“What is this place?” I asked as I glanced at the beautiful scenery. I loved the Texas hill country so much. I loved living in Oak Springs, but being farther out, away from everything, was so peaceful.
An old house came into view. It was stunning. “Wow, what a beautiful house. Who lives here?”
“No one anymore. This used to be the old Robinson place.”
He parked the truck and we both got out.
“It’s in beautiful shape,” I said.
“Yeah, it is. Was built in nineteen twenty-three.”
“Wow! Have you shown it to Amelia?”
Mitchell laughed. “No, I haven’t shown it to anyone other than my father and Tripp. I bought it a few weeks ago.”
My mouth fell open. “You bought this place? How much land comes with it?”
“A hundred acres. Not very much, but enough for me right now.”
My head was spinning. “How can you say that’s not a lot of land?”
He laughed. “Well, considering what I grew up on…”
I felt the heat in my cheeks. “I guess that’s true. What are your plans?”
“I’m not sure just yet.”
Spinning around, I shrieked with sudden excitement. “You could get a dog!”
Mitchell looked at me like I was insane. “A dog?”
“Yes! A dog. Look at all this land! She would love it.”
“She?” he asked.
“Yeah. Come on, you have to let a woman into your heart one of these days, Mitchell. You can’t be a player for the rest of your life.” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.
His eyes turned dark, and I wasn’t sure if he was angry or if that look was something else. He took a step toward me. I stepped back.
“What makes you think I haven’t already let someone into my heart?”
An awkward laugh bubbled out. “I would bet the farm you haven’t. I see it so clearly. You’re afraid to open up, and I get it, I do. Maybe it’s your job, or other insecurities. I just don’t think I can wait around to see who the lucky girl is going to be.” Turning back to the house, I forced my tears away. “I’m sure someday you’ll be ready to fill this house with love and the person who wins your heart will be lucky to be a part of that.”
“Why in the fuck do you assume I’m not ready to open my heart? And why in the hell can you not give me a chance before you run your mouth off?”
Spinning on my heel, I stared at him. “Run my mouth off?”
“Yes! You jump to conclusions and accusations before you even let me speak. You’re acting like a teenage girl, creating drama for no reason. I brought you here to show you this house for a reason.”
“Why? What’s your reason?” I shouted back.
“Because, damn it! I want to share this with you, Corina. I want us to be together and I don’t know…maybe someday we can fill it with kids and dogs and all that…stuff.”
I was stunned. I hadn’t expected Mitchell to come back at me with those words. He thrust his fingers in his hair. “I don’t know what in the fuck I’m doing anymore. Let’s just leave.”
We hadn’t even seen the house yet. I glanced back at it and didn’t move.
“Corina.”
“I want to see the house.”
“Yeah, well, the mood’s kind of ruined, don’t you think?”
My chest ached. Why was it so hard for us? It shouldn’t be this hard. At least, I didn’t think it should be. Was it because I was keeping Mitchell at arm’s length—because I didn’t believe him?
Wrapping my arms around my chest, I stared at the house. It was perfect. Old, yet in beautiful condition. The wraparound porch was my favorite. I could see us sitting in rocking chairs, getting a baby settled, as we looked over the land. Finding our places in this world, together.
Was that what Mitchell pictured when he looked at this house? I desperately wanted to ask him.
I made my way back to the truck. Mitchell was already sitting inside. It was clear the Parker men had short fuses. I’d witnessed Tripp losing his cool a time or two—never with me, but with other people.
I shut the truck door, reached for my seat belt and waited for him to drive off.
He took a deep breath and let it out. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I didn’t know how to deal with my feelings for you then, and I’m not doing a bang-up job of dealing with my feelings now. A million and one things race through my mind when I think of us together.”
I stared at my hands while he spoke.
“I don’t know if I can make you happy and give you the things you want, Corina.”
My eyes met his. “What if all I want is you?”
He swallowed hard. “My job…”
“Is dangerous. I know. I’ve understood the risks of falling for you from the very beginning. And it didn’t stop me.”
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly as he reached for my hand and ran his thumb across the top of it. Crackles of fire danced across my skin as he swept back and forth. “I want to show you I’m serious about making us work and that I’m not filling your head with bullshit to get in your pants.”
I raised my brows.
His smile grew bigger and his dimple popped, causing a pull in my lower stomach. “Okay, correction, I want in your pants more than you could ever fucking know, but I want more than that. I want to make this work…but I don’t know how to go about doing that.”
My teeth sank into my lip. “So if I said I wanted to sleep in your bed tonight, but no sex, what would you say?”
“I’d say okay.”
“Really?”
“I’ll do whatever I need to do, dove.”
My entire body became hyperaware of Mitchell. Each breath he took. Where his eyes traveled, the way his lips parted slightly. When he ran his thumb over my hand, an electric jolt started there and raced through me.
My voice sounded like I had a frog stuck in my throat. “Do you mean that, Mitchell?”
He gently kissed the back of my hand. “I’ve never said truer words before in my life.”
My stomach fluttered, and I knew the words he’d spoken were the truth.
Our eyes were locked on one another. “What do we do from here?” I asked with a grin.
Mitchell laughed. “You want to go get something to eat?”
I replied with a flirting grin, “I am hungry, but I was hoping for something else.”
His eyes danced with a brilliant light before he opened the truck door and got out.
Good grief. He thinks I want to see the house. I need to work on my flirting skills more.
He walked with purpose as he rounded the front of his truck. I opened the door and went to get out when he grabbed me and gently drew me to him.
Moving from the door, he pressed me against the truck. Cupping my face with his hands, Mitchell pressed his lips to mine. It didn’t take long for me to relax into the kiss. Opening my mouth to him, his tongue explored mine in a perfect, rhythmic dance.
We both moaned at the same time when he pressed his body close. The kiss turned hungrier as I took hold of his strong arms. My head spun as my body was wrapped in the euphoria that only Mitchell Parker could deliver. A strange feeling of peace settled into my chest as I let the wall I’d built around my heart fall. I was letting him in, and nothing was going to be the same from this point on.
My heart thundered in my ears as I kissed Corina. Her arms moved over my arms and wrapped around my neck, drawing me closer to her body. It felt like an eternity passed as we kissed, until we both needed to breathe.
Leaning my forehead against hers, I whispered, “I’ve missed you so much, dove.”
Corina drew back and gazed into my eyes. A single tear slipped from her beautiful baby blues. I gently brushed it away.
With a breathtaking smile, she placed her hands on my chest. “What took you so long?”
“I was a fool, plain and simple.” I chuckled, gently running the back of my hand down the side of her face. “I
swear to you, I’ll never hurt you again. Please believe me when I say that.”
Her hands grabbed at my chest as she took a shaky breath. Her eyes were screaming that she wanted to say something, but she looked down for a brief moment before gazing back into my eyes.
“I believe you, Mitch.”
Placing my hands over hers, I laced our fingers together. “You know I’m going to mess up.”
She giggled. “I know.”
“Can we make a promise to each other right now that if something bothers us, or we’re unsure, we’ll talk about it and not jump to conclusions.”
Corina nodded. “I like that promise.”
Squeezing her hands, I kissed her on the forehead. “So do I. Now, let me show you the house before we get some food.”
We walked toward the house, hand in hand. Never in a million years had I thought want something like this, but I did…and, most importantly, I wanted it with her. Every time I thought of Corina, my mind wandered off in a million hopeful directions.
Stepping on the porch, I watched Corina look around. “It’s huge! I can totally see a porch swing with some rockers sitting out here.”
I made a mental note. There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to be sharing this house with her. I wanted it to be perfect in every way.
I unlocked the door and we headed inside.
“Oh my!” Corina gasped. “It’s so true to the time period.”
“The previous owners were the original owners. They never changed a thing. When Mr. Robinson passed last year, his son came in and had everything restored, but made sure to keep it exactly the same. The wallpaper in here…”
I led her into the parlor.
“It’s the exact same pattern. He took a piece of the original wallpaper and had it reproduced. It was important for him to restore the house to look the way it did when he grew up. The colors, the fixtures, the flooring…everything is either original to the house, or a reproduction.”
Corina took everything in. “Did they open this wall between the dining and living?”
“It was built with stained-glass doors originally. Seems like Mr. Robinson was the first to come up with the open floor plan.”
“I’d say,” Corina replied with a chuckle.
We toured the rest of the house and ended up on the second floor back balcony.
“Wow. Look at the view.”
“It’s pretty,” I admitted. “Not as pretty as Amelia and Wade’s place, but still good.”
She turned to me and tilted that pretty little head. “I think it’s perfect.”
I placed my hands on her hips and drew her a little closer. With a grin, I replied, “Good, I’m glad you think so. I really hoped you’d like it.”
When her teeth sank into her lip, I had to keep myself from dragging her in for another kiss. “Hungry?”
“I am starved! All that ice skating worked up an appetite.”
With her hand in mine, we made our way to my truck. Opening the passenger door, Corina paused before getting in.
“Mitchell?”
“Yeah?”
She worried her lower lip before those beautiful blue eyes met mine. “I didn’t mean it when I said I hated you that night in the club. I was angry, and I shouldn’t have said that.”
My throat grew thick as I placed my hand on the side of her cheek. “I’m the one who needs to be apologizing for being a complete and utter asshole.” I took a step back. My heartbeat quickened, and I knew I had to tell her the truth. I didn’t want anything false between us.
“Corina, I need to tell you something.”
Her smile faded, and she looked away. I was pretty sure she knew what I was about to say.
“Cassidy?” she asked, not looking at me as she spoke.
Fuck. How did she know?
“It was only once, and it was last February, and I felt like a complete jerk for doing it.”
The way her breath hitched made me feel sick.
“We weren’t together, Mitch. You shouldn’t feel like that.”
“I do, and it doesn’t matter because it wasn’t fair to you or her. I couldn’t get you out of my head and all I wanted to do was get it over with once it started. It meant nothing, and if I could go back and undo it I would, you have to believe me.”
Her head lifted and she pinched her brows together as she held up her hand. “Wait. You only slept with Cassidy that one time? You haven’t…I mean…you haven’t had…”
Her eyes fell to my dick before snapping back up.
I shook my head. “No, I haven’t slept with anyone since then. It’s the longest I’ve ever gone without sex, and believe me, I’ve thought of taking you in every position I can think of. I’ve rubbed my cock practically raw thinking about you.”
Her mouth dropped open and that sweet and beguiling smile moved across her face. She hit me on the chest. “You are so bad, Mitchell Parker.”
“Want me to tell you some of the positions?” I asked with a wiggle of my brows.
She licked her lips, and I knew she wanted to play along with my naughty game. Corina Miller might have been innocent, but after spending one night with her, I knew she had a naughty side that was begging to come out.
“If I say yes?” she asked.
“I’ll tell you one.”
“Just one?” she asked, her cheeks blushing. It made her look adorable as hell.
“Just one.”
She looked me over from head to toe before piercing my eyes again. “Okay, tell me one.”
“Reverse cowgirl, in a canoe.”
Corina stood there with a stunned expression before she busted out laughing. “What? You lost me with the canoe!”
I shrugged. “Don’t you think it would be kind of hot to have sex out in the open? Plus, think about the rocking of the canoe.”
She pulled her lower lip into her mouth before she bit down, causing my dick to jump.
“I’m sure you, of all people, have had sex in public before,” she said.
“The backseat of my truck doesn’t count.”
She snarled. “Note to self: never have sex with you in the back seat of your truck.”
I moved closer. “What if I got a new truck? Would you do it then?”
Her chest rose and fell as I narrowed my gaze to her lips. “Maybe.”
I smiled. “Really?”
“Um, Mitchell. I haven’t had sex since last fall and all this talk of positions is starting to make me a little…um…”
With a tilt of my head, I stared into her eyes. “Horny?”
Corina closed her eyes and whispered, “Yes.”
“You want me to take care of that for you?”
Snapping her eyes back open, she opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
My hand moved to her jeans and when she didn’t stop me, I unbuttoned them. Her entire body trembled when I ran my finger along the edge of her panties.
“Jesus, do you have any idea how fucking sexy you are, dove?”
She shook her head as I pulled her jeans down and slipped my hand into her panties. I let out a long, low growl when I felt how wet she was.
Moving my mouth to the side of her head, I whispered into her ear as I pushed my fingers deeper inside of her. “I can’t wait to hear you scream my name when I make you come.”
Grabbing the truck to hold herself up, she whispered, “Oh God.”
I moved slowly at first, fighting with everything I had not to take her right there.
“Mitchell,” she cried out as I picked up speed and pushed another finger into her tight pussy.
“That’s it, dove. Let it go.”
Her body shook, and I could feel her pulsing on my fingers. She was close, and I knew just the thing to push her off the ledge. “I want to bury my face between your legs and taste you, baby.”
“Oh God!” she cried out.
Moving my mouth closer to her ear, I whispered, “I can’t wait to make love to you, but baby, I need you to come. Now.
”
“Mitchell…I’m coming. Mitchell!”
The sound of her calling my name was almost more than I could take. I’d been waiting so fucking long to hear it. When I pushed on her clit, her body trembled again. This time she grabbed onto me and held on with everything she had. When I no longer felt her pulsing against my fingers, I slowly withdrew them.
Corina’s chest rose and fell with each labored breath. She watched as I brought my fingers to my mouth. That beautiful mouth of hers fell open. I smiled while sucking hard on my fingers.
I let out a moan before gazing into her shy expression. “Look at me, dove.”
She did as I asked. Our eyes locked, and I drank every single second of it before leaning down and kissing her. Corina wrapped her arms around my neck. The kiss nearly brought me to my knees. It was soft and filled my body with a warmth I’d never experienced before. This woman was my everything.
When I withdrew my mouth from hers, I rested my forehead against Corina’s.
“I’m sorry it took me so long. I swear to make it up to you every single day.”
Corina let out one of her sweet innocent giggles before crinkling that cute little nose of hers. “That was a nice start.”
Laughing, I kissed her forehead. “Come on, dove. Let’s go eat.”
Music came from the bar as I knocked on the door. Less than thirty seconds later, the door unlocked and I followed Cord in.
“What’s the big emergency, Mitchell?” Cord asked, walking over to the bar. A pile of receipts was laid out on the surface.
“Corina and I are together.”
He stopped and looked at me. A huge smile took over his face. “No shit? It’s about damn time.”
I grinned. “Yeah, well, I was a stubborn asshole.”
“I’ll second that.”
As I turned, I saw Tripp walking from the back offices. “Define together.”
He reached for my hand, and I quickly shook it. “Well, we haven’t slept together and that’s why I’m here. I need advice from both of you and this is one time I don’t want to go to Dad for it.”
They both laughed. Tripp jumped onto the bar and spun his baseball cap around. “You mean you don’t want to ask Dad how long you should wait to sleep with the woman you’re in love with.”