pretty impressive the way you threw them back. I was even a little envious.”
“So, you admit I won? More importantly, I beat you.” She let a smile slip.
“You beat me hands down.”
“Then why did you lie and say I lost?”
“Because even with my “trickery” I was drunk too and thought it was the easiest way for us to get what we both wanted.”
“I did not want to kiss you!” she said refusing to let him win.
“Not only did you want it, you liked it when it happened.” He knew he’d enjoyed it.
“No, I didn’t.”
“Now who’s the liar?”
“If I liked it, and I’m not saying I liked it, just if, it was the alcohol and not truly me.”
“You’re sober now. Let’s see if you like it.” He took a step towards her. She moved back crashing into the screen door, causing it to make a loud noise.
“I am here to plan a wedding and the role you’ll play in the event is the free open bar and best man. You are to stay away from me or else.”
“Or else what?”
“Or else you’re gonna get it.”
“Oh, I hope so,” he said low and sexy, leaning towards her again.
She fumbled with the door’s latch for a flustered moment then rushed into the house. “We’ve worked out the details and Cooper is providing the open bar as a wedding gift for Diane and Jack,” Noli said when she reentered the kitchen with Cooper in tow.
“That’ll make for a fun wedding,” Daphne said.
“Noli, Diane asked me to take you around because she’ll be busy studying, but I can’t because my husband’s still not a hundred percent.” She said referring to her spouse’s recent hospital stay. “I just don’t feel right leaving him home alone for too long. But you can borrow my car.”
Cooper saw a flash of fear in Noli’s eyes at the mention of borrowing the car and her hands clenched at her sides. He didn’t know why she was afraid but that didn’t seem to matter because he felt an uncontrollable need to take that fear away.
Before he could volunteer, his mother said, “Cooper can do it.” She followed it up with a look that told him he better do it.
“I can do it.”
Noli visibly relaxed. She must not like to drive if being with him was a relief from the task.
“I don’t want to keep you from running your business,” Noli said.
“Trevor manages the daily operations of the bar. I can do it.”
“Fine,” he said. Cooper looked at the time on his cell. “I’ve got some free time now. We just need to swap my bike for my truck.” The thought of her legs around him and her body pressed against his and her arms wrapped around him, even for the short ride was alluring.
“By bike do you mean a ten speed? Maybe with a basket on front?”
“I mean my motorcycle.”
“I’m not getting on a motorcycle.”
“Motorcycles are safe,” Cooper began but she put her hand up stopping him from continuing the defense of motorcycles.
“Please, just go get your truck and comeback. That’ll give us time to finish up here.”
***
“Why don’t you want to drive?” Cooper asked about an hour later as he drove Noli to the first store.
“I just don’t,” she said looking out of the window with the hope he’d get the hint that she didn’t want to talk about it.
He didn’t.
“Is your license suspended because of too many parking tickets?”
“I don’t think they suspend a license for parking tickets.”
“Then why doesn’t someone as independent as you drive?”
She sighed. “I just don’t. Can we leave it at that?” she asked softly.
“We can. Where too?”
She raised a shoulder and shook her head. “I need cleaning supplies and paint, so whatever store carries that, and a craft store.”
“Can I just chauffeur you or do I have to go into the stores while you shop?”
“Do you want to just sit out in a truck?”
“Without a doubt,” he answered.
“The good news is I don’t like to shop. More often than not I make my list and stick to it, but if you’re in the
“So, you admit I won? More importantly, I beat you.” She let a smile slip.
“You beat me hands down.”
“Then why did you lie and say I lost?”
“Because even with my “trickery” I was drunk too and thought it was the easiest way for us to get what we both wanted.”
“I did not want to kiss you!” she said refusing to let him win.
“Not only did you want it, you liked it when it happened.” He knew he’d enjoyed it.
“No, I didn’t.”
“Now who’s the liar?”
“If I liked it, and I’m not saying I liked it, just if, it was the alcohol and not truly me.”
“You’re sober now. Let’s see if you like it.” He took a step towards her. She moved back crashing into the screen door, causing it to make a loud noise.
“I am here to plan a wedding and the role you’ll play in the event is the free open bar and best man. You are to stay away from me or else.”
“Or else what?”
“Or else you’re gonna get it.”
“Oh, I hope so,” he said low and sexy, leaning towards her again.
She fumbled with the door’s latch for a flustered moment then rushed into the house. “We’ve worked out the details and Cooper is providing the open bar as a wedding gift for Diane and Jack,” Noli said when she reentered the kitchen with Cooper in tow.
“That’ll make for a fun wedding,” Daphne said.
“Noli, Diane asked me to take you around because she’ll be busy studying, but I can’t because my husband’s still not a hundred percent.” She said referring to her spouse’s recent hospital stay. “I just don’t feel right leaving him home alone for too long. But you can borrow my car.”
Cooper saw a flash of fear in Noli’s eyes at the mention of borrowing the car and her hands clenched at her sides. He didn’t know why she was afraid but that didn’t seem to matter because he felt an uncontrollable need to take that fear away.
Before he could volunteer, his mother said, “Cooper can do it.” She followed it up with a look that told him he better do it.
“I can do it.”
Noli visibly relaxed. She must not like to drive if being with him was a relief from the task.
“I don’t want to keep you from running your business,” Noli said.
“Trevor manages the daily operations of the bar. I can do it.”
“Fine,” he said. Cooper looked at the time on his cell. “I’ve got some free time now. We just need to swap my bike for my truck.” The thought of her legs around him and her body pressed against his and her arms wrapped around him, even for the short ride was alluring.
“By bike do you mean a ten speed? Maybe with a basket on front?”
“I mean my motorcycle.”
“I’m not getting on a motorcycle.”
“Motorcycles are safe,” Cooper began but she put her hand up stopping him from continuing the defense of motorcycles.
“Please, just go get your truck and comeback. That’ll give us time to finish up here.”
***
“Why don’t you want to drive?” Cooper asked about an hour later as he drove Noli to the first store.
“I just don’t,” she said looking out of the window with the hope he’d get the hint that she didn’t want to talk about it.
He didn’t.
“Is your license suspended because of too many parking tickets?”
“I don’t think they suspend a license for parking tickets.”
“Then why doesn’t someone as independent as you drive?”
She sighed. “I just don’t. Can we leave it at that?” she asked softly.
“We can. Where too?”
She raised a shoulder and shook her head. “I need cleaning supplies and paint, so whatever store carries that, and a craft store.”
“Can I just chauffeur you or do I have to go into the stores while you shop?”
“Do you want to just sit out in a truck?”
“Without a doubt,” he answered.
“The good news is I don’t like to shop. More often than not I make my list and stick to it, but if you’re in the
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