Upside Down (Breaking the Rules #3) - A.M. Madden Page 0,20

that tattoo just below the ridge of his sexy-as-fuck V had my body reacting like a horny teenager. But this wasn’t about me. I had sex with men often and liked it very much. He, on the other hand, seemed primed to implode. The man needed a good stiff lay… or at the very least to have his feathers ruffled a bit.

So why not have some fun?

First, I cut in on Rebecca and Marco, who were dancing at the farthest edge of the dance floor. Then I danced her sweet ass diagonally across the room until my sweet ass bumped into his.

“Oh, I’m so sorry,” I said through a grin.

He narrowed his eyes before smoothing out his scowl and flashing each sister that easy smile of his. “Yeah, no problem.” I again had to suppress a laugh when he scurried as far away from me as he could get. When Janis stumbled to keep upright while in his hold, the laughter escaped.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing.”

Rebecca followed my line of sight. “What’s happening with you two?”

“Nothing,” I repeated.

She pushed her shoulder into my chest. “Ricky. Leave him alone. He’s been through a lot.”

I can’t sat on the tip of my tongue. As did the list of denials I felt Cooper had been carrying for so long they had become a part of him. A cape that from afar seemed to billow as effectively as a superhero’s. However, upon closer view, it was obviously made of stone, burdening his shoulders from carrying its weight for years.

But she wouldn’t let me off that easy and scrutinized my bland expression until I cracked. “Fine, I’ll stop busting his balls,” I said, admitting to what Marco had claimed I had been doing. The hopeful expression on her face became a smack to the back of my head.

“Thank you.” She finally gave me a smile.

“Yeah, yeah.”

In my defense, I was a fixer. I needed to rectify wrongs. When Rebecca and Marco couldn’t see a way to be together, I’d come up with a solution to hide their affair from fellow employees. When they’d both been fired after my solution had been discovered by the executives of Sunset Cruises, I’d come up with another by starting our own business.

It was what I did.

If Rebecca were to know his truth, without a doubt she’d be his biggest supporter. It was a very lonely existence when those who loved you the most couldn’t see through the charade enough to help change life for the better.

The day I came out to my mother, I hadn’t been prepared for the sense of relief that not only comforted but also empowered me. The difference: I was ready to come out. It was my decision.

Regardless of the damage carrying such a huge secret created, he would need to be ready to admit to it. It was obvious that Cooper was not ready.

Right then and there I decided to back off. This wasn’t my story to tell. I made my point with Cooper, and if he wanted to talk about it or needed advice, then he’d have to come to me. And as I tried to convince myself of that, I ignored the twinge of something unfamiliar that I felt in my gut.

I liked Cooper enough to want to see him happy and resented what he pretended to be. That part was personal. I lived that scenario. I’d hate to be the poor sap who fell for someone like Cooper, getting lost in his charm, ridiculously handsome face, and perfectly sculpted body only to be dumped because Cooper wasn’t ready to admit the truth.

There were no guarantees that Cooper’s person would be a man, but if the possibility existed, then he needed to open that door.

It was a shame too. Contrary to what I told Cooper on deck he was just my type.

And there was that twinge again.

Rebecca’s attention focused on where Cooper was now chatting with our cruise director. “I recently found out he and Lara had a thing,” she admitted casually.

“What?” Realizing I sounded like a jealous lover, I quickly amended my tone by asking, “Oh yeah? When?”

“Our maiden voyage.”

Lara is a hussy.

She took a moment to gauge my reaction and misinterpreted it. “Please don’t make it a big deal. I know how you like to play matchmaker.”

“They don’t match well.”

“I agree,” she responded animatedly. “I had told him to not confuse regret over Riana with lust… and normally I wouldn’t encourage meaningless hookups, but… if it gets his mind off Riana…” She