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“Show me your room, Carys.” His voice is rough and sexy, and it sends a shiver down my spine. His body crowds mine as the heat of it dances over my skin. “I need to know you’re safe.”
Damn him. He has no idea what his words do to my already swooning heart.
“Whatever you say, hot shot. But you do realize I’ve been living here for nine months, and nothing has happened. Right?” Cooper doesn’t answer me, but something in his baby blues tells me to stop arguing because I’m not going to change his mind.
He stays close to me as I walk us both through the lobby and up the three flights of stairs to my floor.
Cooper’s eyes are everywhere, taking everything in as if he’s mapping out an emergency exit route. “Do you always take the stairs alone?”
“Oh my God, Cooper. Relax. It’s perfectly safe.” I’m not sure whether I should be annoyed that he’s treating me like his baby sister or giddy that he cares about my safety.
I’m going with option number two.
I push through the door to my floor, and then we walk down the long, loud hall. A few doors are open as some people party between rooms. It’s a Saturday night at the end of the semester, and everyone is blowing off steam. “See? Perfectly safe.”
He looks less than convinced. “Just humor me, please.”
My fingers tremble a little when I unlock my door, suddenly nervous to have him here—in my space. It’s a small room. Two twin beds sit on either wall with desks at each end, framing a large window that overlooks the quad courtyard behind the building. Em and I have made it as much our own space as we could, but I’m looking forward to moving off campus in a few weeks after the semester ends.
“Thanks for bringing me home, Coop. It was fun.” This giant of a man is sucking all the oxygen from the room, and I move away to put some distance between us. “How long are you going to be home?” I scoop up some of the clothes that Emerson and I left on my bed earlier and throw them into the closet, then kick a bra under her bed.
She’s lucky it’s not one I made for her.
“Home, huh?” A smile tugs at his lips. “We never really know when we’re getting spun up, but I actually got word this morning that I’ve been recommended for a training. I should be leaving in the next week or so.” Thankfully, he’s still taking stock of the room and seems completely unaware of how my lungs just stopped functioning.
I only got two nights. I’m not ready for him to leave yet, even if he’s not mine.
“You’re leaving again? You just got here.”
He walks over to the window and pushes back our cute black-and-white curtains to check the lock before gently running his fingers over the sewing machine sitting on my desk. He picks up a swatch of crimson red lace and rubs it between his fingers. “Yeah. It was news to me too. But it’s something I really want to do, so I can’t complain. Being a Tier 1 operator is my ultimate goal. Sharpening your skills never stops. Laziness is the easiest way to get somebody killed.”
“Oh.” My heart drops to the floor. I never want to think about him being hurt. Or worse. “What’s the training for?”
His shoulders tense, but he doesn’t look at me.
Does he have to keep this kind of thing to himself?
“Is it hard?” The urge to reach out and soothe his tight muscles is strong, but I manage to resist.Go me.“Not being able to tell us what you’re doing or where you are?” I leave off the part where I know it’s hard on us. No need to add to whatever he’s feeling already.
With the room a little more presentable, I sit down on my bed and scooch my butt back against the wall, then stretch my legs out in front of me and cross them at the ankles. I’m nearly twenty years old but still short enough that my legs barely touch the floor when they hang off the bed.Gotta love it.
Coop turns around, his blue eyes tight and tense. “It is what it is. It’s part of the job. The less you all know, the better.” He sits down next to me with his back against the wall, and a swarm of butterflies take flight in my stomach. Only a few inches separate us, but his long legs still manage to hang off the bed.
He stares at me for a long minute, and I wish I had some idea what he was thinking before he finally asks, “When does your semester end?”
His bare leg is next to mine, not touching but close enough to feel his body heat teasing me. Reminding me that awareness is equal parts arousing and frustrating.
“My last final’s Wednesday. But I only have a week off before my first of two summer sessions starts. I’ll be done with the first session in time to fly home for Callen and the twins’ birthdays in July.” Seven months after our parents got married, our little brother, Callen, was born. Two weeks later, Annabelle Sinclair, Coop’s sister-in-law, gave birth to twin girls, Gracie and Everly.
Our family multiplies like bunnies.
He taps his head back against the wall. “I don’t know if I’m making it this year.” Regret laces his tone. He made it for the celebration last year. “You think they’ll even recognize me when it’s not through an iPad?”
I give in to temptation and lean my head against his shoulder. I probably shouldn’t, but I might not get the chance again. Closing my eyes, I whisper, “Are you really that clueless?”
Coop surprises me when he adjusts us and holds me tightly to him, squeezing my bare skin. This is nothing like what Axel did earlier. Cooper isn’t handsy. His fingers aren’t exploring my skin. They’re firmly planted on top of my sleeve instead of skimming the edge of my shirt. But unlike earlier, need pools deep in my belly, and he has no idea how he’s affecting me. I guess he really is that clueless. Or he’s just not interested in me at all. Unfortunately, I think it’s the latter, and I need to come to terms with it.
How many years can I carry an unrequited torch for Cooper Sinclair?
