I smiled, knowing there wasn’t much you could keep from my brother. He had a way of watching, knowing, assessing everything you did until he found his answer.
“Sebastian is like a bloodhound when he wants to know something,” I joked, before I softened my tone. “You’re more than the memories of your ghosts, Coop. More than what Preston and Portia give you credit for. Can’t believe I wasted homemade slices on them.” I couldn’t even call them his parents because they didn’t deserve that title.
Coop’s lip twitched, but it didn’t reach his eyes this time. “I ended up moving out and that made it easier to avoid them. And it meant I didn’t go to The Cellar as often. Now, work keeps me pretty busy which helps too.” I wondered why he went to the ring this week. Wanted to ask but I knew this was more talking than Cooper had maybe ever done.
“What about you?” He asked, clearly needing a change of subject. “You missing being home with Judes?” He moved over me, and I spread my legs to give him space, loving his weighted warmth.
“I actually am,” I answered honestly. “Well, I miss her but not living there if that makes sense. Even if we went a few days without seeing each other, I always knew she wasn’t alone. Her mug would be washed on the sink or when I woke, there was always a mint tea bag waiting with my favourite cup. I miss those little things. Those small gestures which told me someone was thinking of me.” I shrugged, vowing internally to call her today to check-in. “But I love being out of home. Being here. With you.” At that he grinned.
“Don’t make it a big thing, okay?” I trailed my hands along his jaw on either side, clearly overwhelmed at my own admission.
“Everything about you is a big thing to me, Evy,” he whispered, and I rolled his words over in my mind.
I loved many things in this world, but the sound of his voice calling me thatwhilehe was hardening again against my leg, was close to my favourite.Hisnickname for me was always a sure way to thaw my aches, only now, it made me want to nuzzle into him and hibernate for the winter. Bury myself so deeply inside him on a molecular level that we would always be one. Exactly as it was always meant to be.
When I didn’t respond he shuffled up my body, pressing his lips against my own so tenderly, it was all I could do not to whine. Beg him to love me like I’d always loved him. Beg him to let me stay forever.
But even in the middle of the night I knew that wasn’t possible. Knew that being here in his bed was the result of a build-up of heated glances, forced proximity and unrequited love. A soda can that had been shaken for so long, even the tiniest touch resulted in an explosion of our world as we knew it.
I melted into his kiss, savoured the feel of his soft stubble against my jaw. The way his golden hair wrapped around myfingers, feeling exactly as I’d always imagined – clean, soft and thick. I tracked the ridges and dips of his back, my fingers tracing up and down the nape of his neck as my toes wrapped around his legs and grazed the skin I couldn’t otherwise reach.
I wasn’t sure if it was him or I who began the slow dance of our bodies, but before long we were again swirling in the rhythmic thrusts of love making, only this time, we weren’t driven by hunger – but desire. The desire of whispered confessions and the relief which came from sharing something you otherwise carried alone for so long.
The room was cloaked in the soft grey tones of pre-dawn light, deepening the blue of his eyes and when our gaze met, I couldn’t look away. I smoothed the hair from his forehead with one hand, using the other to cup his jaw. His mask loosened under the tender touch of my hand, as if I alone carried an elixir designed for soothing his aches. When he changed the movement of his hips, deliberately grinding against me and drawing a low, approving hum from deep inside, his boyish smile wiped away any last bit of resistance I had in denying that I was in love with him.
“I need to see you,” I admitted desperately, wanting to sear him into my mind. In a fluid movement, he rolled onto his back until I was straddling him, our mouths never breaking from their embrace.
I smiled against his mouth, grinning both at his practiced efficiency and his no questions asked attitude.
“Smooth,” I admired, and his deep laugh buried itself behind my rib cage.
Drawing my legs up until they bore my weight, I pressed against his chest sitting atop of him. His hands gripped my thighs, his eyes triangulating my face, my chest, and where our bodies were connected. And in the minutes before dawn broke the sky, I mentally catalogued every inch of him. I watched his face as he came inside me and begged myself to remember the press of his fingers on my thighs, the feel of his mouth on my neck, thesound of my name tumbling from his lips when I saw fireworks behind my own eyelids.
Later, when I wrapped myself around him again after first ducking to the bathroom, the scent of leather and spice lulled me into a deep sleep in the longest and best night of my life. It was just before I drifted off that I promised myself that as long as we were in each other’s lives, I would never let him feel alone again.
CHAPTER 33
Eva
I’d been at Golden Spades for a while when Cooper came rushing in looking more than a little flustered. I’d slept for a bit after we both finally dozed off but woke only a couple of hours later - my body clock not letting me get anything more despite the perfectly heated water bottle snuggled into me.
“Evangeline!” He exclaimed over a heavy breath.
“Have you been running?” I asked, peering around the desk. His jeans and boots didn’t necessarily scream athleisure wear, but stranger things had happened.
“You didn’t answer your phone!” He snapped and my brows scrunched.
“It didn’t rin-ohhh,” I said, illuminating the screen to see four missed calls from my currently angry boss. “Four missed calls?” I asked, suddenly concerned now I’d noticed the amount.
“Yes, Evangeline, four missed calls.”Christ, he was cranky this morning.I don’t know how he could be so tense after the night we shared, but the deep line between his brows told me now wasn’t the time to mention that.
“Are you okay?” I asked innocently, “because you keep using my full name.” I was deflecting, already realising I’d worried him by coming here without waking him or leaving a note.Even more when I didn’t answer my phone. But I needed him to say it. To tell me, so I was clear on where we stood. Part of me had intentionally showered and headed in to avoid the awkward morning encounter after five mind blowing orgasms. What if he woke and told me he regretted everything, popping my bubble and breaking my heart? It wasn’t worth the risk and now seeing how mad he was, I was even more relieved I’d snuck away.
“Why are you at work on a Sunday?” He gritted, still not having moved from the doorway.
“Why are you asking so many questions?” My avoidance was getting pathetic at this point, and I bit my lip uncertainly.
“Evangeline.”
