Page 4 of Touch Me (Complete Collection)

She narrowed her eyes. “Like what…you’re going to storm in with me during interviews and scare them into hiring me?”

“Something like that,” he smiled and her breath caught. She had always been a sucker for nice teeth on men. He had perfect teeth, and his lips stretched over them, giving her a glimpse of the perfect mouth. She swiftly looked away. It was 7 p.m. and she was alone in an apartment with a hunk. It was messing with her brain. She had never been in such a situation. She gritted her teeth and he raised his eyebrows questioningly, sliding closer to her.

They were seated on the carpet, their backs against the couch, their arms touching, and their beers in their hands. He knew she was stressed out and nervous. When he had heard her voice over the phone, he had been ecstatic to finally hear from her, but then the voice had broken down. God! The moment he heard her sobbing and muttering something unintelligible about job, fired, and boyfriend, he had wanted to snatch her away from every damn thing that was hurting her. He had had the indescribably furious urge to protect her from everything. Jenny had been his friend, his best buddy since he was three and she was two. They had spent ten years together, and then parted after her grandmother died and she moved to live with an aunt.

He had missed her terribly for years. When she was leaving, he had begged his parents to adopt Jenny so they could stay together. With five boys to raise, his parents hadn’t even entertained the childish idea.

As he sat next to her silently, all he wanted to do was assure her that everything was going to be fine. That he would sort everything out. That she didn’t have to worry. But he didn’t want to trample on her pride anymore. He had offered her a place to stay, and she had been embarrassed over that. He wasn’t going to add to her discomfort.

Jenny savored the hushed support he was offering. The arm pressing onto hers was no longer arousing or uncomfortable. She felt like the twelve year old Jenny again, the one who had no one but Cooper. Tears welled in her eyes. She was exactly where she had been fifteen years ago. She was a pathetic mess. He was a successful man, evident from the lavish way he lived, and she had landed on his doorstep with seventy bucks to her name. She felt useless and worthless, and the fact that he was there meant more than he could have guessed.

Wordlessly, he shifted and raised his arm. Jenny’s eyes widened and she gaped at him but he persevered, sliding it securely around her shoulders. She relaxed instantly, no longer feeling even the slightest bit of uneasiness. Snuggling closer, she rested her head on his chest while he held her. It felt like the most natural, tranquil spot. He took her beer bottle away and the silence, the gentle gestures, made her close her eyes and surrender. She surrendered to the strength of him, to the protective solace he was providing.

Cooper placed her hand on his stomach and clasped her firmer, inhaling the fruity scent of her shampoo. She felt nice. Too nice. He shoved the thought away. She needs me. The realization made his fingers tighten over her arm and to his delight, she nuzzled nearer, no longer the rigid, uncooperative girl he had first hugged.

“Jen?” he whispered on her hair, his lips pressing to the top of her head. “I'm glad you called me.”

Jenny pursed her lips and fought the tears threatening to form a torrential fall down her cheeks. God, why am I so emotional? She felt broken. She felt safe. “Are you?”

She knew how to spoil a perfectly good moment. “Shut up, Jenny.”

She chuckled and tilted her head up. Her face ended up closer to his than she had projected, but he didn’t even glance anywhere but into her eyes.

At least one of us isn’t a pervert. “Thank you, Coop.”

“If you say that one more time…” he threatened ominously and she bit back a smile.

“You’ll throw me out?”

He narrowed his eyes. “I’ll make you do the dishes for a month.”

She laughed. “A month! Let’s hope I get out of your hair before that.”

She lay her head on his shoulder again and he stroked her arm. “Even if you land a job tomorrow, you’re not going anywhere for a while. I’ve missed you.” He inhaled her scent deeply and his eyes opened in shock. His body responded in a way that he didn’t want it to respond. His cock tightened, and his navel was alive with need. He felt her nearness differently. It was no longer familial warmth. It was more…

He pursed his lips and fought to think of something else, but the throb in his cock kept growing. No, stop. He almost groaned in utter helplessness when she stroked his stomach from over his shirt. His abs flexed. Jeez, Jenny! Don’t touch me! Her fingers were so close to his dick. Just five inches lower and she would find it rock hard in his jeans.

He wanted to distance himself from her lest he did something utterly, mindlessly stupid, but he couldn’t find the strength. Luckily, Jenny pulled away. “What time do you go to work?”

He gaped at her, his face strained as he combated the ache in his dick. “Around eight or nine in the morning. Why?”

“When I got here, it was nearly five o’clock and you were in your PJs. What time did you get back?”

“I usually come back around seven, but when I got your call in the morning I came home.”

“Why?”

He sighed. Because I was worried sick about you. Because the sound of you crying was trapped in my brain and repeating itself until I couldn’t stay in my office anymore. Because I was pissed off at the people surrounding you and aching for you to make your way to my place, so you never had to think that you had nowhere to go. “I had to meet someone.”

A light bulb went off in Jenny’s brain. She considered Cooper almost accusingly and looked away. He was an incredibly hot, apparently very successful man. She had invaded his bachelor pad and hadn’t even thought twice about it. What if he has a girlfriend? What if he has women over and I’m here?

“A girlfriend?”

He laughed. “No, Jenny.”

“Do you have a girlfriend?” She wanted to know in case a woman dropped by and misunderstood the situation between her and Cooper.

“Umm…” He thought for a while.

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