Page 2 of September's Bad Boy: Cooper
Riley’s gaze follows Ruby’s hand until her eyes land on me. For a heartbeat, the air’s too thick to breathe. Her smile falters, and for a moment, we’re frozen in place, caught somewhere between the past and the present. The girl Riley walked in with looks between us, says something to Riley I can’t hear, then heads back out the door.
“Cooper.” Her voice is a whisper, but it’s enough to wreck me. I haven’t heard her say my name in years.
“Hey, Riles.” My tone’s gruff, but it’s all I can manage.
She steps forward, and the movement’s slow, deliberate, as if she’s bracing herself. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”
“Didn’t expect to be here.”
Her lips curve, not quite a smile, but not cold either. “You always did like surprises.”
The tension is palpable, but Ruby’s already halfway back to the stockroom, pretending to give us space, though we both know she’s eavesdropping.
“You look...” I trail off, searching for the right words. Beautiful doesn’t even scratch the surface.
“So do you.” She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, eyes flicking away for a moment before landing on me again. “Different. But the same.”
I chuckle softly, though it’s bitter. “Prison’ll do that to a man.”
Her face falls, and I immediately regret saying it. Riley’s never been the type to flinch, but I see the way her fingers tighten around the tote bag hanging off her shoulder.
I clear my throat. “I’m working on something. A gym for the town. Thought it might be time to build something instead of breaking it.”
Her eyes search mine, and I wonder if she sees how much I mean it.
“That sounds... good,” she says finally. “The town could use it.”
We stand there for another moment, both unsure how to bridge the years that’ve stretched between us. The silence is suffocating.
Then, as if fate has got a twisted sense of humor, she drops her tote bag. Contents spill across the wooden floor: her lunch, a bag of coffee, a notebook. She bends to grab them, but I’m already there.
Our hands brush as we both reach for the coffee bag. The contact is electric, and we both freeze. Her fingers are soft against mine, but there’s a tremble I feel clear to my core.
I lift my head, and she’s already looking at me. Her cheeks flush, and damn if it doesn’t make my heart stutter.
“Sorry,” she murmurs, trying to pull back, but I don’t let go. Our eyes lock, and I instantly know what is coming.
“I never got to thank you,” she whispers.
“You don’t have to thank me, Riley.”
Her lips part, but the words never come. Instead, she closes the space between us, her mouth finding mine.
It’s not planned. It’s not careful. It’s raw and messy and full of years we can’t get back. Her lips are soft but demanding, and before I can even think to process what’s happening, she’s pulling away, leaving me breathless.
“I’ve dreamed of that since the day you left,” she whispers, her breath uneven, eyes wide in disbelief at her boldness.
Before I can respond, she’s grabbing her bag off the floor and walking away, fast, like if she doesn’t put space between us, she’ll do something we’ll both regret.
I stand there, watching her go, my hand lifting to touch my lips. They’re still tingling from her kiss.
Ruby reappears, leaning against the counter with a smug look on her face. “Well, well. Guess some things don’t change.”
“Ruby.” My tone is a warning, but she just smiles wider.
“I like her for you, Cooper. Always have.”
I shake my head, grabbing the envelope she left me with. “This isn’t a game.”
