Page 23 of You Can Make Me (Carnival of Mysteries #28)

Twelve

C ooper

Sam left with my parents early the next morning with three pieces of advice for me.

“One: Stick to the plan. I know this story is going to be one of your greatest. Two: Be patient with yourself. Don’t overdo it, take your time, but stay on course.

Three: Be patient with Denny. He loves you, but he’s had his whole world turned upside down, and he’s got to relearn how to function, just like you do. And you better text me. I missed you.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I had a teary goodbye with my parents. I knew how hard it was for Mom to step back and let me do this my way, but we’d taken a short walk before she left and I’d let her give me her two cents.

“That man loves you so much, Cooper. I hope you keep that in mind, whatever you decide to do.”

“I love him, too, Mom. I’m not going to take him for granted.”

“Everything happens for a reason, remember that. It may feel like that’s an unfair way of viewing what happened to you, but use what you’ve learned. Trauma can destroy you, or it can give you strength beyond what you thought possible. Look hard before you leap this time.”

I hugged her, but her words took me back to the Laurel Canyon women.

I needed to see them again. I needed to understand these dreams. They weren’t about my assault.

They were leading me to something vital.

I didn’t know how much of the fog blocking my understanding was from my head injury or something more…

Dad was short on words, and I could tell it was hard for him to look at me.

He’d hid it well at first, but I caught his gaze lingering on my mouth or forehead when I spoke.

As a news producer, he knew better than anyone that my career in broadcast journalism was over.

Audiences wouldn’t be able to look past the scars to hear my words.

If I wanted to continue with my work, I’d have to rely on my writing skills—which were pretty damned good—or maybe start a podcast like everyone else.

“Please tell Dennis we said goodbye and thank you.”

I waved to them and assured them I would. I’d checked on him when it was time for them to go, and he was dead to the world. I let him sleep. It was probably the first real sleep he’d had in months.

Good. He needed his rest for the next part of my plan.

I rushed through my shower, taking care not to cut myself as I shaved everywhere I could and prepared myself for this long-overdue reunion. The sun was still on the rise when I crawled into bed beside him.

He startled when I touched him, then he relaxed into the pillow with a dreamy smile.

“What time is it?” he asked.

“Time to make up for lost time.”

His eyes flew open and he started to sit up.

“They’re gone,” I said, placing a hand on his chest as I straddled him. “I sent them on their way.”

“You mean…we’re alone?”

I nodded, grinning ear to ear and not caring one bit what my face looked like. The excitement in his eyes was all that mattered. “That means there’s no one to hear you scream.”

I started to pull the blankets over my head and move down his body, but he stopped me.

“You first.”

Denny slid off his underwear and gently pushed me onto my back. He covered me with his body, holding himself up with one arm so as not to squish me, and ran his other hand along my arm, linking our fingers together. “You better tell me if anything is uncomfortable, okay?”

I was already panting. “God, I’ve missed your skin. Those big hands. Don’t be gentle.”

He smiled and caught my other hand before I could reach his ass.

“Not yet. It’s my turn.” He brought our joined hands above my head. “Do I need to restrain you?” His smile slipped, and he loosened his hold as if he worried he’d said something wrong.

I pushed up to kiss him hard. I wanted him undone, unleashed, and unfettered. Free from worry. I wanted him out of his head and all up inside me.

“You will if you don’t hurry up and get to work.”

He laughed and licked at my lips. “Cheeky. Anything off limits? Oh, I don’t have?—”

“I do,” I said, spreading my legs and squirming beneath him. “In the drawer next to the bed. Sam had a brand-new bottle.” My smile fell. “No condoms though.”

“I haven’t been with anyone since you, Cooper. And all of your tests at the hospital were clear.”

We stared into each other’s eyes. The weight of the moment pressed down upon us and ramped up the tension.

“I love you, baby,” he said, holding my wrists with one hand while he caressed my face. “I want to make you feel good.” Denny’s green eyes were wide and pleading. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I will be if you get moving?—”

“Faster?”

I bit his neck, and he ground his erection into my pelvis in response.

“Yes, Denny. Please .”

I lifted my knees and let myself be totally in my body, feeling his every touch and refusing to think about what I must look like.

The room was dark, only faint light from the window filtered in, giving the room an ethereal feel.

It was enough to let me forget. My scars pulled with my movements, but the stinging pain was gone.

I closed my eyes and sighed happily. This was the medicine I needed.

Denny, too, apparently. He was ravenous. He didn’t rush, but there were no teasing touches of his tongue or fingertips. He sucked on my chest and abdomen, moaning hungrily, and when he got to my dick, he sucked hard , but he didn’t stay there long.

He spread my legs even farther and licked everywhere—my sack, my taint, the creases of my legs, and finally my hole, which he rimmed vigorously until guttural moans came out of me, sounds I’d never made in my life.

He lifted my hips, bringing my ass closer to his face, and he hummed greedily as he tongued me into oblivion.

“God, Denny, you’re going to wreck me. I’m going to come…”

“Good. Come. I want it all over me. I want to spend days making you come.”

I gazed up at him, his mouth wet and glossy, his eyes wild, his hair standing on end.

“I’ve unleashed a beast,” I teased. The idea of unlimited time in bed with Denny was the epitome of every erotic fantasy I’d ever had about him. With him kneeling between my legs, his thighs spread, his hands on my knees, he was like a conquering hero, and I wanted to be his treasure.

“Damn right, you have. Prepare to be debauched.”

And with his tongue and fingers in my ass, and his other hand stroking me, I came so hard, my voice went hoarse from screaming. He smiled proudly, swiped his fingers through my mess, sucked one into his mouth, and smeared the rest on his chest.

“God, that’s a beautiful sight,” I murmured, stretching my arms over my head. He stroked himself with one hand and ran his finger around my hole gently.

“You ready for more?”

“Yes,” I hissed. I knew he would take me apart in the best way.

His dick was the perfect size. Enough girth to stretch me, enough length to peg my gland over and over.

I wanted him to take out all that angst he’d been carrying on me.

I wanted it all. “Fuck me. Wreck me, Denny. Fill me, and then do it again.”

He covered his dick with lube and chuckled.

“Yes, sir, Mr. Harris, sir. One wrecking, coming right up.”

He slid a pillow under my hips and held them in his big hands, which seemed bigger since I’d lost so much weight, and he guided his length inside me, not moving slow or gentle, but being careful.

He watched me closely for any signs of pain, but all I could do was smile and urge him on with many yeses .

When he was assured that I was okay, he thrust inside me deeper and pulled all the way out. His gaze was focused on the place where we came together, over and over.

I’d never been a cam kind of person, but I wanted to see what he saw that made him make that face.

His lips were parted, his brows drawn together, and he moaned like he’d found paradise between my legs.

He licked his lips and varied his speed, tilting his head from side to side to take in the full view, angling his hips to find new and better places inside me.

“Denny.”

He looked up, his eyes wide.

“See something you like?” I asked him.

“I wish you could watch, too,” he said, thrusting harder, his body starting to shake. “It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. It’s so fucking incredible.”

What was incredible was the angle he was hitting, and a moment later, I was coming again, which spurred him on.

“That’s so hot, baby. So good.” He ran a hand through it and licked it with a happy moan before wiping it on his chest again.

“Come inside me, Denny. I want to feel you.”

He’d broken out in a sweat, and he was breathing hard, but he showed no signs of slowing.

I didn’t want it to end, but I knew that all we had was time and no obligations.

We didn’t have to rush like all the other nights, nor did I have to get all sentimental thinking we only had ’til morning and then he’d have to leave.

If I had my way, Denny would fuck me on every surface in this damned cabin, and outside too.

There was nothing better than being loved by Denny.

Nothing. Being intimate with him was the closest thing to perfection I’d ever experienced.

Somehow he knew exactly how to make my body sing, make me forget about everything but this moment together.

“Baby,” was the only warning I got. He cried out and his body jerked wildly. He squeezed my hip and thigh tightly, but it added to my pleasure. He pulled all the way out and then slammed back inside of me with a louder groan.

“Oh fuck , that’s hot. Fuck, Cooper.”

I laughed as he ran his fingers over the place where we were joined and moaned. Three more thrusts and a few shudders, and he stopped moving.

“That came from my toes, I swear.”

I was sated and dopey, with happy tears streaming down my face.

“Did I hurt you?” Denny pulled me into his arms and cradled me.

“No, I’m happy. So happy. For the first time since Austin, truly happy.”

He held me tighter. “Me too, baby. Thank you.”

“For what?”