Page 20 of The Final Temptation (Men of Honor 3.5)
Blowing out a heavy breath, I go take a seat on the cement bench that’s in front of a small fountain. The sound of the water and the warmth of the surrounding white lights begin to calm my erratic heartbeat. God, what was I thinking coming here? Would it really have mattered to miss my own prom? My entire week has already been shit; missing this wouldn’t have made it much worse. Between having to tell my parents about what happened with Mark, going to the police station to file a report, and ensuring Cooper wouldn’t be there at the same time has left me completely drained. I should have just stayed home, curled up in bed and watched Dirty Dancing while vegging out and cursing a certain sexy cop. The idea sounds more appealing by the second and I decide that’s exactly what I’m going to do. I am in no mood to be here and my pity party is only going to wreck it for others.
Standing, I turn and start walking but come to an abrupt halt when I see someone come charging in frantically. “There you are!” My eyes widen in shock and I blink several times, thinking I’m hallucinating the person in front of me. “Why aren’t you answering your damn phone?” Cooper asks through labored breaths. He’s bent down with his hands on his knees, looking like he just ran a marathon. He holds a corsage in his hand that looks a little worse for wear. Silence surrounds us as I gape at him, still not believing what I’m seeing. After catching his breath he stands to his full height and his eyes sweep down my body. “Jesus, you look fucking incredible.”
My stomach does a flip at his compliment and blatant appreciation, but I wish it didn’t. Bastard. He’s a sexy bastard, especially all dressed up, but still… “What are you doing here?” I ask, finally finding my words.
He starts toward me, or maybe stalk is a better word. His eyes are narrowed and he looks insanely pissed. “You were supposed to go to Julia’s first. You ruined my plan.”
I rear back, aghast at his reply. “Well I changed my mind. You and your plans weren’t a part of it. Just like they aren’t now, which is why I’m leaving.” I move to walk around him but before I can make it past him he wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me back against him. Heat rushes through my veins and I suck in a sharp breath when I feel his erection against my lower back.
“Cooper, let me go.” The protest is weak at best. My heart has me never wanting to leave this spot in his arms, but my pride and hurt feelings tell me to run as fast and far as I can.
“No! I’m not letting you run away again.”
“Please don’t do this,” I plead on a shaky whisper. “I can’t take any more this week.”
I feel his body soften behind me. “Please just hear me out, baby?”
Oh the bastard just had to use baby, didn’t he?
He takes my silence as a yes, which I guess it is, then takes a seat on the bench where I was just sitting and pulls me down on his lap, his obvious erection now nestled along my ass. The stubborn side of me wants to wiggle my way out of his arms but the other side, the wounded one that has missed him so much, wants to burrow closer. Instead I sit stock-still, stare at the flowing water and try to steel myself against the conflicting emotions battling inside of me. But I don’t have much luck when his arms hug me closer and I feel his lips on my bare back.
“I’m sorry, Kayla. I’m so sorry for what I said, I didn’t mean it.” I open my mouth to argue but he quickly claps a hand over it. “Please, just let me finish, if you still want to yell at me after I’m done then fine. But just hear me out first.”
My protest deflates and I slump in his arms. He removes his hand and continues. “I was really pissed off that night, and I wasn’t even all that upset at you. I was mad at Brittany for being a bitch and hurting you. I was pissed off and worried when I found out from Jaxson that you were at that party. Then when I found you there, running scared, with your face messed up like that…” He trails off and drops his forehead on my back with a heavy breath. “I was furious, Kayla, and I snapped. I fucking hated that I couldn’t beat the shit out of that prick, and hated even more that I almost lost control, which would have ended my career. The entire night was a giant cluster-fuck and I said things that I didn’t mean.”
I take a moment to absorb everything he just said. I get it. If anyone understands saying things in the heat of the moment it’s me, but it doesn’t lessen the sting of what he said. “I understand how you were feeling, because I felt the exact same way most of the night, but what you said, Cooper, was harsh and it really hurt me.”
“I know. I swear if I could take it back—”
I turn and cut him off by putting my hand over his mouth. “It’s my turn now.”
I feel him grin. “Sorry, baby, continue.”
I begin to remove my hand but before I can he encloses his fingers around my wrist and kisses my palm, the entire gesture warming my heart. His light green eyes are soft and pleading but I try to steel myself against it because this needs to be said. “I’m not sure it matters anymore, because I’m never going to change. This is who I am. I’m irrational and I get pissed off quickly. I jump to conclusions and I really don’t have much self-control, but that’s not all of who I am. I’m a good person, Cooper, despite what you think, and I usually only get irrational like that when it comes to people I care about.”
