Page 74 of Clinch'd

His fingers clench but when I go to pull away, he turns his palm up and wraps them around mine.

“Yeah,” he says, shaking his head. “He was shot. It was…I don’t know. The worst moment of my life.”

“I’m so sorry,” I say, my heart hurting for his pain. I know how it feels to lose a parent, both technically, and while I want to show him how much I do understand, I’m a little hurt that he never mentioned this when I told him about my mother.

What changed? Why now?

With a grimace, he lets me go, before tipping his chin. When he looks up, his lighthearted persona is back in place. Deciding I hate that fucking look, I take a sip of my wine as he says, “Mom had five kids. After my brother, I was the second oldest. I did what I could to help pay the bills.”

He shrugs and despite my hurt over him hiding his emotions behind that damn smirk, I give in because Cooper and I have a lot in common. We’re both hoping to save our families and I wonder if at times, he feels as hopeless and lonely as I do.

“C’mon, let’s go,” he says gruffly, and I push back from the table, giving him space while he pays the bill.

I can’t put my finger on it but ever since admitting his growing feelings for me, he’s stepped back in his head. Why? Fear? Or something else?

Whatever, I’ll worry about it when we get back to the real world. For now, I want these moments that I can commit to memory.

Back out on the sidewalk, Cooper takes my hand and leads me down to the water where we walk along the wet sand.

All around us, people sunbathe or swim while children shriek and build sandcastles. Half way down the beach, I spy a kite dancing in the air and smile. The red dragon wings undulate in the air as the guy manipulates the strings.

It’s beautiful and awesome and my jaw drops when we approach the man and Cooper says something I don’t hear before handing the man cash and taking the kite from his hands.

“What?” I sputter, and he grabs me around the waist before pushing the handles into my fingers. “Don’t let go. Watch out for people if you let it fall.”

For a moment all I can concentrate on is his warm body against mine before I nod, and he lets go. The kite pulls me along and I laugh, staring at the pretty colors.

It’s heavier than I expected it to be, but I follow the air as it pulls me along, glancing back every once in a while, to make sure Cooper is behind me.

Every time, he grins with a twinkle in his eyes and my heart thumps painfully before settling back into its regular rhythm.

Finally, my arms start to tire, and I turn back to ask Cooper how I get the dang thing down but he’s a hundred yards distant and speaking on the phone.

My neck tingles when he meets my gaze before he frowns and turns away, saying whatever to end the call.

With my stomach in knots, I concentrate on pulling the kite away from people before slowly winding the string around the handle.

“Here,” Cooper says in his husky voice which always, always ends with a zing in my core. This time though, I’m afraid to meet his gaze.

I’m afraid because reality is coming and I’m not sure I’m ready for the fallout.

Later after eating takeout from the boxes, Cooper sticks to his promise and we make love in the pool but by the following morning, I can’t breathe through the panic constricting my throat and grudgingly agree when it’s time to go back.

The entire flight, I pretend to sleep and we go our separate ways at the hotel.

How Beast knows I’m back is a mystery but he texts demanding we meet in the lobby later. With time on my hands, I soak in the oversized tub and emerge with a headache.

Although I enjoyed our time in Miami, it leaves me with an ashy taste on my tongue because all the while I stared into his eyes I knew I was betraying him.

Now I’m sitting in the bar in the lobby and after the server arrives with my order, I sip on it, lost to my thoughts, which are rudely interrupted.

“Well, well.” With a grimace, I meet Jordan’s slimy stare.

I go to slide out the other side of the booth because I have no use for the dick, but Suit stands before me, blocking me inside. What the fuck?

Jordan’s mouth curves in a vicious grin and I shrink away from Suit, shuddering when Jordan’s sweaty body presses against me from behind.

Suit sits down and adjusts his cuffs in his ill-fitting suit while Jordan breathes heavily in my ear. I may have to deal with Suit but I’m not down for whatever Jordan thinks he’s playing.

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