“In here,” Cooper said, pulling me out of my gawking. “You can use anything you need. I’ll lay out something for you to wear. Meet me downstairs when you’re ready.”
I nodded to his instructions and stepped into the bathroom while he disappeared into another room that I assumed was a walk-in closet. The bathroom was just as opulent, soft lighting bouncing off the marble countertops. There was a huge, jetted tub that looked like it would comfortably fit four people, and another fireplace. For a moment, I wondered if Cooper had ever had a threesome. I pushed the thought from my mind, not wanting to think about him with other women.
I turned on the huge shower and crossed to look in the mirror while I waited for the water to heat up.
“Holy shit!” I yelped, seeing my reflection in the mirror. The bathroom lighting was made to be forgiving, but even that wasn’t helping. My eyes were dark with way too much make-up and it had smudged with the sweat from dancing under the lights. My hair had been teased and curled before my show, but now it just looked like a sticky, old hairspray mess.
I stripped off the robe and, for the first time, wondered who it even belonged to. I had grabbed the closest thing when I saw Cooper backstage. I shuddered, wondering when it had last been washed and what kinds of…fluids…might be on it.
“Ugh,” I kicked it away into the corner of the bathroom and went back to get in the shower.
I let the hot water run over my body while I investigated all of Cooper’s bathroom products, opening and smelling each one. I selected a new bar of soap and opened the package, using it to scrub away all the make-up, and then I used my fingers to untangle the knots in my hair and kept rinsing till there was no sticky hairspray feeling anymore.
When I stepped out of the shower, onto the cushioned bath mat, I felt a million times better. I wrapped up in a huge towel and stood in the steamy bathroom for a few minutes, reluctant to leave the warm room. But my curiosity of what would happen next finally convinced me to go back into the bedroom, half expecting Cooper to be waiting there for me.
But he wasn’t. Instead, there was a long-sleeved shirt laid out on the bed and a pair of long, white socks. I smiled and finished toweling off quickly. I tossed the wet towel back in the bathroom and then slipped into the silky smooth shirt, buttoning all the buttons except the top two. Without my usual push-up bra, I didn’t have much cleavage, but my bare breasts filled the shirt out and my nipples poked at the fabric, which I knew Cooper would notice.
I pulled the socks on and sat on the bed for a minute, wondering how much snooping I could do before Cooper would come looking for me. The man might drive me insane, but I had this insatiable curiosity that I couldn’t shake. I wanted to go through his closet, smell his clothes, see what kind of kinky stuff he might have hiding in his nightstand or dresser drawers.
In the end, I resisted the urge and went downstairs. As I neared the kitchen, the smell of food kicked my stomach into gear and I was glad I hadn’t dawdled any longer upstairs. I had barely eaten anything in two days, my stomach too nervous to keep anything down. But now, I felt safe, and I was famished!
I stepped into the kitchen and Cooper had his back to me but when he turned around, he did a full double-take, and I smiled. “Better?” I asked.
He didn’t try to hide his lust as he rounded the island and came to stand close to me. “You’re so fucking sexy, Allison.” His brown eyes lingered on mine before traveling down to the exposed skin where I had left the shirt unbuttoned. I felt my nipples harden under his gaze and he reached a hand up and gently cupped my breast, running his thumb over the tender bud. I trembled and held back a moan at the warmth of his hand and the gentle pressure of his touch.
He brought his other hand up and cupped my face. I leaned into his hand and closed my eyes, taking in the feel of his skin on my cheek.
Just as quickly as it had started, he released me and went back to the counter. I opened my eyes and watched as he retrieved two glasses of wine. He handed one to me and directed me to the dining room. He pulled out my chair and once I was seated, disappeared back into the kitchen. When he returned, he held two plates of pasta. He set one down in front of me and then handed me a fork before sitting down opposite me.
I took a deep sip of wine and then set my glass down, the sound of it on the table making me aware of how quiet the room was. As if reading my mind, Cooper fished his phone out of his pocket and tapped at the screen. Seconds later, the room filled with a soft, instrumental song.
“Very suave, Mr. Brighton,” I said, smiling at him. “The dinner, the wine, the music, all very nice. So, let me ask you again, what am I doing here? What’s this all about?”
He set down his fork and took a sip from his own wine glass. “I want you, Allison.”
His words sent a rush of heat all over my whole body, settling between my legs as I ached for him.
“And I know you want me,” he continued.
“Oh, really?” I took another sip, this time pausing to lick my lips before setting down my glass. His eyes widened at my gesture and my heart raced, getting even more turned on by the power I felt, knowing I could drive him just as crazy as he made me. “Prove it.”
Chapter Nine
Cooper jumped out of his seat and rounded the table. Before I could even take a full breath, his lips were crushed up against mine. He hungrily parted my lips and plunged his tongue into my mouth, tangling with mine and sending shivers dancing down my spine with each tangled twirl. He pulled me up from my chair, never leaving my lips. He grabbed at my hips, his fingers pressing into the fleshy skin as the shirt rode up, exposing my bare ass. Without hesitation, he lifted me up and my legs wrapped around his narrow hips, my feet locked together behind his back. Our furious kissing continued, leaving me breathless as he started towards the formal staircase through the living room. I clung tightly as he carried me up the stairs, my nails digging into his back, desperate for him to strip off his shirt so I could get to his skin.
He hauled me back into his bedroom and we finally broke apart when he released me onto his bed. I lay there, looking up at him, panting for breath as he stripped off his shirt.
“Cooper,” I said, breathless, as I squirmed on the bed before him, desperate for him to touch me again. My whole body was alive, every fiber on high alert.
Cooper put one leg on the bed and leaned forward, hovering over me. I arched up, trying to get him to kiss me again, but he gave me a devilish smile and backed off instead, teasing me. Then, slowly, he started unbuttoning each button on the shirt he had given me to wear. He left the fabric closed, waiting until the last button was undone, before sweeping the shirt open and revealing my naked body.
“Cooper.” I could barely speak. I was aching, my pussy was throbbing and I could feel how wet I was getting just at his expression and the promise of what was going to happen next.
He drew a finger from my chin all the way down, slowing as he got lower and lower on my body. Wherever his finger touched felt like it burst into hot flames that triggered all through my body as I tried to keep from grabbing his hand and putting it where I so desperately needed it to go. He wanted me to be patient, to wait for him.
The gentle sweeping of his fingertips reached the soft curve below my navel and then, painstakingly slowly, lowered into the thin patch of hair and I instantly arched back, my eyes closed, waiting for him. His finger stalled, not going any lower and I whimpered.
“Are you ready for me?” he asked, his voice low.