Page 40 of Swiped By My Dad's Best Friend
Maybe we both had barriers, but this was one way Cooper would let me in. I could give him the release he needed, if just for a night. I could help him forget his worries. The screen between us was frustrating when I wanted to touch him. I was running out of ways to keep things interesting, and I feared, before long, we’d lose the spark and fall into a rut that Cooper would find boring.
But if he wanted me even with these limits, I’d give him everything I could for as long as he was willing to have me.
“Take your clothes off.”
He broke into a smile. “Thank you, Daddy.”
Oh, he’d thank me all right. But first he’d curse me, when I edged him mercilessly. When that release finally came, it’d be all the bigger, and Cooper would sleep well. If he wouldn’t open up and talk to me, it was the next-best thing I could do for him.
And it’d have to be enough. It didn’tfeellike enough. But unless I could offer him more, I could hardly complain that he wouldn’t give me every part of himself. Still, it didn’t stop the selfish, greedy part of me from grumbling that it wanted more.
So much more.
* * *
COOPER
“Do you have a minute?”
I glanced up from my Micro Economics text, grateful for the interruption. No matter how I tried to focus, my mind wandered. I’d spent most the week immersed in grant writing with Linc, continually refining my vision statement for House Pledge project.
“What’s up?”
Simon stood in the doorway, shifting nervously. “Uh, Kev said something weird.”
“Sounds like him,” I quipped. When Simon didn’t laugh, I moved my book aside and motioned him into my room. “What’d he say?”
Simon motioned to the door. “Do you mind?”
When I shook my head, he closed the door behind him and leaned back against it. With his six-three frame, his head nearly hit the ceiling. Simon was a jock, and it showed in every line of his body. He was cute and had nice muscle definition, but even before Trace, that wasn’t what really got my motor going.
“I told Kev I wanted to opt out of this charity thing.”
I raised an eyebrow. It was a strange thing to request. Philanthropy was part of the frat’s mission statement, and all pledges knew if they wanted to party with us, they also had to work with us. We all had obligations to the frat, though the exact responsibilities varied by the person and their position in the fraternity.
We’d generally given Simon some slack, since he was an athlete too. It was rare to have athletes in the Greek system, though it happened occasionally, but Simon was a legacy: his father and his father’s father had also pledged, and so he’d kept up the family tradition. But now, Simon had lost his place on the football team and his scholarship. He had more time on his hands, not less.
“You know I won’t be here much longer,” he said. “Not without a miracle.”
My chest tightened at the reminder that this project wasn’t just about pride, but Simon’s future. I’d been trying to ignore the gnawing worry inside me that I wouldn’t be able to pull it off. It wasn’t so much about winning or losing the contest as remaining eligible. I cast a nervous look at my Micro Economic textbook. It might as well be a snake, it gave me so much fucking anxiety.
“Yeah, that sucks bro. Are you sure there’s not anything that can be done?”
Simon nailed me with a hard stare. “Well, no. Because according to Kev, there’s one wild card still in the deck. Something about how this charity project could save my ass, and I owed it to you to help out.”
Great. No pressure. Now Simon fuckingknewwhat was at stake, and the weight of expectation felt even heavier.
My smile tightened into a grimace. “He said that, huh?”
“Yeah. So?”
“So?” I echoed.
“Is it true, man? Are you guys doing this for me?” There were a dozen different emotions flickering across his face.
“Nothing’s for sure,” I said uncomfortably. “Even if we win, and that’s a big if, the frat would have to vote on how to use the funds. Kev wants it to go to you.”
Simon nodded, looking pensive. “And what about you? You want that too?”
