The walk proved quiet as she stuck to the side of the road. When she heard gravel crunch under tires, she thought maybe one of her brothers was coming to find out why she hadn't come in. She turned and saw a silver car a little ways back. She moved over closer to the trees and it didn't take long to realize who was headed to Cooper’s when the car passed.
Her stomach twisted tight, heart pounded in her chest. "No."
All the courage and need that had driven her to just show up at his house was now gone. She found herself unable to move. It couldn't be what she thought. Not Cooper.
His home stood only a few more minutes from where she froze. Every bone in her body wanted to turn back and not find out what was happening. She couldn't do that.
If she didn't find out the truth, she'd worry about it anytime she was with him. She could ask him later, but he could just as easily lie to her. Wasn't that what Seth did?
The thought of finding her ex screwing Michelle had her feet moving again. A little faster than they had before until she was jogging toward his house.
She stopped at the edge of the tree lines when she spotted Cooper and Michelle standing on the porch—too far to see their faces clearly. Then Michelle stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Push her away. Please push her away.
When his hands came up, Sophia held her breath and couldn't get it back when Michelle kissed him and his hands grabbed her waist.
She didn't need to stick around for a replay of her last surprise visit. That was definitely the last time she came over unannounced anywhere.
****
Cooper never expected the soft knock on his door to be Michelle. It was a huge letdown. She smiled big with bright red lipstick covering her lips. Lipstick had never been his thing. Made him think of how his grandma's used to stick to his cheek or forehead when he was younger.
"Did you leave something from earlier?" He didn't think that was the case. By the gleam in her eyes as she studied his chest and then lower, she had something else entirely on her mind.
"No. I just thought there was something between us and could've sworn you felt it too." She stepped back just slightly. "I knew you wouldn't be with Sophia. She's a little more front porch kiss at the end of the date and that's it.
He stepped out, determined to keep their conversation outside and speedy. "I'm sorry if I did anything to make you think that, but my heart belongs to one person and I've already waited too long to pursue her. I don't need anything or anyone to mess that up for me. And as for the front porch kiss girl, I'd much rather have that kind of girl than one who sleeps around with strangers."
The truth should've caused her to back off. He was wrong to think that. She stepped closer and put her hands on his shoulders. When he went to push her back, she moved in quick and kissed him. He grabbed her waist and nudged her hard enough to break the contact.
"I said no." He hated that her taste replaced his Sophia's.
She just smiled and walked away as if it had been all part of a plan.
He just watched as she drove away, then caught something else moving on the road heading in the same direction. It didn't take him long to realize it was Sophia. Then it all clicked. If she'd have been on her way over, then Michelle had to have seen her. She kissed him on purpose.
"Shit!" Without another thought, he took off at a run until he caught up with Sophia. He could hear her sobs and see the way her shoulders shook.
"Go back home." Her pace picked up.
"It's not what you think. I swear I had no idea she was coming over or that she'd kiss me. Please, stop." He was not above begging if she'd just let him explain.
That was until she turned around and he saw the same girl who’d cried when she found out he was leaving the first time. He'd hurt her again. "Sophia, I'm so sorry."
"I don't care. Just leave me alone. It's not the first time I've found her with someone I'm seeing. It just hurts a hell of a lot more that it was you this time." She spun on the heels of her boots and walked away.
When they'd run into Michelle, he noticed how Sophia froze up and didn't seem happy to see the malicious realtor. It made sense. He started to go after her but thought better of it. She was too upset and all because of him.
To make it up to her, he'd have to come up with more than chasing her all the way to her house. No matter if he never wanted the girl to kiss him or not. He reluctantly walked back to his house, wanting to kick himself the whole way there.
Chapter Eighteen
Rain beat at the windows of the house, and the thunder seemed to grow louder with every lightning strike. She could hear the wind getting stronger, but so far she hadn't heard of any tornado warnings. She lived with three grown men and still ended up by herself through a bad storm.
She'd always hated storms and didn't like knowing there was no one to keep her company. As she gathered her bowl of popcorn and cup of tea, the crack of lightning caused her to jump, and she ended up dropping her glass of tea and most of the popcorn landed on the floor. Worst of all, the lights and television clicked off at once, then came back on just to click off again. They didn't come back on.
Tears started down her cheeks without any warning. She had planned on having a nice night to herself until they called for severe thunderstorms all night. Now her night had turned to crap. Tea covered her and the floor, and she couldn't even see to clean it up.
She started to walk slowly and stubbed her toe on the bar stool. "Damn, damn, damn."
Something touched her shoulder and she screamed, before she noticed the light shining from behind her. When she whipped around, she found Cooper standing there with his hands raised high.
"Sorry. I said hello, but you were too busy cursing and jumping up and down. Did you hurt yourself?" He shined the light lower down to her feet.
"I just stubbed my toe, dropped my tea, and spilled over half of my popcorn." She started to cry again. "Oh God, and now I'm crying again over spilled popcorn."
The tears could be from the fact that she still felt some relief seeing him even after catching him with Michelle.
He touched her cheek. "It's okay, let's get to your room so you can change your clothes, then we'll come back down to finish your popcorn."
"Despite how you found me, I don't need your help." He had to go.
"I'm not leaving you. Once you change, I'm going to do whatever I need to get you to believe me." He shook the light toward the stairs.
Nodding was the only thing she could do as she melted from his tenderness. It pissed her off to know he could still affect her after everything. Her brothers would've laughed as they watched her fumble her way to her room, but Cooper was willing to help her. Manipulating jerk.
Another time, she'd have thanked him, but not now. She followed close behind and didn't protest when he held her hand to go up the stairs. The warmth of his touch felt good and dang it—she wanted whatever she could get from him.
"It's no problem. I was at home when Jacob called to say you were alone and the power already went out at his shop." She didn't notice he’d stopped until she plowed right into him.
"He said Mike's on call all night." He handed her the flashlight.
Nick had been out of town for a convention for two days and wouldn't be back for another three. She took the flashlight and walked into her room, then shut the door.
She changed her sweatpants, took off her tea-covered shirt. The lightning struck as she was reaching for another shirt. When she screamed, Cooper came through the door in a hurry, only he didn't have the light, and she was right in his way.
The impact from him wasn't so bad, and he even managed to roll as he fell to keep her from hitting the floor. She lay there in shock for a few moments, before realizing how she’d landed. Her legs straddled him and his hands held her with his thumbs brushing the underside of her breasts. She held her breath.
He moved his thumbs and she exhaled. All of a sudden, he lifted her off of him and rolled away. "I'm sorry
, Sophia. I just thought something happened and came in a little fast. I'll go back out in the hall."
She panicked. "No! I really hate storms, please wait. My track record with them isn't so great you know, and you can't see me unless I shine the light."
Moments ticked by, then he cleared his throat. "Okay."
The shirt she grabbed to wear lay on the floor, so she picked it up and put it on. "You're soaking wet from the rain. Let's get you some clothes from Mike's room. He's probably the closest to your size."
"Sure, I guess I forgot about me with everything happening." He held out his hand to grab the flashlight.
When he started toward Mike's room, he didn't grab her hand this time and it hurt. She followed him carefully as they made their way through the house. When they came to Mike's door, he walked in, and then shut the door. She was left in the dark once again.
The door swung open after a while. He stepped out in a new outfit from what she could see.
"How about that popcorn?" He grabbed her hand again as they walked down the stairs. "Too bad we can't have a movie to go along with it."
"If you can just walk with me to the kitchen, I can get a flashlight and some candles. That way you can go home. This is a bad idea for you to stay." She was glad he came to her rescue, but she couldn't get the sight of him kissing Michelle out of her head.
He didn't say anything as he grabbed her hand again and led the way toward the kitchen.
After the candles were lit, Cooper placed them around the living room and one in the kitchen. She held her own flashlight, all the while thinking how she still wasn't ready for him to leave her alone.
"Sophia, will you please let me explain before you kick me out?" He sat beside her on the couch and grabbed her hand.
Her lids fell closed when his thumb slid back and forth, causing a feeling she really didn't need right then. The tears crept through and slipped down her cheeks. "Just get it over with."
The last explanation she got from Seth was pathetic. Cooper's might be better, but she couldn't see it being good enough to forgive the incident.
"I'm just going to tell you the truth. I didn't know she was coming over and I was frustrated it wasn't you on the other side of that door." He squeezed her hand.
That really just made things worse. If she'd have been quicker or risked getting her keys, she would have been the one standing there.
"She said she felt some kind of connection between us and thought I felt it too. She was dead wrong, sweetie. I'm not in the least attracted to her. All I want is you. I told her exactly how I felt and it was like she heard the opposite of what I said and kissed me anyway. Didn't you see me push her away?"
Damn her cheeks. Sophia just shook her head.
"She left so quickly, a smile on her face, so I knew something was off. It wasn't until I watched to make sure she drove away that I saw you walking up the road. She had to have seen you on her way to my house." He reached over to grab her other hand and tugged until she faced him. "Please, believe me. I had no idea she was the one your ex cheated with or I would've never wanted her as a realtor. I'm not even sure I need a realtor."
She finally looked up at him. Why wouldn't he need a realtor? She didn't want to ask and hated to get her hopes up about the reason. "I'm scared."
The admission caught her off guard. From the way he pulled back a little, his mouth dropping open and closing a few times, he didn't expect that either.
"Of the storm?"
Too late to stop now. "I know it was what you needed, but after losing you once…"— she paused to push that day out of her head before she burst into tears again— "…I'm scared to go through that again. I wanted to believe you were like Seth, because it would've been easier than having you just leave me."
He stayed quiet for a second, then nodded. "I understand. I'll expect you to be wary at first, but I won't let you down. I know you won't completely trust me yet and that's okay. It was my fault and it's my job to earn your trust again."
Oh man, why did she have to love him so much? If he did leave, then she was screwed. Even with his reputation, she never worried about Seth cheating on her—like she’d been going around blindfolded. Yet, this wasn’t because of what she felt for him. If anything, the issue would be the lack of emotions she felt for him. All of this would make any issues with Cooper that much harder. She wasn't the jealous type, yet she was probably going to see that side of her while with him—especially if bimbos like Michelle kept coming around.
Boom!
She jumped nearly into Cooper's lap, sending the rest of the popcorn into the floor. It didn't matter as the flashlight fell, and the illumination gave her a view of his face. Without a second thought, she leaned in and kissed him.
At first his lips seemed frozen, and her wild heart seemed to pause—but then he kissed her back. The kiss felt rough, yet soft at the same time. His hand held her head to him in the most loving hold.
She moved to straddle him and was rewarded with the feel of his erection pressed against her, as well as his deep rumble of encouragement. Everything seemed perfect.
Everything except for the fact that she couldn't sleep with him. Again. Not until she could muster the courage to tell him about the first time they slept together. Pathetic. The next time—if there ever would be—neither of them would be drinking.
It hurt, but she pulled away. Even in the small light, his blue eyes gleamed full of passion and need.
"We can't do this."
His head fell back and he slapped a hand over his face. "I'm so sorry, Sophia. I know I said I'd take it slow and here I am mauling you."
"Mauling? I don't think you can consider that mauling, and you weren't the one who started it." She couldn't believe he put all of the blame on himself and called it mauling. It was hard not to laugh. "I think taking it slow is for the best."
"Then you might want to get off my lap so that I can keep to that."
He picked up the flashlight and sat it pointing straight up at the ceiling.
The thunder hit again, and out of fear she jumped. His arm wrapped around her shoulder, and her heart started to slow to its normal pace. "You still get scared since that night, huh?"
The night she’d run off from her father, right before one of the biggest storms of the year. She had been up in the tree house and hadn't even noticed the clouds. The storm hit fast and the tree house seemed to sway with the wind. Then out of nowhere, Cooper came through the opening in the floor.
He was skinnier then. The sight of him had been a dream come true that night. He started to take her home, but as they were walking away from the tree, lightning struck and brought the tree house down. Cooper ended up knocked down by a tree limb, which broke his left arm in two places.
"You saved my life that night." She remembered it too well.
"No, I was just coming to bring you home." He turned away from her.
"You got me out of that tree, and then you shoved me out of the way when the house came down. I forgot about the way you shoved me. I was so small then; if that tree had hit me, it could've been a lot worse than a broken arm." He had been her hero, and here he was again, helping her through her fear. "You came tonight to make sure I was alright. What is this, the third time you've came to my rescue?"
He stared into her eyes, and she wanted to kiss him again. "I'll always be here to rescue you, but you have to promise to kiss me just like you have every time I do."
The storm was still going strong and she had a feeling if he left her side, she wouldn't feel safe.
He pulled her in close.
****
Cooper woke from the best sleep ever. That was how he wanted to wake for the rest of his life. Somehow they ended up lying face to face on the couch, and luckily he was on the outside. Her head rested on his arm making it her pillow, and he didn't mind that it had fallen asleep.
Sexy as hell—the way her short brown hair fell every which way as if she'd been out in the storm. The way her lips were
parted made him want to pick up where they had left off that night.
No. He couldn't do that. Not yet. He had to leave before one of her brothers came home. Carefully, he shifted her head down to the couch and then found his keys on the kitchen counter. The flashing numbers on the stove let him know the power was back on, making it easier for him to leave her alone.
He pulled up the weather on his phone and smiled. A perfect day to go to the river for a picnic. Sophia probably had to work, so he'd be at her house when she got home to take her to their private dinner. Swimming would've been fun, if not for the fact there'd be no taking it slow if he saw her with so little on. It proved damn near impossible as it was.
When he walked outside, it surprised him to see Jacob's truck already in the drive. It shouldn't have; he was just confused that he lived through the night with one of the brothers seeing him sleeping on the couch with their baby sister. If it had been one of the others, he was pretty sure something would've happened.
As soon as he got ready to open the truck, Jacob came down the steps with a coffee cup in his hands. The blank look on his face didn't make Cooper feel any easier.
"Good morning."
"You're lucky it is. I knew something would happen between you two, but my brothers might've been a little more surprised to catch y'all last night than I was. Don't get me wrong, she's my little sister and it took some restraint not to jerk you off the couch and kick your ass. About the same restraint it's taking not to throw a punch right now. Nick or Mike would've done just that." Even as he talked about kicking his ass, he sounded calm and even took a slow sip of coffee in between.
"Nothing happened. I'm not going to lie; I want to be with Sophia more than anything and no matter what, I'm going to do everything possible to make it happen. Even if that means I lose yours or the others' friendship." He didn't have many close friends and after many years, they had all been able to pick up where they left off.
Lost Chances Page 11