Cooper

 

Emily is passed out on the bed in the hotel room I got. There was no way she was staying on that bus. Fuck that. I’ve never seen anything like the scene there, and no matter what she thought, I was going to have someone guarding her.

My phone pings with a text.

 

Wade: I’m here.

 

Me: I’ll be right out.

 

I check on Emily before heading out the door with the letters and photos of the bus. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and there’s a damn good one that I ran into Wade Rycroft last night.

As soon as Emily agreed, I called him.

“Hey,” I say, gripping his hand. “Thanks for doing this.”

“I’m glad I was between jobs. Tell me more about what happened.”

Wade and I talk for a few minutes as I fill him in on the letters and the bus. He looks over everything and shakes his head. “Has she had anything like this before?”

“Not that I know of.” I grip the back of my neck. “It was like a fucking horror movie in that bus. The letters were one thing but then he sent her roses, too. I’m not sure if he saw the two of us together and that made him escalate this quickly.”

He shakes his head as he studies the last letter. “He’s clearly watchin’ her. Has she said she noticed anything else? Anyone following her around? Anything out of the ordinary?”

I tell him about the guy that called out when we were walking to our car that morning. I can’t remember what he looked like or even if I bothered to glance his way.

“I want to pack her shit and take her back with me,” I admit.

Wade smirks. “You like her that much, huh?”

“I left the bar and drove four hours to see her. I’d say I’m pretty fucked.”

He laughs. “I’d agree.”

“You’ll protect her?” I ask tersely. Wade is the only person I trust right now with this.

“With my life,” he promises.

That’s all I need to hear. I’ll pay whatever to keep her safe. Emily has become more to me than I ever thought possible. As much as I want to stay here and be the one to do it, I have to get back. Presley and Wyatt know most of the business, but I can’t spend a few weeks touring with her.

“I fucking hate that I have to go,” I grit out.

Wade claps me on the shoulder. “I won’t let anyone hurt her. This is what I’m trained for, and if I wasn’t good at my job, I’d never be with the McKay-Taggart team. I know that doesn’t mean much to you, but it means something down here.”

It doesn’t have to mean anything to me. Their reputation speaks for them. After talking to Ian Taggart on the phone, I knew there was no doubt this was the right choice and they were the only ones I could trust with her.

“If I had a doubt, she’d be hauled over my shoulder on a plane to Bell Buckle.”

He nods. “I want to go look at the bus without her there. Sometimes there are details that you might not see.”

“You’re already on the list as the security team.”

“Good. I’ll be back after I check things out,” Wade tells me.

We go over a few more details and then he leaves.

I make my way back up to the room and climb in the bed, wrapping my arms around her. She releases a deep breath and nestles herself against my body. Holding her like this is everything I could ever want. I don’t know how I went this long denying the feelings I have for her.

Unable to stop myself, I let my fingers move against her soft skin. Her blonde hair is spilled around her head, framing her perfect face. I slide my fingers through it and move it over her shoulder. There’s nothing about her that doesn’t call to me. Her blue eyes are closed, but I can replicate them in my head. The denim color with tiny flecks of green that deepen when she’s aroused. I rub my thumb against her plump lips, and she sighs.

I lean forward, needing to kiss her.

“Cooper,” she breathes against my lips as she pulls herself out of sleep. Her hand grips the back of my neck, urging me to slide on top of her.

I kiss her hard. The emotions of the last few hours hit me, and the fear of losing her takes over. If I had left just a minute earlier, I would’ve never seen her rush off the bus. What if he was there watching her, too? My heart races as I kiss her with everything. Her lips mold to mine, and I touch her everywhere, needing to feel her skin.

There is no way I’d ever forgive myself if something had happened. Anger was all I allowed myself to focus on before, but the fear has wrapped around my heart, squeezing it until I’m ready to burst.

“I can’t fucking lose you,” I admit and then dive back into the kiss. There’s no tenderness. It’s pure need to feel her.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

She meets my roughness, pulling me harder to her mouth. Emily’s other hand claws at my back. I push up and remove my shirt, and she follows my lead and undresses. I need her. I don’t care how, but I need to be inside her.

“Damn right you aren’t,” I agree. She’s mine.

“Take me, Cooper.”

That’s exactly what I plan to do. “I’m not going to be sweet, baby.” I let her know as I rip her shorts down. “I need to fuck you.”

Emily’s hands go to my jeans, yanking at the button. Her small fingers work fast, freeing my cock from my pants. “Let me ride you,” she says, trying to push me on my back.

There’s no mistaking the fear in her gaze. She needs this as much as I do. Both of us are searching for something to control. My instinct to give her what she’s asking for overrides my own need.

I lie back, and she doesn’t hesitate. Emily’s thighs straddle me, and she grips my cock. Her hand pumps up and down and then she rubs herself along my shaft. Fucking hell. “Don’t tease me,” I warn.

Her one hand rests on my chest as she repeats the motion. I buck my hips up, needing to feel her heat. Finally, she relents and gives me exactly what we both want. She sinks down, taking me into her body as her head falls back.

My fingers grip her hips, and I set the pace. She rocks up and down, letting out noises as I lift to meet her thrusts. I watch her perfect tits bounce, revel in the sounds and smells that fill the room, inciting the pace and intensity of this moment.

“Yes!” she yells when I lean up, taking her nipple in my mouth. I dig into her back, holding her so I can suck hard. “Yes, more,” she begs. My teeth clamp down, and she loses it. Emily pushes herself faster and harder than before.

“You like that, darlin’?” I ask.

“God, yes.”

I’ll never forget the way she looks right now. Her head thrown back, riding my cock. The look of pure pleasure on her face. “Fuck me, Emily. I want you to remember who has you right now.”

She looks down, her blue eyes blazing. “I know exactly who has me.”

That’s it. I move quickly, flipping her on her back and plunging in before she has time to realize what happened. I pull out and then glide in slowly. I do this again, and she whimpers. Her fingers grip my ass as she lifts herself to make me go faster.

“Do you know who has you now?”

“Yes.”

“Say it,” I demand.

“Cooper.” She says my name as a prayer.

I reward her by pushing all the way to the hilt. “No one will hurt you.”

Her eyes meet mine, and she nods. “I know.”

“No one else will touch you,” I promise.

Emily’s fingers press against my cheek. “Just you.”

“I won’t ever let anything happen to you,” I vow.

“I trust you.”

Our pace has slowed, and the anger and fear are gone. I want this to last forever. I stop completely and take her face in my hands. Everything in my life shifts right here. The way she looks at me rocks me to my core. Before I can stop myself, I say the words that are screaming in my head. “I love you.”

Her lips part and tears fill her blue eyes.

Fuck. I should’ve kept my mouth shut.

“I thought it was just me,” she says as her eyes swim with emotion. “I thought that it was too soon and that I was crazy.”

My thumb wipes the tear that falls. “No, darlin’. You aren’t crazy, and it’s definitely not just you.”

“I love you, Cooper Townsend.” Her lips turn into a smile, and for the first time, I feel whole.