Page 13 of The Most Perfect Wrong

I laugh, turning to face him with a kiss.

He pulls me in close, kissing me fiercely.

What the hell?

There’s alcohol on his breath.

I pull back. “Brad,” I say as he keeps kissing me. “Brad, stop.”

He finally stops and meets my gaze.

“Have you been drinking?” I ask, trying to keep my voice light.

“Yeah,” he says casually. “A few of us went out for drinks after we closed a deal today. It was a stressful but rewarding day.”

“Well, that’s great that you closed a deal babe. I just…” I scowl. “So when I asked if you could come home early to be with me, you finished work and then decided to go get drinks with your coworkers instead? And not tell me?”

“God, Cooper…” He lets out an exasperated sigh. “Can you not start?” His grip on my waist softens. “Look, I’m home. I came home in time to be with you. And I want to be with you. There’s nothing I want more right now than to kiss this beautiful mouth of yours.” He leans in, kissing me slowly, brushing my cheek with his thumb. His lips find my ear. “And touch your sexy body,” he whispers, his voice low and deep, as his hand slides down to my ass, caressing it.

He kisses my neck tenderly. “Come on, baby,” he murmurs, pressing kisses along my shoulder blade. “Let’s destress together.” His hand slips into the back of my shorts, gripping my cheeks. “Don’t be mad at me.” He pulls his hand back slightly, then runs his fingers along the waistband of my shorts to the front, teasing me.

Goddammit.I want to push back, to tell him how much it bothers me that he keeps doing this—showing up late, putting me second to his job. But the way he looks at me, the way his hands move over my skin… it’s easier to just give in. Plus, I’m horny, and this always feels good. So I do. I cave. That warm tingle spreading through my insides—it gets me every time. And he did get home before I went to bed.

I sigh. “Okay. Let’s destress together.” I search his eyes, wanting to connect with him.

I glide my fingers up his chest, feeling the firm muscle beneath, and cup the back of his neck.

He kisses me and lifts me effortlessly, my legs wrapping around him as he carries me into our bedroom. He lays me down on the bed, crawling over me, his body hovering above mine. We make out for several minutes, hands exploring—playing. He’s so good at knowing exactly what I need. I relish in these moments because it reminds me how good we can be when we work together—when we’re a team. When we’re like this, it’s easy to forget about the fights. It helps me feel close to him.

We strip each other’s clothes off, and Brad pauses, hovering over me, his gaze fixed on mine. “Coop. You’re so beautiful.” His thumb brushes over my bottom lip.

I smile, feeling the warmth of his words.

“You know I love you, right?”

“Of course,” I whisper softly. “I love you too.” Brad’s fingers find their way to the aching need between my legs, and he knows exactly how to release the pressure building inside me. I cry out in pleasure as waves of euphoria rush through my body, leaving me breathless.

When we’re finished we both head to the bathroom to clean up. When I come back to bed, Brad’s back is already turned, lights off, ready for sleep, and this is when I feel that familiar ache—the one that comes after. The one that tells me this isn’t enough, that it hasn’t been enough for a while. But I push it down, like always, and remind myself that this is what we’re good at. It’s better than being in a sexless relationship. My fingers trace circles on the soft sheets. It’s strange how I can feel so close to him, in my most vulnerable state, but as soon as it’s over, I’m left feeling more alone than before.

Chapter 5

COOPER

“Well, I think you’d be a fantastic fit for Nexlytic, Cooper. Not to mention, I’d love working with you. And you’ll love the workspace.” Genevieve closes her laptop, flashing me a bright smile.

“Thanks, Genevieve. I truly appreciate the offer. Would it be alright if I take a few days to think it over? Talk to Brad?”

“Of course! Take your time.” She leans back in her chair. “Would you like a tour of Elemental before you go?”

“Oh, I’d love one!” I say, standing up from the booth near the café, which is connected to a cozy coffee shop.

We begin walking toward the elevator. “So… floors two through eight are all office space,” Genevieve explains. “Each floor has a slightly different design element. Some are dedicated to meeting and conference rooms, while others have private offices and more common areas. Floors six through eight are full-floor offices. We’re on the sixth floor, which Nexlytic shares with its parent company, VantageSphere.”

We step off the elevator onto the sixth floor and into a sleek, open common area. “This is super cool,” I say, looking around.

“I know, right? It’s a really fun concept,” Genevieve says as we walk into the common space. “We call this the lounge.” She moves through the middle, and I follow. “Everything to the left is VantageSphere—private offices and meeting rooms.” The walls are mostly glass, giving the entire space an open, expansive feel.

We turn down a hallway. “My office is the first one on the right.” She gestures toward it with a quick wave. “And this larger corner office belongs to our Vice President. Let’s see if he’s around—I’d love for you to meet him.”

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