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He took a deep breath. “The thing that scared me the most? The reason I never would commit to a relationship? My father had a bad temper. Anything would set him off. And I was just like him,” he whispered. “Hair-trigger temper. Impulsive. Angry all the time.”
She tilted her head as she studied him. “I didn’t see any of that,” she said. “No temper. No anger. You were remarkably easy-going.”
He stared down at his hands for a long time. Finally looked up at her. “Lots of time in therapy,” he said. “Made me understand why I acted that way. How to avoid the triggers that would set me off.” His mouth curled into a small smile. “Mostly it was staying away from my parents.”
Sierra’s expression softened. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “That sounds horrible. No wonder you don’t want to put yourself out there. You know nothing about how families should interact. All you know is the pain.”
“Yeah. That about sums it up.” He drew in a deep breath, and his hand shook. “I want to let that fear and pain go,” he said in a rush. “I’ve never felt for anyone what I feel for you, Sierra, and I don’t want to lose that. I want to try to have a real relationship. If you’re still interested.”
She stared at him for a long moment, wondering if she’d heard him right.
He misunderstood her silence, because he edged away. Held up his hands. “I get it. I hurt you too much. You don’t want to take a chance on me, because I could turn into an asshole again at any time.”
“That’s not what I was thinking at all,” she murmured as she studied every bit of his face. Catalogued every expression. “I know how much courage it must have taken for you to say that. To ask for something you’re so scared of. Something that’s caused you nothing but pain in the past.”
“I’d say desperate rather than courageous,” he said. “I knew you were building your defenses to keep me out. I saw it every day, and I knew it was my fault. And I knew if I didn’t say anything, didn’t make the first move, your walls would be too tall and too thick for me to ever breach them.” He picked up her hand and clung tightly. “I’d regret that for the rest of my life.”
“What about your job, Cody? You were right about that. You go somewhere different for every job. Hard to have a relationship when you never see the other person.”
“I’ll talk to Mel and Devlin. See what we can figure out. I’ll find a way to make this work.”
She studied his face for a long time. Saw the need, saw the fear. She sat straighter. Cupped his face in her hands. “I love you, Cody.” She didn’t use those words lightly, but Cody needed to hear them. He’d never believed in love, and someone had to show him the way.
“I love you completely. Without reservations. And I want this with you. I want to live with you. Love with you. Maybe, someday, have children with you. This past week, I fell in love with every part of you. And I can’t wait to learn everything about you, both the good and the bad. And there’s a lot more good than bad.”
“I love you too, Sierra, if love means I can’t imagine my life without you. But I’m so scared of failing you,” he whispered. “Terrified of hurting you.”
“You are going to fail me sometimes,” she said, watching him recoil at her words. “And you’re going to hurt me. And I’ll do the same to you. It’s called being human. No one’s perfect. Everyone falls down. Makes mistakes. But we’ll forgive each other and move on.” She grinned at him. “And the make-up sex will be amazing.”
“I’ve never had make-up sex before,” he said, bending his face to hers. “If something happened with a woman I was dating, I walked away.” He brushed a kiss over her mouth. “I’ll never do that to you, Sierra. And the make-up sex? I can’t wait to find out what that’s like.”
His mouth closed over hers, and sparks of desire swarmed through her body. Lighted fires everywhere they landed. Wrapping her arms around him, she slid onto his lap. Kissed him and never wanted to stop. She needed him as much as she needed to breathe.
Cody kissed her the same way. As if he’d feared he’d lost something precious, then found it again. His mouth moved against hers, and his hands roamed her back. Her sides. Slid beneath her shirt and caressed her bare skin.
She shivered. Fumbled with the buttons on his shirt. Became frustrated and tore the shirt open. Buttons plinked against the wall. The wood floors. The end table.
Once her hands found his chest, he groaned. Twined his tongue with hers and shifted so that the hard press of his cock was exactly where she needed it.
“Are you okay with this?” he panted. “Do you want to wait?”
“Wait for what?” she murmured into his mouth. “I’ve been waiting since the last time we made love. Take me to bed, Cody.”
He stood in one motion, and she wrapped her legs around him. He stumbled toward her bedroom, stopping at every wall to press her against it and kiss her. Caress her.
By the time they reached her bedroom, she was on fire. And so was he.
It took them moments to tear each other’s clothes off. Cody reached down and snatched back the blanket and top sheet. Set her down on the bed, then followed her. “I’m going to make this perfect for you,” he whispered as he nipped at her neck.
“It already is, because it’s you.” She tried to kiss him, but he slid down her body, kissing and sucking until she was panting with need. Right on the edge. “Now, Cody,” she managed to say. “Need you now.”
He rolled on a condom and slid inside her, and they moved together, perfectly in sync. Perfectly matched. And when her climax crashed over her, his followed.
Finally, breathless, clutching each other so tightly there was no room between them, he gathered her close. Flipped her over so she was on top of him. She curled into him, the pounding of his heart against her ear an echo of her own. The rapid rise and fall of his chest synced perfectly with hers.
She pressed her mouth against his neck. “This is only the beginning, Cody,” she murmured. “There’s so much more out there. And I can’t wait to explore every bit of it with you.”
“Only you, Sierra. For the rest of our lives.”
