Ultimate Romance Collection. Rebecca Winters

clear his words angered her. “You think I’m going to the extreme? You aren’t the one who got word while four months pregnant that the father of her child was dead. Dead, Coop. I thought you’d died like all the others.”

      He frowned. “What others?”

      “It doesn’t matter. I prefer you don’t make promises to Laramie you might not be able to keep.”

      He stood, feeling angry now, as well. “Then I suggest you do the same. Stop telling him at bedtime that you’ll see him in the morning. Anything can happen to you overnight. You could even die in your sleep.”

      She narrowed her gaze at him. “Stop being ridiculous.”

      His jaw tightened. “Then I suggest you stop being ridiculous, too. There are no guarantees in life. People die every day. When your time comes, there’s not a damn thing you can do about it.”

      She took a step forward. Got in his face. “I guess of all people you should know, since you had a chance to beat death.”

      Not good, he thought, meeting her eyes. He wished she didn’t smell so good and he definitely preferred her not standing so close. As if it had a will of its own, his gaze moved from her face to her body. She was beautiful even when she was angry.

      “And just what are you looking at?” she all but snapped.

      Since she asked, he had no qualms in telling her. “You. Did I tell you how good you looked tonight?”

       Fourteen

      Bristol suddenly realized she might have made a mistake by getting in Coop’s space. How had they gone from discussing his death to how good he thought she looked?

      She angrily crossed her arms over her chest and then wished she hadn’t when his gaze shifted to her chest. As if on cue her nipples hardened right before his eyes. She drew in a deep breath and took a step back. “I think it’s time for you to go.”

      “Is it?”

      “Yes.”

      “I thought you wanted to talk,” he said, reclaiming the distance she’d put between them.

      “I think we’ve said enough for tonight.”

      “Do you? Have you ever noticed we never seem to resolve anything when we talk?”

      “And whose fault is that?” she snapped.

      “Both of ours.” A smile touched the corners of his mouth. “I agree that we’ve said enough for tonight.”

      “Good.”

      “No, Bristol, this is good.” And then before she realized what he was doing, he pulled her into his arms and lowered his mouth to hers.

      Shivers of pleasure, the kind she only experienced with him, shot through every part of Bristol. Her eyelids fluttered shut, too overtaken by desire to remain open. When Coop slipped his tongue into her mouth, tasting of the peppermint candy he’d been sucking on earlier, she shuddered. More enjoyable shivers ran up her spine. Sensations consumed her. When his hands wrapped around her middle, she was pulled close to the fit of his hard, masculine body.

      When she felt his engorged erection nestled in the juncture of her thighs, she couldn’t help but moan. How could they have been talking about serious stuff one minute and kissing the next?

      Heated pleasure nearly melted her where she stood. She should be fighting to hold on to her sanity, but she couldn’t. Even thinking of it was almost impossible. His assault on her mouth was sensuous and unhurried. It was mind-blowing. It had awakened needs long ago forgotten. And when she thought she couldn’t possibly handle anymore, he deepened the kiss and new sensations overtook her.

      Suddenly he broke away and she moaned in protest. Looking into his eyes she saw a naked desire that nearly tripped her pulse. Thickened the blood rushing through her veins. The air shimmered around them with sexual undercurrents.

      “I want you, Bristol.”

      His words, spoken in a deep voice, stroked over her skin like a warm caress. Her breathing became as rapid as her heartbeat. And she knew at that moment that kissing wasn’t enough. Especially now that they’d been reminded of how it felt to become so enmeshed in each other. Sexual excitement curled her stomach at the memory. It wasn’t about love...at least for him it wouldn’t be. For him, it was physical desire driving what was happening between them.

      She, on the contrary, was driven by deep, never-ending love.

      Two different drives. One final destination.

      No need to deny what she truly wanted. “I want you, too, Coop.”

      As soon as the words left her lips, she was swept off her feet into strong arms and carried up the stairs.

      * * *

      Coop practically took the stairs two at a time with Bristol in his arms. He’d been unable to endure her form of passion any longer. Desire was clawing at his insides, making his need for her palpable. His need to make love to her was a pulsing, throbbing necessity he couldn’t fight.

      Entering her room, he went straight to the bed and placed her on it. Then he stood back and began removing his clothes while watching her remove hers. She pulled the sweater over her head and tossed it aside. He inhaled a sharp breath when he saw her breasts encased in a sexy black lace bra. Breasts his tongue had known and wanted to know again.

      She unhooked the front clasp of her bra and his erection throbbed harder when the twin globes were freed. He’d always liked her breasts—their shape, size and texture. Coop was convinced if given the chance, he could devour those nipples 24/7.

      He stopped taking off his own clothes just to watch Bristol finish taking off hers. He was mesmerized, captivated, so damn fascinated. When she removed her jeans, leaving herself only in undies, his erection got harder. She was wearing black panties that matched the bra.

      Three words immediately came to mind. Gorgeous. Hot. Awesome.

      “Is there a problem, Coop?”

      Her voice snapped him back. He swallowed when he shifted his gaze to her face. “No, there isn’t a problem.”

      “I was just wondering.”

      He didn’t want her to wonder about anything. Especially about him being anxious to make love to her. He was convinced that somehow during those three days they’d spent together in Paris, Bristol had gotten into his blood. That had to be the reason he hadn’t been able to forget her. The reason why thinking of her had kept him sane. What other reason could there be?

      He quickly removed the rest of his clothes and then pulled out a condom from his wallet. He sheathed himself, knowing she was watching. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d seen him do this and he didn’t intend for it to be the last.

      Bristol frowned when he got closer to the bed. Her fingers touched the scars that hadn’t been there the last time they’d made love. From the look on her face he figured she knew where they’d come from. And then she did something he hadn’t expected. Something that touched him deeply.

      She leaned close and showered kisses over the scars. It was as if she wanted to kiss away any pain they might have caused him. When her mouth came close to his erection, he pulled back. He didn’t want a reason to take off his condom. That was probably how she’d gotten pregnant the last time.

      “I want to be inside of you, Bristol. I need it,” he whispered hoarsely, climbing on the bed to join her.

      “And that’s where I want you, Coop,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Inside of me.”

      * * *

      Maybe she shouldn’t have said that, shouldn’t have so openly admitted her desire. Maybe she should not have been so brutally honest. But what else could she