Copper Page 9

  “I think it was the wine,” she confessed. “Natalie and I found a bottle of wine hidden behind all your whiskey, vodka, gin, and rum. The last thing I remember is staring at the sky full of beautiful stars.”

  “They aren’t as beautiful as you are,” Copper told her with a flashy grin. “Staring at you would make me want to do a lot of things, many of them include a bed, but sleeping isn’t one of them.”

  Marla’s lips parted, and her mouth opened and closed without making a sound. Instead, she watched him staring at her, which made her feel even more self-conscious. She nervously twisted several strands of hair around a finger. The thought of sharing his bed, even if nothing happened, kept her body charged and her mind wandering to places it didn’t need to go, especially after drinking half a bottle of wine.

  “You look good in my room, but you’ll look even better in my bed,” Copper groaned out. He swiftly walked over to the king size piece of furniture and lowered her onto the mattress. He turned on the lamp that rested on the nightstand. Soft light filled the surrounding area.

  Stepping back from the bed, he undid the fastening of his jeans. When her gaze focused on his body, he slowly slid the skintight pair of denims past his hips. He kicked them off and stepped clear of the hindering garment as soon as he could.

  Marla’s eyes soaked in the sight of his well-defined body. His erection jutted out to tent the front of the pair of black briefs he was wearing. Her body responded to his need for her. Her nipples swelled and pushed against the cotton of the oversized T-shirt she wore to sleep in. She clenched her thighs together in an inadequate attempt to ease the growing ache at the very heart of her feminine core.

  “I didn’t mean to shock you into silence,” he teased. He lifted the black T-shirt he was wearing over his head and threw it onto the floor.

  Her eyes ate up the sculpted abs and beautiful body standing in front of her. Her sight focused on a splash of color. She reached out and traced the outline of the large tattoo inked on most of his chest. Two Celtic looking horses faced off against each other with slashing hooves. One horse was the blue-green color of copper with a patina-finish. The other creature was the color of bronzed copper.

  “It’s absolutely gorgeous, and it’s perfectly suited to you,” she said in awe.

  He gave her a wolfish grin and joined her on the bed. “I created a similar image in my head years ago. I got this inked the day after I left the SEALs. The tattoo artist did a great interpretation based on my description.” He shrugged. “The ink is old news for me. I’m much more interested in discovering your body.”

  Marla wished she had a flirty comeback for his teasing, but she’d never excelled in the art of flirting. Still, she felt the inner seductress that must live somewhere inside all women fight to get free. She batted her eyelashes and arched her back so that her breasts thrust outward toward the sexy man who was gazing at her through heavy-lidded eyes.

  “You make my body feel like it’s on fire,” she admitted in a soft whisper. “I want you so much I ache.”

  “That’s real good, because I’ve wanted you for a while, and I’m tired of waiting. This is going to be a night neither one of us forgets anytime soon,” he promised. He used his fingers to lightly trace the outline of her stiff nipples.

  Sensation after sensation shot from her nipple to her feminine core, and he was barely touching her. Marla closed her eyes and concentrated on the way he made her feel. She arched her back and pushed her breasts against the palm of his hand. His touch disappeared, and Marla whimpered. She wanted it back.

  Her eyes popped open just in time to see Copper leaning toward her. His lips covered hers. She shut her eyes again, savoring the feel of his mouth moving over hers. She opened to the insistent demand of his tongue, and it plunged inside.

  The slow heat in her pelvic area was starting to burn out of control. She’d never experienced such an all-consuming need to join her body with someone else’s. The two of them were just getting started, and the passion was so much more intense than she expected. It was a shocking but pleasant surprise.

  She knotted her hands in his copper colored hair and pulled him closer. His lips moved from her mouth to trace the slender line of her neck. Marla shivered when his lips nibbled against an extra sensitive spot. Copper must have noticed, because he sucked harder on the tender skin, causing her to moan.

  He didn’t stop there. His hands trailed down her body until they reached the hem of her T-shirt. Before Marla could utter another breath, he stripped the thin barrier from her body. Now they were lying skin to skin. Marla pressed into him and rubbed her breasts against his firm chest, slow at first but soon with more abandon, when she discovered how good it felt.

  “You’re beautiful all over,” Copper told her, “but your breasts are flawless. They’re the perfect size for my hands.” As if to demonstrate, he reached out and cupped her breasts. His hands were soon joined by his mouth. His tongue slid over first one nipple and then the other.

  The stimulation caused Marla to moan and pull him closer. Her hands slipped out of his hair, and her fingernails lightly raked down his back. “More!” she demanded in a hoarse whisper. “I need more.” She twisted to give his mouth better access. Copper didn’t disappoint her.

  His teeth grazed the tip of her left nipple before he sucked it into his mouth. Pleasure shot from her nipple straight to her sex. She arched her back and lifted her pelvis in an attempt to get as close to him as possible. “I need you, please.” Marla was a helpless captive to the need and want taking over her body. She couldn’t control the instinctive thrust of her hips.

  Deliciously rough hands trailed down her body, leaving goose bumps in their wake. One hand pressed against her feminine core. The other hand ripped away the thin wisp of silk covering her. It was Marla’s favorite pair of panties, but she was too far-gone to the passion simmering in her blood to even care that the expensive piece of lingerie was ruined.

  His hands left her body, and she heard the rustle of fabric and realized that he was removing the last piece of clothing that stood between them and total nakedness. His hands returned, skimming over her body. He swooped down to share another simmering kiss that left her breathless.

  She rocked her body against his, rubbing her sensitive parts against the hard planes of Copper’s body. She could feel moisture gathering between her legs, preparing her sex to welcome him inside her. Almost as if he knew, his fingers cupped her before sliding between the slick folds of her sex. Marla’s feet dug into the soft mattress, but her hips shot off the bed.

  “Take it easy, darlin’.” His throaty voice soothed her, but his busy fingers stroked her and worked her heated body into a frenzy. Teasing the delicate entrance with one hand, Copper rubbed the sensitive bundle of nerves centered above her opening with the other.

  Just when she thought she couldn’t possibly feel more pleasure, his finger glided inside, and her movement went from instinctive but controlled to frantic. Her muscles tightened, waiting for a release that she knew only Copper could give her. He abruptly left her body, and a strangled sob of desperate need filled the bedroom.

  Before she could utter a protest, she heard the crinkling of a foil packet being opened. One of Copper’s muscled legs settled between hers and pushed her thighs wide apart. She could feel the tip of his erection settle against her opening. She wiggled, urging him to do something. He adjusted his position and thrust downward with his hips. The length of his thick erection entered her with one swift motion.

  Tiny quakes caused her body to quiver. She was so close to fulfillment, reaching out, begging to fall into the oblivion of an all-consuming pleasure. She swiveled her hips and pushed upward, meeting him thrust for thrust. All but the tip of his erection slipped outside her body before it powered its way back inside. The tension inside her was at an all-time high, almost unbearable in its intensity.

  She wrapped her legs around his lower back to get even closer. His hands seized her hips, and he sped up th
e already desperate rhythm of their passionate joining. Her back arched, and her body froze. Two thrusts later, she screamed as an earthshattering orgasm shook her body.

  Even in the delirium of her release, she felt Copper thrust once more into her quivering sex. His hands tightened on her hips, the rest of his body froze, and he cried out his own release. Copper placed a quick kiss on her lips before rising from the bed.

  Marla shot up and gave him a startled look. She knew he hadn’t promised her anything, and this was an act of passion sparked by the building physical attraction between them, but she thought they might cuddle at least a little. “Was it that bad?” Marla said with a self-deprecating laugh. Personally, she thought it was spectacular, but that didn’t mean Copper felt the same way.

  She laid her head on her upturned knees, refusing to look at him. She felt the shift of the bed when he sat next to her. A strong finger lifted her chin and forced her to look at him. “You set my body on fire and make it burn out of control. What we just experienced was incredible. I’ll be ready to go again soon with a little coaxing from your hands and mouth.”

  Even though she couldn’t see herself, Marla knew she turned bright red. She could feel the rush of blood to her face. “Just a few seconds ago, it looked like you couldn’t get away from me fast enough. I thought you might be having second thoughts even before the bright light of day.”

  He reached out and caressed her hot cheek. His lips followed the same path as his stroking fingers. “It’s practicality that hastened my departure from your sweet body,” he insisted. Copper stood once again. “I have to dispose of the condom before it leaks,” he warned. “I’ll be right back.”

  The promise caused Marla to shiver. Her body was reawakening too. “Hurry back,” she called to his retreating figure. “I feel adventurous. I want to try something new.”

  Copper was back in under a minute. “That statement brings to mind all kinds of wicked things I could do to you,” he promised. He stood by the edge of the bed and tangled his hand in her hair. “I’ve got plans for that luscious mouth of yours.”

  He spent the next couple of hours showing her exactly what he meant. Even though she was tired and suffering from sore muscles she didn’t even know she had, Marla loved every second of it. She couldn’t wait to recharge her battery and try to top their hot night of passion as soon as possible.

  EIGHT

  The low murmur of voices filtered around Marla. She bit into a crispy piece of bacon and pretended to be listening to her sister. She wasn’t exactly trying to ignore Copper, she was just too nervous to face him. She woke up alone that morning, so she didn’t know what kind of mood he was in after their hot night of sex. Copper, Natalie, and Chrome were already seated around the table when she made her way to the kitchen ten minutes earlier.

  She was too embarrassed to look at Copper, so Marla couldn’t tell if he was actively trying to avoid her or not. Truthfully, she didn’t know how to act around him the morning after their passionate interlude. The whole situation was awkward for her. Unfortunately, she wasn’t getting any kind of clues from the pensive man sitting across from her.

  “Earth to Marla!”

  “Huh?” She whipped her head around to face her sister.

  A big smile brightened Natalie’s face. She laughed and shook her head. “I called your name three times. You’re so lost in thought you’re oblivious.”

  “Sorry, Natalie, I guess I didn’t get enough sleep last night.” A snort and a couple of chuckles interrupted any other explanation she might give. Marla knew she was blushing. As much as she hated the telltale sign of embarrassment, there was nothing she could do about it. It was hard to hide her embarrassment as fair-skinned as she was.

  She managed to steal a glance at Copper from beneath her lashes. His blue eyes were fixed on her face. She could feel the heat in her cheeks and knew she turned even redder. “What were you saying?”

  “I was just wondering if you had any plans in mind for today. I know you like to explore surrounding areas and take lots of daytrips during your summer vacation.”

  “With everything going on, I haven’t thought that far ahead,” she admitted.

  “I’m taking Marla to Galveston,” Copper informed everyone.

  “Oh,” Natalie gave both of them an interested look.

  “This is the first I heard about it,” she felt compelled to explain to her sister. Her gaze locked with Copper’s heated stare. “I’ve never ridden a motorcycle before,” she confessed. “But I’d love to give it a try.” Marla couldn’t hide the enthusiasm in her voice.

  “You’re going to love my ride, darlin’. I’ll make sure to take it nice and slow for your first time.” He winked at Marla and gave her a slow toe-curling kind of smile.

  A slow heat started in her belly at the thought of spending the day with Copper on his bike. Relief warred with the warmth of desire at the realization that he wanted to spend time with her. She’d been more than a little afraid that he would shuffle the responsibility of her safety to one of the other men after their wild night of passion. The fact that he wasn’t going to shove her off onto someone else made her smile a lot brighter.

  “Want to join them?” Chrome asked Natalie.

  Marla watched several different emotions flicker across her sister’s face at the invitation. “No thanks. I don’t want to be in the way,” she finally said.

  “I could do with a decent ride today myself. It’s a scenic route, I think you’d enjoy it.”

  “I don’t want you to feel like you have to babysit me. Marla, have fun and stay safe. I’m going to relax and catch-up on some reading.” She quickly exited the room and disappeared out of sight.

  Chrome sighed and let out a harsh explicative. “I can’t seem to do anything right when it comes to that woman.” He stormed out of the kitchen, leaving Marla and Copper alone.

  The tension left behind made Marla uncomfortable. She pushed back her chair. “Um, I’m going to go change clothes. I don’t think a sundress and flip flops are ideal attire for the back of a bike.”

  “As cute as you look, I’ve got to agree with you. Jeans and a sturdy pair of shoes, preferably boots would be a better choice.”

  “I’m in luck. Natalie thought to bring my favorite pair of cowboy boots when she did that run to the apartment. I wear them with sundresses sometimes in the summer.”

  “Speaking of your apartment, no one’s been there for a couple of days. It’s probably a good idea to swing by and take a look. You can pick up a few changes of clothes if you want. And I can look for any signs of an intruder.”

  Marla hadn’t even thought about that possibility. She shuddered. “I’ll meet you in the garage where you store your bike in fifteen minutes.” She chewed on her bottom lip. “Better make it twenty. I want to check on Natalie.”

  Copper stood and walked over to Marla. He used his arms to trap her in the chair. Bending down, he claimed her lips with his. Both of them were breathing hard when he finally tore his mouth from hers. “Don’t keep me waiting too long. I’m going to give you the ride of your life.”

  “You did that last night.” Marla didn’t mean to speak the teasing words out loud. But the smirk Copper gave her told her she did. “Um, I’ll just go change now.”

  She slipped out of the chair and tried to hightail it out of the room. Marla only took two steps before Copper wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back flush with the front of his body. She let out a startled yelp, looked over her shoulder, and gave Copper an accusatory stare.

  He nuzzled the side of her neck with his lips and caressed her abdomen and sides just below her breasts. “Remember what I said, woman. Don’t keep me waiting.”

  Marla held her breath, waiting for his hands to stray just a little higher. When they didn’t and he stepped away from her, she turned and ran off in a huff. She was laughing before she got more than halfway up the stairs. Copper was always doing the unexpected. And she loved it!

  She changed
clothes, checked on Natalie, and joined Copper outside in under fifteen minutes. He was leaning over the huge motorized hunk of metal he called a bike when she walked up. Its size alone was enough to intimidate Marla. Luckily, she had something to distract her.

  The pair of well-worn denims he was wearing was stretched taut across his gorgeous backside. Marla had a perfect view, and she stopped to admire it for several seconds. Her admiration quickly turned to embarrassment when Copper glanced over his shoulder and caught her staring.

  “Hey,” she managed to choke out. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” she said once again eyeing the huge bike.

  “Don’t look so worried. I know you’re a bike virgin. I’ll take it easy on you the first time,” he promised with a big grin that showed his perfect white teeth.

  “Oh, Lord,” Marla said, fanning herself. “It’s really hot out here.”

  Copper gave her a look that said he knew exactly what was causing the heat, and it had nothing to do with the Texas summer sun. His gaze roamed over her body. He took his time looking her up and down.

  When he was done he tossed her a lightweight leather jacket. “Wear my jacket. I know it’s going to be large on you, but you’re going to need it. The wind will be whipping around us once we get going on the highway.” He held out a helmet. “You’ll need this too.”

  She quickly slipped her arms inside the jacket, but she eyed the white and pink helmet without attempting to take it. “Where’d you find that?”

  “We keep a few extras in the garage. Sometimes customers want to do a test run and for whatever reason they don’t have a helmet of their own.”

  Marla shrugged, “makes sense.” She took the helmet and put it on. “I never figured you for the pink butterfly type,” she said with a laugh. She hated the thought that it might belong to Copper, because he was in the habit of offering rides to a large number of women.

  He stepped closer and helped her adjust the helmet. “This one happens to be brand new. I just took it out of the box. He touched the black microphone that rested near her mouth. I just paired your Bluetooth motorcycle communications unit with mine. We’ll be able to hear each other over the roar of the motor if we need to talk.”