Colliding With You

  Without giving it another thought, she touched her hand to the left side of his chest. His firm muscles made her insides shake.

  “This is the part of you that I value the most. I’m glad you gave me the opportunity to see the real you, Jesse, not the guy the rest of the world sees.”

  He looked as though he wanted to say something but stopped. His attention drifted back to the window and a huge smile covered his face. “Looks like the forecast was right.”

  She turned to the door and glanced out in time to see snowflakes falling from the sky. There were only a few at first, but after a second of staring in awe, they began to multiply.

  “Oh, wow! It really is snowing.”

  Unable to contain her excitement, she opened up the door and rushed onto the deck. The cool air made her skin pimple, but she ignored the itchy sensation and leaned her head back. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of the cold snow. It was like being kissed by icy lips over and over. She loved it, loved the way the flakes tickled her skin before they melted.

  The sound of Jesse’s footsteps signaled his approach, but she didn’t look his way, even when she heard him say, “Beautiful.”

  “Yes, it is.” She laughed as she tried to capture a few flakes in her hand.

  He entered her peripheral a second later, and when she glanced up, he stopped a few feet away. “I wasn’t talking about the snow.”

  Silence filled the space between them. She was at a loss for words, especially when he decreased that space and walked right into her hand. The impact forced her hand to slide up his chest, back to the same spot she’d touched before. This time, his fingertips caressed her skin.

  “When you open yourself up to people, you risk getting hurt. I decided years ago that I’d never let anyone get that close to me. I’ve done a good job too, just cruising through life, not worrying about anything.” His fingers slid up her arm, teasing it softly. “Then, out of the blue, my life goes off course and comes to a crashing halt. When the smoke cleared, you’re the one I saw. Our paths didn’t just cross, Cori. I collided with you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  His focus shifted to her mouth again. “It’s like running into a brick wall with no warning. You feel dazed and confused, and you’re not sure which way to go. All you know is that something’s changed and you’re never going to be the same. You don’t want to be.”

  He spoke in a riddle, one she couldn’t decipher, but at the same time, she understood completely. “So I’m the brick wall that knocked you off course?”

  “You’re the wall that cracked my hard exterior. You’ve exposed the vulnerable guy who’s been protecting his heart. Part of me wants to push you away, but the other part . . . it can’t imagine letting you go.”

  “Then don’t.”

  She hadn’t meant to say the words aloud, but there they were, in the open. Jesse heard them too, because a second later, his hands slid to the small of her back. When he flexed his fingers and nudged her forward, she pressed her body against his. The heat chased away the chill of the air, and everything around her disappeared, except Jesse.

  “Cori . . .” His eyes danced over her face. “I shouldn’t be doing this. I made you a promise.”

  “You’ve kept it. I know you have, but this isn’t one-sided, Jesse. I feel it too.”

  “You do?” His voice grew husky as he tightened his embrace. She lost herself in the feel of him, of the muscles that flexed around her, promising to never let go.

  “Yeah. I have felt it for a long time.”

  “Since the wedding?”

  She didn’t miss the anxiousness in his question or the relief on his face when she nodded. “It started during the rehearsal. It escalated from there. Nothing’s changed it, not even the disagreement we had in Miami.”

  She hated bringing up the incident down in Florida when she was on her first job as an escort. Her date with Lucas Kemp felt off from the moment he picked her up at the office Beverly used for the business.

  The flight down was quick, but things grew awkward the second they stepped off the plane. It continued when they arrived at the club and didn’t improve until Lucas had a couple of drinks. After she finally got him to loosen up, she thought it would get better.

  Nope.

  Once she’d returned from the ladies’ room, Lucas was nowhere in sight, unlike Jesse, who’d taken his place at the bar. It left her in a state of confusion. Add in the argument that proceeded, and she was livid. The craziest part of all, despite how angry she was with him, she was glad someone gave a shit. Jesse made up for everything that happened since then.

  Still, it didn’t explain why mentioning it was affecting him now. And it definitely had. He loosened his grip on her and started to back away until she grabbed his shoulders.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Cori, there’s something I need to tell you, something that happened in Miami.”

  “I’m listening.”

  Pain covered Jesse’s face. It showed in the way his forehead wrinkled when the skin above his brow dipped. “I didn’t go into that club looking for you, but when I saw you with that guy, I became curious. Well, jealous is more like it.”

  There was something about the way he hung his head that said he was ashamed of what he’d admitted. She wished he felt differently. She did. Not one time in her life could she remember a guy getting jealous of her and another guy.

  “The man you were with didn’t hide the fact that you were an escort, but as soon as he told me as much, I wanted to break his face.”

  “You’ve already told me about this. Why are you bringing it up again?”

  “Because I didn’t tell you why he left.”

  The news made her face prickle. Jesse never let on like he knew why her client had taken off without so much as a goodbye. She’d even asked Jesse if he knew. All he said was the guy had left. Now he was confessing there was more to it?

  “I’m the reason your date left that night. I told him a bunch of lies.”

  Her heart dropped. “Lies? What sort of lies?”

  Finally breaking contact, he retreated a few steps and lowered his gaze to the deck. “I told him that you were my girl, that we had a child together, and that you might be pregnant and drinking. Then I begged him not to take you from me.”

  It was a farfetched story. Come to think of it, Cori was insulted that her client would think so little of her. Guess it came along with the business. Those men didn’t care if she was good or bad, whether she had a family, or anything else about her. They hired escorts to perform a job, not to tell their life history.

  “You’re quite creative when you want to be.”

  She did her best to make light of the situation. When it came down to it, she didn’t care what Jesse had told the guy. Maybe part of it was because she liked being referred to as his girl. Of all the lies he could have told, he fabricated a story of them together, with children to boot. Perhaps it was an idea he’d entertained or the fact that his closest friend was married and expecting his first child.

  Whatever the reason, when it came down to it, Jesse saved her from what most likely would have turned into a dangerous situation. She’d never told him about the weird vibes she felt around Lucas.

  “It wasn’t my most honorable moment, and I don’t think of it as being creative.” Jesse averted his gaze. “Desperate is more like it. I couldn’t stop myself. I had to get you out of there.”

  The exasperation in his voice hinted as to how much he had worried about her. The thought sent a shiver down her spine and caused her to move closer. When she decreased the space he’d placed between them, she leaned her head on his chest.

  “Jesse, none of that matters to me. I’m glad you showed up. We wouldn’t be here right now if you hadn’t.”

  “But I lied to you.”

  “You said my client left in a hurry. That wasn’t a lie.” She gazed up. “What you did was withhold information. That might have upset me back then, but it d
oesn’t now. I understand why you did it.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t mention this before. I just . . . I had to protect you. The thought of anyone else touching you . . .”

  She reached for his hand and placed it on her hip. “You’re the one touching me, Jesse. Just you.”

  A gasp left her mouth when he gripped her tighter. He slid his hand into her hair as chill bumps cascaded over her skin. They didn’t go unnoticed. A smile crept across his lips just before he planted a kiss on her collarbone.

  “Just me?” His voice penetrated her every thought. When she nodded, he eased back. “Promise?”

  His lips hovered above hers. She was desperate to feel them, to feel the heat of his mouth as he devoured her. Need swelled inside her, making her nipples harden. Jesse was affecting more than her body. He was affecting her heart.

  “I promise.”

  The words barely escaped when his lips molded to hers. Fire irrupted inside her. It wasn’t just the full lips covering hers that caused the reaction. It was the need she sensed within them—need that was passionate, feverous, and desperate.

  His arms tightened around her, scooping her body back to his. The firm muscles she felt made her moan. When he nipped her lower lip, she melted against him.

  If his kiss could make her this weak, she could only imagine what his tongue would do to her clit. And his cock . . . It made her wet to think of him sliding in and out of her.

  Her next moan vibrated against his mouth. This time, he didn’t kiss her harder. His hands slid beneath her ass as he cupped both of her cheeks. The instant he lifted her, she wrapped her legs around his waist.

  Nothing else mattered now. Not her weight. Not his movements. Not the sound of the floor creaking as he carried her through the den.

  The only thing that mattered was the anticipation building in her belly, the wall against her back, and the pressure that increased when he rocked his hips with hers.

  All that was left was for him to remove her clothes then sink his cock into the deepest part of her. She refused to hold back what she was feeling. Regardless if things didn’t work out, one night with him was all she needed.

  What happened past this point would be left to fate.

  Chapter 15

  The fireplace crackled in the background, though Jesse ignored the sound and focused instead on Cori’s voice. Each time she moaned made his cock throb harder. Damn, he needed to be inside her. That need began so long ago he’d forgotten when it originated. All he knew now was that he couldn’t stand the thought of losing this moment—or her.

  He captured her between his body and the closest wall the second he carried her into the house. Now she was withering against him, pulling and tugging at his clothes as much as he was hers. The fabric needed to disappear. Then he could feel her skin next to his and feel the sweat beading on them as he thrust deep and hard.

  Just thinking of it had him ready to lose it.

  Breaking their kiss, he lowered her legs back to the floor and slid his hands under her shirt. Once he pulled it upward, she yanked it from her arms and tossed it onto the floor. He didn’t see where it landed. Nothing around him existed except the wondrous sight before him.

  He trailed his fingers along Cori’s bra where the lace trimmed the edge. It wouldn’t take much more than a flick of his fingers to loosen it, but what was the rush? She was his for tonight, and if he got his way, this wouldn’t be the only night.

  Hooking his finger under her bra strap, he lowered it down her shoulder then planted his lips where it once laid. Cori’s breathing increased. Her hands squeezed his arms as if she were trying to get closer. The only way she could accomplish that was to join her body with his.

  The thought made his dick pulse. He rolled his hips into hers, trying to lessen the ache his erection was causing. The second he bit her shoulder, she bucked against him.

  “Jesse, please.”

  Her raspy voice had him growing thicker. It was tempting to give in to her. He wanted to be inside her just as much as she wanted him there. Still, he didn’t want to rush it.

  The future was impossible to predict. He couldn’t say they would be together after this, which is why he wanted to take it slow, enjoy the moment, and savor every second with her. He may not get another chance.

  Ignoring the knot that formed in his gut, he pushed the negative thoughts aside and focused on the woman melting against him. He swept his lips up her neck then whispered in her ear.

  “What are you begging for, Cori? Do you want me to fuck you?”

  “Yes.” Her voice sounded pained, like a torturous one brought on by the denial of pleasure. Good. He wanted her to ache for him, to beg him to satisfy the craving that burned within her.

  He lowered his hand and slipped it between her legs. As she arched her back, he pressed his thumb against her thin pants. A seductive groan passed over her lips the instant he found her clit.

  “Do you like me touching you here?”

  She stared at him, unable to speak. All she could do was nod and buck against him again. When he pressed harder, her eyes closed.

  Without another thought, he gripped both sides of her pants, pushed them to her ankles, and went to his knees. He didn’t bother to see if she was looking. Instead, he grabbed her ass and held her still as he ran his tongue over her panties.

  Cori sucked in a breath. “Oh, god.”

  Her hand raked through his hair. He rejoiced in the fact that he had turned her on, but she hadn’t seen anything yet.

  Sliding her panties from her hips, he pushed them to her thighs then shoved his tongue into her. One, quick lap, and he found the sweet little spot that drove her insane. The second he flicked her clit, her knees bent, and she slid down the wall.

  Fuck, she tasted sweet.

  He held her tighter and began swirling his tongue. The faster he moved, the more her legs began to shake. Her breath labored too, but it didn’t stop her from working her hips. She wanted more from him.

  Another lap of his tongue caused spasms in her legs. It was nothing compared to the way she shook when he sucked her clit between his lips and flicked it repeatedly. If it weren’t for the grip he had on her body, she would have fallen to the floor. Good. She was right where he wanted her.

  One last flick and he kissed his way back up her body, taking his time to bite at her nipples through her bra. When he finally reached her mouth, she breathed heavily into his.

  No words were spoken. Cori’s facial expressions said enough. Wonder. Surprise. Desire. All were present, and he loved knowing he was the reason she was experiencing each.

  He pressed his lips back to hers and kissed her hard. Just as her arms curled around his neck, he parted her legs and slid a couple of fingers inside her. As he plunged them deeply, she broke their kiss. Her hips wriggled, and she cried out as his thumb teased her clit again.

  “Jesse, please.” Her voice was desperate, throaty. “I need you. I want to feel you inside me.”

  How could he refuse? He’d teased her long enough. All he was doing now was torturing himself. Each time his cock throbbed reminded him how much.

  “I want you too, Cori.” He nipped her lower lip as he stared into her eyes. “God, I’ve wanted you for so fucking long.”

  “Prove it,” she whispered the words as her hand met the bulge in his jeans. Her lips teased his in a series of short kisses. They were only a distraction while she loosened the button and lowered his zipper. When the heat of her hand warmed his cock, he groaned.

  Cori stroked his shaft as she worked his dick loose from his jeans. Once freed, her fingers moved to his ass, and she pulled him closer. “Please don’t make me beg. I need you now.”

  That was it. Jesse couldn’t take anymore. Once he lifted Cori back in his arms, he spun her around toward the sectional. He eased her onto the cushions then finished removing her pants. Her panties followed, and when he saw her spread before him, ready to be devoured, he lowered his hips toward hers.

  H
overing just above her, he gazed into her eyes once more. “Are you sure you want me, Cori?”

  “Yes,” she cried.

  His cock throbbed in eagerness. He could almost feel the heat of her pussy around him, could almost feel the wet warmth he was dying to slide into. And just as he positioned himself to drive into the deepest part of her, someone knocked on the door.

  The sound caused his body to freeze. Cori’s did the same, but her eyes grew wider, and she whispered against his lips. “Who could that be?”

  He tilted his head back and listened for other sounds. When he didn’t hear anything, he looked at her. “I don’t know . . . Maybe they left.”

  He leaned in to kiss her again, but she held up her hand to block him. “Jesse, we’re in the middle of nowhere. What if someone is broke down or has a flat tire? Perhaps they just need to use a phone.”

  She was right. He knew that, but the thought of moving away from her nearly killed him. Whoever was at the door better have a damn good excuse as to why they were there. Otherwise, he’d throttle them.

  “Sit tight. I’ll see who it is and get rid of them as quickly as possible.”

  “I should probably put on my clothes.”

  As much he didn’t want that to happen, he nodded. Fuck it. So what if she redressed? He’d have just as much fun undressing her again. This time, he wouldn’t hold back.

  When he stood, he watched her eyes lower to his dick. He didn’t miss the smile she fought to keep hidden or the way she bit her lip when he tucked it away to zip and button his jeans.

  The subtle sign of anticipation made it hard to turn away and walk to the front of the cabin. The quicker he did, the sooner he could find out who was there, what they wanted, and send them on their way. He had more important things to attend to.

  As he approached the door, the large wreath hanging outside blocked the glass and most of his view. There was no way to tell who was there or what they could possibly want. It only frustrated him more.