by L. M. Reid
“So, now what?” I ask unsure what the next step is. Do we talk it out more? Try to rebuild a friendship? Or do we just, move on? I have to leave it up to her. Whatever we are, whatever we do, it has to be on her terms because I made her live on mine for too long.
“Now, we move on.”
“So, that’s it? Just like that we’re good?”
“Oh, no, we’re not good. Consider it a… truce. For the sake of work.”
“Got it,” I say with a smile. “Can we eat now?”
Insert change of subject to throw the gorgeous woman off and hopefully level the playing field here.
“I already told you, I am not having lunch with you,” she says.
I pick up the container and open the lid, extending it in her direction. “Are you sure?”
She bites her lip as she stares at the food, then back to me.
“It’s just lunch, Mia.” Leaning close to her ear, “I won’t bite unless you want me to.”
“Cooper,” she says in a warning tone.
“What?” I ask innocently even though I know full well I’m flirting with her. I can’t help it. Knowing that she wasn’t with Duke, seeing her so vulnerable, it released all of the anger inside me. Besides there is just something about her that makes me act more like a horny teenager than a grown man with more than his fair share of sexual experiences under his belt.
She’s looking at the container I am holding out to her with such intensity. God what I would give to be that chicken parmesan sandwich right now. Her tongue darts out, wetting her lips. I hold in the groan that threatens to escape needing for her to hurry with her decision so I can hide the untimely erection her actions caused.
“May I?” she asks gesturing to the food.
“Please do.”
Handing her the box she takes it from me and brings it under her nose. She inhales the aroma and then snaps the box shut. “Thanks,” she says as she turns on her heel. “And let me know what you decide about the décor.”
16
Mia
I glance down at the stack of resumes on my desk. I need to focus. Cooper doesn’t deserve to own this much of my mind, even if he did apologize. Just because he didn’t mean to hurt me, doesn’t negate the fact that he did. It also doesn’t mean that I have to forgive him. I can tolerate him. I can co-exist. But I certainly won’t forgive or forget what he did to me.
There is some type of commotion coming from beyond my office door. I don’t need any more disasters today. When I step out the door, I’m afraid to look. Expecting the worst because let’s face it, that’s how things are rolling these days I am pleasantly surprised when instead I find a sweet older lady who just so happens to be juggling one too many items.
“Everything okay?” I ask her. She looks vaguely familiar standing before me with her gray hair piled on top of her head, her brightly colored outfit, and a mischievous twinkle in her eye. She’s the woman from the coffee shop, Cooper’s assistant.
“Oh dear, I’m sorry. I’m just such a klutz,” she says. “I dropped a few things and…”
I bend to pick up the items. “Let me help you with that.”
“Aren’t you just a sweetheart?”
Placing the items on her desk, I ask, “Edith, right?”
“That’s me,” she says cheerfully. “I’m sorry, dear; I don’t think I caught your name.”
I place her things on the desk and extend my hand to her. “I’m Mia.”
“The Mia?” she asks as she shakes my hand. “Well, I had no idea that was you at the coffee shop that day. Isn’t this just wonderful, you and Cooper, together again?”
She certainly has my curiosity piqued. The Mia? What exactly has Cooper told this woman about me? Why has he told her about me at all?
“We were never together,” I correct her. His words, not mine.
“Oh please,” she says with a snort. “The man has been on edge since you came back to town. Whatever it is, there’s something going on.”
“We’re just co-workers, I assure you.” I refuse to be any more than that. I refuse to make the same mistake again when clearly; he is the same boy that I walked away from over six years ago.
“I know Cooper better than to believe that. He may say one thing, but his eyes say another,” Edith tells me as she shakes a finger in my direction. Her words strike home with me.
“Yes, exactly. What is it with him?” I ask but immediately regret my words. Edith is his friend, his assistant. I shouldn’t be commiserating with her. Anything I say will only get back to Cooper and cause more trouble. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Don’t be. I was actually hoping you could tell me why. I have tried to get him to tell me where his stupid I rule against being in a relationship came from.”
“Beats me,” I tell the woman who genuinely seems confused. “The man is impossible.” I leave out the other choice descriptions I use for him.
“That he is,” Edith commiserates. “I’ve known Cooper for a while now and well, I’ve never seen him react to anyone the way he does to you. Frankly dear, you turn that boy into a bumbling mess.”
“Cooper he…”
“He says and does a lot of stupid things. You just have to look into his eyes to see the truth. And, when I look into them, I see you.”
I want to believe what she’s saying. That his eyes really do tell the truth. But I know from experience, they don’t. Because the look in his eyes that last night, the myriad of emotion I saw in them, certainly did not commiserate with what he said or how he acted.
“Mia, the contractor needs you,” Shauna calls out to me from the doorway.
“It was nice to see you again Edith,” I say before walking away from issue, straight into another.
***
Pacing around the living room with a glass of wine in my hand, I pour every detail of the past two days out.
“Can you believe that? He was pissed at me for cheating? I mean, really, how do you cheat on someone that you’re not with? Hmm? Can you answer that?”
Kassie remains silent on the couch, her wine glass to her lips as I continue to rant and rave about what happened with Cooper.
“Then he tried to act all sweet and cute and he made me lunch. Did I tell you that? He made me chicken parmesan. Oh, and then he left me cookie dough brownies on my desk. Who does that?”
Kassie still hasn’t spoken. She hasn’t even moved the glass. She’s just sitting there, starting at me. “Well?” I demand as I stand in front of her with my arms crossed over my chest.
“Um… well…”
“Don’t even tell me you’re going to defend him? You have been just as angry as I have.”
“I know, and I am. I just…”
“Spit it out Kass,” I demand.
“I know he hurt you. I know he acted like an ass. But…”
“But, what?”
“You two were complicated on a good day. You knew how he felt, but you were so desperate to hold onto him that you denied to yourself how you really felt. Then you kind of just sprung it on him.”
“So, I’m the bad guy now?”
“That is not what I said.”
“Then what are you saying?”
After our “meeting” yesterday, I was left with a myriad of emotions running through me. Part of me was pissed. Part of me was relieved. And part of me just wanted to fall into his arms and forget that night ever happened. To return to the happy medium we had once lived in.
Now, when I need her to side with me, to tell me I’m not wrong, that I need to distance myself from Cooper, she defends him?
She pats the sit next to her and I plop down on it begrudgingly. “All I’m saying is that you two have a lot of history. Maybe now that you’ve hashed things out – you can move on.”
“You mean, with Wyatt?”
“Wyatt. Or, you know, Cooper.”
“Kassie.” Her name comes out as a scolding. How can she even suggest such a thing?
“Maybe he’s changed his views.”
“He hasn’t,” I assure her. “And even if he has, I’m not willing to risk it. He obliterated me Kass. I won’t let him do it again.”
“So, then…Wyatt.”
Wyatt. The man has left me about five messages today, only two of which were work related. The others were just sweet.
Wyatt. Hot as hell but does nothing to make my pulse race. Not the way Cooper does at least.
Wyatt. The guy who is supposed to be here in five minutes, but apparently is early.
Shit.
Even though I’ve essentially friend zoned him already, there is nothing that says I can’t take it back. Starting now.
“Do I look okay?” I ask Kassie.
“Perfection as always,” she says with a hint of disdain and a wink.
I swing open the door and plaster a huge, flirtatious smile on my face. To hell with Cooper. Its Wyatt time, baby.
“Hello, gorgeous.”
My face falls the minute I see who is actually standing before me.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
Cooper has a smug smile on his face. “I made a decision.”
“On what?” I ask confused. His presence on my doorstep is screwing with my head. I don’t like him being here in my safe space. Looking him directly in the eyes, I see it, what Edith was talking about earlier. The emotion that he refuses to acknowledge is there. While I’m not exactly certain which one is prevalent at the moment, what I am certain of is that it’s all directed at me.
“Can I come in?” He takes a step forward.
My hand flies up instantly pressing against his chest. Damn I hate the way that feels. Strong taut pecks, the six-pack abs that I know sit below it. “No. You need to leave.”
“Why? You got a hot date or something?”
With perfect timing Wyatt appears. I’m not going to lie, seeing them both standing before me, looking so different, but so damn good, I can’t help but visualize myself sandwiched between them. A wave of heat washes over me. Control yourself, Mia.
Putting on a front, I smile at Cooper. “As a matter of fact…” I turn my gaze to Wyatt. “Hey there handsome.” I greet Wyatt with a hug.
“Am I early?” he asks as he embraces me back.
The heat of Coopers stare is burning a hole in me. “Not at all. Cooper was just leaving.”
“No, I’m not,” Cooper asserts. “We have business to discuss.”
“We can talk about it tomorrow,” I reply.
“And here I thought the hotel was the most important thing in the world to you. Looks like your priorities are a little off today.” Cooper smirks at me knowing full well that he’s pushing my buttons. In fact, he’s trying to get a rise out of me. He did a damn good job of it too. Well played Cooper.
“You have ten minutes,” I tell him. “I’m so sorry, Wyatt.”
“Work to be done, I get it.”
“Kassie, will you please take Wyatt onto the patio while Cooper and I finish… working?” Kassie loops her arm around Wyatt’s and starts chatting his ear off as they make their way onto the patio.
Begrudgingly I allow Cooper to enter my home. Seeing him standing there, in my space, it tugs at my heart strings. Uninvited or not, he looks relaxed here. And he looks good. He fits.
“So, what did you decide?” I ask. My voice is laced with frustration.
“The first one. It was perfect,” he replies instantly. Thank God, too. If I let him spend any more time here, I might just want him to stay.
“Great. I’ll let Nina know so she can…”
“Except for the colors, they don’t quite work the restaurant name.”
“I hadn’t realized you’d settled on a name.”
“I have.” He leans in close to me. “The Scarlet Room.” There is a hint of a smile on his face.
He went with my favorite color, scarlet red? He’s got to be fucking kidding me.
“The red compliments the black décor of the Onyx rather well, don’t you agree?” His hand brushes up against me as he speaks. “Elegant, sophisticated… seductive.”
The way he says the word, seductive, sends a shiver through me. He says it as though it’s not just a word to describe the restaurant, but rather a promise of what he’s going to do to me. Worse of all, it’s working. He has me wanting to continue this little conversation of ours when I should be out on the patio entertaining Wyatt.
Taking a few steps away from him, the pull to him lessens. I can breathe again. Space has never negated the desire that we have for each other, but just made it more manageable. Now, with some semblance of my bearings about me, I reply, “I will let Nina know. Now, you can…”
“This place is great.” He steps away from me and glances around the room completely disregarding what I was saying.
“Thank you. As I was saying…”
“Have dinner with me, tonight.”
His words come out of left field and I’m not quite sure what to make of them. “As you’re aware, I already have plans.”
“Cancel them.”
“Not a chance in hell.”
“Please, Mia,” he pleads with me, dropping his boisterous attitude and turning more somber. His voice softens as he continues, “I want to fix this.”
“Fix what exactly?” I ask. From what I recall him telling me, we never were anything to each other, so what could there be to possibly repair?
“Us.”
“There is no us, remember? We weren’t together, we weren’t friends, so there is nothing to…”
“Don’t do that. You know damn well that you were my best friend,” he says closing the gap he put between us and stealing my breath in the process. “And that’s exactly what I intend on fixing.”
“There’s nothing to fix.”
“I disagree.”
“I have a date to get back to, so, if you’re finished here.”
“Date, huh?” His eyes roam up and down the length of my body inspecting the very casual outfit I’m wearing. “Doesn’t look like a date to me.”
“Do you want to watch me fuck him tonight to prove it to you?” He cringes as I spew the words at him.
“Fuck him all you want, Mia. We both know it’s me you’ll be thinking about.”
“Get out,” I shout at him as I point to the door.
17
Mia
Cooper showing up at my home last night, threw me for a loop. I didn’t know what to do or how to react. So, I got defensive. And bitchy. And I threw Wyatt in his face making some stupid comment about him watching us have sex. I immediately regretted the statement, how unprofessional it was. Not to mention untrue. It was bad enough that I made it look like Wyatt and I were on a date when we weren’t. Insinuating that we were going to have sex was completely out of line.
Now I stand in front of the door to Cooper’s office to apologize to him. I don’t want to be standing here. I sure as hell don’t want to apologize. But, we’ve been working fairly well together and I don’t want to ruin that. So, here I am.
I knock on the door, his deep voice inviting me in only moments later.
Inhale. Exhale.
Pushing the door open, I make my way into his office. “Can we talk?”
He sits up a little straighter at his desk. “Uh, yeah, sure.”
I close the door behind him and rest my back against it. He looks at me expectantly, but once again, his presence is affecting me to the point that I can’t think clearly.
“Well, you’ve got me all alone, what do you plan on doing with me?” As he speaks he moves from his seat to the front of his desk.
“I just wanted to let you know that I gave Nina all the information and she will have some samples sent over. All things considered, I asked that she send them directly to me. I’ll let you know when they come in.”
“Sounds good,” he replies. I nod, but don’t move. “Is there something else?”
“Yes. I uh, I came to apologize. I was out of line yes
terday.”
A sly smile creeps on his face. He’s enjoying this. “What if I don’t accept? What if I need more than an apology?” He leans back against his desk.
“What do you want? And don’t say to fix this. That isn’t possible.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that. But I’ll settle for you having a drink with me.”
“Now you’re pushing it.”
“Take it or leave it.”
Needing to keep things between us amicable, I agree to his terms. “Fine. One drink.”
“Tonight,” he says as he glances down at his watch. “One hour.”
“Tonight? No. I have uh… there’s this…”
“You have nothing. I checked. Your schedule is clear, except for that drink that you’re having with me.”
I begin to fidget as I try to figure out a way out of this. I can’t do this. I can’t have a drink with him. I am barely able to hold it together when I’m sober. Alone with him? With alcohol? I’m screwed.
“Fine.” I sigh, loud and exaggerated hoping to make him change his mind. If I how him just how much I don’t want to do this, maybe he won’t press the issue.
“I’ll pick you up in your office in one hour.”
***
Exactly one hour later he’s standing in the doorway to my office with a bottle of whiskey in his hand.
“Ready for that drink?” he asks holding up the bottle of my favorite tequila.
“I thought we were going somewhere.”
“Change of plans.” He sets the bottle and glasses on the desk before pouring a drink for each of us. “I thought you would feel more comfortable here.”
“Thank you,” I say taking the glass from him.
“So, tell me about Miami.” Cooper moves to the leather sofa and sits. Noticing that I still haven’t moved from my desk, he pats the seat next to him.
I make my way over and sit on the opposite end of the close. It’s as close as I am going to get. Hugging the armrest, I tell him that Miami was great.
“Maybe you could elaborate a little more,” he suggests.
“I don’t know what you want from me. Miami was amazing. Sun, sand, hot guys.” I accentuate the last part hoping he gets the hint that I am not interested. A shiver runs through me at the lie I tell myself. I am so interested in this man, interested to depths unknown. Sitting this close to him is only making me all that much more aware.