Page 43 of Out for Blood

“I hoped,” I told her. “But after not seeing you for a few months, I did question whether you were still here, I’m not going to lie.”

Sheridan grabbed my neck and rested her forehead against mine. “You need to clean that cut up. Come on.”

“It’s fine, I’m more worried about you.”

“Don’t argue with me, Cooper Malone. Get your ass in here and show me the first aid kit.”

A smirk made its way to my lips as she stepped inside and I closed in behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist softly. She leant into my body, humming her approval as I kissed her neck.

“No one is going to touch you or those girls again, I promise you that.”

She turned in my arms, and looked in my eyes. “This isn’t on you, Cooper, but I know you’re not going to listen to that. You put too much pressure on yourself. You saved my daughters from god only knows what tonight, and I know you would raze this entire town because of what he did to me, but I would never ask you to do that. I know that in my soul, in my heart, but I also know you are the very best man for me, and those girls upstairs are probably fighting over the best room right now.”

I smirked as I heard their faint arguments above us. It sounded like heaven, I wasn’t going to lie.

“I wish I was their father,” I admitted. I had no idea where that had come from and it obviously showed on my face.

She smirked, chuckling softly and pulling from my grasp to head up the stairs.

“What’s so funny?”

“Ryleigh said the same thing to me earlier today. She wanted you to be her dad.”

The admission took me by surprise, more surprised than when it had fallen from my lips. “She did?”

Sheridan nodded. “Yeah, plus you’ve been more of a father to those girls in a few days than Neal ever was for sixteen years. We are all so lucky to have you, Cooper.”

I closed the distance between us on the stairs and swept my lips over hers softly. She moaned, but I knew there was no way we could do anything. Not until she was healed.

“Come on,” I said, taking her hand and leading her the rest of the way. Ryleigh and Shauna were fighting over the first room on the right.

“Girls,” Sheridan said, wearily. “Please, don’t fight.”

“You do realise there are about six rooms you can choose from,” I told them. They looked at each other before they bolted from the room in search of the best room.

“Why did you do that?” Sheridan asked. “Now they’re going to act like chipmunks on crack all night.”

I chuckled. “At least it’s taken their mind off their ordeal. Now, come on, you need to lie down.”

Sheridan smirked at me, which only added to the frustration that I couldn’t have her, not for a little while, but I’d waited this long to have just a piece of her.

I could wait another lifetime if I had to.

SHERIDAN

I looked around the huge house while Cooper slept. I was feeling a little better, but I didn’t dare look in a mirror any time soon. As I stepped down the staircase and into the foyer, I looked around at the stained oak bureau with letters on top of it, waiting for him to open them. I ran my fingers over his name on the front. Hardly anyone called him Cooper anymore, it was Ace or Prez, but to me, he’ll always be Cooper.

There was a hardness to him now that he hadn’t had back then. A hardness that I knew he’d earned over the years he’d been with the Nomads. One I knew he wouldn’t have if hestayed, but I was glad he hadn’t, because I don’t think he would have survived his father’s horrific ways. Cooper was nothing like Donald, and I was so glad for it.

I wondered if Casey had told him about what happened all those years ago yet. Had he known?

I moved down a darkened hall and into a kitchen. The black marble countertop was shiny and brand new, a loaf of bread sitting on the top of it. I moved through the kitchen and saw that he only had a couple of plates and bowls, and none of it matched.

Somehow it made me think that was sweet and charming, even though I loved to have everything matching in my kitchen. I continued through to the dining area with a big table with at least eight chairs around it. I smoothed my fingers over the top of it, loving the feel of the wood.

I smiled when I looked out at the patio. Two lounge chairs sat between an umbrella and a wooden table between the chairs for drinks.

This house was exactly what I described to Cooper the night we almost hooked up. I couldn’t believe he’d remembered everything I said.

---