Page 61 of This Time Around
Twenty
Rebecca
Well.That wasn’t how dinner was supposed to go.
I pressed my hand to my forehead and groaned.That conversation had been thrown on a runaway train before I knew the train was rolling into the station.
Good grief.I didn’t even realize I thought about having sex with Cooper until my mouth verbally vomited all over our dinners.
“Great, just great.You’re such an idiot, Rebecca, even thinking about doing something so careless.”
Worse, I hadn’t expected him to get so pissed.What guy doesn’t want to have sex with a woman, especially one who came with an end date.
I grabbed our dishes from the table and placed them on the counter.Turning on the tap water, I squeezed a large amount of soap into the sink.I had a dishwasher but rarely used it.Washing dishes by hand was therapeutic for me.I definitely needed to scrub the hell out of something since I couldn’t scrub away the shit show of dinner.
“Your first sort of date with someone and you screw it up,” I muttered.“And awesome.You’re talking to yourself which is even cooler.”
I grabbed my phone and flipped on the Bluetooth and pulled up a music app.Loud, mind-blowing music was just what I needed to get out of my head.
Music on, old school Garth Brooks blared through my speaker and I got to work.I pulled on elbow-length yellow rubber gloves and grabbed my brush scrubber, intent on working and cleaning until I was too exhausted to think about anything except sleep.I knew I needed to call Jordan and maybe Brooke’s and Kelly’s families tomorrow to see if they’d be willing to come out soon to bale the hay I’d waited long enough on.
Look at me, getting used to asking for help.
I rolled my eyes at the thought and began belting out “Friends in Low Places,” right along with my pal Garth when a warmth wrapped around my bicep.
“What the—” I gasped at the sudden movement only to be turned and my ass was up against the counter of the island, Cooper looming in front of me.“What are you doing?You scared the crap out of me.”
I could scarcely breathe.
His eyes were molten, soaking into me in ways that ignited everything.The center of my thighs throbbed before I recognized what he was doing.
He leaned in closer.One of his hands was still on my arm.He pressed the other to the back of my head and he tugged on my hair, lifting my chin up.
“Cooper?”
“You’re not ready for more than kissing.”His mouth slammed down on me and I bent back farther.Doing anything other than accepting his mouth on mine was not an option.
And holy crap the man could kiss.My gloved hands gripped his blue shirt and my eyes closed.He invaded me, opened my mouth and slid his tongue inside.
This wasn’t our gentle, experimental kiss from the other night.This was passion, fueled by anger and frustration I assumed, and more than that on mine.
I took his kiss and gave it back, sliding my tongue against his.All the sleeping areas of my body woke to the imminent possibility he was dead wrong.
I wasdefinitelyready for more than kissing.
He pushed against me, his need and desire clear in the bulge pressing at the apex of my thighs.A needy, excited whimper escaped my throat into his mouth at the sensation.
Oh God.It’d been so long.The pressure of his hand in my hair, tugging and pulling, moving exactly where he wanted, sent sparks of pleasure down my spine and then his hand was gone.At my waist.Where both of his hands landed and he lifted me to the counter.
“Cooper,” I gasped.Slow down.Speed up.Not ready.Please do something more.All of my thoughts jumbled in my brain where my current physical needs battled with self-respect and common sense.
“I know.I won’t go too far.”His lips trailed to my jaw, the column of my throat, back to that deliciousoh yesspot behind my ear.
I was panting, gasping at the weight at my center, the tingles all over my body, and then his hand was at my hip, grabbing fistfuls of my dress and lifting.
“Stop me at any time.I just want to make you feel good.”He kissed away my protest before I considered giving one.
My knees widened, I lifted my butt to help him.Oh my God.I was helping him.It was insane, and I wasn’t thinking about anything except that delicious ache he created.
