“You slept in your car?” he asked.
“Well, yeah. It was there or nowhere. It’s not a big deal.”
“Yes, it is a big deal. Jesus, Claire. No wonder you’re staying with my dad. If I had that to go back to, I’d hang around for as long as I could.”
“I’m not staying here because of what I left behind, Cooper! I told you, I’m not like that!” I said angrily. How dare he think that’s the only reason I’m staying here!
“That’s not what I meant, Claire. I know you have seen a little bit of my father’s real personality shining through every once in a while. I heard your fight with him over the fact that he quit your job for you. It’s only going to get worse if you stay here. I wish you could see that.”
“Cooper, just drop it. I don’t want to talk about this with you. I want today to be fun,” I said.
He jumped out of his chair and started pacing in front of me. My eyes widened in surprise when he stopped and kneeled down next to me. His face was inches from mine as he stared into my eyes. My body kicked into sexual overdrive with his nearness. I cursed my traitorous body as I tried to reel in my emotions before he could see them written plainly on my face. My body wanted him, and a small part of my mind did, too. He made me feel things I shouldn’t be feeling. I tried to steady my breathing as I thought of anything besides the fact that he was inches from me. His full lips were inches from mine. All it would take was a couple of inches for me to kiss him.
“Why won’t you protect yourself, Claire? You’re staying with him because you think it’s safe, but it’s not.” He closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them again. “If you’re worried about money, I can loan you enough to get the hell out of Morgantown. I want to help you. Please let me help you.”
“I don’t need your help, Cooper. Yes, Robert can be controlling, but he’d never hurt me.”
“You’re wrong, Claire. You’re so wrong. Once you’re his, it’s over. There’s nothing I can do to protect you. But right now? You can still run.”
“I don’t want to run, Cooper! Why can’t you accept that?” I shouted.
“Because you deserve better!” He reached out and grabbed my upper arms firmly. “I saw what being with him did to my mom, and she was a hell of a lot stronger than you, Claire. You’re innocent and sweet and everything that he doesn’t deserve. When he’s through with you, there will be nothing left of you! I refuse to watch that happen again!”
I opened my mouth to respond, but I was cut off when his lips found mine. He leaned closer until our bodies were flush against each other. I gasped in shock as he thrust his tongue into my mouth. I sat there in complete shock as he kissed me with enough passion to knock me senseless. I knew it was wrong, but I kissed him back. A voice in the back of my head screamed at me to stop, but I couldn’t. Nothing in this world would stop me from kissing Cooper right now. It was everything my body was craving.
My hands found his hair, and I tugged on it gently, pulling him closer to me. His moan of pleasure made me smile against his lips. I shivered as his hands slid down my arms and stopped just above the top of my bikini bottom. He ran his thumbs across my hips, making me shudder. His touch felt like liquid fire, and I couldn’t help but want to be burned.
Cooper’s lips broke away from mine before kissing a trail up my jaw to my ear. He kissed the sensitive spot below my ear before continuing down to my neck. I threw my head back in ecstasy as his kisses made my blood run hot. I felt a throbbing between my legs, begging me for release. I tried to rub my legs together to ease the ache, but it was impossible with Cooper on top of me. All I managed to do was press my core tighter against his growing erection. His body was coiled tight with tension as he kissed the swell of my breasts and then pulled away. His breathing was as uneven as mine as he stared down at me.
“I’ve wanted to do that since the first time I saw you, Claire.”
I said nothing as I stared at him in shock. Now that his lips weren’t attacking me, a wave of horror overcame me. I couldn’t believe what I’d just done. I’d kissed Robert’s son.
Oh my God.
I shoved at him, trying to make him move. “Cooper, please let me up,” I said desperately.
“No, not until you listen to me.” He cupped my face. “I will protect you from my father. All you have to do is ask, Claire. I care about you, and I’ll do anything to help you.”
“Cooper, please!” I shoved him harder.
He sighed before standing. I scrambled to get off the recliner. Once I was upright, I headed for the door. Before I’d made it a foot, Cooper stopped me by wrapping his arms around my waist.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked.
“I can’t handle this, Cooper! I kissed you. Oh my God, I kissed you. You’re going to be my stepson.”
He laughed. “I don’t care what you’re supposed to be to me. All I know is that I want to keep you away from my father.” He paused. “And I want you in my bed. You can’t deny that you want it, too, Claire, especially not after you kissed me like that.”
I struggled to free myself from his grip. Finally, he gave in and released me.
I spun to face him. “That will never happen again, Cooper. I’m not a whore.”
“I never said you were!” Cooper shouted. “Why do you always go back to that?”
“Because we both know what you really think of me! I’m not stupid, Coop! You want me to sleep with you, so you can tell your dad, and he’ll kick me out.”
I didn’t believe that, but I wanted to hurt him the only way I could—with words. The passion I’d felt as he kissed me wasn’t faked. I knew that he wanted me, but that was a line that neither of us could cross.
He froze. “Is that what you think this is about? You think I’m that fucking low?” He shook his head, disgusted. “You know what? Fuck you, Claire. I’m out of here.”
He stormed past me, not once glancing back at where I stood.
Tears ran down my cheeks. I hated that I’d hurt him, but I hadn’t known what else to do. I wanted Cooper as much as he wanted me, and that could never happen. I’d never felt so ashamed in my life.
I had Robert, and I wanted Cooper. I was disgusting.
I opened my eyes slowly and glanced at the clock. It was just after three in the morning. Something had woken me up, but I wasn’t sure what. I rolled over and closed my eyes, hoping that I would fall back asleep quickly.
After Cooper’s sudden departure, I’d waited all day and into the evening for him to come home. I’d spent the day replaying what had happened between Cooper and me over and over in my head. I still couldn’t believe that he’d kissed me or that I’d kissed him back. What we had done was wrong, but I couldn’t stand the fact that Cooper might hate me for what I’d said. All I’d wanted was to make things right between us. Once he forgave me, I would stay far away from him and hope that whatever feelings I had for him would fade. I’d finally given up at midnight, accepting the fact that Cooper wasn’t coming home.
Just as I was drifting off, I heard a sound coming from down the hall. I sat straight up in bed, my heart pounding. Robert was still out of town, and Cooper hadn’t been home when I’d fallen asleep earlier. I heard what sounded like a moan. I threw off the covers and stood. If someone was in the house who wasn’t supposed to be, I needed to know. I couldn’t just hide in bed and hope that the person wouldn’t find me.
I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and walked to the door. I opened it carefully so that it wouldn’t make a sound, and I stepped out into the hall. Since it was pitch black, I felt my way along the hallway. I didn’t want to alert anyone by turning on the hallway light. I heard something fall to the ground in either Cooper’s room or one of the guest rooms. I walked quietly down the hall with my cell phone clutched tightly in my hand. I cursed myself for not bringing something else that I could use as a weapon if I needed it.
I reached my old room first and opened the door to glance inside. When no one jumped out and
attacked me, I threw the door open and flipped on the lights, but I found nothing. After checking the closet, I walked back into the hallway. I froze when I heard a moan. It sounded like it was coming from Cooper’s room.
I walked the last few feet and stopped outside his door. It wasn’t closed completely. It stood open about an inch. Taking a deep breath to prepare myself for whatever I would find in Cooper’s room, I pushed the door open a few more inches and peeked inside. What I saw stopped me dead in my tracks.
The lamp on Cooper’s nightstand was on, revealing a completely naked woman lying on Cooper’s bed. Her body convulsed as she moaned and gasped for air. I couldn’t look away. Instead, my eyes drifted farther down the bed. Cooper lay half on and half off the bed with his head buried between her legs.
“Oh God, Coop, don’t stop,” the woman gasped.
I stood frozen in the doorway as I watched him pleasure her with his hand and mouth. My eyes traveled down Cooper’s body as if they had a mind of their own. He was still wearing a pair of jeans, but his shirt was lying next to the bed. The muscles in his arms and back rippled as he drove his fingers into her over and over again.
My body responded to the scene before me. I was mortified to realize that I was quickly becoming aroused as I watched him. Heat pooled between my legs, and my nipples pushed against the thin silk nightgown I’d worn to bed. No man had ever done to me what Cooper was doing to this woman. I was ashamed to admit that neither of the men I’d ever been with—a boyfriend back in high school and Robert—had brought me the pleasure this woman was obviously experiencing.
“I’m coming. Fuck, Coop!” the woman moaned as she wrapped her legs around his neck and pulled him closer.
Her body arched off the bed, and she cried out, but Cooper never stopped his assault on her body. When she finally relaxed back onto the bed, he released her and stood. A small gasp escaped me as he reached for the button on his jeans and popped it open.
Cooper, apparently hearing me, turned to face me. Our eyes locked. His green eyes were wild with lust. He licked his still wet lips as his eyes traveled down my skimpy nightgown. When his eyes found mine again, the hunger had darkened them so that they looked black. Arousal shot through my body. Dear God, I wanted him, too.
I finally found the ability to move when he took a step toward me. I turned and ran. It was all I could do. I had to escape, or I’d do something that I’d later regret. I didn’t stop at my bedroom. Instead, I ran past it, down the stairs, and to the front door. I quickly disabled the security system and threw open the front door.
I dropped down onto the bottom step of the porch as I tried to remember how to breathe. The cool night air felt frigid against my overheated skin. After a few minutes, my breathing returned to normal, and the tingles between my legs finally dissipated. I rested my head on my knees, trying to process what I’d just seen.
Cooper had been having oral sex with another woman. Dear God, he was probably having actual sex with her right now. One thing I knew for sure, I couldn’t go back into the house yet. There was no way I could listen to him having sex with someone else. And I would have to listen to it. The woman obviously wasn’t going to be quiet, especially if she enjoyed the sex more than whatever he was doing when I saw them.
Arousal and sadness warred inside of me. I had no right to feel either, but I did, especially after this afternoon. I shouldn’t care about what he was doing with another woman right now. I’d made my bed, and now, I had to lay in it. I was with Robert, and I knew I’d never leave him. Having these kinds of feelings about his son was wrong. It was sick. I was fucked-up in the head, no question about it.
What woman lusts after her fiancé’s son?
I closed my eyes, trying to block thoughts of Cooper from my mind. I had to get past this attraction for him. That was the only answer.
I sat outside for what felt like at least an hour before silently slipping back through the front door. I activated the security system before climbing the stairs. Standing at the top of the staircase, I strained my ears, trying to make out any sounds coming from Cooper’s room. If I heard so much as a whimper, I would run back outside.
After hearing nothing for a few minutes, I walked back to my room and closed the door. I grabbed my fuzzy robe off the hanger on the back of the door and shoved it against the crack underneath. Hopefully, it would keep me from hearing anything else tonight.
I crawled back into bed and pulled the blankets up to my chin. As I’d expected, sleep didn’t come for the rest of the night.
I stayed in my room until well after noon the next day. I was terrified that I’d see Cooper, and after last night, I couldn’t handle that. I wasn’t sure that I’d ever be able to look at him again after what I’d witnessed.
I cursed myself at the surge of jealousy shooting through my body as I thought about him with that woman. Jealousy wasn’t something I was accustomed to. All my life, I’d accepted that I couldn’t have the things I wanted. I’d never felt any anger toward people who had what I wanted. But the burning hate I felt for the woman in Cooper’s room last night wouldn’t dissipate.
I couldn’t help but wonder who she was. After Cooper’s little scene out by the pool, I doubted that she was his girlfriend. If she were, he obviously wasn’t very loyal to her. Maybe she was a random stranger or a fuck buddy. I began to feel annoyed with myself because I was really taking the time to try to figure out who this woman was. I forced myself to let the subject drop even though I knew it would nag at me until I found out.
I jumped when my phone started ringing on the nightstand. I walked over to it, and guilt washed over me when I saw Robert’s name flashing across the screen. I answered quickly, not wanting to let my mind touch on the fact that this was the first time he’d called me since he left.
“Hello?”
“Claire, it’s so good to hear your voice,” Robert said.
“It’s good to hear yours, too. I was starting to wonder if you’d forgotten about me.”
“I’m sorry that I haven’t called. I’ve been busy trying to get this mess taken care of. I was going to call you last night, but it was after midnight by the time I made it back to my hotel room.”
“It’s okay,” I said. I refused to make Robert feel guilty over not calling me, especially after what I’d done behind his back. “Are you coming home soon?”
I hoped that he was. With Robert around, it would be much easier to avoid Cooper. He wouldn’t try anything with his father in the same house—or maybe he would. My heart stopped as I wondered whether or not Cooper would tell his father that he’d kissed me and then caught me spying on him while he was practically having sex. Robert would kick me out faster than I could blink. I absolutely did not want to talk to Cooper, but I knew I would have to suck it up and pretty much beg him not to tell Robert what I’d done.
“In a couple of days, I promise. I also have one of my colleagues working on that case I mentioned to you before. He’s doing very well with it and taking care of a lot of my work. Once I get back, we’ll prepare to go to court. With the case he has built, I don’t think we’ll have any trouble winning.”
“That’s awesome, Robert,” I said.
“It is. I’ll be glad when this case is over, and everything is taken care of up here. Once I’m free, we’ll be able to spend more time together.”
“I can’t wait.”
I heard someone call his name in the background. It sounded like a woman’s voice. I raised an eyebrow, wondering who he was with.
“I have to go, Claire, but I’ll talk to you soon.”
The line disconnected before I had a chance to reply.
I took a deep breath before knocking on Cooper’s door. I knew he was inside. I could hear Seether’s “Words as Weapons” blaring through the wall. When he didn’t answer the door, I knocked louder. A second later, the music was cut off abruptly. Cooper opened the door and coolly stared at me.
“Can I help you with something?” he asked. His ey
es were as cold as his tone.
I couldn’t help but shiver. Cooper definitely knew how to get his point across.
“We need to talk.” I pushed past him into his bedroom.
I glanced around, making sure to avoid looking at his bed. His room was different from what I’d expected. It was tidy, and not a single thing was out of place. He had a large bookcase against the far wall. Every shelf was filled with books. His computer desk sat next to it with a stack of textbooks piled neatly next to the keyboard. I glanced at their spines—chemistry, physics, and advanced calculus. That told me that Cooper was smart, and he was probably premed. His walls were bare. I was surprised not to see a single photo or poster. His room, one I assumed he’d had for years, looked like a guest room.
Cooper closed his bedroom door and turned to me. “What do you want to talk about?”
I didn’t miss the smirk that he gave me. He obviously thought I wanted to talk about what I’d seen last night.
“I came to apologize for what I said yesterday. I was angry, and what I said wasn’t true. I know you’re not out to hurt me.”
“Well, I’m glad that’s cleared up,” he said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. “Is that all you wanted?”
“No, it’s not.” I took a deep breath. “What happened yesterday shouldn’t have happened. We both know that. I want you to promise me that you won’t tell Robert. It would destroy us.”
He laughed. “You really think my dad would care about that? I can promise you that he wouldn’t. As long as you’re here, hanging on his every word like a good little girl, he’ll be happy. But if it makes you feel better, I won’t tell him what happened by the pool.”
My shoulders sagged in relief. “Thank you. Whether you think he would care or not, I know he would. I don’t want him to hate me.”
“I also won’t tell him about last night,” Cooper said, obviously ignoring my thank-you.
I tensed up. “Cooper…”
Deception Page 15
