Torrid Little Affair (Forbidden Desires #3)

I nodded silently, unable to tear my gaze from the man I’d decided would soon be my lover.

Once Cooper was only a few feet away, I decided I needed to tell him my decision right then and there. Just as I stepped off the stool, I lost my footing, and it felt like the whole room tilted sideways. But before I could fall flat on my face, Cooper reached out and caught me, and suddenly, I was wrapped up in his arms.

A scorching blush spread over my cheeks as I looked up into Cooper’s eyes and smiled shyly. “Thanks,” I said, leaning into his chest for a moment as the room leveled out around me.

“No problem,” he said with a smile.

We stood there for a moment before I became aware of our coworkers around us, and I quickly straightened myself and stepped out of Cooper’s embrace.

“Guess I’m a little tipsier than I thought,” I muttered, looking down at my shoes.

“Glad you’re having fun,” Quinn said politely.

I knew he was being nice, but I was so embarrassed, I couldn’t even meet his gaze to thank him.

Alyssa started up a conversation with the brothers and they began an easy back-and-forth, discussing work, sports, and other things I didn’t have much to say about. The longer we all stood there chatting, the more self-conscious I became, not because anyone was making me feel unwelcome, but because I was uncomfortable with how obvious it was that I was tipsy. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, calculating how much it would cost to hail a cab to drive me home.

Cooper placed a hand on the small of my back, leaning down to speak into my ear. “Are you all right?”

I didn’t respond, instead looking up into his eyes with a worried look on my face. I didn’t know how to tell him that I was grateful to be there, but embarrassed and about ready to make my escape.

He gave me a soft, sympathetic smile before leaning down to my ear again. “Do you want to go home? I can give you a ride.”

I nodded, and within moments, Cooper explained to everyone else that we were ready to call it a night, and he was going to drive me home. Alyssa gave me a quick hug, Gavin and Quinn both nodded and tipped their glasses, and Cooper guided me to the door with his hand on the small of my back.

Once in his car, I could feel my heart racing. If there was ever a good time to let him know I was ready for sex, it was now. He was taking me to my place, and my mind was racing with thoughts of how to get him into my bed. I could invite him in for a drink, or give him the bedroom eyes Alyssa had shown me how to do. My head was swimming with ideas, and I was grateful that Cooper, ever a man of his word, drove in perfect silence, waiting for me to say the first word.

I cleared my throat, and Cooper let his eyes wander from the road for just a moment to let me know he was listening. My heart pounding in my chest, I opened my mouth to speak.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“I, uh . . . I’ve made my decision,” I said, my voice shaking. Cooper nodded, waiting for me to continue. “My answer is yes. I think we should do this.”

As the words left my mouth, we arrived in front of my place, and Cooper placed the car in park. Without saying anything, he got out and walked around the front of the car to open my door for me. When he helped me out of the car, I squeezed his hand in mine, grateful for his steadying presence.

We stood there on the sidewalk in front of my apartment, my hand in his, our faces less than a foot apart. The tension between us was palpable, and just as I was about to turn to walk to the door, Cooper pulled me into him, placing one hand behind my head, and pressed his lips softly against mine.

I tensed up for the briefest of moments, taken aback by the sudden romantic gesture. But after only a few seconds of his mouth on mine, I kissed him back, allowing my lips to part ever so slightly as his tongue touched mine. I raised one of my hands to his chest, not to push him away, but to feel his muscles underneath his shirt.

With his free hand, Cooper pulled my hips into him, and I could feel his thigh settling between my legs. The pace of our kiss quickened, our tongues moving frantically around each other, and my body responded with an instinct I didn’t know it had.

Suddenly, my other hand was running through his hair, and I began grinding on his thigh. I could feel his erection pressing into my stomach, and a low moan escaped from my mouth. His hands moved over my body, brushing over my breasts and around my hips before beginning the motion again. His lips wandered to my neck, making me gasp with pleasure.

The cover of darkness made me bold. I whispered in his ear, “I want more,” running my hand over the bulge in his pants.

Cooper groaned and brought his mouth back to mine, giving my bottom a gentle squeeze. “You have no idea how sexy you are,” he said between kisses before placing both hands on my shoulders and pulling away to look into my eyes. “But we can’t sleep together now. Not after you’ve had so much to drink.”

I frowned and quickly closed the space between us, crushing my mouth against his. Cooper kissed me back for a few minutes before pulling back again.

“I mean it, Corinne. There are so many things I want to do to you, trust me,” he said, eyeing my body up and down. “But it wouldn’t be right to do them now. If this is still what you want tomorrow, let me know. We’ll work out the details.”

And just like that? Cooper placed a firm yet tender kiss on my forehead and climbed back into his car, watching me unlock my front door before he pulled away.

I stumbled through my front door, my heart still racing from the intensity of that kiss. As I stood in the dark hallway, buzzing after what had just happened, there was only one thought running through my mind.

I had definitely made the right decision.