Claiming Cooper

by A. F. Crowell

  “Nobody as long as loose-lips over here,” I tipped my head toward Cooper, “shuts his trap.”

  “Oh come on, Lizzy. You can’t seriously be worried.” Ashton looked at me like I had three heads full of green hair. “Old man Howard knows damn well how old you are,” Ashton said, trying to placate me. “We always had a driver and never caused any trouble. He’s cool. Besides, it was only six months before your twenty-first birthday.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest, causing my breasts to lift slightly, still standing just inside the door near the beginning of the bar that snaked through the small, dimly lit tavern. “And who’s our ride tonight?”

  Cooper leaned in and whispered huskily, “I’m your ride tonight, sugar.”

  Holy. Shit. My cheeks flamed. The things that man did to me with one simple sentence, it was crazy. I needed a cup of ice water to douse my panties.

  “Don’t bother puttin’ your hat on, cowboy, you couldn’t handle me.” With that, I turned and strutted down the bar toward Ethan, who was behind the bar, leaving both brothers standing there, mouths agape.

  “Well, I’ll be damned, look what the cat dragged in.” Ethan tossed a rag on the bar. Beaming, he turned slightly, putting his butt on the bar and lifted his legs into the air. “Look out, Steve,” he warned, almost knocking over Steve’s beer. Steve had a split second to snatch his beer off the bar and push back as Ethan’s feet whizzed past his face. “Get over here!”

  Giddy at just the sight of him, I squealed then launched myself into Ethan’s gangly, freckled arms. My arms circled his thin waist and squeezed as I rested my head on his chest.

  Ethan and I had worked together for a few years during high school at the local liquor store that also doubled as a sandwich shop. He stocked the shelves and I worked the deli. It looked like he took a time machine from then to now. He had the same wiry red hair buzzed close to his scalp and he was still just as tall and thin. He was one of the most sincere, big-hearted guys I’ve ever met. He would give you the shirt right off his back if you asked. Next to Ashton and Samantha, he was my closest friend back then. “Oh my God, Ethan. I didn’t know you worked here.”

  Picking me up for a spin, the coarse hairs of his goatee brushing my cheek, he asked, “When did you get home?”

  “Last week.” I missed his woodsy, leathery scent almost as much as I missed his strong hugs. My ribs weren’t thrilled with the bearhug, but I would survive. Happiness sparkled inside of me like diamonds in sunshine.

  He quickly put me down when the looming presence of the O’Loughlin brothers overshadowed us. “I see you still have your ever vigilant bodyguards.” They were like my own security. With them close, I never felt safer. Ethan glanced from me to the boys with a lopsided smile. “Ashton. Cooper.” He nodded once. “What can I get ya?”

  Ashton chimed in first. “Yuengling, bottle.”

  “I’ll have a Bud Light.” Cooper eyed Ethan suspicously.

  “I thought you were driving?”

  “I can have a beer. It’s not like we’re leaving anytime soon,” Cooper informed me. In the background, some nineties song started playing from the scattered speakers. Shrugging him off, I turned back to Ethan. “Can I get a Jack and Coke? Tall, please.”

  “Comin’ right up,” he said with a wink, leaving us and weaving through the bar patrons to the opening in the bar to reclaim his half of the bar. Watching him go, I recognized several familiar faces.

  Trying my best not to feel overwhelmed, I shook off the anxiety that tried to creep up my throat and said hello for a few minutes. Just as I started to relax, I got to end of the bar and saw red. I knew I would have to see them eventually, but I would never be ready to deal with them. An overpowering wave of nausea hit me as I remembered their betrayal and the look on their faces when I caught them.

  My ex-best friend Samantha and my ex-boyfriend, Geoff. All over each other just like I had found them all those years ago at Geoff’s house. Imagine my surprise when I walked in and saw the person I considered my sister gagging on my boyfriend’s dick as he fucked her throat.

  “Ugh,” I groaned, and turned back around in search of Ashton and Cooper who had disappeared into the mass of people. Stretching my neck, I tried to see over and around, with no luck. My skin tingled at the loss of my safety net.

  “Who ya lookin’ for, sweetheart?” a man’s voice asked provactively. My shoulders relaxed and smiled. I’d know that smooth, deep voice anywhere. Ryan Hendrix, Ashton’s best friend. Before I could turn around, he continued. “I’m sure you’d have a helluva lot more fun with me.”

  Spinning around, wearing the biggest grin, I replied, “I’m sure I would, Mr. Hendrix.”

  “Oh, fuck! Kinsley,” he exclaimed, rushing forward and picking me up under my arms and lifting me up above his head. “Hot damn, boys,” he shouted, spinning us around. “Trouble’s back in town and she’s in red heels.”

  Ryan had always been the life of the party. If there was a party happening in the county, he knew about it. People flocked to him. His smile was infectious and slightly crooked. With a sexy, head full of black soft curls, he had almost every woman on the planet begging to get their hands stuck in his hair.

  He gently placed me back on the wooden tavern floor and stepped back to take me all in.

  “Don’t worry, Ryan, I won’t tell anyone you just hit on me.” I winked at him and laughed as I headed back down the bar to where I last saw the boys. Finally, I locked eyes with Cooper through the crowd and he looked as mad as a cat in a cold shower. Pushing my way toward him, determined to reach him, I stopped dead in my tracks and immediately knew why his mood has changed.

  Maggie Smith-O’Loughlin. And she wasn’t alone. She was with Cooper’s best friend, ex-best friend, Freddy, sitting at the next hightop table. Sometimes, I really hated living in a small town with only one real watering hole. It wasn’t like they knew Cooper would be there, but sitting down right in front of him was just plain mean.

  As I thought about all of the hateful things Maggie had done to Cooper, an evil smile spread across my face. I had an epiphany and knew exactly what I needed to do. Weaving in and out of people, I danced over to his table, careful not to look at Maggie as I passed. I beamed like a lighthouse on a dark night as I waltzed right past her. Ignoring the nerves and voice in my head, I walked right up to Cooper, stepping between his legs.

  “There you are, honey. I turned around for two seconds and lost you.” My eyes widened suggestively, begging him to play along. I leaned in as close as I could without touching him, then slid my hands up his bare forearms to his taut, thick biceps. With my back to his ex, I mouthed. “Go with it.” Then I did what I had dreamed of doing for longer than I could remember.

  I kissed him.

  And it wasn’t anything like I thought it would be.

  No. It was worlds better. All of my good intentions slipped away. The noise of the bar faded out and the only sound I could hear was my own heart beating wildly. In that moment not even wild horses could have dragged me away from him.

  Cooper’s lips were soft yet strong as they captured mine for the first time. His fingers skimmed along my jaw before his hands found their home at the nape of my neck. Deepening the kiss, my head tilted instinctively while my lips parted slightly allowing him to delve inward. His tongue swirled around, tempting mine to tangle.

  Our fake kiss turned real was ruined by the loud throat-clearing coming from behind me. Pulling back, I glanced back over my shoulder to see Ashton. Pain flashed in his eyes for a split second but quickly disappeared, replaced with shock. “You guys have somethin’ you wanna tell me?”

  Remembering why I had kissed Cooper, I turned to look at the empty table where Maggie and Freddy had previously sat. While I was pleased my actions had the wanted effect, I felt like shit for inadvertantly hurting Ashton.

  “Ash, it’s not what it looks like,” I tried to explain, turning and sitting down on one of the barstools. “When I came back, Cooper looked like
a ticking timebomb and when I got closer I saw Maggie.”

  Ashton’s eyes narrowed as his head whipped around, searching the bar for his ex-sister-in-law. “That bitch actually came in here?” Thankfully, he quickly forgot the kiss.

  “Yeah. I’m pretty sure Kins was tryin’ to piss her off.” Cooper laughed. His hand wrapped around the beer in front of him, lifting it. “She sure pissed someone off,” Coop muttered into the glass as it reached his mouth.

  Chewing on my bottom lip, the sliver of hope I found on his lips disappeared. The kiss was an act, nothing more. At least that was what I tried to convince myself.

  “Stop. I was just giving her some of her own medicine.” I knew the sight of me kissing his brother was eating Ashton alive. I wasn’t blind. I could see his white-knuckled-fists by his side and jaw clenched tight enough to crush granite as he stood before us. My stomach felt like it twisted into knots. While I didn’t feel the same way, I did love Ash, just not the way he wanted.

  “How about a game of pool?” I suggested to Ashton. “I saw Ryan back there playing. I’m sure we can hop on the table for a game or two.”

  “I get winner.” Cooper stood, lifted the brown bottle to his lips and drained the remaining beer. I pulled my bottom lip through my teeth, remembering how those lips felt on mine.

  “Then you’ll be playin’ me, big brother.” Ashton proudly puffed out his chest as he turned and walked to the back of the bar.

  “Not if I have anything to say about it,” I teased, following behind.

  The dread and worry would return soon enough, but for just a little while, I left all my crap at the door and enjoyed my friends.

  * * *

  Two hours and six games of pool later, Cooper dragged Ashton and me from the bar, half sloshed. Okay, mostly sloshed. He drove us home in Ashton’s truck, pulling into my driveway first. Most of the way home, I silently chastised myself for getting drunk. I had no intention of drinking as much as I did, but the more I drank, the less worry I felt. A war waged inside my head. One side reassured the other that I would always be safe with Cooper and Ashton and that I needed to relax for a few hours. I had myself wound tighter than a two dollar watch.

  “Hang on, let me help you down,” Cooper said, flinging his seat belt off and jumping out of the truck. The light illuminated the cab of the truck, causing me to squint as I turned to look back at Ashton, slumped over on the bench seat, passed out cold.

  “Lightweight,” I giggled. Turning back around in my seat, the light slowly dimmed and I caught sight of Cooper as he walked around the front of the truck to open my door. Jesus, just the way he carried himself made me want to knock him down and screw his brains out.

  Cooper opened the door and offered me his hand as the cool night’s air danced around the interior, sobering my mind but not my illict thoughts. I sat there staring at the proffered hand, wishing it had another meaning than to just help me down. Wishing, it was there to pull me to him and tell me that he wanted me just as badly as I wanted him.

  “You’re not gonna puke on me, right, Kins?” Cooper asked, ruining the beauty fairytale taking place inside my head.

  “No,” I said confidently with a little head waggle.

  “I’m pretty sure you said that last time I asked, right before you puked on my shoes at the graduation party.”

  “Gah, can we not talk about that night? There are so many things about that night I just want to forget,” I told Cooper as I turned in the seat, placed a foot on the running board, slipped my fingers into his calloused, rough hand and slid carefully out of the truck, praying the entire way I didn’t fall. I had embarrassed myself enough in front of him to last a lifetime.

  “Okay, nothing about that night,” he agreed, releasing my hand and catching me under my arms. “Then let’s talk about tonight.”

  “What about tonight?” I tried to play it off like I had no idea what he was talking about.

  I didn’t want to talk about that kiss. I didn’t want to hear the words I knew were coming. Looking up, the moonlight wove through the thick trees and landed perfectly across his handsome face, lighting me on fire. The storm clouds that swirled in his eyes gave me hope. He looked so . . . torn. Unsure.

  “Why’d you kiss me?” he asked, sliding his hands down my sides, resting on the waist of my jeans. His fingers held onto me with the strength of vice grips.

  “I told you why.”

  “To make Maggie jealous,” he said in a rush, sounding almost disappointed as his grip loosened slightly.

  “Right. And maybe I thought Geoff might see it too,” I lied. Geoff had nothing to do with that kiss. Sure, I had initially had the idea because Maggie was there, but my pants would be on fire if I said I didn’t want to kiss him. I have always wanted to kiss him.

  “Ah,” he released my hips, “Geoff.” He hated Geoff. Most of my friends did. Cooper took a small step back, clearing his throat and ran his long, thick fingers through his thick brown hair. My eyes fell to his dusty Georgia boots.

  “And . . .” I blew out a long, I-can’t-believe-I’m-going-to-do-this breath. Lifting my chin, I was met by the searing gaze of his hazel eyes.

  “And?” he questioned, his eyebrows lifting.

  “And . . . I may have wanted to,” I said as a tiny part of me screamed inside to run as far and as fast as possible.

  “Kins,” he sighed, his eyes softening and hanging his head. With one word, I realized what a stupid, drunken mistake I had just made. The moment had been framed with beautiful music playing softly in the back of my mind, like a romantic movie but the tone of his voice was like a needle skipping over the turntable, ripping me from my fantasy.

  He stood here looking helplessly at me, his gorgeous face marred with pity. Heat crept into my cheeks and my eyes closed, willing back the tears of embarrassment. Why did he look at me like that if he was just going to pull away? My heart fell to my feet.

  Without another word, I turned and walked off. Not once did I look back to see if Cooper was affected by my decision. I fled.

  Mortified.

  What had I just done?

  LAST WEEKEND, I TOLD ASH I didn’t feel good, but it was a lie. He kept asking what was bothering me, and I kept telling him nothing. I wasn’t sure it would work much longer. Graduation was last weekend and I sat at home, scrolling my Facebook page, looking at pictures and videos of my class walking across the stage. When I called my advisor, she said my diploma would be mailed to me.

  Part of me wished I had the courage to go back, but a bigger part of me was still scared. I got anxiety at just the thought of seeing my roommates or the guys in the same frat as him. I couldn’t even bring myself to say his name. I certainly couldn’t ask any questions about him.

  Anna made sure to call me three times on Saturday, just to be sure I hadn’t gone into a diabetic coma from gorging myself on ice cream. I assured her there were still two pints of S’mores ice cream in the freezer.

  Cooper had been traveling burning up the road between the farm and his place. He came home each weekend but I knew the travel had to be taking a toll on him. Scott didn’t come right out and say it, but I could see how much he hated seeing him leave on Sundays. Two weeks had passed since I made a complete ass of myself in front of Cooper. We had been avoiding each other like the Black Plague, but that would have to end tonight. Ashton decided earlier this week while we were out riding that he wanted to have a party.

  A pool party.

  Great.

  After the last one, I wasn’t overly thrilled at the prospect of being at yet another pool party with Cooper there when the booze was flowing. Unlike last time, Cooper knew now that I had a thing for him because I was a big, drunk dumbass. And if I were being honest, the idea of being at a party made me want to puke.

  My phone rang and pulled me from my embarrassing memories. My screen lit up from the coffee table. I leaned forward, picking it up. It was Anna. I was a little surprised to see her name. For some strange reason, Anna’s nu
mber seemed to change every couple of months. When I asked about it, she gave me some story about her phone being through her father’s company and for security reasons they constantly changed numbers and phones. “Hey, Dollface. What’s up?” I muted the television and tucked my left foot under my leg, settling back into the couch.

  “You know, same old thing. What’s up with you? You were supposed to call me back last night. Or did you forget while you were hanging out with Ashton,” she teased, snickering.

  “I totally forgot,” I admitted. “Sorry, I haven’t been sleeping much and I guess it’s messin’ with my head. Forgive me?”

  “Depends . . . got any juicy details to share?” I could practically hear her salivating.

  Laughing, I replied, “I told you already, he’s just a friend.”

  “I know, but Cooper wasn’t in those pictures you posted on Instagram. There is no way in hell he’s hotter than Ashton,” she swore.

  “Times ten,” I disagreed, pinning my knees together as my sex clenched at the thought of him.

  “Not possible. Nope, I won’t believe it until I see it with my own eyes. Which, by the way, will be soon.”

  “You really don’t need to come all this way, Anna.” I didn’t want her to be inconvenienced coming all the way up here, but I really did want to see her. I missed her.

  “Nonsense. You’re my best friend and you need some retail therapy. Plus, I may or may not have been makin’ out with Stephanie’s newest crush, so I need some time away from her incessant drivel.” I laughed. “I’m serious, Kins, she just keeps whining about it. He doesn’t even like her but it’s all my fault. Side note, you really should have told me that these bitches were crazy before I moved in. Without you here, there’s no buffer.”

  While I had graduated, Anna would be stuck in Charlotte for one more year. She and I were in the same MBA program, but she had been concentrating on Real Estate Development and Finance. She was supposed to follow in her father’s footsteps and take over the family business one day. She never said exactly what the family business was other than real estate acquisitions. She always found a way to avoid the subject. I had tried to talk to her about her parents once, but she was pretty vague. Her father worked too much, and her mother battled with depression.