Page 63 of Retaking the Shot
“You should probably go join your friend,” I suggested. “I think we’re done here.”
He glared at me one last time, then spun around and headed toward the guy who’d been looking for him, and said, “Nothing. Let’s just go.”
“But your shirt is covered in blood?—”
“I said nothing happened. Drop it.” Tim limped away and his friend followed.
“Holy shit.” Coop wrapped his arms around me. “Are you okay?”
My hands fisted the back of his shirt. “Mm hmm. I just want to go home.”
“Of course.” He pulled back and laced his bloody fingers with mine. I wasn’t sure if it was Coop’s or Tim’s blood but it didn’t matter in that moment.
“Ford,” Kaylee said, and I saw tears streaming down her face. “Call me later, okay?”
I gave her a sad smile. “I will.”
“You two good to drive?” Butcher asked Coop.
“Yeah.” He nodded. “How’d you guys end up out here, anyway?”
Butcher shrugged. “The bar was getting too crowded, and the fans were going a little crazy, so we decided to bail. We were looking for an easy spot for a rideshare to pick us up when I heard you yelling as we passed the alley.”
Coop nodded. “Not that I needed the help, but thanks for having my back.”
Butcher smiled. “Always.”
We decided to leave Coop’s truck at the arena for the night, knowing it would be okay with the twenty-four-hour security. The short ride back to his place was made in silence. We both needed a few minutes to collect our thoughts about everything that had happened with Tim.
After parking in a visitor’s spot, we rode the elevator up to his floor and I rested my head on Coop’s shoulder. “Thank you.”
He placed a tender kiss on the top of my head. “You don’t have to thank me.”
“Yes, I do. You risked a lot tonight to protect me.”
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. I hope you know that.”
The elevator stopped on his floor, and we stepped out. “I do, but it doesn’t make me any less grateful.”
We entered his apartment, and I pulled him toward his en suite bathroom after dropping my overnight bag on his bed.
“I think you should stop bringing your stuff back and forth every night.”
“Okay.” My heart felt as though it had dropped out of my chest. I hadn’t expected him to say those words. “Let’s get that cut on your face cleaned up, and then I’ll head home.”
“That’s not what I mean.” He began washing his hands while I grabbed the first aid kit in the cabinet. “I want you to keep your stuff here. All your stuff. I wantyouhere.”
“Are you asking me to move in?”
He winced slightly as he tried to give me a warm smile. “Yes.”
My instinct was to accept his offer, but first I needed to ask him something. “Are you just doing this because of what happened tonight? Because I promise you, I’m okay. I’m not going to go home and throw back a bottle of vodka and pills.”
He dried his hands and then pulled me closer. “I’m not going to lie. Seeing Tim go after you scared me.”
I tried to turn away as embarrassment crept over me. “I should have done something, but he caught me by surprise. That’s all.”
Coop cupped my face with his hand and gently turned my head to look at him. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’m just telling you how it felt to see you in that situation. But that’s not why I want you to live with me.”
