by Jody Holford
Cooper stiffened and looked at Ellie. “Is he giving you a hard time?”
“I never liked him,” her mother said.
“Who are we talking about?” his dad asked, like he’d just realized there were people at the table.
“Ellie dated a doctor at the hospital and he broke it off with her, but he’s been pursuing her more strongly now that she’s moved on,” her mother said.
Cooper set his fork down with precision and turned to face his girlfriend who was studying her pasta with way too much intensity.
“Is he bugging you?”
She shrugged. “It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine.” His fingers flexed and frustration simmered beneath his skin.
Ellie glanced at him, then looked back at her food. “He’s just annoying, that’s all.”
Tommy wiped his mouth with a napkin, picked up his drink. “It’s not okay for a guy to pester a woman after she’s made it clear she’s not interested, El. I don’t care if he’s a doctor or a freaking astronaut. It’s not cool. Coop, you should have a chat with him.”
Ellie’s head snapped up. “No. I don’t want things strained at work. I can easily avoid him.”
“Do you feel like you have to avoid him, sweetie? Because that’s not cool either.” Becky’s words were a nicer version of Cooper’s thoughts.
“I just…”, Ellie looked around the table and gave Cooper a weak smile. “Can we talk about something else?”
“I don’t like the idea of you being uncomfortable at work,” Ellie’s dad said.
“Yes, that’s not right,” Cooper’s mom said.
“We’ll talk about it after,” Cooper said quietly, running a hand over Ellie’s shoulders.
She tipped her chin down, swirling pasta onto her fork and muttered, “Right. That’s what I want to talk about later.”
Laughter loosened the irritation in his chest and he knocked his thigh against hers.
They made it through dinner with no one commenting further on Ellie’s trench coat or ex boyfriend.
Cooper’s patience—which Ellie said she admired—was at an all time low by the time they’d done cake and presents. His parents left first, followed by hers. When it was just Tommy and Becky, he was able to relax a little more. He didn’t mind booting his friend out.
Tommy leaned back in Cooper’s leather recliner while Becky rifled through her purse. Ellie sat on his couch, curled up with the jacket tucked beneath her legs and a throw blanket he kept there for her, covering her lap.
“We should watch a movie. Pull up Netflix, Ellie,” Tommy said, his grin so wide Cooper wanted to punch him.
“Go home,” Cooper said.
Becky laughed. “Tommy, stop being an ass. It’s time to go.”
Ellie’s grin was far too quiet and Tommy zeroed in on her. “I just want to spend some time with my baby sister on her birthday.”
His teasing tone made it all too clear that he was well aware of the situation. Or at least, that there was something going on. Ellie picked up one of the pillows Cooper’s sister had bought him for his couch and tossed it at her brother.
“Go home, Tommy.”
More hugs and promises between the women to hang out again soon ensued. When they finally left, Cooper lay his head against his door. “Thank God. I thought that night would never end.”
He turned and saw Ellie standing stiff, her arms clutched around her middle. She was so sweet and unsure it humbled him.
His blood fired and everything else fell away. Everything, but Ellie and her shy smile, her gorgeous eyes. His heart contracted sharply, like it often did in her presence. He getting used to the feeling and starting to wonder how he’d ever gone without her. She was the very best kind of addiction. One that made him a better man. A better person.
Ellie’s fingers played with the tie on her coat, nervously dancing. Cooper moved into her space, inhaling deeply, like he could somehow capture her scent and tuck it away to soothe him in times they were apart. He covered her hands with his own, slowly pushing her arms to her side. With his eyes on hers, he tugged at the knot, dislodging it.
He was submerged in a heady combination of lust and love, drowning, sinking slowly, effortlessly. He didn’t fight it. Didn’t dig deep in his well of patience to give her more time. She didn’t want more time and truthfully, neither did he. Though he wouldn’t mind one bit if time stopped right this minute. He could spend a lifetime staring at her, touching her, living on the anticipation of touching her body.
Gently, he opened her jacket, pulling it apart so he could look his fill. It occurred to him that he could stare at her for the rest of his life and not get his fill.
“Ellie. You are so beautiful it actually feels hard to breathe.” His breath was ragged and he hadn’t even touched her yet.
She drummed her fingers against her thighs and continued to stare back at him, silent, but for her slightly choppy breaths. They held each other with just their gazes and Cooper wasn’t sure he’d ever felt such a combination of feelings for anyone in his life. This was Ellie. His past, his present and his future, wrapped up in a delectable package.
“Can I take this off?” he asked, gesturing to the jacket.
Her nod was almost imperceptible. “Yes, please,” she whispered.
His knees weakened. She was so freaking sweet, he could hardly stand it. And she was his. Now that he’d found her, found this, he’d never let her go. His blood hummed with need and the desire to be everything she ever wanted or needed.
Pushing the jacket off of her shoulders, his hands followed the material down, brushing over her back, along the underside of her arms, letting it fall to the floor. The whoosh of fabric against the hardwood echoed in the quiet air between them.
The scent of her perfume intoxicated him when he stepped into her, until their bodies were aligned, the fit of them, perfect. He put his thumbs to her jaw, tilted her head back to stare into her gaze. The way she looked at him made him feel like a damn superhero. Like he could do anything. As long as he focused on that and not his own nerves about making her first time perfect, things would be fine. Better than fine. They’d be great.
Cooper lowered his head, the sound of her heavy, short breaths, fueling his need. He touched his mouth to hers and her hands came to his waist, clutched his shirt between her fingers. He ached to be closer. As if she’d read his mind, the soft pads of her finger tips smoothed under and over his flesh.
She tasted like strawberries from their dessert and a sweetness that was innately Ellie. She sighed into his mouth and he touched his tongue to hers, gently backing them into the living area. Her hands began to roam and his thoughts, his focus, shattered for a moment. He forgot to be soft and crushed his mouth to hers, moving one hand down her shoulder, to the small of her back and he pulled her close, desperate to erase anything more than air between them.
He would have apologized if the move hadn’t made his sweet, shy Ellie go crazy. She lifted her head, her lips parted and looked at him with so much want he worried he might go up in flames. With a sharp gasp, she launched herself at him, fusing her mouth with his and anchoring her arms around his neck. He grabbed her hips as she lifted one leg. He boosted her, cupping her ass as both legs surrounded him, tightening on his waist. He walked them to his bedroom, worried his knees would give out from sheer desire. Her mouth was everywhere. His cheeks, his jaw, the lobe of his ear and down his neck. Her hands were just as frantic.
“Jesus, baby. Slow down,” he whispered, arching his neck to appease her. Her fingers raked over his body, her nails leaving tremors in their wake.
“No way. You’ve gone slow enough. Time to move things along, Coop.”
He laughed as she arched backward, arms still around his neck and pulled. He lost his balance, landing on top of her on his bed.
His breath shuddered out with the last of his laughter. “Sweetheart, did I mention, you might kill me?”
She looked up at him, all traces of shyness gone and
her grin stole his breath. “Yes, but you also said it was a good way to go. So go, Cooper. Don’t make me wait any longer. Please.”
God, he loved her. He loved her so much it was actually terrifying. Stroking the hair that had fallen loose from her sexy up-do, he breathed through his nose, willing his voice not to tremble so he could give her the words. So he could give her everything he had. He’d often wondered if he'd ever feel this way about anyone. Now, he’d spend the rest of his life showing her, she was worth the wait.
A sharp ring cut through the moment. He was a fire fighter. Like a doctor, he never ignored a call. He pressed his head to Ellie’s, closed his eyes, and said very, very bad words in his head.
Then he lifted off of her and moved out of the bedroom to grab his phone.
Chapter Three
Ellie lay on Cooper’s soft, cotton comforter, nearly naked because this get-up did not cover much. She heard his snarl as he said his last name into the phone.
When he reached the doorway, stared at her with so much heat she felt it in very interesting places, she boosted herself up on her elbows and watched him.
“Swear to God, Tommy. If you’re messing with me, I will kill you.”
Worry gnawed in her stomach and she sat all the way up.
“Where are you? Of course I’m coming, man. Yeah, yeah. Like there’s any way you could pay me back for this. Hang tight.”
Cooper hung up, walked to the bed and tossed his phone beside her.
“Is everything okay?”
His eyes roamed over her body and she fought the urge to cover up. He liked what he saw and wasn’t shy about letting her know so there was no reason for her nerves to reappear.
“Tommy and Becky blew a tire. He called two tow companies but it’s going to be about forty five minutes and it’s below zero out. He doesn’t have a spare. I’m going to go bring him one.”
“Oh. Okay. They’re alright though?” She didn’t know what to do with her hands. She wanted to put them back on Cooper’s body, but it didn’t sound like that would be happening tonight.
“They’re fine. Becky’s a little shaken up. But they’re okay. I’m sorry.”
Shaking her head, wanting to pull the comforter over her, she looked away. “Don’t be. It’s fine.”
He turned her chin, used his fingers to tilt her face upward. “We will come back to this moment.”
She shrugged. Sure. Lots of time. No rush. She’d waited this long, what was a little longer?
Cooper dropped down to his knees in front of her and cupped her cheeks. “Will you stay? I’ll go help your brother, but I don’t want you to leave. I want you here when I come home.”
She loved those words. She loved him. But she wasn’t brave enough to put on sex clothes and make declarations in the same day. The idea of coming home to him, of him coming home to her made her heart feel like an overfilled hot air balloon trying to drift away inside her chest. There wasn’t enough room in there to contain all of that feeling. And it was likely too soon to be thinking about living together.
“Ellie?”
She gripped his wrists and leaned her forehead against his. “I’ll be here.” For as long as he wanted, she’d always be here.
He kissed her forehead, let his lips linger there and then he was gone. Ellie stayed, glued to the end of his bed, her feet dangling over the edge, listening to the sound of him getting ready to go. The door shut behind him and she heard him engage the lock. She looked around his room, ran her hands back and forth over the bed.
Deciding there was no reason to keep her outfit on, she grabbed a pair of his shorts and a t shirt and changed her clothes. Though freshly laundered, the scent that was so Cooper, clung to his them and while she cleaned up from their dinner, it was like he surrounded her.
Her phone buzzed and she picked it up from where she’d left it on Cooper’s counter.
Becky: OMG do you hate me? I’m so sorry
Ellie laughed and texted back.
Ellie: Of course not. You guys okay?
Becky: Fine. Just freaked us both out a bit. Though your brother would never admit it. I gotta know, what was under that trench coat?
Ellie sent the emoji with the monkey covering his eyes and blushed even though she was alone.
Becky: I’m so sorry we interrupted and even sorrier Tommy was a total goof ball.
Ellie: Please stop saying sorry. There’s nothing to be sorry for.
The last thing she wanted or needed was other people worrying about her sex life. Pfft. What sex life?
Becky: Okay. Happy birthday. Thanks for letting Cooper come rescue us.
Ellie smiled down at her phone.
Ellie: No problem. He’s good at that.
Setting her phone down, she went back to the dishes, thinking about how Cooper coming to the rescue was exactly what brought him back into her life. Or rather, her serious lack of cooking skills and Cooper’s firehall being the closest responder. He’d found her just after she’d slipped trying to bang on the smoke alarm to shut it up. Her head hit a side table and really, she would have been fine, but her landlord, a sweet, old man, was so worried, he called for help.
In those first moments, blinking away the pain of hitting her head, she thought she’d been imagining those familiar blue eyes. But no, it was really him: Cooper Walsh, the boy who’d inspired plenty of teenage girl fantasies. He’d been her brother’s best friend since they started school together and though he’d probably never thought of her as an actual girl, he’d been incredibly kind to her. He was sweet and protective. Then and now.
She dried the counter with a cloth before leaving it on the edge of the sink. With nothing else to do, she decided to curl up into his bed and wait for him there. She wasn’t sure how to ‘pick up where they left off’ as the saying went, but she had a feeling Cooper would know. And she would be happy to let him be the teacher.
*
She felt the bed shift and dip. Ellie rubbed her eyes, blinking to adjust them to the darkness that greeted her. Cooper’s body brushed up against hers as he tucked her into his side.
“Hey. You fell asleep,” he whispered.
She yawned. Seduction planning was tiring business. Executing it even more so. “I didn’t mean to. Tommy and Becky okay?”
He played with her hair, kissed the top of her head. She ran her hands over his pecs, so well defined it was like he’d been sculpted by an artist. His skin was hot to touch and she wanted to press her mouth there. “They’re good, baby. Go back to sleep.”
She pushed up on her elbows, her voice still rough. “Cooper.”
Even in the barely there light of the moon shining through his bedroom window, she could see he was tired.
Running her hand over his cheek, letting her fingers rasp over the slight half day’s growth, she leaned in and kissed him. He squeezed her biceps, turning into her and letting his hand trail up into her hair.
“There’s no rush, babe. I’m not going anywhere,” he whispered against her mouth.
“Me either,” she whispered, disappointment warring with sleepiness.
They had all the time in the world, but Ellie was pretty sure she was going to spontaneously combust if she waited much longer. Curling into Cooper’s side, the feel of his heated skin under her hands, she closed her eyes again and thought about doubling her efforts. No families, birthdays, blown tires, or anything else was going to stop her next time.
His gentle snoring within seconds of her laying her head on his shoulder made her smile. The next time he fell asleep beside her, it would be because she’d worn him out.
Confidence was easy in the middle of the night. Hopefully, she’d still have it the next night they were together.
Chapter Four
It was Cooper’s turn to set the stage. Dragging his feet on the way from the firehouse to where he’d parked his truck, he stifled a yawn. Today had been a bad one. A multistory office building had caught fire. Thankfully, no one was stuck inside—they’d gotten ev
eryone out, but the flames hadn’t wanted to die. They’d called in assistance from two neighboring firehouses.
He could probably sleep for twelve hours, but not just yet. It had been a week since Ellie’s birthday and he was starting to worry that them not being physical was messing with her self esteem. Truthfully, he hadn’t wanted to pressure her. But he hadn’t even found the right moment to tell her he loved her and definitely didn’t want her feeling any insecurities. He was hooked. Over the moon, happy-to-put-a-ring-on-it hooked.
Working four on four off and having a girlfriend who worked a regular nine to five made things a little tricky schedule wise. Deciding to swing by her work with a coffee, since she was just starting when he was finishing, added energy to his step. He swung by a drive through, grabbed her a bagel as well and then drove to the hospital where Ellie worked in accounting.
He took the elevator to the accounting floor, saying hello to some of the doctors and nurses he’d gotten to know. He’d showered at the fire hall, but could still smell the smoke on his body and planned on another shower before he crawled between the sheets. Too bad Ellie was working or he’d convince her to take a nap with him. Lately, there was nothing he liked more than curling up with her next to him, listening to the soft, rhythmic pattern of her breathing. Yup. You’ve slipped over the edge into full blown sap.
Cooper started to knock on Ellie’s partially opened door when he realized she had someone in there.
“This is ridiculous. You’re an intelligent woman, you mean to say that you want to date that giant oaf?”
His good buddy, Byron. Or, Cooper’s favored nickname for him, Dr. Dick. He pushed open the door, gaining both Ellie and Byron’s surprise. Ellie was behind her desk, rubbing her fingers over her temple. Byron was leaning over said desk, far too close to Cooper’s girlfriend for his liking. Being on the same planet with her was starting to be too close for his preferences.
“Cooper,” Ellie said, her smile genuine, but strained.
“Hey, baby. I brought you coffee and one of those cinnamon bagels you like,” Cooper said, ignoring her ex completely.