He removed his boxers, then moved with her to the bed. With every touch and kiss, in the back of his mind he knew this was stolen time. Their moments together would be limited, and he didn’t know how he could survive that. Not when everything about her was so perfect.
As he bent to her nipple, first to lick and then to suck, she made a low, rough sound. Hours. He wanted hours to do just this. Enough time to show her...what?
That they were meant to be?
It sure felt that way to him. Yes, he was rushing things, but so what? Already he felt like Ivey was an integral part of his life. The easy part, when everything else felt so damned complicated.
She arched up against him in silent demand—which was surely a huge concession for Ivey, given how she usually spoke her mind. Knowing what she wanted, he lightly moved his hand over her body, discovering all her curves, the texture of her skin, the dip of her stomach and the rise of her hips, until he pressed his palm between her thighs.
Going still for a heartbeat, Ivey groaned.
She was wet and hot, and as he explored her, he discovered she was ready, too.
He had two fingers in her, his mouth at her breast, when she clenched hard and demanded, “Now, Corbin.”
No argument from him. He reached for his jeans, located the condom in a back pocket and tossed them away. With quickened breath, Ivey watched as he rolled it on, then she opened her arms to him.
He settled over her, took her mouth in a deep, tongue-thrusting kiss and slowly eased into her.
God, so perfect.
Again, Ivey rushed him, her legs coming up and around him, holding him to her as she began to move. Caught up in her urgency, he forgot about control and matched her frenzied pace. Her hands were all over him, her mouth hungry, the sounds she made as sexy as everything else about her, and well before he expected it, she put her head back and groaned out a long, strong climax.
Corbin watched her, soaking in every second of her pleasure, and the moment she eased, he gave into his own release.
Chapter Eleven
“You were even better than I’d hoped for.”
Gradually getting his eyes open, Corbin grinned. Leave it to Ivey to say something so unexpected. He came up to his elbows and caught her dreamy smile. “Glad to hear it.”
She peeked open one eye, sighed, then closed it again. “Now would be a good time for you to reciprocate.”
“Is that so?” He smoothed her wildly tumbled hair, thinking that he could easily be with her forever like this. “Should I tell you how incredible you are?” Getting into that theme, he shifted to the side of her, relieving her of his weight but drawing her close. “Or how you shot my control?”
“Did I?” She seemed very pleased by that. “Was it the matching bra and panties? I always heard guys like that sort of thing.”
Now that he wasn’t strung so tight with lust, he gave her the laugh she deserved. “It wouldn’t have mattered what you wore, Ivey, though I have to admit, they’re pretty.” He brushed his mouth over hers. “It was you, lady. Everything you do makes me want you more.”
“Since I only have two matching sets of undies, I’m relieved. I’d hate to have to spend time shopping.”
“I’d rather you spend that time with me.”
She stared up at him, her green eyes sparkling. “Me, too.”
Suddenly, Corbin had a thought. He gave brief consideration to the ramifications and decided to go for it. “Wouldn’t it be nice if we had more private time?”
“Well...yes.” She stared at his chest and trailed her fingertips over his shoulder. “But I understand that you have a lot of obligations, and naturally Justin needs to be a top priority.”
Yeah, that was one of the things he appreciated most about Ivey, how she truly got his situation and all it entailed. “Wouldn’t it also be nice if Daisy and Maurice didn’t have to be separated?”
Her expression turned defensive. “I’m not giving up my cat.”
“Of course not. I wouldn’t ask you to.” He squeezed her for being so silly and figured he better get to the point. “What if both you and Maurice came to my house?” The way her eyes widened, he rushed to explain. “You work nearly every day, so it’d mostly be for dinner and sleeping anyway.”
Her eyes flared even more. “You want me to move in with you?” Shoving up to an elbow, she squeaked, “You want me to sleep with you? At your house?”
Her breasts were a huge distraction as he tried to figure out how to word things in a way most likely to gain her agreement. “You wouldn’t have to give up your place or anything, but you could come directly to my house after work. I’m closer to the clinic, anyway. If you’re worried about privacy, you can use the master on the main floor.”
Her mouth opened and then closed. She blinked fast.
“Look at it this way, Maurice will have company when you’re working, and he’ll get to hang out with Daisy.”
Ivey looked around at her bedroom. “I’d have to bring some of my clothes—wouldn’t that bother you?”
“How could it, when you make me feel so good?” Gently cupping her shoulder, he pressed her back in the bed, leaned over and lightly kissed her mouth. “You make things better, Ivey. I’m thrilled to have Justin with me, but I look at the chaos my life has become and it’s overwhelming. I’m not just responsible for me anymore, but for someone far more important.”
Her smile showed understanding and more. “Your son.”
“He’s the world to me, but damn, it’s enough to keep me up at night.” Using only his fingertips, he tucked back her hair. “Then you come around, and somehow it all seems to click into place. I see tomorrow and next week and next month, and I see it all working out.”
“You’ll make it so. You’re such an amazing guy.”
Grinning, he touched his forehead to hers. “See? That’s part of where I get that optimism. Other than my own mother and brother, I don’t think anyone has had that much faith in me.”
“I like your mother already.”
“Good, because she’s going to love you.”
Uncharacteristically reserved, especially for a woman who’d hastily stripped and demanded sex, Ivey asked, “Will I meet your mother?”
“She’ll show up soon, I’m sure. She’s already shown more restraint than I thought she had.” In fact, Corbin decided a warning might be in order. “Just so you know, my mother is a louder, more domineering version of my brother. She expects a lot from Lang and me, but usually gives more of herself. She sometimes speaks without thinking—”