Chapter Six – Coop
Coop found his way up to the hotel’s third floor and stood in front of Rick’s door. How had he been talked into this? Oh, right, phone sex. He needed to get his hands on Rick again, and in person. They’d slowly become so much more than a hookup. Coop had to admit, he wanted to make Rick happy.
He knocked on the door, quelling his nerves.
When Rick opened it, Coop couldn’t believe his eyes.
There he stood, eye to eye, wearing his uniform.
He looked stunning in the dark blue jacket and pants with a gold stripe down the leg, a white shirt, and a black bow tie.
Gold cords hung over one shoulder and colorful pins lined his breast. Coop knew they were awards of some kind, but not what they meant, not really. “Wow.”
Rick lifted an eyebrow with the turn of his head. “You don’t look ready.”
Coop shook the hangar of his suit draped over his shoulder. “I need a minute to change.”
“Right. Come in.” He moved, and as Coop slid past him, Rick grabbed his shoulder and gave him a quick peck on the lips. “Missed you.”
Coop smiled. That was everything, right there.
It sent those butterflies into chaos. “Missed you right back.” He winked and entered the room.
It didn’t take him long to change from jeans and boots to his dress clothes, including a pair of shiny new shoes.
He shoved his casual clothes back in his duffle and tucked it under the bathroom sink, then looked in the mirror.
He’d cut his hair the day before, but it didn’t look stylish, not like Rick’s, and he didn’t look nearly as good in his suit as Rick did in his uniform.
Didn’t matter. He huffed and left the safety of the bathroom.
He held out his arms and turned around for Rick’s inspection. He whistled low. “You do clean up nice.”
“Whatever.”
“You blush nice, too.” He put his hand on Coop’s shoulder. “Hey, I’m really happy you came.”
“Well, you’re welcome. It’s lucky for you I was in town.” They had an off week for racing that coincided with this shindig of Rick’s.
Heading down to the event, Coop was uncomfortable.
It wasn’t like he’d never attended formal events.
His parents had made him dress up millions of times.
He knew what fancy fork to use and everything, thanks to that country club upbringing.
His mother never let him get away with simply riding bikes and running around like a heathen.
Still, he felt unprepared. A country club soiree with his parents’ social circle was not a military ball.
Rick was in ROTC and planning a career in the military, but it didn’t hit home until he saw him standing there in uniform.
What would that mean for their budding relationship?
He groaned a bit, unhappy that his thoughts sounded more like his mother than him.
“You okay?” Rick asked as they stepped off the elevator.
“Fine. A little nervous. I don’t know what to expect.”
Rick rubbed his shoulder and took his hand. “Don’t worry. There’s not much you have to do besides sit there and look pretty.”
“Pretty? What the—”
They were interrupted by a group of cadets, all dressed similarly to Rick, though they had different ranks and ribbons. They were jostling each other and cutting up like typical kids rather than the soldiers their uniforms indicated they were.
“Hey, guys. The ball will be starting soon. Go in and settle down.” Rick’s command went right to Coop’s balls. He swallowed hard to stifle a moan.
The cadets listened to him; some might have rolled their eyes, but they went into the ballroom. Coop was impressed. “That was sexy as hell,” he whispered in Rick’s ear after the others had left.
“Think so?”
“Hell yeah.”
“Wait until after the ball, then.” Rick didn’t give Coop time to process that statement. He tugged Coop’s hand and led him inside the ballroom between two huge double doors. “Let’s find our seats.” Rick examined a poster that listed all the assignments. “Good, we’re with Drew.”
“Your roommate?”
“Yeah. We have the receiving line first.”
Coop looked around the room. Uniformed soldiers and their dates were everywhere.
Some women were dressed much like he remembered from the country club days, in full-length gowns, others were shorter, even above the knees, but these were younger girls.
He figured that would be okay, but what did he know?
He was much more interested in all the men in uniforms. Some women were in uniform as well, but his gaze skipped right over them.
Before he knew it, he was walking down a line of people.
A professor of military science with a high rank, whom Coop guessed was the guy in charge of the ROTC program, was introduced along with his wife.
Then there were other men and a senior cadet with his date.
He was told there would also be a guest speaker, but by the time they were done and standing on the edge of the dance floor, he couldn’t recall who was who. “This is kind of overwhelming.”
Rick rubbed his back. “Don’t worry. I’ve got you.”
“I know.” And he did know. Maybe that was what was different between them. Coop trusted Rick. “What’s next?”
“We’re going to be announced, then we can sit.”
“There’s a lot of formal procedures.” He waved his hand toward the stage at the front of the room, but he meant the entire event.
The voice that answered from behind him was deep and not Rick’s.
“Of course. It’s tradition.” Rick turned to the cadet.
The guy was significantly taller than him and Rick and all arms and legs, even in that pristine uniform, with a high and tight cut that made his ears stick out.
“I’m Drew.” He held out his hand. “I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced. ”
Coop’s face heated as he recalled his first night with Rick and Drew banging on the wall. He wasn’t sure what to say, but he shook Drew’s hand. Thankfully, Rick rescued him. “Drew, this is Lucas Cooper. Coop. This would be my roommate, Andrew Nolan.”
Andrew said, “Drew, please.”
While at the same time, Coop said, “Call me Coop.”
The tall blonde on his arm giggled. “I’m Julia, Drew’s sister.” She held her hand out to Coop and he shook it, but before any further introductions could be made, another cadet took the stage and spoke into the mic that they were going to announce the seniors.
A few names were called, and then “Andrew Nolan” sent Drew across the floor.
Coop wondered how he didn’t trip himself up with those long legs.
He reminded Coop of Bambi on the ice. His sister, Julia, stood beside Coop.
Only a moment later, “Richard Stanton” was called.
Rick’s back was straight, and he gave off a commanding air, so proud and strong.
Coop wanted him for a lot more than a bed partner.
The thoughts he had for this man surprised the shit out of him.
He never thought he wanted or needed anyone.
That part of the ceremony didn’t take too long; there were only a few seniors, apparently. Other people walked across the floor afterward, but Coop didn’t pay attention. He had zeroed in on where Rick stood and couldn’t peel his gaze off the man.
More announcements were made and then they were seated.
Julia sat to Coop’s right with Drew on the other side of her, and Rick to his left.
He slid his hand under the table and onto Rick’s leg.
Rick put his hand on top of Coop’s. “They’re going to do toasts now.
There will be a lot of them, so I recommend sipping rather than gulping.
” Since everyone at the table was of age, wine was poured into their goblets.
Rick indicated the underclassmen who were not twenty-one would have tea, soda, or water, not that Coop cared much.
Rick made sure their glasses were full and then nodded to the back.
“They’re bringing the colors in first.” He stood, motioning for Coop to stand as well.
“Colors?”
“The flag.”
“Right.” Arenacross events started with the National Anthem, so he wasn’t entirely surprised, but they didn’t play the music, only announced the colors, and everyone turned as a small group of cadets brought them in.
It felt a lot like pomp and pageantry, and Coop supposed it was.
Tradition, Drew had said. It impressed Coop in a way that he’d never thought of before and couldn’t quite name.
Then the toasts came. The first was to the United States of America. Coop lost track shortly after that. Rick wasn’t kidding when he said there were a lot, and his glass was empty by the time they were finished. In fact, the last few were done with Coop’s glass empty. Hopefully, no one noticed.
The one thing that stuck with him was the presentation of the table reserved for the fallen soldiers.
Coop had never thought about that. Men and women went to war and lost their lives to protect Coop’s freedom.
He had known that, of course, but it had never hit him in such a real sense.
He looked at the side of Rick’s beautiful face.
Rick could very well be one of those men in the not-so-distant future.
The thought had him wishing for another full glass of wine.
Afterward, they served dinner. Coop felt more in his element with that portion.
He’d been to plenty of formal dinners, and he didn’t embarrass Rick with poor manners.
Later, the announcer called out the seniors again and presented them with an award.
Rick received one, so he hoped he’d explain it to him later.
Then they retired the colors and opened the dance floor.
“Now you can relax some.” Rick kissed the top of Coop’s head when he sat back at the table. “The formalities are over.”
“You’re going to have to explain a lot of this to me later.” Coop shook his head. “I had no idea.”
Julia leaned in and bumped his shoulder. “It’s a lot to take in, right. I did this last year, too, but you did just fine.”