Page 10 of The Road Ahead
“Not bad,” I hedged, taking a sip of my drink. “A little too mainstream for my tastes, but I can see why others like them.” The wind outside picked up, tunneling in through the open doors. I shivered and rubbed at my arms. I always forgot how cold it could get at night in the mountains, even if the day had been warm.
“Are you cold?” Cooper asked. Before I could even reply, he was standing up and shrugging off his jacket. “Here, put this on.”
He held the jacket out so I could slip my arms into it one by one. It swam on me, and Cooper closed it and flipped the collar up to keep my neck warm. His scent was so strong on the material, just a mid-range cologne, but to me it could have been the most exquisite smell in the world. I tried not to huff it into my lungs like a creep, but couldn’t help but turn my face into the fabric to breathe it in.
“Better?” he asked.
I nodded and gave him a shy smile. “Much. Thank you.”
I wore the jacket for the rest of the night, even when the band came back onstage and the four of us got up to dance. Cooper didn’t ask for it back as we made our way to the car after the band was done, and I wore it for the entire drive back to the cabin. It was so snug and warm, and if I closed my eyes and pretended, it was almost like I was wrapped up in one of Cooper’s hugs.
I was so comfortable that I ended up falling asleep, and I came awake as I was being lifted into strong arms and carried from the car. Wrapping my arms around Cooper’s neck, I nuzzled against his broad chest, wishing more than I’d ever wished for anything that his actions were not just chivalry and affection for his cousin, but something more.
Chapter 6
Cooper
Iblamed my height. No, scratch that—I blamed thebed. 6'3" wasn’t eventhattall when you thought about it, so why was it so hard for me to fit on a freaking double bed? I’d started the night on my side, curled up as small as I could so my feet didn’t hang over the end but I also gave Rio enough space on the other side of the mattress. That wasn’t the most comfortable way for me to sleep, though, so I’d ended up in a more . . . diagonal position at some stage during the night. Which of course didn’t leave Rio much room.
When I woke up as the sun was just rising, I was hogging the bed, and Rio was nestled snugly against me. I wasn’t complaining about that, but given that I didn’t have their explicit consent to cuddle like that, I wouldn’t just lie there and enjoy the situation. Instead, I carefully tried to wriggle my way out of our nest of blankets without waking them.
I should have known it wouldn’t work. As soon as I moved, Rio mumbled, and then their eyelashes fluttered as they cameawake. I froze, simply staring at them, and Rio stared right back. It should have been awkward, but it wasn’t.
It felt right.
Eventually, we broke eye contact. Rio stretched, and I pushed off the bed and stood. “Morning,” I said. “Sleep okay?”
Rio groaned. “I would have slept better if I’d bothered to change into pajamas before going to bed last night. These jeans arenotthat comfortable to sleep in.”
“To be fair, you were completely out of it. I’m not sure if you remember, but I had to carry you in from the car.”
Rio covered their face with their hands, but not before I saw them flush a deep red. “Oh my god. I am so embarrassed. I’m so sorry!”
I laughed. “Don’t be. I didn’t mind, and you were clearly exhausted. Youhadjust driven across the country.”
“True, but still.” Rio lowered their hands and looked up at me. “Thank you for looking after me. Next time, though, poke me awake andmakeme get changed. I beg of you.”
“Deal.”
“What are you doing up so early?” they asked, throwing back the blanket.
“I figured I’d go for a run,” I said. “The festival doesn’t start until this afternoon, so I really should make the most of the scenery and do my daily run around the lake.”
Rio nodded. “That sounds good. Mind if I join you?”
Did I mind spending additional time in Rio’s presence, enjoying their company and watching them get hot and sweaty? “Not at all.”
We changed into running gear and filled our water bottles, but before we could leave, Rio backtracked into the bedroom. I followed and saw them quickly taking a tablet, and then I swore as well. “Shit, thanks for reminding me. I almost forgot.” I took my own daily dose of PrEP, mentally setting a reminder for therest of the stay here since I was out of whack with my normal routine. The packet usually sat on my bedside table so I could take it first thing in the morning, but with no room for those in the bedroom here, I was keeping them in my toiletry bag.
Teresa and Brad were still asleep, so we snuck quietly from the cabin and hit the trail circling the lake. It was an absolutely beautiful morning, with the rising sun sparkling off the still water of the lake, and some low clouds hanging over the mountains to the west. We took a little while to match each other’s stride—our vastly different heights worked against us—but we soon found a rhythm. It was peaceful, running with Rio at my side. We spoke little, simply running in comfortable silence, enjoying the morning.
After about half an hour, we came to a stop so we could gulp down some water. Rio began stretching, and I tried not to stare at the way their tiny running shorts hitched up around their butt. The shorts were totally doing it for me, and I really didn’t want to do the awkward “I’m running with a boner” shuffle. I turned my back, ostensibly taking in the view of the lake while I caught my breath.
Voices drifted to us on the breeze, and I looked over my shoulder to see an older couple walking along the trail. They beamed at us when they approached, and the woman called out, “Hello! Thank god we’ve found someone. We’re a little bit lost.”
“We’re notlost, Dahlia. We just can’t find what we’re looking for,” the gentleman said.
Dahlia gave him a pointed look. “Timothy, that’s what the word lostmeans.” She looked at us and shook her head fondly. “Honestly. He’s so stubborn!”
