Authors: C.T. Nicholson
The door opened despite her disapproval. Ryan walked in with some ice cream and two spoons. "I thought you could use some cheering up."
She didn't run him off but instead grabbed the spoon and dug right into the ice cream. Relief settled in when Ryan didn't speak. They ate in silence—it was the quietest he'd ever been and she'd take it while she could.
****
Cooper grimaced at the sight of his wet pants. The tea didn't bother him, but thinking that Sophia had done it on purpose made it worse. He had no clue what upset her. Even though she said nothing was wrong, he didn't believe her.
Maybe he was reading too much into a simple acc
ident. Either way, the night didn't seem as interesting without her sitting beside him, which just irritated him.
The dream he’d had last night remained etched into his brain. The details were a bit foggy, but seemed so damn real he could still taste her on his lips and feel the heat of her wrapped around him.
Shit. He adjusted his pants when his erection made them too tight. It had been a while since he had sex, though he didn't think that was the only reason for his obsession. Sophia was fun and her smile drove him up the wall with need. She had on a simple loose t-shirt at dinner and he'd still managed to make out the swell of her breasts.
Those same breasts played a big part in his dream where her nipples, the perfect shade of rose, had hardened right before his eyes.
"Cooper, are you in there?"
Nick's voice brought him back to reality, where he sat at the same table with the Johnson brothers. And he was sitting there thinking about their sister's breasts.
Good job, Cooper.
"Sorry. I'm still tired, so I think I'll head home now. Thanks for dinner." He stood and placed his empty plate in the sink.
Nick laughed and Cooper turned his attention back on him. "He's probably got that sexy realtor waiting to—" He gestured quotes in the air with his fingers. "—look at his house."
Jacob slapped his twin on the back of the head. "Shut up. I'd expect more maturity out of a teacher."
"Well, at least I like to have some fun. I haven't seen you with a woman in three years." Nick's eyes widened at his own words. "Wow, it's really been three years. How are you surviving?"
Ryan came in on the conversation and froze in place.
Jacob's face turned red, but Cooper didn't think it was a blush; rather, it looked like the face of someone about to blow his top. There’d be a brawl if someone didn't say anything. "Just ignore him, Jacob."
Mike laughed. "He's just mad because his current hook-up didn't show up last night. At least you don't have to find the sluttiest girl just to get some."
A roll was thrown first by Nick, and Cooper ducked out without them noticing. "Bye."
No one heard him as more arguing started up. He’d nearly reached his truck before the screen door opened.
Ryan came out looking grim. "Those boys are always fighting."
If anyone knew what was wrong with Sophia, it would be Ryan. "Is Sophia really okay? I just hope I didn't do anything to upset her. I shouldn't have taken those two shots of Jose. I thought it would just knock me out, but it seemed to have wiped my memory. All I remember last is putting the fire out."
Ryan tilted his head slightly and watched him for a moment, then shook his head. "No. She's upset about Seth. I've been trying to tell her he was no good. Plus, she has the hots for you and isn't sure what to do."
The last sentence came as a shock, but he worried more about the loser she was seeing. "What's Seth's last name and where can I find him?"
Kicking his ass seemed like the perfect way to end the night.
"Seth Robertson. Wait! Shit. Don't tell Sophia I told you that. She'll kill us both." He ran his hand through his perfectly styled hair, messing it up in the process.
Cooper just grinned and crossed his arms over his chest. The name sounded familiar, but he couldn't put a face to it. "I won't say a word."
"Look, I want to kick his ass just as much as you and her brothers, but you'll only piss her off. She'd be really furious if she had to bail us out of jail." Ryan slapped his shoulder. "It would be fun, but I don't want to be on the bad end of Sophia's wrath. And like I said, I really don't think that's much of her worries right now. Just give her time."
"Okay, thanks." He was right and going home would be in all of their best interests.
This is nuts!
Sophia questioned her sanity as she pulled into Cooper's drive with an 'I'm sorry' pizza. It didn't make a bit of sense, but she felt bad for purposely spilling the tea on him when he really didn't remember anything. Not that it didn't hurt knowing the mind-blowing sex she thought they shared wasn’t even good enough for him to remember.
No reason for her to blame him when she was the one who snuck up to his room and stripped naked. Definitely her fault—and maybe the liquor was a little to blame for her behavior.
First, she saw his truck bed open with bags of mulch stacked in it, and then she spotted him. Her mouth dried up, she couldn't budge from her seat as she watched his back muscles flex under the weight of the bag slung up on his shoulder.
Dear Lord. She imagined him carrying her over his shoulder with those huge arms, and taking her up to his room for a repeat. She'd seen him shirtless the night they slept together but she was wasted then and he hadn't been flexing.
His body twisted her way and she bit her lip. That tattoo was beautiful on his left arm. Too sexy. She peered up into blue eyes watching her and jerked her gaze away. How long had he been watching her? She wanted to die right there.
Finally, she glanced back up to smile and wave, b
efore scooting off the cart. "You look like you've been working hard."
He grinned and dragged her attention to the same mouth that pleasured her and now had two days of hair covering it. Why did the scruff have her squeezing her thighs together? Maybe because he’d touched her most intimate place with those lips only two nights ago and she craved for him to be there again. She could see the black band of his underwear and forced her gaze back up his sweaty stomach and chest that had to have been carefully carved from stone.
Wow!
Cooper cleared his throat. "You brought me a pi
zza from Marco's?"
She focused on the large box that she gripped a li
ttle too tight and then back into his eyes. "Yes! I thought you'd be hungry."
"I will always be hungry when it comes to Marco's Pi
zza. Come on, I'll get cleaned up." He bent over and dropped the bag of mulch beside the porch stairs.
His butt in those jeans just couldn't be real. It should be illegal for a man to look as sinfully sexy as Cooper. This was a bad idea. Either way she followed him in and stopped at the counter as he washed his hands in the sink. She couldn't hold back her laugh.
One dark brow rose when he glanced her way. "What?"
"I was just thinking how Grandma would hit you with a broom if she saw you washing your hands in the sink." She missed his grandma and papa as if they had been her own. She called them that anyways.
"I did stop myself at first. Old habits I guess." He dried them off on a napkin from the counter and opened the refrigerator.
"I should get going." If she stayed too long, she'd start jumping him. Especially, if he kept bending over.
He stood up too quickly, slamming his head into the refrigerator. She winced. "Shit!" he exclaimed.
Sophia laughed even as she went around the cou
nter to touch his head. The feel of his soft hair under her fingers sobered her up quickly. "Are you okay?"
His body stiffened and he placed his hand over hers. "I'm alright. You laughed."
"I'm sorry, it's just that I have this thing where I can't help but laugh when someone gets hurt. I didn't think it was funny. I don't know why I do that." Sophia tried to move her hand but he held it there.
"I like to hear you laugh." His confession shocked her and by the way his eyes widened, she'd say it shocked him, too. He let go of her hand and cleared his throat. "You didn't want to stay for pizza?"
"I just wanted to come by and say I was sorry for last night." Her stomach picked that time to growl loud enough for a small smile to appear on his lips.
"I'm not sure what you're apologizing for, but I think you want some of this pizza." He handed her a plate. "Is water good with you? It's all I have. Other than my protein shake."
"I really should be going. This pizza would not be good for my diet." And staying around him wouldn't be good for her heart or sanity.
"Diet?" This time he stepped way too close. He placed his hand on her cheek. His thumb caressed her as he moved it back and forth. "You're perfect just the way you are. I think your ex was a complete moron for ever noticing another girl and whoever you end up with will be one lucky bastard."
She tried to swallow the lump in her throat at the sincerity in his voice and the look in his eyes. If she ever thought he was attracted to her then she definitely thought it then when his eyes dropped to her lips. Do something, Sophia, before you both mess up. "Thank you."
Yeah. Smooth.
His gaze darted back up to her eyes and he removed his hand from her cheek. "You're eating no matter what. Forget about your diet. If you feel like crap after eating a few slices, then you can start running with me in the mornings until I leave town."
Oh how she wanted to just watch him run. That would be so much better than her actually running. She nodded anyways and put a slice on her plate. A moan escaped her lips when she took a bite of the pizza and she felt her cheeks heat when she caught Cooper watching her mouth again.
"So, you're doing all this on your own?" She couldn't imagine having to go through her grandparents' things and the house she grew up in without the help of her brothers.
"I've avoided it for seven years and now it's time to get it over with. I guess I'm still avoiding by working on the outside first. My grandma's things are still here too. Papa never went through them before he died and I couldn't bring myself to change anything either." He took a bite of his pizza and browsed around the room.
"I'll help you." No matter how difficult it would be to stick around him, she couldn't let him go through the pain on his own.
He watched her for a moment before shaking his head. "I can't ask you to do that."
"You didn't. I offered and I'm not taking no for an answer."
****
He’d almost kissed her and now she offered to help go through his grandparents’ house. The only reason he didn't kiss her was because of Ryan's advice. He really needed to take a cold shower to keep from doing something stupid. He thought it wouldn't be too bad to give her time and then she moaned when she took a bite of her pizza and he was hard as a rock again.
She wasn't going to let him say no to her.
Just don't jump her and you'll be okay.
"I would love having your help. Thank you."
That smile of hers nearly knocked him off his stool. What the hell is wrong with him? The attraction he'd felt before leaving town seemed to have amplified.
"Good. We can start after we eat." She took another bite and closed her eyes.
Cooper reached down and adjusted himself. "Do you want to change first?"
That question brought his attention to the tank top she wore that barely covered her stomach and then those cut-off shorts—hard not to stare at all that beautiful skin. He took another bite of his pizza to keep from saying something stupid. "Thanks for the pizza. I haven't had one this good since I moved."
"You're welcome.” A pause. “Oh, and I don't need to change. These are both old and I don't mind if they get dirty." She dropped her crust on the plate and picked up another slice.
Dear God! He was going to explode just listening to her talk. "You're not going to eat the crust?"
"No. If I'm going to eat this pizza I'm going to at least avoid some of the bread." She bit into another slice.
He rolled his eyes at her and grabbed the crust from her plate. "I'll eat it then."
"All of you men are just alike. Can't stop eating no matter what. And look at you." Her eyes widened and she blushed again.
Damn, she was so innocent. "What do you mean look at me?"
She bit her lip for a second before releasing it. "You're so…muscular. You and my brothers all eat constantly yet you're all built like Greek gods!"
There was no way to stop his smile at that comment. He didn't mind her seeing him as a Greek god. "I do work out almost every day and I'm sure your brothers don't do much different than me. Plus, I don't eat like this often.
"Yea, I don't do that. I've been trying to go to the gym with Ryan, but I've been so busy at work lately. My boss is a pain in the ass."
Cooper laughed out loud. "Isn't Jacob your boss?"