Page 39 of The Off-Limits Rule: Extended Edition

“He doesn’t have a clown nose, though,” Levi says pragmatically.

Cooper looks over his shoulder to Levi and then shrugs. “You’re right. I guess we’ll just have to go on to the park like we planned. Everyone buckled?”

After confirming we’re all safely secured, Cooper puts his hand on the back of my seat, biceps and forearm muscles on full display as he looks over his shoulder and reverses. I’ve never been more turned on in my life.

—

I didn’t think it was possible to feel more attracted to Cooper after the car reversing situation, but it turns out my desire for this man knows no bounds. Because here at the park, as I lie on the blanket spread over the grass watching this ridiculously attractive man chase my son and his kite across the lawn, my ovaries turn into unruly hellions, bent on making sure I lust after this man in every possible way.

The grass is green and crunchy, a perfect contrast to the soft blue sky overhead. And although the sun is on full blast today, there’s a constant breeze pushing through, making the heat more bearable. It’s a perfect day for flying a kite. So perfect that everything feels surreal at this moment. Like how Cooper is smiling from ear to ear as he hoists Levi onto his shoulders so they can work together to retrieve the kite they just got stuck in a tree. Or a few minutes ago when Levi finally got the kite in the air. He had several failed attempts before, so when it finally started flying behind him, he was so excited he ran all the way to Cooper, who wascheering so enthusiastically that Levi forgot about the kite completely, dropping the string to run straight into Cooper’s arms for a big bear hug.

My heart quakes at the sight, and a nonstop bubbling sensation has been filtering through it ever since. After a minute, Levi frees the kite, and Cooper carefully sets him back on the ground. I see him point in my direction while telling Levi something.

Levi takes off toward me in a full sprint, the kite dragging behind him and getting snagged on several sticks along the way until he reaches the blanket and barrels into me with a huge hug. “Can we get ice cream?!” he asks, his little face hovering over mine with big fluffy clouds in the sky behind his head. “I asked Cooper, but he told me I had to ask you. Can we?”

Levi’s joy is contagious. “Okay, we can get ice cream,” I say and then start gently poking him in the ribs, making him laugh and squirm. “But you have to promise me you’ll eat all your veggies with dinner. Promise?”

I hold up my pinky, and Levi locks his around mine, a look so eager and solemn you’d think he was pledging to save the world. “Yes. Promise.”

“What are we pinky promising?” Cooper asks, crashing down on the picnic blanket beside us. His eyes are sparkling, and his skin is flushed from the sun. God, I could easily get used to more days like this. And that thought terrifiesme.

“To eat all our veggies with dinner! Are you going to eat yours?”

“I never skip my veggies,” Cooper says, matching Levi’s enthusiasm. He then makes a big dorky show of lifting his arm and flexing his biceps. “That’s how you get muscles like these.”

Levi is all spellbound wonder, and I’m trying not to die laughing at Cooper’s cheesiness.

“Mom!” Levi suddenly yells, as if I’m clear across the park andnot sitting directly beside him. “You know what Cooper told me? Airplanes feel like roller coasters! Do you think it feels like one?” He asks, not shocking me in the least by the abrupt change in subject but clearly leaving a stunned Cooper in the wake of his topic shift.Welcome to life with a four-year-old.

I grin lightly at Cooper over Levi’s shoulder. “A little bit. The airplane goes really fast at takeoff and sometimes makes my stomach have butterflies. But that part doesn’t last long.”

“Well, I think it sounds fun! Can we go on one? And maybe we can bring Cooper with us!” he says, like it’s just as simple as getting ice cream. It’s sweet how quickly Levi has taken to Cooper, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t worry me a little too. Because there’s a possibility that Cooper will disappear by tomorrow, and we’ll never see him again. And this is exactly why I don’t usually introduce men I’m dating to Levi. I don’t want him to get attached when there’s no reason for himto.

I notice Cooper watching me with furrowed eyebrows and realize I’ve taken a long time to respond to Levi’s question. Suspiciously long. “Uh, yeah, I’m sure we’ll go on an airplane sometime soon, buddy!”

“But can Cooper come too?” Levi is relentless, clearly not deterred by my attempt to sidestep his question. And by the stubborn look in his eyes, he’s not going to quit asking unless I addressit.

But I’ve been a mom for four years now—so that means I’ve got a couple of tricks up my sleeve.

“Tell you what,” I say with sparkling eyes. “Why don’t we take an airplane ride with Cooper right now?”

I lay down on my back, hearing the sharp blades of grass crunch under the blanket, and then tell Levi to stand at my feet. My four-year-old looks at me like I’ve lost all sense but eventuallystands. I then lift my feet up in the air and extend my arms toward the sky. “Here, take my hands and then lean your stomach against my feet.”

He does but looks skeptical, like this might be one big prank. I can’t bring myself to look at Cooper and see what he thinks of me. Maybe he’ll take one look at me like this and the fact that I’m a mom will really hit home for the first time. I’m not sure if there actually is anything between us to lose in the first place, but if this is the thing to turn Cooper off from me, then good riddance, because I’ll never stop being a goof for my kid.

Once Levi is in place, I begin the entertainment. “Hello, ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Please buckle up and remain seated until the aircraft is at a cruising altitude and the seatbelt sign is turned off. On behalf of Mom Airlines, we hope you enjoy your flight.”

Levi laughs, and in the next moment, I’m hoisting him up in the air by my feet and whooshing him in circles. A wide sparkling smile beams across his face as he laughs and laughs and laughs. This is the kind of smile from my son that I live for.

I’m laughing too, letting joy overtake me as I tell myself to let loose with my son and not worry about what the man beside me thinks. And after a few minutes, when my leg muscles are burning and my lungs are exhausted from laughing, I set Levi back down and brave a glance at Cooper James.

He’s sitting back, long legs stretched out in front of him, with one ankle over the other, and staring at me with a smile so warm and content it makes my insides melt.

“Lucy, stand up,” Cooper says suddenly, making my smile drop and a wave of self-consciousness roll over me. I thought it was a nice smile he was giving me, but maybe it was pitying instead?

But no…that can’tbe.

My heart races, waiting for any hints that he’s about to say something rude, and I’m going to have to ask Levi to look away while I dropkick Cooper in the crotch. But then a playful smile splits his mouth, and he lays back, lifting his feet in the air just like I did with Levi.

---