by Mercer Scott
Chapter Eighteen
Natalia
The last thing I want to do is think about – or worse talk about – anything serious. But my curiosity wins out. I want to know more about Cooper. I want to know everything. I want to know what kind of kid he was in the third grade. I want to know who he had his first kiss with. I want to know every little thing that went into making him the man he is today.
“Can’t imagine anything about you that I’m not going to like. But better to know now, right?” Cooper runs his hand down my jaw and stares straight into my eyes. It feels even more intimate than when he’s deep inside me, if that’s even possible.
“Okay, if you want to know me, then I guess… buckle up,” I tell him with an uncertain laugh.
“I already know you grew up on a hippie commune, that you’re a crazed Zariah Ferré fan, worship a hairless feline tyrant as much as any Egyptian ever did, and like a middle-aged movie star like Ben Halston to an extent that I’m not entirely comfortable with. What else is there to shock me?”
“You think you know, but you have no idea,” I reply automatically.
“What?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. Just a dumb joke with my friends. Who’s going to go first?”
“Me. I just told you about my family, so it’s my turn to ask a question. You answer my question, then I’ll answer yours. Agreed?”
I nod hesitantly.
“Say the words.”
“I agree.”
“Why did you come to Maui?”
“Not pulling any punches, are you? How long have you been waiting to ask that question?
“Only since the second you ran me down and felt me up at the veterans’ hospital. How could I not want to know what made me the luckiest man on this whole damn planet to have you walk into my life?”
I can’t help but smile at that. I mean, what woman could? “It’s not simple. Or fun to talk about.”
“I bet. Just start somewhere that’s easy and work your way into the hard stuff.”
Taking a deep breath, I try to think of any part of this that could be classified as the easy stuff. Talking about how much I love my job seems like a safe place to start.
“You know I love being a nurse, right?” When Cooper nods down at me, I continue. “I’ve always wanted to be a nurse. I worked really hard to get my nursing degree, and after graduation I got a job at San Francisco General Hospital. I love it so much. I work in the ER, and I also take shifts at the oncology clinic. It’s just… it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. And a couple of years ago, a new doctor arrived at the hospital. Dr. Richard Blake. Or as my friends exclusively call him – Dr. Dick. I call him Dr. Dick now, too, by the way.”
I take a long breath. The pain and uncertainty about Dr. Dick and about losing my job are rising up inside me. I don’t know how long I can push them back down before they burst out of me, and I break down sobbing.
Cooper doesn’t try to rush me. He rubs my arms and waits patiently until I feel capable of forming more words.
“I was obsessed with him from the moment that I first saw him. I never really believed in love at first sight until him. I just knew that he was the man I was going to marry. Even if he… didn’t feel the same. I followed him around like a puppy for two years. Two freaking years. And then something magical happened. Or so I thought. He finally saw me. I was ecstatic. We were together for six months, and I thought I had everything that I ever wanted. My whole life was perfect. I thought he was going to propose any day. And we were actually supposed to be coming to Maui together. I wasn’t working, but I went to the hospital to surprise him with a fashion show of the new bikinis that I bought. I picked up Chinese take-out from his favorite place.” My voice breaks, and Cooper just keeps on rubbing my arms, not saying anything. “And then I found him. In the on-call room. He had a nurse bent over the desk. I walked in on him inside another woman. Someone I’ve worked with for years.”
“And… and I just lost it. My whole perfect, little world that I had built up around him came crashing down on me in an instant. Our perfect relationship. Our perfect, future marriage with the perfect house with the white picket fence, and the two-point-five perfect children. Everything that I never really thought I would have before I met him, it all disappeared in that moment.” I can feel the tears streaming down my face, but I’m not sobbing. I feel detached from what I’m saying now, almost like it happened to someone else.
“It was the worst thing that had ever happened to me, or that’s what I thought. Until I made it worse. I completely lost it. I lost all control. I attacked them, screaming and shouting. I tore into them. I threw the Chinese food at them. There were noodles and sticky sauces everywhere. I acted on every single angry and hurt impulse in me. And I did it in front of the entire hospital. Doctors, nurses, staff, patients. Everyone saw the lowest moment of my entire life.”
It really does feel like this ridiculous situation happened to someone else. Because there’s no way that I could have been that stupid and reckless. I don’t feel like the same woman who trashed a hospital lobby over a man who didn’t even care about her anymore.
“It’s okay, you can laugh. I know it sounds funny. It is funny. It’s completely ridiculous.”
“It’s not funny if it hurt you.” Cooper pushes my hair back from my face.
“I was suspended from the hospital until the Board decides whether I still have a job. I don’t know if any hospital would ever hire me again after what I did. Everyone saw it, and. I just don’t know if there’s any coming back from that. So, that’s how I ended up on Maui. I was supposed to be bringing my new boyfriend to meet my friends, but I ended up coming solo with my whole life in ruins.”
“You’ve been here a couple of months. Have you heard anything from the hospital?” Cooper’s voice is low, thoughtful as he keeps on rubbing my arms. At this point, I’m not sure what I would do if he stopped.
I’m shaking my head before the words are even out of his mouth. “Only a couple of emails to tell me that the Board hasn’t made a decision yet. So, I’m just here waiting to find out if my career is over. I really don’t know what I’m going to do if I can’t be a nurse anymore. I trashed my entire life in thirty minutes or less.”
“You didn’t do it alone. Dr. Dick played his part. What a complete piece of shit.”
Letting out a choked laugh, I nod. “He really is.”
Then my laughter turns back to tears, and Cooper pulls me into his arms as I start sobbing. He holds me tightly while I cry against his chest, my hot tears leaving wet streaks down his shirt. I don’t know exactly how long we stand there like that, but it’s a long time.
When my sobs eventually slow, I realize how pathetic this must seem to him. Cooper and I are in the same place right now, both faced with losing the jobs we love. Only Cooper lost his out of no fault of his own. Unlike me.
“I’m sorry. I must sound so pathetic right now. I mean you lost more than I did. And you had no control over what happened to you. I did this to myself. I know that.”
“Hey, hey. This isn’t a competition. We’re not comparing shitty things that happened to us. If we did, I’d obviously win,” Cooper says against the top of my head. I can tell just from his voice that he’s smiling.
“I’m really glad I met you.” Those words don’t seem like enough, but they’re the only ones I have right now.
“I’m really glad I met you, too,” Cooper whispers against my hair.
The he leans back and stares at me, wiping away the tears still running down my cheeks. “Thank you for telling me that. I’m sorry it upset you to talk about it, but I’m glad you did. I feel like I finally know you now.”
“You didn’t know me before this… even after we’ve, you know? Done it? A lot?”
“You make it sound so romantic.”
“I try.”
“I guess it’s your turn. What do you want to know?” Cooper stares down at me, looking mildly concerned.
“Hmmm,
everything? But maybe later. I’m all talked out for now.”
“Are you sure?”
“Do you want me to interrogate you right now? Because I feel like I’m being extremely magnanimous at the moment. But if you want to press your luck…”
He grins down at me. “You are. The most magnanimous. Ready to get out of here, Nit-Nat Bar?”
“No. Nope. You can’t call me that. It’s just a dumb nickname.”
“Why not? It’s cute, just like you are.”
My cheeks are burning. But there’s not really a way to say this without just saying it. “I don’t want you to think I’m cute. I want you to think I’m sexy.”
“I do think you’re sexy. You drive me crazy. Did I not make that clear to you last night? Or the night before? Or since the day I met you? Because I’m very happy to keep at it until I drive home exactly how sexy I think you are, babe.”
“Maybe you need to show me a bit more…”
“Done.”
In an instant, Cooper’s hand is on my ass roughly pulling me towards him as his lips take mine. He kisses me again just as rough and demanding as he did before.
As a sigh of pleasure escapes my lips, Cooper leans back. “I want more than just your mouth.”
Then his hand is between us, slowly creeping up my thigh.
“Cooper, stop! Someone could see us.”
“It’s a private beach, remember? My family owns it. Trust me, there’s no one around to see us. And right now, I need to show you exactly how much I want you. How much I always want you. You in?
“Ummm… okay, I want that, too.”
Cooper’s hand starts climbing again and he slips two fingers deep inside me while his very skilled thumb finds my clit. If I wasn’t hanging on to him for dear life, I’d be lying sprawled on the sand. My legs turn to jelly when he rubs my clit like that. He does it hard and fast. Then soft and slow. In circles. Then roughly up and down.
He lifts my hand and presses it against the bulge in his jeans. He’s rock hard, and I can’t help but stroke his cock through the layers of fabric.
“See how much I want you? I always want you, Natalia.”
In minutes, I’m on the edge and he’s pushing me right over it. I’ve never come so fast in my life without a little vibrational assistance.
“Oh my god, Cooper. Oh my god!” I shout as the waves of pleasure hit me again and again.
“Fuck, I love watching you come. Believe how much I want you yet? Because I can do this all day and all night. Actually, that’s exactly what I intend to do, Nit-Nat Bar.”
“Don’t call me that.” I glare up at him.
Cooper leans down to kiss me on the nose before taking my hand and tugging me up the beach towards his old, dirty Jeep.
“Why do you drive such a crappy jeep if you’re super rich?” I ask as I climb up into the dust-magnet that is Cooper’s car.
He frowns back at me. I guess he didn’t like what I had to say about his beloved Bertha. I watch as he runs his hand over the dash, and actually has the nerve to apologize to an inanimate object on my behalf. Boys and their toys.
“She didn’t mean it, Bertha. You’re perfect.”
“I’m starting to think you like this dirty, old Jeep more than me.” I’m not smiling.
“I do like this perfect specimen of a combustion engine more than just about everyone on the planet – with the exception of you.”
“Good answer.” I can’t help but smile. As much as I would never admit it to Cooper, he is charming.
He takes my hand in his as he pulls the crappy, old Jeep away from the beach.
As we race down the highway with the wind whipping through my hair, Cooper squeezes my hand.
“I don’t want to take you home.”
“Where do you want to take me?”
“How about you sleep over at my house tonight? So, I can keep showing you how sexy I think you are.”
Biting my lip, I really want to say yes. Another night with Cooper sounds perfect.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s just that… I probably shouldn’t leave Meowriah again. She was already alone last night. And she and Lara’s dog, Stinky, have a tempestuous relationship at best.”
“So, you’re choosing the cat over me. I guess I know where I stand.”
“I wish I could say yes.”
“Why don’t you just bring the cat?” He doesn’t look like he’s sold on the idea. But he did offer.
“Okay. Ooh, we can take her for a walk on the beach later.”
“You want to take a cat for a walk?”
I nod.
“How exactly does that work?”
“She has a harness and a leash.”
“And she wears all that over the sweater?” He looks skeptical at the very idea. Well, he’s about to see exactly how it all works later tonight.
“Yup, she loves to get some fresh air.”
“And she told you that how?”
“She just lets me know.”
Cooper smiles. “Sure, she does. But whatever you want. Bring the cat, Lara’s dog, your friends, anything. All I know is that I want you in my bed tonight.”
“All I need is Meowriah.” And maybe, I’m starting to wonder about needing Cooper, too?
Chapter Nineteen
Cooper
The anticipation is killing me as the phone rings waiting to hear her voice. I have a surprise for her. One that I know she’s going to love.
“Hey, Cooper.” Natalia’s voice is sweet and sexy in my ear.
“You busy tonight? I want to take you somewhere.”
There’s a pause over the phone, and I can hear her breathing softly. Maybe she’s smiling? I think she’s smiling.
“Hmmm, I guess I could probably fit you into my busy vacation schedule…” She laughs. There’s something about the sweet sound of this woman laughing that makes every muscle in my body harden. And it makes something else hard, too.
“That’s very generous of you. Thank you for making the time.”
“Where are you taking me?” Her voice sounds excited now. I know her well enough by now to know that she loves surprises – and that I love surprising her.
“It’s a surprise.” I realize that I’m smiling over the phone now, and I wonder if she knows I’m smiling like I know she’s smiling right now.
“I hate surprises. Just tell me!”
“No, you don’t. You love surprises. And you’re going to have to wait and see.”
“Damnit. I do love surprises… okay. But will you at least tell me what I should wear? A theme? Sensible shoes? Anything?”
“Doesn’t matter. Put whatever clothes you feel like on that sexy body of yours, because all I’m going to be thinking about is when I can take them off of you.” I’m already thinking about that.
“That is the opposite of helpful advice.” She doesn’t sound too impressed, but I can still hear the smile in her voice.
“It may not be helpful, but it’s true. I’ll pick you up at eight.”
“Okay.” There’s another long pause, and I think maybe she wants to tell me something. So, I wait for her to say whatever it is. Knowing her, it could be an announcement of her loyalty to Zariah Ferré, something about her cat, or just about anything else. But whatever it is, she decides to keep it to herself. “I’m really glad I met you, Cooper.”
“I’m really glad I met you too, Natalia. See you at eight, babe.”
Really glad I met her is the understatement of the century, but I don’t know what words are big enough to put on what I owe the universe for bringing Natalia Roy into my life. And all I can do is my part to try to get her to stick around.
Eight o’clock takes forever to get here. I mean, I know that one minute is the same length as any other. But there are those moments in life that feel faster or longer depending on how they change you. The second I realized the explosion was happening felt like slow-motion. The six months I spent healing from the explosion felt more like
sixty years. Then I met Natalia, and time sped up again. Now, it feels like it’s moving too fast, and I don’t want to miss a moment with her.
Tonight, I want to show her something that’s as special as she is. A once-in-a-century meteor shower. The weather’s perfect. The clear sky is perfect. And she’s perfect. We’ll be able to see way more stars here than in New York or even in San Francisco, especially where we’re going.
She’s waiting outside for me when I drive up to Deacon and Lara’s place. Even though I’ve been thinking about her all day, seeing her in the flesh doesn’t disappoint for a single second. She’s wearing a light blue dress that puffs out at her hips, and leaves lots of room for me to slip my hands under. Her lips are bright red and she curled her hair. She’s totally overdressed for what we’re doing tonight, and I’d feel bad about it if she didn’t look so damn beautiful.
“Nice dress, babe.”
“It has pockets!” She shoves her hands into the pockets that must be sewn into the seams spins and then spins around in a circle, holding the skirt of her dress out with her hands to show me.
“I can see that.” I’m smiling so big that my cheeks hurt. Despite what Natalia seems to think, I know how to charm a woman. I’m good at it. But this is the first time in my life a woman is charming me. And I don’t think she has any clue she’s even doing it. Every time I think I have her figured out, she shows up sweeter, prettier, and cuter than the last time. And the way she looks in this dress, only a once-in-a-century meteor shower could stop me from taking her upstairs and showing her just how much I like it. “You ready to go?”
“Mmmm-hmmm.”
As she steps away from the front door, my hand automatically reaches out and takes hers. She gives my hand a little squeeze, and I can’t help myself from leaning down and kissing her. Just for a second. Natalia leans in and wraps her arms around my neck. The sparks flying between us are just a taste of what I have in store for her tonight.
When I finally lift my head up and feel my lips leave hers, she gives a little disappointed sigh. That’s the kind of sigh that keeps soldiers fighting halfway around the world, motivated to come back to the woman they love.