Page 37 of Swiped By My Dad's Best Friend
Cooper turned back to me, torn expression on his face. “I’m sorry.”
“Hey, no apologies. I’m the one who wanted to change our plans.”
“I’d normally blow the guys off, but this is a big contest, and they really want to use the housing rehab project to win.”
“What about you? Do you want to win?”
He hesitated. “Sure.”
“But?”
His expression shifted to something wary, and he turned away to tug on his clothes. When he turned back, his gaze was searching.
“How do you read me so well?”
“I read your body every time we do this. Is it really so strange I can read your expression?”
“Maybe not.” He pulled a face. “Just makes it hard to hide my feelings.”
“Good. No hiding from me.”
He looked pensive again. Okay, maybe I was laying it on thick for what was supposed to be a casual, sexting relationship. Cooper was just so perfect for me. I’d never met anyone who pinged all my Daddy impulses while also engaging with me outside of sex. In bed, we were kinky, our relationship was a confusing muddle of kink and friendship, and our potential? Felt limitless.
I blamed sexual endorphins for what I said next. “I like talking to you. Tell me why you hesitated?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. There’s just a lot riding on this contest. The charity work was never supposed to be a game, and now…” He swallowed. “Everyone is relying on me, and I don’t have the best track record.”
He tried to smile, but it was a fragile, tremulous thing.
My poor boy. He was feeling the pressure now.
“They say the best things in life are those we work for,” I told him. “If you believe in yourself and put in the work, you won’t let anyone down.”
“You really think it’s that easy?”
“Easier said than done maybe,” I acknowledged. “But I believe in you. Now, you just have to believe too. Can you do that?”
“I’ll try.”
“Good boy.”
* * *
COOPER
I scooped up the folders I’d been organizing before my shower and Trace’s surprise request to join him on Skype and hurried down the stairs, ready to be hassled to the ends of the earth and back. The back of my neck felt hot, and I wasn’t sure why. I wasn’t the kind of guy to be embarrassed about my frat bros overhearing me tugging one out or even hooking up with someone. This felt different though. I felt different with Trace. A sort of naked that went deeper than skin. It wasn’t entirely comfortable, being exposed like that, but it seemed necessary—and addictive.
But the guys hearing me likethat? It felt like an invasion into a space that should belong only to Trace and me.
“About time,” Kev said as I entered the room where we held our meetings. It contained a conference table for frat business, but most of the guys lounged on a couple of old couches that had been pushed against the walls around the edges of the room.
“Hope you enjoyed yourself,” Linc said with a grin, blue eyes fixed on me. “Guess you’ve found a new hobby.”
“New hobby?”
I shouldn’t have taken the bait. I knew as soon as the words escaped.
Linc snorted. “Instead of smoking,” he said. “Now you’re getting—”
