“Now it’s my fucking turn,” he said, banding her upper body down against his. Drawing his knees up, he braced his heels against the mattress, and then he let his hips fly in a fast rhythm that had him drilling up into her. Their skin smacked and their breaths sawed and their fingers dug into one another. And it was the best that Slider had felt in years. Jesus, maybe even in more years than he wanted to admit, more than he’d ever let himself think about before.
“God, I want to feel you come again,” she breathed against his ear. “Want to know I made you come.”
It was her words that did it. One, two, three strokes more and his orgasm nailed him in the back of the spine and had him hammering her with a series of punctuated thrusts as her pussy squeezed him dry.
He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, couldn’t think about why this should never happen again when his instincts screamed to know when it would be happening next.
Finally, their bodies calmed and stilled, and Slider was forced to withdraw from her whether he wanted to or not. And then they lay together for a long time, Cora again positioned in the nook along the side of his body, both of them occasionally drifting off to sleep, and neither of them talking because they both knew what they had to say.
It didn’t surprise him that, when one of them finally spoke, it was Cora. She was brave and honest like that, and she’d never struck him as someone to play games. “So, earlier,” she whispered. “I said, ‘Just this once.’”
“Yeah,” Slider said, regret slinking around in his gut.
“I’m open to not being held to that,” she said, that same regret slinking around in her voice, “but I also understand if you feel like we need to.”
Slider sighed and tipped her jaw so that they were looking eye to eye. “I don’t regret this Cora, not one fucking bit. But I’m your boss. I don’t want you to feel taken advantage of. I wasn’t lying when I told you I’m kind of a wreck, and I also don’t want to confuse the boys.” The boys, who had already seen them in bed together. So Slider was already screwing that one up.
“Yeah,” she said. “I know. And I’m still trying to figure my life out, so . . .”
So. Fuck.
“So then, this can’t happen again,” he said, knowing the words coming out of his mouth were the right call, but hating them all the same.
Chapter 11
“Slider, would you be willing to help me buy a car?” Cora asked after the boys left for school on Wednesday morning. She’d recovered from her illness, started to set up her routine as the Evanses’ nanny, and accomplished all the legwork she could online and by phone about getting a car, volunteering at the animal shelter, and applying for spring enrollment at the community college. Now all she needed was the wheels.
He turned from the bowl of cereal he was pouring for himself, which in and of itself was an interesting development. Because making pancakes was some sort of big family tradition, he often ate a few with the boys on Sunday mornings. But when was the last time she’d seen him eat breakfast during the week? “Uh, what did you have in mind?”
“I know it’s a lot to ask, but I’ve never bought my own car before, and you know a lot about them. So I was hoping you might have time to come along, ask all the right questions, and help me negotiate a good deal.”
Leaning against the counter, he crossed his arms. “Actually, I’ve been thinking about this. And I have an alternate idea.” As he spoke, she tried not to notice how crossing his arms made the muscles of his biceps pop out, or just how sexy his old worn jeans were hanging on his lean hips. But after she’d clutched at those muscles and felt those hips between her legs, it was incredibly difficult not to notice such things.
Or want them again . . .
“Which is?”
“Well, a lot of people who employ nannies apparently provide vehicles. So I was thinking maybe you could have my truck to use.”
She frowned. “What about you?”
He ducked his chin, his gaze dropping to the floor between them. And then he gave a little shrug. “I have my bike.”
It was only because he wasn’t looking at her that she didn’t rein in the surprise that must’ve hit her expression. Because Slider had never once ridden his motorcycle the whole time she’d known him. Not even in the procession at the funeral of the prospect who’d died a few months back during an attack on the clubhouse. Hell, he didn’t even wear his Ravens’ cutoff jacket like all the other brothers did. And Cora had heard more than a little commentary around the clubhouse that Slider hadn’t ridden or participated much in club business in years. It was like when Kim died, she’d somehow taken all the other parts of Slider’s life with her. All except the boys.
“Your bike,” she managed.
Another little shrug. “Yeah. I mean, I’m sure it needs a tune-up, but I’ve been thinking . . .”
She held her breath and prayed for him to finish that thought, because she really wanted to know what was going on in this man’s head. But he offered no more.
“Anyway, you could have the truck and then you wouldn’t need to put out money on a car.” He lifted that pale gaze to her again.
For a moment, Cora wasn’t sure what to say. On the one hand, she really wanted him to get back into riding again. Because it was something for him. And it was something that would pull him back into the club he’d once loved. And Slider couldn’t go on forever isolating himself from everything about which he used to care.
On the other hand . . . “That’s really generous, Slider. And I’m definitely tempted. The thing is, as much as I’d love to save the money, I’m also eager to do this for myself. To feel like I’ve achieved a major life event. Not that buying a car is that major, I guess, it’s just—”
“No, I get it. And it is. It’s something to be proud of. So, sure, yeah, count me in. I’d be happy to help.”
Cora could’ve squealed, but instead she just grinned like an idiot.
He arched a brow. “And when did you want to do this?”
“Today?” she squeaked, knowing he had the day and night off. “Or, you know, not today . . .”
He stared at her, and finally shook his head. “You’re as bad as Ben. Both of you make it impossible to say no.”
A fleeting wisecrack jumped to the tip of her tongue about how he’d been able to say no to more sex, but she was too excited about possibly buying a car today to give it voice. Besides, she’d agreed to the no more sex rule, too, hadn’t she? “Is that a yes to today?”
Four hours later, they were browsing their second car lot. Slider had talked her out of one car for being expensive to repair and convinced her that another wasn’t a good value given its mileage.
“Ooh, this one’s pretty,” Cora said, coming up to a red sedan. She peered in at the tan leather seats as Slider went to the sticker on the window.
“Cops love to tag speeding red cars. How heavy is your foot?” he asked.
She chuckled. “I mean, I’m no grandma, but I don’t approach the highway like it’s a racetrack, either.”
He smirked at her, bringing his dimple out to play, and it was a look that drew her right back into his bed. “Never in a million years would I take you for a grandma.”
She cleared her throat. “Right. So. Actually, now that I think of it, Bunny could be a grandma and she could probably kick my ass, so maybe I shouldn’t use grandmas as my reference point,” she said in a flustered rush. “Anyway, what do you think?” The amount looked reasonable, and with just under forty thousand miles, the mileage looked good, too.
“Camrys are very reliable. I’ve seen more than a few of them hit two hundred thousand miles before nickel and diming their owners. You should take it for a spin.”
Cora grinned, a grin that only got bigger when she was behind the wheel and driving the car up Interstate 70. It rode like a dream. And it had a great sound system. And a moon roof. She was in love, but she knew she was supposed to be playing it cool.
“Push it going up the mountain,?
?? Slider said from the passenger’s seat. “I want to see what its pickup is like.”
“Okay,” she said, hitting the gas and moving into the passing lane. From the backseat, the car salesman started extolling the virtues of the car’s V6 engine, but all Cora could focus on was Slider’s big body filling her car—because it already felt like her car—his posture relaxed, his thighs spread. Her brain very unhelpfully imagined all the ways they could break her car in, none of which fell into the no more sex category. Stupid brain.
The car took the mountain without any resistance at all.
She grinned at Slider and tried to telegraph her thoughts: I love it so much! His expression was amused as he shook his head, and it made the skin crinkle around his eyes. And, damn, humor on his face made him even more good-looking. He’d taken to wearing a bit of scruff on his jaw, and Cora couldn’t look at it without remembering the way it had felt against her face and breasts and thighs.
She hadn’t minded the bite of that scruff, not one freaking bit.
Finally, they returned to the car lot, and the salesman turned to Slider. “So, what do you think?”
Slider’s gaze narrowed. “Ask the lady, she’s your customer.”
“Oh, of course.” The older man turned to her with a smile. “And what do you think, little lady?”
Seriously? Now her eyes were the ones narrowing. Thankfully, Slider had given her advice on negotiating on price and all the games car salesmen played, so she had some idea what to say and do. “I like it, but it is older than I was hoping for. And I’m worried about the color being so flashy. I’ve heard the police go after red cars that speed more than other colors.” She twisted her lips as if she were truly debating.
The man dove in with his counterarguments, but Cora started walking down the line of cars again as if she weren’t wedded to her beautiful red baby.
She sighed and glanced at Slider. “Maybe we should go see that other car again, don’t you think, honey?” She couldn’t look at his face as she called him that, not because she thought he’d be angry, but because if he wore any surprise on his face, it would make her laugh.
Hands in his pockets, he nodded. “Yeah, babe. This one could use new tires, too, to be honest. So that’s another expense.”
Inside, her reactions warred between Babe! and Oh, no, did it really need new tires? She gave Slider a look and caught both the suppressed humor and the minute shake of his head. She almost really did laugh, then. They were totally teaming up on this poor salesman. Not that she really felt bad for him.
“How about this,” the man said. Herb. That was actually his name. “Why don’t we go inside and let me talk to my manager about what else we might be able to do on the price.”
“Will it take long?” Cora asked. “Because I really think I need to see this other car I was looking at.”
“Oh, no, ma’am,” he said, escorting them inside. So she’d risen in stature from little lady to ma’am. Interesting.
When Slider and Cora were alone in Herb’s office, she whispered, “I want this car so bad I might die.”
“I know, little lady. I know.” Slider winked at her. “Just keep playing it disinterested.”
Oh, man, Playful Slider was even more appealing than Talkative Slider. Gah.
Finally, Herb returned with a deal sheet that took eight hundred off the price of the car.
Cora stood up, and Slider rose with her. “Oh, I’m sorry, Herb. I thought you were interested in my business. Given that the car needs tires, that price needs to come down at least another twelve hundred before I’ll think you’re serious. If that’s not possible, please tell me now so I can head back to that other dealer.”
“Oh, no, no. Please sit, I’m sure we can work something out.” Herb gestured to their chairs. With a little back-and-forth, he came down another seven hundred, which had been Cora’s goal all along. She was completely flipping out on the inside. “I’ll write it up,” he said, shaking her hand.
“Write it up with new floor mats, Herb. Won’t you?” Slider asked, eyebrows arched, hands crossed over his flat belly, legs extended, and ankles crossed. The picture of ease. The picture of sex on a stick, too.
Cora wanted to hug him. Or kiss him. Or straddle him in that chair.
Herb sighed. “I’ll see what I can do.”
Forty-five minutes later, Cora was the proud owner of her very first car, newly washed, to boot. And a set of new floor mats. “It’s mine!” she said, gripping her key fob, awe and excitement flowing through her in equal measure. “It’s really mine.”
Standing next to her driver’s door, Slider chuckled. “Sure is. You did a great job in there.”
“We did a great job,” she said with a grin she couldn’t hold back. And she was so grateful to Slider for helping to make it happen that she couldn’t hold it in. “Thank you.” She threw her arms around his shoulders.
His arms came around her more slowly, but when they did, they held her tight. And they didn’t let go.
After that, Cora hadn’t thought her week could get any better. She’d started a new job. Received a beautiful new bedroom. And had incredible sex, even if they’d decided it could happen only that one time. And on top of it all, she bought a new car, which also just happened to be the single nicest thing she’d ever owned.
But then the animal shelter had enthusiastically asked her to come on as a volunteer. Not only that, they’d been so busy lately that they asked her how soon she could start. They’d agreed on Monday.
And if the boys thought she’d been cool before, it was nothing compared to them knowing she now officially worked with animals, even if it wasn’t paid.
“Can we come visit you sometime?” Sam asked.
“Ooh, can we adopt a dog of our own? Can we, Dad?” Ben said, flinging spaghetti off his fork in excitement.
Cora threw Slider an apologetic look. They were having an early dinner so he could join them before his overnight shift began, and it was nice, the four of them eating together, talking and sharing things about their days.
She’d never had that, even growing up. Her parents had divorced when she was eleven, and her mother had always been too involved with trying to please new boyfriends to pay Cora any mind. Apparently, having a preteen daughter about had done bad things to her mom’s self-esteem, which was how Cora wound up living with her dad. So Cora intended to enjoy this, to revel in it, even, every single time it happened. She winked at Ben and said, “Maybe we should get used to me living here before we bring another mongrel into the house.” Ben chuckled.
“So what exactly will you get to do there?” Sam asked.
“I’m not sure yet,” Cora said. “Starting out, I think I’ll mostly get to walk the dogs and help at feeding time, clean out cages, and work at the reception desk. But what I’m really hoping to be able to do is assist in the exam rooms.” She took a deep breath, and chanced sharing her probably silly dream. “Someday, after a whole lot of classes, I might like to work as a veterinarian, and I thought this would be a way to see if I’d really like it.”
“That’s so cool, Cora,” Ben said, slurping up a noodle.
“I think so, too,” Sam said more quietly. From across the table, Slider gave her an appraising look.
Her cheeks heating, she chuckled. “I think so, three. And the lady I met with said my timing was really good, because there have apparently been a lot of dogs getting dropped off and abandoned around the area lately. Dogs in bad shape. So I guess things at the shelter have been busier than normal.” Seeing injured and abused dogs was going to be the hardest part of it, Cora knew. How could anybody hurt a defenseless creature? Then again, she’d seen enough of the underbelly of human nature that she shouldn’t even be asking such a naïve question. Some people just got off on hurting those weaker or more vulnerable than themselves.
Cora and Haven wouldn’t even live in Maryland if that weren’t true.
“Why would someone just abandon a dog?” Sam said, scowling.
>
“What kinds of dogs are they?” Slider asked, clearing his plate. “Did the lady tell you?”
“No,” Cora said, shaking her head. “But certain breeds get dumped more than others. Pretty much any shelter you look at online has more pit bull mixes for adoption than almost any other kind. It’s sad.” But hopefully, in helping to take care of the animals and maybe even helping them to find homes, Cora could make a difference. After all, she knew what it felt like not to be wanted, too. “I guess I’ll learn more once I’m there. For now, it looks like I’m going to volunteer on Mondays and Thursdays, if that’s okay. And maybe an occasional night, because the shelter has an emergency after-hours clinic. Does that sound okay?”
Slider nodded. “I think it’s important that you do this, so I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
Cora ducked her chin and kinda lit up inside at how supportive they were all being.
After dinner, Slider cleared the table as she stowed the leftovers in containers. There was an odd intimacy to working with him in his kitchen this way, and it made Cora feel a little tingly inside.
“I gotta go,” Slider said, settling the last of the dishes in the sink. His hand fell on her arm.
“Okay?” she said, surprised at his touch. Save for the impromptu hug she’d given him in thanks for helping her buy a car—a hug he’d let her out of none too quickly—he hadn’t initiated touching her since she’d risen from his bed that morning.
“I just wanted to say that you doing this volunteering and talking about taking classes, I think you’re a good role model for my kids, Cora.”
Cora’s mouth dropped open. Her eyes pricked. Her breath caught in her throat. “That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me, Slider.”
He tucked a blond curl behind her ear. “It’s just the truth.”
Then he was gone. And Cora wasn’t sure how she ever got so lucky as the day she was invited to be a part of this family, even if it was just temporary.