10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

London

I slept so well. I'm glad Cooper left me a note to say that he'd packed Bean a lunch, because otherwise she'd go hungry, since I slept until almost noon. It's crazy how things just creep up on me like that. And I decide that since he did such a great job of getting her ready for school, that I'll clean the house and cook dinner for all of us. After I do part one of my plan, I realize that we're short on food, so I head out to the grocery store, feeling lighter than air. This neighborhood is so nice. I grabbed fresh eggs and produce from a farm, and there's a butcher shop right in town, so I picked up some pork chops.

Hell, I even bought cake mix, so that I can make some cupcakes for dessert and for Bean's lunches. And I had just enough money in the bank to cover the little that it all cost me. One could get used to this. After I sear the pork chops and prepare the vegetables, I bake the cupcakes and set them to cool, before frosting them, as the pork chops marinate in brown gravy. This is one of Bean's favorite meals, mine, too, and I can't wait to share it with Cooper. They walk in the door shortly after four o'clock, and I can't help but feel like we're a little family, as he guides her into the house and helps her with her school bag.

"Hey, Bean! How was your day?" I gush, as she trots over to me and gives me a hug.

Cooper walks to me and hesitates. He's not sure if it's okay for him to kiss me in front of Bean. I'm not sure, either. I know that she likes Cooper, but I'm not sure how she's going to feel if she finds out that we're in love. One step at a time. And it's like he can read my mind as he winks at me, as if to say, ‘don't sweat it, babe. We'll figure it out'.

"We stayed after so Cooper could give me extra piano lessons!" Bean brags.

"No way! You always wanted to learn to play the piano."

"And now he's going to teach me." She beams, and then she sees the frosted cupcakes on the counter. "Mommy? Did you make those?"

"I sure did."

"They look great. It smells like a five-star restaurant in here." Cooper comments.

"I hope you enjoy it."

"Oh, I'm sure I will. If it tastes even half as good as it smells."

Bean looks at Cooper. "It's my favorite. You're going to love it."

Cooper checks his watch. "Gosh, I hate to sound like Fred Flintstone, but, is it ready yet? Wade got us a gig tonight, which is like a true Christmas miracle, because we never play on Tuesday nights, but I'll take it when I can get it."

"Oh, really? Isn't that good news?" I ask, spooning the pork chops and stewed vegetables onto plates.

"It absolutely is. The more exposure we get, the better."

"Where are you playing?"

"It's about an hour's drive away. That's how come I need to jet out of here as soon as possible. Wade's meeting me at Mingles in like a half an hour. We have to zoom out there and do setup and soundchecks before we go on at ten."

"Wow, so you're going to be out all night." I say, unable to hide the disappointment in my voice.

"Yeah, Mister Walters is going to be bleary-eyed in class tomorrow."

"Are you even going to make it back in time to get any sleep?" I ask, very concerned.

"We're on until one o'clock. I should be home by two or three. I'll get four or five hours in."

"Are you going to play again tomorrow night?"

"Depends on how tonight goes, I suppose." He states, popping a carrot into his mouth from his plate. "God, this is good."

He inhales his food and gestures to me, without Bean seeing, to follow him into the bedroom. "What's up?" I whisper.

"Nothing. I just wanted to give you a kiss before I leave and thank you for dinner."

"But you didn't get a cupcake."

"I'll take one for the road." He grins, and then he kisses my lips chastely. "God, I missed you today. I was half thinking of turning Wade down for tonight, but we need the money and the exposure, like I said."

"I missed you, too. I'll try to wait up for you tonight." I say, aching to be alone with him.

"Now, don't you think of it. I'm going to be home super late. And you'll have Nate here to watch Bean for you. I already called Liz to ask."

"Oh, you didn't have to do that."

"It's no trouble." He kisses me again. "How can you miss someone that's standing right here?" He pulls me close. "When do you think we should tell Bean about us?"

I look back towards the living room, where she's placing decorative Christmas edible ornaments on the cupcakes, to take them to school tomorrow for her friends. "Gosh, I don't know, Cooper. I think she's been through a lot lately. I don't want to shock her."

He looks towards her as well. "You're right. Let's let her make her own pace here. Maybe she'll be one of them kids that comes up and asks, ‘hey, so, when are you two going to get together?'."

I grin at him."Maybe."

Another kiss. "God, I hate leaving you."

"We've all got to earn a living here, Cooper. Don't feel too badly about it. I've got to work tonight, too."

"We'll have to make up for it at some point." He says, nose-to-nose with me. "I miss making love to you."

"I miss making love to you, too."

I kiss him once more and he catches himself, before tilting his head, to French kiss me. On a sigh, he chuckles. "God…damn, I want you so bad, but I've got to go."

I pull away from him, feeling bad that I'm making him feel this way, when he has to go. "Here, you go on, Cooper. I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

He searches my eyes. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too. I'll make some more Christmas cookies with Bean tonight. You can take them to work tomorrow."

"Sounds good." He leans in and kisses me once more. "Thanks for dinner."

"You're welcome."

He lets me go, battling with himself as he releases my hand from his. "Alright, Bean. You take care of Nate for me, okay?"

Bean nods emphatically. "Make sure he doesn't eat all the cupcakes."

"I promise I won't let him."

"Okay. I'm outta here. I'm on cell until long after you two should be in bed."

"Be careful driving." I tell him.

"You, too, darlin'."

He walks out with a wink at me, and I join Bean at the table. "So, what did you think of the piano, baby?"

"I love it. I wish Cooper had a piano here." She looks at me. "But I'll settle for a kitten."

I snort a laugh, tousling her hair. "Nice try."

"Mommy?"

"Yes, baby."

"I told Cooper about daddy."

I try but I fail to not widen my eyes. "What…what did you tell him, baby?"

"Just that he's in jail."

"Why did you tell him that, sweetheart?"

"Well, I asked if he knew my daddy, and when he said he didn't, I told him."

"And…what did Cooper say?"

"Not much. He said he was sorry to hear that."

My heart pumps hard. God, I coached her on this. She was not to tell anyone about James. But there was always the chance that she would, so I try not to get angry with her, and the way that she looks at me with those big blue eyes, I can't bear to get angry.

"I love him, mommy. I told him I love him, and he told me he loves me, too."

Totally forgiven. Like, one hundred percent forgiven. "You do?"

She nods broadly. "Yes. He's so nice. And I know that he loves me because he's so nice to me. He's nicer than daddy."

I so want to smile at her proudly, but instead, I smile inwardly, not sure of the impact the former would do to her. It's bad enough that we've been sans her father for years, and as of late, relocated and placed under the Witness Protection Program, the last thing I need is to screw her up, teaching her that her father is beneath Cooper. Even though it's the truth. It's totally the truth. But for the times that James was good to her, I need her to remember that. I love Cooper a hundred times more than I ever loved James, and that love is reciprocated a thousand times more than James ever reciprocated it, but I'm still unsure about leading my daughter to believe that a man that I've known for such a short time is worlds better than her biological father, no matter how awful things look for him right now.

She looks at me. "Do you love him, mommy?"

Now's your chance, now's your chance, the devil in my head is saying, but the angel is saying that she likely means do I love him as a friend. "Yes, I love him, too, baby. He's a wonderful man."

"Are we going to stay with him forever?"

There's a question I can't answer. If I get that call tomorrow, we have to flee again, no matter what. Our life is at stake. If it were up to me, yes, we would live here with Cooper forever, but the truth of the matter is, me and Bean have a life to rebuild, and I'm not sure of that life yet. Not until the investigation is complete. Not until the other half of this nightmare is resolved. Until then, we stay put and enjoy the love that we feel around Cooper, but it could all be over tomorrow, for all we know.

"I'd love to, sweetheart. But you and I both know that that might not be possible." I tell her truthfully, as much as it hurts to. I decide it's time to change the subject. "You want to go take a drive and see some Christmas lights before Nate gets here?"

"Okay!" She almost squeals. God, I hope she never grows out of this phase, where her attention can always be diverted, and she doesn't catch on that I'm diverting her attention. We go for a drive around town, into the little neighborhoods by the harbor, that have their expensive homes all decked out in the best decorations and lights. Bean is so excited, gushing, pointing to this house and that house, taking in all the festive cheer. And it seems like our life is finally resembling some sort of normalcy. But then I have to take her back, so I can head into work.

Blake greets me as I walk in. "Hey, sugar. How's it going?"

"Good. I can't complain."

"Did you see the picture Liz posted on Facebook? The one with the boys singing in their Santa hats on Saturday night?"

All social media for me has been shut down. Not a photo, not a meme, nothing exists about me, for me or shared by me, anymore. I'd open a fake account or an alias one, but I'm so afraid of being found. It's not worth the risk. "No, I didn't, actually. Why don't you send it to me?"

"I saved it on the computer. Go on back there and see it." He urges with a smile. "It's fantastic. I'm putting it on the website."

I head on back to his office. It's never used, save for when he goes in to do payroll or to pay bills. He's left everything open at his desk, which has been used today, from the looks of it. Even his accounting software is left open, and the website for the web host he uses to update his own website. I see the photo he was talking about and chuckle. There the boys in the band are, sharing a microphone, singing Christmas tunes, each wearing Santa hats, each with a goofy smile on their face as they sing the song about gramma getting run over by a reindeer.

I'm startled by Blake coming into the office, likely forgetting that I'm in there, about a half an hour later. There were a few things I saw that I just couldn't help myself to investigate further. "Shoot, sorry. Do you need me out there?"

"Sure, love. If you're done back here." He says, walking up behind me. I leap out of the chair, feeling bad for leaving him hanging, since I'm the only waitress in for now.

"Yes, I'm done. I love the picture." I tell him, as he inspects the screen.

He does a double-take. "Hell, what did you do back here? I've been trying to fix that for months."

I shrug. "It's…not a big deal. I'll be out here if you need me."

I walk away before he can call me back.

"Stella? How the hell did you do that?" He shouts, but I don't answer. I've already done too much…

His arms snake around me, as I lay naked in his bed. "And just what are you doing in here?" He murmurs against my ear, smelling all fresh from a shower. His skin is still slightly damp.

"Why'd you shower?"

"Oh, hell, that place was a dive. I stunk like hell. Someone threw a goddamn beer on stage, and another dude puked on me. Don't look in the washer. I'll run the cycle in the morning, so I don't keep us all up."

"Ew. I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"It's part of the package, love. But I'm glad I'm home. And I'm glad you're here." He kisses me, holding me close to him. "How'd you sneak out of bed with Bean?"

"I think I've told you before that the child can sleep through a bomb."

"But won't she miss you come morning?"

"I'll go back before she wakes up." I pause, drawing in a deep breath, taking in the much-missed contact.

"How'd it go tonight?" He asks me.

"Not bad. I got home a half an hour ago. Colton had to stay a little later. The fridge needed fixing and Blake needed help moving all the stuff to the backup fridge."

"Everything figured out okay?"

I nod."Yeah."

He snuggles in closer. "God, I couldn't stop thinking about you tonight."

"Yeah? I was thinking about you, too." I want to tell him that I know what he knows, but I'm so afraid. I know that he's not spooked by the knowledge of my ex-husband being in prison, but I don't want to spur on any further questions, and I also don't want to ruin the moment right now. I don't know how many more of them we'll get to have.

"I see Nate's gone home already."

"Yeah, Colton drove him home. He wanted to go home. I think we don't have enough food in this house for him, frankly." I chuckle. "Even though we have a lifetime supply of goddamn Christmas cookies and cupcakes."

He chuckles, and then he whispers in my ear. "My, my, my…I do believe that you're not wearing any clothes under there, darlin'."

I feel the soft, downy hairs from his genitals, against my rear end. "I'd say you're pretty naked in there, too."

His hand slides up to my breast. My nipple beads immediately. I feel his mouth on my neck as his fingers knead my breasts, and I feel his erection between my ass cheeks. The fingers from his other hand skate their way down my belly, to my wetness, and he begins circling my clit, forcing my leg over his, so my legs part, giving him more access. Back arched, starved for his touch, I writhe at his rhythm, as he pulls his pelvis back, and his cock finds its way to my entrance from behind.

He enters me, giving me a sudden burst of pleasure, combined with his nimble fingers at both my clit and my nipples. I reach back, grabbing his tight ass, pulling it closer, begging him for more, as he fills me again and again. His cock gets impossibly hard fast, as my wetness tightens, climbing equally fast with the full connection to him. But it's his heavy breathing and soft grunting in my ear that pushes me over the edge, and he reaches for my face, gently pulling me to him, so that his lips are once again on mine, as we come together effortlessly.

"I love you so much, darlin'." He whispers breathlessly into my ear.

"I love you, too." I pant, between kisses.

His finger comes away from my wetness, and he pulls me close to him, removing himself from me. We lay there, kissing, front to back, until we're both exhausted, and I turn my head, falling asleep with him spooning me.

...but then we wake up to a little surprise...