Agony (Entangled Hearts Duet Book 1)

by Kaylee Ryan

“I should really get home. I have to pack as we leave early in the morning.” Cooper’s parents rented us an Expedition to drive to the Combine. It’s about a three-hour drive from where we are in Ohio to Indianapolis. Hank, Nixon, Cooper, Trey, Tessa, and I are driving down. Dustin has to work and made us promise that we would keep him updated. He’s currently working at a local physical therapy office doing an internship and is hoping to get hired full-time once we graduate.

  “Let’s get you home then.” He backs out of the parking space, and we’re on the road. It doesn’t take long to reach my apartment, and the conversation is easy as we chat about graduation.

  “Thanks for tonight. I had a good time.” We had pizza before the movie. It was simple and perfect. I’m not one for all the frills.

  He reaches over and laces his fingers through mine. This is a first for us. He’s led me into rooms with his hand on the small of my back, we’ve hugged a few times after dates, and of course, we’ve danced, but hand-holding, that’s new. “You’re welcome, Reese.” He traces his thumb softly over mine. I can’t help but think of the contrast of his soft hands to Cooper’s rough and calloused ones. “Am I allowed to say that I’m going to miss you?” he asks.

  “It’s only a week. Well, nine days. I’ll be back before you know it.”

  “Nine days is a long time.”

  I laugh. It’s part nerves and part disbelief because this is all new to me. “I’ll text you while I’m gone. I promise.”

  “What about all of your classes? Work?” he asks.

  “Classes… all my professors know we’re going to be gone, and I’ve turned in most of my work early. Work knows too. It’s no different than a vacation. I mean, my family is going to be there.” My parents wouldn’t miss this for anything. They’re riding to Indy with Cooper’s parents.

  “Drive safe.”

  “Oh, I’m not driving. The guys are doing all of that. It’s just a three-hour trip, so Tessa and I have already declared that we’re just the passengers.”

  My phone buzzes. “Sorry, that might be my parents.” Glancing at the screen, I see Cooper’s name. I know if I don’t answer, he’ll worry. “Hey, Coop.” I mouth “Sorry” to Hunter.

  “Hey, you still coming over tonight so we can leave here in the morning?”

  “Yes. Hunter is dropping me off now. I just have to pack, and then I’ll be there. Is Tessa already there?”

  “Yeah, she got here a few minutes ago. You want me to come and pick you up?”

  “Nah, as long as my car won’t be in the way there.”

  “No, it’s all good. Drive safe.”

  “See you soon.” I end the call and slide my phone back in my purse. “Sorry, that was Cooper. He was asking if I was still staying there tonight, since we’re all heading out in the early morning hours.”

  “You’re spending the night there?” he asks.

  “Yeah, I do it all the time. It makes sense since everyone who’s going is already there. Tessa is staying over with Nixon. This way, they don’t have to wait on me or pick me up.”

  He’s quiet, and I’m worried he’s pissed off. “You need me to drive you over there?”

  “No, that’s okay.”

  “Reese.” He waits for me to look at him. “I don’t mind. That will give me more time with you anyway.”

  His words are sweet, just like the man. “Okay. Just let me run upstairs and pack. Do you want to come up?” I offer. He’s never been in my place. He’s walked me to the door, but he’s never actually been inside.

  “Definitely. I can carry your bags for you.” He reaches for his door handle and follows me down the walkway into the building and into my apartment.

  “This is home,” I say, waving my hands around the room. “Have a seat.” I point to the couch. “Do you want something to drink?”

  “No. I’m good.”

  “Okay. Just give me a few to pack.” I rush to my room, toss my suitcase on the bed, and begin grabbing everything I’ll need for a week. Sweaters, leggings, jeans, hoodie, long-sleeve T-shirts. I make sure I bring everything I have that has Reeves on the back with the CU colors. I’m there to support my best friend, and that’s what I intend to do. I see Cooper’s CU hoodie, one that I didn’t steal this time, resting on the back of my desk chair. I toss it in as well in case he wants it. Socks, bras, and underwear get tossed in. I grab some sweats just in case, and some pajamas. I packed my toiletries this morning, so I grab that bag and go through it one more time, making sure that I haven’t missed anything.

  As I’m wheeling my suitcase into the living room, my phone rings. Cooper. “Hey, you. I just finished packing.”

  “Is my CU hoodie at your place? My new one?”

  “Yes. I already packed it. It was on my desk.”

  “Thanks, Reese. So, you’re on your way?”

  “Yeah. Hunter is going to drive me over, so after I do one more mental check to make sure I have everything, I’ll be there.”

  “Oh, okay. Have you eaten? I saved you some pizza. We ordered out. Didn’t want to have to clean or leave a mess for Dustin.”

  “We ate earlier, but maybe a slice,” I tell him.

  “Okay. I’ll see you soon, Reese.”

  “Bye.” I slide the phone in my back pocket.

  “Cooper?” Hunter asks.

  “Yeah. He wanted to know if he left his hoodie here. It was in my room.”

  “The two of you never dated?” I can hear the disbelief in his voice.

  “Nope.” It’s not a lie. Kissing him, and well… everything else we did wasn’t a date. It was a moment in time that I need to forget, but my heart won’t let me. “Just best friends since we were kids. He’s like a brother to me.” I add that on to calm his fears. He has nothing to worry about. Cooper doesn’t see me like that. Sure, he’s a man, and he gets aroused, but to go through with something more… he’s just not interested.

  I’ve done well the last few weeks. I’ve been able to be around him and not let my broken pieces fall to the floor. I’m slowly gathering them, holding them close so that one day, maybe my heart can be put back together.

  Hunter nods. “You got what you need?” He asking and coming to stand next to me, taking the handle for my suitcase.

  “Yes.” I pause, going through my mental checklist. “Oh, hold on. I almost forgot.” I rush back to my room and grab the giant sharable bag of Reese’s Pieces. Cooper gives them to me, but they’re his favorite. He used to say it was because I was his favorite, but deep down, he loves the peanut butter pieces. To be honest, so do I. They’re addicting. “Ready,” I say, holding up the bag.

  “Sweet tooth?” Hunter smiles.

  “No, well, yes. These are for Cooper. They’re his favorite, and mine too actually, despite the name.” I grin up at him. “It’s more of a good luck kind of thing. He used to give them to me all the time when we were kids, and he still does. It’s usually when something good is going on, when I’m sad, for any reason really. The Combine is a big deal to him, so….” I hold up the bag again and shrug.

  “You’re one of the good ones, Reese Latham.”

  “Ready?” I ask, ignoring his statement. I know he’s being nice, but I’m not ready to go there. To talk about being a good one and what that means to him. We’re not there yet. I don’t know that we will ever be. I know that he’s nice, and I enjoy my time with him. For now, that’s the best that I can do.

  When we pull up to the house, Cooper steps outside onto the front porch. I wave through the window, and he waves back, wearing a grin. I know he’s both excited and nervous about tomorrow. I turn to Hunter. “Thank you for the ride. I’ll text you when we get there.”

  He reaches over and cradles my cheek in the palm of his hand. “I’m going to miss you, Reese.”

  I want to say I’ll miss him too, but to be honest, I’m just not so sure that I will. That makes me sound like a horrible person, but I refuse to lie to him. This thing between us, whatever it is, is still new. I don’t know that I
’m at the “I’m going to miss you” stage. Luckily, Trey pulls in behind us and taps on the window. I lower it to talk to him. “Hi.”

  “Hey, you got bags? I’ll carry them in.” He bends down to peer into the car and waves at Hunter. “What’s up, man?” he says in greeting.

  “Yes. Thanks. Trey.” I reach the handle and push open the door. Looking over my shoulder, I say, “Thanks again, Hunter, for tonight and the ride. I’ll text you,” before climbing out of his car and grabbing my purse and small tote, while Trey removes my suitcase from the trunk. I wave at Hunter and follow Trey up onto the porch.

  As soon as I’m within reaching distance, Cooper lifts me from my feet and spins me in the air, causing me to laugh. “Woo!” he cheers. “Combine, baby.” He puts me back on my feet, and his brown eyes are filled with excitement when he looks at me. “I can’t believe it’s here, Reese. This is… everything I’ve been working for. I can’t believe it’s finally here.”

  I wrap my arms around him and hug him tight. “You deserve this, Coop. You’re going to be great.”

  The sound of a horn beeping pulls our attention to the driveway. Hunter sticks his hand out the window and waves as he slowly drives away.

  “Let’s get you inside. It’s too damn cold out here.” With his hand wrapped around mine, Cooper pulls me into the house. My suitcase joins the bevy of others in the living room. Everyone is packed and ready to go on this adventure. I’m so excited for all three of them and what the future might hold.

  Cooper pulls me behind him into the kitchen and lifts me onto the counter. Grabbing a paper plate, he adds a slice of pizza and pulls a bottle of water from the fridge before handing it to me.

  “Thanks.” He nods. “How are the nerves?”

  “Okay. I think. I’m sure once we get there, it will be way worse. Then again, maybe not. I’m just going to go out there and do what I do. I’m in shape, and these hands—” He holds them up to show me. “—are on fire.”

  “Modest as always,” I tease.

  He flashes me a grin. “Thanks for coming. I wasn’t sure you were going to.”

  “Of course I was going to come. No way am I missing this. I feel like it’s been me on this journey with you. All the way.”

  “You and me,” he says as Tessa comes into the room.

  “Road trip,” Tessa sings, hopping up on the counter next to me. “How was your date?”

  “Fine. We had pizza and went to see a movie.”

  “Fine,” she mocks.

  “What? It was fine. Hunter’s a nice guy.”

  “The train’s rolling out at seven in the morning,” Nixon says, joining us. He walks over to stand in front of Tessa, giving her his back. She doesn’t hesitate to wrap her arms and legs around him, climbing onto his back.

  “We better get to bed. You guys especially.”

  “Nah, that’s why we’re going down a day early. That way, we can get there, chill, and get a good night’s sleep.”

  “Night!” Tessa calls as Nixon carries her out of the room.

  “I guess we better get to bed,” I say, jumping off the counter and tossing my plate. I keep my water to take with me to bed.

  “You coming to my room?” Cooper asks.

  This will be the first time I’ve stayed over since that night. “The couch is fine.”

  “Reese.” He reaches for my hand. “Please.” His voice is soft yet pleading. “I promise I’ll keep my hands to myself. This is big, and every time I’ve ever thought of this moment, you were there every step of the way.”

  I love him.

  I’m in love with him and can’t find it in myself to deny him this. “Okay.” I nod, and his shoulders relax. With my hand in his, he guides me through the house as we shut off the lights and lock the door. Then he leads us upstairs to his room. I send up a silent prayer that I can make it through this night, and this weekend, unscathed.

  Chapter 19

  Cooper

  “I’ll get you something to sleep in,” I tell Reese as I guide her into my room. I wasn’t sure she would stay with me. I know it’s wrong to ask that of her, but I need her. I need my best friend. No way could I sleep knowing she was downstairs on the couch. I need to feel that connection with her. The Combine is a huge deal, and Reese has always known how to calm me down. Hell, just her presence alone has a calming effect on me.

  Reaching into my dresser drawer, I grab a pair of sweats and a T-shirt and toss them on the bed. “I’ll… uh, just step out. Give you time to change.”

  “Just turn around, Coop. It’s fine,” she says, reaching for the clothes.

  “Okay.” I nod and turn my back to her. I hear her rustling around, and I close my eyes just to be safe, giving her the privacy she deserves. However, in my mind, I’m undressing her. I’m staring at her perfect tits and am raking my eyes over every curve. Every single fucking curve that I will never in my life be able to forget.

  “Done,” she says softly.

  I don’t want to open my eyes. I don’t want the vision in my mind to be swept back into my memory bank. I’m not ready to let it go. I stand here, my eyes tightly closed, fighting my internal battle.

  “Coop.” Her soft hand lands on my arm. My eyes fly open and land on hers. “I’m changed.”

  “Okay.” I clear my throat. “Good. I’m just going to grab some clothes and change.”

  “My turn to focus on the door.” She grins and steps in front of me. Her body is so close I can feel her warmth seep into my skin. Fuck me, this is a hell of a lot harder than I thought it would be.

  Forcing myself to step back, I grab what I need and quickly change. “You’re good,” I say, tossing my jeans into a pile in the corner of my room. Reese turns and walks to what I like to refer to as her side of the bed. It’s the side she always sleeps on when she’s here. The side that smells more like her. The side that I admittedly like to sleep on when she’s not here.

  I wait for her to climb into bed before turning off the light and climbing in next to her. I’m lying flat on my back, covers pulled up to my chin as I stare up at the ceiling. The shadows are dancing from the moonlight shining in through the blinds.

  “Coop.” Her voice is soft, barely a whisper, but I hear her.

  “Yeah?”

  “C-Can I— Can I lie next to you?” Her voice cracks, and it kills me that she’s worried about us, about being close to me. She’s laid in this bed next to me hundreds of times, and she’s never had to ask.

  “Always, Reese. Always.” I hold up my arm, and she moves closer, resting her head on my chest. “You never have to ask me, Reese,” I say into the quiet of my room. We lie in silence for several long minutes that feel more like hours. I run my hands through her hair, relishing the fact that she’s here with me. “I missed you,” I murmur.

  “Me too,” she says, and if I didn’t already hear the crack in her voice, the wetness that coats my skin through my shirt would have been all I needed to know she is upset.

  “I’m sorry, Reese. I never want anything to come between us. I never want to lose this.” I hold her tighter, and just a little closer, needing to feel connected to her.

  “Things can’t always stay the same, Coop.”

  I know she’s right, but damn it, I want them to. I wonder if she can feel my heart as it beats heavy in my chest. “We won’t let it change.” It’s more than just words; it’s a vow. I’ll do everything in my power to see it through.

  She nods but is otherwise silent. There are no more words spoken as we lie in the quiet of my room, lost in our heads. Her breathing eventually evens out, and I know she’s asleep. Lifting my head from the pillow, I press my lips to the top of her head. “Goodnight, Reese,” I whisper into the night.

  When my alarm goes off at six, I groan. What I don’t do is move from the warmth of the cocoon I’m wrapped in. The covers are pulled up over us, and Reese is in my arms, her back to my front. My cock is hard and pressing into her ass, and her body is warm bundled up in mine.


  “Coop,” she grunts. “Alarm.”

  Pulling away from her, I roll over and smack at the nightstand until the offending beeping stops. I roll back over and wrap my arms back around her. It’s wrong, but I can’t help it. I’ve missed her.

  “I don’t want to get up,” she says over a yawn.

  “We can lie here a little longer.” As soon as the words are out of my mouth, there’s a pounding on my bedroom door.

  “Get your asses out of bed!” Trey says. “We got some ass to kick and some names to take!” he yells loudly, before tromping down the stairs.

  “So much for a little longer.” Reese chuckles and throws the covers off her before climbing out of bed.

  Just like that, my moment with her is over, and I don’t know if I’ll ever have one like it again. I hate that I feel so off-balance when it comes to her. When it comes to us, it was always easy. I never questioned anything, and now that seems to be all that I do. I need to get my head screwed on straight before people start to notice.

  “Time to get up, lazybones.” She grins. “I need to run downstairs and grab my bag. I forgot that I didn’t have anymore clothes here.”

  “You do. They’re in the bottom drawer,” I tell her.

  “Oh.”

  I watch her as she bends over and pulls open the bottom drawer. She pulls out a pair of leggings and a long-sleeve CU T-shirt. Then her bra and panties. She always leaves a full outfit here just in case. There are even pajamas in there, but I pretended to forget that from last night. I’d rather see her in my clothes.

  “Looks like I have what I need.” She turns to face me with her clothes in her hand.

  “Your bag with all your bathroom stuff is in the bottom of my closet.”

  “Perfect. Thanks, Coop.” She grabs the bag and leaves the room.

  I took my shower last night before she got here, so I climb my ass out of bed and get dressed. By the time I’m done, Reese is back with a towel on her head. “I didn’t want to hog the bathroom, so I’ll just get ready in here.”

  That’s not an issue. She’s done her hair in here before. What the issue is is that my room will smell even more like her. I’m struggling as it is. The only saving grace is that we’re going to be gone a week.