really important from you. Wouldn’t it make you feel even more disconnected from me?”
“You did keep something from me, Coop.” Her words pierced my heart. “You’re mad at me, but you did the exact same thing when you kept the whole Ace thing from me.”
I wanted to argue, to tell her that this was completely different. But it wasn’t, was it? They were both secrets. Both of us had hidden things in an attempt to shield the other. “God, baby, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. This is difficult for both of us.”
“You can say that again,” I said miserably.
“But we’re gonna get through it, right?”
“Of course.” The alternative was too difficult for me to even entertain. “But for the record, there’s always room on my plate for you. It doesn’t matter what else is going on in my life, you come first. You got that?”
“Yeah, I get it.”
“How are you feeling now?”
“A lot better, actually.”
“So you’re all ready for my visit then?”
“I’m counting down the days.”
“Me too, baby. Me too.”
CHAPTER 9
London
It was easy to spot him in the crowd.
I’d recognize his easy swagger anywhere, the way he moved effortlessly through the sea of people. There was no way he could blend in, not even in a stuffy airport. Also, it helped that he was wearing one of his A’s baseball caps. The dark green and bright yellow colors were like an arrow pointing me in Cooper’s direction. Reaching up, I pulled down on the bill of my own cap. Cooper had asked me to wear my A’s hat too. He said it would help us locate each other. I did it to humor him, but I knew it was unnecessary. We’d find each other no matter what. When his gaze met mine, the smile that swept across his face caused my heart to skip a beat. His familiar dimple appeared on his cheek, and I could no longer contain myself. I raced toward him with abandon. Using my elbows, I fought my way through the crowd to reach him. He was wearing faded jeans and a grey t-shirt that melded to the taut muscles in his chest, and I noted that his arms were more defined than when he left. I was surprised that his skin was even more tanned than over the summer. It was almost impossible to get color on my pale skin, but Cooper browned so easily. His blue eyes pierced mine as I neared him, and my stomach flipped.
“Cooper.” His name came out in a sigh, relief at finally seeing him face to face cascading over me.
Without a word his hand curved around my neck, and he drew me to him. We tilted our heads so our caps wouldn’t get in the way before Cooper’s lips claimed mine, clamping down firmly. I melted into him, savoring the softness of his lips, the heat of his mouth. My hands slid up his chest, and I gripped his shirt, fisting it in my palms tightly as if I’d never let go. His tongue teased my lips open and explored my mouth while his fingers caressed my neck. The pads of fingers were smooth against my flesh, causing chills to skitter down my spine. God, I’d missed his touch. His other hand found my waist, his fingers catching on the belt loop of my jeans and tugging me forward. Our tongues melded together, tasting each other as if we couldn’t get enough. And I guess we couldn’t. I knew I never wanted the kiss to end. My fingers played with the collar of his shirt and then moved upward, skimming the light stubble on his chin. As his lips continued to move over mine, I lost myself in him. I tuned out everything around us, focusing in on the way his lips felt against mine, the way his tongue tasted, the way his fingers felt on my skin. And I realized that this was the first time I’d felt one hundred percent content and whole in months.
“God, I’ve missed you,” he breathed against my mouth.
“Me too.”
He drew back, his gaze lowering, taking in my whole body. Suddenly I wished I’d worn something more exciting than a pair of jeans and a navy blue shirt. “You are so beautiful.” The sincerity in his voice
“You did keep something from me, Coop.” Her words pierced my heart. “You’re mad at me, but you did the exact same thing when you kept the whole Ace thing from me.”
I wanted to argue, to tell her that this was completely different. But it wasn’t, was it? They were both secrets. Both of us had hidden things in an attempt to shield the other. “God, baby, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. This is difficult for both of us.”
“You can say that again,” I said miserably.
“But we’re gonna get through it, right?”
“Of course.” The alternative was too difficult for me to even entertain. “But for the record, there’s always room on my plate for you. It doesn’t matter what else is going on in my life, you come first. You got that?”
“Yeah, I get it.”
“How are you feeling now?”
“A lot better, actually.”
“So you’re all ready for my visit then?”
“I’m counting down the days.”
“Me too, baby. Me too.”
CHAPTER 9
London
It was easy to spot him in the crowd.
I’d recognize his easy swagger anywhere, the way he moved effortlessly through the sea of people. There was no way he could blend in, not even in a stuffy airport. Also, it helped that he was wearing one of his A’s baseball caps. The dark green and bright yellow colors were like an arrow pointing me in Cooper’s direction. Reaching up, I pulled down on the bill of my own cap. Cooper had asked me to wear my A’s hat too. He said it would help us locate each other. I did it to humor him, but I knew it was unnecessary. We’d find each other no matter what. When his gaze met mine, the smile that swept across his face caused my heart to skip a beat. His familiar dimple appeared on his cheek, and I could no longer contain myself. I raced toward him with abandon. Using my elbows, I fought my way through the crowd to reach him. He was wearing faded jeans and a grey t-shirt that melded to the taut muscles in his chest, and I noted that his arms were more defined than when he left. I was surprised that his skin was even more tanned than over the summer. It was almost impossible to get color on my pale skin, but Cooper browned so easily. His blue eyes pierced mine as I neared him, and my stomach flipped.
“Cooper.” His name came out in a sigh, relief at finally seeing him face to face cascading over me.
Without a word his hand curved around my neck, and he drew me to him. We tilted our heads so our caps wouldn’t get in the way before Cooper’s lips claimed mine, clamping down firmly. I melted into him, savoring the softness of his lips, the heat of his mouth. My hands slid up his chest, and I gripped his shirt, fisting it in my palms tightly as if I’d never let go. His tongue teased my lips open and explored my mouth while his fingers caressed my neck. The pads of fingers were smooth against my flesh, causing chills to skitter down my spine. God, I’d missed his touch. His other hand found my waist, his fingers catching on the belt loop of my jeans and tugging me forward. Our tongues melded together, tasting each other as if we couldn’t get enough. And I guess we couldn’t. I knew I never wanted the kiss to end. My fingers played with the collar of his shirt and then moved upward, skimming the light stubble on his chin. As his lips continued to move over mine, I lost myself in him. I tuned out everything around us, focusing in on the way his lips felt against mine, the way his tongue tasted, the way his fingers felt on my skin. And I realized that this was the first time I’d felt one hundred percent content and whole in months.
“God, I’ve missed you,” he breathed against my mouth.
“Me too.”
He drew back, his gaze lowering, taking in my whole body. Suddenly I wished I’d worn something more exciting than a pair of jeans and a navy blue shirt. “You are so beautiful.” The sincerity in his voice
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