by Nia Arthurs
“Uh.” Erin flopped back and let her arms flail around her, sticking her chest to the sky. “I’m stuffed.”
Cooper smirked as he placed his money in the booklet and handed it back to the waiter. “You wanna walk it off?”
“Wait.” Erin frowned as the server left. “I wanted to pay for this one.”
“Too late.”
“You paid for the last one too.” She narrowed her eyes at him as if he had done something worthy of death.
“So?” Cooper stood.
“I’ll pay you back.”
“Get the next one.”
“You’re assuming I’ll eat with you again,” she said.
Cooper held the door open for her and leaned down. “The food here won’t taste as good without me.”
She threw her head back and laughed. “Now that is arrogance.”
Cooper escorted Erin as they walked down the street. Stars blared from the velvet tapestry above. Lampposts lit their path, spilling silver and orange rays on the sidewalk. Every so often, a car drove by, reminding him that they were not the only two people in the world.
Cooper glanced at Erin as she strolled beside him. “What are you thinking?”
“That this is nice.” She smiled softly. “Really nice. I never imagined my night would end up like this, but I’m not mad.”
As he studied her brown cheeks and her plump lips, Cooper stopped. Erin kept going, taking a few extra steps before she realized he was no longer beside her.
“Cooper?” She turned and sought him out. When their eyes connected, she smiled. “What are you doing back there?”
He strode forward. Erin’s expression shifted from slightly amused to confused and finally to flustered when he scooped her cheeks with his palms. Her skin was soft to the touch. He let his thumb trace a circle there.
His love for her bubbled over. He needed Erin Marshall like he needed air. There was no way he could leave Belize again. No way he could leave her. He wouldn’t survive.
“Cooper—”
“That day in the airport when you asked me if I remembered our kiss… I lied.”
“You lied?” Erin tilted her head. “Why?”
“Because…” his voice was raspy, hoarse. His heart thudded in his chest. “I didn’t want you to know what everyone in our entire class already figured out.”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Erin, I l—” A chirp shattered the moment.
Erin’s eyebrows pulled together and she dug into her purse to grab her cellphone. When her gaze met his again, she looked uneasy. “It’s Ryan. I’m sorry. I need to take this.”
Cooper’s heart sank as Erin drifted away.
“Yes, Ryan. I’m…” Erin glanced over her shoulder and shot him a quick look, “with a friend. Yes. I’ll see you.”
When Erin trotted back to him, her expression was sheepish. “I’m so sorry. Is there any way you could take me back to school? Ryan is looking for me.”
It felt like rocks were rolling around in his stomach. “Yeah.”
“Great.” Erin smiled brightly and then tilted her head. “Wait, you were saying something before. Should we finish our conversation in the car?”
“It’s fine.”
“Don’t be like that.” She pushed out her bottom lip. “It sounded like you were about to share something important.”
He turned on his heels and walked away from her. Just looking at Erin’s face was painful right now.
She followed him, still in a playful mood. “I’m right, aren’t I? You were about to—”
“I said forget it. What part of that don’t you understand?”
Her lips screwed up. “Who do you think you’re talking to?”
Cooper strode away, too furious to engage in a conversation that would only turn into an argument.
Erin stalked after him and yanked on his arm. “What is your problem, Cooper?”
“Nothing.” I love you. “I’ll drive you back.” I don’t want you to go back to Ryan. “Get in the car.”
Erin’s face grew thunderous. She dropped her arm and took a step back. “Yeah, this is the Cooper I know. And for a second, I thought we could actually be friends.” She barked out a humorless laugh. “Oh my g—what is wrong with me?”
His heart dropped to his stomach. “Erin…”
“Just leave me alone, Cooper.” Her eyes sparked. She turned on her heels and stormed down the sidewalk.
“Where are you going to find a taxi this late at night?”
Her back remained rigid.
Cooper cupped his mouth and yelled, “At least let me take you.”
Erin ignored him and waved her hand out to a passing taxi that happened by as if in direct contrast to his words.
“Erin!” he cried.
She ducked into the vehicle. Cooper ran back to his truck and followed them from a distance, his heart pounding.
The taxi wound through the dark streets, finally stopping in front of the school. Cooper hung back and watched Erin get in safely before he forced himself to leave her alone like she asked.
He drove back to his place, his heart as restless as the storm clouds gathering above. Cooper pulled his phone out and ran his thumb over Erin’s number as he charged up the stairs.
Every time he convinced himself to call her and apologize, he wimped out. By the time he stood in front of his door, Cooper was no closer to a decision.
That’s when he noticed it.
His door was open.
He was sure he had locked it before he left. Cooper didn’t remember Josiah texting to say he would drop by. His father had promised to visit when his schedule allowed. Maybe he’d made good on that promise.
Cooper stepped carefully inside. “Dad? Is that you?”
Silence met his inquiry.
His boots crunched against broken glass. His head whipped down. The light spilling from the hallway illuminated his pillows and china strewn on the floor. His pulse raced. He spun and ran for the door, but it slammed closed before he could there.
A man separated himself from the shadows. In the dimness, all he could see was the outline of a large head, broad shoulders and a silver bracelet glistening on his left hand.
“Broker?” he whispered, wondering if Natasha’s ex had come back to get his revenge.
“You Lawson’s kid?” the man asked.
Cooper didn’t recognize the voice. It was Broker.
He straightened. “What if I said you have the wrong house? Would you be embarrassed?”
“Answer the question.”
“I’m not in the mood.”
The man’s chuckle rumbled low in the air. “That mouth of yours. You’re definitely his.”
“I don’t have any business with my father.”
“That’s too bad.” The man cracked his knuckles, each snap reverberating in the air. “We have business with you.”
“We?” Something smashed into his head from behind. Cooper stumbled to the ground. A deluge of kicks and punches kept him there. Pain rattled up his spine. He struggled to fight back, but there were too many of them.
The beating went on for what felt like hours. Then it stopped. Unceremoniously. Cooper could see his blood trickling over the tiles beside his bruised hands.
“Tell your father to pay us what he owes,” the leader said. “Or we’ll be back.”
Cooper strained to get up but his arm wobbled. Gave out. His chin slammed against the floor. He watched his attacker’s boots march through the door, powerless to do anything but pass out.
17 Erin
Her heels crunched the grassy lawn as she trotted toward the Student Center. Loud music still blasted from the dance, but the wind carried much of it away before it could reach her.
“Stupid Cooper,” Erin mumbled. Her shoes tapped the stairs, punctuating her words. “Annoying jerk.”
It was her fault for being moved by him. Cooper always seemed to be around when she needed a distraction from her issues. It wa
sn’t like she’d sought him out first, yet she was the one who kept getting confused.
“I am so stupid,” she grumbled. Erin stepped into the relative darkness of the Student Center and licked her lips. “Where’s Ryan?”
Hopefully, he and his friends were ready to call it a night. In her current mood, the last thing Erin wanted to do was hang out.
“Hello?” she yelled to the empty room.
“Erin.” Ryan’s voice echoed from deep within the center.
She started forward, uneasiness drilling through her veins. It was dark in here, apart from the strip of moonlight that fell through the windows to her left. She couldn’t hear any other voices. Not even the music dared pierce the silence.
Was Ryan in here alone?
“Ryan? I can’t see you.”
“I’m here!” Ryan sprang from behind the pool table. Erin jumped back, a hand over her skittering heart.
“You found me,” Ryan slurred. His dark fingers clutched the rim of the pool table to keep his balance as he swayed.
Erin shuffled closer to him. A cloud of alcohol hovered over his shoulders. She clipped her nose, overwhelmed by the scent. Had Ryan smuggled vodka into the dance? Erin knew they didn’t stock that at the bar.
“You’re smashed,” she said, her voice a nasal pitch thanks to her stopped-up nostrils.
“You’re beautiful.” His hand reached out to touch her cheek. Erin recoiled. Ryan noticed and pushed out his bottom lip to whine, “I don’t think you like me, Erin.”
“Why would you say that?”
“Because you’re always with Cooper.”
“Stop talking nonsense.” Erin fanned the air to chase the stench of liquor and stepped closer to Ryan. “Can you walk? Put your arm around my shoulder, and I’ll take you back to your car.”
Ryan shook his head. “Why did you leave with Cooper?”
“Ryan, let’s talk about that later. Right now, we need to get you home.”
“I hate that guy!” Ryan thrust a finger in the air. “He’s always showing off. It’s annoying. He’s annoying.”
“Join the club,” Erin mumbled.
“He can’t have you,” Ryan insisted. “You’re mine.”
Erin’s eyebrow hiked. “I’m nobody’s. Now let go of the table and let’s leave.”
Instead of listening, Ryan slid his hand around her waist and pulled her to his chest. She flopped against him, stunned by the steely strength of his arm. Erin wiggled but could not wrestle free.
Ryan placed a sloppy kiss to her neck. “Show me you like me, Erin.”
Nerves made her voice breathy. “How exactly do I do that?”
Ryan spun her around and kissed her. His mouth was sloppy. His tongue shoved inside her mouth, an invasive touch that made Erin shiver with disgust. He tasted like liquor. This was their first kiss, but it felt anything but special.
Her arms bent as she placed her palms to Ryan’s shoulders and pushed. “Ryan…” Erin batted a lock of hair that had fallen over her forehead. “Get ahold of yourself.”
“You’re a virgin, right?” he slurred. “I can tell.”
“Excuse me?”
“Let me be your first. I’ll be gentle.”
“Enough. Let’s go.”
Ryan released her, but he did not move from the pool table. Instead he plopped to the ground and sat cross-legged in protest. “I knew it. You don’t actually like me. Everything you said was a lie.”
“That’s not true.” Erin sighed. “I do like you.”
“Then why won’t you kiss me?”
Erin rubbed her temple. “I’ll kiss you.”
“You will?” Ryan’s head whipped up. Excitement danced in his brown eyes.
“After you get up and walk to the car.”
Ryan stood and raced for the door. Erin chuckled at his back. Okay… he was kinda cute when he was drunk.
She caught up to Ryan and together they strolled to the parking lot. The breeze chased away a bit of his stench so she could stand to walk beside him without gasping for fresh air.
Ryan neared his vehicle and pulled out his keys. Erin was stunned when he walked confidently to the driver’s side and opened it as if he had all plans of getting behind the wheel in his state.
“Hand them over.” Erin held out an arm, palm-up. “You’re not driving.”
“Give me what you owe first.”
Erin leaned over and pressed a peck to his lips. While Ryan was distracted, she snatched his keys from him.
He groaned. “That wasn’t a real kiss.”
“Get in the car.” Erin laughed and slid into the driver’s side. She was relieved when he got in without a fuss.
Ryan directed her to his dorm. He seemed to have sobered up slightly. Though he kept blinking. She figured the world was still fuzzy and was glad she’d kept him from driving. They couldn’t really have a relationship if Ryan was dead.
She parked outside the student dorms and leaned over to tuck his keys into his pocket. “Go upstairs and get some sleep. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
Ryan snatched her wrist. The keys tumbled out of her hand and slid between the center console and the chair. Erin groaned, bending her body to slide her fingers through the tiny space and retrieve his keys.
Ryan grabbed the back of her head and held it over his lap. Her eyes widened and she grabbed at his fingers, pushing him off. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Ryan blinked. “You weren’t…? Sorry.”
He seemed remorseful so she brushed the action off and turned to open the door. “Goodnight, Ryan.”
“Wait.”
She turned around and watched him. “What?”
“I really like you, Erin.” Tears glistened in his eyes. “I like you so damn much, but you’re so hard to read. It feels like… if I make one wrong move, there are plenty of guys who’ll swoop right in and take my place. Cooper’s at the front of ‘em.”
“Why do you keep mentioning Cooper?”
“Because he… that bastard… he…”
Her curiosity got the better of her. Erin tilted her head. “What did Cooper do?”
“I don’t want to talk about Cooper.” Ryan opened his door. “Come upstairs for a minute. I have something to give you.”
Erin scoffed. Like she was falling for that. “You can make it upstairs on your own. I’ll call Peggy to pick me up so don’t worry.” Erin pulled out her phone to do just that when Ryan snatched it from her fingers.
“Hey!”
“I said come upstairs.”
“Ryan!” Erin yelled at his back as he sprinted into his dorm. She groaned. Both Cooper and Ryan were acting crazy tonight. Erin glanced up and frowned at the grey clouds rolling overhead. Maybe there was something in the air.
She sighed and dragged herself up the stairs to Ryan’s room. Or what she hoped was Ryan’s room. Erin knocked on the door once just to be sure.
Ryan appeared in the doorway, shirtless. Erin’s gaze, of it’s own accord, slid over the chiseled planes of his chest. His skin was like black silk pressed over defined ridges. Her breath hitched.
She struggled to retain a firm tone as she said, “Give me back my phone.”
Ryan grinned. His dark eyes glistened. “Come in. My roommate’s over at his girlfriend’s so we won’t be interrupted.”
“I don’t care about your roommate. All I want is my phone. Where did you hide it?”
He stepped back and swept his arm out. Erin walked in uncertainly, her heart beating against her chest like a jackhammer. She was attracted to Ryan and the excitement of being in his room this late at night felt deliciously scandalous.
But she wasn’t stupid. If he got an inch, he’d try to go a mile, and Erin wanted her first time to be special. She had to find her phone and get out of there before Ryan tried anything.
“It’s a little small. You can sit on the bed.”
“I’ll stand,” Erin said, glancing around at the room. Calling this room ‘small’ was being kind. R
yan’s place reminded her of her second foster home where six kids had to fit into one bedroom.
At least Ryan only had to share it with one.
There were two messy beds pressed against the walls and a few posters framing the space. Two computer desks sat side-by-side beneath the window. If Erin walked more than five steps either way she’d bump into something.
He strode to a cooler. “Want a drink?”
“Ryan, I’m not playing. Give me my phone.”
“Relax.” He popped the beer can and offered it to her. “It’s really strong so don’t chug it all at once.”
“No thanks.”
“Fine. I’ll drink it,” Ryan said. He tipped it back.
“Wait!” Erin grabbed it from him. “You shouldn’t drink anymore. I’ll do it.”
“Great.” His pearly white smile made heat flush through her stomach.
Erin guzzled the beer down and set it on the desk. She started feeling light-headed. The room spun. She plopped to one of the beds, a hand to her head.
“How strong was that beer?”
“Very.” The mattress bounced as Ryan sat beside her. “I warned you not to drink it fast.”
Erin wondered why she couldn’t move. Why she couldn’t think clearly. Why, when Ryan slipped his hand between her thighs, she didn’t swat him away.
“I want you so bad, Erin.” Ryan continued to massage her inner thighs while he lowered her to the bed. “You have no idea how much.”
“R-Ryan…” Erin blinked. “This… it isn’t…”
“Shh.” He got on top of her and kissed her lips. His fingers undid the buttons of her blouse until she was in nothing but her bra and skirt.
Fear climbed up her throat. She blinked rapidly, struggling to remain awake when it felt like her world would slide into darkness at any minute. Erin whimpered when Ryan took off her skirt and ran his hands up her body.
The palms that she’d admired when they first reunited felt rough and scary now. She didn’t want this, but she was too exhausted and out-of-sorts to tell him.
As she started to black out, Erin tried to reason with herself. What was the big deal about firsts anyway? She’d get it over with and never worry about it again.
