Cooper

by Hazel Parker

  “That was pretty awesome. Your car’s awesome. Thank you.”

  “No problem,” I said. “When is your first race here?”

  “I’m racing in three days.”

  “Looks like we’ll be attending the same one. How are you feeling about it?”

  “Nervous as hell.”

  “You’ll never get over the nerves. But you’ll be fine.”

  Her eyes warmed, and I realized that my words meant a lot to her. It made me feel good, honestly, when rookies like her pushed through with determination, because that was how I started. Hell, in my mind, I was still a rookie now, trying to push through with more wins and prove myself while enjoying the years.

  As we got out of there and I invited her to lunch, I decided that this was the distraction I needed. I would take Honey under my wing and watch her prosper, considering she didn’t have any friends here and simply wanted to learn ropes. It had been lonely for me being by myself when I first moved here, so I understood the feeling all too well. It would help keep her spirits up, and it would definitely hype her up to do her best.

  It would also keep my mind off things that I shouldn’t be thinking about. Or people.

  Or a certain woman.

  I wasn’t going to think about her now. But that didn’t mean I was finished with her just yet. No.

  Not by a long shot.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  SARA

  There were so many things and so many reasons that told me why it wasn’t a good idea to be alone with Cooper, to be kissing Cooper or to even be so much as thinking about Cooper.

  First off, it was bad for business.

  The fact that I was Gray’s manager was at the forefront of my mind, which meant only one thing, really: that he was my priority and no one else. Dedicating my time to endorsing him and making sure he ruled the track was my number one priority. Getting distracted by Gray’s friend and competition? Definitely not on the agenda and a total conflict of interest.

  Not to mention was younger than me—way younger than me, so much that it should be illegal.

  Okay, so maybe it shouldn’t be illegal, considering he was twenty-eight. But twenty-eight was a far cry from my thirty-nine, and the age gap just meant things would get complicated in the long run. Cooper was surprisingly mature for someone still in his late twenties, but who knew what the real deal was? It was just a media debacle and a massive headache waiting to happen, and not only would it affect Cooper and my business, but it would affect Gray as well if word got out that I was fooling around with the “enemy.”

  Also I just wasn’t ready for all these big emotions running inside me every time I was near him. I remembered feeling them for Gary a long time ago, back when I was still in college and he was just in the process of courting me: giddiness, excitement, a certain kind of nerves that fluttered in my belly and just wouldn’t go away. But the scariest part was how so much more intense it was with Cooper than it was with Gary. I feel guilty about it.

  It was alarming. It was the type of alarm ringing in my head that told me to stay far, far away. What was frustrating, though, was how my body and senses seemed to rebel, telling me it was okay to take a taste of the forbidden fruit.

  Because we all knew how that story turned out.

  To distract myself, I focused on work, both in the racing world and in the marketing world. The racing world demanded my attention more, especially when Gray won three races straight and had the media fawning over him all over again. On the fourth scheduled race for that month, I went to visit the track again for the first time in weeks and felt excitement when I felt the crowd’s vibrating energy.

  Not all races drew huge crowds, but the bigwigs playing were often the exception. Today, all the top racers were around, and I found the garage pretty much full by the time I got there to check on things. Gray and I had a little chat to see how he and the car were faring before I left to give the others space. I didn’t glance around, nor did I look around for a certain someone who wasn’t under my management.

  Or at least, I tried not to.

  It wasn’t as easy to not look once the cars were lined up and the race started. Cooper’s orange-colored car was practically a beacon in itself, and I found my eyes glancing at it from time to time to check its progress. He and Gray were head to head, with Cooper gaining speed at the very end up to the finish line. It was Gray’s first loss in a while, so I wasn’t very concerned.

  What concerned me was how my heart almost burst out of my chest when Cooper got out of his car and grinned that slow, lazy grin of his towards the crowd. He waved for a bit, blew a flying kiss, then sauntered over to the garage. There were no reporters around because there would be a press conference later, and the race car drivers were apparently more at ease with that setup as they patted each other on the back and congratulated each other—Gray and Cooper in particular, with Cooper laughing at something Gray said. The dimple deepened, and I watched it play around his cheek before I shook my head and straightened my shoulders. The garage was pretty crowded, and I thought I’d bide my time before going over and congratulating them. I was already standing up, but I made slow, measured steps down. Kate wasn’t able to make it due to some work conflict, leaving me alone as I just absorbed the happy faces all around.

  Which was why I didn’t miss the flash of bright red hair that went over to Cooper and Gray.

  I looked towards the new arrival, trying to figure out who she was before I realized that she was also wearing a race car driver outfit just like the two men. I immediately remembered the rumors circulating about a female driver’s debut today and put two and two together.

  She gave Gray a polite smile.

  Then she launched herself towards Cooper in a tight, familiar hug.

  My footsteps halted, and something tightened in my belly as my eyes focused on them and them alone. A grin slid to Cooper’s mouth, one filled with affection and excitement. He hugged her back, the move just as tight and familiar, before easing her off so he could ruffle her hair teasingly.

  They then began talking. It was the animated kind of talk that showed they clearly enjoyed each other’s company and were pretty close, and I wondered where he met her. I was pretty sure she just arrived in the city, so it had to be during the week when I’d been trying to avoid him.

  Jealousy hit me square in the chest, and it irritated me enough that I had to fight it off. I wasn’t an easily jealous person—or at least, I had never been before. I told myself to stop acting so childish and squared my shoulders again. Then I started walking again and approached them.

  Gray spotted me right off, a rueful smile brightening his face.

  “Hey, Sara. Sorry I only got second.”

  “Don’t treat second as only,” I admonished. “You did great.”

  “Thanks. Have you met the newbie?”

  “No, I haven’t.” I turned my head in that direction and found both the woman and Cooper watching me. The woman eyed me curiously while I spoke. “I’m Sara, Gray’s manager.”

  She nodded her head and smiled. “Honey York.”

  An apt name, especially with her beautiful honey-colored eyes. She and Cooper stood close, once again reflecting some sort of familiarity. Before I could stop myself, I was blurting out the question. “You two know each other?”

  Honey nodded her head. “Yeah. Cooper’s been showing me around.”

  I smiled, not really knowing what to say but not wanting to be rude, either. Then, knowing that doing otherwise would really be rude, I finally turned to Cooper and pasted the same calm smile on my face.

  Our eyes met—no, clashed. An image of our kiss floated in mind, followed by a rush of the emotions I felt during that moment. Something in me ached, hard and intense, and I had to fist my hand against my side to control it. Then I nodded my head slowly in acknowledgment.

  “Congrats. That was a great race.”

  Cooper’s eyes went to my lips when I spoke, and I watched his expression turn emotionless
. He dragged his gaze back up to meet mine, perfectly calm and composed as he nodded back. He smiled that slow smile again, though it held none of the obvious excitement it held when he was speaking with Honey.

  “Thanks.”

  And that was it. I didn’t know what to say either, so I turned to Gray as he started talking to me. Cooper and Honey were also leaning close and murmuring to each other, and I heard some technical terms being thrown in every now and then. There was also some date set so Cooper could watch her practice and see where she needed to improve, one that Honey readily accepted.

  Not wanting to hear anymore, I made a move to excuse myself. But before I could leave, Cooper said my name, making me pause. I turned my head to him and found him watching me.

  “Can I speak with you in private for a minute? I wanted to ask you something.”

  Surprise filled me. Half of me wanted to refuse, but I saw Gray and Honey watching us expectantly with no hint of suspicion on their faces. If I refused…

  “About?”

  “Business,” Cooper said smoothly.

  Shoot.

  I reluctantly nodded. He confirmed the practice date with Honey before waving at Gray. Then he and I were walking away, a few inches of space between us and me trying to act as normally as I could.

  There was no reason to be nervous because, obviously, he wasn’t. We were greeted by a few people on our way inside the building, showing just how well-liked and popular Cooper was even among his colleagues. He was equally friendly to everyone, not caring whether they were fellow racers or crew or female fans. A female fan asked him for his autograph and flirted with him right in front of me, but he simply smiled and signed her hat.

  Maybe he wanted to apologize for what happened on the balcony. Maybe he wanted to explain himself. Or really, maybe he just wanted to talk about business. Curiosity got the best of me at the last thought, and I followed as he slipped into a room.

  I only realized when we were fully in that we were in a closet—a standard-sized one with dim lighting. My eyes widened, and I turned to him.

  The door closed with a click.

  “Cooper? What…?”

  I didn’t get to finish my sentence as Cooper backed me against the door.

  Then he was kissing me with all he was worth and taking my breath away in the snap of a second.

  I would have liked to say that I kept my composure and pushed him off, but that was a lie. My mouth opened instantly, ready for him even while shock reverberated inside my body at the hard, intense kiss. It was no longer experimental but hungry—so hungry that I could feel it in the heat of his skin.

  His tongue slipped in, and his hands fisted on my hips. Electricity pooled inside me and threatened to burst out as my body melted against him. But he broke the kiss before I could fully respond, and his hot breath against mine was the most erotic thing in the world.

  “Go out with me,” he rasped.

  His thumbs rubbed circles on my hips, and my breath hitched. “But you’re going out with Honey.”

  “It’s practice. I don’t see her that way.”

  “But you’re so much younger—”

  I gasped as he caught my mouth in another kiss. The gasp turned into a moan when I felt his body press against mine and felt something hot and hard pulsing inside his pants. It pressed against my aching core, achingly familiar, right before he broke the kiss again.

  “When we’ve got this much passion between us, age can go to hell.”

  I heard the desperation in his voice, along with the need that reflected inside me. I looked up and found his gaze burning me, heard the harshness of his breathing as desire consumed him. It made me want to run away.

  But it made me want to reach out even more so. Pull him against me.

  Kiss him until I was tired of kissing him.

  As if he heard my thoughts, Cooper pulled me in again. This time, I didn’t resist as I went to him willingly, meeting the kiss and biting his lower lip until his deep, low groan filled my soul.

  “Go out with me, Sara. Take a chance.”

  It was a bad idea. It was the mother of bad ideas, and the most rational thing to do was to say no and just walk away from it all. To forget him.

  To forget this kiss.

  But I was tired of walking away, and I was tired of denying myself the chemistry—God, the heat—that was obviously between us in spades. I was tired of my lonely life, and I wanted to take this risk.

  And so I found myself saying the words that would change things exponentially.

  “Okay Cooper. I’ll go out with you.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  COOPER

  I was still reeling from the fact that Sara said yes to me asking her out on a date—beautiful, unattainable Sara, who wore polish like a coat and class like a blanket. But her vulnerability inside reeled me in, and I couldn’t stop that second kiss if I tried.

  Now, I was going in for the third kiss by the end of the night. And maybe more.

  I drove my car to her house at six as agreed, on a weekend where we both had to cancel some things. I waited on her front porch for the first few minutes, my head filled with thoughts about how we got to this point. I looked at the flowers in my hand, a big bunch of poppies. I hoped she liked them. I don’t like roses myself, they are too cliché for me so I went for something totally different. I didn’t know much about her other than that she tasted so good and was the most intriguing woman I’d ever met.

  The door opened, and Sara stepped out. All thoughts left my head as my mind went blank at the sight of her.

  If I thought she was pretty in black, white, or blue, it was nothing compared to how she looked in green. I once thought her eyes were pure blue, but the green dress highlighted the aquamarine in her irises, little specks. There was nothing provocative about her outfit, but the playful way the hem of her skirt flirted with her knees had my own knees weakening. Trying to calm myself, I held out the flowers, watching as her eyes lit up at the sight.

  “Oh, they’re beautiful,” she murmured.

  You’re beautiful. It was crazy how head over heels I was for this woman.

  “You look great,” I said instead. Our eyes met, and a shy, almost tentative smile played on her lips.

  I wanted to kiss her right then and there, but I stopped myself just in time.

  She was a proper woman, and I would give her a proper date.

  *****

  We decided to make it casual and headed for a café that was located at the rooftop of a small building, facing a park in one direction and the oceanfront in the other. It was pretty quaint, with its main attraction being the field of flower-shaped light bulbs that filled the seashore at night. Of course, there was also the good food, which was a fusion of all kinds of culture. I ordered ribs while Sara ordered pasta, and we ended up sharing plates in the end because of how good everything tasted. I regretted the rib choice. Messy for a first date.

  I had thought everything would be awkward at first, but I was wrong. We hit it off, talking in the car in quiet tones and becoming more comfortable once we were dining. I could tell she was nervous, but Sara had a way of carrying herself that you wouldn’t notice it, anyway—probably her boardroom meeting face. It didn’t matter, because it was gone as the night progressed, giving way to a more open smile as she and I talked.

  “How are your kids doing?”

  Sara sipped her wine. “They’re doing pretty good. My son Christopher’s too absorbed in his studies to really participate in anything else, and I worry about his social life. Can you believe that? Most mothers would be happy he’s being smart and not wasting his college years. And then there’s me, wishing he’d hang out more with friends and have some fun.”

  “Social life is important for sure. Perhaps he is partaking in more than you think. And your daughter?”

  “My daughter Carla is dating someone new, and I’m fussing over her. She sounds so giddy, and it’s making me worry, too.”

  I smiled as that wo
rry flashed on her face. Then I chuckled and shook my head. “Believe it or not, we share the same sentiment. My sister is dating someone new, and she doesn’t want to bring the guy home yet because they’re apparently not that serious. It’s driving me crazy thinking about all the things he’s probably doing with her, and I want to knock him out.”

  That made Sara smirk in amusement. “You’re a guy. Of course you’d be protective. You’ve probably done the same things during college.”

  I grinned. “Guilty as charged.”

  Sara tilted her head. “How big is your family?”

  I leaned in my seat and got comfortable as I talked about my family. Pretty soon, I was talking about Texas and the ranch we lived on, then the antics that my siblings and I tortured our sweet mom with. She kept laughing as she listened, then shared her own stories of grounding her children when they were just as mischievous as I had been. It should have felt awkward comparing notes like this, especially when she was filling the role of the mother in the stories. But it was actually fun to listen to, especially when I learned that she was a single child herself and hadn’t had any experience in said antics.

  “So you’re telling me you’ve been a good girl all your life?” I teased.

  Her eyes twinkled in merriment. “Of course.”

  “You’ve never done anything mischievous at all?”

  “I’ve been the most behaved daughter in the world,” she said solemnly.

  I scoffed and shook my head. “Not even one mischievous thing?”

  Something in her eyes flashed, and Sara stifled a smile. She bit her lower lip, distracting me for a bit before she spoke.

  “I had sex under the bleachers in college.”

  I scoffed again. “Sweetheart, everyone has sex under the bleachers…”

  “While the game was going.”

  My words left my mouth as I stared at her. I began to imagine how it was possible, with the crowd on the bleachers itself. Then my thoughts strayed to how it would happen had it been the two of us, and my body responded almost immediately to the image of her face in utter rapture.