More Than Cookies (The Maple Leaf Series) (25 page)

She opened her legs to him and bit back a moan of passion when he slid into her. Trying hard to be quiet so Myah and Ian didn’t hear them, she gripped his hips and rocked her body beneath his. Steady motions that made him clamp his lips closed so he would be quiet too. When she slithered her hands down to cup his ass and rocked harder into him, he grabbed the head board, muscles straining along his arms as he held on.

Sage reached her arms up and took his hands in hers. Intertwining their fingers, she tugged him down so his taut body rested along hers. He was thrusting deep into her now and she could barely catch her breath as she matched his pace. He ran his teeth along her jaw and the scruff of his beard activated all her nerve endings.

With a final push into her, they crested together. She squeezed her legs around his waist, trapping him until they were both spent, chests heaving, hearts thumping, minds incapable of any logical thought whatsoever.

Sage never lost herself. She always knew exactly where she was and precisely what she was doing. With Orion just now, however, she’d forgotten everything except him, pleasing him, getting pleasure from him, becoming one with him. She never thought it could be like this. Never.

But here she was. Lying contentedly beneath the most wonderful man she’d ever met. The most wonderful man she’d ever made love to. The most wonderful man she never wanted to lose.

****

Orion collapsed onto Sage, still buried deep inside her, still a part of her, still wanting her. The trip he’d just taken made his head spin and his body rejoice. He’d never been so in tune with another person. She knew exactly how to pleasure him, and from the way her body had reacted to their lovemaking, he knew how to satisfy her as well. They were perfectly matched. He didn’t see how he could ever enjoy this particular activity with anyone else besides Sage. No one else could compare. No way.

“Orion,” Sage said after about thirty minutes of the two of them just snuggling, legs entangled. She combed her fingers through his hair, scratching at his scalp in the most arousing manner.

“Mmm…” He wasn’t capable of words yet. Maybe he never would be.

“That was… that was… horrible.”

He jerked his head up with a strength he didn’t think he had. “It was?” He hadn’t had sex in a while, but he wouldn’t have described what they had just shared as
horrible.
How could she?

A slow smile spread across her lips, and he realized she was teasing him.

“You are a nasty, nasty woman.” He rose to his elbows and slowly slid out of her.

Her eyes rolled then closed as the smile grew. “Think about it. If I told you how amazingly, mind-blowingly perfect that was, you’d have no reason to try again. And again. And again.”

“And you’d like me to try again?” He wound her hair around his fingers then let it slip away.

“Yes. Often. Perhaps every fifteen minutes if you can manage it.” She wrapped her arms around his back and pulled him down to her. With a nibble on his earlobe that made his whole body shudder, she said, “Maybe every ten.”

She flipped him to his back and raked her fingers from his shoulders down to his waist, making him want to keep her in his bedroom for… oh… an eternity. How could he let her go back to her house ever?

She took his right hand and kissed each fingertip. Watching the way her mouth puckered, the way her tongue caressed each digit, the way one blonde brow arched mischievously made Orion’s body get all revved up again. Her hair fell in loose waves, curtaining her breasts, making him ache to touch them, but she was in control right now.

Taking his left hand, she gave each finger there the same careful, sensual attention. When she got to his shortened pinkie finger, she said, “I don’t know why, but this pinkie drives me wild. It’s so tough and recklessly male.” She dropped another kiss to that finger then pressed his palm to her hip.

He slid his free hand to her other hip, loving the feel of her ultra soft skin beneath his coarse palms. “It was more like clumsy, not-paying-attention male, and no, I’m not willing to cut anything else off to prove how manly I am.”

She chuckled and lowered so her breasts were pressed to his chest and his IQ shot down to a negative number. “No need to prove anything to me, mister. I now know firsthand how manly you are.” She kissed a trail down his stomach then ran her hands over what made him a man.

He let out a shaky breath and closed his eyes. Her hands were magic on him, stroking until he was once again rock hard. God, she was good. Five minutes ago, he was totally spent. Now he was ready to go another round.

Or two.

Her hot, skilled mouth closed around him, and for a moment he forgot how to breathe. He swore his heart stopped beating right before it zoomed to top speed in his chest. Her lips were like velvet against him, and he balled the sheets beneath him into his fists, because he had to hold on to something. He needed some way to keep him in the here and now. Some way to make sure he didn’t float away on blissful clouds and sweet, sweet dreams.

Sage sat up, something like a purr sounding from her throat. “Tell me you have another condom.”

He simply nodded, for his body was rigid with arousal. He was primed and ready. Ready to delve deep into Sage’s hot, wet center.

She found the condoms in his nightstand,
thank the good Lord
, and rolled one on, touching him possessively. He was hers. All hers.

She rose to her knees, and he reached both his hands up to cup her breasts, running his thumbs over her hardened nipples. He skimmed his palms down her sides and guided her onto him. She let out a breathy sigh that almost had him blowing his load too soon. Everything she did absolutely turned him on. He had a feeling she could be doing something completely mundane, like putting gas in her pumpkin car, and he’d feel the need to tear her clothes off and have her right away. She was like a drug. Addictive and messing with his mind.

For once, he didn’t care either. His mind had been messed with before, but Sage wouldn’t hurt him. She wasn’t capable of it.

With that assurance, he turned himself over to the sensations of having her surround him. He pumped into her while she moved in small, slow circles on him. She’d back off a bit, then press closer when he started to miss the feel of her sweet ass on him.

Gripping his shoulders, she arched her back one final time and sailed over the edge. He followed her a few seconds later, and they shivered in each other’s embrace until the aftershocks wore off.

Orion’s body vibrated with something. Something he couldn’t quite put a finger on.

Sage sighed and cuddled up close to him. “I loved that.”   

Loved. Yeah, that’s it.

That thought should have scared the skin right off him, but it didn’t. “Me too.”

He shifted to pull the sheet over them both, and Sage rolled to her side. He came up behind her and slid his arms around her splendidly naked body. He flattened his palm on her belly and she nestled her bottom against his front.

“What if Myah or Ian wake up?” she whispered.

“Ranger will take care of it,” he mumbled into her hair. “He’s a smart dog.”

She giggled and reached a hand back to cup his face.

“Besides, if you think you’re going home now, Miss Stannard, you are sorely mistaken.” He squeezed her tighter.

“You’re a wonderful neighbor.” She puckered her lips and he kissed her.

“I wonder if Cressen thought so.”

Sage elbowed him in the stomach. “If you were that neighborly to her, she wouldn’t have been able to move out of the neighborhood.”

“Yeah?” He was rather proud of himself.

“Oh my God, yeah,” Sage said. “I’ve never been that… that… fulfilled.”

“Never?”

She shook her head and turned around to face him. Putting a hand to his cheek, she stared into his eyes. “Orion, no one has ever made me feel the way you just did. As if I was something important, valuable. As if you couldn’t get enough of me.” A tear dropped from her eye, making a small wet spot on the pillow beneath her head.

Orion ran his fingers over her beautiful lips then along her jaw. “You are important. You are valuable. I can’t get enough of you, Sage.”

He knew it was crazy. He’d only known her a few days, but in that time, she’d done more for him, shown him more kindness and passion than anyone ever had before. Making love to her only convinced him he had to keep her.

He hugged her as close to him as physically possible. Could a man have everything he wanted? Could he have his daughter? Could he have his dog? Could he have a woman who made him feel as if he were invincible?

Could he?

Chapter Twenty

Sage opened her eyes to a beam of sunlight right across her face. Squinting, she reached a hand out, but quickly discovered she was alone in Orion’s bed.

That’s a shame.

Remembering making love to Orion last night had her feeling desperate for him again. She stretched and settled her hands behind her head as she recalled his kiss, his touch, his ability to make her feel like the luckiest woman in the world. Sleeping cradled in his arms had been an experience too. Normally, she was the one to make a hasty exit after the deed was done, knowing full well a true connection had not been made with her partner. Usually she achieved a physical release, but the need to ride the ride a second time was never there.

But with Orion?

Oh, they were connected and she wanted to ride. Often. So often.

Not able to go another minute without seeing him, Sage threw off the sheet and hurried back into her tank top and skirt. She opened his bedroom door slowly, not sure who may still be sleeping. After a moment of standing in the threshold, she saw Myah’s and Ian’s bedroom doors were open. Still trying to be quiet, she crept down the hallway and peeked in each room.

Empty.
Except for that cute stuffed bear still lounging in Myah’s bed.

Ranger wasn’t anywhere either.

She made a quick stop into the bathroom to freshen up as best as she could then heard the whir of a chainsaw. Visions of Orion covered in sawdust had her sliding on her flip-flops and stepping out onto the porch. She sat on the last step when Ranger trotted over, his tail wagging in friendship.

“Hey, boy,” she said. “Good morning.”

The dog’s eyes scrunched as she scratched under his chin. When she stopped for a moment to gather her hair into a ponytail, Ranger pushed his nose right into her crotch.

“Okay, okay. More scratching. I get it.” She obliged the dog by standing up and giving him an all-over rubbing that had him letting out happy doggie noises. When she stopped this time, she took a step toward the workshop and Ranger followed beside her. At the sound of the chainsaw, though, the dog veered to the right and galloped into the woods instead.

The barn doors were open and the first sight to greet Sage was Myah and Ian sitting on stools watching Orion. Their heads were tilted at exactly the same angle, their feet propped up on the stool rungs, Myah’s on the upper, Ian’s on the lower. Their backs were hunched as if they were leaning forward with their elbows on their knees. As Sage came deeper into the workshop, she saw that was the case. Neon yellow earplugs filled their ears and they didn’t notice her. The two were totally enraptured by Orion.

Turning to focus on the man in question, she could see why. Woodchips flew like blizzard-level snow all around him as he hacked at the last of his tree trunks with a large chainsaw. He had on his signature T-shirt and cargo shorts uniform with a red bandana covering his head today.

Holy hotness, pirate-style!

His work boots were taped at his ankles again and safety goggles protected his beautiful eyes. Eyes Sage was pretty sure she could spend a lifetime staring into.

Whoa. Where did that come from?

Things were getting serious. Quickly. Sage took a moment to consider this as Orion bent down to remove material from the base of the stump. His shorts molded against his phenomenal ass, his biceps shook impressively as he handled the saw, and she forgot to be concerned over the speed at which she’d fallen for this man. This skilled mega-hottie who was as comfortable reading a bedtime story to his daughter as he was chewing through wood with the mother of all chainsaws.

Definition of sexy right there, folks.

Had she even met a real man before Orion? No. She’d been dating boys before him. Wasting time on Mr. Wrong after Mr. Wrong. It was about time she found her Mr. Right. Her Mr. Oh-So-Right.

Deciding she was going to have an orgasm just watching Orion work, Sage backed out of the workshop and headed into the house. She poked around in his kitchen and found enough ingredients for one of her often-requested breakfast quiches from her brunch catering menu. She sizzled some bacon and toasted a small tower of wheat bread. She set the feast on the dining room table with fruit cups and orange juice then spent a few minutes arranging food on Myah’s plate so it looked like a puppy. Two slices of quiche for ears, grapes for eyes, a banana slice for a nose, and bacon for a lolling tongue. She remembered her mother doing the same for her when she was a girl.

As she walked back into the kitchen to clean up, Myah and Ian came into the house.

“What smells so yummy?” Myah asked, her nose sniffing the air like a hungry wolf pup.

“Breakfast,” Sage said. “Go in the dining room and see if you can figure out which plate is yours.”

With a huge smile, Myah went off running. Ian hung back and turned his blue eyes on Sage. He stood, silently considering her for a few moments.

“There’s a plate for you too, Ian.” Sage turned back to scrub the skillet she’d cooked the bacon in.

“I’m sure there is,” he said. “You know how to take care of people.”

“I’ve had lots of experience,” Sage said. “I’ve taken care of my sister, my cousin, my mother, my catering clients, the folks who come into Rick’s store. I like to make people happy.”

Ian came to the sink and put his hand on hers. “You make Orion happy.”