She placed all the ingredients on the counter. Tommy scooped them up, hugging the marshmallows close to his chest. “I’ll bring these outside,” he announced happily.
“Don’t let me catch you sneaking them,” Sarah said.
He came to a stop from running toward the door, spun around, and gave the world’s biggest grin before taking off again.
“That smile means one thing,” she said with a laugh as she turned toward him and rested her back against the counter. “Trouble. Are you sure you’re prepared for tonight?”
Cooper beamed at her unable to take his eyes off of her as a million thoughts ran through his head.
“What’s the matter?” Sarah asked, her eyebrows pinching tight in the middle.
I never want to leave you but I might. He couldn’t say it. Being in a relationship, which he thought they were, meant sharing things, telling each other everything, yet the thought of telling Sarah that he might leave her for eighteen months gnawed at his gut.
He didn’t want to talk about it, and he sure as hell was sick of thinking about it. He would figure it out. He always did. So he pushed the annoying dilemma to the back of his mind.
He snaked his hand around her waist and pressed a kiss to her neck, loving the soft feel and taste of her. Two things that he knew he could travel the world and never find such an intoxicating combination.
Sarah’s hand brushed against his cheek, her fingers grabbing his chin and urging him to look into those beautiful dark eyes. “Talk to me. What’s going on?”
He shook his head. “Just trying to figure out how I’m supposed to keep my hands to myself when we’re going to be in such close quarters.”
“Easy,” she said with that adorable tilt of her lips. “It’s called self-control.” She patted his chest. “Learn some.”
She went to walk away, but he grabbed her wrist, spinning her back to him. She let out a surprised yelp as she landed smack against his chest—exactly where he wanted her.
He ran his hand up and down her arm, needing to feel that soft skin against his. “Baby, the minute you walked into my life, I lost control.”
“Ditto,” she said, pushing up on her toes and giving him a chaste kiss. “But for tonight, for me, please try to keep your hands to yourself. I promise, I’ll make it up to you.”
He swallowed down the desire those words stirred inside him and tried not to focus on the heated look in her eyes. “Okay,” he said, his voice gruffer than usual. “But I’m holding you to that.” He kissed her one last time, long and hard before pulling away.
“I have a tent to put together,” he said with a wink and disappeared outside, knowing damn well he left her breathless and wet.
Chapter 15
Cooper checked his email, hoping to hear from his agent and sadly disappointed when there wasn’t a single word on his book. He had heard the publishing industry moved slowly, but this was pure torture. He shut out of his email, refusing to dwell on it, hoping no news meant good news and opened his Instagram account. He had a ton of new notifications. A lot for the pictures that made him famous—the ones where a monkey in Sri Lanka stole his camera right out of his hand and snapped a few pictures before he was able to get it back.
The pictures used to stir a desire inside him—make him want to jump on the next plane and discover something new and amazing that he knew a picture wouldn’t be able to capture it as well as seeing it in person, but he would try anyway. Had to for his followers. Now as he looked at picture after picture the only thing he felt was dread.
Dread at the thought of leaving his family. At leaving Sarah and Tommy. At leaving his hometown that he always thought was too small and boring but now realized was quaint and welcoming. He’d spent seven years of his life refusing to settle down, and he swore he never would, and now he didn’t know what he wanted.
He flipped over to the comment section on the throwback photo he posted yesterday and read the comments.
Great picture but when are you going somewhere new?
When are you coming to Chile?
You’re hot.
Where have you been?
Anyone know what happened to him?
I love you. #boyfriendgoals
Sending my love from New Zealand. Please come here next!
He probably ran out of money.
Another recycled picture.
He tossed his phone on the counter and ran a hand over his face. The comment section used to make him feel like a million bucks. Now it just made him feel like a fraud, someone who’d let his passion and dreams fall to the realities of life. He was a dreamer. He never lived in reality; it was a place that never held enough for him until a stubborn, dark haired girl with an amazing mind and body walked into his life and knocked him on his ass.
A woman who knew exactly what she wanted out of life and didn’t hesitate to make it happen. Who was fiercely independent and gave him a run for his money in a way no other woman had ever been able to do.
She didn’t just knock him on his ass. She made him fall in love with her…
The only people he ever loved was his family. But even still this was different because no matter how much he loved his family, and he loved them a hell of a lot, they had never been enough to make him question giving up everything.
Last year, when Matt and Shay got married and then she got pregnant, it was enough to make him want to stay around for a little while. But he never planned on giving it all up. Not like he was thinking about now.
He had no idea what the hell he was going to do. All he knew was that it was five o’clock on a Saturday, and he needed to see Sarah. She and Gina took Tommy and Joey to the movies and then out for ice cream.
She hadn’t been sure what time they’d be back, but Cooper didn’t care. He would sit on her porch and wait for her. He needed to see her, even if it was just to quiet the unease and worry in his mind.
Fifteen minutes later, he pulled up into her driveway just as she was walking out the door, a vision in a white strapless dress that curved around her tits in two perfect arches and hit the perfect spot on her thigh that bordered on the line of not wanting her to be seen by any man but him.
“Hey, I was just on my way to your place.”
“Really?” He couldn’t stay away a second longer, taking long strides until his hands were in her hair and her lips pressed against his. A hunger took control of him as he tilted her head and deepened the kiss. Meeting him thrust for thrust she took whatever he threw at her and returned with as much passion.
He pulled away, not wanting to, but aware of where they were. “Where’s Tommy?” he asked, glancing behind her, expecting the little man to be there.
“Staying at Joey’s for the night.”
A smile spread wide across his face as he grabbed her by the thighs and lifted her off the ground.
She cried out in a surprise. “What are you doing?”
“You have a lot of making up to do,” he said against her breasts as he trailed his tongue across the beautiful mounds of flesh.
“I know,” she said and reached down, grabbing his hand and moving it up her thigh. “Why do you think I was coming over?” She continued guiding his hand until he met the bare skin of her ass, gliding along the softness until his fingers brushed her wetness.”
His dick hardened at the realization. “No panties?” he asked a touch of amusement and wonder in his voice, but also red, hot desire.
Her teeth slid over her swollen bottom lip as she shook her head. Her eyes filled with raw burning want. “No panties.”
In one sweeping move, he pushed the door opened and had it closed with her against it, his hands roaming the underside of her thighs.
He hadn’t touched her like this since the night of their first date though he’d wanted to. God, had he wanted to, but she’d been sick and he wasn’t an animal. But now that she was better, he couldn’t hold back a second longer.
The need to be inside her consumed him, completely making him
blind to everything else. He shoved his pants to the ground, taking his cock in hand and angling it toward her already wet folds. With one thrust he sunk in deep, her nails cutting into his shoulders as her head fell back against the door.
“Cooper,” she cried, out and his name had never sounded so good.
He pumped in and out of her, forgetting any sense of romance and only focusing on the need to feel all of her. His teeth ripped her dress down, revealing her bare tits and causing him to thrust harder as he dipped his head, taking a pert nipple between his teeth. He gently nipped at the tight bud, and her body arched, allowing him to go even deeper inside her.
His tongue swirled and swiped at the beautiful light brown pearl before moving on to the next. Sarah’s hands plunged into his hair, pulling and tugging at the strands as he continued to devour her.
A string of moans rose from her throat, slipping from her sweet lips like music to his ears. Her muscles tightened around him and then her body began to shudder. He felt the pressure build inside him. He jumped on the wave, riding the crest, thrusting toward a release as she shattered around him. Her head fell against his neck, her hands holding him tight, and with one final thrust he followed her into sweet oblivion.
Seconds turned to minutes before he released her, letting her slide down his body.
“Oh fuck!” he said.
“What is it?”
“I got so caught up I forgot a condom.” He never forgot a condom. Ever. The last thing he’d wanted was to be tied down by a kid. He’d always made sure to be safe.
“I’m on the pill,” Sarah said.
“Oh, thank god,” he muttered, resting his forehead against the wall beside her. “I’m clean. I was tested a while ago, and you’re the only person I’ve been with since.”
“I haven’t had sex since I got pregnant.”
“Wait. What?” Cooper pulled back, staring into her eyes. Sarah shifted as if his sudden attention made her uncomfortable. “You hadn’t had sex in seven years?”
She shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal. “When you get pregnant the first time you have sex, it kind of puts a damper on things.”
Cooper’s mouth fell open at her admission. “Other than with me, you’ve only had sex one other time in your life?”
“Can you not make it a big deal? Because it’s not.”
She pulled her dress up over her tits and yanked the hem back into place. She was shutting down, ready to jump behind that aloof façade, but he wasn’t about to let that happen.
He grabbed her waist, hauling her back to him and pinning her back against the wall. His arm rested above her head and his forehead mere inches from hers. “Don’t walk away,” he said.
“You’re turning this into something.”
“It kind of is something.”
“No, it kind of isn’t. It’s not like I was a virgin mother.”
“Why me?” he asked. Now that he knew this, he didn’t understand of all the men in the world why she would choose him. Why after seven years she was ready for him.
“Because I didn’t think you would make a big deal out of it.”
He shook his head. “Try again. I’m not buying it.”
She took a deep frustrated breath then met his eyes head on. He could see the underlying fear that sat just beneath the surface. He didn’t want her to be scared to open up to him. He wanted her to be comfortable with him. And he thought she was, but if she couldn’t confide in him maybe he was reading the whole situation wrong.
“People talk about butterflies. You know when you meet someone. This instant spark that is unexplainable yet undeniable. I never understood what that meant…until I met you.”
“You too?” he said with a smile.
“You mean you’ve never…not once?”
“I’ve had chemistry and attraction with women but nothing like what we have. It’s…”
“Scary as hell.”
He laughed, loving her honesty. “Yeah.”
“At least we agree on something,” she said with a laugh.
He tucked her hair behind her ear and looked straight into her dark brown eyes. She stared back at him sweet, innocent and everything he could have ever asked for. “I’m okay with scary as long as you are.”
She nodded. “I am.”
“Good.” He kissed her forehead then her cheek. “Sarah.”
“Yeah?”
“I think I’ve fallen in love with you.”
She let out a slight laugh then met his gaze. “That’s good because I think I’ve fallen in love with you, too.”
“Really?” he asked, feeling the need for reassurance.
She nodded, assuring him completely. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. “I love you, Cooper Hayes. I didn’t want to. Hell, I tried so hard not to, but I lost that fight. I love you.”
“I love you too, baby,” he said then swooped her off her feet and carried her straight to the bedroom, so he could not only tell her, but show her just how much he meant it.
***
Cooper had taken his time with her, loving every inch of her body. It was as if he was making up for all the years she had gone celibate, pleasuring her until she screamed his name over and over.
Now she rested, satiated and content against his chest, running her hand up and down the defined muscles of his abs.
She listened to the steady beat of his heart and relished in his warmth. She didn’t want to think about the future, but now that she admitted to how she truly felt, it was all she could do.
Opening herself up, allowing to fall in love wasn’t something that she planned, and now she didn’t know how to navigate it. She had so many things to figure out. How did she tell Tommy? Did she tell Tommy? She knew Cooper wanted to be a part of her life, but did he want to be a part of Tommy’s life, too? What did this do to her rule about sleeping over, because right now she couldn’t imagine a single night without him in her bed, and the question that she didn’t want to even think about and tried so desperately to push into hiding in the dark space in her mind—if it came down to it, would he choose his career over her?
He was a travel blogger; he wrote about his experiences travelling the globe. How much longer could he possibly stay before he had to set out again to gather new content? He had already been back in Red Maple Falls much longer than he had anticipated. At least that’s what she had heard from Shay before they’d even got together.
His original intention was to leave after Shay had the baby but promised to be back by the baby’s first birthday because he told Shay he didn’t want to miss any milestones. The baby was here and so was Cooper; he hadn’t left yet, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to. And she needed to plan for that. She needed to make sure she was prepared for whatever was to happen.
His hands wrapped around her waist, and he flipped her beneath him, knocking her out of her own thoughts. He kissed her forehead. “What’s going on up here?” he asked, baby blue eyes staring down at her.
She could tell him about her fears. They could talk it out and figure things out together. He opened the door, she just had to step through. But she didn’t want to complicate things. Not yet. She wanted to enjoy the carefreeness of it just a little longer.
So instead of opening her hurt and voicing the thoughts that were sure to keep her up at night, she reached up, running a finger across the bridge of his nose. “Where’d you get this scar?”
He kissed the side of her hand as she brought it down then smiled that ridiculously attractive smile. “My brother shot me.”
Her eyes widened in terror. “What?”
He laughed. “It’s not as bad as it sounds. It was a BB gun and the idiot forgot to turn the safety on. I got Mason back in the arm a year later.”
“On purpose?”
“No, I was the idiot who forgot to turn the safety on that time.”
“I have no idea how your mother did it.”
“You should know. You’re raising a little hell rai
ser yourself,” Cooper said with a wink.
“I have one. She had three. Three boys and three girls. I couldn’t even imagine. I have trouble keeping Tommy in line and keeping up with all of his schoolwork.”
“Mom had help. She had Dad and Grandma and Grandpa. Matt and Kate helped out, too when they were old enough. She wasn’t doing it alone. She had a whole village helping her.”
“I had help in the beginning. My mom and dad were great. I don’t know how I would’ve got through those first few years without them.”
“Where are they now?”
“Right now, in the Philippines, visiting my mom’s family. But the rest of the time they’re back home in Connecticut.”
“What made you come to Red Maple Falls?”
“My mom and my grandfather.”
“The one who got you into jewelry making?”
She nodded, unable to get a reply out. Her grandfather was one of her favorite people and when he died it was as if a part of her died with him. “Once Tommy was born I spent all my time and energy focusing on him and what was best for him. My mom thought I should do something for myself. I always wanted to move away from home, travel the world, experience life, and then I got pregnant and never did. On my twenty-first birthday, she gave me a card that my grandfather had given her to give to me. Inside he wrote about how having a child will change your world, but don’t forget about who you are. He wanted to see me happy. He said just because life didn’t go the way I had planned didn’t mean I couldn’t go after the same dreams. He left me a decent chunk of money, but I wasn’t allowed to put it away for Tommy. He already did that. This money was for me. So I decided it was time to leave home behind. Time to start fresh.”
“At twenty-one you moved away—with a baby—from your support system?”
“I needed to prove to myself that I could do it on my own. That was important to me.”
“Did you? Prove it yourself I mean?”
“I think so.”
“You think so? You have an amazing kid and a thriving business. Whether you want to believe it or not, you’re a success, baby.”
Catching Cooper (Red Maple Falls, #4) Page 14
