Page 59 of The Sexy Part
“Mo-om,” Cooper says.
“We’re not—” I start.
“We’re friends,” he finishes.
I point at him. “Exactly.”
“Friends to lovers is my favorite story,” Hailey says dreamily.
“This isn’t one of your Happy Endings Book Club stories,” Cooper says. “This is real life.”
“Happy Endings Book Club?” I ask.
Hailey beams. “Yes. It’s a long-standing romance book club. You’re welcome to join us any time.”
“Oh, I don’t think romance is for me,” I say. “I’m sort of in thenever get involved ever againcamp at the moment.”
Cooper gestures toward me. “Exactly. She just broke up with her fiancé. Timing is bad for anything love related. Moving on.”
Hailey smiles serenely. “Of course. Can you and Rowan get the dessert? It’s cherry pie and ice cream.”
Cooper stands, so I do too. Mackenzie snickers. Her mom hushes her.
When we get into the kitchen, he says, “Sorry about that. She’s always been in love with love. Nothing personal.”
He’s close again, and I’m lit up inside. My heart’s not willing, but my body is. “No, of course I would never take it personally. I’m sure she has lots of women she hoped you’d be with.”
“Actually, no.”
“Oh.”
“But it’s cool or whatever. Where is that pie?”
We reach for it at the same time. “Sorry,” we say in unison.
“I’ll get the pie,” I say. “You get the ice cream.”
He pulls out vanilla ice cream. “Store bought, not the good stuff. We should stop by Shane’s Scoops after this.”
“I can’t eat two desserts.”
“You’re not going to be able to go back to this stuff.”
“Try me.”
He opens the lid, grabs a spoon, and feeds it to me. Our gazes lock.
“It’s good,” I say.
His thumb brushes my lower lip. “But not great.” And then he kisses me, and it’s better than great. It’s phenomenal.
“Don’t forget extra napkins,” Hailey calls.
We jerk apart like guilty teenagers.
“Let’s get outta here,” he says.
I nod.
