Page 18 of Rebels and Roses

“Of course, I will. And it’s not silly at all.”

Cooper’s gaze landed on Jane as she and Lucy were coming back to join them. She looked gorgeous today as usual. Dressed casually in khaki pants and a white cotton blouse with her long, lush hair loose around her shoulders, she didn’t look like any accountant he’d ever met. Years ago, he’d hired some guy to handle the taxes and bookkeeping for S.S. Cooper, and not once had he studied the dude’s lips or the curve of his neck.

This was becoming a bad habit. He was staring at her far too often, letting his gaze linger far too long. At this rate, someone was sure to notice.

“Cooper, are you listening to me at all?”

No, I’m not. I’m lusting after a beautiful woman.

“I have a lot on my mind.”

It wasn’t a lie.

“You could ask her out. She might say yes.”

This. This is what he’d been afraid of. It was becoming too obvious.

What’s too obvious? Your feelings? You don’t have any, remember?

“It’s not like that.”

“Jane is an amazing woman. You could do worse, and she could do better.”

“Thanks, a lot,” Cooper groused. “But as I said…it’s not like that.”

“You’re just friends then?”

If friends like to do naked, sweaty things to one another then yes.

“Are you worried I’ll end up alone, hanging around your house with Lucy, scrounging dinner and sitting on your couch drinking beer and watching the game?”

“No, but I’ll admit that I’m trying to figure out your relationship with Jane. Sometimes, you two seem like you like each other, and other times you act like there’s nothing but disdain. Which is it?”

“Can’t it be both? Some things aren’t simple and straightforward.”

“I can see that I just need to drop the subject,” Zack said with a grin. “Now are you ready to take me to the airport? I just need to grab my bags at Lucy’s place.”

“And Tom. We need to get him, too.”

It was time for Tom - and the past that he represented - to go home. There wasn’t much that Cooper could do for him, and clearly, Tom needed to have some sort of honest discussion with Erica. The guy needed to get his life together and stop womanizing. Or if he wanted to play the field, he needed to be honest with the women involved. No playing games.

The sooner Tom returned to Denver, the sooner Cooper could go back to his own carefree and uncomplicated existence.

For some reason, that didn’t sound nearly as good as he’d assumed it would.

5

“Ithink it would be best for me to stay a few more days,” Tom said, not meeting Cooper’s gaze. “Am I cramping your style? I can make myself scarce tonight if you need me to.”

Cooper had come by the apartment to convince Tom to pack his small suitcase and accompany him to the airport where he could catch the next flight back to Denver. The younger man, however, had different plans.

Shit and double shit.

It was clear as glass that Tom didn’t want to face his almost fiancée, Erica. He didn’t want to deal with any questions or issues with their relationship. He simply wanted to hang out in Winslow Heights for a while, flirting with college girls and drinking beer at Tate’s.

That was his plan. He’d said that he needed a “vacation” to get his thoughts straight about what he needed to do.

Cooper thought he was full of shit. Tom wanted to act like a college kid again, and he was taking the opportunity to shed his adult responsibilities.

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