Stolen Breaths (6 page)

He brought one hand back up to my face. “Me too.” He unwrapped his arm from my waist and rubbed my cheek with the back of his hand, then turned around to walk back to the stove.

“I hope you’re hungry,” he said, looking at me in that charming way he did.

“I’m starving.” I was starting to get the feeling back in my legs and my stomach had butterflies flying around. Truth be told, I didn’t think I would be able to swallow a single bite. I gradually began to recover, and felt like I could form a coherent sentence again.

“Cooper?”

He put the bread in the oven the looked over at me. “Yeah?”

“Do you know Beth Covington?”

I could tell he was trying to place the name in his head. “No, I don’t think so. Who is she?”

“She’s a girl I work with. She said she knew you. I didn’t have a chance to ask her how before we got busy.”

He closed the oven door. “She probably knows me from Joe’s.”

“Joe’s?”

“Yeah. It’s a bar I play at on Friday nights.” He threw a dish towel over his shoulder and then took a sip of his beer.

He’s really gonna have to stop doing that with his lips
.

“What do you mean you play?”

“I play music every Friday night at Joe’s. Been doing that for the last year or so.”

“Oh, I had no idea. Do you sing or play an instrument?”

“I sing and play guitar mostly,” he said looking adorable.

“So how come you haven’t mentioned it before?”

“I planned on telling you, but you got me distracted earlier…”

I pretended not to notice his amusement. “Soooo, you think after dinner you could play me a song?”

“Since you asked me like that, how could I say no?”

He took the bread out of the oven, got out the plates and forks, and proceeded to prepare our plates, placing a slice of garlic bread on each.

“How’s the chicken?” he asked after he waited for me to take a bite and swallow.

“It’s pretty fabulous actually. I’m not surprised. You seem to do everything well.”

His eyes locked on my mouth while I chewed my food, and I saw the corners of his mouth rise up I could tell he was thinking about that last comment and applying it to something other than food. He brought his eyes back up to mine and smiled.

We both learned a little more about each other over dinner. He was an only child; grew up in South Carolina and was raised by his parents, who were killed in a boating accident when he was twenty-one. He had finished college and gotten his degree in Business, and was working for a company. When his grandfather died, he’d moved here and took over the business. Ms. Sophie and he were close and always had been, and he wanted to be near her so she wouldn’t be alone. Watching the two of them together was something else too. I loved how he loved his grandmother, and I loved how she always looked at him lovingly, oozing with pride. They had each other and they knew it.

Cooper stood to take our plates to the sink. “What are you smiling about?” he asked.

“I was just thinking how much I like Ms. Sophie. And I like that you two are so close. She’s a sweet lady.”

“Yes, she is. And apparently very sneaky when she wants to be.”

“Ha! Ya think? Still, she’s been a light in my darkness and I love her for that.”

When he turned on the water in the sink, I stood up. “Stop. Let me do that. You cooked, I’ll clean.” I tried to squirm my way between him and the sink, reaching for the soapy sponge.

Holding the sponge far away from my reach, he said, “No, you’re supposed to be relaxing.”

“I don’t want to relax. I want to do the dishes.”

“Nobody
wants
to do dishes, Lil. Now go sit down please and let me finish.”

“I’m serious, Cooper. Let me wash the dishes.” I made a calculated move to jump and grab the sponge. I missed.

He backed up and held his other arm out. “What are you doing, Lily? You’re making me get water all over the floor. Get back,” he said laughing, only half serious.

“Fine,” I pouted. “I’m only trying to help.” I backed away and he walked back towards the sink, sponge still in hand, looking victorious. I maneuvered around him and grabbed the sponge from him and he spun around so fast that my first instinct was to take off running. I had no plan of action. I ran through the house squealing, “Get back, Cooper!”

He chased after me and I dodged a chair and a coffee table then ran myself into a dead end.
Crap
. I hit the wall and turned around quickly, searching for an exit. Cooper’s body was blocking any escape route.

He moved his body toward me knowing that he had me cornered, and was savoring the moment. I looked down and saw that I still had the sponge. I tossed it as far as I could, hoping that he’d want to get it back. He casually watched it fly across the room and land on the wood floor before turning his face back toward mine. With a raised eyebrow and a very amused look on his face he stood there contemplating what he should do next.

I held up my hands in front of me as some kind of false protection and squealed, “Cooper, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I just wanted to help with the dishes!” I was laughing myself silly because the look on his face was priceless. He moved in closer like an animal stalking its prey. He moved to place one hand on the wall behind my head, and he placed his other hand on my hip. He had me boxed in, but I didn’t feel trapped. His mouth was inches from mine and my breath hitched. I focused on his eyes; his eyes focused on my lips. The heat from his body moved through mine as he slowly and methodically moved closer.

“Lily, why are you running from me?” he whispered.

“I’m not,” I managed to whisper back.

Still keeping his lips close enough to mine that his breath was now mixing with my own, he said, “Then why am I chasing you?”

I say nothing. I can’t.

He moved ever so slightly to whisper in my ear, “I caught you.”

I felt his lips kiss my neck, lightly – like a butterfly kiss as he brushed across my sensitive skin. I realized that my hands were touching his chest. He had walked right into them when he stalked toward me, and I could feel the rapid beat of his heart through his shirt. I was melting into the wall and the only thought in my head at that moment was Cooper and what he was doing. I was completely aware that his hand was touching the skin around my waist just barely under the hem of my shirt and I also was still very aware that his other hand had not moved from the wall, but now his arm was slightly bent at the elbow for the sake of coming closer.

He kissed my throat and worked his way to the other side of my neck and up toward my other ear, slow and delicate. No rushing, just easy feather-like caresses. I could feel his grip on my hip tighten and I heard a faint moan escape the back of his throat.

“Lily,” he whispered raggedly, “I want to kiss you so bad.”

Those words, this moment, the seductive tone in his voice, all of it, I fell apart – like pieces of torn paper scattered on the ground. He was my undoing. His lips slowly traced up toward my jaw and for the first time I could feel his tongue on my skin, sending a wave of heat and chills over me. He made his way toward my mouth and then stopped.

“Lily, look at me,” spoken just above a whisper. “Tell me again.”

Completely lost in the moment, opening my eyes seemed like a very difficult task. I did, and looked directly into his dark brown eyes that now looked like black pools.

“Tell you what?”

Cooper palmed my face, holding me like a precious cup containing a drink he was longing to taste. “Tell me you want me to kiss you.”

My eyes closed again on their own volition when his words fell from his lips and made a home inside my heart.

“Say it. Please, I need to hear you say it.” He paused. “And I need to see your eyes, Lily.”

I opened my eyes once again, searching the depths of his gaze as I breathed out the words in a hushed voice, “I want you to kiss me.”

He was looking at me the way I was looking at him; taking his time to consume me. I felt completely lost in him, like we had somehow melted into each other. Then, when he was satisfied that our spirits had connected, he leaned in and touched his lips against mine, gently, barely connecting at first. He parted his lips and brushed his tongue against mine, and in that moment his kiss whispered secrets meant only for my soul to hear. He had shattered me with his touch, and was piecing me back together with his kiss. Bit by tiny bit. Every motion was soft, yet powerful. And every part of him caressed over me much like warm water rippling against the sandy shore. His kiss slowly and tenderly intensified as he deepened our connection; the kiss of a man who wanted to tell me something that he had no words for.

He pulled back and brushed his thumb across my cheek, looking into my eyes like he was searching for something. He dropped his head to my forehead and exhaled, and I followed his lead, trying to catch my breath. I still had my hands on him and had, at some point, gripped his shirt and had it twisted in my fists. I gradually let go and laid my palms flat on his chest.

Still taking slow breaths he said, “You have no idea what you do to me, Lily. You completely undo me.”

I moved my hands up and touched each side of his beautiful face and looked into his soulful eyes. “I have never been kissed like that,” I murmured breathlessly. “Ever, Cooper.”

A smile moved across his face and again looking victorious, he whispered, “Mission. Accomplished.” He took both of his arms and wrapped them around my body, pulling me into him in a tight embrace. He kissed the top of my head and let out a breath. My ear was to his chest and I could hear his heart racing.

“Your heart is beating so fast,” I said, hugging him tightly.

“I know. It started beating again when I saw you that day at the airport.”

Cooper took me by the hand and led me to the kitchen, scooping up the wet sponge along the way. “I’ll make a deal with you. I wash, you rinse. Okay?” He smiled, showing his beautifully white teeth.

“Okay,” I said, flashing him a brilliant smile of my own. “You know, we could have the dishes done already if you…”

He shushed me by placing one finger over my lips. “Yes, but it was more fun this way. Don’t you think?”

Aware that he hadn’t moved his finger from my lips yet, I nodded. He removed his finger and together we turned toward the sink to complete the task. No words were spoken between us, but we seemed to communicate with smiles and an understanding that we both needed a minute to think about the moment we just had. That incredibly intense moment. I can’t say what was going through his mind, but I was desperately trying to regroup and organize all of my thoughts and feelings into a mental file cabinet to be retrieved for later.

After the last dish was washed and put away he looked over at me. “How ‘bout some music? I noticed you had a guitar sitting out. Yours?”

“It was my daddy’s. I was messing around with it last night.”

He turned around and leaned against the sink, folding his arms in front of his chest. “You play?”

“Some… I’m not good enough to play in front of people. In fact, the only person who’s ever heard me play was my daddy and that’s only because he taught me how. I just play for myself, really.”

“Would you play for me?” he asked, looking intently at his shoelaces.

I shrugged. “I dunno. I…uh…I would be too embarrassed.”

“I’ll only play for you if you agree to play for me.” He glanced up. “Deal?”

Brown eyes searching brown eyes, I said, “Deal. You go first. It’ll give me time to drink a couple of glasses of wine. I’ll need the liquid courage.”

His eyes began smiling long before the corners of his mouth broke free with a crooked grin and then he laughed. “That’s fair.”

I settled down on one edge of the couch and Cooper settled on the other end. I watched him with the guitar; watched how his hands moved across the strings; how he leaned his ear down to tune the instrument; how he closed his eyes when he plucked out a chord until he was satisfied with the outcome. He finally looked up appearing pleased.

“I’m ready.”

I took a sip of my wine and leaned into the couch cushion.

He counted off 1…2…3… and just like that, music was playing. He played a song by Ed Sheeran about building a Lego house. His voice was smooth and beautiful; masculine and sweet at the same time. It was hypnotic. When he sang, he sang from the heart. Watching the expressions move across his face was breathtaking. I was awestruck and completely speechless. He stopped playing and looked at me, waiting for me to say something. When I didn’t, he broke the silence.

“I believe it’s your turn now.”

Words. I need to say words
. Clearing my throat I said, “No, wait. Cooper, that was beautiful. You were wonderful. Do you have any idea how great you sound?”

He looked down at the guitar laid across his lap. “Thank you, Lily. I’m glad you think so.”

“I can’t be the only one who thinks so. You play every Friday night at Joe’s so clearly people love listening to you.”

He shrugged his shoulders, “Yeah, I suppose. But….” He looked down, then picked up the guitar and handed it over to me.

“But what?” I said, still watching his every movement.

“But now I want to hear
you
. So, don’t keep me waiting.” He flashed his most endearing smile and I crumbled like a cookie.

I sighed. How could I possibly follow that? I took a big sip of my wine and set the glass down, then shook out my hands and tried to relax my fingers. I adjusted the guitar across my lap, blew out a breath of air in an attempt to calm my nerves, and then calmly set my fingers on the strings. I decided to play Amanda Seyfried’s ‘Little House’. I tried not to look directly at Cooper while I sang. I closed my eyes and pretended that I was alone so I could get through it. When it was over I opened my eyes and set the guitar down between us.

“That was beautiful, Lily,” he said, looking at me intently, those chocolate eyes searching, studying me.

“Thanks,” I said shyly.

“I already knew you could sing, but that was amazing. I mean, truly amazing.”

I didn’t say anything. I offered a smile of gratitude for his kindness instead. Plus I was embarrassed.