Lost Chances (14 page)

"Okay." She propped her elbows onto the table and rested her chin on her fist. "So tell me about your music."

It wasn't exactly where he wanted their conversation to go, but he needed to be honest with her if their relationship was going anywhere.

"Do you remember when I was injured and out of football my last year of high school?"

"Yes. The team wasn't the same without you."

"Damn right, but they still managed." He winked at her and then continued. "I was a little depressed and my grandpa gave me his old guitar and told me to quit moping and do something with my free time."

She laughed. "I can hear him saying that. They were both the best."

"They were. I don't think they expected me to love it as much as I did and they probably didn't think I'd start singing too, but once I got used to the chords and making up my own music, the words came too." He cleared his throat when the waiter sat the drinks in front of them.

"Are you ready to order?"

Neither of them had opened the menus. "We need a few more minutes, please."

He nodded and went off to another table.

"I guess we should figure out what we want." Cooper opened his menu but couldn't stop watching Sophia as she studied the offerings. "You see anything you like?"

"I think the Hawaiian chicken sounds really good. What about you?" Her gaze lifted to his and she closed the menu.

"That sounds good. I think I'll have the same." When the waiter walked by, he waved him over. "We've decided."

"Awesome! What would you like, Sir?"

Cooper told him what he wanted and waited for S
ophia to do the same, so the guy would leave again.

"Back to what you were saying?" Sophia wasn't about to let it drop.

"I never thought about doing more than playing music for myself until right before my grandma passed away. She made me promise to keep playing and set a goal to make career out of it. I don't think she realized how hard that is nowadays."

She grabbed his hands and squeezed. "I think she knew you and that you don't give up on what you believe in."

It wasn't what she meant, but the words stung a little. After ditching her years before, it did seem like he was the giving up type. Or maybe just a chicken.

The food didn't take long and they both ate in s
ilence until it was time for dessert. He was so stuffed he just looked at Sophia to see if she wanted any.

"I couldn't eat another bite. Everything was so good; I didn't leave anything on my plate."

"We'll just take the check."

"I'll be right back with that for you."

After he paid the bill, they both got up and headed past the bar toward the door.

"Cooper?"

He stopped when a hand grabbed his arm. It was Michelle.

"I thought that was you. I guess you took my a
dvice on a good restaurant." She smiled big until her gaze jerked to his side. The sound of her voice changed, sounding ice cold. "Sophia. Nice to see you again."

Chapter Seventeen

Sophia felt sick just seeing Michelle touching Cooper. No one knew that the girl she found Seth with was the woman in front of her, and she wouldn't tell anyone, but it didn't mean she had to like it. And she sure as hell could be pissed that she acted as if she'd done nothing wrong. The way she smiled at Cooper just added fuel to the fire.

He wasn't Seth. Not even close.

It still hurt to see him smile back at her even when his hand grabbed Sophia's and drew her close.

"We were just heading out. It was nice to see you again." He didn't say anything else as he pulled her along with him. When they made it out the door, he leaned in and kissed her cheek. "She's a little full of herself. Don't you think?"

That brought a smile to her face. God, that made her feel so much better. Spinning around in front of him, she grabbed him by the ears. He looked surprised until she kissed him. Then nothing mattered but his lips moving against hers and the way his tongue slipped between to join hers. She groaned and slid her hands up his neck to play with the hair at the back of his head.

He pulled back and shook his head. "You're going to get me in so much trouble kissing me like that in public. I can't control myself around you."

"Sometimes that could be a good thing." She felt the heat on her cheeks when she realized what she’d said. It seemed she couldn't control herself around him either. "We should get going."

He clicked unlock on his key and opened her door. "I'll let you get in by yourself. I can't trust myself to touch you right this second."

He was serious. Not even a small smile on his lips showed otherwise. She hopped in and let him shut her door. They kept silent during the drive back and she couldn't help being nervous about what he planned next—if he’d planned anything at all.

She wanted so much more than his kiss. The one night they’d spent together was not enough. That thought put some water on the fire. How could she sleep with him when he didn't remember that they'd already been toget
her?

She couldn't. Not yet. She had to tell him the truth when the time came. It was wrong to keep it from him, but what if it upset him that she hadn’t told him already or that he didn't remember? He could think he’d done something wrong. Or worse, he could think she took advantage of him. And maybe she did. They were both drunk and she was the one who initiated it.

Damn it. She couldn't tell him yet and she had to postpone from sleeping with him or anything else until she could bring herself to.

"What's on your mind?" Both of his hands gripped the steering wheel as he kept his eyes on the road.

She couldn’t tell if he was upset or trying to control himself. It made her feel almost irresistible that she pushed his restraint.

"Nothing that matters." She knew it was wrong, but seeing him that way made her want to see how far she could push it before he shattered.

With a second of hesitation, she lifted the center console and slid over until her hips pressed against his, then she rested her hand middle ways up his thigh. His sharp intake of breath had her biting her bottom lip. The plan wasn't to do anything more than touch his leg, but she didn't listen to her own advice to keep things slow and started drawing random symbols on his thigh.

The muscles in his leg tightened and she peered up at his face to catch him biting his own lip. He didn't move either hand from the steering wheel. If anything, she swore the leather creaked under his hold and his knuckles turned white.

She never felt so in control in her entire life—like she could do whatever she wanted and he'd let her. It gave her a little courage to slip her hand slowly up his leg, until she saw her house in sight. He was taking her home and not slowing one bit.

That was enough to burst her bubble. Pulling her hand back, she started to slide back over to the passe
nger side.

A strong grip around her wrist had her freezing and looking over at him. He pulled her right back to where she’d been and jerked her in for a kiss that destroyed any other thought forming in her mind.

He nearly had her back pressed all the way down on the seats before he lifted away. "I had to drive to your house. If for one second I got you to mine and alone, I don't know if I could stop myself. I want this to be perfect and there's no way I'm going to sleep with you after our first date. You're so much more than that."

All she could do was nod and when he let her up, she jumped out of the truck and hurried to the front door. Nick and Mike's vehicles both sat outside and she started to panic that they could've seen what happened until she glanced back at the way Cooper pulled in. He had done so at an angle that no one could've seen from the house. She was safe from the embarrassment and he was safe from her brother's wrath.

After she watched him pull away, she contemplated going inside but changed her mind. It was sweet for him to want to take things slow and she really thought she wanted to same thing. She was wrong. All that consumed her mind was the need to walk to his house and tell him exactly what she wanted.

She'd drive her jeep if it didn't mean going inside to face her brothers first. Rather, she'd walk, and it would maybe cool her off just enough so she wouldn't just jump him right away. Not that doing so sounded like a bad idea.

The walk proved quiet as she stuck to the side of the road. When she heard gravel crunch under tires, she thought maybe one of her brothers was coming to find out why she hadn't come in. She turned and saw a silver car a little ways back. She moved over closer to the trees and it didn't take long to realize who was headed to Cooper’s when the car passed.

Her stomach twisted tight, heart pounded in her chest. "No."

All the courage and need that had driven her to just show up at his house was now gone. She found herself unable to move. It couldn't be what she thought. Not Cooper.

His home stood only a few more minutes from where she froze. Every bone in her body wanted to turn back and not find out what was happening. She couldn't do that.

If she didn't find out the truth, she'd worry about it anytime she was with him. She could ask him later, but he could just as easily lie to her. Wasn't that what Seth did?

The thought of finding her ex screwing Michelle had her feet moving again. A little faster than they had before until she was jogging toward his house.

She stopped at the edge of the tree lines when she spotted Cooper and Michelle standing on the porch—too far to see their faces clearly. Then Michelle stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Push her away. Please push her away.

When his hands came up, Sophia held her breath and couldn't get it back when Michelle kissed him and his hands grabbed her waist.

She didn't need to stick around for a replay of her last surprise visit. That was definitely the last time she came over unannounced anywhere.

****

Cooper never expected the soft knock on his door to be Michelle. It was a huge letdown. She smiled big with bright red lipstick covering her lips. Lipstick had never been his thing. Made him think of how his grandma's used to stick to his cheek or forehead when he was younger.

"Did you leave something from earlier?" He didn't think that was the case. By the gleam in her eyes as she studied his chest and then lower, she had something else entirely on her mind.

"No. I just thought there was something between us and could've sworn you felt it too." She stepped back just slightly. "I knew you wouldn't be with Sophia. She's a little more front porch kiss at the end of the date and that's it.

He stepped out, determined to keep their conversation outside and speedy. "I'm sorry if I did anything to make you think that, but my heart belongs to one person and I've already waited too long to pursue her. I don't need anything or anyone to mess that up for me. And as for the front porch kiss girl, I'd much rather have that kind of girl than one who sleeps around with strangers."

The truth should've caused her to back off. He was wrong to think that. She stepped closer and put her hands on his shoulders. When he went to push her back, she moved in quick and kissed him. He grabbed her waist and nudged her hard enough to break the contact.

"I said no." He hated that her taste replaced his Sophia's.

She just smiled and walked away as if it had been all part of a plan.

He just watched as she drove away, then caught something else moving on the road heading in the same direction. It didn't take him long to realize it was Sophia. Then it all clicked. If she'd have been on her way over, then Michelle had to have seen her. She kissed him on purpose.

"Shit!" Without another thought, he took off at a run until he caught up with Sophia. He could hear her sobs and see the way her shoulders shook.

"Go back home." Her pace picked up.

"It's not what you think. I swear I had no idea she was coming over or that she'd kiss me. Please, stop." He was not above begging if she'd just let him explain.

That was until she turned around and he saw the same girl who’d cried when she found out he was leaving the first time. He'd hurt her again. "Sophia, I'm so sorry."

"I don't care. Just leave me alone. It's not the first time I've found her with someone I'm seeing. It just hurts a hell of a lot more that it was you this time." She spun on the heels of her boots and walked away.

When they'd run into Michelle, he noticed how Sophia froze up and didn't seem happy to see the malicious realtor. It made sense. He started to go after her but thought better of it. She was too upset and all because of him.

To make it up to her, he'd have to come up with more than chasing her all the way to her house. No matter if he never wanted the girl to kiss him or not. He reluctan
tly walked back to his house, wanting to kick himself the whole way there.

Chapter Eighteen

Rain beat at the windows of the house, and the thunder seemed to grow louder with every lightning strike. She could hear the wind getting stronger, but so far she hadn't heard of any tornado warnings. She lived with three grown men and still ended up by herself through a bad storm.