Chapter 14
Chapter fourteen
Dakota
Oh. My. God.
Cooper Mayson was kissing me.
Like actually kissing me.
His rough palm tugs slightly against my neck, his lips melting against mine like we’d been kissing for years.
I was startled, in shock, and completely at his mercy.
A low groan filters from his mouth as he opens, coaxing me to do the same.
My lips move hypnotically against his, before feeling his tongue slowly slide inside of my mouth, licking a flame of heat up my spine.
His free hand pulls me flush against his broad frame, and my hands involuntarily curl into his pearl snap.
Another soft stroke of his tongue has a gasp traveling between us, because in my twenty-five years I’d never kissed a pair of lips that made me feel like this.
Which was dangerous. Because Cooper Mayson was my best friend.
And as of approximately a minute and a half ago, my fake husband.
When he gently pecks me on my tingling lips, I open my eyes. He smirks, while I stand there like a lust drunk lunatic.
The room, which I’m remembering houses his entire family, is completely silent. Not a single sound, until someone finally breaks the tension, a whistle howling from somewhere in the room, followed by claps and cheers.
Cooper moves as if he’s unfazed, snatching my hand in his before he’s dragging us out to his family that carry huge smiles on their faces. I feel like a fumbling mess. My legs are like jelly, and my stomach is wound tighter than a barrel racer's jeans.
“Congratulations!” Ruthie grips me in a hug, followed by Emmett and Ivy.
I hug them quickly, trying not to give anything away about my current emotional state.
Which considering my first kiss with the man I’ve loved since childhood was in front of his own mother and father means I’m venturing into 2007 Brittany territory.
I smile while Ruthie snaps a few photos before I excuse myself to the bathroom.
Inside the safety of the public restroom, I check my face.
My skin is flushed, my lips pouty from the kiss, and my pupils are blown. Geez.
I close my eyes, reeling myself back to reality. This is Cooper. My Cooper. All sunshine and cowboy boots. The flirt. He was putting on a show. Glancing down at my hand, I stare at the beautiful diamond on my finger. It’s the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen.
It’s fictional, Dakota. Nothing more.
I take another deep breath as I remind myself, he’s playing the role.
Cooper never did anything half ass, so I would expect nothing less in his role as my husband.
I just hope I can keep the two separate.
Which reminds me. Those rules need to be discussed, stat.
Because now I was certain, kissing was definitely off of the table. Effective immediately.
When I leave the restroom, I almost collide into a strong wall of muscle. Cooper’s hands land on my shoulders, steadying me on my boots.
“Hey, you good?”
“Oh, yeah.” I wave a hand. “I’m fine. Needed to pee,” I lie.
He squints at me before using his thumb to swipe a spot next to my bottom lip. “You got some lipstick here,” he says, his voice husky. “Sorry if I surprised you. I thought the kiss would be a nice touch.” His lip tilts up at the corner, and I will my heart to quit fluttering.
It’s getting ridiculous.
I revert back to our typical back and forth, aiming for normal. “I was impressed. Glad I could confirm that Mariann Smith wasn’t lying,” I quip.
Mariann Smith was Cooper’s first kiss at the homecoming in the seventh grade. She came into the girl's bathroom at the football game gushing about what a good kisser he was.
I cried for three days.
“Well for the record, you’re a hell of a lot better kisser than Mariann Smith.” He peers down at me, his eyes dropping to my mouth.
“Practice makes perfect.” I smile.
His smile falters briefly, and I would have missed it if I didn’t know him so well.
“And the rings. Nice save,” I add.
He steps closer. “You think I’d marry you without a ring?”
I gape up at him. “You probably spent way too much money on this, Cooper.”
“Like I’d let my wife walk around with anything less than the best.”
My cheeks heat, the word wife sounding so natural coming from his lips.
I open my mouth to respond when we’re interrupted.
“Hey, guys.” Ivy peeks around the corner. “We’re going to take Trace and Ari for ice cream. Why don’t y’all take the afternoon to get settled at the house and I will bring her by in a few hours.”
My heart warms. “She would love that. Thank you.”
Ivy waves and I look back at Coop. “Ready to head home, Mr. Mayson?”
He offers me his elbow. “You bet, Mrs. Mayson.”
Mrs. Mayson.
I like the sound of that.
Maybe too much.