Chapter 40
COOPER
I set the shoe box on the counter beside her and then wrap my hands around her small waist and lift her up, setting her on the counter. She lets out an involuntary gasp, stoking the heat already burning inside me.
“I don’t know.” Her voice is flustered, her incredibly kissable lips are slightly parted, and her breathing is unsteady, making her chest rise and fall with each intake of breath.
Not helping with my self-control.
I’m doing everything I can to get through this conversation before laying all my cards on the table.
“You said that losing the shoes was like the ‘end of an era.’” She nods. “Then let me suggest starting a new era. Possibly with these.” I take the lid off the box and reveal the Jimmy Choos. Her eyes follow my movements as I take one shoe out of the box and hold it up.
“Cooper—”
I can tell she’s going to protest, and I hold up a hand to stop her.
“Hear me out. This can be a new era where you accept that there are people who might care for you and want to buy you things—simply to be kind. And in this new era, you let them.” I let my words echo in the space, hoping they’ll sink in.
“My sisters have taught me a lot about women’s fashion, and they tell me I’ve developed pretty good taste.
Let’s test their theory, shall we? If you were shopping for shoes”—I place the shoe on my hand as if displaying it on a game show—“and these were in the store, would you take a second look?” She nods. “So you like them?” Another nod.
“Then the only problem with this pair is that I bought them for you?”
A smaller nod, this time accompanied by a timid blush.
I put the Jimmy Choo on the counter and take Stephanie’s ankle in my hand, allowing myself the liberty of gliding my thumb across the smooth skin there.
I slowly slide her shoe off her foot. The air between us is so charged that it feels like the most sensual and intimate thing I’ve ever done to a woman.
I breathe slowly as I study the shoe I removed. “Manolo Blahniks?”
She lets out a small laugh. “You really do know a lot about women’s fashion, don’t you?”
“Like I said: sisters.” I try to give her a dashing smile while I pick the Jimmy Choo back up and bring it toward her now-bare foot.
“In my proposed new era, you would realize that there is a man who didn’t want you to be sad, so he bought you a new pair of shoes.
And you would realize that, while the man might be attracted to you”—I keep my eyes on hers, looking for any reaction to what I’m saying—“his attraction has nothing to do with why he bought the shoes.” I carefully slip the shoe onto her foot.
I’ve never understood the appeal of the Cinderella story until now. Something unmistakably masculine surges through my chest when the shoe slides on effortlessly. A perfect fit.
Without breaking eye contact, I gently slide her other shoe off and replace it with the other Jimmy Choo. I lift her off the counter and set her on the ground, letting my hands linger on her waist for a moment before stepping back. “What do you think about this new era proposal?”
Her fingers curl. “I’m not sure.” Neither of us move.
My attention drops to her lips, and I’m so hungry to taste them again—but not yet.
“Stephanie, I’m going to lay all my cards on the table.
” I take a careful breath and give her a moment to protest or squirm away or do anything that might mean she isn’t interested in what I have to say.
When she says nothing, I open my mouth to keep going, but then I hear a car pulling into the carport.
I love my family, but they are not doing me any favors today!
I turn around and lean back against the counter next to Stephanie—right as Kaylee turns the corner carrying grocery sacks. Great. My mom isn’t alone.
She lets out a stifled cough when she catches sight of us. “Drop something there, Coop?” She glances down at my chest. “Did your shirt fall off and crawl over there?” She smirks as she walks past us and goes inside.
“Hey, Steph. Missed you at lunch.” Melodie is hot on Kaylee’s heels and holding more grocery sacks.
I’ve never been so self-conscious around my sisters—with or without my shirt on.
“Did Cooper bring you over here to show you the scenery?” The way she says it makes it sound positively dirty, and her not-so-subtle perusal at my chest doesn’t help.
I can’t bring myself to look at Stephanie right now.
Then my mom sees us and stops a little more than an arm’s length away.
There’s nothing even faintly scandalous about what we’re doing: standing next to each other, fully clothed, on the porch.
Or, mostly clothed. So why do I feel like a teenager who’s been caught making out in his bedroom by his mom?
“I wondered where you two went. Frank said you had some stuff you had to take care of?”
“We did!” My reply comes too quick, and I cringe, knowing that my tone of voice definitely made it sound like something was going on.
My mom takes one long look at my bare chest, and I’ve never wanted to put a shirt on more than I do right now.
She looks down, notices Stephanie wearing the shoes, and a small smile appears on her lips.
She looks back up, taking in how close we’re standing, and her expression shifts into something satisfied.
She steps closer and pats me on the cheek.
“Always listen to your mother, Cooper. She’ll never give bad advice. ” Then she goes into the house.