“Good morning, again, birthday boy.” I sit up, lean my head on his shoulder. “What are you reading?”
He closes the book, using a finger as his bookmark, to show me the cover. Smart man to not dog ear the page. I recognize it as one from my bookshelf.
“Isn’t this your favorite?”
“It is. When did you start it?” He’s about sixty percent of the way through the fantasy novel.
“Spring break. I took it from your room after one of our sessions. That okay?”
“Mhmmm.”
He keeps reading. I read over his shoulder, picking up where he left off. The next chapter is spicy, and Cooper giggles when he reads it, ears tipped pink.
I take back my earlier statement, cringing when he dog-ears the page, but forgive him instantly when he drags me to the shower to reenact the scene.
Cooper offers to wash my hair since my curls are already wet. The specialty products I use filling one of the plastic tiered shelves. He’s thorough, asking and memorizing the steps. Fingers digging into my scalp and temples with meticulous pressure.
We’re standing in the water washing off the soap lathered on our skin. Laughing between stolen kisses and touches when his phone rings, Dad’s photo popping up on the screen.
“Go,” I tell him. Cooper quickly rinses and hops out of the shower, towel loosely hanging on his waist.
I finish rinsing, grabbing the fresh towel on the bathroom counter. Walking back into his bedroom, Cooper’s folding a jersey, setting it on his dresser.
“Giving that to someone?”
“Would you want to wear it?”
“Wanna try that again? If you want me to wear your jersey, just tell me.”
A dimpled grin emerges. “I’d like my girlfriend to wear my jersey.”
They don’t have a game tonight, but conference play starts later this week. It won’t be the first jersey I’ve worn…but truthfully I can’t wait to wear his. Show off how proud I am of Cooper, how proud I am to finally be his.
However, we are still us, and I’ll never turn down a moment to keep him on his toes. “We’ll see, boyfriend.”
Lakeland’s NCAAconference changed its rules this year. The conference tournament for women’s and men’s hockey is no longer happening at a neutral site. Whoever is leading the conference is allowed to host.
It’s why the guys had a small break over our spring break. The university was preparing the arena for the conference tournament this weekend.
Downtown Bensen has also been preparing. I was supposed to run four miles this morning, but with weaving in and out of people grabbing coffee or shopping in our local stores, I added a half mile to my distance.
When I loop around, I stop at the Mean Bean to grab coffees for Elliot and me.
Classes have continued, no matter the commotion on campus all week.
Luckily for most, professors cancelled evening classes for students to attend tonight’s semifinal, single-elimination game. Our boys won the first round in a two-game sweep.
Unlucky for me, my human anatomy lab professor was not one of them. He isn’t, and I quote,a sports guy. I text Cooper before lab starts.
Good luck, Superstar
Cooper
Thanks, baby. You’ll be there after lab?
Wouldn’t miss it.
I bail early on lab.
