For Keeps

by Karen Booth

  He held his mug directly under the drip from the coffeemaker until it was half full and took it into the living room. His new furniture didn’t have the net effect he’d hoped for when he’d ordered it. It certainly wasn’t helping him feel any more accomplished or adult. It only served as a reminder of how much he missed Allie.

  He slumped down and closed his eyes, his head resting against the back of the pristine gray wool sofa, exactly the fabric Allie had suggested. More than work kept him up every night. She was all he could think about in the dark. He felt her absence when he rolled over and remembered he wasn’t in her bed. His chest ached just thinking about it.

  His phone beeped with the arrival of a text message. “Jeez, Bri. Nothing like a five a.m. wake-up call on a Saturday,” he muttered as he got up to fetch his phone from the kitchen counter. To his surprise, he had a text. From Allie.

  Are you awake? I can hear you up there.

  For an instant, he had to remind himself how his thumbs worked. I’m up. Sorry if I’m being noisy. Her response didn’t come right away and it caused his heart to hammer

  You’re not noisy. I was already awake.

  Before he could reply, there was more.

  Want some company?

  His head began to spin. Of course. I have coffee.

  I’ll be right up.

  He sprinted back to his bedroom for a clean t-shirt and wondered if he was supposed to change out of his pajama pants for company. Panic flickered through him. The knock at the door came and there was no time for anything other than another quick jog back into the kitchen to answer.

  Allie knocked the wind out of him when he opened the door. She wore a white t-shirt and slouchy pink pajama pants that only hinted at her curves. Her hair was in a ponytail, no makeup to hide the natural blush of her cheeks. He couldn’t remember a time the woman who’d broken his heart had looked more beautiful.

  “You brought your own mug?” he asked, looking down at her slender fingers clutching the white ceramic.

  She shrugged as she stepped across the threshold. “I didn’t want to presume.”

  “What? That I’d be willing to wash a second cup?”

  “No. That you actually owned a second cup.”

  “Funny.” He twisted his lips, but her hesitant smile prompted a few strains of happiness. It had been a week since anything so pleasant had taken hold in his body. “May I?” he asked, taking the mug and filling it with coffee. He added a splash of cream and one sugar, just the way she liked it.

  Allie stared into the steaming cup after he handed it to her. “You remembered.”

  “The way you like your coffee? It’s been a week.”

  She avoided eye contact, setting him on edge. “Can we talk?” she muttered.

  He blew out a breath. It was torture to stand there and see her, feel the attraction between them that was powerful but fractured. “I would love to talk, Allie. You know that.”

  She nodded and peered up at him. “I know. I’m sorry.” A single tear leaked from the corner of her eye.

  His heart crumbled at the sight of her crying. “It’s okay.” He reached for her arm and she shuddered beneath his touch. “Come on. We’ll go in the living room. My new furniture came.”

  She followed him to the other room, but didn’t sit right away. “It looks great.” Despite the vote of approval, she froze as if she simply didn’t know what to say or do.

  “Thanks.” He sat and patted the spot next to him on the couch. “That Melanie chick came over yesterday because the delivery guys scratched up one of the legs on the sofa. She’s ordering a replacement.”

  Allie’s eyes doubled in size. “Oh. I see. Did she help you set everything up?” She inched toward the couch and gingerly accepted the invitation to sit with him.

  He shook his head. “Nope. I had it ready to go. She was only here for a minute. I did okay, huh?” He watched as she surveyed the room.

  “Perfect.” She trembled, seeming so unsure of herself.

  It was everything he could do to keep from pulling her into his arms, but whatever she wanted from him was painfully unclear. “Was there something you wanted to say?”

  She took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. “Yes. I wrote a speech.”

  “A speech?”

  “Yes. But I forgot it.” She straightened as if trying to bolster her own confidence, but her lower lip quivered. Their eyes connected, showing him every subtle shade of her vulnerability. “I forgot it as soon as I saw you. I had the perfect thing to say to you and I can’t remember it. At all.”

  Please don’t let it be the “this will never work” speech. “Okay. Well, why don’t you tell me what it was about? Maybe it’ll come to you.”

  Her head bobbed several times. “I can do that.” She took another deep breath, this time through her nose. “I’m an idiot and I’m so sorry. I was wrong. You were right. I wish I could take back every stupid thing I said.” Each word seemed to steel her confidence, even when her voice wavered. “I feel like I threw away something totally amazing. I hate being apart from you. I miss you. I need you.”

  Cooper’s breath caught in his throat. “Wow. Okay.” She needs me. “Not much of a speech, but I liked what you had to say.” He allowed himself a corner of a grin and bridged the gap by setting his hand on the cushion between them.

  “My speech was a lot better than that, I swear. There was this one part where I thought up this metaphor for how perfect we are for each other. It was quite beautiful.” More tears rolled down her face and her cheeks flushed when she hiccupped.

  He laughed and reached for her arm. “Are you okay?” This time, he didn’t let go.

  Allie edged closer and wiped her cheek with the back of her hand. “I don’t know. It depends on whether you accept my apology.”

  Cooper pressed his lips together. To Allie, it felt as though time was moving at quarter pace. Her brain was upended by the combination of his presence and the words she’d been so scared to say. She wondered whether he would see his way clear to take her back. It would be so easy for him to tell her she’d hurt him too much, the damage had been done.

  She allowed herself another moment of weakness, studying his tempting mouth as his face became stiff with concentration. A small gasp escaped her lips when his eyes softened and he took a lock of her hair, twisting it between his fingers.

  “Of course I accept your apology, but I need you to accept mine. I never should have pulled that stunt at the restaurant. I’m sorry if it seemed like I didn’t trust you.”

  “I know that you were being protective. Your heart was in the right place.” Allie focused on him, the shadow of stubble along his strong jaw, the way his eyes became buttery and sweet when he looked at her. She pressed her hand to the center of his chest. His heart beat evenly against her palm. It sent electricity coursing through her.

  Cooper smiled, looking down at her hand on his chest before he clasped his fingers around hers. “But now what, Al? The age thing is never going to go away. And I don’t know how I can convince you that I don’t care.”

  “I know you don’t care. I believe you. And I’m going to try to be better about it.”

  “You better do more than try, Allie. Forty is nothing and if we’re going to be together, I want to be together. For real.”

  For real? “What are you saying?”

  “Are we making up?” He stroked her hand with his thumb and the current arcing between them became even stronger.

  “I want to.”

  “Good, because I want to too.” He curled his fingers around her arm and tugged her closer. “I think we should move in together.”

  “You do?”

  “I love you, Allie. I’m not letting you go.”

  Her heart felt as though it could pound its way out of her chest and do a dozen cartwheels across the floor. His desire to take things to a new level showed her just how much the age difference truly didn’t matter. “I love you too.” Allie felt drawn to him in a way that mad
e every nerve ending in her body prickle with excitement.

  When he lowered his head, she tilted her chin and her eyes drifted shut as anticipation caused her lips to tingle. His breath was warm against her cheek, his smell musky and manly. “Do you have any idea how awful this week has been without you?” He nuzzled her neck with soft kisses.

  She fought a smile as he finally put her out of her misery with a gentle brush of his mouth. “I have a pretty good idea.”

  “Good. Remember that the next time I do something stupid.” His kiss became commanding as he wrapped his arms around her. He tugged her closer and their tongues swirled in heady spirals.

  He slid his hands beneath Allie’s t-shirt and found her breasts. She bowed her back, dropping her head as he teased her nipples with a brush of his thumbs. It was as if her entire body suddenly remembered what it was like to have his touch, and she wished he could find a way to cover all of her at once with his exquisite caresses.

  She reached for the hem of her t-shirt and swooped it over her head. His shirt was next and as soon as it was gone, she pressed her breasts against his firm chest. An eager growl came from the depths of his throat and she responded by lying back and pulling him down on top of her.

  She wrapped her legs around him as he raked his hands into her hair. It felt so impossibly good to have him kiss her, touch her, hold her down with every inch of his heavenly body. Her hips tilted as the hard ridge of his erection rode against her pelvic bone. She wriggled beneath him, not fully comprehending that the presence of their pajama bottoms was the source of her physical frustration.

  Cooper laughed breathlessly. “Come on, you.” He stood and held out his hand. His hair was a delicious mess, the sly smile on his face worthy of a million surrenders. “I need to get you into bed.”

  That was all the prompting she needed. “We wouldn’t want to wreck your new furniture.” She slid her hand into his and they hurried to his bedroom.

  “I’m not worried about ruining upholstery.” Cooper pulled the tie on Allie’s pajama pants as she did the same to his. “I just want to have plenty of room for proper make-up sex.” He scooped her up and plopped her down on the bed. “Although I assure you there will be nothing proper about it.”

  He climbed onto the bed and towered over her, bracketing her hips with his knees. He dropped his head, huffing hot breath on her breast before sucking her nipple. Every flick of his tongue sent heat sizzling to her core. All she wanted at that moment was for him to melt into her and vice versa, two bodies as one.

  Allie reached down to wrap her fingers around his thick cock, stroking gently until a guttural groan escaped his lips. He blazed a hot trail of kisses up her chest, to her collarbone, along her throat, until he finally met her mouth. One wet, steamy kiss and he reached for a condom from the bedside table. He rolled it on and Allie had to bite her lower lip when his abs twitched when he was ready.

  He moved back between her legs, grazing her center with his hands, taking his time with languid passes. His thumb found her clit and he rolled circles, each rotation taking her higher.

  “Cooper, honey, make love to me. I need you. Now.” She arched her back to underscore just how badly she ached for him.

  He slid his hands beneath her butt and tugged her closer. He teased her fevered folds before thrusting and filling her exactly as she remembered. They rocked together like a wildfire destined to torch everything in its path. Her breath quickened as the pressure built, he moaned in her ear. She tilted her hips, coaxing him to drive deeper as his motions voiced his approval.

  His thrusts became longer, his full length riding in and out of her. The energy gathered in her belly, tightening and binding until the tension broke through in a cascade of unrelenting waves. Cooper froze for an instant before resuming his movements, now slowing. Eventually he relaxed and left his full weight on her. His thundering heartbeat flickered against her chest, reminding her how alive she felt when she was with him.

  Cooper rolled to his back and grasped her hand, raising it to his lips and kissing her knuckles before he scooted off the bed and traipsed off to the bathroom. She reached down and pulled the covers over herself, cozy, content and relieved.

  “You look amazing in my bed,” he said, walking back and waggling his eyebrows.

  She smiled and patted the vacant spot on the mattress. “Now you know how I feel every time you sleep over.”

  “No more sleepovers. We just need to decide whose apartment we’re going to live in.” He shifted his arm beneath her head.

  Allie smoothed her hand across his chest, snuggling next to him, inhaling his heady smell. “My apartment seems like the logical choice.”

  “Why is that?”

  Careful. No more hurt feelings. “It’s just a little, um, more put together.”

  “I have new furniture. That has to count for something.”

  Compromise. Find a compromise. She popped up onto her elbow. “How about this? My place, your furniture.”

  “Sounds like a deal.”

  “Except for your bed. Your bed isn’t as nice as mine.”

  Cooper rolled his eyes. “Okay. We ditch my bed.”

  “And your sheets. What are these? Two hundred thread count?”

  “Enough.” He kissed her deeply. “I don’t care if we sleep on grocery bags as long as I get to wake up next to you every morning.”

  Every morning. She drew in a deep breath. Permanence wasn’t so scary after all. The possibilities of their future stretched out as far as could be imagined, ready to be molded into whatever she and Cooper decided was best for them. Allie settled her chin on his chest and smiled.

  He traced his fingers along the contours of her shoulder blade. “What made you come back, Al?”

  She toyed with his chest hair, drawing lazy circles on his skin. “It was Ian, actually.”

  “What?” He clutched her arm and drew back his head to see her.

  She grinned. “He dropped the lawsuit.”

  His eyes grew wide at the announcement, certain happiness flickering. “Wow. That’s fantastic.” He pressed his soft lips against her forehead. “And that’s why you came up here to make up with me? Because you were so happy?”

  “No, because I was so unhappy.”

  “But that’s what you wanted, more than anything.” He cupped her cheek and chin, his face clouded with confusion.

  “Or so I thought. Turns out what I wanted more than anything is you.”

  Cooper’s expression softened and her pulse skipped. “Then we’re even,” he muttered. “All I want is you.” He smiled in a way that made her breath catch, her insides melt, her heart feel as though it could take flight. “For the long haul, Al. I’m not kidding.”

  “Absolutely for the long haul.” She sank against him, exactly where she wanted to be. “For keeps.”

  About Karen Booth

  Karen Booth is a Midwestern girl transplanted in the South, raised on 80s music, Judy Blume, and the films of John Hughes. Her lifelong preoccupation with rock ‘n’ roll led her to spend her twenties working her way from intern to executive in the music industry. Much of her writing revolves around the world of backstage passes and band dynamics. When she isn't creating fictional musicians, she's listening to music with her kids, honing her Southern cooking skills or sweet-talking her astoundingly supportive husband into whipping up a batch of cocktails.

  Karen welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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  Also by Karen Booth

  Long-Distance Lovers with Karen Stivali

  Love My Way

  Ellora’s Cave Publishing

  www.ellorascave.com

  For Keeps

  ISBN 97
81419940477

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  For Keeps Copyright © 2012 Karen Booth

  Edited by Jillian Bell

  Cover design by Kendra Egert

  Photos: Rudy Bvalasko and Conrado/Shutterstock.com

  Electronic book publication September 2012

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