Plush

A Billionaire Romance

Book 4

By

KB Winters

Copyright © 2015 KB Winters

Published By: BookBoyfriends Publishing LLC

Copyright and Disclaimer

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination and have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2015 KB Winters

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of the trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Contents

Copyright and Disclaimer

Chapter One — Cooper

Chapter Two — Allie

Chapter Three — Allie

Chapter Four — Allie

Chapter Five — Cooper

Chapter Six — Allie

Chapter Seven — Allie

Chapter Eight — Allie

Chapter Nine — Allie

Chapter Ten — Allie

Chapter Eleven — Cooper

Chapter Twelve — Allie

Chapter Thirteen — Allie

Chapter Fourteen — Cooper

More from KB Winters

Acknowledgements

About The Author

More from KB Winters

Plush A Billionaire Romance

What The Luck

Fate Interrupted

Timeless Passion

Hooked (Get it free!)

SEAL’d Perfection

Chapter One — Cooper

Everything would be decided in a matter of hours. It was both an exhilarating and nerve wracking notion. Next to me, I could feel Allie’s anxiety radiating off her body, her hand twitching with restless energy as she tapped a distracted pattern along the inside of my thigh. She was staring out the passenger side window of my SUV—that she affectionately called “Cooper’s big obnoxious, look-at-me-ride”—and I knew her mind was a million miles away, lost in a tangle of worries I hadn’t been able to sort out for her yet…

Just a couple more hours. Then we’ll know what to do, I reminded myself, momentarily wondering if I should speak the reassuring words out loud. I cut another glance towards Allie, struck—as always—by her overwhelming beauty. Since the second I’d seen her, she’d entranced me and I never wanted to break the spell. I’d known from the start that she was a firecracker, and over the past few months, my initial suspicions had been confirmed…and then some. I smiled, remembering brief memories of our more fiery moments, and then turned my attention back to the road.

Our meeting had been the beginning of a very wild ride, but I knew without question, I’d do it all over again if it meant having her beside me in the passenger seat of my “big, obnoxious look-at-me-ride,” regardless of the destination.

“Hey gorgeous,” I said, capturing her anxious fingertips in my hand, holding them steady as I let our hands come to rest on my thigh. Allie rolled her head against the seat and shifted her big, beautiful blue eyes in my direction. “It’s going to be all right. I swear.”

She stared at me for another second before offering what I would call a very weak smile. “I know.”

My heart twisted in my chest, but I returned her smile and let my attention drift back to the road. I hated that she wasn’t letting me in. Dealing with her walls had been the toughest part of our relationship. I guessed in some way, I thought once she became mine, totally and completely, she’d be able to set aside the smoke screen bullshit and be real with me.

For the most part, I’d been right, but over the past few days, as we neared the date she’d circled on the sun-faded calendar that hung on the wall of her tiny apartment kitchen, she’d become distant and edgy. I couldn’t blame her, I was anxious as well—but her emotional walls were difficult to scale.

In my eyes, I thought I should be the one she let in. She could shut the rest of the world out, that was her prerogative, but I’d been locked out with them and it didn’t seem to matter what I did or said to try and break through.

It would all be over soon and he’d have the answers we’d been waiting for.

We just had one stop to make first.

I pulled through the iron gates that led to the exclusive neighborhood where my half sister, Angela’s house was perched up on the Hollywood hillside. Allie perked in her seat as we neared Angela’s house and a smile tugged at the corner of my lips. Allie and Angela had hit it off from the beginning, and I knew no one was more thrilled about our new relationship than Angela herself. She’d nagged at me for years to find a nice woman and settle down, and although Allie and I had only been together a few months, Angela was already hinting around for the ‘settle down’ part.

Not that I was opposed to it. A year ago, her prodding had been nothing more than a mere annoyance, and the idea of spending the rest of my life with one woman had been completely ludicrous. But now…making Allie my wife and starting a real life with her was a thought that was never too far from my mind.

I parked in Angela’s driveway and cut the engine. “Ready?” I asked Allie.

She smiled and I was relieved to see the crease that had become embedded between her brows over the past few weeks, had faded slightly. I leaned across the center console and cupped my hand around the base of her neck, gently massaging the knot of tension away, before pulling her gently towards me and pressing my lips to hers. At the touch of her soft lips, my body sprung to life, every sense heightened. The smell of her perfume was sweeter, the taste of her kiss more intoxicating, and the warmth of her skin more tempting. I couldn’t help but deepen the kiss until I heard the soft, vibrating purr at the back of her throat. It was a sound of pure desire. Allie’s back arched as I ran my fingers down her neck, over her shoulders that were bare except for the thin strap of her rose colored tank top, and then down her side, lingering over every soft curve. Her breasts pressed against my chest as she leaned over, hungry for each new kiss, and I had to break away with a guttural groan. “Remind me, why did we schedule this lunch with Angela right before the meeting?”

I tugged a free strand of Allie’s auburn hair loose from her ponytail and stroked it between my thumb and fingers. When I’d first met her, she’d had her hair dyed black, but after a special pampering day at the salon, she’d surprised me by coming to the office with deep, auburn locks. She was sexy as hell either way, but I had to admit, somehow her personality had intensified with her red hair, catapulting her from firecracker to full on bombshell, and the added sass had led to some mind-blowing sex.

Allie narrowed her eyes at me but couldn’t stop the smile twitching her lips. “First of all, we didn’t schedule this lunch, I did, because I miss Angela. And secondly, she’s on the porch right now, so we need to go.”

I laughed and kissed her right on the scrunched up bridge of her nose. “Seems like some sweaty afternoon fun would have been a better idea. That’s all I’m saying,” I joked, mentally kicking myself for not thinking to whisk Allie away to some luxury hotel suite for the day. A good fuck would help clear both our minds…

Allie giggled and pulled out of my arms, out the door and up the walk before I could blink. Angela and Allie were locked in a tight embrace as I got out of the SUV and joined them on the porch. I stopped walking and drank in the sight of them, letting every emotion wash over me, savoring the moment.

“You coming?” Angela called to me, not waiting for my reply before turning and ushering Allie into her huge house. I smiled to myself and followed the trail of their happy chattering. A couple of month prior, I wasn’t sure I’d have Angela in my life after her cancer fight had taken a scary turn, so the fact that not only had she survived, but was energetic and full of life and joy, hit a particular soft spot in my chest. Watching her and Allie become such fast friends had been the frosting on the cake.

I found the two women of my life in Angela’s kitchen. Allie was admiring the view from the floor to ceiling windows while Angela fussed over the coffee machine. “—I keep telling him, but you know how he is…” Allie said, casting a glance back over her shoulder. She smiled proudly as she caught my eye, knowing I’d walked in at the tail end of her rant.

“How am I?” I asked, challenging her with a sparkle of mischief in my eyes.

“Stubborn as a mule,” Allie replied automatically, returning my playful glare.

Angela turned and looked between us, offering her own eye roll to the conversation.

I laughed and walked over to join Allie by the window. “It must be serious if you’re busting out your country vocabulary,” I tossed back to Allie, before wrapping her in my arms, letting my hands slide down the easy curve of her hips.

She smacked my shoulder. “He’s impossible, you know,” she said, peeking past me to gather Angela into her persuasion. “He thinks just because I’m from Kansas, I was raised on a farm or something.”

Angela laughed. “He doesn’t get out much. Too busy stuck in his little concrete tower.”

Allie joined in her easy laughter and I opened my mouth to protest, but decided against it and let them have their fun. I had ways of getting Allie back later…when I could get her all to myself…

“So, tell me, what am I being stubborn about now?” I asked. I palmed Allie’s ass cheek before releasing her and went to get a cup of the steaming hot coffee Angela set out on the large, quartz island.

Allie joined me and I poured her a cup. “I was just telling Angela that if I’m going to give into your relentless requests that I abandon my apartment and move in with you, we need to get something like this,” she explained, waving her hand in the air at the large kitchen. “I don’t want to trade one box for another.”

I barked a laugh. “A box? Really? I hardly think the penthouse suite is a box.”

Angela stifled a giggle into her coffee cup.

“I’m just saying, Cooper, I want some space, room to roam. And with a view like this.” She stared longingly out the window.

Since we’d started our relationship, I’d insisted on her moving to my place. But, so far, she’d resisted every attempt, no matter what lengths I’d gone to in order to sweeten the pot and convince her. As it was, she ended up spending nearly every night at my penthouse and had moved so much stuff in— it was becoming hard to imagine she had anything left at her small, one bedroom apartment.

“That’s what the lake house is for,” I countered, thinking of the house I’d purchased on the lake a few years back. It was a sprawling craftsman style mansion in the woods with no one around for at least a mile.

Allie sighed. “When was the last time we were there?”

She had a point. With everything going on, our schedule was too packed to escape the city for a getaway. I made a mental note to remedy that once things settled down. I wrapped an arm over her shoulders, pulled her in close, and pressed a kiss to the side of her temple. She smiled and looked up at me with her big blue eyes. “Soon,” I promised. “After the trial.”

Her face fell slightly but she did her best to keep her smile frozen before she dropped her attention back to the steam rolling off the top of her coffee.

“Speaking of,” Angela interjected. “What is going on with all that?”

I took in a deep breath. I was beginning to abhor talking about the trial and I knew we’d spend the whole afternoon talking of little else, which made me even more resistant to talk about it with Angela—but I knew I had to. As my sister, she had the right to know. “We’re meeting with my legal team this afternoon.” I pushed back the sleeve of my navy blue suit jacket to check the platinum watch on my wrist. “In about an hour, actually. This is kind of a drive-by visit.” I smiled apologetically at Angela.

“Then I guess I’d better get the frittata in the oven!” She didn’t wait for a response before crossing the kitchen and busying herself at the fridge. I smiled as she worked.

Although her acting career had stalled while she went through treatment, Angela had already made more money in the five years she’d been working in Hollywood than most people made in a lifetime. She could’ve hired a private chef, or at the very least bought something premade, but that wasn’t how she was. Angela had always loved cooking and baking, and it was the only other thing I could imagine her doing besides TV and movies. If not for her acting career, she could’ve easily been a chef or caterer. In fact, it was an idea I’d been tossing around in my mind since her prognosis had improved. She hadn’t talked much about going back to acting, but the last time I’d been over to visit, I’d seen a stack of scripts on the coffee table. I trusted her judgment, but as her older brother, I needed to give her my opinion. As I watched her glide around the kitchen, I couldn’t help but think she might be better off turning her career ambitions into something that didn’t require sixteen hour days on a movie set.

Angela caught me staring and prompted me with a rolling hand gesture, “Keep talking,” she said, before turning back to press some buttons on the control panel above the double ovens. “Apparently we’re on a countdown timer here.”

Allie took a deliberate sip of her coffee, her silent way of letting me know that she’d bowed out.

“There’s not a whole lot to tell. At the moment, we’re still trying to decide if we want to press charges against this Clay character,” I continued.

Angela stopped working for a moment and cocked a brow at me. “Isn’t that kind of a no-brainer? I mean, the guy tried to sabotage your entire company.”

“True, but it isn’t quite that simple,” I answered quietly. I looked over at Allie, and felt the now familiar press of guilt tighten its grip on my stomach. If something happened to her…I blinked away the thought, telling myself it would be fine. It had to be.

Angela shot me another confused glance, and I continued, “In a nutshell, I had Allie do some hacking while she was working on the Plush account, and it’s possible that it would be brought up during the trial.”

If Angela was surprised, she did a hell of a job masking it. She simply nodded her understanding and came over to join us at the island quietly, as she stirred a splash of cream into her own cup of coffee.

For a few minutes, we sat, sipping on coffee and turning over our own thoughts, no one eager to add to the conversation. I was just about to ask Angela about her most recent doctor appointment, when the oven timer interrupted the silence, and she hurried to pull the bubbling frittata out. “Mmm.” She poked at the top with a fork. “Looks good, I have everything set up on the deck.”

Allie jumped up and smiled sweetly at me as I snagged her coffee mug and headed for the expansive deck off the kitchen where Angela had laid out the patio table with blue and rust colored plates and bowls filled with fresh fruit and a large platter of toast. I followed the girls outside where the tension of the previous conversation melted away in the hot LA sun.

Chapter Two — Allie

“Mr. Brighton, Ms. Rand, Mr. Peters is ready to see you.”

Those were the words I’d been waiting to hear for the last two weeks, but as Cooper started to rise from his seat next to me, my fingers gripped his arm with a sudden surge of terror. Mr. Peters’ assistant was standing in the doorway, her hands politely folded in front of her as she considered us. Justin Peters was one of California’s top lawyers, and had come with a high recommendation from Cooper’s family lawyer to handle our case.

It had been nearly three months since the night in Cooper’s office where I’d discovered the hacker that had nearly taken down Brighton Enterprises. Then, the next day, I found out not only the identity of the hacker, but that it was Clay, the boyfriend of my once-upon-a-time friend, Bryce, who actually turned out to be not a friend after all…

I still wasn’t over it. The experience had called into question the level of trust I’d gave anyone, and at times, I was gripped with a paralyzing fear that made me draw further into myself. I was beginning to feel the same as I had after my nasty breakup with my evil ex-boyfriend, Marx. All those same thoughts, doubts, and insecurities had been drawn out, and everything I’d stuffed away—insisting I’d deal with later— was now staring back at me in the face.

It hadn’t helped that the months following the event had been filled with private investigators, consultants, and tech gurus who Cooper had hired to collect evidence and bring everything together so when we went to Cooper’s lawyer, we had everything they needed in order to build a solid case against Clay and my so-called friend, Bryce. The invasive questions, interviews, and skepticism had only made me more stressed and withdrawn. We’d been waiting for this meeting for weeks, ready to get all the cards on the table, make our decision and move on with our life.

The only thing left to do was tell the other side of the story.

My side.

That was the part that had my heart racing, foot tapping, and my fingernails digging into the thick sleeve of Cooper’s jacket. He slid his hand under mine, loosening my grip, and folding his fingers around mine. “It’s all right, baby. Come on,” he whispered into my ear. His voice sounded calm and confident, like it always did, and I let his strength seep into me as we followed the assistant into an empty office space.

The assistant deposited us in a large conference room that was lined with floor to ceiling windows that flooded the room with light and gave a breathtaking view of the city. Cooper pulled out a chair for me and squeezed my hand before I sat down.

“Mr. Peters will be right in. Can I get you anything to drink? Espresso? Tea?” the assistant asked.

“Water is fine,” Cooper answered before taking his seat next to mine. The assistant smiled and scurried off, leaving us alone in the room. Once the door was closed softly, Cooper turned to me and ran a hand down the side of my face. “Whatever you want to do, that’s what we will do. You don’t have to do anything, or say anything that will make you uncomfortable. I don’t want you to worry.”

I smiled and relaxed against Cooper’s hand. “Thank you.”

His words meant more to me than I could fully express and made me feel even guiltier about the fact that I was holding back from him. But, there were parts of the story he still didn’t know, and although some nagging in the back of my mind told me I should fill him in, I hadn’t quite drummed up the courage to do it yet.

Moments later, a man in a navy blue pinstripe suit burst into the room. “Good afternoon. Let’s get right down to the brass tacks here,” he started, sitting behind his desk. I could feel Cooper bristle beside me at the man’s brash mannerisms, but he kept his face impassive and cool. “I’ve read everything from the investigators and I think you have a solid case. The question is, what do you want to do? Is this about money? Data? What do you want?”

“I couldn’t care less about the money, Mr. Peters. The only reason I am pursuing this is to make sure it doesn’t happen again. I want justice served for what this man tried to do to my company,” Cooper explained.

Mr. Peters surveyed us both for a moment and then flashed a tight lipped smile. “Excellent.” He rubbed his hands together like some cartoon movie villian, and if he’d had a mustache, I was fairly certain he would’ve twirled it before diving into his very detailed plan on the particulars of all the charges we’d be filing against Clay and Bryce.

The more he and Cooper talked—the farther and farther away I began to feel. Eventually, I shut down completely and sat back in my chair, their words nothing more than a droning hum in my ears. When the meeting came to a close, we stood up, shook Mr. Peters hand and then let him escort us back to the elaborate lobby area where Cooper set a follow up appointment with his assistant.

We were halfway across the parking lot before Cooper asked, “What did you think?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know what to think of any of it. I thought by now I’d know what to do, but I don’t. Although, it doesn’t really feel like it matters what I think anyways. You basically told him to let the dogs loose. He’s probably up there making phone calls and filing paperwork right now!”

“Allie, you heard what he said, right? If we don’t press charges, it leaves us wide open for this kind of attack to happen again. I think you’re forgetting what could’ve happened if you hadn’t caught the virus in time. Think of the damage that could have been done.”

“I know that, Cooper, but what about me? What about my wrongdoing? I might not have been planting viruses, but the last time I checked, stealing proprietary information was illegal too,” I hissed under my breath.

Cooper threw a startled glance around the lot, making sure no one was close enough to overhear. “I know that, but you heard what he said, since you weren’t hacking into anything even remotely connected with Clay and his company, there’s no reason it has to be brought up at the trial. You’re safe, Allie. We’re safe.”

I knew there was no point in arguing with him, so I shut my mouth and followed him to where he’d parked the giant SUV. He opened the passenger door and ushered me inside. When he was in the driver’s seat, we were stuck in an awkward silence for a few minutes, neither of us quite sure what to say or do next. I could feel his frustration rolling off of him, but didn’t know what to say to make it stop—even if I’d wanted too.

“Allie, baby, I don’t want to fight with you on this. I told you when all of this started, it would be your call. So, you do have the final say, okay?” He pulled me across the center console and my head naturally rested on his chest.

I sighed. “I don’t want Clay and Bryce to get away with what they did to you, to Brighton Enterprises, to me—us. It’s horrible. But, these last few months have been pure chaos and I don’t know if I can take much more. Going to court is only going to amp everything up. More questions, more stress, more sleepless nights. And what if they get vindictive and try to hurt us? I mean, this could go wrong in about a thousand different ways. Have you even thought about that?”

Cooper tipped my chin up, “Of course, babe. But, I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.” He brought his lips down to mine and just before he kissed me, it was like all the air had been sucked from the cab of the SUV, and I couldn’t breathe. I pulled back and wiggled out of his reach and pushed his hands back down my thighs, forcing them to rest on my knees.

“What’s wrong? Are you all right?” He asked, his eyes flashing with concern.

I shoved away from him, pressing back into the passenger seat. I lay my head back, closed my eyes, and took a long, deep breath. “No, I’m not. I just need to go home. I’m tired and don’t feel very good.” I glanced over at him—waiting for the series of questions I knew would follow. Cooper searched my eyes for a moment, and although I knew he wasn’t buying my story, he shifted the car in gear and took off in the direction of my apartment without another word.

Chapter Three — Allie

The next morning, I did my best to keep my head held high and my shoulders rolled back as I strode into Cooper’s office. I’d already admitted to myself that my behavior the afternoon before hadn’t been ideal, but I’d decided there was no reason to act like a dog with her tail between her legs, either. I smiled at Laura—the replacement I’d insisted Cooper hire as soon as we were officially a couple. As far as I knew, Kimberly had been sent down to the mail room, which was more than fine with me.

I pushed into Cooper’s office and stopped a few feet inside, pausing to shut the door behind me. His high back office chair was rotated to face me, and he was jibber jabbering on about some business deal. His voice had a hostile undertone to it and I was totally relieved to not be the target of his wrath.

Or, I was, until he spun around to face me at the sound of the door shutting, and it was apparent that, in fact, I was the source of his frustration and as soon as the call ended he’d be directing it my way. I sighed and crossed the room to sink into one of the chairs across from him, waiting for him to finish his business call. As I picked at the hem of my skirt, I found myself wishing I’d thought ahead and worn something a little sexier. In the few months we’d been together, I’d learned the only spot of weakness in his armor was that he found it nearly impossible to stay mad at me when I got him thinking about all the other…more entertaining…things we could be doing together instead of arguing.

“—that’s it, Chuck, end of story. Either get me some better numbers, or I’ll take my business elsewhere.”

I winced as he ended the call with a firm banging of the headset against the sleek phone base. “Bad time?” I asked.

Cooper stared at me, his eyes dark and dangerous, before he cut away and leaned over his desk top to massage a knot at the base of his neck. “Bad day.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, hoping it was understood as more of an apology for lashing out the night before. A little pit of guilt bubbled in my stomach as I realized that his bad day probably had more to do with a restless night—thanks to our verbal tussle—than it did with unfavorable sales data.

Cooped stopped rubbing his neck and braced his elbows on the desk, clasping his hands together. “Are you ready to talk about it?”

My heart stuttered at the direct question and the piercing look in his eyes. It was something I should have been used to, Cooper wasn’t one to drag things out, and for whatever reason, when he got that determined look in his eye, I couldn’t help but feel off-kilter. I’d become so used to keeping things to myself and tamping my secrets down into little tiny boxes in the back of my mind. It was hard to release it all now, even though I’d learned the hard way, it was essential if I wanted to share my life with Cooper. He wasn’t content to let me keep my heart tucked away. “Not really,” I answered, picking up one of the picture frames from the corner of his desk. It held a picture of a Santa Monica sunset, taken when Cooper had whisked me away for a romantic weekend a couple of weeks into our relationship. He’d originally planned a trip to Mexico, but when I told him I hated flying, he changed it to Santa Monica instead.

When I looked up from the picture, he was still fixed on me, not letting me off so easily. I sighed. “I know, I know. I was a total crazy lady last night.”

“No argument here,” he quipped.

I set the frame down roughly. “I’m trying to fix this, Cooper.”

He sucked in a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. “All right, Allie. Tell me what you want? You heard what the lawyer said, so what do you want me to do?”

“I want to drop it.”

Cooper’s eyes went wide. My answer was the last one he’d probably been expecting. “Drop it?”

I nodded and swallowed the lump that had built up in my throat. “I know your lawyer guy is really good, and it would more than likely be fine—but I can’t risk it, Cooper. The chance that it doesn’t go as planned and everything comes out—”

“That’s not going to happen.”

“You can’t possibly know that, though! If the truth comes out, about my hacking, and the stuff I dug up for Plush. If that all gets dragged through the courts, then it’s not just me in trouble, it’s Plush, it’s Brighton Enterprises, it’s—” my words cut off. “We just can’t. It’s not worth it.”

Cooper looked ready to launch out of his chair. “So, what are you proposing then? We just wait around and hope it doesn’t happen again? That they decide not to fuck with us again?”

“I don’t know,” I replied, my voice quiet.

Cooper’s face shifted. “What are you afraid of, Allie?”

Shit. “Please, Cooper. Just drop it.”

“Allie, haven’t we been through this enough? I know when you’re keeping something from me. Just tell me what’s going on.”

“See? This is why I went home alone last night. You’re pressuring me and it feels like I can’t breathe! I need this whole thing to go away, right now.” I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to trap my hot tears, but they broke free and slid down my cheeks. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”

Cooper was at my side within half a second and pulled me against his chest. “Okay, baby, whatever you want. We won’t do the lawyers and court. I’ll handle this.”

I nodded against his chest, my throat tight and constricted.

He pressed a kiss against my forehead and held it there for the minute I needed to regather myself. When I’d calmed down, I straightened up and finally looked at him and met his eyes. “That’s really what you want?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He considered me for another moment, but then he kissed my face again and said, “Consider it done.”

“What are you going to do?” I asked, suddenly sobered. Cooper’s tone was low and dangerous.

“I’ll handle it.”

I wrinkled my nose at him. “Cooper, this isn’t a mob movie. Tell me what you’re going to do!”

“I’m going to talk to Clay. Jeeze, Allie, I’m not threatening to feed him to the fish or something.”

I crossed my arms. “What are you going to say to him?”

We squared off, staring each other down, waiting for one of us to break. When it became clear that neither of us was backing down, Cooper said, “Allie, it’s either my way, or we go back to Mr. Peters office.”

I had my reasons for not wanting to go to court against Clay and Bryce, reasons that were bigger than my own humiliation and pride. “Fine.” I stood from my chair and stalked back towards the door.

“See you for dinner?” Cooper called after me.

“Can’t wait!” I threw back sarcastically at the same time I flung the door open and marched myself out into the hallway. I got about two steps outside when I could’ve sworn I heard the low, gravelly sound of Cooper chuckling.

Chapter Four — Allie

One of the weirdest things about my transition to being Cooper’s girlfriend was that we still worked together and at work—he wasn’t Cooper. He was Mr. Brighton. Our relationship wasn’t necessarily a secret, but Cooper insisted we keep things professional so no one could ever get the wrong idea about my position being a fringe benefit of sharing his bed. I agreed it was no one else’s business and after the disaster at Spotlight, I was more than fine with keeping things on the down low to avoid company gossip. Although, there were still moments when it was weird to go about our day and not be able to acknowledge each other beyond what was expected.

Even thought I’d moved on from the hacking job, I remained in my original office—one floor down in the IT department. I was busy working on a new line of all-natural Plush products, and had very little to do with technology, but it was easier to stay put and not change offices just because my role in the company had changed.

At night, I’d usually leave the office to go home alone and feed Sam. Then I’d meet up with Cooper by eight, usually at some fancy downtown restaurant, then we’d go to his penthouse for the night. So, I was surprised to find Cooper waiting in my office when I’d returned from a meeting with the graphic designer who was making new logos for the new Plush line of all-natural products.

“Afternoon,” I greeted, keeping my voice neutral as I swept past him to sit behind my desk. My office was walled with windows and although with the touch of a button, I could have the bamboo blinds pull closed for privacy—it would be a little suspicious. His hand grazed my ass as I rounded the desk and I shot him a warning look as I smoothed the back of my pants and sat down. “What can I do for you, Mr. Brighton?”

“I believe we had dinner plans, Ms. Rand.” Cooper flashed me a devilish smile that made my heart thump out to a new, frantic beating.

I folded my arms on top of my desk. “Does that mean it’s handled?”

Cooper leaned back in his chair and stared at me for a moment.

I sighed. “Come on, Coop. Don’t make me beg for information.”

He cleared his throat and his expression darkened. It was clear he didn’t want to talk about it—but if he expected me to let it go and move on, he needed to bring me up to date. As much as I was resistant to share my secrets, Cooper was just as reluctant to share just about…anything.

“I told you I’d take care of it, Allison. Why can’t you just trust me on this?”

“What did you do?”

Cooper stood and paced the three steps away from my desk, headed for the door. “You know, I came down here to take you out to a nice dinner. Things have been so fucked up lately—I really wanted to just unplug from all of that tonight.”

He had a point. We’d spent the past few weeks so consumed with gathering evidence and having meetings with lawyers and investigators. Any free time not spent working on the case, was used up with the overhauling of Plush and transforming it into a new, all-natural company, which was a deeply satisfying project, but also exhausting. By the end of the day, we were both too wiped out on every possible level to focus on our new relationship and the next steps we wanted to take.

On top of the physical and mental exhaustion, my spare moments turned into combating the dark thoughts related to the trial, which then depleted my emotional capacity, leaving no room for even daydreaming about Cooper and the merging of our lives.

It was all a big, tangled clusterfuck.

“Cooper, wait!” I pleaded, right as his hand hit the lever on the door. He turned around and I got up from my desk and went to join him by the door. The office outside was nearly abandoned as it was well past seven o’clock, and I let myself melt against his chest. “I’m sorry,” I breathed. The faint scent of his cologne reassured me as he wrapped his arms around me and held me tight, as though he’d been waiting all day to hold me.

“You don’t have to be sorry, baby.”

“I am though. I know you’re only trying to cheer me up and take my mind off the stress, but it’s hard for me to set everything aside. It’s not the flick of a switch, you know?” I looked up, resting my chin against his firm chest, and he nodded.

“Tell you what,” he started. He ran his hands down my sides and grabbed a hand in each of his. “I promise to tell you all about it tomorrow. But tonight, it’s just you and me. Okay?”

A glimmer of seduction sparked in his eyes and I knew, without words, exactly what he was thinking. A slow smile spread across my face and I licked my lips to let him know his message had been received. Loud and clear. “Sounds pretty perfect. You and me.”

We froze in a beat of silence, savoring the words, before Cooper tugged me back into his arms. “Good. Now, let’s get out of here,” he growled into my ear.

* * * *

The night with Cooper unlocked the pent-up stress and worry in my heart, and although I never pressed him for details, the next day the emails and phone calls relating to the trial all stopped pouring in, and as I archived the old emails and messages, I ordered myself to let it all go. As the rest of the week went on, the pressure that had built up inside of me over endless thinking and stressing about the trial finally erased and I felt more myself than I had in over a month. By the middle of the week, my mood improved enough to attend the in-office birthday party for Sammy, one of the newest team members in the IT department. Since my office was still located in the IT department, I’d built relationships with all my co-workers in that department during my frequent coffee and snack breaks, and had gotten to know the new girl well enough to organize a miniature party for her twenty-fifth birthday.

By half past three, I’d gathered the entire floor into the break room and had people on either side of me as I presented the cake lit with sparklers. The group was three bars into a very pitchy rendition of the birthday song, when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I ignored it and sang along, but the buzzing wouldn’t stop, so I pulled it out of my pocket to see who was blowing up my phone. I was surprised to see my mom’s name flashing at the top of the screen. She’d called three times already, and was beginning her fourth call, by the time I was able to break free of the pack and answer the phone.

“Mom?”

“Allie! Thank God!” Her voice was high and hysterical.

My body tensed as I took a few more steps out of the kitchen where the singing was on a crescendo towards the end of the song. “Mom? What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

“—I didn’t know what else to…the accident…”

“Mom, hold up,” I raced down the hall, plugging my opposite ear to muffle the singing and cheering from the break room. “What did you say?”

“Your father has had a heart attack.”

All the air left my lungs like a popped balloon. I crashed into the nearest wall, the words ringing in my ears. “What?” I gasped, gripping the phone so tight I didn’t miss a word.

“He—he was…” My mom’s voice broke and there was a pause that stretched out forever as I waited for her to be able to continue.

“Mom?”

There was a flurry of rustling sounds and then a new voice answered, “Allie? It’s Ben.”

“Ben!” My older brother’s face popped into my head and a warm relief surrounded the bubble of panic in my chest. Ben was there. Everything was going to be okay.

“Listen, Al, Dad was going out for lunch and while he was driving, he had a heart attack. He lost control of the car and crashed into a telephone pole. We’re at the hospital with him now. He’s having emergency surgery to remove a blockage in his heart and then they‘ll work to fix the damage from the accident.”

I slid down the wall inch by inch as Ben explained the situation. I hit the floor and nodded my head against the wall, hearing, but barely processing the words. Mental images of horrific wrecks and my dad’s face twisted with pain and fear assaulted my senses and I lost track of my surroundings. So, when I was suddenly swarmed by co-workers, it took me a second to remember where I was.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” I told Ben, fighting back the tears that were pooled along my lashes.

“Do you need a plane ticket?”

I shook my head, forgetting that Ben couldn’t see me.

“Allie? I can book something right now.”

“No!” I found my voice and it burst out a lot stronger than I’d intended, startling the people gathered around me. All I could think about was getting on Cherry Bomb and hauling ass to Kansas. “I don’t want to fly. Ben, I’ll be there soon, just tell Daddy—tell Daddy I’m coming.”

I clicked off the call and let my co-workers scoop me off the floor. “I have to go. It’s my dad.”

I didn’t wait for a reply before turning and racing towards the elevators, only stopping to swing by my office to grab my purse.

* * * *

By the time I got back to my apartment, Cooper had called half a dozen times. I called him back, propping the phone against my shoulder as I laid out extra food for Sam and then went to my bedroom to start packing a small bag of clothes.

“Where are you?” Cooper asked in lieu of a ‘hello’ when he answered my call.

My mind was busy calculating routes and a plan of action and couldn’t formulate an answer to his question.

“Allie! Where are you? What’s going on?”

At the jolt of his voice, my thoughts shifted, rearranging as I began to piece together a route and a plan. If I stuck to the highways and avoided major cities, I could be home in a day and a half. “I’m at home, Cooper. But just for the next five minutes. My dad had a heart attack and got in a car wreck. I’m leaving to go see him.”

“Oh my God, Allie, I’m so sorry. Did you book your flight? I know people at the airlines—they can get you on the next flight out. I’ll hire a charter, whatever you need.” There was an edge of panic to Cooper’s normal cool, controlled tone that I appreciated.

“Uhm…no, thank you, but…I don’t fly, remember?” I clicked the speaker button and laid the phone on my bedside table to begin packing. I grabbed my duffel bag from the closet and jammed handfuls of clothes into it without really stopping to consider what I was putting together.

“Allie, that’s ridiculous. It’s an emergency. You have to take a plane,” Cooper countered, his authoritative tone back.

I glared at the phone. “No, I don’t. On Cherry Bomb I can be there in less than two days.”

“You can’t take your bike there! Let me arrange a flight, for God’s sake, Allie, think about this,” Cooper gritted out each word and without even seeing him, I knew the expression he was wearing.

I slammed another stack of shirts into my bag and then turned back to the phone. “I can, I will, and unless you have something helpful to add, I have a lot of things to do.”

“Allie,” his voice was pinched. “I know you’re freaked out, but slow down and think about this. A plane will get you there in what, two hours? It’s safer, faster—”

“I don’t fly.” Just the idea of being on a plane churned my stomach and gave me the shakes. I’d only been on a plane once in my entire life, and it had been one of the worst experiences I’d ever experienced. I’d spent the entire trip clinging to the arm rests so hard I’d broken off two fingernails. I knew it would take longer to ride to Kansas on my bike, but at least I’d have fresh air and an open road. Something about continually moving was soothing, even though I knew it would be less than charming a few hours in.

My mind was made up and Cooper would just have to deal with it.

He seemed to realize this around the same time and after a growl of pure frustration, asked, “How can I help?”

As I was about to answer that I had it all under control, a brush of fur tickled my ankles. I looked down into the big blue eyes of Sam, my cat, and already missed him. I’d never been away from him for more than a night, and knew he wouldn’t understand my sudden absence. “Take care of Sam. I set out extra food, but he’ll need someone to check in on him while I’m gone. There’s an extra key wedged in the liner of the welcome mat.”

I could practically hear him rolling his eyes, but after a tense beat of silence, he sighed, “All right. But call me, every time you stop. Don’t go to truck stops after dusk, stick to the main roads, and make sure you have the credit card I gave you.”

I rolled my own eyes in response to his list of instructions, but couldn’t help but smile. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Allie. Please be safe.”

I ended the call, the smile fading from my face as I grabbed my bag from the floor and hauled ass down to Cherry Bomb and set out, desperate to log as many miles as possible before the sun set.

Chapter Five — Cooper

“She just took off? On her motorcycle? Alone?” Angela asked once I’d recounted the story to her. I’d been going stir crazy in the office, unable to settle my nerves since a couple of staff members from the IT department had burst in to my office to tell me that Allie had received an upsetting phone call and bolted from the office. I called Angela to talk myself off the ledge. After Allie hung up, I’d actually considered going to her apartment, giving her a sedative, and flying her to Kansas that way.

“Yeah.” I rubbed a hand down my face. The visual image of Allie on Cherry Bomb, racing down the highway was haunting me. All I could think of was a long list of things that could go wrong. What if she ran out of gas? Got a flat? Stopped at a rest stop and her bike got stolen? Tangled with a group of bikers? Why didn’t I stop her?

There were a million reasons why I hated the idea of her alone on the thousand plus mile journey. And then, there was another batch of thoughts, even worse than that…what if she didn’t make it in time?

I hadn’t been able to get many details, but a serious heart attack compiled with a car wreck didn’t leave room for much hope. All I could do was hope it was better than it sounded.

“What are you going to do?” Angela asked softly.

I looked out my office window, watching as the city below started to transition from day to night. It was nearing five o’clock and at this time of the year, the sunlight wouldn’t hold out much longer. “I have no idea. Take care of her cat and try not to lose my mind while I wait for a call.”

“I’m sorry, Coop. Do you want some company?”

I shook my head. “Nah, that’s all right. Thanks though.”

“All right. Call me if you change your mind. All I got on the books is a bottle of wine and plowing through some scripts.”

I pinched my eyes closed at her mention of scripts. It was something I’d been meaning to bring up in conversation, but somehow the timing seemed all wrong. Angela had finished her treatment a month prior and had made a remarkable comeback but the thought of her falling back or relapsing was enough to bring me to my knees. Acting had been her whole life for the past several years, and I knew I couldn’t hold her back forever, I just hoped she was being realistic and taking small steps. “Thanks sis.”

After hanging up with Angela, I forced myself into my chair and focused on tackling the ever growing list of emails that were waiting for responses. Each time I clicked send, I lost myself in wondering where Allie was at that exact moment, and by the time I’d replied to a few dozen messages, it was nearing nine o’clock and I knew I was the last one at the office. I closed up my office and was halfway home, before pulling a u-turn and heading over to Allie’s apartment on the opposite end of the city.

“Hey Sam,” I said, as I stepped inside—pocketing the spare key. Seconds later, a little ball of fluff came running up to meet me. I’d been to Allie’s apartment a few times and had secretly plied his affection with kitty treats under the table when Allie wasn’t looking. She had him on some all natural, hippy cat food and my handful of fish flavored treats had been happily accepted.

I squat down and scratched the cat under his chin. “Sorry buddy, no treats this time. I’ll bring some tomorrow.”

Sam trotted off back to the couch where he’d apparently been camped out before my arrival, and I took the two short steps into the kitchen, suddenly realizing the gnawing pit in my stomach had morphed from anxiety to hunger pangs. Allie’s apartment was an organized disaster—per usual.

There were stacks of unopened mail on her kitchen counter, at least a couple day’s worth of dishes in the sink, and a smattering of crumbs on the counter tops. I smiled as I assessed the room. It was so Allie. She was always in hurricane mode, rushing from place to place, never quite on time, but she was so gregarious and full of life that no one could fault her for it. I cracked open the fridge and sighed at the pathetic assortment on the shelves. Allie was a strict vegan and none of the dishes in her fridge looked like they contained real food. Both crisper drawers were stuffed full of greens and the shelves were lined with some green juice concoction. She’d been rambling on about a juice diet and as I surveyed the contents—I realized she must have been serious.

I chuckled and shut the fridge, wishing she was there so I could tease her. Allie was always complaining about her weight. I’d taken her shopping once, at a high end department store, and after three outfits, she gave up and dragged me out of the store, claiming there was no way her thighs would ever fit into anything in the entire shop. I honestly had no idea what she was talking about. Her petite frame was curvy to be sure, but in all the right places. But my compliments and assurances often fell on deaf ears. I usually resorted to showing her just how sexy and intoxicating I found her to be…

“Fuck.”

I shook off the thoughts, knowing that longing for her body was only going to make the entire situation worse. I crossed to the living room to find Sam rolled into a ball. “Hey, little man, since your mama insists on rabbit food, I’m gonna have to go grab us men some real food. I’ll be back.”

He blinked his understanding—or, at least what I took as understanding—and I ran down to the corner market to grab a couple cans of normal cat food, a frozen pizza, and a six pack of amber ale. It was pure comfort food and I spent the rest of the night on the couch with Sam, half heartedly watching some crime scene show, and eyeballing my phone, willing it to ring every commercial break.

Eventually I fell asleep on the couch, with the purring fur ball vibrating on my chest.

* * * *

Allie still hadn’t called to check in by the next morning and a cold, creeping panic was taking hold of me. Before I even rolled off the couch, I booked a flight to Wichita, remembering that Allie had once mentioned that was the closest big city to her parents’ country home. She never talked about her parents, any information I had about them was all gathered through strategic questions I’d asked over the past few months. How was it possible that I’d spent nearly every waking minute with the woman for the past several months, and yet, still didn’t know the basics, like where her parents lived?

Light was flooding in through the windows and I knew I still needed to go home to shower and change before I could go into the office. I pushed off the couch, careful not to disturb the sleeping Sam.

Minutes later, my phone chirped to notify me of an email, and I knew it would be the flight confirmation. I made a deal with myself to get through the day, arrange for the managers to hold down the fort, and then I’d head to the airport. But then what? I didn’t have her parents address and if Allie wasn’t answering her phone, there was no way to get the information. I couldn’t drive around to every hospital asking for her father. I leaned against the counter and pinched the bridge of my nose. “It’s such bullshit,” I groaned to myself.

I set out a fresh can of food for Sam and left the apartment, making a mental note to hire a pet sitter before boarding the afternoon flight.

Chapter Six — Allie

Less than two hours outside of the city limits, the rain started pouring down. It was as though I’d officially left the bubble that surrounded LA and dove straight into the desert thunderstorms. Before leaving my apartment, I’d thrown on my full leathers, which included long pants and a thick jacket, but even with the extra protection, I was freezing cold from the whipping of the cold desert wind. I pushed through, letting the images of my dad lying in a hospital bed propel me forward, but nearing midnight, I decided to stop. Unfortunately, by that point, I was five or so hours outside of the city and on a patch of highway that was sprinkled with small towns and not much else as I crossed the border into Arizona. I raced down the highway as fast as I dared, knowing that while I was an experienced rider, it still wasn’t smart to go full out on a slick road.

According to the next road sign, the upcoming town had a motel, so I put my head down and plowed through, trying to ignore the sharp bits of rain hitting my cheeks, cursing myself for not thinking to wear my other helmet that had a full visor. When I finally reached the turn off, I let out a relieved cry and followed the sign markers to the small motel that was supposedly just a mile off the highway. As I cruised the main street, it became apparent that the motel was one of only a few places in town. I passed a gas station, small diner, and a post office, before arriving at the Blue Lagoon Motel. I hopped off my bike and laughed as I considered the sign.

“Blue Lagoon?” It was dark, but there was no doubt that I was smack dab in the middle of the dessert. There was nothing blue or lagoon about it. The motel itself looked sketchy beyond belief and as I started for the front entrance, I was struck by a strong sense that I should get back on Cherry Bomb and keep going. Surely there was something more…suitable…up the highway. I’d eventually hit a main city that would have more options.

I stopped short of the doors, ready to turn back, but a boom of thunder ripped through the sky overhead and sent me scurrying inside. The lobby was smaller than the bathroom in my apartment. I could barely take two full strides without running right into the desk. The lights were low, and a sweeping glance at the ceiling revealed that several of the fluorescent tubes had burnt out. There was no one behind the desk and the entire room was eerily quiet.

“Just my luck, I’m checking into the place from Psycho,” I mumbled to myself as I continued to survey the dismal surrounding. Everything was shabby and out of date. Two chairs were shoved off to the side, they were upholstered with some God-awful green colored velvet, and each heavily stained with…well…I didn’t really want to know what.

I should have listened to Cooper. I admitted, only to myself.

After a minute or two of waiting, I peeked over the edge of the desk and saw a dingy looking service bell. I hovered over it for a moment, before bashing down on the knob and sending a sharp chime echoing through the space. I winced as the sound faded and busied myself by pulling off my slick gloves and tucking them into my back pocket. I rubbed my hands together, willing some warmth into my fingertips, as I bounced on my heels and looked around for any sign of life.

“Hello?”

Still nothing.

I rang the bell again and pulled my phone out of my pocket. The screen was black and when I tried to power on, the battery sign flashed at me. “Shit,” I groaned. Cooper was going to kill me. Not to mention, that with my phone out, I had no way for my family to call and update me. I gave one last glance at the clock above the desk showed it was a little after midnight. If I couldn’t check in, I needed to get back on Cherry Bomb and keep going to the next small town.

I cursed again under my breath and stalked back the few steps to fling open the front door. The hours were posted on neon colored paper. Although the lights were on, and the door unlocked, according to the sign, the front desk was closed between ten and eight.

I slammed the door closed and stepped back into the icy rain. I went back to Cherry Bomb and strapped my helmet back on and was in the middle of pulling my gloves back on, when I looked around and caught the neon lights of the flashing Open sign that was hanging in the window of the quaint diner I’d passed on my way into town. It was better than nothing, and if I was lucky, they’d have an open outlet and I could get some juice back into my phone. I grabbed my backpack from the weatherproof side compartment of Cherry Bomb and ran the block and a half to the diner.

“Sit anywhere you’d like,” a voice called from behind the counter. I took a quick look around and spotted an outlet near one of the places alongside the long counter that overlooked the kitchen. I sat down and went to work untangling my charging cable from inside my bag. I was leaning over to plug in my phone when an older woman popped up from the other side and offered a warm smile. “Hello dear, what can I get for you?” Her hands were encased in yellow rubber gloves and I realized she must have been cleaning the floor on the other side.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I thought you were open,” I sputtered, moving to hop from the stool. From my experience working in a coffee shop, I respected there was nothing worse than customers coming in at the last minute and throwing off your closing routine.

The woman blinked a few times, as though she didn’t understand, but then glanced down at her hands and gave a sheepish grin. “No, no. We’re open. Sorry about these,” she said, stripping the gloves from her hands. “We had a situation involving a blob of whip cream on the floor, someone slipped, while holding a banana pie…it was a whole thing…”

“No worries.” I smiled at her animated explanation and sank back onto the stool. “Do you mind?” I asked, flicking my eyes to my phone that was plugged into the outlet under the counter.

“Not at all. Would you like a cup of coffee?”

I looked down at the laminated menu that was lying on the counter in front of me. “I guess I should. Might have a long ride ahead of me. Hey, do you know how far up the next town is? I’m looking for a place to stay tonight and wait out this weather.”

“Did you check over at the Blue Lagoon?” The waitress asked, turning back for a second to grab a clean mug from a stack near the row of coffee pots.

“Closed,” I said. “I went over but there wasn’t anyone there.”

She poured me a cup of coffee. “Oh, honey, that’s the owner over there,” she pointed her elbow and chin and I craned around to see a man in the corner booth, hunched over a steaming cup of coffee of his own. “He comes over here around this time. Not a lot of business over at the motel…” she let her words trail off and something about it made me even more reluctant to check into the motel, but I was exhausted and needed someplace to wait out the shitty weather.

“Thank you,” I said to the waitress as she set down a mug full of coffee in front of me.

“Tell you what, I’ll go see if he has a room, you warm up with that coffee,” she said, throwing me a wink before bustling across the room to approach the man.

I turned my attention to the menu, wondering if there was anything I could eat. Sometimes, being a vegan was a real pain in the ass. In LA it was easy, there were hundreds, maybe thousands, of like minded people and restaurants were always willing to accommodate. Cooper gave me shit about it constantly, rabbit food, as he called it, but then he always surprised me by finding new vegan-friendly spots for our weekend dinners.

I smiled as I sipped the hot coffee and reminded myself how lucky I was to have found someone like Cooper. As if I conjured it up, my phone flashed to life and I smiled as the first message that popped up was a picture from Cooper showing him and Sam camped out on the couch together. I knew he’d be sleeping and I didn’t want to disturb him, even though I knew I’d face a lecture for not calling right away. I looked back at the picture and then shut off the power and let it finish charging.

“Good news, Paul has a nice room available for you,” the waitress said, rounding the counter.

I set down my coffee and flashed the waitress a huge smile. “Really? That’s great!”

I turned on my stool to wave my thanks to the man in the corner booth. He looked up and I was momentarily caught off guard by his piercing blue eyes. He was an older man, probably in his fifties, but he had a certain edge to him that intrigued me. I studied his face for a moment, and decided that fifteen years and twenty pounds ago, he had probably been quite a hottie. He gave a slow nod and got up from his seat to come over to join us. “Name’s Paul. Come see me when you’ve settled up here and I’ll fix ya up with a room.”

“Thank you so much!”

He dropped a twenty on the counter, ducked his chin in a nod to the waitress—who blushed at his gesture—and then left the diner, letting a gust of cold air in as the door swung shut behind him.

“He’s such a fox,” she breathed and I had to stifle a giggle.

“Thanks for doing that. I really appreciate it,” I said to her.

She waved me off. “No problem sweetheart. Now, let’s get you something to eat before you go. What’ll it be?”

After some interrogation of the fry cook, I settled for a veggie burger with a side of roasted veggies. Once I was full and feeling more or less thawed out, I gave the waitress a fifty. “Keep it,” I said when she went to get my change. She nodded and as I was leaving, I was almost a little embarrassed to see tears in her eyes.

Chapter Seven — Allie

I tucked my collar up and pressed it in close around my neck before giving one last glance back through the window towards the friendly waitress, and then ran like hell back to the Blue Lagoon Motel. I burst through the front door and sheer exhaustion forced me to overlook all the glaring flaws I’d noted on my first visit. The warmth seeped into my jacket and with a full meal in my stomach—I was ready to get to bed.

“There you are,” Paul called to me as I shook out my arms, spraying rain drops in my wake. “I was beginning to wonder if Karen decided to adopt you.”

I gave him a faint smile, too tired to come up with a smart-ass reply.

He gave me another look up and down as I stepped to the counter. My legs were screaming in protest at having to move, and I dreaded what they’d feel like in the morning after such a long ride. Cooper’s offer to put me on a plane came back to me for the dozenth time and I cursed my stubbornness. Not that I would ever admit as much to Cooper. As far as he needed to know, I was warm, dry, comfortable, and not at all worn out.

“Where are you from?” Paul asked.

I sagged against the counter. “Originally? Kansas. That’s where I’m headed now actually.”

He gave a small nod and then turned his attention to the notebook in front of him. “Looks like room 201 is vacant.”

I nearly snorted at his comment. From what I’d seen out in the parking lot, it appeared that most, if not all, of the rooms were vacant. There had been two, maybe three, other vehicles parked out front and I couldn’t remember seeing any rooms with lights on. I pushed aside my skepticism and laid my hand across the table as Paul handed me a pen. He spun the notebook around on the counter so the page was facing me.

“The room is $64 for the night, check out is at ten, no smoking, no pets. Sign here,” his tone was gruff, but his expression neutral.

I handed over my credit card—the one Cooper had given me—and signed the spot indicated, agreeing to the terms, and then laid the pen on top of the book. I glanced over the counter and didn’t see a computer anywhere. “Does this place have WiFi?”

Paul shook his head. “No, and on a night like this, the satellite is probably down too.”

I shrugged. As it was, I was likely to pass out as soon as I got to the room. “All right.”

“Here is your key,” Paul said, passing over a small, metal key. No internet, no TV, and metal keys? I wrinkled my nose, wondering if I was really less than a day away from the huge, technology steeped Los Angeles. “We’re low tech, but the room are clean and a decent price.”

I nodded, doing my best to wipe the mystified look off my face. “That’s great, I’m really, really grateful you opened a room for me tonight.”

Paul gave me a small smile and another polite nod. I noted a small dimple when he smiled, and the way his eyes creased warmed up his face. I couldn’t help but smile back, remembering what the waitress—Karen—had said about him. “Not a problem. I live on site, so if you need anything, just holler. I’ll be here most of the night. I’m kind of a night owl.”

I nodded and picked up the key. “Thanks.”

Even though the room was easy to find, and not far from the main office, I was drenched through by the time I got inside. I flicked on as many light switches as I could easily find, and went about inspecting the room. It was small, and felt smaller than it was, thanks to the dark wood paneling covering three of the four walls. Other than the bed, there was a small dresser which had an old school looking TV on top and a wire table with matching chairs that looked like they had originally been meant for a patio table.

I shrugged out of my coat and draped it over the back of one of the chairs and then dragged it to sit closer to the radiator, which I bumped up to the highest setting. Although the room looked tidy, it was freezing cold and damp. The rest of my clothes were so wet they were clinging to my body, and I wanted nothing more than to strip out of everything and take the hottest shower of my life, but first I needed to make sure the bed was clean, because once I got out of the shower that was the only place to go.

I was in the middle of inspecting the sheets for any sign of bed bugs, when my phone started chirping. A flash of fear gripped my stomach as I jumped across the room to answer and saw my brother Ben’s name and number on the screen. “Ben?” I answered, the fear digging in deeper as I held my breath, awaiting his reply.

“Hey Allie. Where are you?”

“I’m in Arizona, near the border, I think. I had to stop because of the rain storm. I’m at the Blue Lagoon Motel. How’s daddy?” I sat down on the foot of the bed.

“Stable. He pulled through the heart surgery and the doctors said everything went as planned. They had to stitch him up and set a couple broken bones too, from the accident.” It had been a while since I’d last seen my brother—well, anyone in my family—but I recognized the overtone of exhaustion in his voice and could picture his sleep deprived face.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” I said, wishing I could offer something more substantial. The overwhelming sense of helplessness cut into me and my nose stung as tears pricked at my eyes. “He’s gonna be okay.”

I realized I was saying it more for my own benefit than Ben’s.

“Yeah, he’s gonna be okay, Allie. Get some sleep, and give me or mom a call tomorrow when you’re getting close.”

I pressed my eyes closed and two tears fell down my cheeks. “I will. Thanks.”

As soon as I ended the call, I forgot that I hadn’t yet finished my bed bug hunt, and let myself fall back. I lay there for a long time, studying the shadows on the ceiling, and letting every unshed tear fall until I felt empty enough to sleep.

* * * *

Sunshine peeking through the tattered blinds woke me the next morning, and as I struggled to sit up, I realized I was still wearing all my wet clothes from the night before. I’d fallen asleep before changing, showering, or calling Cooper…

Shit.

I stumbled from the bed and tore out of all my—now just damp—clothes and took a scalding shower, hoping the temperature of the water would kill off any fungus or bacteria lurking in the corners of the old shower stall. I scrubbed frantically at my tangled hair, unknotting it as I worked the conditioner through each section. My hair was unruly on the best of days, but after being plastered in a helmet for several hours and then slept on soaking wet and windblown, it was in rare form. When I finally got free from hair hell, I lathered up the rest, rubbing my tired legs with extra attention, knowing it was only going to get worse. I needed to put in another ten plus hours and I didn’t want to have to stop and spend another night in a motel.

It was going to be the longest day of my life.

When I got out of the shower, my phone was chirping at me and I swallowed a lump in my throat, knowing—without even looking— Cooper was on the other end of the line. And he wasn’t going to be in a good mood. I grabbed the phone on the last ring and reluctantly pressed it to my ear. “Hi.”

Without preamble, the voice on the other line snapped, “Where the hell are you?”

I pressed my eyes closed, hating the sound of panic in his voice, knowing I was the one responsible for putting it there. “Cooper, I’m sorry I couldn’t call last night. My phone died and I got stranded at this motel to wait out the shitty weather.”

My explanation was met with cold silence. I sat down on the bed and absentmindedly continued massaging my legs. “Cooper?”

“I’m here,” he growled.

The man could brood better than anyone I’d ever met before, a trait I somehow found alluring and infuriating—usually at the same time. I sighed. “Listen, I don’t have time for this. I said I’m sorry, and I am. I’m safe, just a little waterlogged.” I went to the window and looked out over the parking lot, breathing a sigh of relief at the sight of Cherry Bomb. “I’m leaving as soon as I get some breakfast and coffee.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to book you a flight?” Cooper asked, his voice releasing the sharp edge.

I smiled. “I’m sure. I talked to my brother last night and my dad is still in recovery, but it sounds like the surgery went well. I should be able to get to the hospital late tonight if I ride all day, and before you interrupt me—” I said, giving just enough force to my voice to make him listen, “—I’ll stop when I need to rest and I won’t do anything stupid. I know my limits, okay?”

“I know you do,” he finally admitted. After everything Cooper and I had gone through, there were two things I knew he knew about me. Number one being I’m a survivor who will always find a way to make it work. And two, I’m too stubborn to back down once I’ve started down a path. “I miss you.”

Even with all the chaos between getting the call and the long, stressful ride, Cooper had never been far from my mind. Hearing him tell me I was missed, made me miss him even more and my heart twisted at his sweet confession. “I miss you too.”

I clicked off the call and hurried to get dressed before wading up my wet clothes and stuffing them to the bottom of my backpack. Luckily, I’d managed to get my jacket dry since I’d set it by the radiator before passing out, and as I shrugged into the warm, soft leather I instantly felt prepared to go out and continue the ride.

“Leaving so soon?” Paul asked as I strode through the door of the lobby. He was leaning against the desk, shoveling generous bites of pie into his mouth. A smile quirked my lips, knowing it was likely a gift from a certain female admirer at the diner. “Check out isn’t until ten, ya know.”

I set the room key on the counter. “Yeah. I know but there’s somewhere I gotta be.”

Paul set down his fork and swiped the key from the counter. “Well you be careful out there. The weather’s supposed to turn on us again.”

I glanced over my shoulder and out the glass doors. The sky was still waking up, but looked calm. Not that it mattered—I couldn’t sit around another day waiting out a storm. The phone call with Ben had gone a long way towards consoling me, but I needed to see my dad with my own eyes before I would fully be able to relax.

“I will. Thanks again,” I said.

Paul gave me his signature head nod as he handed me my receipt. I pivoted on my heel, ready to leave, but shot back one last glance, flicking my gaze to the half eaten piece of pie, and told Paul, “Ask her out to dinner. She’ll say yes.”

Paul’s mouth opened slightly as he reeled for a response, but I just flashed a smile and pushed out the double doors.

Chapter Eight — Allie

Unfortunately, Paul’s warning hadn’t been in vain. The rain started dumping on me less than three hours into my ride. I pushed through, thankful it was daylight and the rain didn’t have such a bone chilling effect on me, as I plowed over miles and miles of highway. The rain slowed my pace and squeezed out every drop of energy I had left in my body.

I reluctantly stopped in Colorado to take a three hour nap at a Best Western. When I woke up, I forced my tired and aching muscles back onto Cherry Bomb to finish the trip. I was ready to collapse, but clung to my bike with my weak legs, and let out a whooping holler to the sky as I crossed the state line into Kansas.

I ignored the temptation to go to my parents’ house to shower and change, and went straight to the hospital instead. My parents’ house sat about a half an hour outside the main city limits. I winced, thinking of how my mom must have felt, speeding towards the hospital once she got the call about the accident. That had to have been the longest car ride of her life…I hated myself for not being there.

When I stopped for gas, I called Ben and got the hospital information, and let him know I’d be there within the hour. Somehow, the last hour, felt more like three, and when the hospital finally came into view, I wondered if it was like seeing a mirage in the desert. I wandered the halls, stopping once to ask for directions, and eventually went down the right hallway and spotted Ben and my mom lingering.

“Allison!” My mom yelled, breaking into a trot as soon as she spotted me. Ben was right on her heels, and within seconds they both had me gripped in a tight embrace. I burst into tears and sagged against them, overwhelmed with thankfulness that I’d made it, and that they were finally within reach.

“Oh honey, you’re soaked through!” My mom said as we all untangled from one another. “Let me get you something from my overnight bag and you can go change.”

I wiped away a streak of tears. “Can I see Daddy first?”

“Of course! Oh honey…” She wrapped her arms around me and held me for another minute. When she finally released me, she kept one arm around my waist and Ben opened the door to the room, letting us both inside. The room was small, but someone had rolled in a cot that was laid out with rumpled sheets next to the bed my dad was lying in. My gaze dragged over all the details of the room, noting the multiple floral arrangements on the counter by the sink, and the cards taped to the mirror, before lifting my eyes to see my dad. I stifled a sob as I took it all in. He was still sleeping, and while he looked peaceful, I was shocked by how he looked small, lying on the hospital bed, amid the careful arrangement of wires and tubes. His hands and arms were covered with bruises, probably from the various IV’s used during the surgeries, and now, to attach him to the machines that hummed and buzzed in the background. Something about seeing my six-foot dad so small in the hospital tugged at my heart and I felt myself misting up again as I just stared at him.

"Is he okay?" I asked, trying to keep the tremble out of my voice.

My mom looked up at me from across the bed, and nodded her head, but I could see the question in her own eyes.

"He's going to be fine, Allie," Ben assured me. He wrapped an arm around my mom and pulled her into his side and squeezed her shoulder. "The doctors and nurses all have positive things to say and they haven't spent that much time hovering, which I can only assume is a good sign."

"Your brother’s right, he'll pull through."

I nodded again and tried to tamp down the guilt that had consumed me since I received my mom's phone call. I hadn't been home in quite a long time and the fact that this is what it took to get me here made me feel like the worst daughter in the world. It didn't matter what Cooper said, I should have been there. When I left home, I'd been running from so many different things, I hadn't stopped to consider what I was leaving behind. My oldest brother, Luke, had left home when he was 18 and I’d seen firsthand how it had affected my parents, but when my time to run came, it didn’t seem to matter. Ben, on the other hand, had stayed nearby, and ran a local auto body shop. As I stared at him across my father's hospital bed, I was silently grateful for the fact he’d stayed close to home and had been able to be by my mom's side since day one of this nightmare.

"Is Luke coming?" I asked, my voice quiet.

My mom looked up at me, tears rimming her eyes, and shook her head no. Ben's face crumpled into an expression that appeared to be a mix between anger and despair. I wanted to ask more—to find out where he was and what his excuse was this time, but the grief on my mom's face silenced me. Ben glanced at me and I knew he’d tell me later, once we were alone. I could only imagine what it was this time. The last time I'd asked about Luke, he’d been working some kind of sales job, and besides sending home generous checks around the holidays, no one had heard much from him. I couldn't imagine he was missing this, even though things seem to be turning around, I couldn't help but wonder what if the outcome had been different? Would he have come if surgery hadn't gone well? Or would he have simply waited until the funeral?

I shuddered at the idea of a funeral, and pushed the dark thought from my mind.

I heard soft footsteps behind me, and automatically took a sidestep—assuming it was a nurse coming to check on my dad. Ben was standing on the opposite side of the bed, next to my mom, and when he caught my attention, he looked over and jerked a nod of his chin towards the door. I turned back to see what he was pointing at, and my heart jumped into my throat at the sight of Cooper crossing the room, balancing three paper coffee cups in his hands. “Here you go, Mrs. Rand.”

“Cooper!” I yelped.

His eyes flew to mine. “Hey baby,” he flashed me a quick smile before continuing across the room to hand off one of the cups to my mom and then to Ben. “When did you get here?”

I sputtered for a few seconds before my words could get traction. “When did I get here? What are you doing here? And when? And how? And why?”

I’d make a riveting journalist.

Cooper smiled in his calm, cool, relaxed way and rounded the foot of the bed. He pulled me into a firm embrace and despite my irritation—and the unanswered questions—my body relaxed and melted against him, soaking in his warmth and strength. He held me for a long minute, before I pulled back a step. “Cooper, what’s going on?”

I shot a glance past his shoulder, in time to catch a small grin between my mom and Ben. How long had they known he was here? How had he introduced himself? A spark of panic flickered in the back of my mind. I hadn’t told my parents—or my brothers—about Cooper. Had he introduced himself as my boyfriend, lover, boss, friend? And what had they said in response?

"You didn't tell us you had a boyfriend," my mom prodded gently.

Well I guess that answered that question.

"It's new," I said, shooting a questioning look in Cooper's direction. He just smiled back and kept a firm hold on my shoulder.

My mom waved a hand, and I knew there were no hard feelings, if anything, the giant smile that had spread across her face tipped me off that Cooper had probably said a little more than I’d ever expected. “Well, I don’t know why you were hiding him, honey. He’s absolutely adorable!” She was practically purring as she beamed over at the two of us standing together.

Before I could think of anything else to say, a nurse entered the room, and after introducing herself to me, shooed us all from the room so she could change my dad's bedding. Cooper grabbed my hand, locking our fingers together, and led me from the room. Out in the hall we all gathered around a cluster of chairs and the three of them sipped nonchalantly at the coffees Cooper had brought.

"Are you serious?" I asked shooting each of them a glance. "Is anyone going to tell me what's going on?"

"What do you mean dear?" My mom replied.

I turned to Cooper, narrowing my eyes in his direction, giving him my best icy stare. "I mean, what are you doing here? You didn't tell me you were coming when we talked on the phone last night."

My mom and Ben dropped their gazes to the floor, studying their shoes for a beat before my mom chimed in, "Ben, darling, why don't we go take a little walk, stretch our legs, maybe get a refill at the coffee shop. Would either of you like anything?"

"No thanks, Mrs. Rand," Cooper replied, flashing another smile in my mom's direction. She gave a small nod and then started down the hallway with Ben following two steps behind. Before they rounded the corner, Ben gave me a last glance and flashed a thumbs-up before disappearing.

"Some welcome," Cooper said, the warmth seeped out of his voice. "I don't feel like you left me with much choice, Allie. If I wanted to know where you were and what was going on, I had to come and find out firsthand."

I crossed my arms, resisting the urge to stamp my feet. "I was on a motorcycle for the last 20 plus hours, I did the very best I could to check in. I'm sorry it wasn't up to your standards, but that doesn't mean you needed to come down here and babysit me."

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize that being with the woman I love during a family crisis would be considered babysitting," Cooper snapped, taking two steps away from me. "Fuck! Allie, what do you want from me? I flew all the way out here on the red eye last night to be here for you as soon as you arrived, to support you, to do whatever you need me to do, and you're treating me like an intrusion."

A new searing of guilt scorched a trail down my spine at the wounded look in his eyes. His face was passive, and I knew from the outside, no one would suspect his true emotions, but his eyes told a different story. They held the truth—and it was heart wrenching. “Cooper, I’m—”

He stopped me, holding up his hand to indicate he was done with the conversation. “Take some time, figure out what you want.” He gave one last considering look at a spot between my eyes, then turned away and went down the hall opposite of the way my mom and Ben had just gone, leaving me alone in the hallway, completely torn in two.

Chapter Nine — Allie

We all stayed at the hospital until a little after six, at which point, my mom insisted we all go back to the house to have some dinner.

“Come on, let’s all go back to the house. Allie, you can shower and get changed and I’ll make us all a proper supper,” she said, standing up from her seat by my dad’s bed.

“Mom, you don’t have to cook,” I protested. “I’m sure that’s the last thing you feel like doing.”

She stopped in the doorway, glancing back at my dad. “Allison, stop being such a worry wart. I’m fine. Besides, I have food in the fridge that needs to be cooked or it’ll go bad, and you know I hate waste.”

The tone of her voice told me there was no room for a debate, so I stood, Cooper and Ben following my lead, and we all shuffled from the room. My mom checked in at the nurse’s station, letting them know she’d be back in a few hours, and then we all went out to the parking lot. Cooper walked a few paces from me, and the space between us ripped my heart out a little more with each step.

“Can I ride with you?” I asked him. “I’m pretty sure my body will mutiny if I even try getting back on Cherry Bomb right now.”

There was a flicker of a smile in his eyes as he nodded.

“We’ll see y’all at the house,” my mom called out to us, leading Ben in the other direction to where her car was parked.

Cooper led me to his rental car—some kind of hulking luxury car—and opened the passenger door for me. I winced as I slid into the seat, every inch of my body sore and worn out from the long ride. When he joined me, I turned and stilled his hands before he turned the key in the ignition. “I’m glad you’re here.”

His dark eyes locked with mine and he gave me a quick kiss before turning the engine over and pulling out of the lot. The ride to my parent’s house was silent, except for my directive cues, but when we stopped in the driveway, he looked over at me again, “There’s nowhere else I would rather be.”

* * * *

When we got inside, my mom already had the house filled with the sounds and smells of cooking. She couldn’t have arrived much more than ten minutes before us, but somehow had managed to prep a whole stack of potatoes, and had some veggies roasting in the oven. “Do you need a hand?” I asked, leaning against the arch that led into the small, but homey kitchen.

My mom glanced over her shoulder, her knife poised mid-chop. “No, no, dear. You go shower and get changed. I put some fresh towels on the bed in your old room. You can both stay in there.”

I blushed at the thought of Cooper and me sharing my childhood bed. It was just one door away from my parents’ room. In high school, I’d made out with my boyfriend on the couch, but had never made it to the bedroom. It was odd to think that Cooper was going to be the first—and maybe only—man I’d ever bring home. Sure, it hadn’t happened exactly how I would’ve planned it—but the point was the same. He was here and had already met my mom and brother Ben…and hopefully soon, he’d meet my dad.

“Are you sure, mom? This looks like a lot of work?” I asked.

“Yes, dear. I’ve got this covered and Ben went out to get some iced tea. Somehow we ran out. But you know you can’t have fried chicken without sweet tea!” She waved her knife in a shooing motion at Cooper and me.

I smiled, my stomach coming alive at the words. “You’re in for a treat,” I told Cooper, pointing at the stove. “My mom apparently makes the best fried chicken you’ll ever eat in your whole life—or so my dad says. I don’t do the chicken thing, but I’m sure you’ll love it!”

“Sounds good to me! The last thing I ate was a bagel sandwich at the airport,” Cooper said with a smile towards my mom—who, I could have sworn flushed slightly. I tugged on his arm and dragged him by the hand down the hall towards my old room.

I stopped short of opening the white door and turned to pin my back against it. “You have to promise you won’t judge me once you see inside this room,” I warned Cooper, my face stern.

He arched an eyebrow and reached past me, trying to grab the doorknob. “This is gonna be good…”

I smacked his hand. “I’m serious, Cooper. This was my room in high school, you know, like a hundred years ago.”

He laughed. “What are you worried about? Is it wallpapered with Backstreet Boys posters or something?”

I glared at him. “No. It’s just…well—” I huffed and flung the door open. I took three short steps into the room and flicked on the bedside lamp, illuminating the dark room. Cooper looked around and I followed the trail his eyes made as they landed on each new item. The walls were painted a dark eggplant color—a hard fought battle with my mom back when I was fourteen—and were littered with so many posters it was almost like a bizarre wallpaper job. In high school, I’d been very into punk music and most of the bands represented in the posters were no longer in existence, just a series of one-hit wonders, or local bands that had blown up pictures of themselves for sale at their concerts or open mic nights to scrape in a little extra cash. I smiled sadly at the fact that the room looked untouched. My parents had obviously been keeping the room clean and free of dust, but everything else looked just as it had when I’d left home.

“Well?” I prompted as Cooper soaked it all in.

He glanced at me and smiled. “It’s different, but I get it,” he said, finally passing his judgment over the space.

I smiled, but then nibbled my lower lip, wondering what he was really thinking. Although it wasn’t who I was anymore, it was a piece of my past, a piece I wasn’t entirely sure he could ever understand. I’d never seen Cooper’s childhood home, not even in pictures, but I imagined it would probably look more or less like a Pottery Barn catalog…not a rebellious teenager’s shrine to bad indie rock music.

“It’s fantastic, Allie. It’s you.”

I didn’t bother correcting him that it used to be me. My tastes had evolved significantly since my high school days.

“I forgot my backpack in the car,” I said, desperate to change the topic.

“I’ll go,” he said, vanishing before I could say anything else.

Alone in the room, it felt smaller, more constricted. I remembered the weekend I’d brought home the can of paint—the weekend after everything had gone to hell—it had been a discount can at the local home improvement store, mixed up by mistake, and the owner had given it to me when he’d caught me admiring the deep color. I’d taken it home, and had been halfway through painting over the existing soft lilac color of the first wall of my bedroom, when my mom had burst in and demanded that I stop. It had been a drawn out battle with my parents, and eventually they gave in and let me paint the rest, since I’d already wrecked the existing paint, but I’d been grounded for a month and had extra chores for even longer as a punishment.

I’d never told them why I’d wanted it dark like that. And I knew I never would.

I shoved aside all the memories and regrets and distracted myself by stalking into the attached bathroom and stripping off my clothes as the shower water heated up. I slipped past the shower curtain into the shower/tub combo a second before the door swung open and Cooper appeared.

“I’m almost done,” I called out, hurrying to wet my hair. I didn’t know why, but I needed space to breath, and sharing a room—let alone a shower stall—with Cooper would be more than I could handle. At least, at the moment.

The shower curtain pushed back and Cooper—in his entire naked splendor—stepped in to join me. “What’s the hurry?” He asked, a delicious grin spreading across his face. He lowered his mouth to nibble on my wet shoulder, but I jerked away.

“I have to go help with dinner.”

He clenched his jaw, and the irritation radiated off of him. I scrubbed a handful of shampoo through my tangled hair, ignoring the pain as I tugged at the strands. He reached for me, gripping his hands on my hips, and pressed me against the wall. “What’s wrong?” He demanded, his mouth stern, his eyes dark and searing.

“Nothing. I just need some space, that’s all,” I said, looking down between our two naked bodies, unable to hold his penetrating glare.

“Space?” He breathed, almost like a hollow chuckle. “Allie, you just spent two days on a solo motorcycle ride. How much more space could you possible need? What’s really going on?”

“Nothing,” I insisted, trying to sidestep out of his arms.

He firmed his grip on my hips. “Talk to me, Allie. Tell me why you’re pushing me away.”

I looked up, meeting his eyes again, and saw a flash of pain behind his dark stare as our eyes locked. My heart twisted in my chest and I wanted to tell him everything, but something was stopping me. “I’m just tired, that’s all, okay? I’m tired and sore and worried and stressed. That two day ride wasn’t exactly a vacation, you know? I was windblown, soaked to the bone, cold, and miserable the entire fucking time!”

“I know, baby, and I’m sorry about that. I wish you would have let me put you on a plane,” he said, his voice soft as he ran his finger along my jaw line.

I shook him off and glared up at him. “I know, Cooper. I should have taken a plane, should move in with you, should quit my job and just spend my days shopping and lunching or whatever the hell it is rich bitches do. You always know best, don’t you? You have all the answers to how I should be living my life, right?”

Cooper’s head pulled back, away from mine, only a fraction of an inch, but it was like I’d slapped him. “That’s what you think this is about? Me trying to prove something?”

“I think you’re unhappy because I don’t act like the perfect little debutante girlfriend and swoon every time you step in to fix my problems. I think the fact that I’m stubborn and do things my own way drives you insane and you keep trying to stuff me back into some mold I just don’t fit into.”

From the fire in his eyes, I knew he was preparing a retort, but I stepped around him, carefully setting my feet to not slip on the slick tub floor, and pushed past the curtain. I wrapped up in a towel and left the bathroom, shutting the door hard behind me. I dressed in record breaking speed and didn’t bother drying my hair before slipping downstairs to set the table for dinner.

Half an hour later, we were all gathered around the table. Everyone else dug into my mom’s fried chicken, and I loaded my plate with mashed potatoes, cole slaw, and tray of roasted veggies.

The tension between Cooper and I was still there, like a live wire, sparking and zinging through the air, but if Ben and my mom could feel it too, they did a helluva job covering it up. Thankfully, they carried the conversation for the meal, and although I remained locked in the same tense, frustrated mood, everyone else appeared at ease. Even Cooper, who charmed and smiled his way through as my mom told him the history of the small town, local gossip, and even about how she and my dad had met twenty five years ago. At the end of that story, she got a little misty, and abruptly got up and started clearing the table since everyone had stopped eating some time before.

Cooper and Ben hopped up to help, and I piled up the remainder and joined them in the kitchen. My mom shooed us from the kitchen as she filled up the deep sink.

“Mom, please, let me help,” I pleaded with her, grabbing for a sponge.

She sucked in a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Thank you honey, but please, go be with Cooper. I need a few minutes alone.” She looked over at me and through her glistening tears, offered a sad, half-smile.

I nodded silent understanding and set the sponge down. When I left the kitchen, Ben and Cooper were nowhere to be seen. I wrapped my arms around my waist, as though I could keep my stomach from churning. The dinner had been mouthwatering, and I’d eaten way too much, a choice I was now regretting as my full stomach mixed with my unsettled emotions.

Chapter Ten — Allie

I wasn’t ready to face Cooper yet, and I also knew trying to sleep would be pointless. My body was exhausted, but my mind had never been more awake, rumbling with thoughts and worries, so I went outside to get some fresh air. The porch light was on, and when I stepped onto the porch, I saw Ben sitting on the front porch swing, staring out over the yard. He didn’t look up when I opened the front door, and when I sat down on the porch swing next to him, he jolted.

“Sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to scare you. Is it okay if I stay here for a little while?”

He nodded and then looked back where he’d been staring before. I took a deep breath, releasing it slowly as the swing rocked us gently back and forth. When it stilled, I looked over at my brother and sighed, “I hate to even have to ask this question, but where’s Luke?”

Ben’s jaw clenched. “I called him as soon as I got the call from Mom, he didn’t answer—” I scoffed. “—and when he finally got around to returning my voicemail, the next day, he claimed that he’s tied up at some work conference and couldn’t get away.”

“Asshat,” I mumbled under my breath.

Ben nodded in silent agreement. “Basically. I kept thinking I’d get a call or text or something saying he’d changed his mind, and he was on the way after all, but nothing. Radio silence. I’ve texted him every time there’s been an update, so I mean, he knows what’s going on at least.”

I squeezed Ben’s hand. “That’s good. More than I would probably have done.”

Ben didn’t say anything, but kept a hold of my hand as he pushed off the deck and sent us rocking again. It was dark outside and the street was a murky black, only faintly illuminated by the single street light at the four way stop down the road. I wondered how many times Ben and I had sat just like this over the years. We’d always been fairly close, especially bonded in the times when Luke was out of control and battling with our parents. I’d always been a little bit of a wild child, but Luke consistently made me look like an angel, by comparison. I might have died my hair every color of the rainbow and had too many holes in my skin according to my parents and their friends, but I’d never done half the shit Luke had over his high school years. It really was a miracle he hadn’t landed in jail. Among the things that could have been on his rap sheet—shop lifting, underage drinking, street racing, vandalism, trespassing…and I didn’t want to know what else.

Ben, on the other hand, was the light to Luke’s dark. He was a straight A student, lead baritone in the school choir, didn’t have any ink or piercings, dated nice, pretty girls who kept their legs shut till marriage, and was always willing to help out anyone in town when they needed him. From the outside, it was a wonder we’d managed to stay as closely knit as we did, considering how much of a golden boy he’d been. In the past, it had always been something I’d used for ammo in my relentless teasing of him and his straight laced tendencies, but as we sat there, swinging in silence, I was simply grateful to have him beside me. I couldn’t imagine facing this alone.

“So, tell me about Cooper,” Ben said, breaking through the melancholy silence. He glanced over at me with a crooked smile and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“What would you like to know?” I asked, grinning as I tucked my feet up underneath me. The night air was biting through my thin pajama pants, and I buried my toes under Ben’s thigh for extra warmth.

“Anything, really. He showed up this morning with a huge bag of snacks and drinks for us and helped us all day with whatever we needed, but he didn’t say much, other than to let us know that y’all are together.”

I smiled, running through the mental image of the scene Ben painted with his words, but it faded quickly as I remembered how awful I’d been to Cooper as soon as we’d gotten alone. I hadn’t even said thank you…I pinched my eyes closed for a moment, hating myself for my knee jerk reaction. God, when had I turned into such a bitch?

“It’s kind of a long story, which sounds ridiculous since we really haven’t been together all that long. Let’s see, Reader’s Digest version, he was a client when I was working at an ad agency. He got me a job at his company, Brighton Enterprises, when I was wrongfully terminated from the ad agency. And, I don’t know, one thing kind of led to another, and a few months ago, we decided to pursue our relationship.”

“Well, I know you didn’t ask for it, but you got your big brothers stamp of approval, Al. He seems like a really stand up guy,” Ben offered, smiling over at me.

I held his gaze, seeing so much of my father’s features reflected back at me. “I’m sorry I’ve been so out of the loop since I left.”

Ben looked away, the smile dropping from his lips. He nodded into the darkness, as though gathering his thoughts, before looking back at me. “I get it, Allie. I do. Growing up here was tough for you and I’m sure that it’s a lot easier to sever the ties and not have to think about all of it too much.”

I was thankful he’d left the details unspoken. “It’s easier, but that doesn’t mean I don’t miss you, and mom and dad.” My voice was so soft—my words barely a whisper, almost spoken more to myself than to Ben. He didn’t say anything else, but gave my hand, that was still clasped in his, an extra squeeze.

* * * *

Cooper was lying on the bed, his back propped up against the mountain of pillows my mom had laid out for us. He held a book in his hands, but his eyes were closed and his head was back against the upholstered headboard. Relief flooded over me as I closed the door as softly as possible, and began tiptoeing across the room towards the bathroom, making it halfway there before he jerked awake. “What time is it?” He asked, orientating himself.

“I don’t know, eight or nine, probably.” I grabbed my backpack and dug to the bottom for the pair of pajama pants and tank top I’d packed. I slipped into the bathroom and changed behind the door. When I reappeared, Cooper was staring at me, still lying back on the bed. “I can sleep downstairs,” I offered. “The couch pulls out.”

“Why would you do that?” Cooper snapped, sitting up all the way.

I picked at the lace edge of the tank top, tugging it down to cover the sliver of skin that was exposed. “Because this feels weird right now. I don’t know what to say to you.”

Cooper took a deep breath and then set aside the book that was in his lap and patted a spot on the bed. “Come here.”

My feet were anchored in place. “We need to talk about this, Cooper.”

“What do you think I’m trying to do?” He asked, an edge of frustration creeping into his tone.

I rolled my eyes. “Let’s just say, you have a habit of solving arguments with sex.”

To my surprise, he chuckled under his breath. “Come here, Allie.”

I threw my hands in the air and then crossed over and sat where he gestured. I tucked my legs underneath me and faced him, taking a moment to study his face. In some weird way, it was like seeing him for the first time in a long time. Life had been so crazy lately we hadn’t had much time to really connect and just be. “I’m sorry about being bitchy to you at the hospital. When I first got there and saw you, I was shocked, but also really, really happy. The fact that you left the office and came all the way over here just for me means a lot to me, and I’m sorry I didn’t express that.” I paused, fidgeting with my fingers, unsure of how to bring up the next thing I knew I needed to address. I looked up into Cooper’s expectant face, as though he knew I was brewing something else. “As for the shower stuff, I don’t know. I was upset about a lot of things. I’m still figuring out where that all came from.”

Cooper took my hands in his, stilling the nervous wiggling, and pulled them into his lap. “Allie, I want you to be happy. That’s it. What is it that you want?”

I nibbled the corner of my lip, considering what he’d asked. There were so many possible answers to a seemingly simple question. I wanted my dad to wake up and be okay. I wanted my brother Luke to stop being such a douche-bag. I wanted things to go back the way they were when Cooper and I had first got together. The last thing on the list was the hardest to explain, mostly because I couldn’t pinpoint exactly where things had gone off the rails, all I knew was that things had shifted and it was easier to disengage than it was to try and untangle it all.

“Allie, what do you want? I need to know,” Cooper repeated. His voice was firm, but gentle.

“I want to stop fighting and go back to being us.”

Cooper smiled and pulled me against his chest. He swiped back a stray section of my hair and tucked it behind my ear as my cheek rested on his chest, letting the steady sound of his heart still my own. “That’s what I want too, baby.”

I smiled slightly and basked in the warmth from the spark of hope that sprung to life. It was almost as though I hadn’t fully realized how much I’d missed him, until I was tucked so firmly in his arms again, breathing in his familiar scent, and letting his strength and confidence soak into my skin.

He held me for a long time, both of us relaxing into each other, neither feeling the need for words.

After a while, he shifted, pulling me with him further onto the bed. He leaned down, running his lips along the edge of my jaw line, and my body roared to life. “Now, let’s get to doing what we do best. Hot make up sex,” Cooper growled into my ear.

I laughed, but the sound quickly turned to a low moan as his fingers slipped under the edge of my tank top and teased the pillow soft curves of my cleavage. I covered my mouth, stifling the sound as I remembered—with a flash of embarrassment— my mom and brother could be nearby.

“Cooper—my—family—” He ignored my soft protests, and found the edge of my nipple that was already hard with desire, and I hissed in a gasp of pleasure as my entire body lit on fire at his skilled fingertips.

“Go lock the door, then get your fine ass back over here,” Cooper said, his voice low and seductive.

I giggled and jumped up to go flick the lock on the doorknob. I turned back and watched as he stood and pulled his shirt off, over his head with a single swipe. I’d seen him in the buff a hundred times, and yet, every time he had a way of taking my breath away. I let my eyes linger over every perfectly carved inch, and sucked in a breath as my stomach turned and flipped over. A series of shivers burst into full on fireworks as he unbuttoned the fly on his jeans and began pushing the denim down, lower and lower, revealing the v-lines on either side that I knew led to his magnificently perfect cock. I stared as he shucked off the jeans and kicked them aside. He was still wearing his navy blue boxer briefs, but they did little to hide his arousal.

“Hey, baby, this isn’t a party for one, your turn,” he said, jutting his chin in my direction before flashing a devilish smile that was dripping with suggestion. “Take it off. Every, last, thing.”

I slipped my thin tank top over my head and let it slide down to the floor in slow motion as Cooper watched me, loving the way his eyes went wide and dark. No matter how many times he had me, he always had a way of making me feel like it was the first time, he never rushed and always soaked in every inch of my body, making me forget my flaws and imperfections. He had a way of making me see myself through his eyes, and it was like getting drunk on power and desire when he looked at me with those eyes.

I imitated his earlier performance as I stepped out of my pajama pants, and spun a little so he could see the black lace boyshort panties I’d been hiding underneath.

“Niiiice,” he said, throwing me a wink. “More. I need more. Allie, baby, let me see you.”

I flashed him a naughty smile and took extra time unclasping the lacy plum colored bra before slipping the straps down my arms, freeing one, and then the other, all the while keeping the cups clasped to my chest, hiding my breasts just long enough to drive him crazy. When I finally dropped the lacy garment aside, revealing myself to him, he groaned and crossed the room, sweeping me into a deep, hot kiss. He devoured me with his lips and tongue, leaving me panting and breathless all at once.

“You didn’t let me finish my striptease,” I giggled, when he finally let me catch my breath.

He looked down into my eyes. “I thought I’d give you a hand…”

“Mmm. That works for me,” I answered, smiling at him. I loved the way he made my heart palpitate and my pussy clench with anticipation. He picked me up easily and carried me to the bed. He tossed me gently and I landed with a soft squeal as he lowered himself to me and began a series of slow, hot, kisses along the side of my neck. He worked his way over my collarbone, teasing and sculpting every inch with the tip of his tongue. I arched my back against the bed, the rest of my body screaming for attention. His mouth found my breasts, lavishing every inch with soft kisses, before teasing my tight nipples. He nipped at the sensitive flesh and I bit back a loud moan. Cooper slid down my body, his own brushing lightly against my skin, until his mouth was hovering over the thin layer that separated us. His breath was hot and scorched through my panties. I squirmed and reached for the elastic waist, desperate to remove the final barrier to the pleasure I knew Cooper could deliver, but he stopped my hands and pinned them at my sides, letting his mouth be the only thing touching me.

He teased my navel and the soft skin below with his lips, dragging them down, but stopping just short. I sucked in a sharp breath and arched my hips.

“Cooper,” I sighed. “Please, baby, it’s been so long.”

He released my hands and I dug them into his thick, dark hair, barely resisting the urge to press his face against my throbbing pussy. “Look at me,” Cooper said, his voice low and husky.

I opened my eyes and found him staring up at me, his mouth just at the edge of my panties. I watched as he ran his hands down the insides of my thighs, and then slipped his finger under the lace trim. I gasped and arched back.

“Keep your eyes open, Allie. I want to watch you. I want to see your face when you come.”

I did as he asked, and although my body was shuddering and bucking as he began a smooth, pulsing rhythm with his fingers between my lips, I kept my eyes locked with his, each of us finding a mirror of our own excitement in the other’s face. I arched back, ready to come, but he stopped me short and I sagged back to the bed, my body flooded with pulsing waves of need. He stripped the panties from me, leaving me naked in front of him. I kept my eyes trained on him as he inspected me, watching him take in every inch of my body.

Then, ever so slowly, he spread me open and lowered his mouth to me, immediately taking my clit between his lips. I gasped and my entire body went rigid and my eyes went wide. Cooper lifted his eyes and I nearly came all over his face at the intensity that passed between us with that simple contact.

He twirled his lips around my throbbing clit, each tug taking me closer and closer to explosion. When I bucked back, he slipped his wet fingers deep inside me and stroked the tender spot along the wall, throwing me into another realm entirely. My body was still trembling and shuddering with release when he stood from his knees and stripped off his underwear, freeing his rock hard cock. I stared unabashedly at his perfect body, my stomach flipping over as he neared again. I spread my legs wide for him, begging him to enter me, and with a wicked smile, he did just that. All it took was one firm thrust, and my body instantly conformed, as though it had memorized the shape and feel of his cock. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that my body was made for Cooper’s delight, and that his had been made for mine. We were a perfect fit and the rhythm we found together was more incredible than anything I could have ever imagined.

He pulsed deeper and deeper, pulling my thighs tighter around his hips as he sank in. When I had my heels locked behind him, he reached between us and played with my clit, rolling it between his fingertips as he thrust into me over and over again. I arched back, my body getting tighter and tighter with each pulse. “Cooper,” I moaned, before gritting my teeth to keep from screaming out his name as he brought me to the edge again. He thickened inside of me and I bit my lip hard, the pain mixing with the pleasure, as we built to a final rush together.

He finished inside of me and I clung to him as he came to rest beside me, our breathing in ragged gasps and pants. I brushed away a stray hair that was stuck to his forehead, slick with his sweat. “God, I hate it when you’re right,” I said when I finally could manage words.

Cooper pulled back slightly and arched a brow.

“These things are best solved with sex,” I explained, matching his wicked smile.

Chapter Eleven — Cooper

Allie’s dad woke up the next afternoon, and after a brief introduction, I left her and her family to have some private time and went back to the house. Back in Allie’s room, the memories of the night before rushed back to me, filling me with a mixture of emotions. The harsh comments she’d made during our argument in the shower were still haunting me, and even though we’d come together for an explosive night of passion after she’d apologized, the words wouldn’t get out of my head—and neither did the feelings they’d evoked.

Perhaps the most chilling of all, was the small seed of doubt. I would deny her accusations all day long, and say whatever it was I thought would reassure her of my feelings for her, but somewhere in the back of my mind, there was now a nagging voice asking if maybe there wasn’t some truth to what she’d said. Since the moment I’d seen Allie—and definitely from the first conversation with her—I’d known she was a firecracker. She wasn’t afraid of anything—at least, that’s how it looked from the outside—and never backed down from a challenge. Her rough and tumble personality had been such a huge turn on, making the chase to get her even more exhilarating, but now…in what I hoped would be a long term relationship, I was struggling to see how our strong personalities would ever fully co-exist with each other. Would it always be this way? A constant source of tension and frustration? I couldn’t imagine my life without her. I didn’t even want to try. But, at the same time, as it was, were we really happy? Could you have a happily ever after without the happy?

Granted, in terms of relationships, this was my first real attempt to be with a woman for more than a week, so who was I to judge? In all my wild oats years, I’d apparently lost all grip on what is, and therefore isn’t, normal. If there was such a thing.

I went for a long run, taking in the sights of the small town, many of them familiar because of Allie’s mother’s animated descriptions from dinner the night before. When I returned to the house, I was drenched with sweat, but the thoughts and worries were all there waiting for me as soon as I went back to Allie’s room.

I took a quick shower and threw on a pair of gym shorts before sitting down on the edge of the bed and dialing Angela’s number. She answered on the second ring with a chirpy “Hey big bro!”

I smiled, thankful for the warmth and energy in her voice. After months of seeing her weak and beat down with disease, it was nearly enough to bring tears to my eyes to have her happy and healthy again, sounding like her old self. “Hey Angie, whatcha up to?”

“I’m actually going on an audition this afternoon,” she exclaimed.

My smile froze in place. “Oh, wow. Congrats,” I said, trying to infuse an air of enthusiasm I didn’t quite feel. Even though she sounded like her old self, she was still recovering, and I didn’t want anything to upset her miraculous progress.

“Jeeze, try to sound a little happier about it,” Angela scoffed. “It’s a small role, but I really like the script, and I think it would be the perfect project to get me back in the game.”

I hesitated, I’d really called her to talk about Allie and get her advice, but since the conversation had been started, I knew I needed to tell her my thoughts. “I’m happy for you, Angie. I just want to make sure you don’t get in over your head and have a setback. You know how it gets, even on small sets, it’s long, relentless hours with little to no down time and it gets hard to find time for things like working out, eating right, and all the things that are essential to you making a full recovery.”

“Coop, I know you’re worried, and I appreciate it. You’ve been by my side for everything, and I know you’re just being protective big brother, but you have to trust me and let me figure things out for myself. I know my body and I know what I’m capable of. It’s just an audition. If I get the part, it will still be months away before I start filming.”

Her tone was soft, and her words gentle, but for some reason, it triggered the memories of the argument with Allie. Some of the things she was saying were almost the same as what Allie had said. “Fair enough,” I replied, sinking back further on the bed.

“How are things over there? How’s Allie holding up?” Angela asked, her voice filled with concern. I’d called her before boarding the plane to let her know I’d be out of town for a while and had been keeping her updated via text messages since landing in Kansas.

I caught her up on the day’s events, leaving out the argument with Allie from the night before. I wanted her advice, but wasn’t sure how to explain it all to her.

“That’s great that he’s awake! I bet Allie feels so much better. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to lose a parent,” her voice trailed off. “Cooper, I’m sorry, that was a stupid thing for me to say. Obviously, you’ve been through this too,” she said, an edge of panic in her voice.

“It’s okay, don’t worry about it,” I assured her. As my half sister, we shared our mother, and she still had her father in her life, although he and our mom had divorced years ago.

“How are you holding up?”

“I’m all right, I haven’t really thought much about losing Dad,” I answered. It was the truth. The circumstances under which I lost my dad were much different and didn’t have a lot of cross points that would trigger memories. I still missed my father all the time—especially when business dealings got dicey and I wished he was there to ask for advice. I often wondered what he’d think of the things I’d done with the company he’d spent his life building.

“Well, that’s good, I guess. You know I’m always here to talk when you need me,” Angela said.

I took a deep breath, it was now or never. “You know, there is something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Of course!” She almost sounded surprised. It wasn’t often I asked anyone for advice, and I definitely had never asked anyone for relationship advice.

I blew out the breath I’d been holding and launched into the explanation of the argument with Allie, recapping the conversation to Angela.

“Yikes,” she said when I tapered off.

“That bad, huh?” I shifted, pushing off the bed and beginning to pace the room.

“No, no, that’s not what I meant. It just sounds like there are a lot of different issues that all came out at once, which is never a good thing. Were you guys having problems before Allie found out about her dad?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. She was really stressed with all the legal issues, and work has been really busy, I guess we haven’t connected in a while, but I thought everything was more or less heading in the right direction. I mean, I was having some crazy thoughts, you know, about the future.”

“Crazy how?” Angela asked.

I hesitated, suddenly wishing I’d left that part out. I didn’t need Angela getting too excited before anything had even been decided. “Well, I was thinking about the long term, the things I want to do with her, the places I want to go, things I want to see and experience. The idea of marriage was definitely there.”

“Was?”

I sighed and raked my free hand through my hair. “Is? I don’t know. I love her, Angie, I really do. I can’t lose her, but if she’s not happy with me…I don’t want her to feel like she has to be something she’s not or try to fit into some mold of what she thinks I want. If she changes herself for me, she’ll hate me later, and I couldn’t deal with that.”

“So, let me ask you this, do you want her to change? I know you love her, but sometimes that’s not enough. You know I think the world of Allie and I love the two of you together. I think you’re good for each other. But, is there maybe some truth to what she’s saying? Do you want some Stepford wife?”

“No!”

“Then you need to tell her that. Cooper, I love you, but let’s be honest, you’re more than a little bit of a control freak. Most of the time, it seems like Allie’s handled that well and has taken it all in stride, but with everything else piled on top of her, it sounds like she’s feeling suffocated. You need to show her that you love her just like she is, and that you’re not looking for her to contort herself into anything else. If she needs more time before she can give up her apartment and move in with you, then let her. If she wants to ride her bike instead of hopping on a private plane, let her.”

“But that doesn’t make any sense to me. Why does she want to stay in her cracker-jack box apartment when she could live in a penthouse? Why would she want to ride her bike across three states when she could be there in a few hours on a luxury plane? I’m only trying to make her life better—easier!”

“It doesn’t necessarily matter why, Cooper. You can’t question every decision she makes. Come on, you’d freak the hell out if you had someone questioning your every move and thought! Remember that you fell in love with her because of her unique, feisty spirit, so enjoy it, and stop trying to tamp it down. I know you mean well and only want to help her and spoil her, but I don’t think she can see it that way right now.”

Angela’s advice hit me square in the chest and I nodded along. Growing up, my parents had always given us the best of everything, and less than the best was looked down upon. With Allie, I’d been treating her life choices as second rate, and even though it hadn’t been out of malice, I could see where making her feel she was settling for second best, when it came to things she loved and treasured, was not acceptable. “Thanks Angie. You’re the best. Now, go knock ‘em dead at that audition!”

“Thanks Cooper. Send my love to Allie.”

“I will. Thanks again.”

We hung up and as I set the phone down on the bed, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my chest. It was easier to breath and my mood was lighter than it had been in days. I debated going back to the hospital—not wanting to be apart from Allie for even another minute—but in the end, decided to give them more time alone as a family.

* * * *

By the time Allie and her family arrived home, they were all more relaxed and happy. Being there the moment her father had stirred and opened his eyes, seeing his family for the first time since the accident, was a moment I knew I’d never forget. I was in the kitchen, returning the favor her mother had given the night before, by plating a spread of food. Allie rounded the corner and my heart nearly stopped at the broad, beaming smile on her face.

“Hey!” I greeted as she sailed across the kitchen. I set down the container I was emptying onto a large serving platter, and took her into my arms. She popped up on her toes and pressed a kiss to my lips. “How’s he doing?”

“Amazing!” She exclaimed.

Her mother joined us in the kitchen. “What’s all this?” She asked, looking at the containers of food.

“You were so kind to serve us dinner last night, I thought tonight I’d take care of it,” I explained. “I’m not much of a chef, but I’m pretty good at ordering in.”

Allie’s mom ran a comforting hand across my back and shot a knowing look at Allie. “I’m telling you, Allie, you found a prince! Thank you, Cooper. This looks wonderful!”

I nodded and bit back a laugh as Allie looked over at me. “I swear, in her head, she’s already picking out wedding dresses!”

“Is that such a terrible thing?” Her mom asked, shrugging before leaving us alone in the kitchen.

I cut a glance over at Allie, trying to read her mind. Thinking back to my confession to Angela, about having my own thoughts of marriage, I couldn’t help but wonder what she’d think about that idea? Was marriage something she wanted down the line? With me? We’d never talked about it, and a sharp sting reminded me how little we still knew about each other. Before I could ask her, she pressed a kiss to my cheek, “Thank you for doing this, Cooper. Really.”

Allie washed her hands at the kitchen sink and then turned back to help me finish plating everything. We worked shoulder by shoulder as she recounted the conversation with the doctor. “—so, it looks like he could be released tomorrow if this continues.”

“That’s great,” I smiled over at her.

She returned the smile, but then it faded slightly. “There is one thing though…”

My heart jumped into my throat.

“He’s going to need a lot of care for the first few weeks, or even months, as he works on recovering all the way. My mom can’t take much more time away from work and someone needs to be here around the clock…”

“That’s not a problem,” I jumped in. “We’ll hire the best of the best and make sure he has someone here twenty four, seven.”

Allie’s face fell. “That’s not exactly what I had in mind.”

“What do you mean?”

She turned towards me and took my hand. “I meant me. I told my parents I’d move back home.”

At her words, everything inside me welled up, ready to lay out a hundred reasons why that was the wrong decision and present her with a list of other options, but the conversation with Angela was fresh in my mind, her advice ringing in my ears, as I forced a smile on my face, and told Allie, “That sounds even better.” Even though the idea of her moving back to Kansas ripped my heart into a million tiny shreds.

Chapter Twelve — Allie

Cooper flew back to LA the following morning after a final visit with my dad at the hospital. I knew work was stacking up and he couldn’t possibly stay forever, but sending him off at the airport turned out to be harder than I’d imagined. He’d promised to fly back as soon as possible to visit—but I knew the reality was work would probably keep him busy for at least a couple of weeks. As the CEO, it wasn’t something easy he could put on the back burner for a weekend, at least not in Cooper’s world. He was much too involved for that to ever work.

Two weeks flew by, and with each day, my life in LA was beginning to feel more and more like some kind of dream I’d cooked up. My life with Cooper seemed especially far away. I missed him like crazy, even though we talked at least once a day and kept things alive with spicy pictures and text messages. I didn’t regret my decision to stay and care for my dad, but the trade off was steep.

Caring for my dad was getting easier every day, and we had a home nurse come to deal with the medical needs, but it was my job to entertain him, make sure he took his medicine on time, and had enough to eat. I was working on convincing him to go vegan, but that was an uphill battle. He was mostly in good spirits and we’d had a chance to reconnect as father and daughter in a special way that made it easier to stay, even though I missed Sam, Cooper, my friends, and my job.

On my mom’s day off from work, she insisted on taking my dad to physical therapy, in order to give me the day off, leaving me alone at the house with nothing to do. I’d called Cooper twice, but had been forced to leave voicemails. I knew he’d call me back as soon as he got free, but the disappointment still stung. I was about to go out for a walk to get my mind off of everything, when my phone rang. I smiled when I saw Hannah’s name on the screen and immediately answered the call. “You have no idea how happy I am that you called just now!”

“Happy to help! How’s it going over there?”

I sighed and folded my legs up under me on the couch. “It’s okay, I guess. My dad’s doing great, and that’s what really matters. I just miss LA.”

“Missing your man, huh?” Hannah said, an edge of gentle teasing in her voice.

“Well obviously!” I said, laughing with her.

“Sooo…spill! What’s it like dating a billionaire?” Hannah squealed.

“Well it’s not all pricey champagne and first class travel, if that’s what you’re thinking!” I answered with a laugh. In truth, I’d never worked harder than since meeting Cooper, but that was how I preferred it. I didn’t want to be kept and locked away in a tower somewhere, even if the tower was plated with gold and fully air conditioned. “Honestly, most of the time I forget he even has that much money.”

“Oh right, listen, I’ve seen some of the jewelry he’s bought you. It’s pretty freaking obvious to the rest of us that he’s loaded.”

I laughed and knew I couldn’t defend that. Cooper did like to spoil me with nice things. “True, but right now I miss him, not the stuff he can buy me. I guess, I’m feeling kind of torn. I want to be here to help out, and seeing my family and getting that back on track has been really good for me. I’m feeling a lot more grounded, and not so tangled up in hurt from the past, but at the same time, I feel so out of place here. There isn’t much grace for a tattooed, biker chick in a small town like this. I can’t really go anywhere without attracting a bunch of attention, even though people know who I am, which is super annoying. And without a job, it’s isolating. I mean, I spend most of my days cooking for my dad and watching re-runs of old sitcoms on TV with him.”

“So, what are you gonna do? Are you going to come home?”

I chewed my lip. “Probably in a few weeks. Cooper’s coming to visit this weekend so I’ll talk to him and see what he thinks. Right now he’s been so busy with work, I don’t want to burden him with anything else.”

Hannah sighed. “Allie, you’re not burdening him by talking about your problems or expressing your thoughts. Listen, I know you’re the tough, independent, don’t need nobody chick, but he’s your boyfriend, he’s supposed to be the one you do life with. Right?”

“I guess you’re right. The idea is just so foreign to me. Like you said, I’m used to doing it all on my own.”

“I know, and I admire you for that, but even strong people need a break sometimes, you know? I mean, if you guys get married, are you just going to keep two separate lives? He has his problems, you have yours, and that’s it?”

“I guess not,” I agreed quietly. Hannah quickly changed the topic and started rambling on about the newest guy she’d met at the club and hooked up with, easily filling the hour before my parents got home for dinner.

When I went to sleep that night—after a particularly hot sexting session with Cooper—Hannah’s advice came back to me and I wondered why it was so easy for me to share certain parts of myself and my life with Cooper, but not others? By now, he’d seen me at my best and my worst, so what was I afraid of?

I couldn’t figure it out, but I knew I needed to find the answer before we’d ever be able to move on, into the next phase of our relationship…whatever that might be.

Chapter Thirteen — Allie

As promised, Cooper arrived late Friday night, but he was worn out from the weeks of cramming work in to catch up, and after a short, but hot, session in the shower, we both passed out. When we woke up on Saturday morning, we had a nice, hearty breakfast with my parents, and then Cooper took me out for the big adventure he’d been teasing me about for the past week. We’d been driving for a little while and I couldn’t help but laugh at the role reversal as Cooper pointed out shops and landmarks along the way, as though I’d never seen them before. It was obvious he’d done his homework and wanted to impress me with his newfound knowledge of my home turf.

“What’s so funny?” Cooper asked while I stifled a giggle.

I waved a hand at him. “Nothing, it’s nothing. I just think it’s funny that this is my hometown and you’re being the tour guide.”

“Aha. Well, I’m the man, after all, it’s my job to plan dates.”

I smiled, relishing his sentiment. It was sweet that after being together for several months, he was still trying. I didn’t have a lot of experience to draw from, but I was pretty sure that in the past, after the first two or three dates, it all kinda turned into eating at chain restaurants once a week and Netflix binge sessions in lieu of actual dates. I thought back to my conversation with Hannah a few days before and couldn’t help but wonder if it was a side effect of dating a billionaire, or if things were just different because Cooper was Cooper. Somehow I knew that even if he worked at a fast food joint, he’d find a way to take me out and spoil me—albeit on a much, much smaller scale.

I pulled out of my thoughts long enough to see that I no longer recognized the surroundings out the window. “Where are we?” I asked as Cooper turned down a long gravel driveway. I craned around in my seat to get as full of view as possible from the passenger seat. “Is this like a dude ranch?”

Cooper laughed. “I’m pretty sure it’s a regular ranch, then again, maybe I’m not qualified to truly know what makes a ranch a dude ranch.”

“You know what I mean. They have horses and shit?”

“Well, they have horses, so I’m sure there’s a lot of shit too!” Cooper’s laughter roared even louder and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes and join in.

“You’re ridiculous. I think all the country air’s gone to your head.”

He shrugged, his eyes still sparkling with amusement. “Come on, Kansas Girl, let’s go.”

I pushed out of the car and as I was rounding the hood, asked, “Is this new nickname a negotiable thing? I’m not sure I’m in love with ‘Kansas Girl’.”

Cooper tossed me a smile and took my hand. “I know I am.”

He led me down the rest of the drive, like he’d walked it a hundred times before, and we ended up in front of a small log cabin. Cooper was about to take a step onto the small porch, when a man wearing jeans, a flannel shirt, and a cowboy hat poked his head from the side of the house and gestured over to us. “Hey y’all, come on over. I’m just getting your mounts ready for ya.”

“Mounts?” I asked Cooper. “We’re going to ride horses?”

He nodded. “Yes, now, no more questions. This was supposed to be a surprise, remember?”

“Right.” I laughed and followed him around the corner where the man was standing with two gorgeous horses.

“Afternoon, Cooper and…Allie, I assume?” We both nodded in confirmation and he stuck out a hand, “I’m Logan, nice to meet y’all. Have either one of y’all ever rode before?”

We both shook our heads. Logan smiled, “No problem. Let me show y’all the basics and then you guys can take off.”

The idea of taking off when neither of us had ridden before made me a little nervous, but Cooper gave a confident smile and I relaxed. By the time Logan had us up on the horses, I was at a five on a scale of one to ten, but Cooper looked like he’d been riding his entire life. His posture was perfect, and he just looked…sexy as hell.

After a crash course on horseback riding, Logan sent us on our way, and Cooper took the lead, letting his horse walk a few feet in front of mine until we were out in a field and we could walk the animals side by side. As we rode, we caught up on the goings on at Brighton Enterprises, my dad’s progress, and Cooper entertained me with stories of Sam’s antics since he’d moved into Cooper’s penthouse. It sounded like the two were forming quite the bromance. After a couple of hours, we stopped to let the horses drink at a small creek. We stood on the bank, watching them, and Cooper pulled me into his arms. I relaxed back and soaked it all in, the beauty of the surroundings, the peace of being with Cooper, and the steady beating of his heart as he held me against his chest. “You ready for lunch?”

I nodded and a slow smile crept over his face. He took my hand and led me down the bank a little ways to find a picnic blanket was laid out with an old fashioned basket and a bottle of wine sitting in a glass punch bowl that was filled with ice. “How did you do this?” I asked, a hand flying to my mouth as I gasped at the beautiful spread.

He didn’t answer the question, he just smiled and led me by the hand to sit down on the blanket. “I told you, it’s my job to plan the dates.”

“Well, this is gorgeous. Thank you.”

He nodded and served up the dishes that were laid out in the basket. Sandwiches, vegan potato salad, fruit, and an impressive array of veggies. “Rabbit food, just the way you like it,” he teased.

I smacked his forearm playfully before digging in.

“So, what do you think?” He asked, spreading his hands around us, pointing out the woodland scenery.

I swallowed a bite of potato salad. “It’s amazing, Cooper. This is the perfect date.” He smiled at me, but I felt like there was something he was holding back. “Thank you for planning it,” I added.

“I’ve always been a city guy. It’s been a long time since I’ve been out like this. It’s pretty amazing,” Cooper said, staring at the surroundings.

“I know, it’s like there’s nothing around for miles.”

“There isn’t, at least, not on this twenty acres.”

I shot him a questioning look, pausing with my sandwich halfway to my mouth. “That’s specific…”

He cleared his throat. “This plot of land is for sale, Allie. That’s why I brought you out here, actually.”

“Wait, what? You’re buying a plot of land?” My mind was spinning, trying to put together the pieces of information.

“Well,” he glanced down at his hands for a beat. “I could. If that’s what you want. I’ve given it a lot of thought over the past couple of weeks that we’ve been apart. Whenever we talk, you seem so refreshed and happy, and I feel like you being here—in the country—agrees with you. So, if that’s what it takes, I’d be willing to relocate and build a home here, or another plot like this one, whatever you think is best.”

My mouth dropped open and I couldn’t believe the words coming from his mouth. Just the sight of him wearing jeans and riding a horse had been enough of a shock to my system. It was such a far cry from the way he’d been when we’d first met, back when I assumed he was basically glued into his power suit, and didn’t own a pair of shoes that cost less than most used sedans. “Cooper, are you serious? What about Brighton? You can’t give that up,” I rambled, my thoughts coming faster than my words.

He held up a hand. “No, no. I wouldn’t give up the company. I would work remotely as much as possible and fly back to LA when I needed to be there. I don’t have all the details worked out, but I have enough to know that it’d be possible.”

I stared off into the distance beyond his shoulder, suddenly imagining a farmhouse sprouting from the ground, a small fence surrounding it, maybe a dog and a couple of chickens running around a coop. When I’d left Kansas it wasn’t because I hated life in the country, there was a pace to it that appealed to me, even still, and being so close to home and being able to see my parents and Ben on a daily basis had been more fulfilling than I could have ever imagined. But that didn’t necessarily mean I could do it full time, forever. Did it?

“So? What do you think?” Cooper asked, a tinge of nervousness in his voice.

I grabbed his hands and pressed a kiss to his lips. “I think you’re amazing and I love you.”

He smiled and kissed me. “I love you too, Allison.”

My heart squeezed in my chest, so full it was like it could burst open. “I’ll think about it, okay? I need some time to process everything. It would be great to live so close to my family, and I do like the pace and beauty of life out here, but it’d be a big change. In some ways, I feel like I’m just settling into my new role at Plush and I don’t want to give that up.”

“Who said you had to give that up?” Cooper asked.

“Well, I just—”

Cooped tucked a finger under my chin. “Allison, I will give you the stars—not that you can’t chase them down on your own—if that’s what you want. All I’m asking is to be wherever you are when you’re searching for what you really want. I don’t want a Stepford wife, or whatever else it is you think I’m looking for. I have everything I want, and need, and desire…with you.” He pressed his lips to mine, slowly exploring them in a soft kiss that conveyed the things he was thinking and feeling. Things that went beyond words.

I nudged aside the basket and straddled Cooper’s thighs, resting my hands on his shoulders and pulling him into another deep kiss. When we broke apart to catch our breath, I stripped my shirt off over my head and threw it into the grass beside us. “Whatcha doin’ there little lady?” Cooper asked, working on the soft drawl he was trying to perfect.

“Seducing you,” I said, leaning down and kissing a trail at the side of his neck, hitting every spot that made him groan.

“Right here?” He asked.

“You said there was no one for twenty acres. Who’s going to see us?” I asked, laughing at the stunned expression on his face. It wasn’t very often I could catch him off guard, and I took full advantage of doing every little thing that drove him wild right there in our own little piece of the middle of nowhere.

Chapter Fourteen — Cooper

One Year Later…

I pushed through the doors to the back office area of the new Plush Nature flagship store in time to hear…

“Thank you for holding, this is Mrs. Brighton, how may I help you?”

Waves of pleasure coursed through my body at the sound of Allie purring out her new name…my name…and I wondered if I would ever stop marveling at the fact that she was finally mine.

All mine.

For life.

The door shut behind me and Allie looked up and broke into a beautiful smile at the sight of me. She waved and then turned her attention back to the person on the other end of the call, scribbling down notes on her sketchpad. I crossed the office space and propped up against the desk, waiting for her to finish. The store wasn’t open to the public yet, but it would be ready within the next two weeks. It truly was Allie’s baby. She’d put in countless hours with a horde of interior designers, marketing gurus, and merchandising geniuses to ensure every last detail was perfect.

And it truly was.

I couldn’t help but smile, knowing how proud my father would be if he could see what she—we—had turned Plush into.

“Hey there Mr. Brighton,” Allie purred at me when she set the phone down on the desk.

I leaned across the desk and kissed her softly. “Hello Mrs. Brighton.”

She smiled at the playful use of her married name and dropped a meaningful gaze down at the sizable emerald ring on her left hand. She’d insisted on an emerald, not a diamond, and so I’d made it my mission to find her the most exquisite emerald money could buy.

We’d married two months before, aboard a luxury yacht, with breathtaking views of the California coast and surrounded by all of our closest friends and family. There hadn’t been a dry eye in the entire room.

The best part of the whole day was watching my beautiful bride walk down the aisle…

…on her daddy’s arm.

~ THE END ~

I hope you enjoyed Plush — A Billionaire Romance!

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Acknowledgements

First of all, I’d like to thank all my readers. Without you, my books wouldn’t need to exist. I truly appreciate each and every one of you.

Thanks to all of my beta readers, street team, ARC readers and Facebook fans. You girls are the best!

And a huge very special thanks to my PA, Shannon Hunt and Once Upon an Alpha. Without you, I’d be a hot mess! Thank you!

And a very special thanks to my editor, Tina. Thank you for making my words make sense.

About The Author

KB Winters has an addiction to caffeine, tattoos and hard-bodied alpha males. The men in her books are very sexy, protective and sometimes bossy, her ladies are…well…bossier!

Living in sunny Southern California, the embarrassingly hopeless romantic writes every chance she gets!

You can connect with KB on Facebook and Twitter!

Or stop by her website at KBWinters.com!