to going out tomorrow night and buy me drinks to help me cope with my trauma. Got it?”
I nod, not trusting myself to speak.
I mean, I did just accidentally grope him. He deserves drinks.
“Good. I’m going to walk away now. Do not move,” he instructs. “And listen this time.”
Another nod.
He pushes off the wall, and I slam my eyes closed again.
I don’t dare open them until I hear his bedroom door bang shut.
I run to the bathroom and push the door closed, locking it behind me for good measure.
I lean against the sink, dropping my head between my shoulders, taking what feels like my first real breath in hours.
Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it.
I turn the faucet on to the coldest setting and splash freezing water on my face until all thoughts of Cooper and his—nope! Not thinking about it.
I do it again. And again.
I don’t stop until my face is numb and my mind is blank.
Only then do I dare to open the bathroom door and slink out into the hallway with my eyes closed, too terrified to open them and see the spot where our friendship was rocked to its core.
I don’t open them again until I’m in my bedroom, my back pressed against the closed wooden door.
The boundaries we’ve carefully laid out were just blown to bits. Every line we’ve ever drawn was crossed.
It’d have been one thing to see him naked. It was bound to happen at some point.
But friends don’t look at each other the way I looked at him.
The throb between my legs hasn’t subsided, and I’m so keyed up I’m not even sure pulling out my sewing machine and working on my new design is going to relax me.
Images of a naked Cooper assault me.
His long, bare body.
Perfectly toned. Perfectly lickable.
I gulp and crash my hands through my hair, lifting the mass of blonde locks and fanning at myself.
You’re just all worked up because of talking about your sad love life. It has nothing to do with Cooper himself. Just desperate, remember?
Yeah, yeah. That’s all it is.
It’s fine. Everything is fine. You’re just going to pretend it never happened and you’ll laugh about it later. Stop thinking about his dick. Stop thinking about him. You’re going to go out tomorrow and get laid and you’ll never think about this again and it’ll be fine.
An all-too-familiar click echoes through the quiet apartment.
Cooper’s door creaks as he peels it open. He pads out of his room with determined steps, so loud, like he’s stomping, though I know he isn’t.
He pauses, and I can see the shadows of him dancing across my floor. He’s mere inches away from the door, and for a second, I pray he just walks away.
“Fuck,” he mutters yet again.
I hear him suck in a deep breath, and a soft thump hits the door. I know it’s his head making contact.
Without making a sound, I spin, pressing my ear against the door. I relish the feel of the cool wood against my otherwise clammy skin as I wait for him to say something.
Do I even want him to say something?
What is there to say at this point?
Hey, look, I know you just saw me naked and touched my dick, but it’s your turn to set the coffee pot for the morning.
He clears his throat, and I hold my breath.
“I didn’t think you’d take it so literally.”
I pinch my brows together and pull back, staring at the door, confused as hell.
Take what so literally?
“I’ll change it tomorrow.”
Curiosity beating out my mortification, I pull the door open, and Cooper stumbles backward.
The moment my eyes meet his, I dart them away, looking at any place but him. The awkwardness hangs between us like a dense fog, and those freakin’ images I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get out of my head come back again.
I slam my eyes closed again.
Breathe, Caroline. It’ll be fine. Just breathe.
“First thing in the morning,” he says, cutting through my thoughts.
My brows draw together tighter, and despite the blush creeping into my cheeks, I peek up at him.
“What are you going on about? Change what tomorrow?”
His eyes dance with mischief. “The Wi-Fi network name. I didn’t think you’d take it so literally.”
Son of a…
Yell I Need Ur Penis 4 Password
And just like that, I feel lighter as a slow grin stretches my lips.
Things are going to be just fine.
3
Cooper
Caroline saw me naked.
It was the last thought that ran through my head before I finally passed out around