Instead of answering, she smiled at him and rubbed her soapy breasts against his chest. Cooper let out a low moan. Marlee took her time as the water rinsed the last of the suds away and used that time to smooth her hands over his broad shoulders and arms thick with sinew. He had calluses on his hands, proving that he worked hard, which made her want him even more.
She tilted her head up to him as her hands moved around to his back and down to his trim waist before splaying over his tight ass. His gaze narrowed as he did the same to her, grinding his cock into her stomach.
“Woman,” he said.
She loved how he said it as an endearment. Her blood heated even more. She began kissing his chest, following the water’s path as it ran over him down to his nipples. He sucked in a quick breath when she swirled her finger around one of his tight buds. She bit back her smile when she felt his arousal jump in response.
Her kissing path took her down his tight abs until she was on her knees with his beautiful rod waiting. She wrapped her fingers around it and gently stroked up and down his length. Cooper moaned again and leaned forward to press his hands against the tile just as she had done.
He was thick and oh, so hard. Marlee brought her mouth to him and ran her tongue over the head of his arousal several times. Then, she parted her lips and wrapped them around him. He whispered her name, his voice thick with desire. Marlee slid her mouth up and down his length. His hand grabbed a fistful of her hair and held her as he moaned in pleasure. She couldn’t remember a man ever responding to her so blatantly before, and it drove her to give him even more.
It turned her on, and she moved a hand between her legs to begin rubbing her clit. Suddenly, Cooper had her on her feet and facing the wall again. In one thrust he was buried inside her.
“Damn, woman, you drive me to the brink of need like no one ever has before,” he murmured in her ear.
She leaned her head back and nodded. “I burn for you.”
“Then let me ease us both.”
Cooper began moving with deep, hard thrusts. He held her hips tightly as he propelled them toward ecstasy. Marlee steadied herself with her hands on the cool tile as she found herself careening toward orgasm. It came over her quickly, tossing her into an abyss of bliss.
“Marlee,” Cooper said against her ear in a rough voice. “Ah, baby.”
She reached back and touched him just as he climaxed. He pulled out of her again, but this time, she spun around and took him in hand, moving up and down his hard length to finish him. He pressed his forehead against hers as they stood there in the spray of water.
A long while later, he lifted his head and cupped her face with his hands. “We really need to get some condoms. It’s getting harder and harder not to come inside you.”
“I know one place we’re going today then,” she said with a smile.
He wrapped an arm around her and kissed her deeply. It wasn’t the fiery kisses from the night before, but something deeper, something even stronger. She felt his emotions in the kiss, even though she didn’t understand them all. But that didn’t matter. He showed her how he felt in ways no one ever had. And she did the same in return.
There was no reason to hide anything. Cooper had been open about everything, which gave her the same freedom. They had this day and maybe the next. Who knew after that? Marlee didn’t want to think that far ahead. All she wanted was to take this time that had been given to her and enjoy every last millisecond of it.
The kiss ended, and she pressed her face against his chest as they held each other tightly. If she had to make a decision in that instant, she knew she’d never leave Cooper. Yes, everything was new, but the feelings between them, the way he made her feel, it was all exhilarating. She knew with unwavering certainty that she could be happy with him.
Then she thought of Macey. She’d made a promise to her sister and their parents. Marlee couldn’t stop now.
“Don’t pull away,” Cooper said.
She shook her head. “I’m not. I’m holding on to you.”
“Your body might be, but your mind is drifting.”
She didn’t know how he knew. Marlee looked up at him and smiled. “I’m not used to taking much time for myself. I feel guilty.”
“Because people are in need?”
“And I’ve still not found my sister’s daughter.”
“Marlee … you know you may never find her,” he said gently.
Marlee glanced to the side. “I know, but I have to keep looking.”
“Even if it means harming yourself?”
“I’m not harming myself.”
“Really?” he asked, brows raised. “I feel the stiffness in your shoulders from lack of rest. I can’t imagine you eat very healthy on the road.”
“I do the best I can. More places offer better food now.” She didn’t know why she felt defensive. Cooper was only pointing out the very things she’d already told herself.
“You just admitted not taking time for yourself, whether that’s sleep or just resting. And what about your parents? What you do is beyond admirable, but they need you.”
She looked down at his chest and nodded. “I know.”
“Hey,” he said and smoothed her hair back from her face. “You’re doing great things. I’m simply saying you should take a break sometimes and take care of yourself.”
“I’m doing that now.”
His smile was slow. “I plan on continuing like this for as long as you let me.”
The problem was, she feared she would never want him to stop.
“You can trust me,” he told her. “I’m a good guy. I won’t hurt you.”
“I wouldn’t be here with you now if I thought you would.”
“Then let me help you. Or, if you don’t want my help, then let me help you find someone you will allow to help you out. This thing you’re doing is huge. It takes more than one person.”
She blew out a frustrated breath. “I’ll gladly take your help while I’m in town, but I’ve already told you, I tried having people on payroll before. It doesn’t work.”
“You had the wrong people. Imagine how much easier life could be with the right ones.”
“It would be incredible,” she admitted. “I could do more than one case at a time, and I wouldn’t have to travel constantly.”
Cooper’s smile was blinding. “Exactly. I think you just need to find people as passionate about what you’re doing as you are.”
For so long, Marlee had rejected the notion of hiring anyone after the failed attempts she’d tried. But now, she thought it might not be a bad idea to give it another go. She’d had years to learn where she needed the help and what she could do on her own.
“An assistant,” she said. “I’d love an assistant who could field the calls and know which cases were for me or for someone else.”
Cooper kissed the tip of her nose. “Keep thinking along those lines.”
Now that her mind was there, Marlee couldn’t stop it. And she didn’t want to.
Chapter 21
He’d had the chance to kill Marlee, but Chuck hadn’t done it. Regardless of what Stella thought, the Frampton woman was a nuisance that needed to be removed. He should’ve done it a few years ago, but he’d listened to Stella. Now, look at what that had gotten them.