just replaced Wesley’s name with the word someone, presumably him. “And when you are”—he reaches up and rakes his fingers through my hair—“it should be a thing of beauty—not a lure or a trap. You deserve something pure. You deserve perfect love.”
My heart rattles inside me as if it were trying to escape. It would be beautiful with Coop, pure—perfect love.
“The Tobias sisters,” I whisper their name in lieu of admitting I won’t sleep with Wes.
“I did some research,” he starts in gun shy. “Their father’s name was Emmanuel, the brother is Richard.”
“What about the little sister?” I remember Hattie mentioned her because she was Lacey’s age.
“Kara.” He digs a smile in his cheek. “I filled Flynn in on everything I knew. Told him not to tell his new gal pal in the event she tries to mislead us.”
I give a silent nod. Coop has everything under control. At least the things he can.
“Sounds like you’re getting along better with Flynn. What was that about anyway?” I ask it sweetly, almost too quiet for him to hear. I like it like this with Coop, our midnight murmurs with secrets spilling like oil.
“A girl.” He presses out a wry smile.
I scoot into him. “This is getting good.” I try to lighten the mood. I’ll talk about anything to get my mind off the Counts and what they’ve done, and are still doing, to our families. “Dish.” I give a crooked grin.
“You sure you want to hear this?” His brows dip as if he’s sure I don’t.
“Yes. I’m totally in the mood for an erotic bedtime story. Go right ahead. Who was she?” I bet its some girl they fought over in fourth grade with pigtails and glasses. I can totally imagine Flynn, hot on the prowl even then, and, of course, girls of all ages would be attracted to Coop. That’s just the law of physics.
“Grayson.” He gives a long tired blink.
My stomach flinches as if I had just been sucker punched.
That’s right, I think Flynn mentioned it a while back and I was quick to put it out of my mind. For whatever reason I didn’t think it was real coming from Flynn, but from Cooper’s mouth it’s scripture.
My heart drops. I let out my defeat in a drawn out sigh. Coop was right. I didn’t want to know.
“You fought over Grayson?” And I needed to repeat this, why?
“I’m not sure you could call it a fight. He was fooling around with her at the same time I was. I just so happened to be the only one out of the loop.”
“Sounds like you’ve misplaced your anger.” Funny because I can feel mine beginning to rise. “She’s the one who cheated. Flynn was just being Flynn.”
He shakes his head. “You’re right about Flynn, but Grayson didn’t cheat. We weren’t officially together. I just didn’t like the feeling I was getting played. It left a bad taste in my mouth. And I don’t have it in me to be ticked off at a girl, so I shut down on Flynn. The end.”
“Oh.” I draw my thumb to my lower lip and consider this a good long while. Coop and Grayson. My mind starts in on an entire series of inappropriate thoughts involving Coop and Grayson’s boobs—their limbs knotted up in passion, Coop lost in the folds of her pillowy flesh. The entire idea makes me want to hurl.
“I’m sorry, Laken.” He says it sober as if he had somehow truly hurt me with this—and he had.
“No, don’t be. You didn’t do anything wrong.” I glance down at the slim space between us. I’m the one who’s sorry. I’m sorry we ever went down this thorny trail. Very sorry. “It’s fine. I mean, I’m still with Wes.” I blink back tears. “And you should be with whoever you want. If that person is Grayson, then that’s who you should be with.” God, I’m going to die the next time I see them together knowing he touched her in such an intimate way. My entire body revolts at the concept.
“I am with the exact person I want.” He touches his thumb to my cheek. “I want you, Laken. I don’t want to leave any shadow of a doubt. I swear to you when I saw you that first day in the forest, I felt like you were family—like in some strange way we’d see each other again because it was inevitable. From the moment I laid eyes on you, you’ve never left my