“You know what I think?” Cooper asked as she turned the car into the parking lot of her apartment building.
“What?” Lainey snapped, already on the defensive, ready to refute anything he might say.
“I think it’s not important for you to define yourself in any particular way right now, Lainey. You don’t need to categorize yourself or analyze your feelings and reactions every step of the way.” He placed his hand lightly on her thigh, his touch like electricity jolting her senses. “We’re exploring something together, and it’s exciting and fun and sexy as hell. That’s enough for now, right? We don’t have to label it. Let’s just enjoy it.”
She parked in her assigned spot and turned to him, a jumble of feelings she couldn’t quite untangle inside her. She had been expecting—wanting?—him to refute her claim—to tell her he knew a sub when he saw one, and she definitely fit the bill. Then she could have systematically listed all the reasons he was wrong.
She should have been glad he wasn’t trying to pigeonhole her into some kind of role.
And yes, she was glad, she told herself firmly. And he was right. They didn’t need to define anything right now. After all, he was going to be history in a couple of days. It was insane to be investing so much mental energy into this relationship, if it could even be called that.
She managed a smile and nodded. “Yeah. You’re totally right. We don’t need to define anything. We just go with the flow.”
“Exactly,” he agreed easily. “Now, let’s eat. That food smells amazing and I’m starving.”
As they entered her second-floor apartment, Cooper stopped and looked around. “Nice place,” he said with apparent sincerity. Lainey hadn’t expected to have a guest, especially an overnight guest, but she always left her place tidy. The sudden, random room inspections by their retired military dad had instilled lifelong habits she saw no reason to shake.
Lainey shrugged. “Thanks. It’s just your regular IKEA setup inside but it’s comfortable. The main reason I took it was for the view of the water from my balcony.” She walked over to the sliding glass doors and pulled open the louvers that covered them. The sun was low over the bay, splashing it with a long, shimmery swath of orangey gold.
“That is a great view,” Cooper said, moving to stand beside her. He put his arm lightly around her shoulders. She leaned into him, thinking how good—how natural—it felt to be with him.
She was starving, but maybe a quick bit of sweetness beforehand… She lifted her face toward his, inviting a kiss.
He obliged, but with only a brief touch of his lips to hers. Then, dropping his arm and taking a step away from her, he put a hand on his flat abs and said, “Food. I need my energy so I can have my way with you.”
Lainey laughed. “Okay, okay. Let’s eat.”
Cooper peered through the glass. “How about we eat out on the balcony? I see you’ve got a table and chairs out there.”
“Great idea,” Lainey agreed. “Let me just grab us something to drink. I have water, Coke and beer. What would you like?”
“I have a better idea.” Cooper moved toward the coffee table, where he set down his overnight bag. Unzipping it, he pulled out what looked like a large stainless-steel thermos. Unscrewing the top, he pulled out a bottle of champagne. “Chilled Dom Perignon, anyone?”
Lainey laughed. “Okay, now you’re just showing off.”
He grinned, shrugging in reply. “Got any champagne flutes?”
Lainey moved toward the kitchen. “Sorry, no. I do have Target’s best wine glasses, however. Will that work?”
“Like a charm.”
She returned from the kitchen with two glasses, along with two bottles of water, a bottle of ketchup and some habanero hot sauce. Cooper grabbed the bag of food and they stepped out onto the balcony.
As Lainey set out the sandwiches for their late lunch, he popped the champagne cork and filled their glasses. Once they were situated, he lifted his glass toward her in a toast. “To continued exploration. The journey is as important as the destination.”
They clinked glasses and sipped.
“Oh,” Lainey exclaimed sincerely. “That’s delicious.”
“Goes down easy,” Cooper agreed. He took a bite of his po boy, his face suffusing with pleasure as he chewed. “Man, you weren’t kidding. This is fantastic.”
“Add a little hot sauce,” Lainey suggested, after sprinkling her sandwich liberally with the Tabasco. “Gives it a nice kick.”
He took the sauce, adding a little to his sandwich as well. They ate in companionable silence, staring out at the water as the twilit air purpled around them.
When they’d eaten every bite, including all the fries, Lainey ran her fingers through the tangled mess of her hair. She could smell the salty scent of the ocean on her sticky skin.
“Yuck. Feels like my hair and skin are coated in salt. I totally need a shower.”