Chapter 13
Cooper
How long do you have to stare at a person before it’s considered creepy?
I probably got to that point about ten minutes ago, but I can’t help it.
I woke up before my alarm and shut it off, so that it didn’t wake Blake. I was going to get dressed and go make us something to eat before waking him up, but I’ve just been sitting here, watching him sleep.
He’s so damn cute it makes my heart flutter. He’s on his back, arm just above his head, face tilted to the side, lips parted as he breathes softly. He looks so peaceful, I don’t want to wake him up.
I already know I’m going to be struggling today.
Sleep and I were not friends last night.
First, it was because I knew Blake was unable to fall asleep right away.
My mind wouldn’t shut off, worried he was mad at me for something.
By the time he did fall asleep, I was wide awake.
I continued to lay there and let my mind race.
Something is going on with Blake, and I don’t know what it is. I’m not sure if he’s upset about something, but there has been a slight shift in his demeanor. He’s always been a blusher, but now it’s like he can’t look me in the eyes very long.
I wonder if he heard me in the shower last night. I didn’t go in there planning to jerk off, but as I was washing myself, my mind drifted back to the moment we had in the pool. Then the fantasy started running wild and before I knew it, I was imagining all the things I wanted to do to him.
I tried to be quiet, but maybe I failed and he overheard me? If he did, is he mad at me, grossed out, uncomfortable?
I don’t want to bring it up to him because then I’d be putting us both in an awkward situation for nothing.
Pulling my attention away from Blake, I look down at my phone and groan. I gotta be at work in twenty minutes. Damn early Sunday mornings.
I’m glad Blake agreed to hang out with me today.
I only work until three and have the night off, but Blake has a shift at the video game store tonight.
He’s only part time, so his schedule is never consistent, mostly filling in for other people.
It sucks for him, but it means lots of free time during the week.
Except for Wednesdays, because that's when he tutors Bailey.
“Blake,” I softly say his name, gently nudging his shoulder. “Blake. Time to wake up.”
“Huh?” he grumbles, blinking his eyes open. “What’s going on?”
A smile curves at my lips. “It’s morning. You still up for coming with me to the shop? If you don’t want to, you can stay here and sleep some more.”
“I’m up,” he grumbles, rubbing his eyes. “I’m coming.” He kicks off the blanket.
With an amused raise of my brows, I can’t help but look down. Wrong move, because Blake’s morning wood has already risen and shined.
My own cock stirs, liking very much what I see.
Not wanting to be rude, I look away. “You sure?”
He sits up, stretching his arms over his head. “Yeah, I’m sure. But fair warning, while I’m normally a morning person, if it’s not me naturally waking up on my own, I’m a bit of a grump.” He looks at me over his shoulder, his hair adorably rumpled.
“Oh, so like normal?” I chuckle.
He rolls his eyes. “I am not a grump,” he mutters, getting to his feet.
“He says in a grumpy voice.”
“I just woke up. What do you want me to be? All rainbows and sunshine? We can’t all be a golden boy.”
Getting up, I walk over to him, stopping right in front of him. “I don’t want you to be a golden boy. I like you just the way you are.” I wink.
I’m rewarded with that pink stain to his cheeks I’ve become addicted to.
“Come on.” I turn around and head for the door. “I’ll make you something to eat, then we can go.”
***
“Wait, so you’re telling me someone came in here genuinely thinking their car was haunted?” Blake bursts out laughing, the sound making me smile.
“Yup.” I chuckle, wishing I could see the look on his face right now. But I can’t because I’m currently under the car working, while Blake sits in a chair nearby. “She said she heard meowing and swore it was her dead cat coming back for revenge for not feeding him more wet cat food.”
“Let me guess, crazy cat lady?” He sounds amused.
“Oh yeah. She told me all about the ten furbabies she has at home, and the twenty she was caring for around the neighborhood."
“Maybe she was just so used to hearing cats that it was her hearing phantom meows.”
“Nope, she was hearing actual meowing.” I slide out from under the car and sit up, grinning wide. “Turns out, one of the strays had babies and decided to hide one in the hood of her car. A little black ball of fur. So damn cute.”
“No way.” His eyes bug out. “You’re joking?”
“Nope.” I chuckle.
“What happened to the kitten?”
Just as he asks the question, a loud meow sounds, echoing around the garage, making Blake jump.
“There’s my sweetheart,” I coo. “Blake, meet Raven.”
“Wait, is that the cat from your story?” Blake bends down and picks Raven up after she rubs against his leg.
“After I freed her, I asked if I could keep her. The older lady agreed, saying she wasn’t able to care for a kitten. I brought her home and raised her until she was old enough to stay here.”
Raven is purring up a storm now, rubbing her face all over Blake. He chuckles softly, petting her. Ugh, seeing these two together melts my damn heart. Who knew my grumpy kitten actually liked cats?
“Why does she live here?”
“She loves my dad.” I roll my eyes. “Sometimes more than me, I think. Since he’s always here and I’m always at school, we made her a garage cat.
She has a sweet set up out back, everything she would need.
And she’s a great mouser. Almost too good.
We’re always finding dead ones left out like she’s giving us gifts.
” I scoot closer to Blake, reaching up to give Raven a scratch on her butt.
“She’s really soft, and so damn cute,” he groans, holding Raven out in front of him. “The cuteness aggression is strong with you, isn’t it?”
Rolling my lips together, I try not to reveal the massive grin threatening to take over my face.
Blake, realising what he’s doing, places Raven back on his lap and clears his throat. “She’s okay.”
“Uh-huh.” I nod.
“Whatever.” He looks away with a light blush to his cheeks.
“You’re special.” I tell him and his eyes snap back over to me.
“What?”
“Raven only likes me and my dad. She is okay with the others who work here, but she never lets them pet her, let alone hold her and cuddle. So, it's special for her to already love you that much.”
“Oh.” He blinks, looking down at the cat.
“She’s got good taste,” I tease, but when his eyes find mine again my body flushes with the way he’s looking at me.
We hold eye contact for a long beat before he looks away. Am I so head over heels for this man that I’m making myself see things that aren't actually there? Or did we just have a moment?
I get back to work and Blake grabs us lunch.
“You’re covered in dirt.” Blake stares at my stained hands. “Are you really going to eat that with filthy hands?”
I take a bite of the sub and grin.
“Gross.” He wrinkles his nose.
“It’s not dirt.” I swallow. “It’s grease. And I washed my hands, thank you very much.”
“You sure about that?” He raises a brow.
“I’m going back to work right after eating. I’m not going to spend ten minutes scrubbing my hands clean just to get them dirty again. And the sub is covered.” I hold it up, showing the wrapper.
“If you say so,” he grumbles, eating his own food.
“What time do you work tonight?” I ask as we eat.
“Five until nine.”
I look up and check the time, it’s two. I get off at three. That’s another hour with him before I have to drop him off at home.
Blake ends up getting bored and starts cleaning around my space. I let him be, even though I like the mess. I know where everything is. It’s making him happy and he did stay with me all day when he could be doing something more fun.
When I’m done working, I clean up and drive Blake home.
“Thanks for keeping me company today,” I tell him when we pull up to his place.
“It was fun.” He shrugs.
“Yeah, but you had most of the day off. You could have been at home.”
“I’d have been doing nothing,” he mutters. “Rather be with you.”
A little thrill runs through me at that.
“See you tomorrow?”
“See you tomorrow.” He nods.
I want to ask if he wants me to pick him up, but I have practice early tomorrow and he already woke up way before he normally does for me this morning.
Blake heads inside and I drive back to the football house alone.
With nothing to do for the rest of my night, I end up hanging out with some of the guys and play video games. Around six they ask if I want to go out for some drinks. I decline, because I have no desire to repeat the dreaded hangover morning I had a few weeks ago.
The house is mostly empty now, so I take advantage and decide to watch something in the living room.
“What the hell is this crap?” Mickey’s grating voice makes my spine stiffen.
“It’s a TV show,” I mutter, not bothering to look away from the TV.
“It’s a cartoon. Dude, what are you, five? Who the hell still watches cartoons?”
“It’s an anime.” I sigh. “It’s called One Piece."
“One piece of what?” he asks, and I swear to god I feel my brain cells exploding.
“Nevermind.” Grabbing the remote, I turn the TV off and get up to leave.
“Where have you been?” Mickey asks, stepping in front of me.
“Move.” I glare at him, not in the mood for this man's shit right now.
“You’ve been spending a lot of time with that little shithead.” He sneers. “What, is he your boyfriend now?” He snorts. “You sneaking off to fuck the little twink?”
“Fuck off, Mickey,” I sneer. “I told you not to talk about him anymore. It’s none of your business what I do in my free time. We’re teammates, that’s it. I don’t owe you anything.”
“Stop bringing him to practice.” He glares at me. “I’m sick of seeing his stupid face.”