Page 122 of The Rebel

A few seconds ticked by before she said, “I was at my dad’s house tonight, having dinner with him. It was just the two of us, and we were almost two bottles deep. I’m positive that’s the only reason we began talking about the Coles. Not work-wise. I’m talking about as people. Who they are outside the walls of the office. I’m also positive that the wine is the only reason Dad opened up to me. You know him. He’s a vault with no door. He doesn’t overshare. He doesn’t even gossip.”

“I know.”

“But this had to be eating at him, and he clearly had to get it out. Because, out of nowhere, a look came over his face, and suddenly, he was getting emotional.”

The back of my head hit the pillar. “Walter … got emotional?”

“Yep.”

“Over what?”

“Ray …”

“What the fuck are you about to tell me, Jo?”

TWENTY-SIX

Rowan

“Is everything okay?” I asked Cooper as he rejoined me at the bar.

He’d been gone for probably close to ten minutes. And during that time, my stare had swept the entire bar and as much of the lobby as I could see, finding him halfway between both areas, his back pressed against one of the extravagant pillars with the most serious expression on his face.

“Yeah, yeah.” He picked up his martini and took a drink. That one sip must not have satisfied him enough because he shot back all the vodka that was left in the glass. “I apologize for being gone so long.”

Something inside me caused me to say, “Do you want to talk about it?”

He set the empty down and turned toward me, his demeanor suddenly much more laid-back, his shoulders relaxing and lowering. “Talk about what?”

“Whatever that phone call was about.”

I wasn’t sure if he was upset, but I could definitely tell he was attempting to calm himself down. Whatever had brewed—or was still brewing—I wanted to help with.

He chuckled first and then held my cheek as he kissed my forehead. “All’s good.” He tucked the hair away from my face as he stared at me. “Since we got on the plane this morning, everything has been perfect.”

I nodded. “Agreed.” I wasn’t sure if I should push harder to get him to discuss things. I decided to tread carefully and said, “If you want to talk about it, I’m here to listen.”

He held me a little tighter, the look on his face shifting to pure dominance. “What I want is to get you up to my suite.”

And what I wanted, aside from his attention and the way he was going to make my body feel, was just a bit of vulnerability.

There were moments when he was inside of me that I felt Cooper at his rawest.

I wanted to feel that tonight.

I wanted to see it.

I wanted to know that he was okay after whatever had just gone down during that phone call.

I smiled. “How long do I have to wait?”

“Mmm.” He moved in closer, but didn’t kiss me. “You don’t.”

I rubbed my hand over his thigh. “Then, let’s go now.”

He called over the bartender and said, “I’ll charge these drinks to my room.”

The bartender produced a bill that Cooper signed, and the moment the leather billfold was closed, the pen no longer in his hand, he stood. He took my jacket and purse off the back of my chair and held out his hand for me to take. With our fingers clasped, I got up, his grip then moving to my lower back as we walked through the lobby toward the elevator.

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