The next dayI hadn’t planned on working, but I figure in order to keep my mind off Cooper, I might as well do some paperwork. I finish up invoicing on the computer, shut everything down, and grab my purse to head home for the night. It’s already five, but the gym is pretty packed with guys working out and training. I haven’t talked to Cooper since last night, so I have no clue if he was serious about dinner, and if his stalker skills really did work out and he found out where I live.
I head toward the office door, grab the handle, and pull it open just to be greeted with the wide, muscular chest of Cooper blocking my way. I take a step back on instinct, feeling my eyes widen as I look at the little smirk he’s got on his face, and the way he’s eyeing me up and down.
He has balls, that’s for sure.
He lifts his arm and braces it on the doorframe, leaning against it, the wood slightly creaking from the sheer size of him. His grin widens even more, as if he’s in on some little secret and he’ll only tell me when the time is right.
And damn my body for reacting instantly. I fold my arms over my breasts, simply to try and hide the fact my nipples have hardened almost painfully.
“You ready for tonight?” He lifts a brow, flashing those straight white teeth at me. Teeth shouldn’t turn me on, but strangely enough, his do.
Everything about Cooper arouses me.
“You were serious about that?”
He sobers and pushes away from the doorframe. “Like a heart attack, baby.”
I refrain from rolling my eyes. I’m deflecting here, trying to appear like I’m not hot and bothered by the sight of him, by his very presence.
“Let me get cleaned up and I’ll meet you at your place in an hour with all the fixin’s for dinner.”
Before I can even say anything, if I even would have, he winks, turns, and then walks away, leaving me standing there with my mouth open.
Well, I guess this is happening, and I guess it’s time for a wakeup call for Cooper.Chapter NineCooperI lean against the brick wall of Jo’s house after pressing the doorbell. In my arm I have a small brown paper sack and a pizza box. Jo probably deserves a man who can cook for her and make a great meal, but that’s not me. I don’t do that shit. I will spoil her in other ways and I definitely plan on doing that.
Jo opens the door, stopping my thoughts.
Damn she looks good.
She’s wearing dark jeans, a pale blue shirt that somehow causes her eyes to shimmer with deeper color. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail and she looks good enough to eat. Her gaze rakes over me and she bites her bottom lip, betraying her nerves.
“Hi,” she whispers.
“Hey, baby,” I tell her, the endearment rolling off my tongue without thought. I watch as her pupils dilate in response.
“Hi,” she whispers again, blushing and I grin.
“You going to let me in?”
“What?” she asks, confused. “Oh!” she adds with a gasp, and then steps back. “Come in,” she mutters, her cheeks turning even redder.
I walk inside and scan the room. It’s a large living room, bright, open and cheerful. It’s exactly what I would have pictured Jo living in, if I’m honest. There’s a television, much smaller than I’d ever be comfortable with, and in the corner is a huge bookshelf that has so many books on it, they’ve migrated into piles on the floor. For some reason, that makes me smile.
“Where do you want the food?” I ask her once I catch her wringing her hands together and nervously looking up at me. She seems different tonight; that wall she did her best to keep between us the night before seems long gone.
Thank fuck.
“We can just eat in here if you want to put it on the coffee table,” she murmurs. I follow her and slap the pizza box and paper bag on the table. “I’ll just go get us something to drink. Is cola okay? I don’t really keep—”
I put my arm out and catch her around the waist, bringing her body in close to mine.
“Baby, you need to calm the fuck down,” I mutter, her nervousness cute, but I don’t want her to stroke out over this. I want her to enjoy tonight. With that thought in mind, I tilt her head up with a finger under her chin so she’s forced to look at me. Those beautiful eyes of hers are shining up at me and slightly wide.
I was going to do my best to try and keep my hands off of her and prove I wasn’t all about getting her into bed. That seemed important to her and I didn’t know if I was ready for everything Jo talked about, but I did know I didn’t want her looking anywhere but at me for what she wanted. Looking down into her eyes now, I only know that I don’t want her to be nervous around me. I want her to come to me for everything… Every. Damn. Thing. She’ll never do that if she can’t relax and be herself.