“Hi, Mom,” I pipe in, leaning back into the seat to stare at Cooper with my eyes wide. How we are going to explain this? Our siblings are the only ones who know about our rekindledfriendship.
“I didn’t realize you were with Cooper. Where are you two going?”
“Back to campus. Cooper was in Chicago volunteering.”
“And you went with him?”
“No.” I get nervous. “I spent spring break with Meave. Remember?”
“Yes, yes, that’s right. Sorry, we’ve been out for drinks.” There’s a muffling of laughter from their end.
I glance at Cooper and mouthAre our moms tipsy?
Totallyhe mouths back.
“First the gallery, now this. Have you two been spending a lot of time together?” my mom asks.
Comparative to before? Yes.
Almost every day outside of spring break. Cooper walks me to class in the morning, showing up with a perfect dirty chai latte in hand. Between classes, studying for midterms, therapy, practice, and games, we take any stolen moments we can—last week he found me in the psych building, after getting back from an away game the day before, surprising me from behind with strong arms wrapped around my shoulders. Walked me backward and into a closet that I’m still not sure how he opened because his arms never left my body. A hand was running up my outer thigh, tickling and bringing to life the bare skin as he found his way underneath the skirt part of my overall dress. His other hand tugged my chin, twisting my head up to his and kissing me. My mouth opened to let his tongue in.
“I’ve never played seven minutes in heaven,” I whispered to him.
“I’ve never been to heaven,” he responded against the skin between my jaw and ear. “But I imagine this is what it’ll be like.”
The hand up my skirt drew circles over my underwear. A finger snapped the waistband, then snaked under it.
“Can I take you to heaven, baby?” I nodded. He stared into my hazel eyes pointedly. “That’s not gonna work for me. Can I, Sutton baby?” he said the term of endearment again, and I almost melt. If it weren’t for his body holding mine, my legs would have given out, a mess on the floor.
“Cooper,” I whimpered.
“Fuck,” he whimpered back. “Say my name again.”
“Cooper, please.”
He pushed a finger inside of me and kissed me again.
Kisses moved down my throat, rotating our positions, my back now against the shelf. The next kiss stung, and I tossed my head back when there was a thud. He pulled his mouthaway from me, eyes frantically looking over me, checking me for injuries. “Are you okay?”
“Uh-huh. I think that was a paint can. Keep going.”
Cooper started again, continuing his escapade of my body, not that he hadn’t already learned all of it. Sometimes I think he’s making up for lost time, or savoring me like I’m the final drops of the perfect summer day on the lake.
He pushed the denim up, then my ribbed long sleeve. Kissed the skin along the hem and a soft one to my outer belly button whilst his fingers worked inside of me.
Finally—I acted like that wasn’t his destination and that it’s been more than two whole agonizing minutes—he’s on his knees in front of me, moving a leg over his shoulder and pulling aside my underwear.
My favorite mouth in the world finally on me. Stealing from me the way we’ve stolen glances at each other the past five years.
I cried out his name, not caring who was in the hallway or could open the door. All I wanted was to be with him. Give in to the cravings that festered inside of me, taking shape as dislike for so long, when I think all I ever wanted to do was love him and be loved by him.
Cooper squeeze my thigh, and I snap my head to his, realizing we aren’t in the closet anymore but in his car on the phone with our moms.
“Sorry, what did you say?”
Mom repeats herself.
My jaw drops when Cooper answers, “Actually. We’re dating. Sutton’s my girlfriend.”
