Corinne

By the time three o’clock rolled around on Saturday afternoon, I’d already tried on—and discarded—roughly eight dresses, seven skirts, and one ill-conceived romper that made me look like a plump toddler, only with big boobs.

Panic was setting in when there was a knock on the door. I answered it, my button-down shirt only half tucked into my poodle pajama bottoms while curlers pulled at my roots and made my eyes water.

“Hello?” I said without thinking, only to find the postal worker standing at my door, her nose wrinkled as she looked up at me.

“Package,” she said.

“Who for?” I asked. “I didn’t order anything.”

“Listen, lady, I just drop stuff off.” She thrust four boxes toward me, and I took them all before she unceremoniously bustled away.

Closing the door, I glanced down to find that all the boxes were addressed to me, and I carried them into my bedroom with no small amount of anticipation.

Quickly, I peeled away the tape on the first box and found a steely blue-gray pearl necklace inside with a matching bracelet and earrings.

“Beautiful,” I murmured to myself as I slid on the bracelet, tossing aside the box to open the next. This one contained matching strappy heels. Next came a box with only a black bustier inside, but no matching panties. The last box contained a dress.

But it wasn’t just a dress, not really. It was the dress. I winced, one eye closed, before I glanced at the size, only to find that it was exactly right.

The dress was black and gun-metal gray, perfect to set off my new pearls and shoes, and I hugged it close to me as a rush of emotion washed over me. It was like Cooper had sensed my panic from all the way across the city and had come to my rescue. Again.

If only things could have been different . . . another time, another place.

Nope. Not going there. I had a free pass tonight. A guilt-free “not really a date” with Cooper, and I wasn’t about to ruin it with self-pity.

And judging by the expression on the mail lady’s face, I had a whole lot of work to do before I put that dress on.

Rushing around the apartment, I gave Aaron his medication and fed him an early dinner before shaving my legs and putting on some hasty makeup. My heated curlers were finally beginning to cool, and when I pulled them from my hair, I heard the chime of the doorbell again.

Frantic, I glanced at the clock. It was already almost five thirty. It must be Cooper, and though he was early, it wasn’t by much.

“Shoot,” I muttered, pulling on my thigh-high stockings before running into the hall and sliding as I tried to stop.

“Aaron, will you go in your room for a little while?” I asked, though I didn’t wait for a response as I wheeled him down the hall at top speed wearing nothing but my bustier, slip, and stockings. Half my head was still in curlers, and I winced as the doorbell rang again and I snapped Aaron’s door closed.

What was Cooper thinking? I’d never let him inside before. I’d never even let him get as far as the front door. But the doorbell chimed again, and seeing no other option, I ran to the front of the apartment and flung the door open.

“Hey,” I said, practically panting. “I’m running a little behind.”

Cooper grinned, his gaze trailing over me, leaving a path of heat in its wake. “I can see that. Mind if I come in?”

Yes.

“No, of course not. I’ll just, um, be a minute.” I unrolled curlers as I spoke, and when he nodded, I rushed to my bedroom and yanked the dress over my head, ripping curlers from my hair at a pace that made my eyes well up with tears.

“Fight through the pain,” I told myself, gritting my teeth as I brushed the curls into waves and double-checked my makeup before spraying on perfume. Finally, I slipped on the rest of the jewelry and my heels and clicked toward the door, flinging it open to find Aaron on the other side, smack dab in the middle of the hallway.

My eyes widened and I glanced from him to Cooper, who still looked unconcerned as he waited near the front door.

Anticipating his question, I said to Aaron, “Leftovers in the fridge. I’m going out, but I’ll be back later.”

He nodded and then rolled down the hall to the kitchen, not bothering to look twice at Cooper.

I took a deep breath, turning on my heel and preparing to see the inevitable pity or confusion in Cooper’s eyes. I didn’t want to face that, didn’t want to answer his questions and explain everything that had happened to make Aaron the way he was.

Didn’t want to have to tell him what Aaron meant to me.

But looking at Cooper, I wasn’t sure I would have to. There was interest in his eyes, to be sure, but also grim acceptance.

He simply looked at me and said, “You look incredible. Are you ready to go?”

Swallowing hard, I nodded and allowed him to lead me out and toward the car. When I was safely stowed in the passenger’s seat, I stared out at the evening sky.

“Looks like it’s going to rain,” I said, desperate to find something, anything that I could focus on other than Cooper’s inevitable curiosity.

“It does. I should have sent you a coat too.”

I turned and offered him a trembling smile, the fear of what was to come on hold at the reminder of his sweet gesture. “You did more than enough. Thank you, by the way. You saved my life.”

“I’m not sure it was all that heroic.” Cooper grinned. “But if you’re willing to give me that much credit, I’ll take it.”

He started the car and drove onto the street as I watched him from the corner of my eye. The question was on the tip of his tongue. It had to be. It was such a normal, everyday sort of thing to ask.

But he didn’t ask it. He didn’t ask anything at all. He only drove, the soft sounds of indie music playing on the radio as we went.

For a moment, I considered bringing it up, clearing the air to save myself from the inevitable questions he would ask. But I wasn’t ready, not yet. And I think Cooper knew it too.

• • •

A few short minutes later, Cooper handed off his keys to a valet in front of a swanky downtown hotel. The foyer was crammed with beautiful women in dresses that were almost as stunning as my own, and middle-aged business types who couldn’t stop staring at them.

When Cooper walked in, he charmed everyone in turn, greeting most of them by name as we sailed through the crowd and made our way toward a gorgeous ballroom complete with marble floors and high, molded ceilings.

“This place is incredible,” I said, feeling a little breathless.

“We like to do things right. Have I mentioned how exquisite you look tonight, by the way?”

“You might have.”

“Allow me to remind you.” He tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear, then kissed my cheek before guiding me to the nearest group of men and women, then the next and the next.

I met hedge fund managers and lawyers, doctors and venture capitalists. Women who had their degrees in biochemical engineering and physics.

With each of them, Cooper was just as charismatic and genuine as he’d been with the last. When someone was coarse, he was there to be their buffer. If someone was timid, he coaxed them out of their shell. He made them all laugh and open up, smoothing those awkward moments in everyday social interactions that might have gone on forever if it wasn’t for his easy wit.

And I was by his side for all of it, his firm hand warm and reassuring in mine as we moved from one group to the next.

This, I supposed, was what my life could have been like if things had worked out differently. In another world, I could have had a man like this—strong and confident and charming. Someone who might hold me at night when I had a bad dream, or soothe my worries when they threatened to overwhelm me. Someone to share the burden and ease the tension.

Someone to love me. To care for me and take care of me.

A waitress passed by and I grabbed a glass of champagne, taking a steadying sip as Cooper launched into a funny anecdote, though I could barely hear him. I was too focused on my own thoughts, my own selfish regrets.

Like it or not, this wasn’t the course my life had taken. Long ago, I’d made my peace with that. Dredging up all that heartache and desperation now would do neither of us any good. My life was my life . . . it was as simple as that.

One day Cooper would have the full package, a woman who would be there for him emotionally in ways I simply couldn’t. He deserved that much, and I had to let him have it.

But maybe not tonight.

For tonight, in this moment, we were together, and I didn’t want to waste another moment of that. The future would come at us hard and fast, ripping away what little we did have. Before that time came, I was going to grab this precious opportunity and squeeze every drop of pleasure from it that I could.

Cooper laughed as we disconnected from another group and walked toward the bar. I sat my barely touched drink on the counter and smiled at him, my mind spinning with possibilities.

“I think things are going well,” he said. “Doesn’t look like anyone is looking to hump in the bathroom just yet.”

My grin widened. “Maybe not them, but I have a few ideas.”

His crooked smile was lazy and confident all at once, but his eyes went instantly hot. “What are you thinking, you little devil?”

I slid one finger along his silk tie. “I think you know exactly what I’m thinking. Now, come on, does this place have a coat closet or something?”

“What’s gotten into you?” Cooper asked, his voice raspy as he leaned in closer.

“Are you saying you don’t want to go?” I raised an eyebrow and he took my hand.

“Forget I said anything,” he growled, leading me to a hallway in the far corner of the room and slipping into a coat closet halfway down. I giggled as he closed the door behind us.

Silently, we hid behind the longest of the coats. In the darkness, Cooper kissed me firm and sweet, pressing his hard body against me, but I wasn’t interested in that.

Not now.

Suddenly desperate to make him feel like the whole world, as cherished as he made me feel, I dropped to my knees in front of him, fumbling quickly with his buckle before ripping down his pants and boxers in one tug.

“Corinne . . .”

Before he could say another word, I grasped his shaft, working him up and down with steady, sure strokes. Already firm, he grew as hard as steel.

“Let me do this, Cooper. I need to taste you, to touch you.”

He leaned back against the paneled walls, closing his eyes, and I took him into my mouth, sucking gently as I rolled my tongue over his swollen head.

“Damn,” he groaned. “That’s so fucking hot.”

I hummed my approval, then took him deeper into my mouth, so deep that he hit the back of my throat as I did, but I didn’t care. I simply gripped the rest of him, stroking what I couldn’t fit into my mouth as I worked him up and down, loving the way his fingers weaved in my hair and urged me to move faster, to love him harder.

In this moment, I was with him, and I wanted him to know what it was to be with me—needed to show him how much I cared for him and wanted him. Needed him to feel all the things I could never say aloud.

He groaned louder, his hips flexing against me now. “Yes, baby, just like that.”

I pulled him deeper, pushing myself to the limit as I sucked and stroked him. The last of his control seemed to slip away as he thrust frantically into my mouth, his fingers tightening in my hair. I moaned around him, letting the vibration ripple over his thick, hard cock.

“I’m going to come,” he managed through gritted teeth, and I gripped him harder still, sucking firmly until he finally lost himself with a cry.

I held fast as he came, spurting into my mouth in hot, greedy pulses. We stayed that way for long moments, me savoring his salty taste and the sounds of his harsh breaths, him stroking my hair almost lovingly.

It was sensual and sweet, and tears pricked the back of my eyelids.

I pulled away, wiping my mouth on the back of my hand, relishing the sweet heat of my now-swollen lips. I rose unsteadily to my feet, more moved than I should have been, but I managed a shaky smile.

“So, boss man, how do we go back to the party without everyone knowing what we did?”

“We don’t,” he muttered, yanking me close for a hard kiss before releasing me. “You’re coming home with me right now. I’m not going to wait any longer to have you.”