This Love (Cowboys & Angels 6)

I wiped me tears away, and he stood, probably as close as he thought I’d let him stand.

“Christ, please don’t cry. I didn’t mean to make you feel that way. I’d never want to make you cry. Ever. You drive me so fucking crazy with these feelings. I think I’m losing my mind.”

A small laugh slipped from me lips as Cord rested his forehead against mine.

“I don’t mean to drive you crazy,” I whispered.

He barely smiled. “I know you don’t, but you do and I don’t think you even realize it.”

Lifting me arms, I wrapped them around his neck, letting our bodies press together.

“You scare me, Cord Parker.”

Cord drew in a deep breath and replied, “You scare me a helluva lot more, Maebh O’ Sullivan.”

The moment she wrapped her arms around me, I nearly died. She was naked under her robe, and she had no idea how close I was to pulling that robe open and showing her exactly how insane I was for her. I’d never wanted a woman like this before. And it wasn’t just wanting to fuck her and then stroll on back to my place. I wanted to make love to her. Slowly. Learn every single thing that made her body come to life. Make her come in more ways than she could count. Be the first man inside her, make her mine.

My dick was getting hard again, just thinking about it.

Christ. Stop thinking, Cord.

I wrapped my arms around her tighter, not wanting to let her go. Something about having her in my arms blew my damn mind. It felt…like home.

Perfect. Content. Happy. And horny as hell.

“Maebh?” I softly asked.

“Mmm?”

I smiled because I imagined she felt the same way I did. Content in my arms.

“Will you be patient with me? I’ve never done this before, but I know I could never walk away from you. Something happened when I first saw you. I haven’t been myself since that first day you smiled at me.”

She dropped her arms and drew her head back. Our eyes met, and she smiled.

“You mean…you want to date me?”

Why did she find that so hard to believe?

“I want to get to know you…all of you…but I promise to go slow and not do anything you don’t want to do until you’re ready.”

Maebh worried her lip. I pulled it from between her teeth with my thumb. “Talk to me, baby.”

She swallowed hard and cleared her throat. “I need to tell you something that might make you, um… It might make you change your mind about me.”

Already knowing what she was going to say, I prepared myself for the answer she deserved.

“Tell me,” I whispered.

Panic washed over her face before she dropped her gaze. “I’m a virgin. I know it’s old-fashioned, but I was saving meself for a man who made me feel things I’d never felt before. A man who made me want to live in the moment and take me to places I never dared dream I would go. I wanted to be sure if I gave meself to someone, he would deserve every touch, every whisper, every part of me.”

My heart felt like it was slamming against the wall of my chest. Placing my finger on her chin, I lifted her face so that her eyes were looking into mine.

“And you think I’m that man?”

Her lips pressed together before she softly replied, “Yes and no, but more yes. Me mind is all over the place about you.”

My head was spinning. How in the hell did this amazingly beautiful woman think I was the one to get something she held so close? I’m the type of guy who’s more comfortable dancing with the devil, and Maebh is an Irish angel so far out my league it was unreal.

“I don’t deserve you,” I mumbled, knowing that every word was true. I didn’t deserve her, but hell if I wasn’t going to do everything in my power to change that.

Her eyes widened.

“If you do decide to give yourself to me, I swear to God I’ll treasure you and prove that I am worthy of you for as long as you’ll have me.”

The corners of her mouth rose into a beautiful smile. “What do we do from here?”

“First thing I have to do is kiss you.”

She giggled, and it felt amazing. I felt like we’d just went through hell and came out the other side, a little battered, a lot bruised, but both victors.

“Alright. Kiss me, then.”

When I smiled she leaned against me, like my smile made her legs weak.

Sliding my hands into her hair, I pulled back slightly, lifting her mouth so I could look at it.

“You’re so beautiful, Maebh.”

Her eyes fluttered closed and her mouth parted open, a silent gesture to claim it.

“So fucking beautiful.”

As I brushed my lips over hers, she let out a slight moan and then whispered, “Cord.”