Chapter 16
16
Haley
The house is quiet, Roman still sound asleep. Cooper and Jensen left a while ago, and I haven’t been able to go back to sleep. While the visit with JJ was amazing, my heart is hurting with him leaving. I wish more than anything he could leave the Navy and come live across the street, but I know that’s not possible.
Rolling over in bed, I pull the blanket up to my chin and close my eyes, bottom lip trembling as I try like hell to not cry when I imagine not seeing him again for a year. Sniffling, I force the tears away no matter how hard, and I take a deep breath. I have no idea how long I lie there, trying to find anything else to think about when I hear a car beep outside. Then the front door opens, and I squeeze my eyes shut.
Cooper is home.
Without Jensen.
That’s my breaking point, and I bury my face in the pillow and let my tears silently fall down my cheeks, knowing full well that Cooper is going to come in here right away to check on me. Well, fuck it. If there is anyone I can be heartbroken in front of, it’s him.
In good times and bad, right?
Footsteps sound in the hall, and I hear him open Roman’s door before it closes and he heads in here. A thump sounds, followed by another before he climbs into the bed. He scoots over to where I’m lying and pulls me flush with his chest, not realizing I’m awake at first.
His warmth, his comfort, and his smell wash over me and I bite hard on my bottom lip, but then he kisses the top of my head, and I let out a hiccupping sob. His whole-body tenses, and then he’s moving off the bed, coming around the bottom before crouching down in front of me.
“Oh, Haley girl,” he whispers, leaning over so he can pull me into his arms. “It’s gonna be okay, sweetness.”
“It’s not fair,” I cry, gripping the front of his shirt ion my hands. “I miss him so much when he leaves, and now I live so far away that I can’t even see him when he’s home.”
“Baby,” he says softly, squeezing me even tighter than he was. He simply holds me until my tears dry up and I calm down. When I’m okay, Cooper gets back into the bed with me and I curl up against his chest.
“You okay?” he asks, running his fingers through my hair, and I nod.
“Yeah. It’s always hard when he leaves, and you’d think that after ten years of doing this, it’d be easier.”
“I can’t imagine it’s ever easy to say goodbye to someone you love.”
“it’s not,” I admit. “But knowing he’s back in the states makes it easier. Saying goodbye at the beginning of a deployment is worse.”
“I’m sure.”
We’re silent for a beat, Cooper just holding me and stroking his fingers up and down my back, through my hair, and pressing kisses to my forehead every so often. I’ve never in my life felt so connected to someone, and so safe. My feelings for him have grown into so much, that keeping them to myself now feels silly. We’ve spent time with each other’s family, and my son calls his father ‘Papa’ so what am I so afraid of.
“I need to tell you something,” I begin, and he leans back so he can find my eyes. Cupping the back of his head, I pull him to me and kiss him gently, twisting my fingers in the short strands of his hair, before rubbing the backs of my fingers over his scruffy cheek.
“I love you, Cooper March.” His blue eyes widen in shock, but I keep going. “You’re the best man I know, and the way you love my son is one of the things that secured your place in my heart. You never judged me for my past, and you were so patient waiting for me to be ready for you.”
“Haley,” he starts, but I press my lips to his before pulling back.
“I’ve never in my life felt so loved and cared for. I’m safe with you, my son is safe with you,” I whisper, voice beginning to crack with emotions, and I watch as Cooper’s eyes start to glisten in the dim morning light.
“I love you so much, sweetness. You, my girl, are the most important thing that has ever happened to me. You gave me a life that is filled with so much love and happiness, and you gave me Roman.”
Tears fall down my cheeks at his words, and he chuckles, clearing the emotion from his throat. “I love that boy, Hales. He may not have my blood running through his veins, but he’s mine. My boy, my son, and I promise to never take that for granted or let him down.”
Choking on a sob, Cooper rolls me to my back and settles between my legs, hands cradling my face in his hands.
“You’re gonna be my wife one day, sweet girl, and then we can give Romey some brothers and sisters. And I want them all to fall in love with their momma the same way I did.”
“Coop.”
“My life, that’s what you and Rome are. I’m the most blessed man in the world.”
Kissing me harder, my hands clutch at his back, before I help him yank his shirt off. He rids me of my underwear and nightgown, and he kicks his sweats down before he’s back between my legs, his hard cock resting on my lower stomach, the cool metal of his necklace resting on my bare chest.
It takes no time for him to slide inside of me, his lips still firmly attached to mine, and he starts a slow pace. His thrusts are slow but deep, and he grinds on every one, causing my legs to shake and breathing to come at a rapid pace.
“My beautiful girl,” he whispers, forehead pressed to mine. He reaches for my hands and threads our fingers together, before resting them above my head as he lights my body up.
“I love you,” I whisper, and he groans softly.
“Forever.”
We find our releases quietly, and when he pulls out of me, I feel empty and hollow. He goes to the bathroom to get a cloth to clean me up, and then we pull our clothes back on, because toddler in the house. He pulls me up against his chest, reaching for the remote on the end table.
“Supernatural?” he asks, and I smile.
“Dean Winchester makes everything better,” I tease, and he nips at my neck.
“Woman, you better watch that dirty mouth in my bed.”
Cleaning the last dish, I look up when I hear my name called, and watch as Sofia Morgan comes into the room. She is one of the preschool teachers, and she’s sweet as pie. We’re about the same age, and we’ve been spending our lunch breaks together, getting to know one another.
“Hey girl. Beth wanted me to ask if you knew where the new order of diapers got put. She can’t find them.”
“That cousin of mine,” I grumble, and Sofia just laughs as we walk down the hallway to the storage room. “She’s worse than Cooper, I swear to God. That man couldn’t see a boulder sitting on his foot, but even he would find it faster than Beth.”
She just laughs harder, and I go over to where I left the large cardboard box. Pulling the flaps open, I grab a pack of diapers and I hand it over to Sofia.
“Thanks. Hey, you got any plans tonight? I was thinking of going out for drinks with Dolly, and thought we should invite you.”
“Cooper and I are actually going to our friends’ place to visit her younger sister. She was in a car accident a few months ago and she’s finally cast free, but we haven’t had a chance to go check on her.”
“Oh, no worries. Rain check, maybe?”
“Absolutely,” I agree. “I could use a girls night.”
We part ways and I finish using my break to clean up our kitchen in the break room, before I get back to work. And only a few hours later, I find myself and Roman riding with Cooper as he drives me over to where Grayson and Skye are now living with Tori. When we pull in the driveway, he looks over at me and squeezes my hand.
“I know I’ve talked about her a lot, but Tori is a firecracker with a sailor’s mouth.”
“Isn’t she a kid?” I ask, and he just laughs.
“Fourteen, but I swear she’s more like a thirty-year-old. I just wanted you to be prepared for her to cuss me out for not coming to visit her since we started dating. And she’s gonna love Roman, but we’ll have to remind her to watch what she says.”
Laughing, I just shake my head and kiss him on the cheek before I hop down from the vehicle and get Roman out of the back. As we walk to the front door, it gets ripped open and a tiny little brunette is standing in the doorway, her hand clutching the doorknob.
“Well, look who finally came to check on me. Forget where I live, dickhead?”
My eyes widen, and Cooper just holds his hands up in peace. “Come on, Tor. I’ve had a few things come up, okay? Gimme a break, girl.”
“Like what? Your giant head getting stuck up your ass?”
“Tori, enough!” Grayson shouts from inside, and I just cover my mouth as I let out a loud giggle. Oh man, Cooper did not prepare me for her. And I’m already in love with this kid.
She moves to the side, and I watch her wince. “You okay?” Cooper asks, and she just grimaces at him as we step inside the house.
“My leg is sore,” she tells him, and he couches down so that he can hug her tightly.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been by, honey. But between Haley’s apartment building catching on fire, and then getting them settled with me, I haven’t been over to see you like I should have. But, that all stops, and I have a weekly date with you every week now. Just ask Hawk and Skye.”
“A date huh?” she asks, and he nods before standing up straight. “Does this mean we gotta kiss? Cause no offense, you’re way too old for me. Like ancient.”
“Rude,” he jokes, and she just grins.
“I bet your nuts are wrinkly and gray.”
“Tori Simmons, that is enough,” Skye shouts as she comes around the corner with a dish towel in her hands.
“Boo,” she whines, and when Skye walks past her, Tori flips off her back.
“I saw that,” Skye states, coming to stand next to me.
“Witch, please,” Tori sasses, and it’s then she notices Rome in my arms. “Well, hey there cutie.”
“Hi Tori,” I greet, bouncing Rome up and down on my hip. “I’m Haley, it’s really nice to finally meet you. This is Roman.”
Grayson walks into the room with a platter in his hands, and stares down at Tori. “Are you trying to scare Haley before they’ve made it into the living room?” he asks, but you can see from the expression on his face that it’s all said in jest. The love between the two of them is apparent, even as she continues to fire off her mouth.
“Don’t you have a grill to be attending to?” she demands, settling her hands on her hips, and he snaps the tongs at her before he hustles away, Cooper close on his heels. Settling Rome down on the floor, he toddles over to Tori, and her smile grows when he grabs onto her leg. “Come on, munchkin. Let’s go throw green beans at the two giant ogres.” Taking his hand, she limps away as he follows along, and I just turn my head to Skye.
“I’m so sorry,” she laughs, head shaking as she holds her hand to her forehead. “She’s a handful on even the easiest of days.”
“I just found my new best friend,” I joke, and we both laugh as we follow along. I have no idea what we’re in for today, but with Tori and Cooper in the same house, I get the feeling that it’s bound to be one hell of a good time.
I wonder if they’ll notice if I record them.
The station could always use a movie night, I’m sure.