Chasing Dreams (Devil's Bend) (13 page)

He
wanted her to keep going. To explain herself. Based on what he knew about Tessa
Donovan, she was a strong woman. She ran a bar practically by herself, and she
had made her way in life. She had big dreams, but something had gotten in the
way of them. Was it just money? Or was there something else holding her back?
Those were the questions that he pondered at night when he thought about her.
She intrigued him, unlike any woman before her. He wanted to know everything
about her, and not just the feel of her silky skin beneath his hands.

Although
there was that.

“Maybe
I should go,” Tessa said, sounding even farther away, although he could still
feel her standing behind him.

Unwilling
to let her walk away, Cooper turned. The woman stole his breath when he looked
at her. That simple, white sundress highlighted the smooth, tan skin of her
arms, even in the darkness. The soft yellow glow from inside the house backlit
her, making her look like an angel. He wanted this angel. He wanted to believe
he’d found her for a reason.

Moving
closer, Cooper kept his gaze pinned on hers, not allowing his eyes to roam over
the gentle swell of her breasts, or the subtle curve of her waist. When she
licked her lips, his gaze faltered, and he glanced down, wanting to suck on her
bottom lip, to taste her the way he had before. He wanted to get carried away.

“I
assure you, I’m not running. Not from my career or anything else. I came here
for a reason. I’m just not sure what that reason was anymore.” Cooper was
beginning to think he’d been lured to Devil’s Bend for this woman.

“Come
here,” he whispered, standing just a few feet away from her. He wasn’t going to
push her, but he wasn’t sure he could keep his hands off of her a minute
longer.

She
moved closer, causing him to hold his breath, the eager anticipation running
amuck in his bloodstream. When she was within touching distance, Cooper forced
his hands to remain at his side, refusing to touch her. Not yet.

“I’m
not interested in casual, Tessa. I haven’t been interested in casual for a long
time. I’m old enough to know what I want, and playing games ain’t it.” His
honesty surprised even him. The way her eyes widened said he’d stunned her as
well.

“What
do you want?” she asked, sounding unsure of herself.

“Right
now? I want you.” He wanted to pick up where they left off the other night.

“Tell
me,” she whispered, obviously reading his mind.

“I
want to peel that damned dress off of you and run my lips over every inch of
your perfect skin. I want to sink to my knees and bury my tongue between your
legs, to lap your sweetness until you scream my name. I want to risk getting
splinters in my ass while you ride my cock right here on the back porch.”

Tessa’s
breath hitched, she bit her bottom lip, but she didn’t run from him this time.
Cooper could see the pebbled tips of her nipples through that soft fabric of
her dress, and he wanted to untie the thin straps that kept her hidden from him
and suck her into his mouth. What he wanted from her was intense. It had been since
the moment he laid eyes on her. He wanted to learn every inch of her body by
taste and touch. But he wasn’t willing to get anything less in return. He
needed her to know his intentions.

“Do
you understand me, Tessa?”

She
nodded her head as though she did, but Cooper wasn’t so sure. Taking another
step closer, he closed the gap between them, tilting her chin up so she had to
maintain eye contact.

“Then
I want to wake up in the morning with you in my arms. I want to feel your body
pressed against me, the heat of your skin as I roll you over and slide inside
of you.” He swallowed. “I’m not looking for one night, Tessa.”

“I’m
not looking for forever, cowboy,” Tessa stated, her tone laced with what
sounded like fear.

“No?
And how do you know that?”

Cooper
wasn’t necessarily looking for forever, but if it found him, he wasn’t going to
walk away. He had never found forever, not in all of his thirty-one years, and
by God, he wanted something of his own. He wanted a house, a wife, babies. He
wanted the whole nine yards, and he would be damned if he was going to let his
career hinder him anymore.

“I
just know. I’ve been down that road.”

She’d
been married, he knew that. Based on the stories he had heard, the man she
married had been the love of her life. He had died and left her all by herself.

Cooper
understood that he would never be able to replace that man, nor did he want to.
But he knew for a fact that there was a passionate, intense woman hiding behind
those walls, and he had a sudden desire to tear down every one of them.

He
planned to start tonight.

Tessa
refused to listen to the naïve heart that was pounding like a bass drum in her
chest. This was a man who made his living writing songs that made people fall
in love.

She
wasn’t looking for love, but she was quickly warming to the idea of all of the
tantalizing things he was offering when it came to physical gratification.
However, when she told him she’d been down this road before, she wasn’t lying.
Both the heart melting love which she’d had with Richie and then the erotic
moments stolen between two lovers, which she’d experienced with another man a
couple of years after Richie died.

And,
aside from the love she had shared with Richie, Tessa had sadly learned that
nothing was sacred.

Sex,
even with astronomical, top of the Richter scale rated orgasms usually came
with a price. As much as she wanted to let loose and go wild with Cooper –
something she’d done more when she was a foolish young woman than any time in
the last few years – she felt her self-preservation kick in.

She
had learned the hard way that she couldn’t give in to that reckless side of
herself anymore because once her passion ran high, she did stupid things… like
fall in love. That possibility had been stolen from her when Richie was killed
by a strung out drug addict. She didn’t have it in her to risk forsaking
herself for another man. Even a man like Cooper.

“But
you haven’t been down that road with me,” Cooper said, making her skin prickle
with goose bumps.

Just
the rich rumble of his voice sent chills racing down her spine. That and the
way the night cloaked them in darkness, adding another degree of mystery to the
man who was quickly getting under her skin.

 She
had to remind herself that she hardly knew this man. Just because he walked
into her bar, singing sweet country love songs did not mean he meant them for
her. And even though she did know some things about him, she still wondered
what he was running from. Was it his career? Did he really get burned out? Or
was there something more that he wasn’t telling people? Based on the pieces of
the one-sided conversations she had heard, Tessa wasn’t so sure he hadn’t
disappeared off the country music map for a reason other than the one he was
giving her. And he was keeping those reasons to himself.

“Same
road,” she muttered.
Different guy
.

When
Cooper’s fingers grazed the bare skin of her shoulder, she couldn’t repress the
shudder that rippled through her. Still staring into his mesmerizing brown
eyes, she watched as they darkened, a compelling hunger reflected there. Oh the
things this man could do to her body. She didn’t doubt his ability to make her
body scream and beg for more, she just got the impression that he might want
more from her than she was willing to give. And it had nothing to do with
naked, writhing bodies.

Tessa
wasn’t interested in love.

She
wasn’t interested in romance.

Dinner
on his back porch, just the two of them alone, promised so much more for her
than wine and roses and fancy, expensive restaurants would have. It gave her
the opportunity to explore those more powerful feelings that fluttered through
her. And she had known that was a risk she was taking as soon as she realized
he was bringing her to his house.

Her
hesitant, uncertain heart knew better than to let her hormones make decisions
for her. Right now, the term vulnerable was an understatement, and she’d do
well to remember that.

She
wasn’t the type to fall in love quickly. Her brothers teased her that she
should’ve been a man with her convoluted ideas of sex. Sex did not equal love.
Nor did she want it to. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t get caught up in the
moment.

And
yes, exploring a night in Cooper’s arms sounded like heaven to her. Waking up
the following morning with his warm, naked body beside hers, now that scared
the shit out of her.

She
didn’t have more to give.

She
compared all of her experiences on the love that Richie had showed her. Although
he hadn’t been her first sexual partner, he had been her first true love. Her
best friend. Mad, passionate sex hadn’t been in Richie’s repertoire of skills,
but the lovemaking between them had been good. Heartwarming. Then again, she
had known explosive, no holds barred sex, and she had learned that her emotions
ran hot, made her do stupid things.

Not
that she was promiscuous anymore because Chad Harper – the only man she’d been
with after Richie – had pretty well put the nail in that coffin a long time
ago, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t a healthy, sexually motivated woman. She
just wasn’t willing to let her heart get involved. As far as she was concerned,
Richie would forever hold her heart, so it wasn’t up for grabs.

Cooper
leaned in, his warm breath tickling the sensitive skin just beneath her
earlobe. “Take a chance with me, Tessa. One chance. I promise, you won’t be
sorry.”

She
doubted that. Her fight or flight instinct was kicking in, and she knew she
should run and hide as fast as possible. Only she couldn’t get her feet to
move. Her hands were defying her direct orders as well. Her palms flattened
against the hard muscled wall of his chest, desperately aching to feel her
fingers against his bare skin.

She
could so get lost in him. One night. That’s all she needed. Except she would
have to see him every day and the way her body responded, she knew she wouldn’t
be able to control herself. If he was expecting sweet and innocent, she wasn’t
sure she could give him that. No matter how badly she wanted to be that woman,
she just wasn’t.

If
Tessa was going to go all in, per se, she wanted wild, hot, passionate sex. All
or nothing. Without the nuisance of that something more that he said he was
looking for.

“I’m
not interested in anything more than sex,” she blurted, confused at the lack of
filter on her mouth, but not at all sorry she said the words out loud. He
deserved to know after all.

Cooper
took a step back, still looking down at her. He slid his hands through the
strands of her hair that had spilled over her shoulder. He twined them around
his fingers, pulling her forward as a thrilling tingle penetrated her scalp.

God,
she wanted him to pull her hair. How fucking crazy was that?

“All
right. We’ll leave it at sex for now. But I’m warning you, Tessa, I’m not a man
who gives up easily,” Cooper stated firmly, keeping a tight, spine tingling
grip on her hair.

Tessa
wanted to believe him; however, the very fact that he had ended up in Devil’s
Bend rather than chasing his country music dream made her wonder how much truth
was in the statement.

“So
you’re willing to give me one night?”

“I
never said anything about one night,” Cooper leaned down, his lips hovering
dangerously close to hers, his hands sliding up until he was cupping her jaw,
tilting her head at the perfect angle that would align their mouths if he
decided to kiss her.

God,
why wouldn’t he just kiss her? Then she wouldn’t have to think anymore. “But
nothing more, Cooper. However long it lasts, you have to remember, I only want
sex.”

Cooper
nodded, his lips pressing down on hers and she pushed up on her toes, forcing
him even closer, opening her mouth to let his tongue tangle with hers and the
world began to spin.

He
tasted like beer and man and heaven all mixed into one and Tessa found herself
suddenly addicted to his taste. Sliding her palms up his chest, she had to
reach to wrap them around his neck, but once she did, she pulled him down
closer, taking the reins and deepening the kiss.

The
growl that rumbled in his chest sent vibrations straight to her clit and Tessa
found herself practically climbing him. She wasn’t a wisp of a thing like most
of the women he was probably used to, but Cooper didn’t seem to have any
problems handling her.

When
his mouth separated from hers, Tessa groaned, the loss of his taste making her
body work harder to touch him, to ensure he didn’t disappear. His firm lips
began trailing scorching hot kisses down the underside of her jaw, then he
moved on to nibble her neck and Tessa was almost positive she was going to come
right then and there.

“Do
you want to take this inside?” he asked, his mouth never leaving her skin.

Tessa
shook her head. She didn’t want to go anywhere. This was right where she wanted
to be. Under the stars, with this man, right here on his back porch without
another soul within at least three miles.

“I’m
going to have you naked in under a minute. Are you sure about that?”

“Positive,”
she answered, holding his head tighter, forcing his mouth closer to the
vulnerable area between her neck and her shoulder. God, she loved what his
tongue was doing.

She
felt the ties at the back of her neck give, the rasp of the strings tickling
her skin when he pulled them along with him as he stood to his full height,
stealing his wondrous lips away from her eager body. Staring up at him, she
watched as his eyes widened, the once golden brown darkening.

“You’re
beautiful,” he whispered, lowering her dress until her breasts spilled forth,
unbidden without the bandeau top.

The
late summer breeze was warm against her skin, but her nipples puckered
painfully beneath the scrutiny of his gaze. Tessa wouldn’t consider herself
ugly, but she would never go so far as to say she was beautiful. Only, when
Cooper looked at her, she felt as though she were a princess and he had never
found another woman quite so exquisite.

He
continued to lower her dress until it bunched across her ribs, just beneath her
sensitive, swollen breasts. Warm hands cupped her, lodging her breath in her
chest. Splendid warmth enveloped her, her thighs clenching as her pussy began
to throb with anticipation. Closing her eyes, she prayed he’d get on with it.

Tessa
squealed when her feet left the ground, her body lifted and turned until her
butt was resting on the railing that surrounded the porch.

“There,”
Cooper said, sounding pleased with himself.

Oh,
hell!
Cooper’s fiercely hot mouth surrounded one of her nipples without so much as an
introduction, the suction sending electric shards of pleasure ricocheting from
her nipple to her clit. She couldn’t stifle the moan, couldn’t keep from
pulling his head closer as she bowed her back, trying to force him to suck
harder. The sharp tug of his mouth had her praying he would never stop.

Disappointment
took up residence where the pleasure had been seconds before when he pulled
away, her breast falling from his mouth with a sinfully delicious pop. He
wasted no time before unleashing the same treatment on her other breast.

“Cooper,”
she moaned his name, holding him to her. “Don’t stop. Please, don’t ever stop.”

Reckless.

The
thought flitted through her mind, but the pleasure was too intense, too
all-consuming that she couldn’t focus on anything other than the way he teased
her nipple with his tongue.

This
time he bathed her entire breast, licking the underside, then lapping at her
nipple with gentle swirls of his tongue. She tried to focus on the intensity of
his mouth, but his big, warm hand was sliding its way up her thigh. When his
finger dipped beneath the elastic edge of her panties, she was afraid she was
going to shatter right then and there.

“You’re
wet.”

It
wasn’t a question, and Tessa didn’t feel the need to say anything because her
body was doing all the talking for her. She spread her knees farther apart,
gripping his shoulders to keep from tumbling backward off of the railing as he
slowly penetrated her with one finger.

“Cooper!”
Oh, God
. She wasn’t going to last. It’d been too long. “Please! Oh, God!
Please!” Grateful that they were so far away from civilization, Tessa didn’t
try to restrain herself. She wasn’t sure she would’ve been able to if she had
to.

“Tell
me, Tessa.” Cooper’s tone was firm, demanding, as he stood tall, looking down at
her, his finger sliding ever so slowly inside of her, curling to the perfect
angle that made her womb contract. “Tell me, darlin’.”

She
was momentarily stunned by the abrupt shift in his demeanor. The laidback,
country boy had taken a backseat to the dominating man before her. She had no
idea what she was supposed to tell him. Her brain had gone offline, granting
all of the decision making to her body, and her nerve endings were suddenly in
charge.

“Do
you want me to make you come?”

The
way he spoke had more sparks exploding inside of her. This was what she needed.
What she wanted more than anything. She didn’t want to make love. She wanted to
get wild. Go crazy. She wanted her body to soar, and the way he continued to
fuck her with his finger was doing wondrous things to her insides.

Cooper
lifted the hem of her dress up until the cotton rested on her thighs, his tan
hand between her thighs, her plain white panties pulled to the side as his
finger moved in and out. Tessa couldn’t tear her eyes away from the sight.