Page 57 of Boots & Scars

"You don't have to do that," he said, his voice rough yet gentle.

I didn’t reply. Explaining why I needed this—this tiny bit of control—felt impossible. Words seemed inadequate to convey the tumult inside me.

Turning to face him, I took his hand in mine. For a second, I thought he might pull away, but he didn’t. His grip was firm and reassuring. We moved back to the bed together, crawling under the covers and facing each other.

"Cooper," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the hum of silence in the room. "Can I touch your scars?"

"Why the hell would you want to do that?" he asked, his tone low and filled with an edge of disbelief.

"Because I do," I replied simply. "Because you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, Cooper Sinclaire."

His eyes flashed with panic, a warning clear in his gaze. "Everly," he growled, as if cautioning me against something dangerous.

I didn’t push him; the last thing I wanted was to pressure him into something he wasn’t ready for. Instead, I waited, letting the moment hang between us like a fragile thread.

Then, surprising me, he took my wrist and guided my hand to his face. My fingers brushed against his scars—rough patchesof skin that told stories of pain and survival. He went so still that for a moment; I thought he had stopped breathing.

"I promise I won't hurt you," I said softly, hoping my words could soothe some of his fears.

"You can't make a promise like that," he countered, his voice strained.

"Yes," I insisted gently. "I can."

"When I was a kid, my mom would tell me that a girl's duty was to save herself for the right man," I murmured. "She always made it sound like a prize, something that made me special because most girls didn’t have that innocence. She would say it should be explored with someone I trusted."

I traced Cooper's scars, my eyes following the movements of my fingers, even though I could feel his gaze burning into my face. The rough patches of skin felt like a roadmap of his past, each one a story of survival.

"I didn’t believe I needed to save it for marriage," I continued, my voice soft and hesitant. "But I did believe that the first time should be special, and now…" My voice caught in my throat. "Do you think… do you think when I find the right person… do you think I can offer him something special even without… without?—"

"A gift taken is not the same thing as a gift given," Cooper said, his voice firm yet gentle. "The right man won't care about that."

"How can I possibly know who the right man is?" I asked, my eyes finally meeting his. "I thought that was Zach, but… I was wrong."

"I wouldn’t know," Cooper said. "I've never been the right man."

"That's not true," I said quickly, shaking my head. "Would you ever?—"

"Never," he interrupted, his voice leaving no room for doubt. "Don't need to force anyone."

I nodded slowly, absorbing his words. A sense of exhaustion washed over me, the weight of everything settling in my bones.

"I think I'm going to sleep now," I murmured. "Will you stay with me?"

Cooper clenched his teeth together but nodded once. Without warning, I wrapped my arms around his body, placing my head on his shoulder.

"You're so comfortable, Cooper," I murmured before sleep claimed me.

This time, I didn't dream at all.

When I woke up,I felt a rush of energy and determination. I was a survivor, and I wasn't going to let what happened to me happen to anyone else. I couldn't do much, unfortunately, but what I could do…I would.

The sun peeked through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. Cooper's arm was draped around my waist, holding me close. For a moment, I let myself enjoy the comfort and safety of his embrace.

But then, I decided I wanted to do something for him as a thank you. I carefully tried to slip out of bed, but his grip tightened around me. I turned to look at him. He was still asleep, his features relaxed in the early morning light.

He really was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Despite what happened with Zach, Cooper made me believe in the goodness of people again.

I tried pulling away again, but he wouldn't let me go. I couldn't help but giggle softly.

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