Chapter 12 Cooper
COOPER
Dad Joke Of The Day:
Which one is faster, hot or cold?
Hot, because you can catch a cold.
Walking into my house, I open the door before turning around and shutting it as quietly as possible.
I haven’t heard from them for a while, and Ally mentioned that Lucas was already passed out, so fingers crossed I can keep him asleep.
Setting my bag down in the mud room, I take my shoes off and hang my keys up on the hook before heading down the hall towards the rooms in search of Ally and Lucas.
He’s probably in bed already, but there’s a chance I might be able to catch Ally.
Coming home late after a game is one of my least favorite things because, in the past, it has usually meant I was in for a long, most of the time annoying, night.
I was either walking into Lucas still awake, wired with Kenna practically pulling her hair out in frustration that he’s not asleep yet, or there’s the other option which was honestly worse, and that was that Lucas would already be asleep and she would want to hang out and have a bottle of wine.
I figured she was just exhausted from taking care of my kid, so I always wanted to say yes—but inevitably, Lucas would wake or something else would pop up and that idea never panned out.
Looking back at it now, I’m starting to wonder what her motives actually were because I thought they were genuine and she just wanted to hang out.
We’ve been friends for a long time, so that didn’t seem like a stretch.
But now? Now it seems that she definitely had some ulterior motives to her request which don’t involve us staying friends.
It kind of makes me happy that it never worked out when she asked because while I hated saying no, I guess in the long run it’s a good thing.
Especially because I’m not interested in dating anyone, and the fact that I have a kid with Rachel, her older sister, makes it an even bigger clusterfuck for me to deal with.
I may have had a kid out of wedlock, but that doesn’t mean I don’t think things through.
Lucas may have been a surprise, but he was never an accident. At least not to me.
There’s also the other issue, and it’s that the only woman I’ve been able to think about is the spicy girl who’s nannying my kid, and who also happens to be someone who should be forbidden to me.
But the real problem? I can’t stop thinking about her. The one I have no business wanting. She’s off-limits—full stop.
However, my cock doesn’t seem to be getting the memo.
She sent me a selfie after finally getting Lucas down for a nap—just a simple shot in my backyard, smiling like she didn’t have a damn clue what she was doing to me. And fuck…she was beautiful.
Whoa.
Maybe it is time for me to get laid. Go out with the guys after the next away game and just say yes instead of no when a girl tries to pick me up.
I don’t mean that in a conceited, I know it’s going to happen sort of way…only I know it’s going to happen. I’d bet my left nut it’ll be within the first twenty minutes of me getting to the bar; that’s how confident I am.
When you’ve been in the league for a few years and you go out—especially game night—there’s no shortage of women to choose from. I’ve even had women willing to share me with each other just to snag a chance.
But I’ve never been interested. Too messy when you’ve got a kid who only has one parent to depend on.
Where are they?
I walk down the hall where all the lights are off, but the guest room Ally is sleeping in and Lucas’s bedroom doors are both open with neither of them around.
Weird. Walking back towards the kitchen, I peek into the living room to see the dim light of hockey highlights playing from the TV, Lucas and Ally both snuggled up, passed out on the couch.
I pause, my chest constricting for reasons I can’t pin down, emotion overwhelming me as I look down at the two of them, so peaceful and content together.
Lucas is snuggled up against Ally, two of her fingers held tightly by Lucas as they both sleep peacefully.
Something about this is hitting me hard, reminding me of the days when this was all I dreamed about.
Stepping forward, I move to grab Lucas, scooting my arms under his body I lift him up, his arms wrapping around my neck instinctively as I carry him back to his room.
He’s still warm, the damn fever not breaking yet, which is frustrating, but hopefully by morning he’ll be in a little better shape.
Tucking him in, I press a kiss on his forehead and turn on his dinosaur bedside lamp.
Heading back to the living room, I look over to where Ally is still asleep, and I debate what to do. I could leave her here, but what if she wakes up and is uncomfortable from a night on the couch? Would she prefer to wake up in a bed?
I watch her for longer than I care to admit before finally giving in and deciding to just move her to the guest room.
Scooping her up like I did with Lucas, I gently lift her in my arms, letting her body lean against my own as I walk towards the hall.
Wiggling in my hold, she grumbles a bit before turning and burrowing her face in my neck.
It’s adorable as she whimpers, getting comfortable in my hold until I realize just how warm she is. In fact, she’s not warm, she’s burning up. Pressing my cheek against her forehead, I’m shocked at just how hot she is, her cheeks flushed as her skin shines with sweat.
Fuck. She’s roasting.
I quickly turn around. I skip going to the guest room and bring her straight into my bedroom and lay her down on the bed.
I’ve thought about doing this once or twice before, but it was for much better reasons—reasons that involve her being hot and sweaty because of me, not a fever she got from my son.
Laying in my bed, she stirs, her shirt sticking to her body as she moves around, whimpering as she tries to get comfortable. Moving to grab the thermometer off my dresser, I quickly move back and point it at her forehead. 103.5.
Shit.
I head to the kitchen to grab her a water, a Gatorade, and some medicine before going back to my room. Grabbing a big t-shirt, I head back to my bed where I notice Ally shivering. I hate seeing her like this. She did such a good job taking care of my boy today; it’s my turn to return the favor.
“Ally,” I whisper as I gently nudge her, trying to wake her so I can get her out of her soaked clothes. “Ally, I need you to wake up for just a second.”
Stirring, she rolls around; her skin is flushed against my navy comforter, and it’s obvious even in her sleep she is miserable. Grabbing her hands, I gently pull until she’s sitting up, her body weight resting in my hands as I grab the t-shirt.
“Ally, I’m going to help you change, okay?” I ask, silently cursing her for not being awake enough to do this on her own. Not that I mind, but I wish we were doing this under a different circumstance.
Her eyes flutter open, watery and hazy from sleep as she waits a moment to adjust.
“Cooper?” She says, her voice raspy as she looks around. “Where am I?”
“My bed,” I say, and her eyes widen. “You have a fever. Let’s get you changed, and then I’ll let you sleep.”
Nodding, she lifts her arms as I move to grab her shirt, peeling it from her skin and tossing it down, doing my best to be respectful and not check her out as I slip the fresh shirt over her arms. Her body is limp and shivering as it struggles to regulate her temperature.
“Do you need anything?” I say as I sit up, finally taking my suit jacket off as I look back at her.
“Is Lucas okay?” she asks, and I can’t help the way that one question warms my heart.
“He’s good, Ally Cat. Already in bed. It’s you who needs some attention right now. Anything I can get for you?”
“Can you—can you lay here? I-I, I’m so cold,” Ally mumbles, her eyes closing as she pats the spot next to her.
“You sure? I can just go lay in the guest room and get you a blanket?”
Her pleading eyes open and she looks up at me, and I’m nothing if not a pushover when someone needs me.
“Please, Coop. I’m so cold,” she says, and with those words, I feel the last bit of my restraint die as I slip out of the rest of my suit and throw on a pair of shorts.