Page 2 of The Final Temptation (Men of Honor 3.5)
The girls remain quiet, trying to gauge my reaction. Katelyn is finally the one to break the silence. “So how do you feel about it?”
I think about it for a moment. “I’m really surprised. I didn’t think it would happen so soon. I just went off the pill last month and I heard it usually takes a while for it to leave your system.” I pause then look up at them all with a smile. “But I’m really happy.”
Everyone rushes over and wraps me in their arms. “Congratulations, Kayla, I’m so happy for both you and Cooper,” Faith says, her voice soft and sincere, as always.
A chorus of agreements follow before Grace breaks in. “I can’t believe we’re gonna have babies together. This is so darn excitin’, Kayla.” Grace and Sawyer just found out last month that not only are they expecting, but they are also having twins.
“I’m so excited that Annabelle is going to have more play buddies,” Julia adds.
“Me too.” I walk over and sit at the end of the bed then stare down at the test, still feeling in utter shock. Although, I guess I shouldn’t. I have suspected this the last few days.
“What do you think Cooper will say?” Katelyn asks as she takes the seat next to me.
I feel bad everyone here knows before him, but when I voiced my suspicion to Grace and Julia early this morning they suggested I take a pregnancy test. The need to know one way or another became so overwhelming that I couldn’t wait. I didn’t want the question on my mind all day.
“I think he will be happy. We talked about not waiting too long, which is why I went off the pill last month, but we also didn’t think it would happen this fast.” I shrug. “I guess it’s meant to be.”
“Coop is going to be ecstatic, I know it,” Julia says with confidence. “Let’s just hope that when you go into labor he and Jaxson aren’t together. Lord knows what would happen after last time.”
We both burst out laughing from the memory of the guys being complete lunatics when Julia went into labor with Annabelle. Everyone looks at us in confusion so we fill them in on what happened. I tell them how they both almost drove off without us because they were in such a mad rush, thinking the baby was just going to fall out of Julia at any given second. It isn’t long before everyone is laughing just as hard as Julia and me.
“How did you and Mistwer Shewiff meet?” Ruthie asks.
I smile at the memory. “He moved in next door to me when I was fourteen-years-old. Then it was hook, line and sinker for that guy.”
“Yeah, about three years later, and with a little push, or should I say shove, from this girl,” Julia says, pointing at me with a giggle.
I shrug but can’t suppress my own chuckle. “What can I say, I’m a persistent one when I want something, and that guy didn’t stand a chance. Little did I know though, he felt the same way.”
“Oh, this sounds like a good story that you must share,” Faith says, taking a seat on the other side of the bed, then lifts Ruthie up to sit on her lap.
“Sure, I’d love to share it with you guys.”
“It’s definitely an entertaining one,” Julia adds as she takes her own seat. Grace follows suit and gets comfortable, then everyone waits for me to begin.
“Okay, as I said, Coop moved in next door to me when I was only fourteen. He was seventeen, and let me tell you, he was as sexy then as he is now. The first day I laid eyes on him—it was a sweltering, hot summer day. He was carrying boxes in from the moving truck, with no shirt on, his bronzed skin and toned muscles were flexing with every…” I trail off and look at Ruthie who watches me with a big smile. Yeah, I’m going to have to be careful how I word this story. “Anyway…” I cut my hand through the air and move on. “As I watched him that day, I told myself I was going to marry him. I didn’t care what it took, I was going to make it happen.” I think about that for a second. “Okay, it sounds kinda creepy right now, but remember, I was fourteen at the time.”
“You were the same way at seventeen, too,” Julia reminds me, her voice laced with amusement.
“This is true,” I admit, completely unashamed. “But with Coop, I can’t explain it. My crush for him at fourteen was different than it was for any other crush I’d had. Then as the years went on, and I got to know him, my crush turned into love. Unfortunately, he didn’t live next door for very long since he moved out with Jaxson after they graduated, but that didn’t stop me from trying to see him every chance I could.”
Julia giggles and I look at her with a smile as I go back to a time that was frustrating, emotional and downright beautiful…
*
I glance at my clock with bleary eyes and realize I’m late. “Shit!” Shooting out of bed with a speed that shocks even myself, I get presentable for school in record time.
I rush into the kitchen and kiss my mom’s cheek just before I dash out of the house with an apple in my hand.
“No speeding, Kayla,” she yells at me through the window. I wave her off, unconcerned, then send a quick text to Julia letting her know I’m on my way.
As I get into my vehicle I notice Cooper’s squad car isn’t parked outside his parent’s house anymore, and I don’t know if I’m relieved or disappointed. It’s his fault I slept like shit last night. He had my hormones on high alert all damn night.
When I found out he was house sitting for his parents, while they were on vacation for the next week, I knew it was time to make my move. But no matter how many seductive attempts I’ve made the guy hasn’t come near me. So last night I pulled out the big guns by prancing around my backyard in the skimpiest bikini I owned. I soaked in the hot tub until my skin was wrinkled to a prune, but the bastard still didn’t come over. I know he saw me though; I caught him watching me from his upstairs window, his expression as hard as granite. I’m sure it’s because he was just as worked up as me. I see the way he looks at me; I know he wants me just as bad as I want him. So why the hell is he holding back and fighting this?
