Chapter 9
Aspen
I'd been going through the motions ever since Cooper confronted me in the office. I’d thought about quitting but I couldn’t seem to go through with it.
And I needed to forward the estimate to Eve.
I should review it first and compile the information into some kind of summary or spreadsheet but I felt overwhelmed.
Why would she want my opinion on something big like this?
I didn't know anything about contracts or estimates. Why had I thought I could do this? I felt almost crippled with fear as I sat at my desk. Every task felt impossible. I was an imposter. I didn't have any experience running a town or large events.
I also hadn't heard from Cooper. He probably thought I was a basket case who couldn't handle my job, and he'd be right. I let everyone down. It was only a matter of time before Eve realized she'd hired someone who was too incompetent to run her business.
I focused on what came easier, the upcoming holiday events. The first one was the Cocoa Crawl. Each shop offered hot chocolate and sweets when you stopped in. There were sales, and shoppers could get a jump start on holiday shopping.
I essentially followed Eve's plan for this event from last year. I was just reviewing the parking plan when there was a knock on my door.
"Come in."
Eve walked in.
"What are you doing here?" I'd thought she was avoiding the office for the rest of her pregnancy.
"I thought I'd stop in and see how things are going."
My face flushed. "I'm just reviewing the Cocoa Crawl information from last year."
She rubbed her belly as she sat at the chair across from me. "Is that next? It's so weird not to be the point person for everything."
I tried to curve my lips into a smile, but it felt brittle. "I've got everything handled, so you don't need to worry about a thing."
She smiled. "I knew I could count on you."
Wasn't I supposed to tell her that I didn't have everything handled, and she should hire someone else?
She sighed. "Did you have any questions about how it went last year?"
I chewed my lip, wondering if I should tell her about my fears. "What if we have more visitors than last year?"
"We could offer a shuttle for guests if the parking lots fill up. We don't want to overload the downtown area."
"Where would the shuttle pick up?"
"You might have to reach out to local churches to ask if you could use their lot."
"I'll need a bus too." Why was I getting in deeper when I was supposed to be extracting myself from this job? I needed to do it now so that she had time to hire someone else. Someone more capable.
"Did you talk to Cooper about the renovations? Can the work be done before the ball?"
"I have the estimate. I just need to summarize it, and forward it to you.
He's proposing to renovate the entire bathroom, all new fixtures, lighting, tile, and floors.
He even added a sitting room in that space between the two doors.
Cooper said he'd put the extra crews on the job, but he'd need the ballroom shut down for the duration of the repairs. "
"I figured it would be a big job. You think it's possible it would be done in time?"
"I don't have any experience with this kind of thing. But Cooper seems motivated. He wants to get started right away."
"Send me the estimate."
"You didn't have to come in here to talk about it. I could have emailed you more information or set up a time to meet you at your house."
Eve waved a hand. "I'm getting a little crazy working at home by myself. I needed a change of scenery. Speaking of which, it looks like you're spending a lot of time here."
"Sorry about the mess. I wasn't expecting anyone."
No one had stopped by since Cooper the other night, and he hadn't been impressed. I should tell her that I couldn't do this job, that she should find someone else. But I felt capable when I was with her. She never talked down to me or assumed I couldn't handle the responsibilities.
"I wanted to get out of the house and do some shopping." Eve stood and moved toward the door. "I'll sign the contract as soon as you send it over. I can't wait to see how it's going to look."
I followed her. "I'll do that."
She paused at the door. "How's everything going? Is it too much for one person?"
"I've got it," I said as unease settled in my gut.
Her forehead creased. "Maddox said that I was doing too much, and now I'm unloading it all on you."
"You're still working. There's two of us." But why did it feel like the responsibility was on me now?
"If you're sure?" Her gaze moved to the overflowing garbage can.
"Of course," I said with a smile. I'd have to do a better job of pretending I had it together.
Eve hugged me. "Thank you. I couldn't do this without you."
I was fairly sure that wasn't true. "I'll do my best to take care of things while you take it easy."
"You're a lifesaver." She flashed me another smile before walking out of the office.
I lowered my shoulders, feeling like an imposter. That was my opportunity to tell her that I couldn't do this. That I was the wrong person for the job, but I didn’t.
I forwarded Eve the estimate and took the garbage out back. Then I organized my desk. Maybe if I pretended I was organized and responsible, someone would believe me. Maybe I'd start believing it.
I sent an email to Cooper, telling him that Eve would be approving his project, and he should get started on the work. I kept it as short as possible. We didn't need to be friends. Especially after the other night when he acted like I'd screwed up.
He was like everyone else in my life. It sucked when I disappointed them, but it was inevitable. It was best that he realized that now. Eve was really the one in charge. I was merely the secretary.
I stared at the screen, the words blurring. I'd liked being in charge of something. The other shop owners looked at me differently. Even my family seemed impressed by my new job and my volunteer work.
It was dangerous to raise people's expectations though. It only made the eventual fall that much worse.
I managed to refocus on the Cocoa Crawl, making calls to shop owners who'd called to discuss potential offerings and discounts. I enjoyed talking to people more than creating spreadsheets.
I felt a little better when I got off the phone with Clara. She was doing a store-wide sale and serving peppermint cocoa with marshmallows. Her store had been around since her grandparents opened it. She'd merely carried on when they'd died.
I didn't know much about her, other than her store's history that Eve had shared with me.
She felt like it was important for me to know how long everyone had been here.
I catalogued those details so that I could anticipate people's needs and wants.
Maybe I could head off some of the complaints that Eve received.
I enjoyed connecting with people. It was something that was disruptive in school, but in this world, networking was a good skill to have. I had to look at the positive and not all the ways I was messing up.
It was eleven, and I leaned back in my chair to stretch. Outside, the streetlights shined, along with the holiday decorations. The shops had closed hours ago, but there were maybe a few patrons at the restaurants and the bar.
I wasn't interested in running into anyone, and the bar was right across the street from my apartment. I should stick around and get through the next item on my to-do list. I needed to reach out to the horse and carriage company about renting them for the events.
I'd just pulled up the information when my door opened.
I startled.
Cooper walked into the room. "What are you still doing here?"
I blinked at the sight of Cooper in my office, looking every bit as angry as he had been the other night. I'd asked for space, but he apparently couldn't give that to me. "What business is it of yours?"
"You shouldn't be working so late."
I came around my desk and leaned against it. "That's rich coming from you. Don't you work all the time?"
He grunted. "I'm talking about you."
I crossed my arms over my chest. "I missed something important in my email, and I can't let that happen again."
He paused in front of me. "You're not quitting?"
I pressed my lips tightly closed. I hadn't meant to share my decision with him.
He stepped close, and my breath caught in my chest. "I got your email."
I nodded stiffly, desperately trying to maintain an air of professionalism but knowing that I was failing miserably. "So then you know that Eve would like to get started as soon as possible."
He raised a brow. "It was her decision?"
Why was he so handsome? I wanted to reach out and touch his chest with my palm and feel the beat of his heart. "She's the boss."
"I thought you were the one in charge now. Or are you walking away?"
"I think we both know I'm just her assistant. I believe the correct title is executive assistant. A fancy name for a secretary, administrative assistant—"
His hand landed on my hip, and he pulled me against him.
I was pressed against his hard, very warm body. "What are you—"
Before I could finish my question, his mouth had slanted over mine. I was so shocked; my lips parted. His tongue dived into my mouth, exploring, claiming. The grip of his hands on my hips kept me grounded in this moment. This was really happening.
Cooper was kissing me. My brothers' best friend. The man I shouldn't be having any kind of carnal thoughts about.
But my brain couldn't form any coherent thoughts. All I could do was feel. The strength of his grip, the warmth of his body, the way his scent seemingly surrounded me, taking over my senses.
He pulled back slightly, resting his forehead against mine.
"What are we doing?" I asked, my voice sounding more breathless than I preferred. It was rare for me to lose control with a man.
"Fuck if I know." Then he was kissing me again, grabbing my thigh and drawing it around his leg so that I could feel the evidence of his arousal.
I whimpered into his mouth and then jumped so that my legs were wrapped around him. He set me on the desk, not caring about the papers or whatever else I'd just organized. So much for trying to impress anyone.
His hand slipped under my sweater, and when he cupped my breast through the lace, I moaned.
His thumb slid over my hard nipple, and I pressed into his palm. I needed more.
He complied, pulling the cup down and finally touching my bare breast.
I leaned back, bringing him with me. He shoved my shirt up and the second cup of my bra down. Then he rested his elbows on the table and sucked on one nipple. I was pinned to the desk and couldn't move. He stood between my legs, but I couldn't feel him where I needed him in this position.
He moved from one nipple to the second as I writhed beneath him. "Cooper—"
He lifted his head to look at my face. "You need more?"
I nodded jerkily.
He pulled me to the edge of the desk and unbuckled my pants, pulling them down my hips and off. I sat up and pulled my sweater over my head and unhooked my bra, flinging it somewhere. I'd get my clothes later. Much later.
He removed his clothes, his gaze on my naked body.
I bit my lip, my eyes not sure where to look first: his hard pecks, the smattering of hair that led lower to his cock, which jutted from his body, hard, and proud.
I reached down and cupped the base. He jerked in my hand, and I reveled in the control I had.
He swiped my hand away, reaching for his pants and a condom from his wallet. He ripped the wrapper with his teeth and smoothed it over his cock. "I want to do so many things to you, but first I have to be inside you."
"Yes," I said as he moved over me. I fell to my back, and he entered me in one swift motion. We both stilled at the invasion.
His cock was large and pulsing. Then he moved.
I wrapped my legs around him, needing to be closer, to feel him covering every inch of my body.
He grabbed my legs and drove into me. He was destroying me with every pass of his body. The orgasm was building inside me, threatening to be bigger than anything I'd ever experienced before.
I was naked on my desk, fucking the contractor who was responsible for the contract to renovate the ballroom. I shouldn't be doing this. Eve could walk in at any time. But it was late, and she'd already been here.
It was unlikely that anyone else would walk in this late at night. But Cooper was here, and he was railing me. There was no other word for it.
The hard surface of the desk bit into my back, but I didn't care. I wanted him to take me wherever he wanted to go. I wanted to forget about my recent failures and the worries about the future. There was nothing but us in this moment.
I'd worry about what this looked like to others later. Then it struck me in the chest. We shouldn't— no, we couldn't be together. He was my brothers' best friend and business partner. Getting involved was a terrible idea, but right now, it felt so good.
I grabbed his forearms, marveling at the strength in his muscles.
He shortened his thrusts, and it set me over the edge. I spasmed around him, trembling and shaking as the orgasm overwhelmed me.
He thrust one more time and stilled, emptying himself into the condom.
I fucked Cooper. My business associate. My brothers' friend.
He didn't linger, pulling out to take care of the condom. He threw it in the now-empty garbage can. Then he offered me a hand to help me sit up.
Before I could say anything, he was pulling on his briefs and jeans, then his long-sleeve shirt. Then he headed for the door.
I was still sitting on my desk naked.
He paused, not turning around. "That shouldn't have happened."
I didn't think he could have hurt me anymore than he did.
Then he was gone.
He couldn't get away fast enough.