She may have been hurt by Cooper, but she didn’t think he would ever do something like that. Would he?
“Teg, he’d never do that. You’ve been watching too much bad television.”
“You don’t know that. You don’t really know him, Cici. You fell in love with a guy at twenty-two, and he left you high and dry.” She lowered her voice and added, “With a daughter.”
“God, sometimes I hate you.” She paced the hotel room. “Shit.” She pinched the bridge of her nose, remembering all the loving things he’d said to her last night. “I think you’re wrong, but I’ll tread carefully.”
“I hope I’m wrong, Cici, but you still love him. You and I both know it. Just be careful. If he hurts you again, I promise you that I will hunt him down and take him out.”
“You’re so dramatic.” Cici picked up her purse. “I have to run. I left my equipment in my car last night, and I’ve still got to get my badge and everything. Can you put Melody on?”
“Sure. I wish I were there to look this guy in the eyes and see for myself if he is playing you or not. Be careful, sis. I love you.” Tegan called Melody to the phone.
“Hi, Mama.”
Her daughter’s tender voice brought a smile to her lips and protective urges to the surface. Tegan was right. She needed to be more careful with her emotions, for Melody’s sake. “Hi, sweet girl. Are you having fun?”
“Uh-huh. Aunt Tegan made chocolate chip pancakes, and we’re going to the park soon.”
“That sounds fun. Be sure to stay with Aunt Tegan at the park, and be a good girl for her.”
“I will.”
“I love you, sweetie. Can you give the phone back to Aunt Tegan please?”
“Love you, too,” Melody said, and then Tegan was back on the phone. “She’s so darn cute, Cici. She’s wearing one of my scarves on her head like a hippie do-rag. I’ll text you a picture.”
“Thanks. Hey, thanks for bringing me back down to earth, too. You know I don’t hate you.”
“How could you? You’re not allowed to hate your birthing partner.” Tegan’s voice grew serious and quiet again. “Be smart, and be curious. Be me.”
With laughter in their voices, they said their goodbyes. After ending the call, Cici opened the door to find Cooper looking delectable in a white T-shirt straining over his broad chest and a pair of low-slung jeans that hugged his powerful thighs. Her mind reeled back to those powerful thighs pressing down on hers, and she swallowed so hard she was sure she looked like a cartoon character gulping.
“’Morning, sweetheart. Do you still take it naked?” He held out a to-go coffee cup, his eyes traveling boldly over her, sending sinful shudders straight through her core.
Naked. Their inside joke for black coffee, a term they’d coined because they’d drank their first cup of coffee for the day while they were naked together in the hotel room. She trapped her lower lip between her teeth to keep from grinning as heat rushed to her cheeks.
She took the coffee, trying to calm her rising hope. “Thank you.”
Remembering Tegan’s warning, she cleared her throat and attempted to chase away the swooning girl inside her and become the strong mother she needed to be.
He stood close enough that she could smell soap on his skin, which reminded her of the shower they’d shared in the middle of the night and all the naughty things they’d done in it.
“I missed you this morning,” he said, leaning in to kiss her.
Be smart, be curious, be Tegan. She repeated the mantra at warp speed as his lips neared hers, but no matter how many times she said it, the only person she wanted to be was herself, right now, stepping forward to meet his lips in a tantalizing kiss that made her want much, much more.
***
IT HAD TAKEN all of Cooper’s strength to leave Cici earlier that morning and return to his hotel room, but he knew that they’d both have emotions to sort through, and he didn’t want to suffocate her with his presence. What he hadn’t realized was how overwhelming those emotions would be. He’d tossed and turned, not just reliving their lovemaking and how incredible it had felt to have Cici back in his arms, but talking about his father’s death had unearthed feelings he’d been avoiding dealing with for years. He hadn’t expected to share that with her so quickly, but when he’d felt her pulling away, he’d known that honesty was the only thing that would keep her close.
He reached for her hand as they entered the elevator, and she glanced up at him with caution in her eyes.
“Cooper, what happened last night…”
No. Hell no. “Please don’t say it was an accident, because accidents are when you do something without meaning to, and I think we both wanted last night to happen.”
She lowered her eyes as the elevator stopped and a couple stepped on. He moved closer and whispered, “Talk to me, but just don’t tell me that.”
“It wasn’t a mistake,” she said sharply. “It was just something that happened too fast.”