“You’re really good at this,” he said.
“You don’t even know what I’m saying.” I teased.
“Maybe not, but I know what sexy sounds like.” He pointed to where I discussed the ingredients. “That right there is sexy.”
Elbowing him, I laughed even if my face flushed hot. He leaned a little closer and pressed a kiss right behind my ear. It sent another shiver through me and I tilted my head to the left. Another kiss, this time just below my ear.
“I survived two years of French cause I got to hear you talk,” Coop told me. “Practicing with you was the highlight of my homework.”
Goosebumps raced over my skin and I glanced at him. “Is that why you wanted me to tutor you all the time?”
“Oui, oui,” he whispered almost playfully.
How much had I really not noticed? “Was I that oblivious?”
With a groan, Coop clung to me, rubbing his cheek against my bare shoulder then pressing a kiss to it. “Frankie, you were blind, deaf, and dumb when it came to what we were trying to say.”
I turned that over in my head as he nuzzled kisses along my shoulder to where the strap of my tank top rested. Little shivers kept chasing through my system, one after the other. My nipples were so tight there was no way he could miss them. Not based on where he had his face. When he kissed the curve of my throat, I groaned.
“Coop, I have to finish this.”
“I’m not talking,” he said all innocence.
Bumping him with my shoulder, I mock frowned at him. “You’re very distracting.”
“So are you when you’re speaking French, but I’m not complaining.”
“Behave,” I scolded.
He raised his eyebrows. “Tell me to behave in French.”
So close I could lick across his lips if I wanted to, I whispered, “Tu dois te comporter.”
With a slow sigh, he nuzzled a kiss to my mouth, then turned my chin gently to the screen. “Finish your video.”
Instead of dialing down the tension, it only seemed to ramp up. I only had a couple more clips to put in order. Then a little smoothing. Slap an intro-card on it with some canned music. Then… I saved it and began the export.
“Done?” Coop hadn’t moved away, not even an inch. My stomach went tight and my thighs clenched. He still sounded like Coop and at the same time, his voice was lower, huskier and it was doing really crazy things to my system.
“Just waiting for it to finish compiling…”
“Awesome.” With care, he lifted the laptop off my bare legs and set it on the coffee table. Turning halfway on the sofa, he stared at me and I found myself trapped in his gaze. With light fingers, he trailed a caress down my arm. “How do you say I want to kiss you in French?”
“J'ai besoin de t'embrasser.” It wasn’t the exact translation. He said want and I used need. Both applied.
Groaning lightly, he slid his hand back up to my nape. “Now, how do you say kiss me you fool?”
A giggle escaped me as he traced his thumb against my throat. Turning, I faced him and slid a hand along the denim of his thigh so I could get closer. “Embrasse moi, grand fou.”
Then his mouth closed on mine and it was my turn to groan. I already ached, wanting. The shivers turned to shudders and I had my arms around him. Instead of his lap, I was on my back and he eased between the cradle of my thighs as his mouth devoured mine.
The addition of chocolate to the kiss just left me drunk on it as his tongue dared and teased mine. When he glided his hand along my side, I didn’t waste time slipping mine under his shirt and skating them up his back.
The slow grind of his erection right against my pussy had me wishing we could get his jeans off. The sleep shorts and panties did nothing to hide how wet I was and still all I could do was gasp into his mouth even as his groans vibrated through his chest to mine. The friction against my nipples had me rubbing against him wanting more. He’d braced his hands to keep from settling his full weight on me and it was all I wanted.
“Frankie,” he whispered, then his delicious weight settled on me and he had a hand under my shirt and over my breast. Back arching, I dug my fingers into his shoulders. He rotated his hips continuing his grinding against me. The roughness of the denim on my thighs and the weight seemed to render the little fabric I had on negligible.
I couldn’t catch my breath because he kept kissing it out of me. He pinched the nipple and everything in me went tight and straining. I wanted…
When he abandoned my mouth to kiss down my throat, the coolness of the air teased against my sides. The tank top had rucked up and he made a beeline for my breasts.
A rush of feelings ran through me as he covered one breast. Glancing up, he studied me before he kissed the other. The hard pull of his mouth on my nipple was too much and not enough.
We needed his clothes off.
And mine.
Clothes…
Dammit.
Another hard pull and he hand moved his hand down to my hip. The lift changed the angle. Every time he ground against me, I started to see stars. “Coop…” I couldn’t string the thoughts together. A pinch against my nipple, so sensitive the little bit of pain pushed me right over and I came. He pressed his mouth against mine when I cried out and clung to him.
Then I wasn’t the only one who was wet.
Panting harshly, he shuddered atop me and buried his face in my hair. “Let me stay tonight,” he whispered. “I can do so much better than that.”
It was hard. Almost impossible. But after Jake and now this… Shivers rippled through me, and I tugged at his hair.
He lifted his head, his lips wet and swollen from kissing and his eyes glazed.
“You feel so good,” he whispered. “So good.”
I couldn’t lie, so did he. But if he stayed… “You have to go home.”
Licking his lips slowly, he nodded. “Can I lay here a little longer?”
Aware of the dampness on his jeans that said he’d come right in his pants, I nodded. “I’d like that.”
“I’ll get off…”
“I think we just did,” I said, even as I held on tight to him. “Don’t go. I like feeling you on me.”
“Yeah?” Curiosity filtered into his glazed eyes.
Waiting until he rested against me fully, I sighed. “Yes.” It was a Coop body blanket, and I didn’t know how much I needed it on top of everything else.
“You’re so beautiful, Frankie,” he told me, brushing his nose gently against mine. This close, there was nowhere to hide. The heat in my face at the compliment had to be beacon.
“Still think you’re the old shoe?” It was the right thing to say because his grin was like the sun coming out. He pressed a kiss to my chin.
“I didn’t say you didn’t like your old shoes. We fit best of all.” He gave a little grind, and it sent another wave of lust crashing into my system. “I think we fit really well.”
I couldn’t dispute that. “You have to go,” I told him. “Now.”
He nodded slowly and then dropped a slow, gentle kiss. “I’m not forgetting this.”
“Oh, God, I hope not,” I laughed. “I know I won’t.”
It was only a little awkward when he rose, the crotch of his jeans noticeably wet and my shirt still up. He made no pretense of how he admired my bared breasts and I was torn between yanking my shirt down or grabbing him.
Shirt.
Definitely shirt.
He raked a hand through his hair before he offered me a hand before pulling me to my feet. “I’ll see you in the morning?”
“Can’t miss me. I’m the one with the car.”
He grinned and, after one more very promising kiss, he left—via the front door this time instead of the back. I leaned against the closed door after he was gone. I kind of wanted to open it and call him back, but bad idea. We’d already just—wow. I looked at the sofa.
I was never looking at it the same way again.
When I went to bed, I w
as needy and aching even after Coop got me off. The cats swarming up for attention couldn’t fully distract me.
It took me a long time to go to sleep, more than enough time to imagine if I’d let Jake and Ian come over or invited Coop to stay. Tomorrow, I’d be with Archie.
Groaning, I covered my eyes. It was only the second week of senior year. I wasn’t going to make it until Christmas.
At the speed we were all going, I wouldn’t even make it to homecoming.
Shit.
I sat up and Tiddles yowled as he leapt off me.
Tomorrow the asks would start.
The asks would start at school. I had a date with Archie afterward. I was supposed to meet the rest of the guys after the game and there was a party on Saturday, after which I had to break up with Mathieu.
Flopping back on the bed, Marsha’s advice about not missing anything this year floated through my head. I barely had any time now. If I had more—that would give me more time with them.
There was the rub.
I wanted time with all of them.
I wasn’t really sure what that said about me.
Chapter Twenty
The Asks
By the time morning rolled around, I was a mess. I’d barely slept. I also discovered I had two new hickeys in addition to the one Jake left me with. One was on my breast, so I could cover it up easily, but the second one was higher, above the one Jake had given me, closer to my ear.
Hair down again today. My stomach did a little flip-flop. The morning round of texting had already begun. Archie had sent me three in rapid succession.
Archie: Today’s a big day. Just don’t forget we’re going out tonight.
Archie: I would also like to make it clear that I want to ask you to homecoming, but since Bubba asked first, I’m being noble. But I want to take you to senior prom. You and me, if you’re willing.
I forgot how to breathe. Prom was months away.
Archie: Yes, I know prom is months away, but after homecoming, there aren’t any other dances. Say yes? Please?
Sitting on the edge of my bed, I exhaled.
Yes, I texted. I’ll go to prom with you.
Then, because it was Archie, I added, But you may need to remind me. We’re going to be exhausted by March.
A calendar appointment invite from Archie showed up almost at once and I laughed.
Archie & Frankie do the Prom
I accepted it and added it to the calendar. So, not only did I need a homecoming dress, I’d need one for prom, too. Maybe I could find one that I could use for both.
Archie: So dinner, then coffee and a walk around the lake, that’s the plan?
That’s the plan, I sent him. Now I gotta get dressed because school.
Archie: You realize it’s killing me not 2 ask if you’re naked texting me right now.
Then I won’t tell you yes. I don’t want you to die.
Archie: …
Archie: …
Archie: Pictures or it didn’t happen.
I laughed.
Dream on, I sent. See you at school.
It took me a couple of minutes to find a shirt that would definitely cover Jake’s hickey and I’d let my hair cover Coop’s. By the time I laced up my shoes, I was running a little late. The cats had been fed.
“I’ll get the litter box right after school, guys, I promise.” Hopefully, Archie wouldn’t mind waiting a couple of extra minutes. Backpack in the chair, I’d just opened the fridge when there was a knock at the kitchen door.
Coop had apparently come to get me. I opened the door to his grin. “Hey, I thought you might need a hand with dessert.”
“Thank you.” But before I could open the fridge, he slid inside and then I was against the fridge and he kissed me. I’d never been so glad to have brushed my teeth before. Spearmint for the win, though Coop had definitely had some coffee.
When he lifted his head, I stared at his wet lips and then had to lick mine. “Good morning.”
“It definitely is now,” he said, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “And I kind of had to make sure my mind wasn’t playing tricks on me.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, I’m not saying you aren’t the best wet dream ever, but I really didn’t want it to be a dream.”
Lifting my hair up, I turned to show him the hickey. “Definitely not a dream.”
His grin widened and he traced a finger against the side of my throat. When I let my hair down, he dropped his hand. Meeting his gaze, I nudged him back and then got the fridge open.
As I lifted the dessert out, his eyes grew large. “What do they call that again?”
“Opera cake.”
“What are the chances there will be any left after your French class?”
“Want me to try and steal you a slice?”
“Yes,” he said. “I’d like you to steal me the whole thing.”
“Sorry. The next time I have to make a complicated and fancy dessert…”
“My birthday’s coming…”
I knew that.
“And I was thinking, I know you’ve kind of got set nights for the other guys, but the Saturday night the week of my birthday?”
“What day does your birthday fall on?”
He made a face. “Thursday.”
“I’ll take it off.”
His expression shifted. “What?”
“Marsha told me last night that if I needed to take time…she didn’t want me to miss anything. That’s your eighteenth. I don’t want to miss it.”
Balancing the cake, he said, “You sure? I know you literally work that beautiful ass of yours off all the time, and you’ve never even called out sick.”
“I’m sure,” I told him. “I made it to Ian’s eighteenth. I’ll be there for yours. Your birthday, you decide what we do.”
He glanced at the cake then at me. “If we didn’t have to go, I’d kiss you right now.”
“Can I get a raincheck?”
“Yes,” he said firmly. “You can.”
Despite the lack of sleep, Archie’s invitation and Coop’s greeting definitely buoyed my morning. Jake texted as we got to the car. He was swinging by McDonald’s to grab breakfast for everyone. There were still the homecoming asks, and I had no idea what Ian had planned. When we parked, Ian’s bike was there, but no Ian. We must be later than I’d thought.
Despite the clouds giving us some relief from the sun’s relentless scorch, the humidity had amped up leaving it gross outside.
“C’mon,” Coop said as we got out of the car. “Let’s go drop this off in French so we can get coffee and breakfast.” We headed inside and upstairs because it was faster to get to French through the upper hallways. Madame smiled at me when we came in and there were already one table sporting several dishes. Lucky for me, I’d warned her ahead of time so there was room in her small fridge to store it. Done, I double-checked that she’d gotten my video, very deliberately not looking at Coop as I conversed with Madame in French. Now that I knew it turned him on, I had to find ways to tease but only when we weren’t standing right in front of one of my teachers.
Coop caught my hand on our way out of French and interlaced our fingers. “C’mon, double time it.” He was hurrying me back to the stairs.
“What’s the rush?” We always got to school forty-five minutes early. We had time. Even if we’d run a little late today, we still had time.
“Starving.”
Homecoming signs lined the hallways declaring the theme. They’d doubled over the course of the week and probably added more even that morning since tickets for seniors went on sale today.
Just as we reached the cafeteria, Coop let go of my hand. Standing next to our table, Ian had his guitar with him. There were a lot of kids already in the cafeteria and it was like all the noise in the room stopped when I got inside.
Everything in me froze. Oh God.
He was going to do it right here.
With the first chords he struck on the guitar, m
y feet glued to the floor. Jake and Archie were both sitting at the table, but I barely had time to register their presence as Ian began to sing.
“Hey there, Frankie, can I have a minute of your time?” The slow, sweet baritone rolled over me. “There’s a question I have to get off my mind. You see this pretty girl, standing in the caf, unaware of how I planned to ask…” He shifted the chords, and he was just a couple of feet away. I couldn’t move. I wasn’t even sure I was breathing. “You’re so beautiful, Frankie, one of my very best friends, and I had to be the one who extends… that is, I want to ask and singing was the only way to do the task… ” He held the note and his gaze was on mine. “Tell me, Frankie, will you give me a chance? I really want to be the guy who takes you to the dance.”
On the last note, the whole cafeteria seemed to lean forward. Heat scorched my face. I was hot and cold at the same time. Hands together in front of my mouth, I let out a little laugh and whispered, “Yes.”
“What did she say?” someone yelled out.
“She said yes,” I yelled in response. There was a cheer, but I didn’t really pay attention as Ian swung his guitar to his back and gave me a hug. When he kissed my forehead, I hung onto him. “Remind me to kill you later,” I whispered in his ear.
Absolutely unrepentant, he grinned. “You wanted to be asked out and to have a story to tell.” This close, I couldn’t miss the fact his ears were a bit red. As much as I was not used to being the center of so much attention, I don’t think I’d ever seen Ian do anything like this.
Suddenly, I blinked, “Oh my God, you sang in public.”
“Glad you noticed,” he said, then hooked an arm around my shoulders as he guided me back to the table. Suddenly Coop was there, and it hit me. He’d known. Oh God. He’d known and worked out how to get me in the right door, and he’d been texting while we were in the classroom.
That was why Coop slowed that last step and let me go first.
“Bubba, my man. That was pretty cool.” Coop patted him on the shoulder.
“Yeah,” Jake said. “You’ve been holding out on us.” Then Jake turned his phone. “But I saved it for you Frankie.”
Rules and Roses: Untouchable Book One Page 27