Damaged and the Beast (Damaged #1)

Glancing over my jeans and pink tee, he swallowed hard. “You look beautiful.”


“Thank you. You look really good too,” I said, noticing how he wore all black from his boots to his shirt.

As we walked to the front of the complex, Cooper suddenly stopped. “This is for real, right?”

“What?”

“This date. You’re really giving me a chance, right? I need for you to be open to things and not just playing along because I said I would keep chasing. I need a real chance because you’ve got me all messed up inside.”

Staring up at Cooper, I held his gaze and forced a smile. “I like you a lot. I don’t think we make any sense, but I wish we did.”

“We could though,” he said, taking my hand. “You’re scared of all the surface stuff. The tats and the way I mouth off, but that’s surface. On the inside, I know you’re special. It’s why I need a chance.”

“I’m going on the date.”

Sighing, Cooper frowned. “Because I said I would basically stalk you until you said yes.”

“I don’t expect anything from tonight. Good or bad. I just want to see what happens. I’m giving you a chance.”

Cooper glanced around the muggy night. “This place has great pasta. Do you like Italian? If you don’t, we can go somewhere else.”

“I love Italian.”

Giving me his cocky grin, Cooper opened the door of a big black truck. “There are rare moments when a Harley isn’t the best form of transportation. This is one of those moments.”

I climbed into the Ford F-350 and strapped myself in. Cooper joined me and his gaze was soft in a way that made me want him so much I nearly cried at the futility of even hoping. I didn’t cry though. I planned to enjoy myself tonight. I also intended to be a different kind of Farah.

As he started the truck, I took off my seatbelt. Cooper immediately looked startled as if I might make a run for it. Instead, I leaned over and kissed him gently. He made no effort to deepen the kiss. Letting me lead, Cooper stared at me with those smoky eyes when I pulled away and returned to my side of the truck.

“Hell…” Cooper muttered full of heat as he drove from the apartment complex.

“How is school going?” I asked, acting casual.

“It’s school. I go to make my parents happy. I don’t care one way or the other.”

“What would you do if you didn’t attend college?”

“Travel around, I guess. My family goes on road trips in the summers. I love RVing around the country and up to Canada. There’s a shitload of places to check out. We camp, hike, ski, explore. Some of my best memories are on the road.”

When Cooper talked about his family, he seemed approachable and not so different than me. “If you could go anywhere right this minute, where would you go?”

Cooper glanced at me then focused on the road. “Do you want the happy answer or the real one?”

“Both, I guess.”

“The happy answer is I’d go to the Grand Canyon. I love that place and can go there a million times and still notice new things.”

When he stopped talking, I asked, “What’s the real answer?”

“I’d go wherever your sister is and bring her here so you wouldn’t be alone.”

Turning away, I stared out of the window and fought the urge to cry. Cooper said nothing for the rest of the drive to the restaurant. When we arrived, he turned off the truck and sighed.

“Are you angry?”

“Angry that you said the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me?” I asked, glancing at him with slightly wet eyes. “I miss her so much and I mentioned that one time and you remembered. So no, I’m not angry.”

Cooper gave me a slight smile. “Let’s eat and you can tell me more about her.”

“Really?”

“I want to know you and I sense you fake things to make yourself seem like everyone else. Your sister is real for you though and I want real.”

When he moved to get out of the car, I touched his arm. His gaze met mine then our lips became acquainted again. It was a short soft kiss and I found myself wanting more, instead of waiting for it to be over.

Soon, we walked inside the small Italian restaurant on the outskirts of town. Seated quickly, we looked over the menu and I was excited to eat whatever I wanted because I’d always loved Italian food. My dad said it was too expensive though. Based on the prices, the food wasn’t cheap, but I didn’t think about it when I was with Cooper. I knew he was like Skye, using money as if it was mere paper to be tossed around.

“Tell me about Tawny,” Cooper said, sitting across the table and watching me with such a warm gaze I felt nervous to ruin his mood.

“She’s really perceptive. If I’m kinda book smart, she’s common sense smart. Great at reading people. A hard worker too. She’s shy though and hates school.”

Cooper reached across the table and wiped away the tear from my cheek.

“I’m sorry, but I’ve never gone this long without seeing her. It’s like a part of me is missing.”