Liberty: An Alpha Older Man and Curvy Younger Woman Fourth of Holiday Romance

by Adele Niles

  “I’m Cooper.”

  I held my hand out to her. She smiled and took it, shaking lightly.

  Her touch was so warm and I couldn’t help but imagine her hand touching me elsewhere.

  I wanted her even more.

  And she didn’t rush to let go.

  A moment passed, and we were still holding hands.

  I chuckled and released her. “I, uh. I oughta look at that AC.”

  “Oh! Yeah. Yeah, go for it.” She pulled away, smiling shyly.

  I turned to the thermostat. The room was reading 78—pretty hot—but it looked like it hadn't even been turned on.

  I flicked the switch.

  Cool air started to flow into the room. I stood in front of it, closing my eyes.

  Libby spoke behind me. “What did we do wrong?”

  “It was off.”

  She gasped. For a second, she was silent.

  Then she started to laugh.

  “Oh my god, I’m so sorry! We’re so tired from driving all night.”

  I laughed and shook my head. “Hey, it’s okay. At least you were nice about it. A lot of people flip out when stuff like this happens. They start yelling, acting like I called them stupid.”

  “I mean, you’d have every right to call us stupid! Thanks for, you know, not.”

  I chuckled. “Don’t worry about it. It’s not a big deal.” I looked at her for a moment. “Are you staying through the Fourth?”

  Libby nodded. “We are. And then it’s back to Mississippi.”

  “Oh, nice. Well, there’s a lot of fun stuff planned. The barbecue tonight, and the Cruise-In on the Fourth.”

  “The what?”

  “The Cruise-In?” I chuckled. “All the classic cars in the lot do a parade down the main strip. It’s really fun.”

  “Oh! That sounds neat!”

  “You’ll like it.” I smiled. “Well, I gotta get back to work. See you around, Libby.”

  “See you.”

  I turned to go.

  As I did, the door opened. The other girl from the beach, the brunette, walked in. She was already in a swimsuit, wearing a sheer cover-up over her bikini.

  She stopped and smiled. “Hey, that was fast.”

  Libby hurried to my side. “Yeah. I’ll tell you all about it in a sec. You’ll laugh so hard. But, uh, Kylee? This is Cooper. Cooper, this is Kylee. My best friend.”

  Kylee and I shook hands. “Nice to meet you,” she said. “Oh, hey, you’re the surfer from this morning!”

  I laughed. “Yeah, that was me. Welcome to the resort.”

  “Welcome, indeed.” She glanced at Libby.

  I cleared my throat. “Well. I hope I’ll see you both at the barbecue tonight?”

  “Oh, definitely.” Kylee nodded. “We’ll be there. Promise.”

  “Well, good.” I nodded. “I’ll see you soon, then.”

  I glanced back at Libby once more, then left the room.

  Chapter Three

  Libby

  “Oh my God, Libby!” Kylee said.

  “I—What?”

  “You got the hot guy up here!”

  “He—what? No! He’s the maintenance guy!”

  “So? He’s super-hot and he was super into you.” She waggled her eyebrows.

  I shook my head. “You’re making stuff up.”

  “I am not! He kept looking at you. And I know that look.”

  “Kylee, c’mon. Calm down. It’s—it’s nothing.”

  “It’s definitely something.” Kylee grinned. “We’re going to the barbecue, right?”

  I shrugged. “I guess? Sure?”

  “Good!” Kylee laughed, taking my arm. “Let’s go for a quick swim and then take a nap. Oh, right—what happened with the AC?”

  I looked at her, as deadpan as I could manage. “We hadn’t turned it on.”

  “We…what?”

  “It was off, Kylee. We called maintenance before we even turned it on.”

  Kylee looked at me in stunned silence, then burst into laughter.

  I laughed, too.

  * * * * *

  The barbecue was busy.

  It felt like every room in the resort had sold. Everywhere I turned, there were more people.

  Almost all of them were incredibly attractive. Fit, well-dressed, made up and hair styled.

  Not many of them were as average as me.

  I grabbed a plate of food—a hot dog, pasta salad, chips—and found Kylee sitting on a beach blanket. She smiled at me.

  “So have you seen the hot surfer?” she asked.

  Did she have to lead in with that?

  “I—I haven’t looked for him.”

  “Why not? He’s obviously super into you.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Maybe I want to have fun without a guy.”

  “Why not do both? You can have fun reading, and you can also hook up with somebody.”

  But I didn’t want to hook up.

  I wanted something a little more substantial.

  I wanted what I’d had with Ryan, before things went south.

  Kylee read the look on my face clearly. She shook her head. “No, no, no. Don’t start thinking about him, Libby. He’s a jerk. He’s a jerk and he’ll just hurt you again.”

  “I just…I want a boyfriend. Not a fling or a hookup.”

  She sighed. “Well, then just have fun. Okay? If you want to hang out with him. No pressure.”

  No pressure.

  That sounded nice.

  “Okay, we’ll see. I’m not gonna go looking for anything.”

  Kylee smiled. “Just have fun. And quit thinking about your dickhead ex!”

  I laughed.

  She was right about that part, at least. I had to quit thinking about Ryan.

  * * * * *

  An hour or so later, the party was still going strong.

  Kylee and I had eaten a few plates and had a few beers. I felt warm, a little loose. The live band they’d hired was playing good music. People were talking, laughing, dancing.

  Kylee had been asked to dance by a handsome guy with a Spanish accent. I stood at the edge of the floor, watching her and swaying to the music.

  I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned.

  Cooper. He was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, but he made it look nice.

  He smiled at me. “Glad you made it.”

  “Oh, yeah. It’s a great party!”

  He grinned. “Really?”

  “Yeah. Really. I’m having fun.”

  He nodded. “Great. So, hey, you wanna dance?”

  I looked out at the dance floor.

  Everyone looked like they were having a great time.

  Ryan had never danced with me.

  Slowly, I nodded.

  Cooper took my hand and led me out onto the floor.

  We fell into rhythm easily. The music was good, and Cooper was a great dancer. He held my hands, keeping it casual.

  And as we danced, we chatted. He asked me about Mississippi; I told him about school, my degree.

  I didn’t bring up my ex.

  This was fun, and I didn’t need to bring myself down.

  I asked him a little about surfing, and he answered enthusiastically. He talked about his PhD, too—marine biology.

  So he was gorgeous and smart.

  And I was starting to feel a little tempted.

  I don’t know how much time passed as we danced and talked. And when we finished dancing, both tired, Cooper led me to grab some beers and walk down the beach.

  It was beautiful.

  We stood near the shoreline, watching the waves roll in and out.

  He wrapped one arm around me.

  I put my head on his shoulder.

  It felt good.

  I took a sip of my beer, then turned my head to look up at Cooper.

  He was looking back at me.

  He leaned in, slowly, head tilted.

  No.

  No, I didn’t want this.

  I pulled away.

>   “Libby?” he asked.

  I shook my head and turned, hurrying back up the beach. I didn’t stop until I was in the elevator at the resort.

  This was too much, too fast.

  * * * * *

  Kylee came in a little later. I was already in my pajamas, sitting on the bed.

  “Libby? What’s up?”

  “I don’t know. He tried to kiss me.”

  Kylee blinked and came to sit on my bed. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m okay. Just, I feel weird.”

  “About the kiss?”

  “He didn’t actually kiss me. Just tried.”

  She tilted her head. “Did he try again when you weren’t into it?”

  I shook my head. “No. He backed off.”

  “Okay, so, no problem.”

  No problem? Easy for her to say.

  I felt bad. And weird. And I was thinking about Ryan again.

  “Can I have my phone?” I asked.

  She shook her head. “Nope. Sorry. Not when you’re upset. You’ll just start looking at Ryan’s Facebook.”

  She was right. I sighed heavily and leaned back against the pillows.

  Kylee stood up. “I’m gonna go shower, okay? And then we’ll talk more.”

  “Okay.”

  I closed my eyes, vaguely listening as she wandered around the room to get ready for her shower. She went into the bathroom and closed the door.

  Maybe I had been too quick to back off.

  Maybe I could go find him again.

  And then I heard a shout from the bathroom.

  Kylee opened the door, panic on her face. “Call maintenance? The toilet just, like, exploded water everywhere!”

  Shit.

  Chapter Four

  Cooper

  After Libby left, I went back to my room.

  I’d been having a nice time with her, and now all I could think was that I had done something wrong. She’d run off like a scared cat, and I hated to think that I’d upset her.

  I stood on the balcony, watching the party wind down on the beach below. I’d been going to that party for a few years, and this was the first time I’d left it so disappointed.

  Maybe the interest had been one-sided. Maybe she hadn’t been attracted at all, and had just taken up my offer to dance because her friend wasn’t with her.

  I kinda doubted that.

  I took a sip of my beer. I’d probably have another before I called it a night. It would help me sleep, help me stop thinking about Libby and how quickly she’d run off on me.

  And then my phone rang.

  “Dammit.” I turned and went inside, grabbing it. “Cooper here.”

  “Cooper, hey.” Brendan, our night shift clerk, sounded apologetic. “I hope I’m not waking you up.”

  “No, I was still up. What’s going on?”

  “Uh, 212 called. Their toilet is spewing water everywhere.”

  212. Libby and Kylee.

  These girls were going to be a headache.

  “Sure. I’ll be right there, okay? Just gotta get my tools.”

  “Thanks, Cooper. You’re a hero.”

  I chuckled. Of course I was.

  A few minutes later, I knocked on their door. Libby answered, dressed in pajamas and clearly panicking. “Cooper?”

  “Hey. What’s going on with the toilet?”

  “I don’t know! Kylee went in there and then she started yelling and…”

  She gestured to the floor. Water was spilling out of the bathroom into the main area.

  I sighed.

  “You two pack up. I’ll get you moved to another room. Let me get this to stop running and I’ll make the call.”

  She nodded and smiled. “Thank you! Okay, I’ll let you get to work!”

  I couldn’t stay upset with her. She was too adorable.

  I went into the bathroom. Kylee had left it to go pack her suitcase again. I could hear both girls talking while they worked.

  I turned the water off to the toilet and grabbed the snake. It was clean, at least.

  But then I looked closer.

  There was something down there, half-flushed.

  I groaned and pulled on a glove before reaching in.

  I pulled out a handful of white lace. Holding it up over the sink, I chuckled.

  Lacy thong panties.

  The sight took my mind to a good place—Libby, on my bed, only wearing these.

  I wrapped them in a towel and came out into the room. “Fixed the problem.”

  “What was it?” Libby asked. “Did we do something stupid again?”

  I opened the towel. “These ended up in the toilet somehow.”

  Libby looked at Kylee, gasping.

  Kylee didn’t look at either of us. “Oops.”

  “You—” Libby started, shaking her head.

  I held my hands up. “You two, uh, sort out who owns them. I’ll make a call about your room.”

  I ducked out into the hallway, pulling the door almost closed. I grabbed my phone and called the front desk.

  “Front desk, this is Brendan.”

  “Brendan, hey. It’s Cooper. Can we get the ladies in 212 moved? There’s water everywhere.”

  “Sure can. Uh…let’s see. I have a room open on five, and one…well, that’s a suite.”

  “A suite?”

  “Yeah, we have a suite open. No reservations on it all week.”

  Perfect. “Can you put them in the suite?”

  “Yeah, I can do that.”

  “Great. Thanks, Brendan.”

  “Sure. You need me to send up a bell cart?”

  “I’ll come get it. I want to handle this one personally.”

  I knocked before letting myself back in. Both girls looked at me. Libby still looked angry, but Kylee was struggling not to grin.

  “Ladies, I’m gonna go grab a luggage cart. We’re upgrading you to a suite.” I paused and grinned. “For all the trouble, you know. With the toilet and the air conditioner.”

  It was worth it just to see Libby blush.

  “Okay,” she said quietly. “Thank you. We’ll have our stuff ready when you get back.”

  “No worries. I’ll be back in a second.”

  I closed the door, unable to keep myself from grinning.

  She looked good when she blushed.

  Chapter Five

  Libby

  Kylee’s smile widened. “You’re blushing.”

  I was not in the mood for her teasing.

  I rounded on her, pointing. “You’re meddling.”

  “Okay, and? Maybe you need a little push, Libby. You two are so into each other.”

  No way. I wasn’t into him and he definitely wasn’t into me.

  “You can’t mess around like that! What if you’d broken the toilet for real?”

  “I could’ve paid for it!” She huffed. “Don’t be so dramatic, Libby. And don’t forget to thank me later.”

  “Why am I going to thank you?”

  “Because I’m gonna help you get with him.”

  I groaned. “Kylee, please, don’t do this to me.”

  Kylee rolled her eyes. “Libby. Please. You’re never going to get over Ryan if you don’t do something wild.”

  But I wasn’t wild.

  That’s the part she seemed to be missing.

  I didn’t do stuff like this. I was the quiet, bookish one. I read a lot and I watched movies on Netflix. I thought the library was a great place for a date.

  I didn’t hook up with hot surfer guys at beach resorts.

  But a part of me was definitely attracted to him.

  He was handsome, and charming, and smart.

  And I’d liked dancing with him.

  Ryan, I reminded myself, had never danced with me. Not once, in the whole three years we’d been together.

  There was a knock at the door. Probably Cooper. I looked at Kylee and shook my head, going to open it.

  He stood there with a luggage cart. “All packed up?”

>   “Yeah. We’ll bring our stuff to you.” I went back to grab my suitcase, shooting Kylee another warning look as I passed her.

  She sighed.

  And then she started talking.

  “Hey, thanks for all the help, Cooper. Libby was just talking about how much fun she had at the party, you know? Dancing and stuff. We’re really happy you came to the rescue.”

  He smiled proudly. “Of course. No worries. It’s kinda what I do around here.”

  “You’re the regular repairman?”

  “Yeah.” He nodded. “I am. I do some traveling during the off-season, but this is home.”

  Kylee looked at me. “That’s really cool, huh?”

  I nodded. “Yeah. It sounds nice. Better than job hunting.”

  His attention immediately shifted to me.

  Dammit.

  “You need a job?” he asked.

  I hesitated, nodding. “Yeah, I really want to teach. So I’m trying to find something.”

  He nodded and, thankfully, let the subject drop.

  We loaded up the luggage cart and took an elevator to the top floor. Kylee and I followed Cooper as he walked down the hall.

  He stopped at a door and presented us with our new keys. “Here we go, ladies. Your new room.”

  Kylee stepped back, letting me open the door.

  The room was enormous, almost a palace on its own. Even in the dark, I could tell that the balcony looked out over the ocean. The central living room branched off, with a bedroom on each side.

  We’d have a little privacy. That was nice, because from the way she was talking, Kylee was likely to find somebody to bring back while we were here. I wished her luck, but that didn’t mean I had to follow her lead.

  Cooper helped us unload our stuff. Kylee and I carried our suitcases to our respective rooms, then came back to the middle.

  It hit me how exhausted I was. I needed to get some sleep.

  Cooper was smiling, though. “Well,” he said. “You ladies have a wonderful night, all right? I’ll see you around.”

  His eyes lingered on me.

  His gaze made me feel warm inside.

  He turned and left, the door closing behind him.

  I could feel Kylee looking at me.

  I sighed and left the room, rushing after him.

  He hadn’t reached the elevators yet. I hurried to catch up to him. “Cooper?”

  He stopped and turned to look at me.

  What the hell did I want?

  I stood still for a moment, looking at him.