“We happened fast, Ceese. It’s who we are.”
The elevator stopped at the lobby and they stepped off. Cooper touched her arm, keeping her from walking away. “Talk to me, please.”
She sighed, her eyes shifting from her coffee to him, to the lobby, and back to him again, making his stomach clench tight. “It’s just, I have a lot of things to consider, and four years is a really long time.”
“Agreed. We need to talk. I thought we were going to do that tonight?” He pressed his palm to her cheek. Drawing her eyes to his, he read the determination in them, and he hoped to hell that he hadn’t already lost her for good.
“Sweetheart, I don’t think for a minute that what we did last night negates the hurt I caused you or the years of silence between us. But the emotions between us last night? They were as real as the ground we’re standing on. You can’t deny that.”
Her gaze softened. “I’m not denying that. It’s hard to explain, Cooper, but now’s not really the time. I need to get my equipment from my car.”
They hurried toward the lobby doors. “You left your equipment in your car?”
“Thanks to you, yes. I was a little busy last night and forgot to get it.” She smiled, and her cheeks pinked up. “God, Cooper. It’s so hard to be cold toward you.”
“Then don’t.” He reached for her hand, and thankfully, she took it with a sigh.
“What is it about you?” she asked, squinting in the bright morning sun as they exited the hotel. The air carried the salty scents of the bay, and they both inhaled deeply.
“It’s that I adore you,” he answered, “and regardless of how long we went without seeing each other, that has never changed. If anything, it’s grown stronger.” They rounded the building, and Cici stopped abruptly. Her grip tightened on his hand.
“Oh no.” Her eyes were riveted to a blue sedan parked at the edge of the lot. The back window was shattered and the trunk was wide open. Tears sprang to her eyes as she ran for the car.
Cooper beat her to it, his eyes sweeping over the car, anger brewing in his gut. “Shit. This is yours?” The radio was intact, and the glove box hung open. Glass littered the backseat, and the trunk was empty. His first thought was thank God she hadn’t been anywhere near the car when it had been broken into. His second thought was that he wanted to kill whoever had done this.
“Yes.” She threw open the driver’s side door, grabbed something that was hanging from the rearview mirror, and shoved it into her purse. “Goddamn it. Who would do this? What am I going to do? All of my equipment is gone.” Angry tears filled her eyes. “I need this gig.”
“You have insurance, right?” He took out his phone and texted Jackson to let him know what was going on. Then he texted his assistant back in New York to make arrangements for equipment to be sent for Cici to use.
She rolled her eyes as she sank down to the driver’s seat. “Of course, but a lot of good that’s going to do. If I don’t get these pictures this weekend, I earn nothing.”
He knelt before her and took her face in his hands, waiting for her to look at him. He ached at the anger and sadness written on her face, making him revisit the idea of tracking down and pummeling whoever had done this. But that wouldn’t help her right now.
“I have equipment you can use. Don’t worry. You’ll get your photos.” He didn’t need the money from this shoot, and even if he did need it, he’d give her everything he had without a second thought.
She huffed a breath. “I don’t want to take your equipment, Cooper. I’ve gotten along just fine for four years without you. I can certainly get along for a weekend. I’ll just—”
“Cici, not for one second did I mean to imply that you couldn’t handle this. I know you can. Hell, you can probably handle far more than I can. I’m sure it wouldn’t have taken you years to find yourself after…” Fuck, why was he going there? He redirected his thoughts and said, “I’m here, and I have extra equipment. Let me help. Think of it as being from one friend to another.”
She rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips. “I don’t usually sleep with my friends.”
“From what I remember, we were friends when we were sleeping together before, or at least we were by the end of the first night. Why should that change? I mean, despite the fact that you probably have at least some hatred for me for being an ass and disappearing from your life.”
“You’re not an ass.”
“Thanks. My fishing expedition paid off.” He laughed, and she smiled, which had been his goal. “Cici, I want to help.”