~ Three ~
Ellie stared at Cooper’s profile, her forehead still tingling from the heat of his lips. He’d kissed her once before. On the mouth. At least she hadn’t behaved like a complete freak this time. At thirteen, when Cooper’s mouth touched hers, she’d jumped back in such surprise, she was sure he’d never speak to her again. Instead, he smiled, gave a little laugh and said, “There. Now you don’t have to worry.” He’d gone in the house to find Tommy and it was like the moment was just a dream she’d conjured up.
Which is what this moment felt like sitting beside him in the dark as he drove them toward her place in his quad-cab truck. He seemed to have a grin stuck to his lips, which wasn’t helping to settle her mind or her pulse. Was it possible Byron had underestimated the concussion? Perhaps she had a severe head trauma that was causing her to hallucinate. Right. And you just happen to be hallucinating your childhood crush. Ellie snorted out a laugh and Cooper looked her way.
“You okay, sweetheart?” Good God. It was enough that he was mouth-wateringly hot. Add to that the whole protective fireman thing. But if he was going to throw endearments around like pennies, she might as well just knock herself in the head again so she’d have an excuse to pass out.
“I’m fine. What are you doing, Cooper?”
He looked back at the road, one hand on the wheel, and took her left hand in his free one. She tried to believe the goosebumps trailing up her skin were from the cool weather, but since she was sitting on a heated seat and nearly sweating with the proximity of all that was Cooper, it was a bold faced lie.
“I’m taking you back to your place, Ellie. I had no idea you were in the city. My heart just about stopped when I saw you lying there.”
Her own heart was working double time. She couldn’t seem to slow it down. Cooper stopped at a red light and looked her way.
“How’d you know it was me?” She’d lost the glasses, braces, and frizz head when she went to college. She’d done the freshman fifteen in reverse and stopped choosing clothing that let her hide. It was safe to say her old friends wouldn’t recognize her without a second glance.
Cooper lifted his hand and touched her top lip with his thumb, running it along the slight scar there. “The eyes and the scar. You’ve always had the most kick ass eyes. And how could I forget the guilt that came along with this?”
She swatted his hand away, reminding herself she was a full grown woman and didn’t need to be swooning at her brother’s friend’s feet. Plus, the light had turned green. She pushed aside the comment about her eyes—he was just being polite.
“It wasn’t your fault, Coop.”
“I double bounced you,” he said, pressing the gas.
It was true. She’d been eleven to his fifteen and he’d told her he could knock her over. Stubbornness was more than a family trait. It was a way of life. She’d told him to give it his best try and on the third bounce, she’d gone down, which wouldn’t have been a problem if her knee hadn’t collided with her mouth. Her tooth went right through her lip and blood had gone everywhere. Cooper had been so apologetic. She’d gotten three stitches and there was still the tiniest of scars over her top lip, just where it arched on the right side.
“You bought me an entire box of jumbo freezies,” she said, just remembering.
“It was the least I could do.”
As he drove, she watched the lights out the window. The pretty colors, some twinkling, some not, were one of her favorite parts of the season. Mr. Coby’s son in law had hung colored icicles along his rooftops and Ellie smiled, seeing they were on, when Cooper pulled into the driveway. The older house had a wide and long drive, a generous front yard, and a wide picture window. Ellie’s heart actually clutched at the scene before her. Mr. Coby’s daughter was laughing at something while her father stood at her side. Her husband held their youngest son up so he could hang something on the tree. The older son stood between his grandfather and mom.
Tears pricked her eyes and it took her a second to realize Cooper had turned off the truck. Realizing she was taking him away from his own holiday, she pasted on a bright smile.
“Thank you for driving me. You really didn’t have to,” she said, pretending she didn’t miss the feel of his hand holding hers.
“I did have to. It would have been all kinds of weird to make you cab it back while I drove here.”
She scrunched her brows at him. He still had a touch of that boyish twinkle in his eyes. He and Tommy had seemed so cool to her. She’d adored her brother and tagged along whenever he said she could. Cooper had always treated her so kindly. Unlike a lot of the kids her own age, he saw beyond the oversized glasses and lack of style.
Whether it was the bump to the head, the overwhelming sensation of being so near him and remembering that he had kissed her full on the mouth, or just a touch of Christmas blues sneaking in, Ellie still hadn’t picked up on his intent. Just like the first time he’d kissed her when she was fourteen. She’d been worried about attending a party because a friend told her about ‘spin the bottle’. Cooper told her it was no big deal and like it was nothing out of the ordinary, he’d planted his lips against hers for a whole second and a half, then said “see?” Clearly, he’d either held out back then or improved immensely.
Pulling her back to the moment, Cooper got out of the truck as she was grabbing her purse and had her door open before she reached for the handle. Holding out a hand, he waited for her to take his. When she slipped out of the truck, he didn’t step back, which brought their bodies flush. All the circuits inside her body fired in different directions, crisscrossing into one lusty tangle. Stop it. He’s your brother’s friend. He’s like a pseudo brother. And you are as good at relationships as you are at cooking. Hence the irritation that had all but dripped off of her ex as he’d taken care of her stitches.
“You smell good, Ellie,” Cooper whispered, his lips brushing over her forehead.
“Sure. If you like the smell of antiseptic,” she replied.
Cooper must have felt the shiver run over her because he pushed even closer and put his free hand around her, pulling her into a hug. The warmth of his body blasted the cold away.
“I like the way you smell. Sweet.”
She tipped her head back, ready to make a sarcastic comment that would hopefully provide cover for the nerves twisting themselves in knots inside of her stomach.
“It makes me wonder if you taste like sugar,” he whispered as he lowered his head.
Ellie stopped listening to the voice in her head telling her she shouldn’t and decided this would be her Christmas present to herself. Letting Cooper kiss her was the best gift she’d ever received. It was all encompassing, the way his lips brushed over hers gently teasing until she opened and he changed the angle of his head, his tongue touching hers. The cold was a distant memory as fire radiated along her skin and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She’d have been embarrassed about the small moan that came from the back of her throat, except that simultaneously, Cooper gave a low, seductive growl and pushed her back against the seat of the truck.
His hands roamed over her body, stopping at her hips and he squeezed, just a little rougher than she expected. A thrill chased the fire in her belly. Best. Christmas. Present. Ever.
Cooper pulled back a little and his breath was uneven. She could see it in the chill of the air as their heated breaths mingled.
Putting one hand on the side of her head, he stroked down and looked at her with such a mix of affection and lust that Ellie lost her breath entirely.
“Let’s get you inside and settled.”
Right. He had other places to be. It was Christmas, after all and not everyone was spending it alone. Your choice. You could have spoken up, but you didn’t. At least now, once she was tucked up on her couch, a Christmas movie playing, and a cup of hot chocolate in her hands, she’d have the memory of Cooper’s very talented mouth to occupy her thoughts and banish the loneliness.
“You okay Ellie-girl?”
Ellie and Cooper both looked toward the deck. They hadn’t heard Mr. Coby come outside. He’d changed out of his bathrobe and combed his thick, white hair over to one side.
She waved, her head feeling heavier than it had a moment ago. “I’m okay, Mr. Coby. I’m sorry about all the fuss.”
He waved his hands dismissively. “As long as you’re okay. That’s all that matters. Who’s that boy? Does he have his hands on you girl?”
“Dad!” Laurie, Mr. Coby’s daughter joined him on the porch, a heavy grey sweater pulled tight around her. “Ignore him, Ellie. Merry Christmas. Dad said you had a little mishap. Are you doing alright?”
“I’m fine.”
“Mishap? She almost set herself on fire,” Mr. Coby practically shouted.
Cooper’s body shook and Ellie felt every tremble seeing as he was still pressed against her from thigh to chest.
“Do you and your friend want to join us for dinner? We haven’t eaten yet,” Laurie said.
Ellie closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them. She needed to let these people all get back to their lives. This would be the absolute last time she trusted a recipe with alcohol in it.
“That’s so sweet of you to ask, but we can’t. Please, enjoy your dinner and have a wonderful Christmas.”
“You, too, Ellie. Goodnight.” Laurie waved and went back in.
“I’ll bring you down a plate later, okay? Maybe you don’t turn on the stove again.”
Cooper’s laugh wasn’t so quiet this time. She swatted his shoulder with one hand and waved goodbye to Mr. Coby with the other.
Looking down at her, Cooper tapped her nose with his index finger. “So I shouldn’t expect a gourmet meal tonight?”
Pushing him back so she could go around him, she pulled her purse strap onto her shoulder, fought off a shiver, and took the path to the door of her basement suite. The truck door slammed behind her and then Cooper was at her side.
She glanced at him as she dug out her keys. “That would depend on who’s feeding you.” She wondered if he had a girlfriend. Cooper and Tommy always had girlfriends. Tommy’s newest girlfriend was about to be his last if she said yes to his proposal tonight. He’d pre-planned everything with his girlfriend’s parents and planned to ask her in front of them. One more reason she hadn’t wanted to crash his holiday.
“Is it the bump on the head making you miss my intention or are you just being stubborn, Ellie?” He put his hand over hers on the doorknob as she started to turn it.
The sky had gone a hazy, dark shade of blue and the moon glinted, like it was stretching before giving the full glow.
“Your intention?”
“I’m not leaving you alone tonight, Ellie. I promised Doctor Dick I wouldn’t. Plus, it’s Christmas. Plus, plus, it’s been years and I want to catch up with you. Am I being too presumptuous to think you don’t have other plans?”
Something that felt a lot like relief mixed with gratitude swirled around her. “I don’t. And no. Are you sure? Don’t you have plans?”
She let them in and leaned on the wall to pull off her boots. He shut the door behind them.
“I do now,” he said, with that adorable grin she remembered from years ago.
“Cooper. I don’t believe you aren’t having Christmas with your family.” Like her, he had a brother, but also had a sister and was always close to his parents while they were growing up. Their family had moved to the city right before Ellie started high school. Tommy had been so moody that summer, but she’d matched him, feeling heartbroken for her brother and maybe a little for herself as well.
“There’s a big dinner tomorrow. Tonight, I’m all yours. If you’ll have me?”
How could she say no to that? More importantly, why would she?
Pulling off her cozy sweater, she hung it on the coat rack. She just realized he was only wearing a long sleeve t shirt. Since he gave off heat like a furnace, maybe he wasn’t cold.
“I’d love the company. If you’re sure. Though…I probably shouldn’t try the stove again.”
Cooper laughed and reached out a hand to cup her cheek in a sweet, simple gesture that made her breath hitch.
“How about I take a look at what you have and fix us something? Do you want to change or anything? You can shower, but I’d keep your head dry. Did your personality-free pal in the ER give you instructions?”
Ellie tilted her head. “Doctor Dick?” She giggled at the nickname. “Bad blood between the two of you?”
Cooper stepped closer, stealing her air. “I didn’t like the way he talked to you. I’m pretty good at reading situations and what I read in that one was you two had a thing. Now that it’s over, he’s acting like a dickhead.”
Ellie pursed her lips up and thought about that. Byron’s attitude and dismissiveness toward anything that mattered to Ellie were just two of the reasons she’d broken it off with him. Not that she’d shared that with many people. With them both working at the hospital, she didn’t want rumors or gossip chasing after them. But, in the privacy of her own home, with an old friend, she could be honest.
“He was actually a dickhead even when we were together,” she admitted.
Cooper laughed. “So you had the good sense to dump him?”
She nodded, then winced as the movement irritated her head. Cooper put his hand around the back of her neck and gently pulled her close so he could brush his lips over the top of her head.
“See? You haven’t changed. Still smart.”
“And stubborn,” she added.
“Part of your charm,” he said, grinning.
“Maybe you should get your head checked,” she replied.
They both laughed and Ellie’s heart danced with the knowledge that she’d be spending her Christmas with someone who had once mattered a great deal to her. He’s just being nice. Don’t make more of it than there is. Even though he’s kissed you twice now. Really, really well.
Her face warmed and Cooper’s eyes did the same. “Go put on something comfortable and I’ll round us up some food.”
She nodded and as she walked toward her bedroom, she felt his eyes on her. Somehow she’d gone from wrecking her Christmas Eve dinner for one to entertaining her teenage fantasy. Talk about Christmas miracles. If she was dreaming or hallucinating, she only hoped it lasted through the night.