Torrid Little Affair (Forbidden Desires #3)

Cooper

“Thanks for meeting with me,” I said to my brother, grateful that Emma was at work in her little bookshop and we had some privacy.

Gavin stood on the other side of his kitchen island, pouring each of us a glass of sparkling water. A smug grin spread across his face as he slid a glass of water my way. “It’s not often my little brother asks me for advice these days.”

I caught the glass and resisted the urge to smack that stupid look off his face, reminding myself that I needed his help, no matter how much I hated coming to him like this. Being married to Emma had softened him some, but Gavin was still an arrogant prick when I wasn’t asking for advice. So, on the rare occasion that I did, he was bound to be even worse than usual.

Focus, Cooper. This is important. This is for Corinne.

I raised my glass. “Cheers, brother,” I said, and Gavin nodded, clinking his glass to mine. We drank, and I was surprised by how light and refreshing the mineral water was sliding down my throat. He might be a prick, but my brother had damned good taste.

“So, what’s going on, Coop? Had to be important if you, of all people, were willing to ask for help.”

I shot him a dirty look and then explained my arrangement with Corinne, starting with the day I sent her running out of my office and ending with last night after happy hour, when she all but begged me to fuck her right there on the sidewalk. Gavin didn’t laugh like Quinn did as I explained the situation, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the way he raised his eyebrows when I told him about Corinne’s troubled past.

Once I felt I’d provided adequate background information, I paused to take a sip of my water. Gavin remained silent, clearly waiting for me to actually ask him a question before speaking.

I sighed. “I was wondering if you had any advice for me as I proceed. Quinn suggested you might from your days in the Dominant/submissive scene. It’s not that she doesn’t get aroused-it was clear from our first meeting that her body wanted to be physical with mine. The problem is her emotional reaction to her own arousal. It scares her. And I’m just wondering if you have any tips on how to make her more comfortable with her body’s natural reaction to physical pleasure.”

Gavin nodded and remained silent for a moment, clearly considering what to say. When he finally opened his mouth to speak, his eyes were stern and serious.

“Before I disclose what I know about opening women up to pleasure,” he said, “I want to warn you. Be careful with this one, Coop. I read her file when we hired her, and I know Quinn made sure you saw it too. She was in the system, and you and I have enough experience with that to know that you don’t grow up like that without developing a few wounds over the years. She might have agreed to something purely physical, but women rarely mean that. Go slow. Be gentle. Something tells me this woman is still healing from some pretty massive trauma in her past.”

I nodded and looked down at the counter, bristling at Gavin’s paternal tone. When had my brother become the expert on childhood trauma? The Gavin I knew five years ago would have encouraged me to fuck her out of my system, and the Gavin I knew just last year would have told me to run the other way.

But the Gavin standing in front of me now was contemplative and empathetic. It was clear to me then more than ever how much his marriage to Emma had changed him.

In any other moment, I would have been impressed by my brother’s insight. Right then, however? I was about ready to pop him in the eye.

“Right,” I said, meeting Gavin’s stern gaze with a cold look of my own. “I know all that. You weren’t the only one with a rocky childhood, you know. I was there too.”

Gavin raised his hands in surrender. “Not trying to start anything,” he said, shaking his head. “Just want to make sure we’re on the same page here.”

I nodded and took another sip of my water. “So, what do you suggest?” I asked, ready to move on to more practical advice.

“First, there has to be a lot of conversation before you start slapping your private parts together. Start with goals with limits,” Gavin said, walking around the island and taking a seat at one of the bar stools to my left. “You need to learn what’s on her no-go list. Some women are perfectly fine getting fucked in the ass but won’t let you kiss them on the mouth, so you need to ask. You two might not be interested in romance, but her pleasure will depend on how much trust you can build between the two of you.”

I nodded, making a mental list of all the things I needed to do. I wasn’t expecting there to be such an emphasis on actually having a conversation, but it made sense as Gavin explained it to me. “Thanks, man. What else?” I could see there was more he wanted to say.

“The conversation shouldn’t stop there. During physical intimacy, you’ll want to make sure there’s a lot of communication. Get her to tell you how she’s feeling, what she likes, what feels good.”

I nodded. “Do we need to establish a safe word?”

He shook his head. “I don’t think so. If it makes you feel more comfortable, you can, but generally, the words no or stop should suffice.”

“Got it. Should I plan a proper date then?”

“That’s a good place to start. It doesn’t have to be romantic, but she should know she’s valued. I could make you a reservation at the Union. The owner’s a friend.”

“No, I don’t want to intimidate her,” I said, remembering the blush that so easily spread across her cheeks and her perfect, ample chest. “Maybe a quiet dinner at home would be best. I could cook for her. It’d be intimate, that’s for sure.”

Gavin chuckled. “Cooper, you and I both know you can’t cook. I’ll send Emma over to help you. She’ll make sure whatever you serve your date is edible.”

I paused, unsure of how to respond. While the mention of Emma no longer sent a pang of sadness and regret shooting through my whole body, I hadn’t talked to her since my stint in Florida, and part of me didn’t want to see her again for the first time under these circumstances.

The more I thought about it, however, the better the idea sounded. It would be good to clear the air with her, and then I could finally patch up the old wound for good. That way, my focus could be solely on Corinne and her pleasure.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“Sure, Emma can help,” I said. For once, I was grateful for my brother’s unaffected nature.

“It’s settled then.” Gavin nodded. “Just know that if you manage to catch your apartment on fire, even on Emma’s watch, there’s no way I’m paying for it,” he said with a wink.