Reaching out, Ivey pushed the lock on the door.
Yeah, good idea. He didn’t want any interruptions—and he didn’t want to take the time to find a bed. Having her right here, against the wall, seemed like a fantastic idea.
To ensure she was onboard with that idea, he kissed a path to her breasts. The towel dropped.
Neither of them cared.
Ivey tunneled her fingers into his hair and guided him to right where she wanted him to kiss her. Honestly, it was where he wanted to kiss her, too, so he closed his teeth gently around one ripe nipple, tugged, licked and finally sucked her in.
Going to her tiptoes, and arching forward, her body tightened. That reaction only spurred him on. Switching to the other nipple, he let his hands roam all over her. Every inch of her satiny skin fascinated him.
Driven to make her as heated as he was, he slowly moved down her body, lower and lower until he dropped to his knees. With his hands on her backside, he pressed hot, open-mouth kisses to her stomach and each hip bone.
He glanced up and found her with her head tipped back, lips parted and eyes closed.
She was the most compelling, interesting, sexy woman he’d ever known.
Nuzzling against her in the most intimate of kisses, he listened to her escalated breathing. She was warm and silky wet, ready for him. Maybe anxious for him.
He murmured, “Widen your legs.”
Without hesitation, she stepped one foot out from the other. Corbin used his fingers to part her, then kissed her again, licked...and sucked.
He couldn’t get enough of her, fast enough.
One hand released his hair so she could put it over her own mouth, muffling her small cries and groans. After a few minutes he felt her trembling, and knew she was close.
He stayed with her, attuned to her every response, until she came undone. Ivey never held back.
He loved that about her.
Once she started to ease, he came back to his feet, kissed her mouth and said, “I don’t have a condom here.”
“In the bedroom down here?”
“No. I meant to store more in the closet, but...the day went off the rails.”
She gave in to a heartfelt groan, rallied a second later and with a sated smile she stepped around him to snatch up her clothes. He helped her get on her nightshirt and panties and then, ignoring the shorts he held out to her, she grabbed his hand. “Come on.”
Together, they rushed from the bathroom, through the quiet house and up the stairs. Ivey’s shirt barely skimmed beneath her bottom cheeks. Her breasts bounced beneath the soft fabric of her shirt.
Carrying her shorts for her, Corbin couldn’t help but grin. He felt like a kid again, sneaking around for a quickie.
It was a wonderful way to end a tumultuous day.
They’d almost reached his bedroom door when Lang stepped out of Justin’s room. Surprised to see each other, especially since it was obvious what Corbin and Ivey were about, they stared at one another.
Lang gave a quick glance at Ivey, then to her shorts in Corbin’s hand. Fighting a grin, he said in a barely there whisper, “He’s asleep, and the lights went out in the RV a few minutes ago.”
“Good to know.”
Saluting them, Lang said, “See you both in the morning.” He whistled softly as he headed downstairs.
His brother knew he loved Ivey.
His mother had taken one look at her and known she was a keeper.
Justin adored her.
And Corbin couldn’t get enough of her, not just physically, but in every way he could imagine.
Ivey was the type of woman you never wanted to take for granted. Soon, very soon, he’d ask her to marry him.
He needed her in his life—now and always.
* * *
An hour later, Ivey lifted her head from Corbin’s chest. Drowsily, she asked, “Can’t sleep?”
His eyes gleamed as he looked at her. “Did I wake you?”
She shook her head and hugged him. “I wasn’t asleep yet, either.” She could feel his turbulence, but she wasn’t sure how to make it better. “Things were rough with Darcie?”
The bed shifted as he rolled one shoulder. “Like I said on the phone, it went better than I had expected.”
She knew there was more to it. “And?”
After a brief pause, he scooted up to sit with his back against the headboard, then pulled her into his lap. “This will sound nuts, okay? But I felt sorry for her.”
“Not nuts at all. She’s in a terrible predicament, one that will be difficult for a long time.” She cupped a hand to his face. “And you, Corbin, are a very good man.”
“It’s a strange feeling,” he confessed. “In some ways, I despise her for what she did to my son and for what she did to me. I lost so much time with him. Time that I’ll never get back.”
Ivey tucked her face into his throat. “But you’ll have him for the rest of his life. That’s such a gift.”
His hand idly trailed up and down her spine. “Yes, it is. And she’s so...vulnerable. So many times today, she looked like a kid herself, lost and afraid.”
Ivey quickly blinked back tears. Corbin didn’t need that from her. Right now, he needed her to be strong. “There’s only so much you can do.”
“I know.” He kissed her temple. “I hope she gets it together, but mostly I want to protect Justin.” He was quiet for a few moments, then asked, “Are you sleepy?”
Without him saying it, she understood. “No, why? Did you want to talk more?”
“Actually...” He reached over and turned on the bedside lamp. They both flinched at the intrusion of bright light.
Ivey slipped away from him and pulled up the sheet. She admired his body as he left the bed and went to the closet, returning with a cardboard box.
Intrigued, she came up to her knees. “What is it?”
Sitting beside her, he pulled out the top photo of a chubby-cheeked toddler. “Justin.”
“Oh my God,” she whispered, taking the photo and smiling at it. “He’s precious.”
“She didn’t have any photos of him as an infant, but she told me he was over eight pounds and bald until he was two and a half.” He smiled.
Together, with the box between them, they went through everything.
“I want to show Justin this stuff, but he’s smart. He’ll ask me where I got it, and he’ll know I saw Darcie.” Corbin rubbed his neck in frustration. “I don’t want to add to his worries.”