by Ryan, Kaylee
Reaching down, I wrap my fist around him and stroke. “I’ll take my chances.”
“You deserve better, baby. Let’s just go ahead and make it known that you come first. Always.”
I have to bite down on my lip to keep the sob that threatens to escape locked inside. He keeps talking about this like we’re forever, and I wish that were true. I don’t know how long I’ll have him like this. Open and willing to be with me. We’ve made it further than before, and I want it all. I want all of him at least once before he gets scared again and runs.
“I need you,” I pant as his fingers pump in and out of me. My body tenses and the fire ignites from deep inside.
“Fuck, Reese. I need you too. More than you’ll ever know.” Bending his head, he captures a nipple in his mouth and sucks hard. A moan from somewhere deep inside falls from my lips, and it only fuels him on. His hand pumps faster, and his teeth nip at my breasts before he soothes the ache with his tongue.
I can feel a deep twinge as the fire steadily builds. My grip on his cock tightens while the other hand grips the sheets on the bed.
“Easy, beautiful,” he murmurs, his lips next to my ear.
Realizing I could be hurting him, I let go and reach for his arm instead. “Cooper,” I moan as my body climbs closer and closer to release.
“Give it to me, Reese. Come all over my hand,” he whispers in my ear.
As if his words press a magic button, my orgasm spirals out of control. I have a death grip on his arm, and the sheets, as my back arches off the bed, as the deep timbre of his voice tells me how much he loves me. It all flows through me at the same time as my release.
Bliss
I have no other words to describe the feeling other than pure, uninhibited bliss. My body seems to sink into the mattress, but I know there’s still more to come. This time, I get all of him, and I’m ready. I’ve been ready. Slowly, I open my eyes to find his face close to mine, his eyes burning with desire. His gaze is intense.
“Hi,” he whispers.
“Hi.” I reach out and run my fingers through his hair. I wish I knew what was going through his head. Regardless, I’m not letting him turn me away. Not this time. Knowing I need to be brave, braver than I feel, I open my legs, making room for him. “I’m ready, Coop.”
“Yeah,” he agrees, as he finally pulls his fingers from inside me and brings them to his lips. I watch as he sucks each one into his mouth, his heated brown eyes never leaving mine. Once he’s taken his time, he moves to settle between my legs. His fist, the same one that was just between my thighs, palms his cock as he gives himself a few leisurely strokes.
“Let me,” I say, reaching between us.
“No.” His voice is firm, but there is a small smile playing on his lips. “This is going to be embarrassing enough, baby. Your hands on me will not help.”
I settle for resting my hands on his shoulders and pulling him down to me. He settles between my thighs, resting his weight on his elbows on either side of my head. Drawing him into a kiss, I wrap my legs around his waist and hold on tight.
“Jesus,” he mutters, breaking the kiss.
“Please, Coop.”
He nods and reaches between us and slowly guides his hard length inside me. My legs lock around his back, causing him to sink in deep, and we both moan our appreciation for the feeling of finally being connected. At least that’s where mine is coming from.
Leisurely, he pulls out and then pushes back in. “You’re so tight,” he says through gritted teeth, “and so wet,” he adds with another leisurely pump of his hips. Lifting my hips, I squeeze, and his eyes roll back in his head. “You can’t do that. I’m so close,” he mumbles, dropping his head to press his lips to mine.
“I want you to come.” It’s true. I want to know that he’s losing himself inside me.
“You first.” He smirks and slides his hand between us.
“I-I did,” I pant as his thumb circles my clit.
“I know, but I need to feel you come around me.” As soon as he says the words, his hips thrust as he picks up his pace. There is nothing relaxed about the way he’s pushing inside of me. His thumb continues to slowly circle my clit, and his hips never lose rhythm.
All I can do… all I want to do is hold on for the ride. Sliding my hands under his arms, I dig my nails into his back, and he hisses.
“Fuck yes.” He thrusts harder, pressing his thumb a little firmer, and that’s when I feel it. The slow burn, the steady quake that begins to build as he thrusts.
“Coop-er,” I breathe, feeling it. I’m so close. This one is stronger than the one before it. “Do-Don’t stop.” Please, God, don’t let him stop.
“Come for me, Reese. I need you to come now,” he grits out, and I ignite into flames. Heat courses through my veins as my body spasms around his.
“F-uckkkk!” He moans as he thrusts deep and stills, letting himself go inside me. He buries his face in my neck. I can feel his hot breath as it comes in spurts against my skin. When he’s caught his breath, he slides out of me, and lies next to me on the bed, pulling me into his arms. “I love you, Reese.”
His words are a whispered confession, but they still cause my heart to squeeze painfully. I want to say them back. I do love him. I will always love him, but I can’t do that. I can’t open myself up to him like that again, only for him to realize now I’m not getting married that he’s made a mistake.
So I say nothing.
Instead, I close my eyes and listen to his breathing. Eventually, it evens out, and I know he’s asleep, then and only then, do I allow myself to close my eyes.
Chapter 3
Cooper
My eyes pop open as I lie still, listening for what woke me up. I don’t hear anything, but now I’m awake, the memories of last night come at me full force. Reese. Last night was a surprise, and it was the best night of my life. I’ll never forget it as long as I live. Needing to hold her, I roll over to cuddle up next to Reese. Only when I reach for her, she’s gone.
I sit up in bed, the covers pooling around my waist as I survey the dimly lit room from the early morning sun. Her dress I tore off her body is gone, her shoes nowhere to be found. All that’s left is a neatly folded pile of my clothes in the chair, my shoes and socks stacked neatly underneath.
Throwing the covers off, I stalk to the bathroom, pushing open the door and nothing. No sign of Reese. I look under the bed and even in the closets, not that I expected to find her there, but fuck me, I was hoping she was just playing some kind of trick on me.
No trick.
She’s gone.
Heading back to the bathroom, I take care of business before searching for my phone. I find it on the nightstand next to the bed. Grabbing it, I have no missed messages or calls. I open the messaging app and send Reese a text.
Me: Where are you?
I wait. I count to one hundred and no reply. Fuck this. I dial her number, placing the phone to my ear. It rings four times before she picks up. “Hi,” she says softly.
Just hearing her voice soothes my worry. “Where are you, babe?”
“Cooper,” she sighs.
“Where are you, Reese?” Fear clogs my throat. Did she change her mind? Did she go back to him? No. She wouldn’t do that. Not after what we shared last night. It was life-changing, to be inside her, to have her naked body in my arms while we slept.
“I think you need some time. We both need some time,” she adds.
“Time for what? I don’t understand. Tell me what’s going on.” I don’t know what she’s talking about, but I can guarantee I don’t like it.
Time.
If she means time away from her, she’s wrong, I’ve done that. I barely survived. What I need is her. Just Reese.
“I need some time, Cooper.”
“How much time?” I manage to ask over the lump in my throat. She’s pushing me away, and I don’t know how to stop her.
“I don’t know. I just… have a lot to work out in my head.”
“About us? Reese, I love you. Let me help. Whatever it is, I can help,” I say, pleading with her.
“Coop.” She sniffs.
Fuck me. Now I’ve made her cry. “Where are you? I’ll come to you.” I stand and begin getting dressed as best as I can with one hand.
“No, Coop. I just need time. There is so much to process and think about. Yesterday I walked out of my wedding and last night… with you. I just need some time.”
Shit. I sit down on the edge of the bed and run my free hand through my hair. I know she’s right. I know she needs to take the time to work through whatever it is she has in her head, but damn it, I want to be the one to help her. I hate I’m part of the problem, that I’m an issue she potentially has to work out.
“Reese, last night meant everything to me. I meant what I said. I love you. I will always love you. You’re it for me. For now and for forever. I’ll give you some space, but please, baby, don’t shut me out.”
I hear a sob on the other end of the phone. “Thank you.”
“How long?” I ask, knowing I’m pushing my luck.
“I don’t know, Cooper.”
“Where are you now?”
“I’m- taking a few days.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that I’m not in town. At least, I won’t be in about fifteen minutes.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’d rather not say.”
“You can’t just go out of town and not tell me where you’re going, Reese.” She can’t do this. She can’t shut me out like this.
“I can, Cooper. I am,” she adds. “I just need some space and time to think. A lot has happened, and I need to process it all.”
“What if something happens? How will I get to you? At least tell me where you’re going.” I don’t like the thought of her traveling alone. In fact, I fucking hate it.
“I can’t. I know you, Coop. You’ll come after me, and that’s not what I need right now.”
“I need you,” I tell her. “In my life, by my side, in my bed. I need you, Reese. Please don’t push me away,” I plead with her. I know I don’t really have the right to ask because I pushed her away first, but I apologized, and she knows how I feel about her. She’s not once told me how she feels about me, about all of this.
“I have to go.”
“No, wait,” I rush to say.
“Coop,” she says on a sob.
Even through the line, I can hear the anguish in her voice. “I love you, Reese. Not just for last night but forever. Nothing is going to change that. Not time, not distance. Nothing. You hear me?” She’s quiet, except for a few sniffles. “Tell me you hear me, Reese.”
“I hear you,” she whispers.
“Will you call me when you get wherever it is that you’re going? Will you call me while you’re gone? Fuck, I just got you back, Reese. I can’t stand the thought of being without you.”
“I’ll let you know that I made it.”
“I love you.”
“I need to go. Bye, Coop,” she says, and the line goes silent.
Just like that, the bliss of having her in my arms, of us finally being together, is ripped out from under me and is replaced with fear. I was prepared for her decision to marry Hunter. I was prepared to lose her, but after last night… after what we shared, losing her isn’t an option. Grabbing my clothes, I get dressed, and as I’m slipping on my shoes, there’s a knock at the door. I rush, thinking maybe she changed her mind. I pull it open to find Nixon standing there with a bag and two coffees.
“Hey.” I open the door, allowing him space to walk into the room.
“You look like shit.” He places the bag and the coffees down on the small table, pulling up a chair.
“Yeah, well, when you fall asleep with the love of your life in your arms only to wake up to an empty bed and a phone call telling you she’s going out of town and won’t tell you where, that happens.”
“I know. She has my fiancée with her.”
“Tessa’s with her? She didn’t tell me that.” I feel a little of the tension in my shoulders release knowing she’s not alone.
“Yeah, you piss your girl off or scare her away or whatever the fuck happened between the two of you, and she runs off with my fiancée, so thanks for that,” he says sarcastically.
“I didn’t piss her off or scare her away. Not that I’m aware of. Fuck, man, I don’t really know. When we went to bed last night, we were in a good place. I thought we were on the same page.”
“That, my friend, is what you get for thinking.” He points at me, along with an accusing look on his face.
“I don’t even know what she was wearing.”
“Clothes?” he offers.
“Yeah, but I kind of tore her dress last night.” I more than just tore her dress. I tore it off her body. Not just a rip, it’s ruined. There is no way she could have worn it out of this room.
He raises his eyebrows, a smirk on his face. “Oh, do tell.”
“No. But I will tell you she wouldn’t have been able to wear it out of here.” I shrug because I’m not the least bit sorry about it.
“She texted Tess to bring her some clothes at around five this morning.”
“I’m glad.” The thought of her traipsing around in a robe from the hotel or worse, those thin pieces of lace, sets my blood on fire. Reese Latham is for my eyes only.
His phone rings, and I freeze, eavesdropping on him as he answers. “Hey, babe.” He listens and smiles. “I love you too. Call me when you land,” he says, then hits End on his phone.
“Where are they?”
“I’m not allowed to tell you.”
“Why the hell not?” I ask, frustrated. She already told me she didn’t want me to know, but damn it, she’s the love of my life. I should know where she is.
“We all know you, Reeves. What’s worse is we all know you when it comes to Reese. You’re the dumbass who just figured it out.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’ve been telling you for years that you were in love with her. Go ahead, say it. I was right.”
“You were right.” I don’t even hesitate because I am in love with her. I have no plans of ever denying that truth ever again.
“Hold up.” He grabs his phone from the table, hits a few buttons, and points it at me. “All right, say it again. A little louder for those in the back,” he jokes.
“Fuck off.” I laugh at his antics. “What did you mean, you know how I am when it comes to Reese?”
He takes a swig of his coffee before answering. “You’ve always been protective of her. Not just ‘she’s my best friend’ protective, but ‘I love this girl, and you’re not getting near her’ protective.”
I don’t reply to that, because I know deep down he’s right. Reese has always been special to me. “So what? I’m just supposed to sit around and worry about her while she’s gone?”
“She’s fine, Cooper. Do you really think I would be okay with Tessa being in any kind of danger? If something happens, which it’s not going to, I’ll let you know.”
“Thanks.” I run my fingers through my hair and let out a slow, choppy breath. It’s going to be a long… hell, I don’t even know how long she’s going to be gone. I assume she had time off work for her honeymoon, but I don’t know where they were going. No, as soon as I got the wedding invitation, I made sure to sidestep any wedding talk. I couldn’t bear it.
All I can do is hope she comes back to me. That we have our chance once and for all, to see where life takes us. Together. Not as best friends, but as lovers, and as life partners, and if I’m lucky, husband and wife.
That’s my end goal.
I’ll wait as long as it takes. I’m in for the fight of my life, and I’m ready for battle. I’ve never wanted anything or anyone like I want her. Whatever it takes, I’m ready.
Chapter 4
Reese
Sliding my phone back into my purse, I smil
e at Tessa. She’s been my savior in all of this. I don’t know what I would have done if she hadn’t rescued me. Not just at the banquet hall but this morning as well. My dress was shredded, and in no way was I able to wear it. Call me crazy, but I’m not much for walking around fancy hotels in my underwear.
“How did it go?” she asks.
“Like I expected it to go. He’s convinced we’re meant to be together, at least for now. I don’t think all this has sunk in for him yet. He’s upset I won’t tell him where I’m going. Oh, and he loves me,” I say flippantly, but it’s my heart that does the actual flipping each time he says those three little words.
“How does that make you feel?” Tessa asks.
I turn to look at her, and she has the most serious look on her face that has me busting out laughing. “What are you? A therapist?” I laugh.
“Yours, yes. Now, answer the question,” she says, fighting a grin of her own.
“I love him, Tess. I always have, and I know I always will.”
“But?”
“But… this is what he does. He’s never wanted to see me with anyone else. He hated that I was dating Hunter. It had nothing do to with Hunter himself. We all know he’s a great guy. That makes it even worse. I just left him there. Standing in front of our family and friends as I ran with my tail between my legs.”
“I know it seems harsh, but just think about if you would have gone through with it. You didn’t want to marry him, Reese. Doing so under false pretenses would have been worse than leaving him at the altar. Especially since he was waiting for marriage.”
“I know,” I sigh, tilting my head back against the seat and close my eyes. I don’t know how I let things get so screwed up. “It’s not that I didn’t love Hunter,” I say. “It’s that I didn’t love him enough. Not the way I should. You know?” I peek an eye open to find Tess watching me.
“Now boarding Flight 9874 to Mexico,” the announcer calls over the PA system.
“I’m going to call Nix really quick before we board.” I watch as she pulls out her phone and makes the call. It’s short and sweet. She tells him we’re getting ready to board and that she loves him. “Ready?” she asks, sliding her phone back into her purse.
