push that.”

He dipped down, claiming her mouth as he ran the soap across her skin, washing the important parts before tossing it back on the shelf, then nuzzling her neck. “Turn around.”

She smiled, kissing him one more time before spinning within his embrace. Palming the wall when he pressed his chest into her back. He dropped his mouth to her neck, sucking at her pulse point as he ran his hand along her stomach. He tapped her thigh, urging her feet farther apart.

She glanced at him over her shoulder, tangling her tongue with his when he took her mouth as he tilted her hips — slammed home a moment later. Not that he stopped. One short pause and he was pounding into her. Not quite as hard as when he’d been above her, but close. As if he couldn’t quite rein it in.

Nova wrapped her arms over his as he held her captive, the heat of his body a sharp contrast to the cool slide of the shower wall.

Cooper nipped at her ear, grunting when she squeezed as he bottomed out. “Damn, sweetheart. Hold that thought.”

He pulled free, ignoring her sharp inhale before he spun her, again, helping her wrap her legs around his waist as he rested her ass on the small ledge then eased inside. “I need to see those gorgeous green eyes.”

She met his gaze, barely holding it as he sank inside, taking her to the brink, again. “God, Cooper. I…”

He smiled. “Me, too. Hold on.”

He started moving. Deeper. Faster. Until she was begging him to take her over. He shook his head, trying to get closer. “Not yet. I need more.”

“You’ve already got all of me. Promise.”

That did him in. Had him upping his pace until he was emptying inside her as she tumbled over the edge, hanging onto him in the hopes of staying grounded. How he managed to hold them both up was a miracle. A medal-worthy feat, because she was exhausted. Barely conscious as he rested his forehead on hers, their breath mixing.

The water was cooling by the time Cooper finally lifted his head and met her half-lidded gaze. He glanced at where they were still joined, shaking his head as he sighed. “Guess we just doubled down on your implant working.”

Nova shrugged. “I’ve been using them for years. It’s about time I put one to the test.” She laughed at his raised brow. “Do you really think I’ve ever trusted anyone else enough to go bareback? I think you know me better than that.”

The way he looked at her… It was lust and a promise and something deeper. What she thought was love but was afraid to label. “Then, it’s a first for both of us. Still…”

“How about you concentrate on ensuring I don’t have a baby in jail instead of whether I have one, at all, because that’s about the only scenario that makes me take a moment’s pause.”

“I still think you’d look stunning in orange…” He smiled when she punched him in the arm. “But we’ll avoid prison. Promise. Now, we’d better get dressed, because I have a bad feeling we’re already out of time.”

“Bellamy can wait.” She tugged him down until his mouth was level with hers. “But I need one more kiss before we’re back to fighting mercenaries and cartel. Because as sure as your team’s going to tease us, I know this temporary ceasefire isn’t going to last much longer. And if we don’t figure out who Simmons is working with and how to prove he’s a dirty son of a bitch, it might be the last kiss we ever get.”