Chapter Six
As Coop sat across from Julia at the breakfast table, he couldn’t stop smiling. The sex had been good, quite possibly the best he’d ever had, but there was so much more to it than that.
So much more.
Her kiss, her taste, the way she looked at him, and the needy way she responded to his touch did something to him and made him feel things he never had before.
Despite wanting to take things slow, the sex had been wild, frantic, and out of control. And while they both might be temporarily sated, he knew he was far from done with her.
He wanted her. Had for a long time now. And he damned well planned to have her again. But he didn’t just want her in the bedroom. He wanted to know everything about the woman she was now.
He shifted restlessly and absentmindedly moved his eggs around on his plate. While he considered this unexpected turn of events, he watched Julia spoon a big chunk of grapefruit into her mouth. God, that mouth. She looked warm, content, and completely relaxed, a far cry from how she’d appeared when she first arrived. If one morning of lovemaking did this to her, he could only imagine how she’d feel by the end of the week.
I’ve waited too long for this, wanted you for too long.
Were they just words spoken in the heat of the moment, or were they true? She’d never shown any sign of liking him when they were teens. Hell, she’d even told him he wasn’t her type. A laugh lodged in his throat. Guess she’d changed her mind on that. But still, he was sure she thought this entire setup was just about sex, and she was in it for a fantasy—he’d felt the shift in her when she’d come into the barn, knew that she was trying to act more like her sister. Except deep down it wasn’t an act. There were two sides to this girl, and he wanted her to understand that when he was buried eight inches inside her, he knew it was her, Julia Blair, and no one else.
“Coop,” Julia said, her laugh breathy, intimate.
“Yeah.”
“You’re staring at me.”
He grinned. “And that makes you uncomfortable?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugged and fiddled with her spoon. “Maybe. I guess. I’m not used to guys staring at me like that.”
Then those guys were assholes. The whole lot of them. Then again, if he caught anyone staring at her like he was, he’d have no choice but to beat the living shit out of them.
“Like what?” he asked.
She lowered her voice and leaned into him. “Like you want to eat me alive.”
Heat prowled through him, and all he could think about was doing just that—kissing her from head to toe before he drove his cock deep inside her.
“Oh, but I do, sweetheart. I do.”
Color blossomed high on her cheeks, but that sexy hue reminded him of her pink pussy and how she spread her legs while offering herself up so nicely to him. She wet her lips, and he felt his cock grow another inch.
Fuck.
Coop shifted in his seat. “I told you not to lick your lips like that.”
Innocent eyes widened. “Then you should stop saying things like you just did.”
“No.”
“Oh, and why not?”
“Because I like how you respond.”
Memories of the way her body moved under his warmed his blood. Oh, yeah, there really were two sides of her. She bit down on her bottom lip and went quiet. Was she reliving the morning, remembering how well they fit together?
Coop drained the rest of his cup and pushed his plate away. “Are you ready?”
Julia swallowed. “Ready?”
He grinned. “To tackle your chores.”
Apprehension passed over her face. “I don’t know how—”
“Don’t worry.” He laughed and added, “I’m not going to make you ride a wild stallion or do anything dangerous.”
Her gaze leisurely trailed over him, then taking him by surprise, she answered with, “Well, I’m pretty sure that stallion already rode me, and maybe I like a little danger.”
Jesus.
Talk about poking a bull with a stick. Coop jumped to his feet and almost knocked his chair backward. He grabbed her hand and practically dragged her from the restaurant, all the while ignoring the inquisitive glances aimed their way.
If the guests weren’t up and about, he’d have hauled her straight back to the hayloft for round number two. Instead, as soon as he got her alone behind the barn, he pinned her against the wall and kissed her hard. When he finally pulled back, they were breathless.
“You’re going to pay for that,” he warned.
She feigned innocence. “Pay for what?”
Coop grinned, loving this easy, playful side of her. “Christ, what the hell am I going to do with you?” Before he could tell her exactly what he’d like to do, he spotted Mac and Jess heading into the trails. Mac had his climbing gear with him. The two complemented each other well. While Mac could use some of Jess’s calm nature, she could benefit from his wild ways. He couldn’t wait to see how their week played out, and hoped like hell in the end Mac won over the girl of his dreams.
He turned his attention back to Julia and inched away. With guests milling about, this was neither the time nor the place to do what he wanted to her.
Looking edgy and breathless, and maybe even a little disappointed that he’d pulled away, Julia gestured with a nod. “Where are they going?”
“We offer rock climbing here.” He looked off into the distance. “Just over there, at the base of that mountain.”
She planted her hands on her hips. “So, how come those two are off to do fun things, and you’re putting me to work?”
“The guys and I all take turns.” He grabbed her hand and gave a little tug, leading her inside the barn. “Tomorrow is my day off, and I’ll take you up the mountain if you want to go.”
“Nope.”
Coop laughed and angled his head to see her. “No?”
She pulled a worried face. “I’m not all that coordinated,” she admitted, sheepishly taking in the row of horses on her right. “But I would love to go for a ride.”
“Have you ever ridden?”
She nodded eagerly, and longing filled her voice when she said, “Yeah, when I was younger.” She continued to tell him about the lessons she had in junior high, before he’d met and become best friends with Mari, as Coop gathered the saddles and reins to prepare them for polishing. “I loved it so much.” A small smile curled her mouth as she went quiet, like she was remembering something from the past. “Mari and I liked a lot of the same things, but horses were my thing, my passion.”
“She wouldn’t have been caught dead on one,” Coop said.
“I know. I saved all my babysitting money, thinking I could buy my own horse one day. But…well…I stopped riding.”
“Why would you stop if you loved it so much?”
“It was expensive, and Mari was just getting into modeling. With the possibility of her making a career out of it, Mom and Dad thought her lessons were a better investment. And obviously they were—look at her now.” She gave an easy shrug. “It wasn’t like I was ever going to go anywhere with my horseback riding, anyway.”
His heart squeezed. “I’m sorry.”
Surprise lit her face. “What? No.” She gave a quick shake of her head, her long dark hair falling over her shoulders in wild waves, her actions saying so much about her. Julia was kind, caring, always putting the needs of others first, and was probably even happy to sit on the sidelines while her sister stole the show. “It’s okay. Really.” She clapped her hands and turned her head from left to right. “So where do we start?”
“Right here.” Coop leaned in and gave her a tender kiss, determined to put all her needs first and give her the best damn week of her life. She deserved it. In fact, she deserved so much more.