For Keeps

by Karen Booth

  She broke off the kiss. “I better get these in water right away.”

  Cooper trailed her into the kitchen. “You seem like you’re doing better.” Unable to keep his hands to himself, he came up behind her as she stood at the sink. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pressed his lips against her hair. Tell her. “I talked to some of Brian’s lawyer friends today, by the way. I think I found somebody for you.”

  The vase of water thudded when Allie placed it on the counter. She began trimming the roses. “You talked to them? I thought you were just going to give me the list and let me call them.”

  “I was, but I thought I’d help and weed out the bad ones first.”

  “Oh,” she said, nodding. “Well, it may not be necessary anyway.” She stripped the leaves from one of the stems. “Shit. Ow.” Allie shook her hand and popped her finger into her mouth.

  “Let me see that.” He turned on the faucet and took her hand. The cool water washed away a trickle of blood.

  “It stings.”

  “Are you okay?” All he could hear was his own erratic heartbeat as she gazed up at him with her beguiling blue-green eyes. Tell her.

  “I’m a big girl. I think I’ll live.” She dried her hand with a paper towel.

  Tell her. “It wasn’t part of my plan to hurt you when I bought you the flowers.”

  Allie’s focus narrowed. “Good to know. What was your plan then?”

  The words were parked on his lips. They rolled around in his mind. He scoured his heart for the courage to say them. What if she doesn’t say it back? Again, he wrapped his arms around her. Having her that close was enough. “My plan was to tell you that I love you.”

  Her entire body seemed to freeze except for her eyes, which swept back and forth across his face. It didn’t even sound as if she was still breathing. Time moved at a snail’s pace. Silence hung in the air. Eventually Allie blinked and her mouth opened slightly, but then her jaw clamped shut.

  “I love you, Allie. I’ve never felt about any other woman the way I feel about you.”

  Love. He loves me. Allie had known for weeks she was falling in love with Cooper, but she’d pushed away the thought every time. He’s twelve years younger than me. But being in love with Cooper felt right, even when she’d denied it. Cooper being in love with her defied all logic.

  He gazed at her with his unforgettable brown eyes. There was no question that he was looking for a response, but there were no visible traces of panic either. “It’s okay if you aren’t ready to say it yet, Allie. I don’t want to rush you.” He traced his hand up and down her spine.

  His sweet words, his soft touch—it all flooded her mind. “I knew that I was falling in love with you, but I told myself you would never feel the same way about me.”

  His lips pulled into a thin line. “I don’t know why you would think that. There’s no doubt in my mind that I love you. The question is how do you feel?”

  I love you too. “I’m afraid.” She didn’t like leaving him so exceptionally vulnerable, but she felt as though Cooper needed all sides of the truth.

  “Tell me what you’re thinking,” he whispered.

  Allie swallowed hard, feeling lightheaded. When she and Ian had said those three little words to each other, it seemed as if the future was boundless. When he walked out the door a year later, it was as if she’d been hollowed out and left for dead.

  “If I say those words to you, I can’t take them back. I won’t take them back. They mean too much. I just don’t know what the future holds and that’s scary.”

  “Then just think about us. How do you feel about you and me?”

  “I’m twelve years older than you. What kind of future are we going to have?”

  “I love you, Allie. The future will take care of itself.”

  The future will take care of itself. Allie had never been much of a fatalist, and when she did as he’d asked and thought about only her feelings, casting aside things like circumstance and practicality, she was left with one response. “I love you too.”

  “Make sure you mean it.”

  “I told you if I said those words, I’d never take them back. I love you too. I really do.”

  A smile played at his lips and he pulled her into the most celebratory embrace she’d ever experienced, lifting her off her feet. His kiss was fierce with conviction, his fingers dove into her hair, cradling the back of her head. Without warning, he scooped her legs into the air and carried her from the kitchen.

  “The flowers,” Allie gasped once her head had cleared and she realized they were headed for bed.

  “I’ll buy you two dozen tomorrow.”

  Allie squirmed in his arms. “Don’t be silly. It will take two seconds to put them in water.”

  He tossed her onto the bed and she bounced when she landed. “And that’s two seconds too long.” His steely resolve was a marked change from his romantic demeanor moments before. “Don’t you dare get off that bed.” He winked, a trademark of the man she loved.

  Love. I love him.

  His fingers scrambled as he unbuttoned his shirt before yanking his shirtsleeves down his arms. He made quick work of his jeans and boxers.

  Allie became overheated at the sight of him before her—long and lean, his cock primed. She arched her neck and twined her fingers, stretching her arms high above her head on the bed. “You better get over here,” she cooed.

  “Ask and ye shall receive,” he quipped before kneeling next to her. He smoothed his hands the length of her torso, lifting her top over her head. Even through the fabric of her bra, her nipples tightened at his touch as his palms grazed her breasts. He tugged her jeans and panties down her legs and she reached behind and unhooked her bra.

  Cooper hooked two fingers over the straps, dragging them down her arms until the lacy cups fell away, revealing her breasts. He dropped his head and teased her nipples, spiraling his tongue around the taut and puckered points. His lips were downy soft as he sucked her into his mouth. He wasted no time skimming his hand between her legs, beguiling her with every careful caress of her clit.

  “I love you, Allie,” he whispered, continuing in languid but persistent circles at her apex, the pressure snowballing in her belly.

  She hitched her leg over his hip, raking her hand into his thick hair where sweat had gathered at the nape of his neck. “I love you, Cooper. Make love to me.” She bucked her hips when he made a particularly intoxicating pass over her clit with his thumb. “Oh God. Now. Hurry.”

  He plucked a condom from the drawer, rolling it on before he settled himself between her legs. He waited at her entrance for an instant, their eyes locked—never had she felt so vulnerable and happy for it. With an intoxicating thrust, he filled her to the limit as if he’d been made just for her.

  They rocked together and she wrapped her legs around him, holding him as close as possible. Their lips and tongues were a delightful, playful tangle. Cooper put much of his body weight on Allie and she adored the way his firm chest rasped against the delicate skin of her breasts. He ground against her pelvis, creating a heady friction that sent her racing for her peak.

  Cooper’s breaths grew shorter, his thrusts more eager and intense. Allie held on as long as she could until it was too much and pleasurable waves rippled through her. Cooper quickly followed, calling her name, still moving inside her as his own climax subsided. He collapsed, sweaty, and Allie traced her fingers the length of his muscular back. She grinned when he hummed into her neck, relieved she’d finally admitted to him and to herself that she was in love.

  Chapter Ten

  Allie studied Cooper as he slept with his mouth agape. His lower lip drooped, hair flattened from the pillow, and yet he looked as sexy as any man she could imagine. She glanced at her alarm clock. Five twenty-six. Four minutes until she needed to get up for work. She turned off the switch, not wanting the buzzer to wake him from his peaceful slumber.

  I told him I love him and the sky didn’t fall. She touched his hai
r lightly. Everything with Cooper had been such a whirlwind, crazy and unpredictable. When had she ever just gone with something? Her every move in life was usually planned or at least quickly calculated.

  The most analytical part of her still knew that anything truly permanent with Cooper was a long shot. He’d said a twelve-year age difference didn’t bother him, but perhaps that was youth and inexperience talking. There was no way for him to know whether he might meet some sweet young thing who would change his mind.

  Thinking about it was a dismal prospect. Stop it and enjoy the moment. What had Cooper said? The future will take care of itself. Time to adopt a new mantra when it came to love.

  She showered and dressed, nervousness about the day ahead stewing in her stomach. Rumblings and groans came from the bedroom as she worked on her makeup.

  Cooper shuffled through the bathroom door in only his boxers. “Morning, beautiful.” He pecked her on the temple and proceeded to the toilet.

  “Good morning to you. What time are you headed into the office?” She brushed on mascara, still hearing the stream of fluid behind her. “You’re like a waterfall over there.” She’d never had a boyfriend who felt comfortable enough to pee while she was still in the bathroom.

  He washed his hands and pulled her into his arms. “You sure you have to leave so early? It isn’t even seven.” He pushed her hair past her shoulder and softly kissed her neck.

  Her knees became rubber and she steadied herself against the counter. “Sorry. I have a lot to do today.”

  He straightened but left his hands on her hips. “You’re even wearing my favorite skirt.” A smirk sat on his lips. “Before I forget, I want to give you the lawyer’s phone number. It’s in the pocket of my jeans.”

  She followed him into the bedroom, admiring the view when he bent over to pluck his pants from the floor. “I don’t think I’ll need a lawyer after all, but I’ll call him if it’ll make you happy.”

  “What do you mean you might not need a lawyer? You need a lawyer. We agreed on that.”

  Allie went to her dresser and chose a pair of large gold hoop earrings from her jewelry box. “I was going to tell you my genius idea last night.” She slid the first earring into place as Cooper followed her, his forehead creased with worry. “Until somebody distracted me with roses and kisses and I love you.” Popping up onto her tiptoes, she brushed her lips against his.

  He dropped the super-serious look. “And? Your plan?”

  Allie put in her second earring. “Right. It came to me yesterday when I was at the office. Nobody knows Ian better than I do. I know how he thinks and what motivates him.”

  Now he looked confused again. “So you’re going to share this information with the lawyer?”

  “No. I’m going to work this out with him myself. We’re having lunch today.”

  Cooper’s response registered first in his body. His skin became hot, his back as tight as if someone had sewn his shoulder blades together. “No way. You are not doing that. Do you have any idea how stupid that is?”

  “Stupid? Isn’t that a little harsh?” Allie’s eyes flashed with determination. “I thought this through and this is the only way for me to save my company on my terms. I’m going to find a compromise and Ian can get the higher-ups to call off the dogs.”

  He shook his head and grabbed her shoulders. Allie’s vision swept to where one of his hands was clamped on her body. Her jaw tensed and she took a deep breath.

  “I’m serious, Allie. What if you say the wrong thing?” He watched as she cocked an eyebrow. “You might end up giving him information that will make it that much easier for them to put you out of business. Then what? This is really naïve of you. I can’t believe you’d think for even a minute that this is a good idea.”

  Allie stood silent. She pursed her lips, accenting her cheekbones, which were unfortunately painted in a deep crimson. Every tick of the clock was an eternity.

  “Are you finished? Can I speak now?” she asked in a clipped tone. “Ian is using our history as a weapon, but he’s not the only one who can play that game. I just have to let him think that he’s winning. I’ll go into this lunch contrite and sweet and make several suggestions on a compromise. You catch more flies with sugar and I’ve been a bitch. I think I need to soften my approach.” She unzipped her skirt and tucked in her blouse. “This is neither stupid nor is it naïve on my part. I know what I’m doing.”

  His heart sank at the sight of her in an outfit that showed off every inch of her curves. He watched as she put on black pumps. Great. Now she’s sex on stilettos. His guy mind knew exactly what would be going through Ian’s head when he saw her. Hell, every guy who saw her would be struggling to keep it in his pants. The difference being that Ian knew exactly what was under that silky blouse and skintight skirt.

  He rubbed his face with both hands, fighting back the jealousy that thundered through his veins, finishing with a rake of his hair. “Allie, honey. This is a really, really bad idea. I don’t know how else to say this to you. I don’t trust Ian at all. He’s a total sleazeball. And I really don’t trust him being around you when you look like that.” Allowing that last part to slip out may have been ill-advised, but it was the truth.

  “We’re going to freaking Miller and Main. The restaurant will be packed at lunch.” She brushed past him and pulled a red leather handbag off the shelf in the closet. “The thing that’s really bothering me is that I can’t figure out if you’re worried that I’m going to make a bad business decision or if you’re just worried about me having lunch with my ex-boyfriend.”

  How in the hell am I supposed to separate the two? Cooper threw his hands up into the air. “Take your pick.”

  Her eyes flew to the bedside table. “Shit. Is that the time? I have a meeting at nine that I need to finish preparing for.” She stepped closer and rubbed his bare arms reassuringly. “Look. I don’t want to argue. I’m going to be fine. I have this under control. You don’t need to worry about me.”

  His feelings were so strong that it made his chest ache. He wanted nothing more than to protect her, keep her safe in every way, from everything and most importantly, everyone. “But I do worry. I love you. I don’t want him to hurt you.”

  “I love you too, but you have to trust me. I know what I’m doing.”

  * * * * *

  Brian plunked down his planner on Cooper’s desk. “All right. Spill it. What in the hell is going on with you? You’ve been a total asshole all morning.”

  Cooper twisted his lips. His brother was right. He’d been on edge ever since Allie had left for work that morning. He glanced over his shoulder and got up to close his office door. He exhaled with puffed cheeks. “Allie is having lunch with Ian, her ex-boyfriend, today. She came up with this harebrained idea that she can convince him to drop the lawsuit on her own.”

  “Huh.” Brian nodded. “She could convince me of almost anything. It might work.”

  Cooper slumped down in his chair. “Please stop talking about my girlfriend that way. What am I supposed to do?”

  “She’s a grown woman, Coop. She can do what she wants. You’re going to have to get used to that. She’ll probably do all kinds of things that you won’t like.”

  “I just, ugh…” He buried his head in his hands. “I can’t stand Ian and I know he’s going to screw her over. I can just feel it.” His head held a cacophony of emotions he wished he didn’t have. They were invading his entire body, making him sicker to his stomach with every passing moment. “You should have seen the way she looked when she left the apartment this morning. She said she was going to soften her approach. She said something about catching more flies with sugar.”

  “So you’re worried she’s going to cheat on you?”

  “No. Not really. I trust her.” Visions of the night before flashed before him. “I told her I love her.”

  “And what did she say?”

  “She said she loves me too.” This should have brought a smile to his face, but he�
��d sensed hesitation from Allie last night. Yes, she’d returned the words, but did she really mean it? Was she as head-over-heels for him as he was for her?

  Brian grinned and reached to slap his brother on the arm. “That’s fantastic. I’m also guessing that’s what makes this so hard.”

  “I just wish there was a way to know that she’s okay.” He straightened his stapler on his desk for what felt like the twentieth time. Anything slightly off-kilter was driving him bonkers.

  “Then let’s go.” Brian slid his planner off Cooper’s desk. “I’ll tell everybody we’re taking a long lunch.”

  “What are you talking about? You think I should drop in? That’ll go over like a lead balloon.”

  “No, dumbass. We’ll sit on the other side of the restaurant and I’ll keep an eye on her and tell you what’s going on. Then you won’t have to worry so much. She can tell you exactly what happened later.”

  “That’s about the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard.”

  “Would you rather sit at your desk and stew all afternoon?”

  Cooper stared at the black cursor blinking on his laptop. He wouldn’t accomplish a single thing today. Not when Allie was having lunch with Ian on the other side of town. Not when all he could think about was her trying to soften her approach or entice him with sugar. “Fine. But I’m bailing if I think there’s any chance she’ll see us.” He propped his sunglasses on top of his head and stood up from his desk.

  “One more thing,” Brian said. “You’re paying.”

  As Allie had predicted, Miller and Main was packed. It was a well-known spot for power lunches, and the hostess looked at Cooper as if he were crazy when he asked for a booth partially obscured by a partition and a wait station. It was easily the worst seat in the house.

  Allie’s red leather handbag made her easy to spot and luckily she sat with her back to the door in a half-round booth with Ian. Cooper had only glanced at them, terrified of being busted but alarmed to see her in such a cozy setting with her ex. A distance of several tables, or a few miles, was more palatable.