Second Chance (29 page)

Her eyes locked on his in the mirror, she obeyed him.

“Now slide them down those gorgeous legs.”

Again she obeyed, allowing the pants to drop to the floor. He almost lost it when he saw the white cotton briefs she wore. Just like most of her clothing, there was nothing remotely sexy about the garment, but on Keeley, it suddenly became wet-dream lingerie.

His hands slid over her hips, caressed the silky soft skin at her thighs. “Your legs are perfect, too. Long and beautifully shaped. I love how your sleek muscles ripple when you move.” He bit her ear again. “Do you know how often I’ve fantasized about having those legs wrapped around me again?”

“Really?”

“Oh, sweetheart, you have no idea how badly I want you. You’re a fantasy woman … the kind that men dream about but know they can never have.”

“You can have me.”

The shaky, breathy confession almost undid him then and there. “Thank you, Keeley.”

More than anything, he wanted to strip off her briefs, lay her on the floor, and plunge into her. But this moment was too important. The fact that she’d gone for so long not knowing how incredibly sexy she was seemed almost impossible. But he’d seen the evidence in her expression. She was totally unaware of her innate sensuality. The way she walked, moved … even her slow smiles made him think of sex with her.

Desire strumming hard, Cole took a ragged breath and allowed his hands to glide up and down her luscious curves several times, loving the way her eyes followed his movements. He stopped at her briefs and hooked his fingers into the cloth, taking them down as he continued down her legs. They dropped to the floor, on top of her jeans.

“Step out of them.”

As if her legs were weak, Keeley took a small
stumbling step. Cole’s arms held her as she moved away from the clothes, her last barrier against him. Knowing what he would see when he looked back in the mirror didn’t prepare him for the reality. She was a goddess. An olive-skinned, exotic beauty from the top of her silky head to the bottom of her long, narrow feet.

She needed to hear the words as much as he needed to say them. “Look at yourself, Keeley, and never, ever, doubt your beauty again.”

“I feel beautiful in your arms.”

His eyes on her face, he gauged her reaction as his hands moved over her, stroking. Dark brown nipples, peaked in arousal, hardened even more, and Cole knew he wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer from tasting her. His control in serious peril, he continued to caress as he expressed his thoughts.

“Watch my hands glide over you … you’re softer than satin. Soon, very soon, I want to taste every inch of that sweet, silky skin.”

Watching her eyes follow his hands as they glided up and down her lush curves was one of the sexiest turn-ons he’d ever had. A pretty flush of pink covered her entire body, tiny breaths panted from her, and the glaze in her eyes told him she was finding pleasure in watching.

“Have you ever watched yourself come?”

“What?”

The startled surprise in her expression told him no. He wanted to give that to her, too. Not only to see herself as the beautiful, sexy woman she was, but also to help her see she could explore her sexuality with him. He wanted her to feel safe and secure in his arms and with herself.

“Will you do that for me? Come for me … here, in front of the mirror? Watch yourself fall apart in my arms?”

A bright red flush covered her face. “Cole, I don’t know …”

“Trust me, sweetheart.” His conscience reared its ugly head at that comment. Hell, when she found out what he was keeping from her, would she ever trust anyone again? He’d been stupid for starting this, but damned if he would stop it. When she found out, he’d make sure she realized that in this he was telling the truth.

One of his hands glided to her breasts and caressed firmly, the other slid to the short ebony curls at the apex of her thighs. Her body trembled as her eyes followed his hand to her sex.

“Open for me.”

His breath hitched as she parted her legs. Cole’s hand shook as he placed it on her sex and felt the heat. He inhaled deeply, searching for control; the scent of her arousal almost pushed him over the top. As his fingers parted the soft folds, he groaned as heated moisture coated his fingertips. She was already throbbing, close, on edge.

“Let go for me, sweetheart. Watch me pleasure you.”

Delving his fingers deeper, Cole had to close his eyes for a second as he slid inside and felt her inner muscles clenching, drawing him in.

“So hot and ready for me.” He pressed a firm finger against the hard kernel of nerves at the top of her sex and groaned when she gasped and moved with sensuous grace against his finger. “That’s it, Keeley. Feel me inside you. Think about how I’m going to fill you.”

“Cole … I don’t … Oh …” She gave a low, sexy moan and began a dance of sheer beauty. His finger delving deeper, Cole watched her face, saw the flush of deep arousal as her dark eyes went black with heat.

Sliding two fingers inside her, his other hand cupping her right breast, he took her nipple between his finger and thumb and pinched gently. The answering throb
inside her sex had him plunging deeper. Tension filled her body as she began a wilder dance.

Locking his eyes with hers, he plunged and retreated over and over. Her eyes went wide with shock, her mouth opened on a long, low moan as she shuddered and came against his fingers.

He let her ride for several more seconds, loving how she clenched and spasmed; imagined how she’d feel against his cock. When she gave one last shuddering sigh, he asked, “Do you want me, Keeley?”

Her eyes half closed, she moved her head in a languid nod. “More than ever.”

Clenching his jaw for control, he pulled his fingers from her hot moist core, turned her around, and covered her mouth with his, plunging and thrusting, devouring.

Keeley wrapped her arms around Cole’s neck and pressed against him. Though she was nude and he was fully clothed, it didn’t bother her in the least. This was Cole, and anything and everything they did together was perfect. What she’d just experienced with him was unlike anything she had ever dreamed, or fantasized about…. She wanted, needed to experience everything. But only with this man.

Cole pulled away slightly, fire glinting in his eyes as they roamed over her body. “I want to be inside you so badly, I can’t wait any longer.”

“Don’t wait. I feel like it’s been a lifetime already.”

Letting her go, Cole began to strip. Keeley helped him as much as she could, but had to stop several times to caress the hard silk of his skin. When his shirt landed on the floor, her fingers roamed over him, loving the furred mat of hair that covered his chest and tapered down to his hard, flat stomach and then to his groin. Before he could unzip his pants, her hand slid beneath his waistband, searching for the hard masculine length that
could give such pleasure. Throbbing began anew between her legs as she remembered how it felt to have that hard length coming inside her.

Cole pushed her gently away and growled, “Let me get out of these clothes.”

A hot flush of heat swept through her as she anticipated seeing him nude for the first time. Her legs shaky, Keeley backed up until she felt the bed at the back of her legs. She dropped onto it and watched Cole strip down to his briefs. If she’d thought him beautiful before, she now amended that to magnificent. Only in her deepest, wildest fantasies had she ever imagined a man who looked like Cole Mathison.

“Lay back, sweetheart.”

Keeley lay down and watched as Cole walked slowly toward her. She was surprised when he stopped suddenly, his face a blend of hot desire and a touching uncertainty. “I don’t have any protection. We took a big chance before, but I—”

“Check the pocket of my jeans.”

The smile on his face almost distracted her from watching his incredible body move as he stooped down to pick up her jeans. Muscles rippled and flexed and it was all Keeley could do to sit still and not go to him. She literally could not stop staring. If ever there was a physically perfect man, it had to be Cole Mathison.

Her heartbeat went into overdrive when he pulled down his last piece of clothing, his underwear, and Keeley saw him for the first time. She hadn’t thought he could turn her on any more than she already was. But seeing him fully nude, fully erect, and to know that desire was for her … she swallowed a groan as he slid a condom over his long, hard length.

Her entire body throbbing with arousal as Cole approached her, Keeley scooted up farther on the bed to give him room. Instead of joining her, he dropped to his
knees beside the bed and growled, “Come here.” Grabbing her legs, he pulled her toward him. Before she could fathom his intent, his mouth was on her, his tongue in her. She clapped her hand over her mouth to muffle her screams as she zoomed toward full climax again in seconds.

Before she had recovered her breath, Cole loomed over her. His face tender and aroused at the same time, he asked again, “Are you sure?”

Pulling him down to her, she whispered against his mouth, “Yes.”

And then he was inside her, moving, thrusting. Her legs wrapped around his waist, Keeley rose up to meet every thrust, glorying in the overwhelming and unbelievable pleasure he was giving her. Eyes closed, she let her mind accept what her heart had known for days. She was in love with Cole Mathison. For the first time in her life, she was truly and completely in love.

The night was quiet and peaceful … the aftermath of not only incredible physical pleasure, but an intimate exploration of her sexuality. Her body, though limp with exhaustion, felt reborn, renewed.

The baby monitor she’d placed on the bedside table transmitted the sweet sounds of Hannah’s deep, even breaths of sleep. And for just those few precious moments, despite the pain she continued to feel for Hailey, Keeley felt a small measure of tranquillity.

Cole had switched off the ceiling light, and the small glow from the bedside lamp revealed his expression of relaxed contentment. She had never seen him look so at ease. He held her tight in his arms as her hands glided over his shoulder, then his back. Tears pooled in her eyes as she felt the scars beneath her fingers.

“How did it happen?”

He didn’t pretend not to know what she was talking about. Releasing her, he rolled over onto his back. “On an op with Shea and Ethan. I had my mind on something else and screwed up … ended up getting captured.”

The words were so calm, sounded simple. The experience had to have been horrifying and the pain immense. She swallowed back the emotion and asked, “What did they do to you?”

He gave a hollow laugh. “Whatever the hell they wanted. Drugs, beatings, torture.”

“But why?”

“Because they could.”

“How long?”

“Almost a year.”

Dear God, a year!
Her heart bled for him. “How did you get away?”

“Shea and Ethan rescued me.”

Wrapping her arms around him, she pressed the side of her face against his chest; his heartbeat, a strong, steady thud in her ear, was a gift. “Thank God they did. Did the person who did this … were they caught?”

“I killed him.”

She wanted to say “Good,” because for the first time in her life, she was glad that someone was dead. Whoever had done this deserved death. However, the pain in Cole’s voice made her think he somehow regretted killing him.

“You sound sad.”

He breathed out a long, low sigh. “Not sad that he’s dead … and not even sad that I was the one to do it.” He stopped for a second and then added softly, “But killing should never be easy, no matter how much the bastard deserved it.”

“I’m sorry you went through something like that.”

“Keeley, there’s something you—”

She climbed on top of him. “Shh.” Her mouth feathered down his face, pressing soft little kisses.

With a groan, he grabbed her ass and kneaded it, pressing her against him. Keeley straddled his hips and took him inside; Cole grabbed her hips and pushed deeper.

She sat up and gasped at the incredible fullness. Her eyes closed as she began a slow, steady ride.

“Look at me, sweetheart.”

She looked down and watched Cole’s eyes deepen to a dark ocean blue. His hands moved her hips, up and
down, giving her a quicker rhythm. A gasp of need had her leaning forward to lie over him.

He caught her shoulders before she reached him. “I can’t believe I haven’t even tasted you yet.”

She jerked, the growling words startling her, and then gasped as he pulsed within her. Her eyes fluttering closed for a second, she opened them to see his gaze focused on her breasts.

“Can I?” he asked softly.

Desire strumming so wildly she could barely function, she answered him in the only way she could. Holding her left breast in her hand, she brought it to his mouth and watched as his lips closed over her nipple. His tongue lashed across the sensitive bud and she shivered at the sensation. And then he opened his mouth wider, took her deeper, and began a strong suckle. Keeley cried out at the incredible sensation of his hot mouth drawing on her. An answering throb deep within her had her moving up and down on his hard length.

Cole pulled his mouth from her breast and whispered, “Now give me the other one.”

Her hands shaking with need, she took her right breast and held it to his mouth. Cole opened and the sheer eroticism of placing her nipple on his tongue almost sent her over the edge. And when his mouth closed over her and sucked hard, she arched her back and groaned his name, pleading with him.

Climax slammed through her so fast and hard, she caught her breath on a gasping scream. As her womb throbbed, Cole sucked at her nipple harder; lightning flashed … exploded behind her eyes, in her body, and once again Keeley came apart in his arms.

Returning to earth, she opened her eyes to see Cole’s expression fierce, almost feral with need. He seemed to be asking her a question. Though not sure what the question was, she trusted this man above all others.
Whatever he wanted, whatever he needed, if it was hers to give, he could have it all. She nodded her head and then, in case he didn’t understand, she said softly, “Anything.”