Page 48 of Wrecked

He looks genuinely shocked. “I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you—mark you.”

“It’s fine.”

He captures my other hand and examines the faint purple smudges that ring both wrists. When he lifts one wrist to hismouth and gently kisses it, my stomach drops, and my heart starts galloping.

“I need to get back to the meeting,” I say. I pull my hands free. “Shane will wonder—”

“Don’t worry about Shane.” Cooper cups my face. “Sam, I need to talk to you. I’ve been trying for days now, and you won’t take my calls. You won’t answer my texts.”

“There’s nothing more to say, Cooper. You made it perfectly clear what you wanted from me.”

Cooper closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “Sam, I—you have no idea what it was like growing up gay in the sixties, especially in the South. It just wasn’t done. It wasn’t talked about. It could be dangerous for anyone to even suspect. I know it’s different now. A lot of guys, especially the young ones, are open about it, dating in public, wearing gay pride T-shirts and walking in parades. I didn’t grow up like that, Sam. I grew up keeping everything about my sexuality a deeply guarded secret.”

Cooper’s eyes are full of pain. I suspect there’s a lot more he’s not telling me. I don’t want to pry, but—

“I want to see you again,” he says. “I want to spend time with you. I miss you.”

I shake my head. “No. I’m not going to be your secret fuck toy that you can play with whenever you get an itch. You snap your fingers, and I come running? You fuck me, and then pat me on the head and send me home? No thanks. I have more self-respect than that.” I try to pull away, but he catches my hand.

“Sam, wait. Hear me out, please. I have a proposition for you.”

My pulse is tripping, but I try not to get excited. I’ve had enough disappointment already. “What?”

“What if we spend time together? I’ll make us dinner at your place. Or, I’ll take you out to dinner if you like, to a bar or to the movies. Whatever you want. It’ll just be the two of us, exclusive.”

“Cooper, what you’re describing is calleddating. Only you want to do it in secret.”

He closes his eyes as if in pain. “I’m sorry. I just can’t handle people knowing about my private life. I don’t want our co-workers to know. Shane would know, but that’s it.”

“Not even Beth?”

He shakes his head. “No, not even Beth.”

“What you’re suggesting isdating, Cooper.”

“Okay fine. We’ll call it whatever you want as long as it stays between us.” He lifts my hands, grasping both wrists in one hand, and raises them above my head, pinning them to the door. But this time, his hold is gentle.

His other hand grips my jaw to hold my face still. “God, I want you. I can’t stop thinking about the first time. I need that again, Sam. Please.”

“I don’t know.”Who the hell am I kidding?Of course I want to be with him, even if it’s under less than ideal circumstances. Maybe, over time, things will change. “I guess we could try.”

He sighs. “Okay, good. Can I come see you tonight?” He’s practically holding his breath as he waits for my answer.

Deep down, I figure this is another mistake. But I want him just as badly, so I’m going to take a chance and risk getting hurt yet again. “What time?”

“After Beth turns in for the night, around ten o’clock.”

“All right.”

“Can I spend the night?”

My pulse rockets into the stratosphere at the idea of the two of us sharing a bed all night long. “I don’t know. Let’s play it by ear.” I pull my hands free. “I’ve got to get back now. They’re going to wonder where I am.”

Cooper nods. “Okay, sure.” He cups my face and gazes into my eyes. “First, I really need to do this.” And then he kisses me.

His lips settle on mine, gentle at first, then becoming more demanding. This isn’t just any kiss. It’s a heart-pounding, soul-stealing kiss. His lips mold themselves to mine, nudging them open so his tongue can slide in. I groan.

I am so in over my head with this guy.