“Idon’twant it,” I said. “Anymore.”
NOW IT WASCooper’s turn to beg. Which helped me recover my moxie.
“I’m fine with it,” he said. “I am.”
“You didn’t seem fine when you were sprinting away from me.”
“That was before I made you cry.”
“I don’t need a pity hickey, thanks.”
“You know, I just—” Cooper looked around and then rubbed his neck. “I wasn’t expecting that request. And I panicked.”
“I’ll say.”
“But I’ve had a minute to regroup,” he said. “And it’s fine.”
But I shook my head. “I’ll ask someone else.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.” I shrugged, like it didn’t matter. “I’ll go to the casino after dinner.”
“You arenotgoing to the casino to solicit hickeys from random cruise dudes.”
“That’s not really up to you.”
“I said I’ll do it. It’s fine.”
“But it’s not fine. Youhatedthis idea. You werehorrified.”
“I was just—taken aback for a second. I’m good now.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said, turning and starting to walk back the way we’d come.
Maybe he didn’t want to be a poor team player. Or maybe it was my heartfelt admission of how alone I was. Or maybe he just felt bad for making me cry.
But nowCooperwas followingme.
“Slow down!” Cooper called.
Wow. The dynamic had really done a one-eighty.
“No!” I called back.
“I said I’d help you!” Cooper said.
“Too late!”
Cooper caught my wrist and stopped me. “JoJo! Cut it out!”
Why was I resisting him? He was giving me what I wanted! But he’d just rejected me, and I couldn’t seem to do anything but reject him right back.
I met his eyes with defiance.
“It’ll take sixty seconds,” he said—quoting me back to me.
“It’ll take sixty seconds,” I agreed, “but the cooties will last forever.”
