Chapter 40
Eva
Itwisted the apple stem slowly, whispering, “A…B…C-” snap. A grin bloomed on my cheeks.
C for Cooper, obviously. It always snapped on C. I practised. And for the last two years while I’d been testing this method, it always landed on C.
“Are you talking to your apple again?” Seb’s voice startled me and I spun around, clutching the apple like the forbidden fruit it represented.
“No. I was checking for worms.” I lied and he raised an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth twitching.
“Sure, sure. Worms named Cooper?” He teased and my face went hot.
He walked off laughing, tossing a smug, “You going to make him a cupcake with a heart on it? Maybe apple flavoured.” I threw the apple at him, my frustration only increasing when it missed entirely and he laughed louder.
“You won’t be laughing when we get married.” I grumbled quietly, wishing with everything I had that one day I’d be brave enough to tell Cooper the truth and he’d feel the same.
COOPER
Hey baby, what are you doing?
EVA
Hey, Poop.
Taking a quiz to see which vegetable I am.
I was surrounded by boxes, getting everything packed ready to move this weekend.
Despite Cooper begging me in the most delicious of ways to live here, I wanted my own space.
It had been my dream to get a place of my own and now that I was going to be working full time at the distillery, it wouldn’t be the worst thing to have my own apartment, and it wasn’t like I wouldn’t see him every day.
If he had his way, we would be together every night anyway.
COOPER
I bet you’d be a brussels sprout.
EVA
Wrong. I’m a sassy little chilli. You either love me or you can’t handle my heat.
COOPER
I can definitely handle your heat.
His reply made my thighs clench chasing the ache he elicited with comments like that.
COOPER
When I get home, I’m going to eat that pussy and then I’m going to watch while you ride me.
I sighed, knowing I was now going to be hot until he came home.
EVA
When do you finish?
COOPER
I have to wait for an after-hours plumber, so probably late tonight, baby.
But I promise I’ll wake you. With my tongue.
Groaning, I sent back my reply telling him I expected nothing less and continued packing.
After another hour had passed, I was restless, bored and missing him more than expected. Even watching KraftHacks71 wasn’t holding my attention, and while I was still laughing at my quiz results stating I was a sassy little chilli, I wanted to prove it to Cooper.
Biting the inside of my lip I pondered how I could get to him faster as an idea came to life. Racing to the bathroom to shower while brewing my spicy little plan, I called Xavier, who would know exactly where to go to make sure I was prepared.
It was late by the time Xavier dropped me at the distillery with a slap on the backside and a wish for good luck. Cooper’s bike sat at the entrance, his serendipitous message that the plumber cancelled, and he would be leaving soon pinging only five minutes earlier.
I was both nervous and excited as I opened the door, ringing the bell at the front desk to grab his attention.
I stood near the entrance after locking it behind me.
Hidden in the soft lighting saved for the evening hours, my tight navy overalls were zipped low enough to leave very little to the imagination, a red crop top clinging beneath the sexy plumber get-up and a toolbelt clipped low on my hips.
In one hand, I held a bright red plunger like it was my weapon of seduction.
I would have laughed at my Halloween style attempt if I wasn’t brimming with anticipation.
I heard his boots, knew he would be confused as to who would be here so late, and wasn’t disappointed when he rounded the corner and froze mid-step.
Eyes wide, jaw falling open, he looked like he’d forgotten how to breathe, and I suppressed the giggle desperate to escape.
Instead, I opted for self-assuredness, cocking a brow and shifting my weight onto one hip.
“Heard you needed a plumber,” I said, twirling the plunger in a move which screamed awkward brussels sprout more than chilli. “But I think my pipes need cleaning more than yours.”
He blinked, like his brain was buffering, then he dragged a hand down his face with a low, stunned laugh. That wolfish grin which made me weep splitting his face.
“You cannot be serious,” he muttered, but the way his eyes roamed said he was very much into this surprise.
Walking towards him, I used the plunger to point to some of the aging barrels. “Oh, I’m serious. I seriously need to be bent over one of your barrels.” I stepped into his space, lips brushing his ear. “I want you to ruin me over one.” I purred.
“Jesus, Evy.” His voice cracked with heat, his hands reaching for the zipper of the overalls as he slowly dragged it lower.
“You say things like that and expect me to act civilised?” Arching a brow, he smirked, taking the plunger and throwing it away, “Let’s go plumber girl.
” And then he was on me just as I’d wanted since he first teased me earlier.
The hours of preparation were worth every second of that little act of foreplay as we made use of the aging whiskey in a manner definitely not up to distillery standards.
“My boss might get annoyed if I’m hungover tomorrow,” I teased, taking the cocktail from Cooper’s hand.
“I think he will forgive you after you deep throat his cock later tonight,” his breath was hot in my ear and my eyes widened.
“You can’t tease me like that when my brother is in the same room,” I grumbled, accepting the kisses he pressed to my mouth.
“Hasn’t stopped me before. I bet if I slipped my hand up that skirt, you’d be wet for me, wouldn’t you baby?” I suppressed a shiver, clenching my thighs tighter as he watched me knowingly.
“Pressing those legs together won’t dull that little ache that is throbbing for me, Evy girl.”
“Evangeline!” I threw an arched brow in his direction before turning to greet Felicity and Arna, who’d just arrived to join us at the bar.
It was a last-minute outing in the city. One which was needed after the fortnight prior, where I’d moved house and worked long hours in the day, while getting very little sleep wrapped in the arms of my dream man.
“Hey, how was your trip?” I asked, knowing Flick had just returned from time at home with her folks and younger brother.
“Same old,” she replied, “but let’s not bond over family induced trauma tonight.” She flicked a gaze towards Cooper who smirked, “Let’s just drink and dance.” I laughed. It seemed there were so many layers she kept buried behind sarcasm and smiles.
“Done.” We clinked our drinks before Arna and Andy sidled over, joining us at the bar where my brother was supposed to be making drinks, but had paused to do things I, as his sibling, should not be seeing him do to Marlee.
I slapped the bar loudly. “Hello, we are dehydrated over here!”
Marlee shook her head, “Like you can talk, Cooper practically had his hand up your skirt before,” she admonished with a devilish grin and my brother scowled.
“Flick needs a drink,” I called.
“So do I,” Arna said, pulling me in for a hug. “Hey, lovely.”
I’d had breakfast with the girls a few days earlier, sharing little pieces of information about the drama involving Cooper and his father, but not too much.
I didn’t want to break his trust, and I knew he would tell the boys what he was comfortable sharing.
We’d spoken about it here and there, mostly conversations he instigated surprisingly and it was humbling to see the way he was opening up and actually talking about his feelings.
His mother had tried to call him, but he said he wasn’t ready yet and that was something I respected. He was already making so much progress with working through everything, even booking an appointment with the same therapist Marlee saw.
He’d also been hitting the gym with Seb more often, finding healthy ways to work through his pent-up frustration and I could not have been prouder. He looked happier, although, according to Xavier regular sex will do that to a person.
“Hey,” I grinned. “Have you heard from Win-” I stopped, noticing her and Jack heading straight for us.
“Heyyy,” Winter drawled, my grin instantly spreading as Arns spoke my thoughts aloud.
“Are you drunk, Winter Lennox?” She asked and Jack’s larger than life smile was as much of a giveaway as the laugh which ended in a hiccup from his girlfriend.
“It’s the only way I could get her here on such short notice,” Jack said, gesturing for her to take a seat on one of the stools while he stood behind her, accepting water from Seb.
“Is Coach coming?” Cooper asked.
Andy shook his head, “But he invited us to his place for poker tomorrow night. He’s been acting strange lately.”
“Stranger than normal?” Felicity said with an air of indifference.
“Strange even for him.” Andy confirmed, glancing at Jack who looked away knowingly.
“He knows something,” Marlee sang, pointing at Jack. “Spill the beans Jacky.”
“Don’t you say anything,” Winter’s intoxicated words dragged, and I chuckled as she tried to place her hand across his mouth, missing entirely and cupping his neck instead.
“Oh my God,” Arna laughed, “I love drunk Winter.”
“What’s up with Jay?” Seb asked, having missed half the conversation.
“Not my place to share,” Jack shrugged. “But he’s okay. Just some family stuff.”
“He messaged me earlier,” Andy chimed in, “said he wanted to tell us all something.” He shrugged thoughtfully.
“I hope he’s okay,” Marls said, voicing what I was thinking as Coop nuzzled into my neck, his familiar spicy cleanliness filling my lungs.
“You guys are so unbelievably cute. You look more in love every time I see you.” Arna commented, looking at Marlee for confirmation but she was again distracted with my brother’s tongue.
“Gross,” I shuddered, before a chuckle from behind distracted me as Coop spun the stool until I was facing him.
“If I go to poker tomorrow night, will you be waiting for me in one of your sexy outfits?”
“Shush,” Just like Winter, I pressed my hands against his mouth, only I was far more accurate.
Reaching for my wrist, he held my hand in place, kissing my palm before turning my hand and kissing the green ring which now sat on my right hand.
We were not ready for that step, especially as we’d just found each other, but I loved it too much to take it off and Cooper was already frustrated I’d switched hands.
For someone who loved questions, there was no chance I was wearing an engagement ring without even being asked the most important question of my life - but he also knew we both had things to do before that.
“Hottest plumber I ever did see,” he said, chuckling when I whacked his chest in reprimand.
“If my brother hits you, I’m not saving you.” I said, wrapping my arms around him and pulling him into me.
“Will you find a spicy nurse outfit and look after me?” He teased and I shook my head with an eyeroll.
“Only if you wear your lumberjack get up again next time it rains.” Thoughts of that day all those months ago, still caused my cheeks to flush.
“Can I fuck you in the rain again?” He asked with heated desperation, and I nodded, breathless as his hands trailed up my sides before he took my mouth with his own.
“I loved when you did that day.” I admitted.
“Seriously, you guys all need to stop,” Flick complained, and I winced, noticing how everyone was currently far too invested in their partners and until a little while ago, I felt that same pinch of loneliness.
“Can’t believe you guys were only pretending to date,” she added with a grin.
“As if they were pretending.” Marlee grinned.
“We picked it from the start. Coop had never looked at anyone like that,” Arna said and everyone laughed.
“See, baby, I look at you lovingly,” he said into my ear before kissing my cheek again.
“Took you long enough to admit it though.” I pressed a chaste kiss to Cooper’s mouth. “I’m going to dance,” I announced to the group and Felicity smiled.
“Finally,” she said with a smile.
“Can you play something a little less Miles Davis and a little more Miley Cyrus,” Marls called to Seb who shook his head.
“It’s a bloody jazz and whiskey bar,” he argued as he proceeded to do just as he was told.
When Party in The USA started, we all cheered, moving into a circle and singing the lyrics like there weren’t other patrons trying to enjoy a peaceful night tucked away in the dimmed ambience of the bar.
And that was where we stayed, while the boys spent the night at the bar, talking about whatever it was they spoke about, and we sang, pausing only for another drink or a bathroom break.
Seb knew Marlee would be happy if there was music she could sing to and his infamous passionfruit cocktails and we were all afforded the same treatment.
Hours later, slowly but surely everyone eventually said their goodbyes. Mine a little elongated, with a voice showcasing a night of screamed singing and Coop grinning as I clung to him.
“Look after her,” Seb said to Coop as he shook his hand in farewell.
“Always, bro.”
“Have some water before bed,” he advised sternly, embracing me quickly and I grinned.
“Good luck with Grumpy,” I said to Marls, my voice slurred at the edges.
“Okay, plumber girl, let’s get you home.” Coop draped an arm around my shoulders, guiding me away.
“Plumber girl?” Sebastian asked with a raised brow.
“Don’t ask.” Marlee answered and Cooper gave me a smug, I knew you’d tell them kind of smirk.
“Blame Xavi. He ratted me out,” I giggled as Coop guided us to the exit, murmuring low-key promises about what he was going to do to me the moment we got home - things that had me nearly sprinting to the car.