Page 114 of Savage

I watched him, his excitement palpable, as he whirled around to face me. “Holy shit, Lachlan. Did you see that?”

“I did.”

“They said my name on the fucking news. New York News Now is printing my story. What the…”

It was impossible not to match the massive grin on his face as he turned back to the TV, where a video of the warehouse showed the FBI on scene, leading Mick away in handcuffs. I had to admit, my smile grew even wider when I spotted his bandaged hand and thigh.

“I can’t believe they picked up my story.”

“Why not? You’re a talented journalist who?—”

“Hang on a second.” Cooper glanced back at me, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. “How would you know I’m atalentedjournalist?”

Busted. But what could I say?When Alessio brought me your information the night I saved you, I became your number one stalker fan?

It was true, and now Cooper knew it. But saying it out loud made me feel slightly unhinged.

“You looked me up, didn’t you?”

That was one way to put it. The more accurate way of putting it would be: I’d become a man obsessed.

“I was…intrigued by you.”

“Oh yeah?” Cooper turned his full attention on me then, a slow sensual smile curving his kiss-swollen lips.

“Yeah.” I sat forward on the couch and reached for his hand, tugging him between my legs. “I’d been sent to do surveillance on a bunch of dangerous drug dealers when out of nowheresaving a sweet, wide-eyed journalist became my mission instead.”

Cooper speared his hands through my hair and tilted my face up to his. “Wide-eyed, huh?”

“As a Boy Scout.”

He chuckled. “I still can’t believe that was you. I mean, I can because I’ve seen the way you move, but it didn’t click until you were literally right there in front of me wearing the mask that…”

“You’d invited me into your apartment and bed.”

“Shh.” Cooper pushed a finger against my lips that I quickly nipped at. “Don’t remind me.”

“Why? You didn’t enjoy it?”

“I’m pretty sure you know I enjoyed it, but…it’s embarrassing how desperate I acted. The way I all but begged you for it.”

That made me laugh, and I fell back into the couch. “Have you forgotten where you found me the night you begged me to come back? I’d been following you. I made up an excuse to talk to you at the coffee shop. Hell, I was outside your window on your fucking fire escape because I wanted one more look at you. You want to talk desperate?”

Cooper ran his eyes down over me, the heat swirling in them making it obvious I had no reason to feel embarrassed, and neither did he. There’d been a connection between us from the second we met.

His wrong place, wrong time moment turned out to be the exact opposite since it had brought him to me, and now that I had him, I was never going to let him go.

“Speaking of my masked vigilante lover…”

I growled. “I fuckinglovethat nickname.”

Cooper smirked, pulled his hand free, and walked over to his backpack on the floor. He picked it up and brought it to the couch.

“I believe I have something that belongs to him.” He unzipped the bag and rustled around in it, then pulled out my missing leather glove—the one I’d left behind in his apartment the first night. “Lose something?”

He tossed it to me, a smirk on his lips, and I caught it and ran my fingers over it. “I was wondering if you found it.”

“Foundit?” Cooper dropped his bag to the floor and climbed on my lap, straddling my thighs. “Not only did I find it, I slept with it, had coffee with it, worked on my story with it and”—he leaned in to whisper—“got myselfoffwith it.”

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