Page 18 of Relief Pitcher

I beamed. “Yes! It’s a friendship tattoo.”

He looked puzzled. “That’s a new one.”

“Me and the brewery guys each got our go-to Mario Kart character tattooed back in college.”

“On your asses?”

“Nah. Just me. How could I not put Princess Peach on my perfect peach?”

A gust of air left his nose with his startled chuckle. “How indeed.”

I didn’t want the conversation to veer back toward dissecting my underwear interests, so I scrambled for another conversation topic. The nice thing to do would be to ask about Cooper’s husband. I enjoyed learning about people, but it was also a lot. Weighted. I should be running for the hills with all that baggage, but I was curious.

“So, you were married? Which of you had the horror movie obsession? The whole cabin in the woods murder vibe.”

Cooper smiled fondly. “That was all Aleck. He thought moving to the woods would bring us closer to nature or cleanse our chakras or make us better people. I don’t know.”

“Yikes.” I inwardly punched myself as his eyes widened.Way to put your foot in it, dumbass.

“Aleck would’ve liked you.” He looked lost in thought for a moment, then smiled. “If he were here, he would’ve suggested a threesome.”

My eyes widened. I knew a lot of queer married folks who practiced ethical nonmonogamy, but I hadn’t gotten that sense from Cooper.

“You guys lure a lot of unsuspecting victims out here for threesomes?” I asked the last while making air quotes. I half expected Cooper to roll his eyes or for it to be the joke that pushed too far, which was usually what happened. I was a fun guy to be around for a limited time, but my personality could be a lot. It was amazing I’d found friends who’d stuck with me for so long.

Cooper laughed. “Occasionally. I was the monogamous one in the marriage. He was happy to practice monogamy for me, and I agreed to something different with him every once in a while. We found a way to make it work for us.”

“That’s actually kind of sweet.” I sat straighter at a passing thought, wondering if his late husband would’ve liked the panties too. “I would’ve been his type, huh?”

Cooper caught my eye, and I saw a spark there. A flame arced between us.

“You would’ve been. For both of us.”

Yes! Here we go.

“Tell me more about how hot I am.” I dropped my chin onto my hand and batted my lashes.

“Oh yeah. Definitely would’ve liked you.” He traced the rim of his mug with his fingertip. “It’s been hard to get back out there. He passed suddenly from a brain aneurysm, and it took me a long time to even wrap my head around that, let alone imagine worrying about someone else.”

I read between the lines. “You haven’t been with anyone since he passed?”

He shook his head.

It might’ve been my dick thinking, but we were on the same page ninety-nine percent of the time. So was my mouth because it usually began talking before my brain joined the party. It was the perfect scenario. Hot sex before I happily returned home. I wouldn’t have to worry about having the whole no-repeats conversation, and he could get over the hurdle without anyone demanding more.

“I have an idea.” There went my mouth again. Cooper arched his eyebrow. “I’m better at casual sex than I am at selling beer, and I’mgreatat selling beer. So…I could help you rip off that bandage. The bandage being your dry spell if that wasn’t clear.”

Cooper stared at me. If he said no, I could find someone else when I got home, but if he said yes, it was a hell of a way to spice up a morning.

Cooper abruptly stood, leaving his chair scraping against the floor and rocking on its legs. He grabbed my hand and yanked me up, pulling me to his bedroom. Less mountain man and more caveman. I liked it.

* * *

Cooper stoppedat the foot of his bed. I couldn’t tell if he was about to lose his nerve, but I didn’t want to be the one to make the first move. Given the circumstances, that needed to come from him.

Before I could even think of something flippant to say to break the ice or give him an out, he stepped into my space, curled his fingers around the back of my neck, gripped my hip with his other hand, and pulled me in for a kiss. It was tentative at first but eager.

I lost myself to the battle of our tongues. As much as I liked to get my dick touched or touch somebody else’s, I really enjoyed kissing. But the rules I set for myself with sex didn’t always support that. No repeats usually meant quick hookups, and most guys didn’t worry about kissing during a quick fuck in a club restroom. Especially when mouths were often full with something else.

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