Damaged and the Beast (Damaged #1)

“Fair enough,” he said, crawling up to kiss my stomach.

Realizing he stopped and wasn’t angry, I let out a long sigh. Glancing up at me, Cooper licked at my belly button then left a trail of affection all the way to the soft underside of my breast. A breath caught in my throat as I waited for the fun stuff. A grinning Cooper sucked my nipple into his mouth.

“I like this,” I announced like a dork, but I wanted him to know it wasn’t all bad and I could loosen up eventually.

“We can make each other happy, Farah,” Cooper said, lying between my legs and swinging his feet like a kid. His expression was tender as he teased my nipples. “I know you’re mine. If you let me start over, we can be so fucking happy that all the shit that came before will be no more than a bad dream.”

“I’m afraid to love you too much.”

“It’s normal to be scared when you grew up in a shitty way. I bet you spent most of your life worrying that anything nice might get stolen away. With me, with what we have, it’s probably scary. For me though, losing you is the only thing that scares the shit out of me. I need to make you happy so you’ll stay and I can be happy.”

As my fingers caressed the soft prickles of his shaved hair, I thought about how much Cooper needed me. How he hadn’t forgotten I existed or moved on the second I wasn’t there. He really seemed to love me. I hadn’t believed it, but there was no other reason he would have freaked out.

“Have you ever been dumped before?” I asked as Cooper snuggled his face between my breasts.

“What do you mean by dumped?” he mumbled, glancing up at me. “Like what you did yesterday?”

“I guess.”

“Maybe. When chicks blow me off, I don’t usually care. I’m just about nailing them. Once I have, whatever happens happens.” Cooper paused and his gaze met mine. “How many fucking times do I have to tell you that you’re special?”

“A million? Possibly more.”

Cooper grinned at my tone. “Fair enough. Now, stop interrupting my reunion with the girls.”

Starting to laugh until his tongue lathered love on my right nipple, I groaned instead. Cooper smiled, taking his time at getting reacquainted with my body. By the time he was inside me, I was as relaxed as I could be after a long stressful day. Even later when the neighbors were loud and I was startled awake, everything felt better because I had Cooper with me. He was still mine and I needed to find a way to keep him.





Chapter Eighteen


The next few days, Cooper and I fell into an easy routine. I was usually at his house where we’d eat breakfast with the family before heading to school. Our schedules didn’t mesh well so I barely saw him during the day. Cooper typically ran by and kissed the shit out of me during his lunch time. My lunch period was later so I was actually missing part of class to make out with Cooper. The instructor acted as if this behavior was all very natural even though another student was grilled after he walked out of class one day. Life was good for a Johansson in Ellsberg.

Cooper was so relaxed those next few days. I tried to relax too, but life taught me to treasure every moment because the good ones never lasted. When I was at work, Cooper hung around, talking to me and doing his schoolwork. Every night, we returned to his place where I received a much appreciated foot massage, followed by all of the sexual need he built up over the day. We sometimes didn’t sleep until after midnight.

Thursday night, Cooper was especially horny. He couldn’t get enough and we would barely finish before he was ready to go again. I didn’t know him well enough to gage if this was a normal thing for him or if something in particular set him off? I did sense he was clingier than usual. Territorial too, so likely something irritated him, but he wouldn’t tell me what?

By the time we fell asleep sweaty and exhausted, the clock read after two. I wasn’t sure how I would get through the next day with so little rest, but the exhaustion would be worth it. Cooper fell asleep with a smile on his face like he had finally worked out his issues with enough naked time.

I rarely dreamt of the ugly incident. Most nightmares were about embarrassing myself at school like when I walked around with a blood stain on my butt. Occasionally, I dreamed of my parents hitting me or Tawny and me running from something. Those dreams were upsetting, but they weren’t detailed. This nightmare though was a vivid memory.

By the time I woke screaming with Cooper shaking me, I wasn’t eighteen and in Kentucky. I was back in that dirty trailer and Cooper wasn’t my love. He was a threat.

Throwing myself away from him and off the bed, I crawled to the bedroom door, but didn’t know where to go next. Cooper climbed out of bed, looking large and intimidating. I put my hands up to stop him, but my words made no sense.

“Who’s Travis?” he asked, frowning.