30. Meghan
THIRTY
Meghan
I wake up in a warm cocoon of solid muscle, convinced I’m definitely dreaming this time, because he wouldn’t have put me in his bed again . Clearly my body enjoyed waking up next to Cooper yesterday and that’s why I’m imagining it again.
That’s the only explanation.
The Cooper in my dream and I are facing each other, with my head resting on his bicep as he cuddles me into his chest. I feel safe and… loved. I’m a little warm, but it’s all good.
Figuring I might as well make the most of this before I wake up, I place kisses across his chest. My hands glide along his flat stomach, and down into his boxers.
Mm-hmm , I can’t quite decide what to do next and so I caress his already hardening cock and it grows even more with every stroke. A pained groan sounds from him causing my brow to furrow in confusion.
Okay, that sounded a bit too real.
Opening my eyes, I gaze up into Cooper's very real ocean eyes only to be greeted by a storm of lust. Neither of us utters a single word and my look of confusion hasn’t abated, because I don’t understand how I’ve ended up in his bed yet again .
It would be so easy to capture his delicious mouth and satisfy my most basic needs.
Oh, God. My hand’s still wrapped around his cock!
“Why am I in your bed, again, Cooper?” I mumble, pulling my hand out of his boxers with more care than I did the previous morning.
I’m angry, confused and… very sexually frustrated.
My breasts feel heavy. Did I sleep through Lizzie waking for her nighttime feed again?
As I go to pull away from him, he holds me close and rolls on top of me. My legs betray me and fall open wider for him to lie between them and my stupid chin lifts to give him more access as his nose rubs against the curve of my neck, I barely resist the urge to moan at the contact.
“You belong in my bed, Meghan. You’re mine, and this is where you belong. Stop trying to fight it… to fight me,” he growls.
I’ve never been more turned on and my hips betray me, along with the rest of my body it seems, as they roll into his hardness of their own accord. Closing my eyes, I try in vain to push him away, even though I desperately want to pull him closer.
It’s when I remember how I felt hearing him in his office, with her, and the seven months of my pregnancy that I spent alone that I break.
“I can’t…” I whisper, my voice cracking.
“I can’t be yours… not after everything that happened.
I won’t put myself through that again. In the end, it would just destroy me and I’d be crazy to sign up for that,” I finish, being honest with him and myself, before turning my head away from his intense gaze and praying that he will leave it alone.
Instead, he rolls off of me and lies on his back, laughing at the ceiling.
Tears threaten to spill as I scurry from the room. My heart aching and hurt that he can just laugh at me airing my concerns. He isn’t the man I thought he was. I need to protect myself from him and the way he makes me feel.
“I have to go to work right now, but this conversation isn’t over Meghan, mark my words. We’ll have dinner and talk about this tonight,” he calls out to me.
As far as I’m concerned, there isn’t anything else to talk about—there won’t ever be more between us and the conversation is over.
Heading back to my room I get ready for the day before waking Lizzie, changing her diaper, getting her dressed for the day and feeding her.
We’re sitting in the rocking chair in Lizzie’s room and I’m humming nursery rhymes to her as she happily chatters away, when Cooper comes to say goodbye before he leaves for the day.
“Don’t go out today. You’ll be getting some packages and Christopher will be here to pick you up at seven.
I’ve already arranged a sitter for Lizzie.
” He looks me in the eye, as if daring me to defy him before he bends down, kisses Lizzie and then me on the forehead, then turns on his heel and leaves.
I stay in the rocking chair in a trance-like state until Lizzie pulls me out of it as she cries out for her second breakfast.
The first package arrives at eleven. It’s a beautifully wrapped Jimmy Choo box, and I carefully peel away the ribbon, lifting the lid to reveal two packages neatly tucked away inside.
Taking the smallest of the two, I undo the drawstring bag and reveal a gorgeous clutch with raw glitter in ballet pink.
It’s absolutely beautiful.
My hands shake as I take out the second package.
If I had to guess based on the size, it contains a pair of shoes.
Lifting the lid, I carefully peel back the tissue paper as if something is going to jump out at me, only to reveal a pair of Love 85 shoes.
They’re three-inch heels with a rose-colored coarse glitter fabric covering them.
The shoes match the bag perfectly and for a moment I wonder who he had buy them for him .
At one, when Lizzie is down for her nap, the second package arrives. This one is a plain white box with the brand name Berta written across it. I lift the lid to reveal white tissue paper, which I peel back before letting out a loud gasp as the dress comes into view.
Picking it up, I hold it in front of myself and walk to the mirror in my closet to get a full length view of it. The dress matches the bag and shoes in color so well you would have thought they were from the same brand.
My PJs are quickly discarded as I step into the dress, zipping it up and facing the mirror.
It’s an asymmetrical gown with one long sleeve on the right and the bodice underneath showcased on the left.
The material from the right side of the dress cinches in at the waist on the left side before revealing the expanse of my left thigh.
Holy shit.
This dress is sexy… and although I’ve just had a baby, it fits like a dream and flatters my stomach so I don’t feel self-conscious at all.
I take a moment to consider how I’ll do my hair and make up before deciding this will definitely require Alex’s help. Slipping the dress off, I lay it across the bed and with a look of longing directed at it, I throw on my robe and rush into the kitchen to grab my cell.
Meghan
SOS! I need your help tonight.
Alex
LOL, what’s the issue?
Meghan
I’ll explain later, can you come over tonight at like five?
Alex
I’ll be there.
Meghan
Thank you!
Bring your makeup and hair stuff, please.
I breathe a sigh of relief that Alex has agreed to come over and help me get ready.
At two, when Lizzie is having tummy time on a playmat, a vase of two dozen red roses arrives, with a note. The delivery guy, seeing my arms full of baby, is kind enough to carry them into the kitchen and place them in the center of the island before leaving.
The realization that I’ve never been sent flowers before and that Cooper sent me a gigantic bouquet brings tears to my eyes.
I want to blame my emotional state on the hormones still coursing through my body but I don’t think it’s entirely to blame. Removing the note I read over his scrawled handwriting.
I hope you’ve received all the packages so far, there should have been three, and that they’re to your liking. It’s time to get in the shower as Alex should be arriving any minute now to look after my princess.
Your next surprise arrives at four.
C
I read it again and again, searching for some kind of hint as to what he has planned. He hasn’t given anything away with this note, but maybe Alex knows something and I can grill her when she arrives.
I can’t believe she didn’t say anything to me, even after my SOS text.
If I’m going to get through tonight, I’ll need a drink or five, so with that in mind I go to the living room to pump as much milk as I can.
Alex arrives at two-thirty, just as I've finished pumping and storing my milk in the fridge. I found a bottle of champagne with a sticky note telling me to open it up when she arrives and so after greeting her at the door, I lead her to the kitchen and pop open the bottle.
“Do you know what he’s up to?” I ask, taking a sip of the refreshing bubbles.
“Not a clue. He called Sebastian this morning and asked for my number.” She shrugs, her eyes darting away from me. There’s something she isn’t telling me, and I’m not entirely sure if it’s just something to do with her casual mention of Sebastian or something more.
“Okay, spill it. I know you know something,” I demand .
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She tries, unsuccessfully, to play dumb.
She knows exactly what is going on.
“Bull crap. Why are you acting all suspicious?” I ask, my eyes narrowing at her. “Is it to do with Cooper?” My teeth gnaw away on my bottom lip with worry.
“Oh, God. No, it’s nothing to do with him,” she reassures me.
“Then what is it? I’m your best friend. You should be telling me everything.” I give her my best doe eyes and flutter my eyelashes for added effect.
“You mean like you did with you and Cooper?” she asks.
Okay she’s got me there. “I honestly don’t know what he’s up to but I will tell you this, because you’re my best friend.
I was with Sebastian when Cooper called.
I saw him again and I’m not sure how I feel about myself because of it,” she finishes with a defeated sigh.
“Oh, Alex. I’m so sorry.” I pull her in for a hug before continuing. “If he makes you feel like that, maybe you shouldn’t see him anymore?”
“It’s not that simple. He makes me feel things I’ve never felt before and as hard as I try to stay away from him, I still end up back on my knees taking whatever he’s willing to give me.”
“I get that, believe me, I do. But you also told me not that long ago that you saw him with another woman and how that made you feel. You can’t let your body's reaction to him make you feel bad about yourself,” I say as I pull back from her to look into her eyes.
“You’re right. I don’t know why I’m doing this to myself. I deserve so much better,” she mumbles.
“I know I am. You’re an amazing woman and you deserve the world. Clearly he isn’t going to give that to you so don’t waste your time and energy on him.”
We stand in the kitchen hugging and chatting for an hour before the doorbell rings for the fifth time today with what I’m guessing is my next surprise. Hurrying to the door with Alex hot on my heels, I swing it open before the bell can be rang again and wake Lizzie up.
I’m greeted by the smiling faces of two very beautiful men and for a brief second, my brows pull together in confusion as I wonder what sort of surprise Cooper has arranged for me.
“Honey, you are beautiful, but I just don’t swing that way. Now Carlos here is partial to a bit of everything,” the taller of the two states with a chuckle, throwing me a wink.
He has the clearest skin I’ve ever seen and I’m slightly dazzled by it.
“Sorry. Come in.” I gesture, my cheeks going red with embarrassment that my thoughts went there and were on display for the world to see.
“Don’t worry about it, you’ve made my day. I’m Luca, the make-up artist, and this is Carlos, the hairdresser.” Luca introduces them both, and I do the same with Alex and myself .
After some small talk, I lead everyone into the dining room where I’ve set up the dress and shoes so that they can get an idea of what look would work.
Taking a seat on one of the chairs at the head of the table, I sit up straight as Luca and Carlos walk around me like I’m their prey.