AllFreeNovel
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How to be invisible.
But that also means, if there’s a strike coming, it’s not going to happen in public.
“Fine,” I give in. “But I’m coming with you, and we’re running on the beach.” I don’t tell her that’s safest because there’s nowhere to hide. Instead, I throw the covers off and get out of bed.
“Where are you going?” She sits up with a pout.
I pick her up in a firemen’s hold and smack a hand against her bare ass.
“Cooper...” she squeals. “What are you doing?”
“We need a shower,” I tell her before stepping into the bathroom.
“We’re going to get dirty again, Coop.” This beautiful woman smiles as she slides down my body, and a wicked grin crosses my face.
“I know.”
Lacingup my running shoes is like putting on that one pair of jeans everyone has. The pair that makes your ass look fantastic and puts a smile on your face. Running is like that for me. Yes, it does help my ass look better—not quite fantastic, but good enough.
But it’s how it makes me feel that’s addictive. And staying active, eating right, and taking care of my body and my mental health are all supposed to help prevent flare-ups. Not completely—because nothing will ever do that. But the better care I take of myself, the better off I’ll be.
Mom found me an incredible doctor in Philly who I met with over the summer, and I really liked her. She talked to me about everything, not just about my lupus. We talked about things I could do that would help me feel better overall. Ways to prevent flare-ups, not just ways to treat them once they happened. “Shit.”
“What’s wrong?” Cooper moves up behind me, and I turn, seeing he’s in basketball shorts and an old t-shirt that stretches tight across his chest and around his biceps. His Kings ball cap is on backward, holding back his hair and making the whole package utterly irresistible. “My eyes are up here, Miss Murphy.” The ass uses my own words against me.
“Shut up.” I tie my other shoe, then stand. “I have a doctor’s appointment scheduled in Kroydon Hills next week. I forgot about it. I guess I should cancel it.”
“No. You shouldn’t, Carys. You need to go to that appointment,” he pushes.
I slide my phone into the pocket of my leggings. “Kinda on the wrong side of the country, Coop.”
“Then go home, Carys. Your health is just as important as Emerson’s.” His hand tugs on my ponytail and tilts my head back toward his. “Go home for a few days. You can always come back if you want. Emerson wouldn’t want you to miss it.”
I push him away and walk outside. “You act like it’s a car ride away. It’s eight hours on a plane. Not exactly a weekend trip.”
Coop follows me out and locks the door. The two of us stretch, and his eyes are glued to my ass the entire time.Another benefit of running.
“Just think about it. Please.”
I bend over and place my palms flat on the deck, deliberately placing my ass in front of his face and hoping to distract him. But he smacks it instead, sending a jolt to my core.
“Don’t be a brat, Carys. That’s not playing fair.” He jogs down the steps, and I follow behind him.
“I’ll make you a deal...”
Cooper turns back to me, brow raised. “Lay it on me. What’s your deal?”
“I’ll figure out a way to go to my appointment—including virtual, if that’s an option—ifyou’ll make an appointment to talk to someone.” His happy expression is wiped blank, and he stares at me.
“Have you been talking to Rook?” He’s masking his frustration well, but I still see it.
I step up to him and lace my fingers through his. “You need to talk to someone, Coop. There’s so much going on...”
“And I will. When this is all over and I have five minutes to deal with everything else. Keeping you safe and finding Axel are the only two things I can worry about right now, Carys. They’re the only things that matter.” He tries to drop my hand, but I refuse to let him.
“Tough shit, Sinclair. You matter. Your health matters. I don’t get to be your excuse for not healing. You’re not dealing with it. You’re pushing it aside.” I pull his hand up to my face and rub it against my cheek. “Do it for me if you won’t do it for yourself.”
“That’s playing dirty, mini-Murphy.” He cracks a reluctant smile.
