Page 44 of Chasing Elliott
I chuckled, walking over to stand behind the couch and rested a hand on her shoulder. “Well, I should be back around two so we can do something then if you’d like. But I have to go get ready.”
“Are you going to bring Cooper with you?” She called out after me just as I had started to walk up the stairs.
“You know what?” I replied, looking back at her with a small smile. “I think I justmight.”
I sauntered down the hallway with a grin on my face as I pushed open my bedroom door. Cooper was still fast asleep, his hair sticking up in random directions as he hugged my pillow to his chest. I shook my head in an affectionate way, admiring how cute he looked before I grabbed my phone and quickly snapped a picture.
Walking over to the bed, I rested a knee on it and put a hand on his shoulder beforeplacing a kiss to his cheek. He stirred slightly underneath me, but his eyes remained closed. Rolling my eyes, I had to try and suppress a laugh as I grabbed one of the decorative pillows Ihad on the floor and whacked him with it.
“Hey,” Cooper groaned as he clutched onto my pillow tighter and buried himself deeper into my blankets. “I could’ve thought of a lot nicer, more enjoyable way for you to wake me up.”
“Yeah, but this option seemed a little more fun,” I teased as I walked over to my closet. “Now get up and get dressed, we’re going out.”
I grabbed a plain which cropped shit and a pair of dark washed skinny jeans beforewalking back into the bedroom. Cooper was sitting on the bed, slipping his socks back on as I walked by. Before I could make it to the dresser, his hand wrapped around my wrist and yanked me toward him which caused me to fall into his lap.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he whispered as he started to kiss my neck. I sighed as I tilted my head before I quickly snapped out of it and put a hand on his chest to stop him. I placed aslow kiss to his lips before attempting to slide off his lap, but both of his arms wrapped aroundmy waist and kept me there.
“Come on, Benny,” I laughed as I tried to pry his hands off me. “We’re going to be late.”
“Late for what?” He questioned as he finally let me go.
I walked over to my dresser and grabbed my hairspray, trying to tame the loose hairs that fell out of my messy bun in my sleep. Throwing on a coat of mascara, I saw Cooper watching me in the mirror.
“It’s a surprise,” I told him as I watched him continue to stare at me. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Cooper shook his head as a tint came to his cheeks before he quickly climbed off the bed and left my room. I stood there with my eyebrows furrowed in confusion before I grabbed my slip-ons and followed him.
He was standing by the door waiting for me when I approached. Cooper smiled widely as he reached for my hand and pulled me into his chest before he placed a quick kiss to my lips.
“I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us.”
Cooper surprised me and allowed me to drive his bike, all those lessons he had given meover the last few months paying off. I sped off toward the shelter, enjoying the freedom and excitement that driving the motorcycle gave me. I now understood why he preferred this over thecar.
Twenty minutes later we pulled into the parking lot, and I beamed widely as he climbed off the back and I followed behind him. Setting my helmet on the handle of the bike, I turned and saw Cooper staring at me with a confused expression.
“An animal shelter?” He questioned as I led him toward the entrance.
“I volunteer here walking dogs once a week,” I told him as we walked inside. “It’s been really hard for me not having a dog around,but this helps me a little bit.”
Cooper nodded as I led us through the lobby and toward the back near the kennels. Grabbing two leashes that sat near the door, I handed him one before we entered.
“So, is there a specific order you’re supposed to walk them?” He asked as we walked past countless cages filled with a variety of different breeds.
“I usually start with the older dogs,but it doesn’t really matter,” I told him as I stopped outside one of the kennels. I smiled sadly as I bent down to unlatch the door as the husky inside walked slowly towards me.
I softly pet her head as she nuzzled into me before I connected the leash to her collar. Cooper grabbed the bulldog that was next door and smiled at me as we exited the kennels into the vast greenery behind the building.
“What’s wrong?” He questioned as we found the path and walked in the beautiful weather.
“She’s been here for over a year,” I told him as I reached down and patted her on thehead. “It just kills me to see dogs in here that are over five years old cause it’s so hard to get them adopted.”
We stopped near a clearing and I sat down in the tall grass as the husky, Mia, laid down and rested her head in my lap. I smiled sadly as I brushed my fingers through her soft hair while Cooper took a seat beside me.
“Why haven’t you gotten a dog for yourself?” Cooper questioned as the bulldog he had chosen laid down next to him.
“Kara isn’t the biggest fan of dogs,so I just never thought to ask her if she’d be okay with it. I didn’t want to make her feel cornered or anything.” Cooper nodded softly as he looked over at Mia intently. Looking up at me, he gave me a small smile before he sighed.
“Thank you for bringing me with you,” he said softly as he started to run his fingers through Mia’s long coat. “I love that you feel comfortable enough to let me see all these different sides of you.”
