“I know,” I sigh. “It was a shitty thing for me to do, and I’m sorry, Coop. I’m so sorry.”
I always make an effort never to make anyone feel the way my father makes me feel. Like shit. And I did that to Coop.
“My parents would kill me if they knew you and I were involved in any way.”
He gives me a short nod, arms folded to show off his biceps. “Like I said, go get you some rich prick to date and fall in love with, Kelsey.”
“Stop telling me what to do!” I start to flip out, just a little. “I am so sick and tired of everyone telling me what I should do and what I should want. You sound like my father, thinking he knows what’s best instead of admitting that he doesn’t give a damn if I’m happy or not as long as I’m not his problem.”
My chest heaves and my nostrils flare while Coop stares at me like I’m on the verge of a mental breakdown.
And maybe I am.
Coop isn’t swayed by my arguments, and I sigh. “If you’re so worried about what your parents think, maybe you should be with someone they approve of Kelsey. I’m a grown man and I won’t do that shit ever again.”
I nodded, reeling, resigned to my fate, to never getting another night with Coop.
“They just have an idea of the type of guy they want me to be with. Someone like them. I live in their house, and they pay my tuition, so I have to tow the line, but I’m really sorry for how my actions made you feel.”
“I’m fine. Kelsey. I’m a big boy, and I can take care of myself.”
“Or I can take care of you, and you can take care of me. We could take care of each other.”
I step around the green metal desk and get in Coop’s face, smiling as I placed both hands on his chest and slide them down over the ridges of his abs until my fingertips hook onto his waistband.
“Does that sound like something you’d be interested in, or do you just want to be mad at me?”
He leans in and inhales deeply. “You smell so fucking good.”
“Wait until you see how I taste,” I whisper in his ear and sink my teeth into the flesh of his earlobe. “I can’t wait to see how you taste.”
He lets out a deep throated grumble and pulls me flush against his hard body. “This, you and me, it’s a bad fucking idea.”
“Terrible,” I agree with a smile.
“I’m serious.”
I can tell he means those words, but they just buoy me because as bad as he thinks we are, he can’t deny this attraction, the magnetic pull between us.
“I know, and it’s adorable.”
He laughs and smacks my ass so hard I feel my pussy clench. “Fuck adorable.”
“Gladly.” I lean in, and Coop does the same, our lips moving closer and closer together, that magnetic pull at work once again.
The door smacks open, and his friend, Shades, stands there. “Coop, we got some shit to handle.”
Instantly, Coop’s blue eyes grow wide and focus on Shades. “Where?”
“The port. Shit’s missing.” Without another word, Shades turns and leaves us standing in the suddenly too big and too quiet office.
“You have to go?”
He nods. “I do. But if you’re serious, stay here. I’ll be back.”
Hell, yes. “For how long?” A girl has to have some standards, after all.
“Not too long,” he says lightly and leans in to press a kiss, not to my mouth, not my forehead, not even that spot behind my ear. No, Coop leans in and brushes his lips and then his teeth against the tender flesh of my collarbone, kissing me until my knees wobble.
“I promise you I’m totally worth the wait.”
He is, dammit. He totally fucking is.
Chapter Twelve
Coop
“What the fuck do you mean it’s a little light?”
I growl the words at the port police officer staring at Shades and me with fear in his eyes.
The man runs a hand through his hair and wipes both hands down the front of his shirt before shoving them deep into his pockets. Everything about this guy screams that he’s full of shit, and I don’t like it.
“Just what I said. We weighed it, and it’s not what you said it should be.”
His nonchalant attitude pisses me off, and I clench and flex my fists to keep from hitting the asshole. For now.
“Numbers. I need fucking numbers, man. Do you get that?”
Officer Rice nods and stands a little taller, aware of just how bad this situation is. For everyone, but him especially. He looks down at the clipboard hanging beside the rickety metal desk with a sigh.
“Word from Ace was it was supposed to be this. It’s about five hundred kilos light.”
I look to Shades, who’s wearing a dark, murderous expression.