I sighed with relief, pretending that was exactly what I’d needed to hear.
In reality, I was crushed. A part of me had never gotten over her all those years ago, and that part was threatening to take the rest of me hostage. What was weird was it wasn’t even about the sex—though don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t be passing it up—especially after that, but the thought of holding her in my arms as we fell asleep made me feel things I never knew I was capable of. The thought of not being with her made me feel sick to the stomach.
“Don’t stress about it. We both got carried away, and it happened.” I shrugged as if it were no big deal. “Just next time you decide to overindulge, don’t throw yourself at me,” I teased.
“Hey,” she retorted, “if I remember correctly you kissed me….oh.” She blushed as she realized I was just trying to push her buttons. “You’re an asshole sometimes, you know that?”
‘I’ve been told,” I chuckled. “So, are you planning on sleeping in here?” I asked lightly.
She stood up, taking my sheet with her. “’Night, Coop,” she sang as she walked out the door, a trail of white cotton flowing behind her.
I threw my head back onto the bed and groaned. What the fuck was I supposed to do now?
No love, no girl, and now no sheets.
Chapter Seventeen
As I dragged myself out of bed the next day, the memories from the night before came flooding back into my head. Too much attraction—Mia and I in my bed.
God, what was I doing?
Silence greeted me as I crept out of my room. I sighed. She must have been called in to work early.
“Morning.”
I jumped, crashing into the bookshelf that stood behind me, causing half the contents to go flying across the room. Mia ran to my side, trying to hide the fact that she was laughing behind her hand.
I scowled at her. “Something funny?” I asked dryly. I bent over to pick up the few books that were in my way.
“Come on. That was hilarious.” She chuckled. She walked into the kitchen and set two cups down. Reaching for the coffee pot, she filled them both. She was dressed in a short bathrobe. I gazed longingly over her long legs, down to her bare feet.
Was she wearing anything under that robe? It barely scraped past her min-thigh and looked to be made of silk, or something equally light. She turned and caught me staring, and I averted my eyes. Oops.
She carried over both coffees, going back for cream and sugar. Neither of us mentioned the night before—or the night at the cabin. And now all I wanted to do was rip that robe off her and feel myself inside her.
“Coop?”
I reddened, embarrassed that she had caught me daydreaming. mobilism.org
“I’m sorry, what?”
“I asked what your plans are for the day.” She looked at me, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.
“Uh, busy day today. I’ll be home pretty late I think. You?” I asked. My day was pretty quiet. I had no clients, and not much planned.
"I'm going house hunting. Or rather apartment hunting," she announced. "Then I have an afternoon shift. Speaking of which, I had better get going or I’ll be late.” She stood up, leaving me alone with my coffee as I tried to ignore the awkward tension that was hanging in the air.
Thinking about what Beth had said to me the other day, I decided she was right. I needed to spend time with Mia to explore my feelings for her. What better way to do that than taking her out to dinner? I picked up my phone and texted her.
Are you free tonight?
I waited impatiently for her to reply. After two minutes I realized waiting wasn’t my strong point. I stood up, deciding to go for a run. Just as I was about to head out the door, My phone buzzed. I eagerly dug it out like a kid on Christmas morning.
Are you asking me out, Coop?
I laughed, unable to hide my happiness. Did she want me to ask her out? I loved the giddy feeling I got when I thought about her. I quickly texted back.
What would you say if I was?
Her reply was almost immediate.
Ask and find out J
Chuckling, I replied.
Will you do me the honor of accompanying me on an evening out?
Again, her reply was instant. The thought of her standing at work waiting for my texts made me smile.
How could I say no to that?
I was grinning like an idiot. So, I had the girl; now I needed to plan a night to blow her mind. First step was booking dinner. I picked up my phone and dialed Beth.
“Hey,” she said, sounding happy to hear from me.
“Hey. I need a huge favor,” I began. “I’m taking your advice and taking Mia out. Can you get me a booking at SuiNa?”
Beth giggled. “Who do you think you’re talking to? Of course I can. What time?”
“Seven. Thanks, Beth.”
The waiting list for SuiNa was months, and even then if you weren’t a “somebody” you had no chance in hell of getting a booking. Having clients who were well known in the public eye had its perks. My phone buzzed. It was Beth.
Done. Booking at seven under Cooper xx
After changing into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, I grabbed my keys and set off on a run. I took off toward Parsons Lake, where I knew two laps around would be three miles. I’d been pretty slack with my fitness the past few weeks. Before that, I used to get a run in nearly every few days.
I jogged along the sidewalk, crossing the road at Seventh, and over through the park toward the lake. The idea behind the run had been to forget about Mia for a few minutes, but once I was out there in the fresh air, she was all that I could think about.
Dropping my keys on the counter, I walked over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. Twisting off the cap, I chugged it down, finishing it in a matter of seconds. Sweat dripped from my body, drenching through my clothes, the cool air from the air conditioner making the dampness freezing against my skin. I lifted the T-shirt over my head and walked to the bathroom, stepping out of my shorts and boxers on the way. I discarded my dirty clothes in the laundry hamper and turned on the shower.
While I waited for the water temperature to adjust, I stared at my reflection, the mirror slowly fogging up. I could do with a shave, but my laziness won out.
I sighed as I let the water run down my face, my hands running through my wet hair. As I soaped up my chest, I thought about Mia again, my hand dipping down to my cock. Thinking about her while washing my dick probably wasn’t my most well thought out plan, because I was now as hard as fuck. I closed my eyes and imagined she was in front of me, on her knees taking my length in her mouth. My hand began to pump faster as I leaned against the tiled wall of the shower.
Fuck, those lips wrapping themselves around my throbbing dick, sucking, licking…her eyes would focus on mine so she could watch me watching her mouth fuck me. I gasped, my head resting against my arm as I came.
I had just finished getting ready when Mia arrived home from work. She passed me in the kitchen, grinning at me as she kicked off her shoes.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked, raising her eyebrows as she unclasped her watch and set it down on the counter.
“You’ll find out, but hurry up. If we’re late I doubt they’ll hold our table.”
“Sounds fancy. I’ll only be a minute.” I watched her walk down the hall and disappear into the bathroom.
She wasn’t kidding. Less than five minutes later she re-emerged in the living room.
“Wow,” I mumbled, feeling like the wind had been knocked out of me. “You look incredible.”
She smiled, her cheeks glowing. I watched as she slipped her feet into a pair of cream-colored pumps. Her black dress, fitted to the waist, flared out and finished mid-thigh, showcasing her long lean legs. The strapless bodice of her dress displayed her breasts beautifully. She looked fucking amazing.
I walked over to her, taking her hand. “Are you ready?” I asked her.
She nodded.
�
�Then let’s go.”
We walked into SuiNa right on seven. The place was even more elegant than I’d imagined. Despite my high standing with some very famous women, I didn’t often eat out, much less in this kind of style. I didn’t want Mia to know that, though.
We walked over to the maître de; he smiled as we approached.
“Good evening monsieur and madame, welcome to SuiNa. I take it you have a reservation?” he asked politely.
“Yes, under the name of Cooper, at seven,” I replied, my hand resting on the curve of Mia’s back. I watched her as she glanced around, her eyes wide with excitement as she took in the beauty of one of the top restaurants in the world.
The maître de frowned, his brow creasing. “Uh, sir, I’m sorry, but there is no reservation under that name.” He shook his head apologetically, waving his hand around. “As you can see, we are completely booked out.”
What? I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“Can you check again please,” I said frostily as Mia shifted uncomfortably next to me.
“Sir, it is not here. I am so sorry. I wish there was something I could do.” He did look genuinely sorry.
I nodded and turned around, walking to the door, Mia beside me.
“I’m sorry. This was not part of the plan,” I mumbled, embarrassed to have made such a mess of the date.
“It’s no biggie.” Mia shrugged. “Lets go somewhere else.” Her face lit up. “Let’s go have hamburgers,” she suggested, a huge grin on her face.
“Hamburgers,” I repeated, amused. “Aren’t we a tiny bit overdressed for McDonalds?” I teased. She laughed and grabbed my hand.
“Come on. We’re doing it,” she giggled. Rolling my eyes, we walked to the car and drove the three miles down the road to McDonalds.
“I honestly cannot remember the last time I came here,” I muttered under my breath. Mia laughed as we got out of the car. This was ridiculous. We were so overdressed, me in my suit and her in that fucking sexy dress…
“Come on, I’m starving and you promised me the best meal in New York,” she teased, her hand reaching for mine. I was going to kill Beth. We walked through the doors and over to the counter.
“What do you feel like?” I asked her.
“What do you recommend?” she teased, giggling. I rolled my eyes at her.
“I get it, I’m an idiot,” I groaned as she laughed. “Now what do you want or you can starve?”
“Fine,” She pouted, souring the menu board. “I’ll have a big mac meal. And a sundae. Caramel,” she said to the middle-aged woman behind the counter.
“Fine choice,” I whispered to her, sending her into another round of giggles. People were staring at us, but I didn’t care. “I’ll have the La quarter pounder with cheese, in a meal thank you.”
The woman nodded, showing no emotions as she slapped our food items onto a tray.
“Service with a smile,” I muttered under my breath. Mia lost it. She began to howl with laughter, which of course set me off. The woman scowled at us, shoving our tray across the counter. I took the tray and headed toward a booth in the back, with Mia staggering behind me.
“Are you right?” I smirked as she wiped tears from her eyes. She nodded, shaking her head.
“I’m okay,” she breathed, taking deep breaths. She reached for her burger, fiddling with the wrapper as she hesitated. “Coop, I was thinking…maybe it would be best if I stayed at a hotel. Just until I find somewhere more permanent? I don’t know what this is between us, but I don’t want to rush whatever it is." Her eyes raised, meeting mine. I saw fear in them. What was she so afraid of?
I wanted to say no, don’t leave. I wanted to tell her how much I wanted her to stay here—with me, and all the things I wanted to do with her. I wanted to tell her how much I loved listening to her sing out of tune in the shower, and how finding her used razors left around the bathroom didn’t bother me; or how much I loved walking in the front door and smelling her perfume. But that would mean explaining a whole lot more than I was willing to explain.
“Probably a good idea,” I nodded.
Did I just see her eyes drop? Did she want me to beg her to stay? God, this was killing me. Instead, I stared at my own dinner as though it were the most interesting thing in the world.
Shit. If I’d tried to fuck it up, it would’ve still gone better than that.
“I’ll be out of here tomorrow,” Mia said awkwardly as we both stood in the kitchen. Our “date” had gone sour after her revelation—not that it had gone very well before that. But I thought we’d been having fun.
If I was confused about my own feelings, then Mia was a hot mess. One minute she was into me, and the next she backed right off.
“Okay. I have a big day tomorrow so I better get to bed,” I murmured. “Night.” As I walked to my room I could feel her gaze burning into me.
In my room, I shut the door and texted Beth.
Thanks for the non-existent reservation.
I was being an ass, but I couldn’t help it. The night had gone s badly, I wanted someone to blame. My phone rang. It was Beth. I picked it up.
“Hey.”
“Oh my god, Coop. I honestly have no idea what happened. I swear I made one.” She sounded on the verge of tears, and I felt bad.
“It’s fine,” I sighed. “It actually went pretty well until she told me she wanted to move out. Stay in a hotel.”
“She did?” Beth’s voice picked up. “Maybe you need to take this slower, Coop.”
“Maybe,” I said glumly. “Anyway, I’m wrecked. Night.”
“Night,” she echoed softly.
Chapter Eighteen
I arrived at the hotel right on time.
Melinda opened the door wearing nothing but a sheer black robe. She smiled at me, taking a sip of her wine. Stepping back, she allowed me to enter. As I walked past her I let my finger snag her robe, swinging it open. Not that it showed anything I couldn’t already see.
“Coop, I swear you look more handsome every day.” She took another sip and watched me as I undressed, her robe slipping down onto the thick gray carpet.
Her gaze lingered on my chest as I unbuttoned and removed my shirt, then it moved to my cock as I removed my pants. Melinda wasn’t one for much foreplay. She preferred to get right into things.
I took her hand and brought her toward me. She wrapped her other hand around my neck, spilling wine down my back in the process. I laughed as the cold liquid ran down my back.
“Here, I’ll fix it,” she said, turning me around.
I laughed as she licked the length of my back.
“All better, see?”
“How much have you had to drink, exactly?” I chuckled, taking the glass from her and setting it on the table next to the bed.
She shrugged and pushed me onto the bed, her hands moving around the crown of my cock. She moved down onto her knees. Without breaking eye contact with me, she closed her mouth over my shaft. I moaned softly, my cock hard as fuck as her lips moved over it.
God that felt good. I groaned as she began to suck my dick, her mouth moving slowly over its length, sucking hard as her tongue massaged my shaft. I closed my eyes and imagined it was Mia taking my dick in her mouth.
I pictured her kneeling in front of me, her hands resting on my thighs, her eyes directly on me as she sucked. I’d stare at her, because there is nothing sexier than watching a woman give you head. I gasped as she took more of me in. My cock hit the back of her throat as she moved her lips along fluently, creating the most incredible pressure between her mouth and my cock. I gasped and gripped the back of her head, trying to resist the urge to push myself further down her throat. My hand grabbed at her hair, clutching a handful of strands and moving her head back and forth faster and faster.
“Mel, I’m gonna come,” I gasped as the pressure continued to mount in my cock. I groaned as I released in her mouth, her lips working the tip of my cock, sucking and licking away the remnants. I let out a s
igh, incapable of saying much more than that.
She stood up and smiled. “Take a few minutes, Coop. I might take a bath.”
It took another ten minutes before I was able to stand and clean myself up. Melinda was still in the bath, so I slipped on one of the hotel-provided thick white robes and walked over to the sofa.
Switching on the TV, I saw that Doctor Phil was on. If anything was going to get me in the mood for round two, it was him. Lying down, I stretched out my legs and thought about things. Things soon turned into Mia. Why had I just let her leave like that? Maybe I should’ve said something to her, before I lost my chance. Or maybe my chance had already passed.
I reached for my phone, which I had discarded on the coffee table. Without overthinking it, I typed her out a message and pressed Send. What the fuck have I done? Glancing down, I re-read the message over and over and over.
I don’t want to be your friend. I want more. I need more.
Standing up, I paced the short space in the living room. What if I had just made a fool of myself? What if I had been reading everything wrong? I threw my phone down on the table like it was diseased. God, I didn’t even want to read her response.
Unfortunately, that didn’t stop me checking it for a reply every five minutes, and half an hour later when Melinda re-emerged, still no reply.
“Come over here, Coop.”
I followed her back over to the bed, my fingers trailing down the curve of her back. She pushed me onto the bed, her hand curling around my cock.
“You make me so wet. Feel how wet you make me.” She lowered my hand to her pussy.
I slipped my finger inside of her, gently moving it in and out. “Mm,” she sighed.
I took the finger up to my mouth and tasted her. She bit her lip as she watched me.
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