My body hums to life and starts to shake at his admission.

“I thought I was doing what was best for you.” Cooper leans up on an elbow and gazes into my eyes. “I was f**king wrong. So wrong.” He leans down and kisses me gently on the lips. All the fight that I once had left my body the second I saw my ring around his neck. “I was afraid. I didn’t think we would survive if I had made love to you.” Cooper sighs. “All I used to see was Kevin hovering over you when I broke the door down. I couldn’t get the picture out of my head. The problem was me Jay, all me.”

I reach up and cup Cooper’s cheek. “I know, but I wasn’t helping either. You picked up the pieces for me and that should have been enough but it wasn’t. I pushed you for something you weren’t ready for.”

Cooper crashes his lips to mine, roughly at first and then he slows it down a notch. I run my hands through his hair.

“Cooper,” I wait until I’ve got his full attention. “Just let me love you.”

“Okay.” He says in a husky voice. “One day at a time, we’ll get through this together. No more fighting against each other.”

I nod in agreement and suck my bottom lip into my mouth.

Cooper groans, “Stop that.”

I smile sweetly, loving the fact that I can still affect him.

His face grows serious again. He swallows a few times before he finds the words he’s looking for. “You didn’t…” He can’t even finish his sentence.

I let him sweat it out for a minute or two. I keep his gaze pinned to mine.

I shake my head and say, “I haven’t.”

Cooper exhales and his body relaxes. “Can I ask you what was really going on with you and Eli? I know you two have been hanging out a lot recently.”

I look away and then back to him again. “We were throwing you a curve ball.”

Cooper growls and braces himself over me. “A curveball, huh?”

I nod.

“I’ll show you a curve ball.”

Cooper takes his time getting familiar with my body again. He starts from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.

“Please,” I beg, not even sure what I’m begging for.

“I’m sorry Jay,” he says, pulling back to look at me. He looks sincere, as if stopping right now isn’t what he wants at all. I can see that, and feel it. “I’m not saying no, I’m just…” he pauses. He shows me his intentions with a kiss, so pure, so…Cooper. “I’m just saying not tonight. I want to plan something special for you,” his lips find mine again, another deep meaningful kiss, “for me…” they’re back, sweet, tender, slow and torturous, “…for us.”

Suddenly I’m nervous but that outweighs the thought of us finally being together.

“I just can’t tonight. Not after everything. What we share needs to be between us and not when we’re feeling this raw.”

His words have me falling in love all over again.

24

I’ve got one week before I have to report back to baseball and make it my life again. I want to take this next step with Jaylinn before I have to leave and I thought what better time to use our Christmas present than now.

I called up MacKenzie to help me set it up. She called and scheduled the whole next week for Jaylinn and me to spend together.

I sent Jaylinn to the gym with Layla for at least an hour. I sent MacKenzie to Jaylinn’s house so she could pack a bag for her. MacKenzie meets me at my house right before Jaylinn is due home. My sister stands on her tip toes and hugs me. “I love you. Please, I’m begging you to take this time and figure out whatever is going on with you guys. You both love each other Cooper, we all see it.”

I hug her for a second longer before releasing her. “I’ve got this, trust me.”

MacKenzie smiles, “I trust you big brother.”

We say our goodbyes and MacKenzie is pulling out of the driveway as Layla is pulling in. Jaylinn jogs over to me, “Why did MacKenzie leave already?”

I tip Jaylinn’s chin up to me and kiss her lips. “She helped me pack.” Layla beeps to us as she drives away. “We’re going away.”

Her eyebrows furrow, “I can’t leave, I’ve got soccer practices and a scrimmage on Saturday morning.” While MacKenzie was packing Jaylinn’s bag I called Jay’s assistant coach and explained that I was taking her away for the week and to see if she could cover. I added a little Cahill charm and she agreed.

“It’s been handled.” I reach inside the door and grab one of the bags and hand it to Jaylinn. “We’ve got to get going.”

“But.”

I place a finger over her lips, “It’s all been handled. Let me get you out of here for a little while. Trust me.”

“Trust you.” Jaylinn repeats.

“Yes, do you trust me?”

Jaylinn bites on her bottom lip and nods. My dick twitches every time I see her doing that. Get your mind out of the gutter Coop and get her out of here.

“Good, then help me so we can go.”

I practically force her out the door. I don’t want her asking questions; I just want to get her there. We get my truck packed and are on the road within thirty minutes.

With each passing mile I visibly see Jaylinn relaxing. My hand is in hers the entire way, our fingers tangled together. We’ve waited so long for this night that I begin to think that maybe things won’t go as planned. Like the goddamn weather.

I had these envisioned it being sunny so I could take her to the lake for a little while but the closer we get, the darker the clouds are.

I’m cursing the damn weather when we pull into the driveway hours later and Jaylinn is laughing. As soon as the truck stops she opens the door and giggles. I smile, watching her as she dances around in the rain with her hands over her head. This girl, right here, is the girl that I fell in love with. My brave, fearless girl.

The house is a beautiful log cabin tucked into the Pocono Mountains. It’s a secluded area, all you see are trees. There’s a small stream that runs along the side of the house and past the driveway. I take it all in before I get out and walk over to her side of the truck and lean against the bed, watching her.

My plans are shot to hell but right in this moment I don’t give a f**k. Looking at her, all wet and sexy. Yup, right now the rain is looking damn good.

She stops dancing when she sees me leaning against the truck, and seductively makes her way over to me.