13. Coop
COOP
After thirty solid minutes, I stand up in my Reflection Room, completing a successful meditation session for the first time in a long while. Lillian didn’t even make an appearance, reminding me of the bet Nese and I made at the bookstore. I chuckle. I’m never going to enjoy clothes shopping.
In my bedroom, I consider my options, but nothing appeals. I’m not in the mood to read right now. My gaze lands on my phone. I could call Río, but he’s probably too busy with Hayden. Don’t need to hear him with her—been there, done that way too many times with too many different women.
My cell rings, and Andy’s name appears. It’s been a hot minute since I talked with my brother. I answer it. “Hey, how are you doing?”
“Great,” my brother replies. “I just found out we’re going to have another baby! We’ve got the elder sibling and the dog. Now we’ll be the perfect family.”
My stomach drops to the floor. “Congratulations.” I choke out. “How far along is she?”
“Oh, we have seven months to go. Which means we have to set up the crib, changing table, all that stuff all over again. I can’t wait! Being a father is the best thing in the world, you know.”
No. I don’t. Because I was supposed to have babies with Lillian, but that was a bust… to put it mildly. What is the proper reply? Oh, right. “I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks. And while my job doesn’t compare to yours, I did get a promotion at work. None too soon, if you ask me, as kids cost a lot.” He breaks off laughing at his own joke.
After a beat, a melancholy smile crosses my lips. “Hey, that’s great. I’m happy both your professional and home lives are doing so well.”
“Thanks, man. If you hadn’t set my head on straight back then, I never would be here.”
“Your expanding family is all the thanks I need.” He and his now-wife had broken up over something stupid, and Andy was a walking zombie. I remember sitting down with him and helping him see what he had to lose. They got back together the next week and never looked back.
“By the way, our parents are going to host a party for us in another month or so. Think you’ll be able to make it?”
I do a quick calculation. “Sorry. I’m on hiatus now, but we start up again in three weeks. We’ll be playing in Australia and New Zealand.”
“Oh, boo-hoo. You can’t come to the party because you’re touring the world.” He chuckles. “In New Zealand, no less, which is right up your alley. With all The Lord of the Rings stuff.”
“I haven’t thought of that. Maybe I can ask our manager to see what tours are available.”
He’s sincere. We’ve never been in competition—our lifestyles are worlds apart. Yet, it’s nice to have him as a check, considering sometimes I consider a hotel room “home.”
“Oh, and get this, our parents are talking about retirement.” My father’s an accountant and my mother owns a flower shop. “I can’t see it, though.”
I smile. “Me neither. They’re both too full of life. Besides, I think they might kill each other if they have to spend too much time together.”
“I know! But Dad has been going on and on about taking a world cruise like Grandpa did last year.”
How would that work? “Mom doesn’t like being on the ocean.”
“Exactly! When I remind him of this truth, he says it’s a big ship and she’ll adjust.”
I shake my head. “Have you brought it up to Mom?”
“No way. That’s Dad’s fight. I’m not getting into the middle of it.
” My sister-in-law says something in the background.
“My wife reminded me to put the date of the birth of your second niece or nephew on your calendar. For now, pencil in a note around mid-month. I’ll send you the exact date as we get closer. ”
“UC should be back in the States by then for the final leg of this tour.”
“Cool. Oh, I almost forgot, our parents—and me, of course—want to congratulate you on your Oscar for ‘Refocused Destiny.’ It was awesome seeing my big brother on that stage, accepting an Academy Award. The guys at work razzed me for a week, but they were impressed.”
My eyes stray to the gold statuette, still in my bedroom. “Thanks. It was important to us, and we lobbied hard for the award.” Voting can be a nasty business, but no need to get into that with him.
“So, what have you been doing during your break? Been to any meditation retreats?”
Ever since Lillian and I broke up, he knows I’ve been more and more consumed with meditation. “I have one set up, but haven’t been able to attend yet.” I take a beat. “My luggage was lost, so I have to replace my wardrobe.”
“Mom told me. Sucks, bro. I know how much you hate clothes shopping.”
“Yeah, well, I have help.”
“What? Like you have a personal shopper who brings all the stuff to your house? Sweet!”
“No, Andy, I don’t have one of those.” Although, it does sound easier than driving to all the places. “I have a stylist taking me to various stores.”
“Oh la la. A stylist? Fancy shmancy.”
I picture Nese, not as the band’s stylist, but as she was in the botanical garden today. Broken and raw and real. And impressive.
I remember I’m on the phone with my brother. “Not really. She’s just a kid—she’s UC’s stylist. Since we’re on break, our manager asked her to help me out.”
“She can’t be that young if she has such an important job.”
I stand and walk over to the windows. “She’s only twenty-four.” With a history that aged her beyond even my chronological years.
“Well, if she can get my brother out to clothes stores, she must be part witch as far as I'm concerned.” He chuckles.
“I told her I could order stuff online, but she almost had a conniption.”
“I bet.” His wife says something else in the background. “Listen, Coop, I have to run. If you’re able to make the party, we would love to see you. Otherwise, I hope you can be here for the birth.”
“I’ll see what I can do. Congrats again.”
The line disconnects. I wander over to my closet and open random drawers. On my second try, my new bathing suits stare back at me. Might as well take a dip in the pool.
I’m happy for Andy, as he’s happy I won the Oscar. We travel in different worlds, yet he’s still my brother. I’m his son’s godfather. This truth sinks into my bones as I remove my jeans and slide up the board shorts.
Sometimes I would like to trade places with him. Be the family man, with all the amazing obligations that entails. He can be the rockstar, traveling the world to exhaustion.
I remove my shirt as reality sets back in.
Nah. I wouldn’t want to be an electrician, as that life would confine me. Playing music with my best friends to adoring crowds suits me. Missing out on the wife and kids, though, still cuts.
Leaving my room, a splash echoes through the hallway. What the hell? I race to the pool, half expecting to find ducks in there like the last time.
I round the corner then skid to a halt—Nese is causing all the ruckus. She’s splashing everywhere, from the pool to the cement surrounding it. On the other side of the deck, I yell. “What are you? Like four?” My nephew’s age.
“Better than being an old man,” she shoots back.
That does it. I’m tired of being called old and accused of living in the last decade. I stomp over to the side of the pool. As I’m about to jump in, I challenge, “I am not old!”
I break the surface and swim over to her, causing a splash to spew in all directions. When we’re face to face, I create a near tidal wave with my arms and direct it at her.
For her part, Nese cups her palms and pushes the water toward me.
I put my hands on top of her head and push her under the water, making sure to let her up before too long.
Sputtering, she breaks the surface. She takes a big mouthful of water and streams it at me.
“No you didn’t!” I dunk my upper body, then launch myself at her. Capturing her arms behind her, I stand.
And freeze.
She’s not wearing a bathing suit.
She’s not wearing anything.
I drop my arms.
Before I process, she splashes me again, shouting, “Take that, Grandpa!”
I rub my hands over my face to get rid of the excess water. “You’re not wearing anything.”
Her bare shoulders break the surface. “I thought I could skinny dip in silence until you came along.”
“It’s my house. I can go wherever I want.”
“I suppose that’s true. I just didn’t picture you as a pool type of guy.”
I’m about to counter that the pool is on my grounds, but stop myself. Why am I fighting her? I should do the gentlemanly thing and leave her be. Forget she’s swimming naked in my pool.
I take one step toward her.
Guess I’m not a gentleman. “You know what happens to troublemakers who end up where they’re not supposed to be?”
She takes a step backward. Not looking repentant at all, she asks, “What?”
I walk toward her again. “They get spanked.”
Not moving, she stands taller. Her nipples crest the waterline. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Oh, but I would.” I grab her around her waist, turn her so she’s facing away from me, and bring her naked, thrashing body against mine.
“Uncle! Uncle! You got me!”
In her ear, I whisper, “Too late, Nese.” I try to spank her, but the water prevents me from making any meaningful contact.
She wriggles free and swims to the opposite side of the pool. When she gets there, she flips her wet hair backward, laughing. “Didn’t go as you planned, huh?”
I smile. “Not in the slightest.”
She twists to face me, her body obscured by the water. However, every inch that was pressed against mine is seared into my memory.
Under the water, I open and close my hands.
Wishing they were grabbing hold of her hips.
Nese mocks me further. Instead of staying beneath the surface, she stands at her full height. Meaning her breasts emerge from the water.
The swell of her boobs looks like they would fit perfectly into my palms.
Pink nipples taunt me.
My cock twitches.
It’s been so long since I’ve had any of these feelings.
Grinning, she asks, “Now what are you going to do?”
I don’t stop, think, or consider. I only feel. With measured steps, I splash over to her. I run my fingers down the side of her face. “I’m going to kiss you.”
On a breath, she says, “Oh, okay.” She tilts her head up toward mine.
At first, I close the distance between us slowly. Then faster. Faster. Until our lips meet in an exploration that goes off the charts in less than a second.
Soon, my tongue touches hers. Dances. Traces the contours of her mouth.
My other hand cups her cheek. Our only point of contact is our lips, which press against each other increasingly harder. I move one of my hands behind her head, encouraging our kiss to deepen.
I pull away and trail kisses down her neck. She moans and runs her fingers through my hair, which is bliss. I need to get closer to this amazing woman. Who never stops surprising me.
My free hand dips down her back and reaches her bare ass, causing me to groan this time. “What are you doing to me?”
Her hand grabs my board short-covered ass, and squeezes. “You’re a great kisser. Who knew?”
Her response sums her up perfectly. She’s the personification of spontaneity, living in the moment, while I’ve been her polar opposite for years. These contradictory feelings wash over me in waves that mirror those we’re generating in the pool.
“I’m good at other things, too.” Assuming I remember how.
“I believe you.” She gets on her tippy toes, wrapping her arms around my neck. Every square inch of her body molds against mine. Damn.
I nip her earlobe, then trace it with my tongue. Her head falls backward, offering me access I don’t hesitate to kiss. My right palm finds her boob, which I knead like the bread she made yesterday. I run my index finger over her hard nipple.
Not the only thing that’s hard in this pool.
I want to dip down to suck and lick her boobs, but I’m not about to go underwater.
However, my hands are free to stroke between her legs, so I reach forward and tap her thighs.
Without hesitation, she opens for me. Returning to her lips, I kiss her again while my right hand travels toward her core.
Considering we’re in the pool, I can’t tell if she’s wet from touch. Her moans indicate I’m doing it right.
I skim by her clit, which causes her hips to gyrate. “Yes!”
Smiling into her mouth, I ask, “You like?”
In response, she grabs my left palm and puts it over her heart. It takes me a minute to understand I’m feeling her heart rate. Which is beating a fast rhythm. I squeeze her boob. “Good.”
My right hand rubs her pussy, landing on her clit again. This time, I rub her nub over and over, switching up my positioning to get even better access. Now I have one goal. I want to watch her come for me.
I continue playing her body while I kiss her until we’re both breathless. My lips glide across her cheek, ending at her ear. Her chest rises and falls with her shallow breaths, and my fingers work her sex faster. Her lower body moves in time with my rhythm.
All of a sudden, she stops moving. With glassy eyes, she quasi-focuses on me. Her mouth opens as her body stiffens, then she yells, “Yes! I’m coming.” No questions at all.
Her core clenches around my finger as her chest pushes outward. In the most beautiful thing I’ve ever witnessed, she gives herself over to her climax, which rolls through her until she collapses into the water.
I remove my finger, admiring every bit of her strong, naked form. Which matches everything she’s had to deal with in her short life. “You’re beautiful, Nese. Inside and out.”
Her flushed cheeks inflate. “You’re not too bad yourself. Who knew?” Her hand wraps around my engorged cock, still covered by my board shorts. “How are you feeling down there?”
My brain short-circuits. “Like I want to get into you. Now.”
Nese giggles and kisses me. “That can be arranged.”
Her legs encircle my waist, her pussy teasing my cock. Any thought of taking it slow and easy evaporates. All I can think of is getting inside her. I push down my waistband and probe her entrance.
“Don’t worry. I’m on the Pill.”
Her confession penetrates like nothing else has. What am I thinking? I can’t go bareback with her—the only woman I’ve ever done that with played me dirty and exposed all my inadequacies. My body deflates.
My hands wrap around hers at the back of my neck. “Nese.”
“Coop.” She kisses me again.
When her tongue traces the seam of my lips, I wrench my face away from hers. Dragging her arms off my upper body, I admit, “I can’t.”
Her head leans to the right. “Au contraire. You already did pretty damn well, guitar boy.” She pulls toward me once more.
I need to stop this now. Disengaging from her enticing body once more, I pull my shorts up, place my hands on the cement, and haul myself to a sitting position, staring at my feet dangling in the water. “Enjoy the pool.”
Before she can respond, I stand and retreat into the house, with Lillian whispering I’d already had my shot.