Kiss Me If You Can (Bachelor Blogs 1)

Coop showered and changed into a rented tuxedo, realizing only when he glanced in the mirror to do his tie that he’d forgotten to shave. He had a few days growth of beard covering his face, but a glance at his watch told him he had no time to worry about it now. The show couldn’t start without him.

LEXIE AND COMPANY arrived half an hour early at the Upper East Side town house where the Lancaster Foundation was hosting the auction. It wasn’t that she wanted her grandmother and Sylvia to have extra time to drink, but she did want the opportunity to get Coop alone if she could.

The town house décor took her breath away, from the beautiful marble floors to the intricate pillars and mirrors around her. There was a large room for the showing of the auction items; that was where cocktails would be served. During the early hours, people could view the jewels and their tag number for identification during the auction. Invitations had gone out to the elite of Manhattan and Lexie recognized some impressive society people trickling in. Her grandmother and Sylvia were in the cocktail room, presumably on their best behavior.

Lexie waited in the main hall. For at least the third time in as many minutes, she smoothed the sparkly silver dress over her hips. She wasn’t a woman comfortable in glitzy outfits and between the fitted dress that ended at the knee, and the high heels the salesgirl had talked her into, Lexie was way out of her comfort zone. Especially since the lady who’d helped her at the makeup counter at Bloomingdale’s suggested she wear contacts to better show off her eyes.

Because the woman had been complimentary and not critical, and since she’d made so many other big steps this week, Lexie had taken the address of a store around the corner that specialized in contact lenses. She still wasn’t used to not having her eyeglass frames to fiddle with from time to time.

All in all, she didn’t feel like herself tonight, but at least she looked as if she belonged. That in itself was an accomplishment, Lexie thought.

She leaned against a large, marble pillar and sipped from a champagne glass, the bubbly liquid bypassing her empty stomach and going directly to her head. Minutes ticked by. If she stood here nursing this drink much longer, she’d be punch drunk before Coop even arrived.

Finally, just when she was about to give up and go looking for her grandmother, she caught sight of him. She’d never seen him in formal attire and the man in a well-fitting, elegantly cut black tuxedo, took her breath away. The exhaustion etching his features did nothing to detract from his sexy appearance and the razor stubble darkening his face merely enhanced it.

Then she realized he wasn’t alone. A beautiful blonde wearing a loose yet extremely sexy three- quarter-length gown stood by his side.

Nausea washed over Lexie.

She wanted to turn and run, but the blonde noticed her first and treated Lexie to a brief wave and recognition finally took hold.

Sara, Lexie realized, nearly weak with relief.

The other woman tugged on Coop’s arm. She whispered something in his ear, then pointed Lexie’s way.

He glanced over and met her gaze, his eyes widening as awareness dawned.

She was still shaken and the nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach didn’t disappear as the couple strode closer.

“Lexie,” he said, his voice gruff, devouring her with his darkened gaze.

“Coop.” She barely recognized her own voice.

“Lexie, I almost didn’t recognize you!” Sara exclaimed, pulling her into a friendly hug.

“I definitely didn’t recognize you!” Lexie stepped back and admired yet another change in the multi-faceted cop.

Sara leaned closer. “Don’t tell anyone, but I’m working security.” She stepped back and subtly patted her thigh. “Gun beneath the dress,” she whispered.

Which explained the loose material, Lexie realized. And also clarified that she and Coop were not together on a date. Lexie’s rapidly beating heart finally began to slow to a more normal pace.

Sara glanced back and forth between the two. “I am going to make myself scarce and check in with my employer. See you later.” She waved and disappeared, leaving Lexie and Coop staring into each other’s eyes.

“Hi there,” she said, feeling ridiculously silly.

“Hi, yourself.”

She swallowed hard. “You’re a hard man to track down.”

“I didn’t know you were looking.” He never took his gaze from hers.

She shrugged. “I didn’t leave a message, but… I’m here now. Early. For you.”

He braced his arm against the pillar behind her. “Really.”

She nodded.

“Why?” he asked. “What do you need to talk to me about, gorgeous?”

Her throat grew parched. With him so close, his familiar scent surrounding her, sensual awareness enveloped her completely. “We left things unsettled.”

“And?”

He was putting this all on her, not that she blamed him. “I’ve done a lot of thinking since I saw you last. About things you’ve said and done. And about myself and what I’ve learned.” She licked her lips and tasted champagne. “I visited my father,” she blurted out.

His eyes opened wide. “Now that’s a surprise.”

She couldn’t agree more.

“What happened?”

“We made some headway, thanks to you.”

Silence descended between them. Lexie’s head was swimming with words she wanted to say, but her feelings overwhelmed her and she couldn’t get her thoughts straight.

“What else?” he finally asked, his voice deep and compelling.

“I missed you,” she admitted, the words costing her pride everything but her heart nothing.

Progress, Coop thought.

“I missed you, too.”

“And—” she began. Then paused.

His heart stopped completely as he waited.

“And I more than like you, too, Coop,” she said, drawing a deep breath. “I love you.”

Finally.

He grinned. “I love you, too.”

He dipped his head and sealed his lips against hers. She separated from him only long enough to place her champagne glass on a nearby table before returning to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him back.

And if he thought he’d imagined those three little words, she said them again, over and over with her mouth, her tongue, her lips until without warning, she eased back, resting her forehead against his.

“I’m not finished,” she said, her voice hoarse.

“Then don’t stop.”