“Get it through that gorgeous head of yours, baby, this is not pity, charity, or just because I’m fucking horny. I want you, Cara. You.” He grips my hair in his fist and pulls me back so he can whisper in my ear, “You.”

“Josh,” I whisper, and hold on for dear life as he smacks my ass again and then loses himself in the fast, hard rhythm of taking me from behind. There is just the slapping of skin and our harsh, ragged breaths filling the room until I can’t stand it anymore and I convulse as my orgasm rips through me, clenching around his cock.

Josh growls and finds his own release, holding himself buried to the hilt as his own shudders rack through his body. He kisses my back gently and slides out of me, turns me to him, and wraps me in his strong arms.

“Do you want to hear my list?” he murmurs as he brushes his lips across my temple.

“What list?”

“I have a whole list of reasons that I’m attracted to you, sweetheart. It goes without saying, although I’ve repeated it many times, that you’re beautiful. But more than that, you’re funny. You are dedicated to your job and you’re proud of what you do.”

His hands glide up and down my back in long, sweeping motions, soothing me.

“You’re kind and generous. You’re so fucking smart, baby. I plan to spend a lot of time making you see you how I see you because the view is unbelievable.”

I bite my lip and will the tears that have gathered in my eyes at bay.

“What I feel for you is so big, Cara. No more doubts.” He tips my chin up to look me in the eye. “You’re with me because there’s nowhere else I want you to be. Got it?”

I offer him a small smile and nod. “Got it.”

“Good.” He lifts me and carries me toward the bedroom. “But just in case, I think I’ll work on reminding you some more.”

Chapter Eight

JOSH

The house is quiet as I let myself in the back door. I’ve been at work for a few hours, having left Cara in my bed before the sun was up this morning.

She is not a morning person.

I rinse out my coffee mug and grab a clean one from the cupboard above the sink, and as I turn to the coffeepot to pour both Cara and myself a cup, I hear her shuffle up behind me. She wraps her arms around my waist and presses her sweet little body against my back, nuzzling her face between my shoulder blades.

And just like that, I’m hard.

“Good morning,” she murmurs sleepily into my back. I grin and grip her hands in my own, turn in her arms, and loop my arms around her shoulders as she snuggles into my chest.

God, she’s so fucking adorable.

“Good morning, sweetheart.” I press my lips and nose to the crown of her head and take in a long, deep breath. She smells like strawberries and Cara, her own soft, sweet scent mingling with the berries. It’s intoxicating. “I’m pouring you some coffee.”

“Mmm.” She rubs her nose against my chest.

I lean back against the counter, holding her to me, content to stand with her as she wakes up. “Did you sleep okay?” I glide my hands up and down her slender back, enjoying the feel of the soft cotton of my faded, old college T-shirt over her skin.

“Slept fine.” She tilts her head back to smile up at me.

Dear God, I’d give anything to wake up to this smile for the rest of my life, and that thought is more than a little unnerving.

“Good.” I kiss her nose and then her lips softly before offering her the mug of steaming-hot coffee.

“Thank you,” she murmurs, and, holding the mug between both her hands, takes a long sip. “How did you know how I like my coffee?”

“I pay attention.” I shrug and take a sip of my own coffee, watching her over the brim. She’s all mussed up, her blond hair a bit tangled and messy, and her face is clean of makeup, glowing and flawless. My old University of Montana T-shirt hangs on her petite frame covering her yoga shorts and leaving her smooth legs bare. “You have great legs.”

Cara takes another sip of her coffee and blushes. Since the other night after the movie, she hasn’t said one negative word about her body. Instead, she simply blushes and smiles when I compliment her.

Remembering Friday night both pisses me off and turns me on. That anyone could look at Cara and call her fat or ugly is pure insanity and fills me with such rage that I can’t see straight. But the aftereffects when I fucked her against this kitchen counter and then showed her over and over all night long how beautiful I think she is made it one of the best nights of my life.

As her eyes widen and begin to shine, I can see that she’s remembering too.

“We don’t have time for this,” I mutter regretfully, and take another sip of coffee.

“Time for what?”

“For me to haul you back to my bedroom and bury myself inside you for the rest of the morning.”

She swallows hard, making me grin.

“Rain check?” she asks with a half smile.

“Absolutely.”

“What are you doing in here, anyway?” She refills her mug. “I don’t usually see you until lunchtime.”

“I have a surprise for Seth.”

“You do?” She grins widely and leans a hip against the countertop. “What is it?”

“You’ll see; you’re coming with us.”

“Well then, I guess I’d better get dressed.”

“I guess you’d better.” I slap her ass as she saunters past me and back to my bedroom to change. I’m thinking about following her to cash in on the rain check now rather than later when a sleepy Seth wanders through the front door, munching on a breakfast burrito.