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“But you deserve better. You deserve the nice things those guys can offer you.”
“Those guys, they’re our friends. And, Coop, you’re a good guy, too. You married me in kindergarten. You promised me forever between the slide and the swing set and, now that you’ve finally asked me out on a date, you don’t think you’re worth it?”
The corners of his mouth tipped upward. “Maybe?”
Picking up one of the french fries from my plate, I offered it to him. He took the bite, catching my hand and holding it still. “You’re my best friend.”
He blinked.
“You are. The guys are my best friends, too, but you were my best friend first and you’vealwaysbeen here.” Jake had come and gone. Ian showed up later. None of us knew Archie before ninth grade. “That’s what you offer me.”
“So I’m an old shoe.” He made a face.
“What?”
“Old shoes—you know they’re broken in and comfortable. The new shoes are shiny and cool, but the old shoe… you keep wearing it anyway.”
Blowing out a breath, I leaned back to stare at the ceiling. Then straightened. “Coop, you’re not an—” One minute I was in my chair; the next I was in his lap and his mouth was on mine. This wasn’t the kiss from the parking lot. This was teeth and tongue and his hands were on my waist, thumbs just under my shirt and I had to keep my sticky fingers out of his hair as he devoured my mouth like he was starved for me.
Each time the kiss slowed, I half-expected him to stop and then he deepened it again, until we were both gasping for breaths in between wet, fierce kisses. It wasn’t slow or gentle, not even a little. It was hot, demanding and I panted when he finally eased back. His gray-green eyes seemed swallowed under his pupils and heat scalded my cheeks.
He licked his lips as he studied me. “Okay. I feel better now.”
A laugh worked its way up and I stared at him as I giggled. “Are you sure?”
Cocking his head, he seemed to consider it. “You know, you’re right. We should definitely check that. Always good to verify the source.” Then he claimed my mouth mid-laugh. I had to clutch at his shoulders. When his hand slid down to cup my ass and lift me up, I ended up straddling his lap. He roamed his hands up and down my back, dipping to cup my ass but always retreating. The apex of my thighs was settled square over his erection and I’d never been more vibrantly aware of it.
My nipples ached and, when I broke the kiss, I indulged on teasing kisses and nips along the stubble of his jaw to his throat. The bite of the bristle just added a tinder to the fire he’d stoked. It would be so easy to…
At his ear, I paused, stilling and trying to catch my breath. Coop didn’t pull away. If anything, he just kept rubbing my back. It was a slow, petting motion. Relaxing my amped up system even as his fingers teased the bare skin above and below the tank top.
“Okay,” Coop said, his voice rough and a little wrecked. “I can confirm that I felt a lot better.”
“That’s past tense,” I answered, breath coming in shallow breaths.
“Well,” he said, with a tilt of his head as I straightened. “Now I’m pretty uncomfortable but not in a bad way.”
The deadpan delivery made me laugh. Straightening, I studied him. “I still have to finish the dessert.”
“Uh huh.”
“And…” I glanced down, the stiffness pressing against the inside of my thigh more noticeable by the second that our lips weren’t fused together. “You going to be okay?”
“Not a word that applies.” He stroked two fingers along the line of my hip to my thigh and then back up. “But I’ll survive.”
With care, I eased off his lap. And I was human, I looked. He was definitely thick, and it was very visible along the line of his shorts. Face warm, I met his surprised if pleased gaze. “Sorry.”
“You can look.” He deliberately dipped his gaze to my chest, and I was aware of the roughness of the tank against my very peaked nipples. “I definitely am.”
Then our gazes locked and we both started laughing. I stumbled back and leaned against the fridge. “Okay—” I said holding up my hand. “Let’s not do the ogle thing out loud.”
“Got it. I’ll ogle you quietly.” He planted his chin against his hand and his elbow on the table. “Please—put a little swing in that step as you get all domestic. It’s definitely a newfound kink of mine.”
I rolled my eyes and pushed off the fridge. “Yeah, that’s not as sexy.”
He snickered. “Maybe not for you, but I’m enjoying it.”
When I flipped him off, he laughed harder and I grinned. The lines of tension in his face had eased and more, so had the doubt in his face. After I had the dessert constructed, I said, “Coop—I like you for you. I always have.”
