22. Maverick

Maverick

My heart thunders in my chest when I see Cooper’s car in my driveway. He has a key so he can bring the dogs back home whenever he needs. And honestly, if I had my way, he’d just move in already.

But you know . . . probably too fast for all that. I am a racer though—I mean, fast is sort of my thing.

I unlock the front door, walking through it and dropping my bag in the foyer when Cooper leaps into my arms, and I barely have enough time to catch him. He wraps his arms and legs around me, kissing my face and my neck.

A warmth of happiness wraps around my heart like never before. I hold onto him as I go in for a heated kiss, my dogs nipping at my heels, but they can wait a second.

My tongue sweeps into his warm, waiting mouth, and we both moan. “God, I missed you.”

I smile against his lips as he releases me, his feet dropping down to the floor. “I missed you too.” It was only a couple of days. As a racer, I’ve spent most of my time on the road alone, even when I was with Pheobe, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Cooper the entire time this time.

I give my dogs some love and attention now, kneeling down to scratch their little ears and accept their slobbery dog kisses before Cooper drags me to the kitchen while he cooks something that smells delicious.

“I thought you might be pretty hungry.”

“I’m starving.” I look over at the pots and pans on my stove and smile. Looks like he’s making some sort of pasta dish. I like how natural and comfortable he looks in my kitchen, and once again, I find myself wishing it was his kitchen too.

But I know it’s not practical, so I manage to keep my mouth zipped as I set the table, and then he dishes out the pasta. The dogs sit not so patiently by the kitchen table as we dig in.

He tells me about school and work. But of course, most of his side of the conversation is focused on the animals at the shelter and how he’s thinking about a new fundraiser for the spring.

I listen intently, loving his passion. The man is going to change the world, I have no doubt. He’s fantastic at raising funds for the shelter too. Not only through city fundraisers—which he’s fantastic at—but also through government grants. His goal is for no animal to ever be homeless again, and I can see him making it happen.

I’ll do anything in my power to make it happen with him.

“Oh my God, I’m so full.” He sits back and rubs his stomach with his hand, and I chuckle, finishing off my food.

“It was really good. I think you’re going to have to cook for us more often.”

He smiles shyly over at me, and I can’t believe he’s mine. I mean, for the most part—as much as a secret boyfriend can be mine.

“What are you thinking about?” he asks, concern on his handsome face. “You’re frowning.”

I’m not surprised. The thought of him being a secret makes me physically ill. “Just missed you.”

He cocks his head to the side, studying me and then climbing off his chair and onto my lap, then straddling me, his fingers in my hair. “I missed you too. It’s crazy how addicted to you I already am.”

I love how honest he is. How he just comes right out and says what he’s thinking. “I feel the same.”

He leans in and kisses me, and I waste no more time, lifting him up and carrying him to my room and into my bed. I find a condom and lube, taking my time prepping his body that welcomes me easily.

When I slide into him, his hips roll, meeting each one of my thrusts as I push deeper inside him. My entire body is lit up with pleasure. I can’t feel anything else. Just this moment with him, his fingers digging into my biceps. His heat tightly engulfs me, the heels of his feet digging into my ass as he begs me to fuck him harder.

The second I wrap my hand around his cock, stroking it with my lubed hand, he detonates. His cum sprays everywhere as he leans up and steals my lips, licking inside my mouth as heat races up my spine, and my cock jerks inside him.

I come with a roar into his mouth, kissing him hard and not caring that it’s sloppy and hurried. Desperate to make it all last.

Afterward, we go to my shower, cleaning each other off and kissing like I’ve been gone for a month and not a couple of days. Then we head back to my bed, under the covers with only our underwear on, and he pulls up some movie on Netflix while my dogs rush in and make their presence known.

Demanding attention, which we have no problem giving them.

Thoughts are in the back of my mind, wondering why I haven’t called Jenny to make it official. Or hell, skipping the whole PR part and just taking a picture with Cooper right now to post on all my socials.

Captioning it with My boyfriend and being done with it.

But something holds me back, that insane jolting worry about what they would say. The comments about me having a boyfriend. Pheobe’s rabid fans going after Cooper because he dared to date me when I’m “supposed” to be with Phoebe.

The death threats.

They do happen. It’s insane. But I got so many threats after Pheobe and I broke up, her fans unable to understand anyone not wanting to be with her. Thankfully, nothing too scary or over-the-top happened, but what if it did?

I can’t lose Cooper.

I can’t have anything bad happen to him.

Not ever.

“So where are you going next week?” He sounds a little sad but also very damn interested and invested, just like he always is.

“Sacramento.” An idea hits, and I turn to look at him. “You wanna go? It would be a quick trip. I bet we could talk George and David into watching the dogs.”

He smiles at me, but before he opens his mouth, I know his answer. “I wish I could.” His bottom lip pokes out. “I have to work a lot next week, and I need to start saving even more, now that graduation is coming. And I have a few tests coming up.”

“Damn,” I say, but then pull him into me. “Maybe next time.” I smile because I can’t picture a time when I won’t ask him. “But school and work come first,” I make sure to say. I don’t want to guilt him into going with me. He’s a busy man, and his ambition is one of the things I love the most about him.

“I hope so. I don’t know how many of these trips I can handle before I stow away in your luggage.”

I chuckle. “I’ll buy you a ticket any time. No need to hide in my luggage.”

He laughs heartily, and I realize how content I am, right here and now. I try to let go of the fear as he settles into my side, watching the movie and laughing. “Dating is awesome,” he says before kissing my cheek, and I smile, real and unhindered by all the bullshit in my head.

“Yeah. Dating you is awesome.”

This is fine for now. Eventually, I’m going to have to get out of my head and over my bullshit, but for now, this is more than okay.

It’s everything I could have ever wanted and so much more.