8. Maverick

Maverick

Oh, this is stupid.I know it’s stupid, but I can’t seem to help myself. I sent a text to Cooper today to see how late he works. He told me the bar closes early—at 10:00 p.m. tonight because it’s Christmas Eve.

I shouldn’t be here at his bar right before ten. I should have left hours ago. But nope. I leave Rosie and Ralph loaded up in my truck, along with a packed bag, as I walk inside the bar.

There are only a couple of people here besides Cooper and one of his coworkers. But his eyes light up when he sees me, and goddammit, no one has ever looked at me like that. It’s still so damn shocking.

“What are you doing here on Christmas Eve?” he asks, making his way to where I sit down at the bar.

“I’m going to Oklahoma tonight.”

“Oh.” He looks saddened by that, and it makes me feel a little more confident in my request.

“Come with me?” It comes out as an awkward question instead of the command I wanted it to be. I don’t want him to say no. I can’t handle the thought of him spending Christmas alone.

“W-what?” he stutters, clearly startled. And yeah, who wouldn’t be? We haven’t known each other that long, and I’m asking him to meet my parents.

“Come with me to Oklahoma. My parents have a big ranch house. Lots of animals. You’ll love it there.”

His eyes light up for a moment but then quickly dim. “I can’t go with you. I have to work the day after Christmas.”

“I’ll have you back in time for your shift,” I say quickly.

“I can’t ask you to do that,” he says, but I’m pretty sure he wants to go, and God, do I want that too.

“You didn’t ask me. And I can’t stand the thought of you spending Christmas alone.”

He looks at me carefully, wiping down the counter. His coworker walks over, reaching her hand out to me. “Hi, I’m Shelly.”

“Hi, I’m⁠—”

“Maverick Adair. Yeah, I know,” the woman says happily, wrapping her arm around Cooper’s shoulders and looking at him pointedly. “You have to go. Or I’ll make you come home with me. My three kids and my husband will bombard you with questions about your friend.” She looks over at me and winks. “My husband is a huge racing fan.”

I nod and smile, then turn my gaze on Cooper. “So what’s it gonna be?”

He looks uncertain but takes in a deep breath before letting it go with a nod of his head. “Oklahoma it is.”

I could fist-pump, I’m so elated, and I don’t ever do that stupid shit. Leave that for Royal.

After closing up the bar, we head to his apartment, where he packs a bag quickly, and then we’re off on the four-hour drive to my parents’ ranch. I don’t mind the drive at all, usually loving the silence. But this time, I enjoy it even more as I listen to Cooper belt out several songs along with the radio and tell me about how he decorated the animal shelter for Christmas.

He also handmade several dog and cat treats for them. Said everyone should get Christmas cookies.

That’s why I can’t seem to get this guy off my mind. He has zero free time, and he used every spare second to make shelter animals treats for Christmas.

Who else would do that?

No one. That’s the answer. But Cooper did. He just cares so damn much, it’s impossible not to admire that.

It’s really late when we reach my parents’ house in the secluded countryside of Oklahoma, but I smile when I see they’ve left the porch light on for me. It’s something that always gives me comfort since I moved out.

Cooper is fast asleep when I park the truck, and he looks so damn peaceful, I almost don’t want to wake him. But I gently nudge his shoulder, and when he doesn’t wake, Rosie helps me out by licking his cheek.

He wakes up, laughing, and pets her before looking at the house. “This is where you grew up?”

I nod, opening my door and then going around to his and opening it. “It’s not much, but I kind of love it here.”

He climbs out of the truck, followed by Rosie and Ralph, looking at the large ranch house in wonder. “I would too. It’s beautiful.”

I grin, my chest swelling with pride. I grab our bags from the back and try to keep the dogs quiet as we walk up to the front door. I pull my keys out and unlock it as quietly as I can.

“Are you sure this is okay?” Cooper asks as I close the door carefully and turn the deadbolt.

“Totally. My mom was excited I was bringing a friend. She always cooks way too damn much anyway.” She actually asked me if it was a girlfriend, and when I told her it was a guy and just a friend, she still sounded excited to meet Cooper.

“Okay. Well, I can’t wait to meet them. Although I hope we didn’t wake them. It’s so late.”

I smile because he’s always thinking about other people and animals—hell, every living thing—before himself. “They sleep like the dead. The ranch takes a lot out of them.”

Cooper unsurprisingly looks worried about that. “Why don’t they hire more help?”

I laugh because I can’t help it. The number of times I’ve argued with my parents about hiring some more people to help is laughable. “They’re stubborn as hell. You’ll see.” I start for the stairs and motion for him to come with me. “Let’s get some sleep. My parents wake up at the buttcrack of dawn.”

He smiles and follows, with Ralph and Rosie in tow. I’m sure my mom made up the guest room, even though I didn’t ask her to. But for some reason I can’t explain, I lead Cooper and the dogs to my old bedroom, closing the door behind us.

“I hope you don’t mind sharing a bed. I don’t want to wake my mom to ask about the guest room.” Lies. What the hell is wrong with me?

The only excuse I have is temporary insanity because waking up with him the other day felt way too damn good. I wanted to touch him. I wanted to kiss his full lips and find out just how soft they are, but I couldn’t do it.

“I don’t mind. Are you sure that’s okay with you? I could sleep on the couch.”

“Don’t be silly,” I say, grabbing my bag and pulling out a pair of joggers and a t-shirt—my own this time. “Do you want to change first?”

“Oh no. You go ahead,” he says and sounds a little nervous, his cheeks flushed. I like that way too damn much.

I try like hell to get my dick under control when I go into the bathroom to change. Now is so not the time. Cooper would probably be horrified to know how his flustered, flushed look turns me on to no end.

I chastise my dick for the hundredth time as I change as quickly as I can, and the damn thing still hasn’t fully gone down by the time I go back into my room. Thankfully, Cooper doesn’t seem to notice, brushing past me and heading into the bathroom with his change of clothes in hand.

I flick the light off, leaving a small lamp on the nightstand on, and then I climb in bed, burrowing under the covers and try like hell to think unsexy thoughts. But all I see when I close my eyes are his red cheeks and wide innocent, beautiful eyes.

Moments later, he joins me, seeming timid and shy as he climbs into the bed, lying on his back. I’m not even sure he’s breathing, he’s so damn still, and then I realize I’m totally still as well.

What I wouldn’t give to wrap him up in my arms and hold him close. To kiss him hard and taste him, but I can’t do it. Not with Cooper.

I don’t want to hurt him. He’s already become so damn important to me.

“Coop? You okay?”

He rolls to his side then, finally moving. I roll to mine so I can look him in the eyes. “I’m nervous to meet your parents. That’s weird, right?”

I smile easily, which isn’t usually normal for me. But with him, it just is. “No. It’s not weird.”

He snorts a cute little loud sound and laughs, his small shoulders shaking. “Yeah. It definitely is weird. But I can’t help it. I want them to like me.”

“Has anyone ever not liked you, Cooper?”

His smile falls, and I want to call it back—beg it to come back and brighten his beautiful face immediately. “I’m kind of a lot.”

My heart squeezes tightly in my chest as my breathing picks up and anger soars through me. “For who?”

He tries to smile again, but it’s forced. I see the pain there. Pain I want to take away. Pain I want to know more about, so maybe I can fix it. But I see his shields going up before my very eyes as he forces a bigger grin. “No one. We should probably get to sleep.”

I want to push him to talk to me. But maybe it’s for the best. I should keep my distance, even though I’m doing a terrible job of that. A point proven when he rolls to his back, and I roll to mine but shift ever so slightly so my arm brushes his.

He doesn’t move away from me, and I don’t force myself to pull away either.

I can’t have him—not totally—but I can’t keep too much distance from him either.