Damaged and the Beast (Damaged #1)

“I don’t understand,” I said, batting my eyes innocently. “Are you talking about this?”


Wiggling my breasts against him again, I jumped when his hands went to my bare thighs. Stroking from my hips to knees, Cooper gave me a grin. “I’m getting you naked this weekend. Even if I have to lie, cheat, and steal, I’m hitting a homerun with you, baby.”

“Sure, whatever. Can we leave now?”

“Temptress.”

“Dickhead.”

“Beauty.”

“Stud.”

“A stud that needs sweatpants.”

“If it’s such a hassle, maybe we shouldn’t fool around at my place?”

Cooper just laughed while pulling away from school. He was laughing again when he parked at the curb next to my apartment building.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing. When I don’t get enough oxygen to my brain, it gives me the giggles.”

Now, I was laughing as we walked to the front door. “My mom might be home.”

“I’ll be sure to feel you up silently then.”

Grinning, I unlocked the door and pushed it open to find the air conditioner running high.

“My mom sometimes gets overheated.”

“Lady issues. Check. No more info is necessary or desired.”

Shutting the door, I turned down the air conditioner before finding two sodas in the refrigerator.

“I need a shower.”

Cooper stared at me with a pained expression. “Sweatpants.”

Laughing, I left him to my crappy cable. After a quick shower, I changed into a loose tank top and shorts. Feeling daring, I chose to wear panties, but no bra.

Returning to the living room, I found Cooper stretched out with his legs over the coffee table and his arms spread out along the back of the couch. He looked large and menacing then he glanced at me and grinned.

“Would now be a bad time to mention I’m horny?” he asked as I opened my soda and joined him on the couch.

“If I never again heard a single thing about you being horny, I’d still be well informed.”

After a gulp of soda, I braced myself, took a deep breath, and willed a little courage. Straddling Cooper, I rested my hands on his chest and smiled.

“No sex,” I said, waiting a beat before adding, “Today.”

A grinning Cooper pulled me down for a kiss. Still feeling bold, I ran my fingers though his soft blond hair. He felt so perfect like he was mine.

Pulling away his lips, he gave me a questioning look. “No bra?”

“I don’t have work tomorrow. I know everyone is going to that party and I thought afterwards we could solve your sweatpants problem.”

Cooper caressed my lower lip with his thumb. “Earlier when I was teasing you, I realized you hadn’t been treated well. That’s why you don’t like sex, right?”

Nodding slightly, I let my fingers drift over his jaw as he teased my lips.

“I promise you’ll feel good with me,” he said without bravado.

“I heard all about your skills.”

“Finally asked around, huh?”

“Didn’t have to. People come up to me on the street to share stories of your escapades.”

Cooper laughed. “Hell yeah, they do.” Running his fingers down my back, he studied me as his expression softened. “I’ve wanted you since that first day in Spanish class and it’s killing me to wait. I know you’re nervous, but I’ll make you feel so good that you’ll forget about the loser from before.”

“I’m not really that good myself,” I said, losing my courage.

“You can lay motionless through the whole thing and I’ll still make you feel good.”

Smiling slightly, I had already started worrying over disappointing him.

“I want you,” he whispered, holding my face with both hands. “Fuck that. I need you, Farah. I need to help you knock down all of those walls. I promise it’ll be great if you trust me.”

“I do.”

“You do,” he said, his eyes locked on mine. “I feel you lowering another wall and nothing feels better.”

Staring into his dark eyes, I believed everything would always be alright as long as he was with me. It was ridiculous and my brain screamed for me to get a grip, but I ignored it.

“I have to be at work soon,” I said, leaning forward so my breasts were pressed against his chest. “Meaning, I’ll need to put on a bra soon.”

“Message received,” he said, kissing me while his warm hands slid under my shirt and along my spine. When I pulled back to allow access, those fingers caressed my stomach then moved between my breasts as if teasing. Before I could complain, his thumbs grazed my nipples.

Panic and lust rushed over me in equal amounts of intensity. My nipples didn’t react the way my panicked brain wanted. Instead, they hardened as Cooper teased them so gently. If he had been any greedier, I might have freaked out, but he was in his mama’s boy fucking mode.

Moaning into his mouth, I pressed my hands flat on his chest and tried not to freak out. It felt so good, yet I wanted to yank his hands away and ask him to leave. My body was on one page while my brain was in a whole different place.

“Are you okay?” he whispered as his lips tasted my jaw.