Cooper

by Hazel Parker

  I shifted uncomfortably in my seat and tried to keep the conversation natural, even while my hormones began to rage like a hormonal teenager. Christ. I hadn’t felt this randy since I was in high school, and that was saying something.

  “So were you seen?”

  “Almost,” she admitted. “He had to cover my mouth because I was moaning too loud. But it was definitely…thrilling.”

  Okay, now I definitely needed to stop thinking about it. I shifted again and called the waiter, trying to keep my body from reacting too much. We ordered dessert, and the waiter discussing the specials for tonight helped calm me down just a little bit.

  After dessert, we both decided to skip the park and head to the beach, where the lighted flower bulbs were located. We took our time admiring them before finally walking away on the sand, going to the dimmer part of the area. There was a full moon illuminating our way, and it was such a classic romantic setting. Normally, I would use this moment to take advantage by starting to slowly seduce the woman I was with—with words, with actions, with a few teasing here and there that led to some kisses.

  But I didn’t do that with Sara, as the thirst for something else increased: to get to know her more. I asked her more questions, listening as she opened up about her life before she met Gary and they had kids. Then she opened up about his sickness and how it had taken a toll on all of them, most especially the kids who could only watch on helplessly. She then talked about how she and the kids had moved on after the death, slowly but surely things got easier.

  I could hear the loneliness in her voice, though I could also tell it wasn’t because she missed Gary in particular. Her tone held a certain affection when she talked about him, but the passion was no longer there, confirming what she said weeks ago about their non-existent sex life. It made me want to pull her against me and kiss the hell out of her all over again, losing myself in her taste like I did before and hearing her pure, throaty moans against my tongue. But more than that, it also made me want to gather her in my arms and just hold her for a long time—an urge that shocked me so much, I had to take a mental step back. No woman had ever made me want to gather her like this and protect her, and it was insane how that protective instinct and need warred with each other now and sent my emotions into turmoil.

  I settled for taking her hand when she stumbled on the uneven sand. Then I removed my coat and placed it on her shoulders, ignoring her protest.

  “But I haven’t even returned your other jacket yet…”

  “I have too many for my own good. Keep those.” I smiled. “That way you can smell them when you miss me.”

  Her mouth dropped open, making me smirk.

  “You’re incorrigible.”

  “You sound like my sister.”

  Her eyes warmed at that. “You must miss your family.”

  “Damn right. I wish they lived here so I could just see them whenever I wanted.” I turned to her, remembering what she said about her kids not going home for Thanksgiving. It would be insensitive to keep talking about it. “So, bleacher sex woman…”

  She laughed at that, and the sweet sound filled the night air. I grinned, and we changed the subject and just talked about anything else that came to mind. By the time it was time to drive her home, I still found myself hungrier for her, and it was insane how much I craved her.

  I stopped in front of her house just like before, but Sara was in no hurry to leave. She leaned on the passenger seat’s headrest and closed her eyes, sighing as she wrapped the coat closer around her. The sight sent a jolt of lust to my stomach, and I simply watched her until she opened her eyes again and turned to me. A contented smile played on her lips.

  “Thank you. I haven’t been that relaxed in a while.”

  I’ll show you relaxed.

  I swallowed the thoughts and nodded. “Same here. You’re not as uptight as I thought.”

  “And you’re not as charming.”

  I grinned at that, which had her grinning back. “Sweetheart, you haven’t seen anything yet.”

  We got out. We walked to her front porch, where we stood under the dim lights.

  “So is this how you usually end the night?” Sara asked. “Take the women home and wait to get invited in for coffee?”

  It was pretty spot on, and I chuckled reluctantly. “You got it.”

  “Do you want to come in for coffee?” she teased.

  I had a feeling she expected me to say yes. “No. I’d rather have a second date.”

  Surprise filled her expression. Then she turned shy and pleased right in front of my eyes, and the sight all but took my breath away as her cheeks flushed. The urge to pull her against me and damn my own words was unbelievably intense, but I fisted my hands as the decision became loud and clear for me, without a single doubt.

  I leaned forward and kissed her softly—on the cheek. Just a little bit beside the mouth so that we were both tempted, but not enough to make me lose any semblance of control altogether.

  When her lips parted, and she leaned closer, I knew I was playing with fire and backed off. Heat swirled in those pretty blue eyes, and I took a step back and calmed myself down.

  “Good night, Sara.”

  Her gaze softened. “Drive safe, Cooper.”

  I nodded. Then I turned around and didn’t look back, knowing I wouldn’t be able to leave if I did. I drove away slowly but surely, repeating over and over in my head the sound of my name on her lips.

  I couldn’t wait for her to say it louder.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  SARA

  “Your meeting for one has been canceled.”

  The words were short, but the relief that followed was so stark that I had to stop myself from grinning from ear to ear. I nodded and thanked my secretary, then gathered my stuff. I’d been in the head office on overtime for two weeks straight, having needed to take care of plenty of things after my manager was found skimming some funds and had to be fired. We couldn’t find a replacement right away, and I didn’t want to overload all the other employees. There were also plenty of meetings with my accountant and law enforcement as we had to check exactly how much was skimmed, and the whole process was pretty tedious.

  This was the first time I got a break this early, and I was planning to take advantage of it. There was a press conference to be held in the center of the city for all the race car drivers in the vicinity, and I’d initially told Gray I wouldn’t be able to go. But I found myself driving there now, wondering what kind of god-forbidden questions would be asked this time.

  It was pretty crowded by the time I got there, and I found Gray in the center of it. Cooper wasn’t around at all, which puzzled me enough to send him a text and ask about it. We’d been texting for quite a while now, following our second date in a Japanese restaurant that had me eating sushi for the first time in my life. It wasn’t something I could get used to, honestly. But Cooper’s presence was a different thing altogether, and I found that being busy made me miss him and had me looking forward to a third date.

  Five minutes after I sent him the text, my phone buzzed.

  D: Got a fashion shoot to attend. Can’t get out in time. Are you free tonight?

  I scanned my schedule in my mind, then got so confused by it that I had to browse the calendar on my phone to be sure. Surprise filled me when I realized that it was already Friday, and I was so absorbed in work that I didn’t even notice how much the days had flown by.

  Well. Time to end the night on a pleasant note, then.

  Me: I’m good. What’s the plan?

  D: It’s a surprise.

  There was a winking emoticon that followed, and I answered with one of my own. God, I felt so young and reckless, with giddiness mixing in and making butterflies flutter around in my stomach. It was a new feeling, and I wondered if it would ever go away. We exchanged more texts back and forth, flirting with each other before things turned heated.

  D: What color panties are you wearing?

  I grinned.r />
  Me: Why don’t you find out?

  There was no response after that, and I wondered about that before the press conference ended, and Gray came over. Kate was there, too, and they talked with me for a bit before leaving shortly after. I was left watching the scene as racers slowly filed away along with the media, and I was about to leave too when I noticed something.

  The red-haired newbie, Honey, was leaving through the back in a hurry—with three reporters following her. It was a scene that was all too familiar and had me frowning, and instinct told me that I should follow her. So I did.

  I caught up with her in the parking lot at the back, which was mostly already empty with her hurrying her steps. The reporters zealously followed, hurling questions as they did so.

  “Miss York, you never told us about your relationship with Cooper Oliver. Can you talk more about it?”

  “Miss York, are you having sexual relations with the famous Mr. Oliver to up your chances of getting known?”

  They kept on, even while she was already nearing a car—an old clunker with more rust than metal. Irritation simmered inside me as they barely gave her space, already on the verge of pressing against her as they shoved cameras on her face.

  Before I knew it, I was already walking faster and inserting myself into the whole fiasco. I grabbed hold of Honey’s wrist, making her look up in surprise. Surprise turned to shock when she recognized me, but I didn’t wait for her to ask as I spoke right away.

  “Honey! It’s so good to see you. I was hoping to talk to you about a business deal. Can we have lunch together?”

  The first two reporters threw me a blank look, but the third reporter’s eyes widened.

  “Aren’t you Gray’s manager?”

  I gave them all a pleasant, slightly frosty smile. “That’s right. And this is my friend you’re harassing. Take a hike the circus is closed.”

  They didn’t follow us after that. I led Honey to the front where my car was, then drove with her in the passenger seat. She kept fidgeting with her hands, obviously agitated over what happened, before taking a calming breath and turning to me.

  “Thank you so much for that,” she said. “I didn’t expect them to follow me like that.”

  I shot her a look. “Then you’d better be prepared to be slick. They’re always like that here in Florida, especially with the bigger races fast approaching. Plus you’re new, so you’re what they consider fresh blood.”

  Honey wrinkled her nose. “I don’t even get why they keep asking me about Cooper. The man only helps me practice. We went out a few times, but that was it.”

  “You went out a few times?” Fine, so I couldn’t help asking.

  Honey shrugged. “Two or three times, mostly after practice to get something to eat. They weren’t even dates or anything like that, and that was weeks ago. Cooper’s not interested in me that way.”

  There was something wistful in her tone, which helped paint a certain picture for me right away. I found myself turning the car and stopping in front of a restaurant, where I insisted to Honey that we should get something to eat before I drove her back to the parking lot where her car was.

  Honey was hesitant at first, obviously wary of strangers being nice to her. But we got to talking as we ate the food we ordered, allowing us to warm up to each other slowly. Honey talked about her missing home, but also wanting to prove herself in the big leagues and seeing if she had what it took to make it.

  “So what’s with your car? A far cry from your racing wheels!”

  Honey cringed, obviously embarrassed, and met my eyes. I didn’t mean to be insensitive I was just curious.

  “I know it’s stupid, but I really can’t afford a decent car. I’m not earning enough as it is for choosing to be a race car driver over an actual job, and the waitressing tips I get are just enough to cover up rent and daily expenses.”

  I didn’t know she was a waitress, and I had to admire her perseverance and passion for racing. I hesitated for a bit, then threw caution to the wind and leaned forward.

  “Have you considered getting a loan for a car? A second-hand one isn’t so expensive.”

  She shook her head glumly. “As much as I want to, I don’t think any bank or agency would be willing to…” She stopped, looked up. A speculative look came in her eyes, even while she tried to cover up the hope with it. “Are you…?”

  I nodded my head firmly, then tried to find the words that wouldn’t offend her. I got the feeling she was a very prideful woman. “You will have to work paying it off for years, though. But my interest rate is low, and we can calculate the years for a reasonable amount of monthly payment.”

  She stared at me incredulously. Then she bit her lip. “Are you sure? I don’t want to accept pity…”

  “It’s not pity because you’ll be paying me.”

  Her back straightened. “Of course I will.”

  “Then it’s settled. Let’s discuss the deal next week, shall we? I can draw up some terms, and we can choose a more private location.”

  She nodded her head, obviously happy and shy with the news. She relaxed and opened up to me after that, making me realize that the young woman was pretty sweet underneath the tough and wary exterior. By the time I drove her back to the parking lot, the reporters were gone, and she was visibly no longer tense. She thanked me profusely and kept saying I wouldn’t regret loaning her the money, amusing me enough to wave her off and tell her to stop saying that or else I was going to cancel everything. That made her laugh.

  There was something about Honey that brought my protective instincts out, just like it came out often with my kids. I had a feeling it was the same instinct Cooper felt for his sister, and soon my thoughts were filled with him again and our kisses—particularly, the lack of any fervent ones in our last two dates.

  I knew he wanted to take it slow, and initially, I wanted to, too. But now I was filled with nothing but a certain emotion as I remembered just how good his surprise kisses before had been.

  Who would have guessed I’d be sexually frustrated over a younger guy at my age?

  I was never the type to masturbate, but last night I was so god damn horny it I had to slide my fingers inside my aching core as it became wet just at the thought of his deep drawl. I was never the type to dream erotic dreams, either, but almost every night I found myself dreaming about him doing every naughty thing in the book. Something has been awakened in me.

  It scared the heck out of me, if I was being honest with myself.

  It also excited me beyond reason.

  I drove home right away, where I agonized through my closet for something fun to wear. Most of my clothes were for business or society gatherings, classy stuff that was too much for a casual date. I poked through the bag at some unused gifts I received, my eyes lighting up when I found a red dress that I’d considered too racy before.

  Why not?

  I took a shower and dressed immediately, watching myself critically in the mirror. The dress showed just enough skin without being too inappropriate, and it made me feel confident. Sexy. Anticipation slid inside me at the thought of Cooper seeing me for the first time in something like this. It was exciting how he made me feel like a sexual goddess. It made me feel powerful, and I had never been drunk on such power in a long time.

  Maybe never.

  I slid into high heels, put on some light makeup and brushed out my hair. Then I checked my phone when it buzzed, already revved up and looking forward to where we were going.

  D: Sara, something came up, and I need to go to Texas. Sorry. I’ll call you when I get there and have a chance.

  Disappointment immediately filled me, followed by worry. I wondered what happened and knew it had to be important to fly to Texas this fast. There was a major race this Sunday, and I wondered if he would make it back here in time.

  Me: Have a safe flight.

  There was no response after that.

  I looked down at my dress. Then I sighed and started taking it off
, deciding to don my pajamas.

  It was time to binge-watch some movies, then.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  COOPER

  “Anyone at home right now?”

  “No, everyone’s at the hospital. When are you getting here?”

  “I’m on my way.”

  I hung up with that last statement, my jaw tight and my mind full of thoughts that weren’t quite helpful at the moment. I guess getting a phone call that your father was critically ill could do that to anyone, and I wasn’t an exception. Before I knew it, I was racing to the airport and getting some last-minute tickets, then boarding the plane before I could think twice about it.

  The flight had been blessedly short, and I read the text Sara sent the moment the plane landed. But I didn’t call her yet, I needed to find out what was going on. By the time I arrived at the hospital, it was late at night, and the place was no longer teeming with people, making it easier for me to be directed to the room where my father was located.

  I opened the door and found my family gathered around my father, who appeared to be sleeping. I eyed my mother and sister, who were both sitting on the small couch and talking in hushed tones. They both looked up at my arrival, and Jane breathed a sigh of relief. My mother stood up, and I quickly went over to give her a tight, comforting hug.

  “How is he?”

  “He’s doing better. The heart attack was so sudden and frightening.”

  I stepped back and eyed her critically, watching the dark circles under her eyes indicating her stress and lack of sleep. My sister was faring better, though.

  “Where are Oliver and Will?” I asked.

  “I sent your brothers home to rest. They’d been here all day. They’ll be back here tomorrow.”

  I nodded my head. My mom began to tell me more about my father’s situation. He was stable now but may need further procedures depending on what the tests come back with. My father was too absorbed in ranch life and work to take good care of himself, and now it had taken its toll on him.

  I sent my mother home, to which she protested at first. But one look at my sister and Jane was standing up, and we ended up ganging up on her until she finally relented.